Got the Diagnosis... Need advice re: Lamictal

I take Lamictal 200mg titrated from 25mg VERY SLOWLY to watch for the rash; no rash and I don't think I have any side effects either. I have gained no weight!

I have ultra rapid cycling bipolar and now my moods are straight-lined. I also don't get those high rushes that then threw me into a hole.

I would try it; if you see a rash go to the ER. You will be okay! ✨

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I was on it for about 4 years, never had a problem with it. It was helpful

Lamictal has been a game changer for me... Probably one med I'll never come off..... I'm your age.. I wouldn't worry.. This is one med that I personally think has had the best results as far as covering a lot of bp

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I don't know much about pharmacology but I take Depakote and tolerate it well. I think it's relatively the same.....not too sure. If Lamictal doesn't work for you, perhaps you can discuss an alternative with your p-doc.

Keep in mind that any drug is going to list all sorts of side effects (bound by law). I eat grilled steak every week......that can't be too good for me either. But it's yummy.

I am 20 and have been on Lamictal for about a year and a half. I had the same thing as you where my doctors kind of went back and forth on the diagnosis of BP II. I have mostly depressive symptoms and possibly some history of mixed symptoms. I think they are still not positive which is very frustrating. It feels like a lot of guessing. One T mentioned that one of the things she noticed was an increase in possible hypomanic symptoms when I was on antidepressants as well (prozac and lexapro).
This is actually the least amount of meds I have been on in a long time. Only 200 mg of the Lamictal and Adderall or Vyvanse PRN. I have been on lexapro, prozac, zoloft, abilify, wellbutrin, and brintellix.
I have had no side effects. I have a history of EDs so was terrified of any weight gain and told my doc I would not go on things that would make me gain weight. I think it is pretty neutral in that respect.
I am not going to lie and say that I have been perfectly stable and Lamictal is a miracle drug. But I do think it has been very helpful. I will be honest, this could be just me, but I feel like anyone with a mental illness will have moods. You are going to have bad weeks, maybe even months no matter what. But they don't have to be horrible. They can be tolerated and managed and you will work through them.

Thank you all! Have therapy tonight thankfully... Today was weird, felt kind of low mostly? I am not over thinking until it gets up to the right dose. I realize this is something to manage for my life time so I can't expect a quick fix... that was always my former mentality that got me into trouble!

Took me 3 years to get to a stable state.. It's worth it though!

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Even when you get to the goal dose you will probably need to take it day by day. You may need adjustments with the dose or other meds in addition to the lamictal. It's pretty much impossible to know. But it's a good idea to never set your mind that a goal dose is when you worry because that is often not the solution in and of itself. You'll get there but it will be easier if you don't set any timeframes in your mind, just try to accept that how you feel each day is how you feel and eventually you'll have a pattern that will show your response. Mood charting helps (I grudgingly admit since I've hated it and refused to do it for many, many years after initially finding it too hard). I use an app on my phone call imood journal (works on android and iphone both) and I like it a lot. Others like one called Optomism that my phone won't take b/c the phone is too old, or daily mood diary or a bunch of others. Or you can do it with paper and pencil. I like the app because I mark it through the day easily and as much as I feel I need to with mood changes and it reminds me. It also can send the data to my email and I can make graphs with it.

Thank you! I have history of Eating disorder as well, I already use a App to track my food (not calories, its more of an accountability and inspirational app "Record Recovery"... I will check out the app you suggested, also! I really appreciate it I had always thought my hormones were to blame w/ my severe moods, but once I was getting the hard swings when I was not supposed to be moody according to my cycle, I started to wonder. I will tell my therapist about that app, as well !!

Welcome Again SilverSprings,

I hope all the encouragement and positive reviews of Lamictal are helping you. We're here as needed and collectively have years and years of experience managing BiPolar.

Please keep sharing! Thanks,

moogs

Yes!! So much... the support is tremendously helpful. However, there is something I am still wondering b/c I was not diagnosed w/ a actual "Stage" other then being told im not BP 1. How will I ever know what stage, and the possibility of BPD / misdiagnosis looms as well...

Typically, my swings are fast or feel that way. Some things tip them off. I will go up and down quickly. I might over react to anything and feel like my eyes are big and i get shaky, cant breathe, panic, causing hours and hours of crazy behavior... always made worse by: my hormones, caffeine, and being overly tired or hungover, stressed and now just being on prozac alone.

I am trying to think if I was ever stuck very long in any. due to not tracking moods, so hard to tell. My therapist says I have been like this (manic-ish) since we started working together and that was weeks ago. Perhaps i am blind to it. Agh.... its so weird to figure this all out. :S I have diaries through the years of angry writings... i have tried and failed so many times which makes sense now why CBT didn't work on its own.

I sent new therapist a link about the difference, will talk to her and Pdoc and try to work on getting a real diagnosis. Perhaps they see things I don't. Like... there were phases that I DEF was high/up/manic i guess awhile (my BF would make up w/ me, we would have constant falling outs, they seemed to happen in clusters... over/over/over again). But being down down... i dont think have been too terribly down in my past. So that is my confusion!?

Yeah, as with most of us, your case sounds complicated with many factors. I tend to keep things very practical. Let your care team figure out what's up - just be very honest with them about moods, thoughts, sleep cycles, self-medicating, and etc.

I found a great deal out from this book: Taking Charge of BiPolar Disorder. It may help you. Not sure about your Dx and BPD. I am no expert, but I did find value in reading DSM IV and DSM 5 - the actually manuals pdocs use to Dx conditions.

Best of luck,

moogs

Thank you I downloaded the book yesterday and reading through it already resonates on many levels. I even realized that the 'voices' in my head are part of all of this.. and can bring that to light w/ my therapist. So- thank you! I also will have my partner read through some and like that there are notes and help for family/friends. For me this is great, as I am not telling many people other then a few trusted people. I already almost regretted telling my sister- even though we are close, and some others b/c everyone seems to say "oh i think im bi-polar too!". But that is kind of not what I want to hear- and not really supportive... i wonder why everyone seems to have that reaction?
My sister told me about her experience in therapy, the meds they put her and and that she would support me. but there were things she did/said that kind of freaked me out too! (not really her fault...) so this book might also be something to suggest for her to read.

I struggle also b/c i am sure my parents suffer from some kind of mood disorder or bi-polar, and it sucks not to be able to help or tell them. They think the whole thing is BS and are anti-mental help types.... oh well.

Hooray! I enjoy PC Bipolar Land. It's good to see a new person with focus and determination to get better.

Keep us posted,

moogs