[raspberrytorte]

Had a pdoc appointment today.

Officially weaning off of lamictal now and then starting depakote. She told me lamictal doesn't have any withdrawal when you stop taking it. I told her I've gone off of it before and had withdrawal. It was horrible. I was sick the entire time. When I got down to a low dose I was so sick and dizzy I couldn't walk. It was like when you've had a long night of heavy drinking and end up laying on your living room floor with the entire room spinning.

She said that when we get down to a lower dose we can slow it down though if I start having bad withdrawal.

I get so physically dependent on meds! I always have such lousy weaning experiences!

And lamictal has been my backbone med for four years. I'm afraid when I go off it everything is just going to crumble and I'll end up in the hospital again!

And depakote scares me.

I know she thinks this is best for me. I guess I can see her point of view. Three out of the four times I've been hospitalized it's been mixed/manic related.

Just...

And I'm scared of weight gain. I feel like weight gain is just inevitable at this moment. I'm going to be on depakote and seroquel together. I'm just doomed.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I was on both together, on a very high dose of Depakote (3200 mgs) and a medium dose of Seroquel (600, maybe 800 at times) and I gained weight but it wasn't constant; it did stop. I was on Depakote long before starting Seroquel so I gained weight on it (mostly dose dependent) and then when I started Seroquel and got to higher doses I gained on it but then I hit a point that my weight stayed stable. Not at all where I wanted it but I was just glad it didn't keep going up. I've read that as long as Depakote dose stays below I think 1200 mg (1500? somewhere around there) weight gain is usually not that great. Over that dose causes more weight gain but the article said most people can be at doses under that point. I had to be on a ton because my blood levels never wanted to stay therapeutic unless I was on so much that I was more depakote than human. Hopefully you absorb it well and get away with low doses to get the levels you need.

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Had a pdoc appointment today.

Officially weaning off of lamictal now and then starting depakote. She told me lamictal doesn't have any withdrawal when you stop taking it. I told her I've gone off of it before and had withdrawal. It was horrible. I was sick the entire time. When I got down to a low dose I was so sick and dizzy I couldn't walk. It was like when you've had a long night of heavy drinking and end up laying on your living room floor with the entire room spinning.

She said that when we get down to a lower dose we can slow it down though if I start having bad withdrawal.

I get so physically dependent on meds! I always have such lousy weaning experiences!

And lamictal has been my backbone med for four years. I'm afraid when I go off it everything is just going to crumble and I'll end up in the hospital again!

And depakote scares me.

I know she thinks this is best for me. I guess I can see her point of view. Three out of the four times I've been hospitalized it's been mixed/manic related.

Just...

And I'm scared of weight gain. I feel like weight gain is just inevitable at this moment. I'm going to be on depakote and seroquel together. I'm just doomed.

I'm sorry. I was on depakote and didn't gain any weight from it. Now I did on seroquel. But maybe you won't on depakote...

[Aquarius33]

Ive been on lamotrigine for a couple yrs n it worked for me I loved it. But then I started packin on the pounds. I gained bout 30 pounds! So I asked to switch meds...big mistake. I was put on lithium n abilify. It didnt work it made things worse. Last 3 months have been hell for me. Doc says im in a bipolar
depression episode. Ive never felt this bad. Doc recommended goin to providence hospital n im not sure what Im gonna do. Now im gettin off lithium n startin lamotrigine n wellbutrin. I hope this combination works. I guess im thinkin that I should have left my meds alone cuz things were doin better When I was on lamotrigine. Im just gonna have to excersise n watch what I eat. Cuz its hard to find a med that works for you. At least for me it did. I hope the new combo you takin works for you. Just maybe keep a diary to track moods. They have apps for phone now that will track it also. Hope all is well n keep us updated on how you feelin.

[raspberrytorte]

I'm just nervous because right now I feel stable so why the switch? I guess to prevent future episodes. When I get bad I get really bad quick.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

You switched providers not that long ago too and some just wait for any excuse to change off meds they don't like. Lamogitrine is usually pretty well liked but I'm sure somewhere is a pdoc/pnurse who hates it. It never makes sense.

[~Christina]

Why stop Lamictal? My understanding is you can do Depakote and Lamictal at the same times.

Lamictal works in the back ground for the depressive end of things

Cnfused here

[raspberrytorte]

I'm confused too. Trust me. It wasn't my idea.

She doesn't like lamictal. She told me it was the tylenol of mood stabilizers. She told me you can't take both at the same time because they interact and there's a bigger chance of getting the rash.

I don't know. We argue all of the time! She was going to make me stay on haldol. We argued about it! I told her I couldn't handle the akathesia and the cogentin wasn't helping. Then she wanted me to go on risperdal. No! Then we argued about seroquel. Then about latuda.

Sigh.

At least I'm good about standing my ground!

If the lamictal taper goes bad or I get depressed I'm calling and saying no. She's starting me on depakote at my next appointment. I'll be down to 100mg of lamictal. Depakote doesn't work I'm staying on lamictal!

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Depakote increases blood levels of lithium. So that's why with that. Although they've been demonstrated to work together just fine; you just lower the lamictal dose. I was in a lamictal clinical trial and it was about combining the 2 drugs with lithium. I had problems because they raised the lamictal dose for everyone at some point and that was too much for me and I started being able to plan on throwing up about 10 AM every day. But with better knowledge of dosing they should be fine together. I guess I can understand not wantin to take the risk. In the study we were never told of a higher risk of the rash.

I got the rash and was on both but it was my 2nd time and was on about half what I'd never had a reaction to the 1st time. It was weird.

Is this the same pdoc that ripped you off klonopin?
I don't know this person but I don't like how she seems to be going all willy nilly on your meds. It doesn't sound like she is taking your concerns seriously. And I think the lamictal being equivalent to Tylenol is a ridiculous comparison.
I don't know, I just wouldn't be comfortable with a pdoc that doesn't seem to listen.

[raspberrytorte]

I'm not very worried about the rash. Both times I went on lamictal I titrated up really fast, and it started working right away.

Just... this pdoc! She tried convincing me that the only meds with withdrawal are benzos and effexor! She's nuts! She said if it wasn't for the rash she'd just take me off lamictal!

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by jupiter3

Is this the same pdoc that ripped you off klonopin?
I don't know this person but I don't like how she seems to be going all willy nilly on your meds. It doesn't sound like she is taking your concerns seriously. And I think the lamictal being equivalent to Tylenol is a ridiculous comparison.
I don't know, I just wouldn't be comfortable with a pdoc that doesn't seem to listen.

Yeah. Same one.

I'm not comfortable with her. And I don't like her and am sore about the clonazepam experience. It was traumatizing.

But I don't know what to do. There's a pdocs acccepting new patients shortage around here.

Maybe I should ditch her and get refills from my primary?

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Yeah. Same one.

I'm not comfortable with her. And I don't like her and am sore about the clonazepam experience. It was traumatizing.

But I don't know what to do. There's a pdocs acccepting new patients shortage around here.

Maybe I should ditch her and get refills from my primary?

Idk, my last pdoc was a jerk and had his own take on things. Said the only thing that would help me sleep at this point is zyprexa! He just loves zyprexa and so at our last appt I brought one of my sisters. I think it made him mad and he kept triggering me and I kept getting angry. We decided to part ways. I never did trust him and tried really hard to.

Now I've got a new psych nurse and so far I like her. She is going to take me off the lorazepam, but decrease to valium and then decrease that. My old pdoc was like oh you should be able to come off that in a couple of weeks. No way! Idk, can you get a different psych nurse?

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by rose1985

Idk, my last pdoc was a jerk and had his own take on things. Said the only thing that would help me sleep at this point is zyprexa! He just loves zyprexa and so at our last appt I brought one of my sisters. I think it made him mad and he kept triggering me and I kept getting angry. We decided to part ways. I never did trust him and tried really hard to.

Now I've got a new psych nurse and so far I like her. She is going to take me off the lorazepam, but decrease to valium and then decrease that. My old pdoc was like oh you should be able to come off that in a couple of weeks. No way! Idk, can you get a different psych nurse?

I don't know, but I have to do something. So far I feel she's done me way more harm than good.

You're lucky you've found someone who is going to take you off lorazepam the right way!

Yeah, it's so hard if you don't click with your psych ppl. In the hospital I've been really lucky and have always gotten good pdocs. My favorite is this Indian pdoc. He is so good!

But on the outside I haven't had much luck. Like I didn't want to go on lorazepam. But my first psych nurse pushed it on me when I was having akathisia from the latuda and started refusing to take it. I didn't know that was what I was having. She was like you need to calm down! I was like no, I don't wasn't any benzodiazepines....She basically said she would end our treatment if I didn't take them. I knew one day I would meet some one that didn't like them and now I have. Sorry to ramble about myself, lol.

I would see if the depakote works. It is stronger than lamictal. See how you do with her plan for a bit. When I've went off lamictal, I've never had withdrawals. But I was usually being put on depakote in the hospital. Just try her plan. If it doesn't work, change pdocs if you can...

[raspberrytorte]

Thanks, rose. I guess for now I'm going with it.

I've always had wonderful doctors inpatient too! Especially this last time. I wish I could have him as my regular pdoc. Him or the other inpatient doctor who is awesome as well.

[Aquarius33]

I was concerned about the weight gain as well so I went off of it but lithium was worse so shes putting me back on lamictal and we trying wellbutrin, which has a side effect of loosing weight. Hopefully it will help with the weight gain. Im trying to stay positive. Kinda hard when lithium put me into a bipolar depression episode.

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Thanks, rose. I guess for now I'm going with it.

I've always had wonderful doctors inpatient too! Especially this last time. I wish I could have him as my regular pdoc. Him or the other inpatient doctor who is awesome as well.

Yeah, when I went into that psychosis the pdoc in the hospital would just listen to my ramblings and be like, I know this must be hard for you. He was very sensitive and fatherly figurish. I'm so happy I got him when I went into that psychosis. When I started coming out of it and was crying all the time he was very comforting. Yeah hospital pdocs can be really good....

[jacky8807]

I say be your own advocate. Tell her you won't go off lamictal.end of story
Wishing u luck raspberry

[jacky8807]

And I doubt she will kick you out because of that. You are not being impossible you are being prudent

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I know when you had to change providers you had to find someone as fast as possible. Are you feeling well enough to call around and get on some waiting lists and see if you can find someone you get along with better? Tell her you just aren't comfortable tapering lamictal and try to hang in there with her until you can see someone else. Even if you have to wait quite a while you might eventually wind up with someone who listens, which I think is necessary to treat us.

[Hashi/bipolar mom]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I'm just nervous because right now I feel stable so why the switch? I guess to prevent future episodes. When I get bad I get really bad quick.

Why can't she just add the Depakote and not take you off the Lamictal. That is what my pdoc did last summer. I ended up off of it, because it literally did nothing for me and made me gain 10lbs.