[*Laurie*]

I need some input. Yesterday the clutch went out on my car. I took my last Lamictal pill yesterday morning. Since I couldn't get to the pharmacy yesterday and have no way to get there myself today, I asked my husband to please pick up my Lamictal at the pharmacy. I also asked him to please get some quarters for me so I can do laundry, and I told him that some money needs to go into my bank account and to do that, he has to stop by my apartment and pick up my ATM card. (We've been married for 30+ years, but he and I don't live together for good reason.)

A tiny bit of background...my husband has severe OCD and ADD, but refuses to take medication for his mental illnesses because he doesn't believe that mental illness is a brain disorder + doesn't believe that people really need medication (except when he occasionally cracks up, of course. THEN he pleads for meds).

So he showed up at my house at 6:30 p.m. I asked him if he had my medication and my quarters. Ohhh, nooo, he says...I forgot to get them.... I was furious, but this is the way he is. (I am the complete opposite - I would NEVER forget to get something he needed.) So. He'll never change because he's seriously effed up and refuses to help himself.

My question is this: I missed my dose of 100 mg. Lamictal this morning. Since I don't have the medication I will miss another dose tomorrow (Sunday) morning. If my jerk-off husband remembers to pick up my Lamictal tomorrow, should I go ahead and take it Monday morning? I have looked all over online and cannot find an answer. I'm hoping some of you here have experience to offer.
Thanks

[wildflowerchild25]

Can you call your pharmacist and ask them? I know you probably can’t reach your pdoc since it’s a holiday weekend but if they have an answering service maybe you can see if they can answer the question as well.

I’m not sure how many days of lamictal you can miss before you have to start the titration process over again.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I think it is 3 days but I'm not sure and am not a pharmacist nor doctor. I'd try the pharmacy since they are likely to be open on Sunday and maybe Monday.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you Wildflower and Rainbow - great idea!

I have no way to reach my pdoc (annoying & seems irresponsible of them), but my pharmacist is really friendly and helpful. I can call her tomorrow morning. And hope my ding-dong husband manages to get there by 5 p.m. to pick it up. *sigh* Sorry to sound cranky but, wow, do I get frustrated with him.

[amicus_curiae]

I’m having problems with taking my meds right now — I’ve been up for six days and nights and missed two days so I’m trying to catch up — so I’m not certain that my advice really has any significance, but...

...I, too, have a gem of a pharmacist. I really trust him more than some of my doctors. If you’re able to contact your pharmacist today then I would heed her advice. I’ve only been on Lamictal for about one month but if I miss any doses, I just start taking my meds as directed, as prescribed.

That’s my advice. Of course I didn’t take my Friday morning meds until 11:00 p.m., Saturday night.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by amicus_curiae

I’m having problems with taking my meds right now — I’ve been up for six days and nights and missed two days so I’m trying to catch up — so I’m not certain that my advice really has any significance, but...

...I, too, have a gem of a pharmacist. I really trust him more than some of my doctors. If you’re able to contact your pharmacist today then I would heed her advice. I’ve only been on Lamictal for about one month but if I miss any doses, I just start taking my meds as directed, as prescribed.

That’s my advice. Of course I didn’t take my Friday morning meds until 11:00 p.m., Saturday night.

Hello dear, why the trouble with taking your meds? I'm so sorry to hear about the sleep situation.

Thank you very much for taking the time and energy to reply to my question. I usually forget about consulting with my pharmacist, but that's something I will be much more conscious of from now on.

[cool09]

You don't want to mess with lamictal and that rash. Does lamictal help your depression? It's also amazing that you and your husband have completely different views and still get along. Hope you straighten it out.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by cool09

You don't want to mess with lamictal and that rash. Does lamictal help your depression? It's also amazing that you and your husband have completely different views and still get along. Hope you straighten it out.

Thank you, cool.
I'm very afraid of the rash, especially because I always get a rash across my forehead when I start Lamictal.


In some ways, my husband and I are dear friends. But we don't live together because frankly, he is impossible. And that's not a "there's 2 sides to the story" - it is truly impossible for anyone to be around him for very long. He's been kicked out of therapy 3 times because he stubbornly refuses to make any effort at all to change, to compromise; he just insists on his way, his perspective, argues for it, and the tragedy of it is, his way does not work. He is mentally a mess. My t says he's very self-destructive, even passively suicidal, and I tend to agree. He's also a Vietnam veteran and I swear the army so brainwashed those guys.


Anyway. I awoke very dizzy this morning and am having trouble walking because of the dizziness. I'm hoping it's just a fluke and not Lamictal withdrawal from stopping it so suddenly. I'm going to lie down again and hope the dizziness goes away so I can walk to the grocery store.

I agree that a pharmacist can be an important part of anyone's healthcare team. It's good to find a good one. Also, many pharmacies will deliver medications in special cases. That's something to ask about, too, in cases where you can't get there.

[liveforsummer]

I hope you can get your meds sorted out soon. I too have also found my pharmacist extremely helpful and listens to all my questions...and trust me, I have many when given any new Med!

[bizi]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

I agree that a pharmacist can be an important part of anyone's healthcare team. It's good to find a good one. Also, many pharmacies will deliver medications in special cases. That's something to ask about, too, in cases where you can't get there.

yes there are certain pharmacies that deliver and others set up pill sorts with push thru blister packs. That might be helpful???
bizi

I didn’t take my Lamictal for 3 days, then I ended up in very bad withdrawals which makes not taking them worse then having to take them: just strait up scared here for I curled up in a ball in the front seat of my truck not being able to drive. Luckily I kept a few in the truck to take just in case and this was one of those times. I had throbbing headaches and I felt so stressed. I was trying to quit and I was just taking 25 mg at the time.

Do you have a friend with a car, taxi maybe?

[downandlonely]

I've missed doses of lamictal and never had any withdrawal symptoms. It's weird how meds affect people so differently.

Originally Posted by downandlonely

I've missed doses of lamictal and never had any withdrawal symptoms. It's weird how meds affect people so differently.

Very true. I would be considered med sensitive and highly addicted.

[*Laurie*]

A BIG thanks to each of you for your help.

The town I live in is pretty small. I don't have any friends here with cars. And, even if I did, I'd feel embarrassed to ask for a ride. I'm not very good yet at reaching out for help.


A taxi is a good idea, just a bit expensive. I will, however, be taking a taxi to my therapy appointment on Tuesday.

I called my husband this afternoon and reminded him that the pharmacy closes at 6. It's almost 7, so hopefully he stopped off somewhere to pick up some groceries for himself and will be here soon with my Lamictal.

I seldom let myself run out of medication...I usually have bags of back-up meds. So of course, when my car breaks down I had to be flat out of Lamictal.

There is a nice pharmacy only 3 blocks from my apartment. I very recently found out that they deliver - and that they offer blister packs. It's a privately-owned pharmacy and I would much rather go there than to CVS. Their hours are kind of short, but that's not really a problem for me. Most of the time I have my car and it's easy to get to the pharmacy. But when my car is down, the situation is entirely different.

So yes, I am going to stop in at that little pharmacy and find out if I can transfer my prescriptions over there.
__________________________________________________________

Update:

Okay, husband showed up with the Lamictal. *Whew* Good thing, because I'm pretty sure I'd be feeling some harsh withdrawal by tomorrow.

Again - thank you all. Your support and advice has been tremendously helpful.

[*Laurie*]

Oh wow, awoke after only 3 hours of sleep with tremendous energy and such. Feels so good, I'm tempted not to take the Lamictal! Obviously the stuff is settling down manic mood. Ah well, every little thing is coming at me at 10,000 miles...objectively, I suppose this can't be a good thing in the longterm. What a hard thing to do, swallow that pill. Guess I should do it, though. *sigh*

[~Christina]

Standard deal is if you miss 3 days of Lamictal you need to restart.

Feeling fantastic ? Maybe it is Lamictal that’s keeping you to flat , ask Pdoc to decrease it and see how you do. Worse case you just have to go back up , worth a shot.

Baseline is needed not to up and not so so down ... what we all often beg for. *sigh*

Ps : check the half life of Lamictal that might be another reason for feeling the way you are

[tecomsin]

Hi *Laurie*,

My impression is that you can restart safely if you only missed a day or two but keep an eye out for the rash. I'm glad you have your husband to help you and you have the patience to put up with his limitations. I hope you can get your car fixed soon!

[*Laurie*]

Thank you Christina and tecomsin.

I took the Lamictal and feel oddly depressed. A couple of months ago I was up to 200 mg. and felt SO flat I virtually pleaded with my pdoc to drop the dose. She was not thrilled, but she agreed to 100 mg. Her reasoning was that, should I fall into a depression, I can easily increase the Lamictal (which she says is the best AD for bipolar depression). Whereas If I've stopped the Lamictal and become depressed I would have to do the slow titration again.

I remain uncertain and confused. It seems to me that Lamictal causes me to feel down and flat. I'm not understanding how it will suddenly help me, should I become more depressed. Ah, I'm frustrated with the whole Lamictal situation and need to talk with her when I see her.

Not having my car is also extremely upsetting to me. I always become depressed when my car is down because I feel imprisoned and so isolated.