[annabelle3]

I have depression and was on effexor which was working okay, but not great. I was still getting very frustrated with my kids. I stopped taking it on my own. When I went back to the doctor she put me on lamictal. I know that is for bipolar, which I do not have. I am leary of taking it. I am often tired and have no motivation. I can't concentrate or keep a thought in my head. I think I need Adderall or the other med similar to that. How can I convince her that's what I need. Any feed back on lamictal. I am also very afraid of weight gain.

[1flagwriter]

annabelle,

I'm sorry you are having a bad time right now. Hey, I took Lamictal for a long period of time a few years ago. I was taking it for mood stability. Although there is great success with using Lamictal with BP, it isn't the only condition they use Lamictal for. They use it for Anxiety disorders also. I never gained weight on it, but I did find it to be a relaxing medication.

Now, my wife is on Adderall, which is nothing more than Amphetamine. This is a controlled substance and is extremely addictive. My wife has a MAJOR sleep disorder that no doctor has yet to figure out. Adderall is also used for ADD/ADHD.

I really hope you will give Lamictal a chance. It really does work.

[tryingtobeme]

Originally Posted by annabelle3

I have depression and was on effexor which was working okay, but not great. I was still getting very frustrated with my kids. I stopped taking it on my own. When I went back to the doctor she put me on lamictal. I know that is for bipolar, which I do not have. I am leary of taking it. I am often tired and have no motivation. I can't concentrate or keep a thought in my head. I think I need Adderall or the other med similar to that. How can I convince her that's what I need. Any feed back on lamictal. I am also very afraid of weight gain.

Annabelle,

Why did you stop taking the effexor? Because it wasn't working as you thought it should? Some meds are better if they are combined with other meds. Example, I take celexa and for a period it seemed not to be working that good. My pdoc put me on Wellbutrin as well. They both work like a charm for me.

Sometimes just getting the right combo is what is needs. Other times you will have to just find the right meds. I know that is easier said than done, but you can can through it.

I would sit down with your doc, go over everything, meds, what she is diagnosing you as, what are all your options. Don't just let them give you what they want. A good doc, will walk you through everything. At least they should.

One other thing, just b/c a drug is FDA approved to treat one thing, does not mean that it can't be used for other things. Heck, I took a breast cancer drug to get pregnant and I didn't have breat cancer. So you see meds can work for a variety of uses.

Hello, annabelle3. Is there a reason you do not trust your doctor?

[annabelle3]

Originally Posted by TheByzantine

Hello, annabelle3. Is there a reason you do not trust your doctor?

No, I do. I just want to be normal and happy and not have to take anything.

[Monsieur]

I can relate to many of the med issues you're facing. Like Trying said, meds can often be used to treat a variety of illnesses even if the label doesn't specifically state it. If you're feeling a bit leery of your doctor's decision/recommendation then perhaps go over these concerns with her and suggest to her Adderall and see what she thinks about it. Best of luck to you.

~Monsieur