[Arduous]

So my pdoc finally got back with me a little bit ago & she dc'd my lamictal. It was causing some major itchiness
The last time I took it was Saturday night before bed @ 25 mg. So it's been about 42 hours since I took it.
Now she's starting me back on Depakote but..... she's starting me on 1000mg my first night! I thought depakote had to be titrated up? The last time I took it I started at 500mg and stayed at that dose for a week then went up to 1000mg.

Is it safe to start out at 1000mg?

Also, starting the depakote so close to my last dose of lamictal should be alright, right? Just wondering because of the itchiness.

Sigh....

Originally Posted by Arduous

So my pdoc finally got back with me a little bit ago & she dc'd my lamictal. It was causing some major itchiness
The last time I took it was Saturday night before bed @ 25 mg. So it's been about 42 hours since I took it.
Now she's starting me back on Depakote but..... she's starting me on 1000mg my first night! I thought depakote had to be titrated up? The last time I took it I started at 500mg and stayed at that dose for a week then went up to 1000mg.

Is it safe to start out at 1000mg?

Also, starting the depakote so close to my last dose of lamictal should be alright, right? Just wondering because of the itchiness.

Sigh....

Unfortunately Arduous I don't know the answer to your questions. I was on Lamictal for a brief time. However, I developed Lamictal rash & had to be taken off.

I would think the best thing to do here is to call your pdoc to assuage your concerns. Or, if you don't want to call your pdoc back, perhaps there's a family practice doctor you could call? If not I wonder about an area hospital.

I'm not familiar with Depakote, myself. But starting right out at 1,000 mg. / day of any psych med sounds "iffy" to me. If I were in your situation, I think I'd want a professional second opinion. My best wishes to you.

[Victoria'smom]

Lamictal's half life is 25 hours so you should be good to start a new drug. 1000mg should be fine if that was your therapeutic dose before.

[Arduous]

Well they are closed now. So what I'm going to do is start out at 500mg tonight then I'll call them tomorrow to double check & make sure and to let them know I started at 500 mg. I did a search and on a lot of the sites it says 750 is the usual starting dose.
I'll play it safe just in case the nurse got my pdocs message wrong. You never know!

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by Arduous

So my pdoc finally got back with me a little bit ago & she dc'd my lamictal. It was causing some major itchiness
The last time I took it was Saturday night before bed @ 25 mg. So it's been about 42 hours since I took it.
Now she's starting me back on Depakote but..... she's starting me on 1000mg my first night! I thought depakote had to be titrated up? The last time I took it I started at 500mg and stayed at that dose for a week then went up to 1000mg.

Is it safe to start out at 1000mg?

Also, starting the depakote so close to my last dose of lamictal should be alright, right? Just wondering because of the itchiness.

Sigh....

Yes, you totally fine, I know patients that are on both of them, and it's fine to start Depakote at 1000mg...hopefully you don't get to hungry on it though

[jordan23]

I like Lamictal, and hated Depakote since it causes hunger. Yes you're fine with how you're transitioning the meds.

[Arduous]

I'm fine with the hunger. I was on depakote for 8 months before and barely gained any weight. I have a smaller frame so I'll be ok to gain a few pounds. I usually try to stay fit & drink plenty of water so I'm pretty confident about being able to control my weight. If I am unhappy with the way I look then I'll work hard to fix it.
I'm more worried about my hair falling out again, like last time. Maybe second time is a charm?

[Victoria'smom]

Can you try a lower dose?

[Arduous]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

Can you try a lower dose?

Yeah. I started at 500mg instead of 1000mg last night. Just in case. I'm calling my pdoc nurse to make sure. Last time I was on depakote I started at 500mg. She might have actually wanted me to start at 1000mg for some reason but my anxiety is telling me not to. I know it won't hurt anything for me to take the lower dose so I'll play it safe & confirm on the phone with her to make sure. She just said on the voice mail to take two at bedtime & didn't say anything about titrating up. This is one of those meds you're suppose to titrate, it has a rash warning also.

[Victoria'smom]

I'm sorry, I meant last time when your hair was falling out you were at x dose can you try a lower maintenance dose to prevent hair loss? Are you getting your blood work done to make sure you're on the lowest possible maintenance dose? I tons of psychiatrists forget blood work is required like with lithium.

[newtothis31]

Sorry to hear about your anxiety with starting a new medicine. If it makes you feel better- I started out Depakote at 1000 mg- 2x a day. I was in a full blown mania state though. I was able to taper off the medicine as my symptoms stabilized- the 500mg - 1000mg just made me really tired as a side effect.
Good luck! It is the only med that I still have when I originally got diagnosed- so for me- it has been pretty rock solid.

[eleckra69]

I like Trileptal and Neurontin, you might consider those.

[Jamles]

You really start lamictal at a slower pace. I titrated it at 25 then 50 then 75 and on to 100. It took about a month or so to do this.

[Arduous]

Originally Posted by Jamles

You really start lamictal at a slower pace. I titrated it at 25 then 50 then 75 and on to 100. It took about a month or so to do this.

I was on lamictal 25 mg for two weeks but I got really itchy and started getting red bumps everywhere so they took me off that and put me back on depakote. Last night was my first depakote dose @ 500mg, tonight I take 1000mg from here on out till they decide to increase or decrease. Depends on my response I suppose. As long as my hair doesn't start to fall out again I should be good to go.

[Disorder7]

Today my pdoc said I'll probably be moved to trileptal. However, he gave me a prescription for Benadryl and I have to take it twice a day. He said the lamictal is still in my system. I'm itching and have red bumps on my chin. Nice.

He gave me prozac for the anxiety and depression, ( I know bipolar people have to be careful with SSRIs) and a boatload of xanax for panic.

The beat goes on. It never ends.

[Jamles]

Sorry about that I was using my phone couldn't quite see all of your post. Hope it works out for you. Good luck.

[Hottiedepressed]

Lamictal worked great for me, but I refuse to take Depakote, because as indicated it causes weight lose and hair lose.

[Arduous]

Originally Posted by Disorder7

Today my pdoc said I'll probably be moved to trileptal. However, he gave me a prescription for Benadryl and I have to take it twice a day. He said the lamictal is still in my system. I'm itching and have red bumps on my chin. Nice.

He gave me prozac for the anxiety and depression, ( I know bipolar people have to be careful with SSRIs) and a boatload of xanax for panic.

The beat goes on. It never ends.

No it doesn't that's for sure. I'm still itching as well but my bumps are fading. Prozac made me absolutely crazy, can't take ssri's at all. My pdoc gave me vistaril for my anxiety. Never heard of it until now. Just tried it a couple hours ago & I like it. Got rid of my panic attack and mellowed me out and I'm not too sleepy. I hate taking all the meds but if it fits it ships I guess

[Disorder7]

Yeah, if it was just a case of being moody, I'd try it without meds. But it's the panic I can't handle. I've done things like pull over in my car and stumble around in traffic, I've tried to jump out of moving cars, and I've crawled up on strangers' porches, knocked on their doors and had them call 911.
For me, no meds just isn't an option. I just have to find one that sucks less.

I'm happy for those who have an option of being med free.

[Arduous]

Originally Posted by Disorder7

Yeah, if it was just a case of being moody, I'd try it without meds. But it's the panic I can't handle. I've done things like pull over in my car and stumble around in traffic, I've tried to jump out of moving cars, and I've crawled up on strangers' porches, knocked on their doors and had them call 911.
For me, no meds just isn't an option. I just have to find one that sucks less.

I'm happy for those who have an option of being med free.

Yeah your anxiety is pretty bad, it's scary huh? Finding a med that doesn't suck is hard, impossible almost. I'm crushed I can't take the lamictal because I actually felt good while taking it. The depakote is making me so tired right now I'm having a hard time staying awake. I know that will go away after a couple of weeks but I'm already tired all the time anyway. And the anxiety is keeping me from working right now. I can't drive. Every time I get behind the wheel I start freaking out. I don't even know what brought this on.
I've always had anxiety but not like this. Just out of nowhere it's gotten horrible and I can't control it like I use to be able to.
So I'm pretty much stuck at home like a stinking hermit. I hate it.
On top of all that I feel like I'm always drunk. I don't drink, who needs to drink when I'm always feeling weird anyway.
It would be nice to not be on meds. But feeling like i'm about to crawl out of my skin or feeling nothing but anger isn't an option either.
I'm wondering if I'll ever be like I use to be, or if I'm even going to be able to go back to work. I't just seems like everything is getting worse not better. Almost like everything is coming to a crescendo or a point of blowing up and just losing my sh#t. Like I'm about to have a full blown manic attack but I have no energy so it wouldn't happen. Sigh.....who knows

[Disorder7]

It was May 14, 2013 when years of anxiety just seem to compound and I sort of unraveled for no reason. No reason. That's the date on a medical bill from the emergency room. Since then it has progressively gotten worse.

Maybe I should have seen it coming. I haven't really worked in a couple of years, except for a home side job. Over the past few years I've also pushed everyone away except my husband. And I tried really hard to that. Lol

It seems all the doctors can do is sedate me. The benzos make me so sleepy, all I want to do is sleep.
I can still drive as long as I take enough xanax to sedate a horse. Haha.

I try to look on the bright side and be thankful I don't have some awful physical disease.
But when I get depressed, bipolar feels pretty terminal to me.

[tamisomuch]

I hate Depakote. I gained weight so much before. Good luck for you tho!! I think you should believe your pdoc
-Tami

[bondgirl]

I'm not a fan of either! I prefer Lithium.

[loophole]

Benzo with drawl is total destruction.. worst drug ive ever had to quit taking by miles..... I quit going to that dr who prescribed me such a high dose.. he should have to go through the detox and see how that feels.... just be weary of Xanax.. klonopin.. valuem... they become addicting (talking physical dependence for me that I didn't have a clue I had).. u have to take more to get the same effect. .... which leads to a much more horrible detox... just Google benzo detox. .. anyway gl

[Arduous]

Originally Posted by tamisomuch

I hate Depakote. I gained weight so much before. Good luck for you tho!! I think you should believe your pdoc
-Tami

You know it's weird everyone says you gain weight but I never did last time I was on depakote. Although I did go up 2 cup sizes... can't complain on that lol. My ONLY problem when I was taking it last time was my hair thinning out. I'm going to do some research & see if I can avoid that or if there's anything I can do to counteract it. I like my hair so I'd like to keep it