How do I know Lamictal is working?

Hey guys and gals,

I am currently dosing up with Lamictal. I am doing the 25mg/week step-up titration or whatever it is called, to reduce side-effect reactions. So this is the 4th week, and I am at 100 mg. and feel relatively....nothing.

Now I realize I am being impatient, as I am aiming for the 200-300mg range ultimately, as I am about 200 lb.s of muscle, and I require heavier doses of drugs in general due to metabolism and lean body mass.

Anyway, my question is: "How do I know that the Lamictal is working?"

What effects did you first notice?

when your symptoms calm down, it's working. no medicine ever totally removes all symptoms but if you experience less anxiety, better sleep, fewer reactions to noise or other triggers---then it's working. and it does take time. usually 3-6 weeks depending on the Rx, dosage & your own body/brain chemistry

When I was first diagnosed Lamictal was the first medicine they put me on. At about 50 mg is when I noticed the changes in my mood, and realized that I truly was suffering from BP. I am currently on 400 mg, and have been for a long time along with anti-psychotics over the years.

BP 1-mixed episodes/OCD

Lamictal 400 mg
Haldol 3 mg
Latuda 40 mg
Klonopin 1 mg
Sonata

When I started Lamictal it felt like it took forever to work, but when it did work it kind of snuck up on me. After weeks of feeling like crap, I just kind of noticed that I felt better one day. There was no sudden shift like I have experienced with other meds.

It's been a life changing med for me. I really hope it goes well for you.

That is really encouraging, thanks for sharing.

My gut feeling is that it will work, given enough time and dosage levels.

Give it time...it will work. I was first diagnosed 10 years ago and this is what they put me on. I started out small and reached the max dose of 400mg day. I love it cause I have zero side effects. Good luck!

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All I can say is when I stopped taking Lamictal my wife said I was a bigger jerk then normal so I went back on it. I'd call that proof enough for me.

I have been on 100mg for almost a week, and this morning after I took it, I felt slightly dizzy for a few minutes. Today I felt ok, fairly good. Less irritable and less anxiety than usually.
I think it is starting to affect me now.
I am thinking 200 mg should do the trick for me.