[peaceheart]

I'm newly diagnosed this year after a nasty few years with very little, if any, stability and no returning to baseline (previous Dx was MDD severe, recurrent, plus GAD), having to leave jobs due to being too unwell, and a lot of hospitalizations and horrible treatment there (not to mention very adverse reactions to anti-depressants!). Finally, a Dx that makes sense of it all...

My Dx is now BP II, SAD, GAD. It's so confusing to read the info that is out there and then the DSM criteria. I am a rapid or ultra-rapid cycler and also have mixed episodes (but likely just shy of full on mania)- so theoretically that doesn't fit the BP II Dx, right?

I have been very slowly tapering up on Lamictal since September and got to the 200mg 10 days ago. I have not been stable the whole time (actually had the worst mixed episode i've ever had in Oct and nearly didn't make it) and am still in a nasty (precarious) depression. Has this happened to anyone else on Lamictal? P.doc was considering tapering me down to a lower dose (since the lamictal is also causing some cognitive impairments) but we really want to give lamictal a good trial, since it has such a preferable side effect profile. I was meant to wait it out til late January but I need some relief now. I am wondering about adding low dose lithium.
Any experiences or advice?

[alincdytyourmeds]

Do you have an anti depressant at all? I am on lithium and lamictal and and anti depressant. I wouldn't want to cut any of those out. As far as what dx is right remember you are treating symptoms not the dx. so it doesn't matter as far as bp 1 or 2 or nos, as long as you get symptom relief

I'm sorry....but I'm on 300mg of Lamictal and never had any issues with it. When I get up to 400mg I start having thinking issues.

I ultra-rapid cycle, and once I hit 300, I stabilized like a rock- and they labeled me BD1! Lol

I was like "Are you sure? No waaay!" Just because I see nonspecific hallucinations.

Lamictal is generally used for the beepers that are depression prone and lithium for the manics. But....the two can be prescribed simultaneously, you just have to ask your pdoc. I also take a little Prozac to level at baseline.

[jtesta33]

I can't give any advice on medications, as nothing has worked for me and I've been on this hamster wheel for many years. I can say, however, that you are on the right track seeking knowledge. It is crucial to know this disease because it's how you can best manage your triggers.

I think of my triggers as loving beings hell bent on destroying me. If I let them lurk in the tall grass ready to pounce, they win. If I constantly shine a light of knowledge, I win. It's a simple competitive exercise.

I can tell from the way you write that you are intelligent. This is your primary weapon in this fight.

This message board helps me to know I'm not alone, and I hope it will help you too. There's also a very good and active group on Facebook, the Bipolar Disorder Support group. People ask and answer meds related questions all the time.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I see sooo many people of forums praise lamictal but it made me manic. Every time I would move up a dose I would get crazy. I got in fights, arguments, rage. I switched to trileptal.

Dx: BP2, PTSD, bulimia/anorexia
Seroquel 150mgs
Risperdal 4mg
Trileptal 600mgs
Buspar 45mgs
Ativan 1mg PRN
Vyvance 70mgs PRN

[Unrigged64072835]

You might want to check with your psychiatrist and see if they can give you something to ease the depression until you're stabilized on the Lamictal. I used to be on 300mg with no ill effects.

[Cocosurviving]

Originally Posted by AlwaysChanging2

I'm sorry....but I'm on 300mg of Lamictal and never had any issues with it. When I get up to 400mg I start having thinking issues.

I ultra-rapid cycle, and once I hit 300, I stabilized like a rock- and they labeled me BD1! Lol

I was like "Are you sure? No waaay!" Just because I see nonspecific hallucinations.

Lamictal is generally used for the beepers that are depression prone and lithium for the manics. But....the two can be prescribed simultaneously, you just have to ask your pdoc. I also take a little Prozac to level at baseline.

I take both. I'm BP1 and have more problems with mania. I was given Lithium for mania. Then I started having SAD so I was given Lamictal for depression.

I take 900mg of Lithium and 400 of Lamictal. I do notice cognitive disfunction but I was on Lithium first (2012) when I noticed it. I can not blame Lamictal (2013). I noticed disfunction right away with Lithium the downside is the med works so well for me. I went off it and had two episodes was hospitalized

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[Victoria'smom]

I'm on two anti depressants (depression), lamictal (mood stabilizer), and anti psychotic (anti mania). Most of us are on several medications.

[peaceheart]

Thanks for all the responses! It is really nice to see that there are some people out there who 'get' it, since there are ZERO support groups where I live.

I've saw the nurse at my p.doc's office yesterday in the hope to go down to 125mg on the lamictal and add in low dose lithium. I got to the pharmacy and found the p.doc had given an Rx to taper off the lamictal entirely and then only be on 300mg of lithium?!!

I'm no psychiatrist but only low dose lithium without anything else seems like a really bad and inadequate move when a person is in a really bad depression and still cycling, right?

Oh, and no, I'm not on any anti-depressants; i tried three (cipralex i couldn't tolerate for more than 48 hours, zoloft sent me into a mixed and then depressed state, the other - effexor - was brutal ... i wanted to punch walls for the first time in my life and could never sleep/ ended up mixed / manic or hypomanic). So i don't want to touch any more ADs at all!