I guess I'm partially scaring myself by reading side effects but I was curious about the experience of those who have had this medicine.

I'm ready to give up honestly when it comes to medicine. I know it can help-- I have chemical imbalances but it isn't a complete fix and the other half I'm working on but the output still is subpar. I'm so tired of living this way. My psychiatrist is running out of ideas, my therapist is always supportive but with limited change it has to be taxing on him, and my support system is limited at best.

If this doesn't make a difference in me -- I'm not dishing out money I don't have for medicines that may work for awhile and poop out on me. I just don't know what else to do. I'm not here to whine about how horrible my life is... I just wish someone could see the world through the lens I have to.

[Travelinglady]

I took Lamictal for years and got off of it when it had built up in my system and caused muscle problems. It is a popular med, though, and a reasonable mood stabilizer.

I'm not sure any med can be counted on "forever....:

[~Christina]

I have taken it for about 7 years never had a problem of side effects.

It work in the background for depression , virtually does nothing for manic end.

To me it’s been helpful

[FriendlyJoe]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

I have taken it for about 7 years never had a problem of side effects.

It work in the background for depression , virtually does nothing for manic end.

To me it’s been helpful

It works great for for me as well on the depression side of it but yah nothing for manic. I can handle being manic though its just being depressed is my weakness.

Been on it for almost 2 years no with no side effects. But its case by case on medications.

[wiretwister]

I find it works for me quite well ... if I drop the dose back I can tell the difference ... I consider it my main med ... been many years and no complaints ... if I only could take one med it would be this one ... am currently at 150mg twice daily ...

[Scooter9]

I was on it for 4 years and it worked really well for my depression.

You titrate up on it over some time and things were rocky for me during that time. My mood would change every few hours and I had rashes none of which ended up being serious.

Once I hit the target dose there was no looking back. I felt normal for the first time in years and it made that titration worth it for me.

I took it for 4 years and I suddenly had an allergic reaction to it. It was damaging my liver so I had to stop it really quickly.

There depression returned and I've been trying various meds since.

I had some side effects the most noticable was memory issues but my doctors say that's probably coming more from the depression than the Lamictal but I can't be sure. I started to notice it about a year after I started it. I have gaps in my memory, and not just from the time I was on it, it's missing from times during various points in my life.

If you do start it, consider asking for a liver function test about once a year - it's a blood test. The liver reaction is a known reaction to Lamictal.

If it wasn't for that reaction I'd probably still be on it.

I don't experience mania so I can't talk about that.

Good luck and keep is posted.

[Pookyl]

I live more on the manic side of the bipolar spectrum so Lamictal had no effect on me.

[Unrigged64072835]

I didn’t have any side effects. It didn’t work for me either.

[Under*Over]

I loved it but it gave me a rash. I mean- I REALLY loved it. It made me feel great! I was doing things I hadnt done in a while, like dressing nicely and hanging out with friends and just- I felt a lot lighter on it.

If it werent for that stupid rash...

[Shadesofdark]

Never had a bad side effect. Wonder drug for me, as a stabilizer and for depression. Good drug (as good as any of them are).

Thank you everyone for your responses -- it relieves some of my anxiety about the medicine.

[Cheduderinoenserio]

I'm mainly depressive but Lamictal has been a godsend with no side effects.

[BipolaRNurse]

I've been on Lamictal for seven years and never had a problem with it, except for a headache for a few days when I titrated up. I'm maxed out on it though, so I hope it doesn't poop out on me.

[jmariah001]

I've been taking lamictal for a few years now. I am not sure it is helping anymore. I have been having a lot of mood swings lately. I am on 200 mgs a day. No side effects that I've noticed. My body just gets use to medicine. I don't know how many meds I've been on over the years. A lot I know that. Been on an anti-depressant since high school and that was back in 1999.

[MickeyCheeky]

I'm so sorry, Brentus Please don't give up. It's not easy to find the right meds combination. Try to hang on. I hope Lamictal will work for you. I'd suggest not to read the side effects if you can. Otherwise you'll just feel more anxious. Remember that every med is different for everyone! I hope things will get better soon for you. If there are any problems, I'd suggest to talk to your Pdoc about this and see how it goes from there. Hopefully he/she will be able to help you. He/she's there to help you after all. I hope you'll be able to get the help you need and deserve. You deserve to get better and to feel good. You deserve to live a good life just like everyone else does. You're a wonderful person. Stay strong, Brentus. Stay safe and take care of yourself. You're awesome! You're strong! You're a warrior! Try to hang on. I'm so sorry, I know it's hard. Please don't give up. I hope things will get better soon for you. Is there anything we can do to help you? Please let us know. Remember that we're here for you if you need it. Feel free to PM me anytime. Let me know if I can do something to help you. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this

[HALLIEBETH87]

Idk that it does any thing for me but I’ve been on it 11 years

When I first took Lamictal, I took it with Abilify. I eventually (over a few months) became severely manic on 300 mg. I forget my Abilify dose. I was hospitalized and taken off it.

A couple years after the above, I had become depressed on Depakote and Invega. I had ECT treatments, but refused maintenance ECT. I was put back on Depakote and became depressed again. I was then put on Lithium and Geodon, both of which I had been on years earlier. My depression eased a little, but not fully. Lamictal was added to Lithium and Geodon. When I reached 75 mg my depression ended. At 100 mg I started to get manic, so a second antipsychotic was added since I was on the usual max amount of Geodon. That helped. I have been taking the 100 mg Lamictal since (8 years now), though over that time my Lithium and Geodon were switched to Tegretol XR and Seroquel XR. My psychiatrist never increases my Lamictal because it's activating for me. He rather manipulates my Seroquel XR. That always works for me.

Besides mood activation, the only side effect I had from Lamictal in the past was some mild cognitive impairment (at 300 mg). At 100 mg, I have had zero discernable side effects.

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

When I first took Lamictal, I took it with Abilify. I eventually (over a few months) became severely manic on 300 mg. I forget my Abilify dose. I was hospitalized and taken off it.

A couple years after the above, I had become depressed on Depakote and Invega. I had ECT treatments, but refused maintenance ECT. I was put back on Depakote and became depressed again. I was then put on Lithium and Geodon, both of which I had been on years earlier. My depression eased a little, but not fully. Lamictal was added to Lithium and Geodon. When I reached 75 mg my depression ended. At 100 mg I started to get manic, so a second antipsychotic was added since I was on the usual max amount of Geodon. That helped. I have been taking the 100 mg Lamictal since (8 years now), though over that time my Lithium and Geodon were switched to Tegretol XR and Seroquel XR. My psychiatrist never increases my Lamictal because it's activating for me. He rather manipulates my Seroquel XR. That always works for me.

Besides mood activation, the only side effect I had from Lamictal in the past was some mild cognitive impairment (at 300 mg). At 100 mg, I have had zero discernable side effects.

hmm, I also take abilify with lamictal. I've been on kind of a high these last few days (a sudden onset I can't say I directly can link to the medicine). Hopefully it's not anything major. Thanks for your input!

[Guiness187055]

Im on a higher dosage of abilify with lamictal and have been quite stable.

Lamictal never really helped me. But I was put on it as a mood stabilizer. It just wasn't strong enough. I was very manic at the time, so the pdoc at the time chose Depakote. For depression, I'm on viibryd.

But it works for a lot of people. Good luck with it.

[Wander]

I thought Lamictal wasn't working for me at doses of 200-300mg. In my recent hospitalisation my Lamictal was bumped up to 400mg. It now seems to be helping by calming my rapid cycling. It still happens but each up and down are less severe and don't last as long. Some people do well on much lower doses though.

However, Geodon was added in a high dose at the same time so it could be that. I was extremely ill with a mixed psychotic episode and the med changes snapped me out quickly. Due to the severity of the episode I am now on the max dose of my main three meds. I don't mind as I am experiencing relative stability that I have never had before. Also, I have no side effects apart from minor tremors from the Lithium.

[Netflixandcry56]

I’m about to start it this week
Really terrified about the rash
But desperate for something to help with the depression
I’m just coming off tegretol which I’ve been on for 6 years I felt it wasn’t doing anything but since decreasing the past month I’ve become so manic

[pirilin]

I never went over 200mg,
However, the day I desided to dish it, my depression and mental fog subsided.
My experience is bad. It slows the reflexes.
It's hard to make decisitions.
The only car accident I've had in 40 years, was due to a slow reaction.
Now, six months later, I can fly thru the hyway with confidence.
I'm winning at poker again. I'm my crazy self again.
To use another again, I'll never take it again.

Cheers.

[bywena]

I was on lamictal for years went off when I developed a wicked tremor Have to go back on it It kept me hypomanic most of the time but It worked on the depression which is why I am going back on it taking zyprexa for the mania I hope it works as well as it did in the beginning It did seem to stop working after a while but not sure I may have been getting worse or life circumstances had something to do with it I hope to be taking 300mg I will ask if I can take it 3 times a day 100mg to space it out and so I do not develop tremor again we will see No side effects besides the tremor

[IssaColdWorld]

I started 25mg of Lamictal on Jan. 31, 2019 and right now I've worked up to 75mg which is giving me a pounding headache all day long. Today I'm going to take 50mg then another 25mg an hour or 2 later. Splitting the dose might help ease the headache.

I have noticed I'm a lot more manic lately which I thought was all in my head. I kind of like the mania/mood swings because I'm finally able to stand up for myself however I'm also screaming and yelling a lot more (as means to get my point across) so people stop ****ing with me.

I definitely need an anti-anxiety medication added with Lamictal for sure. I go back on the 7th and will definitely be asking for something to help calm me down.

Other than that I'm set to go up to 200mg per day. I'm not sure I'll make it if the headaches continue. We'll see.