[ComfortablyNumb5]

I know I wrote a thread on starting lamictal somewhere but can't find it so forgive me if I already asked this. Plus my memory is shot from seroquel lol. Well I'm titrating up on lamictal and at 100mg for now and up to 200 next Monday. Mind you, I usually need a high dosage with meds. I'm also on welbutrin and my goal is to drop the welbutrin once I get to my "sweet spot" with lamictal.

So question is, at what dosage did it start helping you? Pdoc says you can go up to 500?! Well I already know I'm going to need a high dose.

And will it help with depression and rapid cycling? I'm scared to quit the welbutrin and have lamictal not help at all.

[seoultous]

I have had a good outcome with Lamictal. I was on 400mg and went down to 300. It has kept me stable mostly. By this I mean that while I have been depressed on it, the bottom does not drop out. The depression comes on gradually so we catch it in time to treat it. I have no experience with Lamictal and mania.

I haven't noticed any side effects with it.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by seoultous

I have had a good outcome with Lamictal. I was on 400mg and went down to 300. It has kept me stable mostly. By this I mean that while I have been depressed on it, the bottom does not drop out. The depression comes on gradually so we catch it in time to treat it. I have no experience with Lamictal and mania.

I haven't noticed any side effects with it.

That's good.. I'm a rapid cycler and I think I want to try out 300. I just got on welbutrin a few weeks ago from crippling depression. Possibly the worst BP depression in years so I'm terrified to go off my welbutrin (welbutrin is the only AD I can take). I'm hoping the lamictal prevents me from going down the rabbit hole or getting dysphoric hypo which I seem to switch on a bi weekly basis. I'm sick of it.

[raspberrytorte]

When I first started lamictal I was at 200mg and it helped perfectly. Five years later and I'm up to 400mg and it's questionable whether or not it's working anymore. I hope it works well for you!

[wiretwister]

I was at 400 for years ... no real side effect except it muted my emotions a lot ... duh .. that's what it is suppost to do ... had a false rash scare (another med) and dropped it some .... now at 200 and so far so good ... still working ...I can tell the diff from 400 ... it does work ... I use it for depression and anxiety ...

[Unrigged64072835]

I was on 300mg and still could've used more. I hoped for a higher dose but I was switched to Depakote instead.

I'm only at 100 and it's doing fine. I'm sure if I went up my moods would be a little more stable but I don't like the cognitive dulling.
I wouldn't assume that you will need a high dose until you actually start taking it. I need high doses of things like benzodiazepines or pain meds after surgery but that's because I have an addictive brain that develops a tolerance easily. I haven't found it to be the same for drugs that don't cause any euphoria or have any narcotic properties.

[xRavenx]

I am on 400 mg. I noticed some benefit when I went up to 200 mg, but not enough to achieve enough stability on that amount, so I had to keep going up. My pdoc did tell me that she would never prescribe someone over 400 mg since there hasn't been any indication anything higher than 400 has any therapeutic benefit. In fact, she even said it's debatable whether there's any clinical difference between 300-400 (since studies do not indicate a strong difference, although self-report might say otherwise). Some medications can interfere with the efficacy of Lamictal. For instance, birth control pills can decrease the amount of Lamictal in your blood, warranting a higher dose than someone who is not on BC pills.

I noticed Lamictal helped somewhat with depression and rapid cycling, but only with the help of an AP and other meds. It's hard for me to tell at this point how much it is actually helping since I've been on it for so long. I don't want to give up on the Lamictal though since it's great that I've never had any side effects.

[~Christina]

I hit 150 and we decided to let me just sit there , worked fine , I did recently pop up to 250 and thats working.

I didn't keep going up til I " felt" it doing great things. I sat and waited to see a difference ....it's a slow mover, background for depression, it really does nothing for the mania aspect of BP

[Nammu]

200 was where it started helping. Then after a yr and a half of stability I cut back to 150 because I don't like the emotional bunting. I went off of it a couple of months ago and am now free to feel feelings. Still stable and still on my other meds.

[pirilin]

Stopped working @ 200mg. Never wanted to go any higher. @ 25mg now. Just cuz.

[Gabyunbound]

200mg helped me a great deal for many years, but when I had a depressive episode a while back it was increased to 400mg. My Seroquel was also increased. I think if anything the Seroquel did the job, and I really haven't felt any difference (then or now) between 200 and 400mg. Only thing is that at that dose (as opposed to 200 which I took in the morning) my pdoc said some people get sleepy, so he told me to take it at night.

[JustJace2u]

I'm currently on 100mg of Lamictal and working my way up from 250mg of Wellbutrin to 300mg of Wellbutrin starting next week. It seems to be helping, but I still think I need more of a boost. My pdoc and I had discussed the possibility of also increasing my Lamictal once we get the Wellbutrin situated.

[Mnk99]

I have BPII (not 100% sure at times) and ADHD (100% certain) and as soon as I went to 25mg, for around 5 days or so, my anxiety was mostly gone. Maybe 80% gone.

That effect has lessened, and I hope it comes back at 50mg, and I hope depression goes further down too. This is the first bipolar med I've tried. I was dx as G.A.D. around 10-11 years ago. Tried Effexor, Seroquel, etc. Had major weight gain - and crazy Mania.

Now on Lamictal, I see I'm much better. But I didn't treat anything at all except for ADHD in the recent 8 years, except now for Lamictal.

Does anyone have digestive side fx that go away in higher doses?
Anyone take Dexedrine or Adderall and has Lamictal interfered in any way?

I am athletic and since starting Lam (for the second time), I have instantly become bloated. And this bothers me, I consider quitting but MAYBE at higher doses, that side effect will go.

Any input would be appreciated.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Another question: does lamictal make anyone else tired? I had to switch to taking it at night. I'm sure I'll get used to it though.

[CloserToTheMid]

300 hundred is the highest I can get without cognitive issues. It does the trick, though in conjunction with my other meds.