[mossanimal]

When I was on adderall I could take just a two or three day break and the efficacy seemed to come back big time (I felt like crap during that break though). So I'm curious if somebody like me who is on a relatively simple mono-therapy with regards to medication would benefit from taking short breaks to amp up efficacy ever now and then. I know that this could be a bad idea for those who journey into the higher levels of mania.. but I've never had mania to that extent. I just get moderately hypomanic (so far). Although the few mixed states I've had were very dangerous and I could see how taking a break with bad timing could be a problem.

[WhiskeyGirl]

I'm not sure, but best of luck to you!

[Artchic528]

Only take "med breaks" under medical supervision. It can be very dangerous to mess with the way you take (or not take) prescribed medications other than how it says on the label.

[still_crazy]

Most psych drugs don't work that way. Stimulants are unique in that they work quickly and can be stopped without too many problems (usually irritability, dysphoria, lethargy, etc. that can be handled, weirdly enough, with a sedative...).

Lamictal is definitely something I'd recommend taking every day, day in and day out. If you go 3 straight days without it, you have to start the process of ramping up the dose to a therepeutic level again.

Back in the 70s, some doctors would do "drug holidays" for people on the antipsychotics/tranquilizers/neuroleptics. That's when the old drugs had been around for a good 20 years or so and the risks of long term treatment had become apparent. The idea was that a "drug holiday" would allow people to see if treatment was still needed and also allow the doctor+patients to see if tardive dyskinesia had developed ((TD is caused by, and also partly suppressed by, neuroleptics, so withdrawing the drug can allow previously suppressed TD to show through)).

Turns out, it was a bad idea. As with most psych drugs, you can't go on and off, even if its just for a little while. With most psych drugs, the best approach is to take it and then, if you'd rather not take it, do a very, very, very slow taper off.

Hope this helps.

[mossanimal]

Yes. That pretty much settles it. Thank you. And I had forgotten about the rash thing.

Originally Posted by still_crazy

Most psych drugs don't work that way. Stimulants are unique in that they work quickly and can be stopped without too many problems (usually irritability, dysphoria, lethargy, etc. that can be handled, weirdly enough, with a sedative...).

Lamictal is definitely something I'd recommend taking every day, day in and day out. If you go 3 straight days without it, you have to start the process of ramping up the dose to a therepeutic level again.

Back in the 70s, some doctors would do "drug holidays" for people on the antipsychotics/tranquilizers/neuroleptics. That's when the old drugs had been around for a good 20 years or so and the risks of long term treatment had become apparent. The idea was that a "drug holiday" would allow people to see if treatment was still needed and also allow the doctor+patients to see if tardive dyskinesia had developed ((TD is caused by, and also partly suppressed by, neuroleptics, so withdrawing the drug can allow previously suppressed TD to show through)).

Turns out, it was a bad idea. As with most psych drugs, you can't go on and off, even if its just for a little while. With most psych drugs, the best approach is to take it and then, if you'd rather not take it, do a very, very, very slow taper off.

Hope this helps.

[~Christina]

The Half life is pretty short 11-15 hours.

This is one med I flat out would never take as getting off it is hellish for most people.

I was off my lamictal for 2.5 days and boy was that a rude awakening. I had disordered thought, my anxiety came back, I had a splitting headache, I couldn't sleep, every timei closed my eyes I had nightmares, it was extreme.

That was out of my control though. I did this at a crisis center which did not have my meds.

I did however, go from 375mgs of lamictal to just 300 mgs of lamictal and I felt more depressed but I could feel music again! God it was great, then the panic attacks came back and I had to up it back up to 375. Turns out, Lamictal also works for my panic attacks.

Sometimes the side effects are just as bad as the illness it treats. I do not say this lightly.