Stopping lamictal-experiences?

Hey all, I've been on lamictal 200mg for about a year now. Worked great for depression but the headaches and the wiped out feeling are really getting to me. I'm thinking of going off. Can I get some some experiences on coming off this medication? Definitely not going to do cold turkey but would a fairly fast taper(a couple weeks opposed to a couple months) be alright you think? Anybody done this and what did you experience? Thanks.

definitely talk to your doctor about the best way to adjust or go off the med. i'm on effexor xr and was having problems with it leaving me feeling really sluggish, and my doc changed it to where i take it twice a day at half the dose rather than once in the larger dose (it's the same amount overall) and my side effects went completely away.

I'd be curious to know the answer to this one too. I'm on Lamictal 100mg. Supposed to be stepping it up to 200 in weeks to come, but it's like a placebo to me. Doesn't help my depression at all. So I'm thinking I'll taper it off if I get no relief in another week.

i think i was only ever on 25mg, and i tapered off over 2 weeks. bit of a nightmare with the headaches, so i would definitely go slower .

please talk to your doc about this, though. they will give you good info on how to taper off.

lamictal was like a placebo for me too, but the flavour made me insanely happy. i really looked forward to taking them in the morning, simply because i enjoyed the flavour so much. did absolutely nothing for my depression, though .

Really? What kind of flavor did they put on yours? Mine is tasteless as far as I can tell. Like chalk or something.

From what I've read it's okay to stop Lamictal fairly quickly but not okay to increase dose or start it super quickly. That's when the deadly rash can occur. I'm getting headaches, too, but I'm trying to figure out if my sleep cycle is more responsible than the med.

it has a blackberry smell to it . and part of our flavour perception is based on smell, so i think i confused the two. to me it really was a 'taste', i didnt realise it was only a smell until i looked it up just then.

After several years of wonderful results, I developed the dangerous rash you can get with the med. I thought you could only get the rash when you first started it, but the pdoc said it can develop anytime. Even as great as the emergency was, my pdoc had me taper off over a week and a half and gave me other meds to help me with it. It was hard and it was much faster than she would have done under normal circumstances. Please talk to your pdoc about a withdrawal rate that is safe for you.

This is probably too late, but I read that if you stop Lamictal suddenly at a higher dose it can induce seizures, even if you've never had them before! Yikes.

Now, here's my question, is hair loss possible while on lamictal, like lithium? I think the hair on my head is thinning fairly rapidly. It's getting super fine. And skin is itching for no apparent reason too although I use body lotion every day.

Thoughts anyone?

I was on 300 mg Lamictal for about 12 yrs. Have been able to get down to 100 mg within a couple months, though had to up it for a few weeks when anxiety got really bad. Down to 100 mg again & plan to be off it completely soon.

Got off Abilify after 12 yrs., too. (bipolar 1). Really trying hard w/indiv. therapy & DBT to get off or decrease meds as they aren't really aware of the effects on the elderly & getting there (55)--plus my DBT & therapy is helping so much. NEEDED to be on these meds as I was delusional & suicidal, etc., but w/meds provider & therapist working together we're making progress...

Wow, I've just barely started Abilify and Lamictal, but have also been on Wellbutrin and one sleep aid or another for about a year.

It's hard to imagine making that kind of progress such that I wouldn't need meds any more. But that is hopeful. I only was diagnosed late spring and turned 30 this summer. To think this might be over in 12 years sounds good to me. I thought it was an irreversible life long illness that just got worse with time.

I'm also bipolar I.

how fast did you go on it? that might be an indicator

I am on Lamictal just upped dose to 400mg - They are using it on me for a Mode Stabizer, as I am very bipolar, etc. It's working for me.
Was on Depakote for 5 years, blood tests every 3 months, finally affected my liver - taken off BOOM!

I do not Advise ANYONE to go off ANY medication without contacting you doctor.
Tell them you want off - They will not say NO - but will tell you have to cut back.

I am on Lamictal just upped dose to 400mg - They are using it on me for a Mode Stabizer, as I am very bipolar, etc. It's working for me.
Was on Depakote for 5 years, blood tests every 3 months, finally affected my liver - taken off BOOM!

I do not Advise ANYONE to go off ANY medication without contacting you doctor.
Tell them you want off - They will not say NO - but will tell you have to cut back.

I second that.

DO NOT GO OFF OF ANY MEDICATION WITHOUT CONTACTING YOUR DOCTOR.

Lamictal is not prescribed for depression that I'm aware of. It is an anti-siezure med prescribed for siezures, bipolar mania, and sometimes headaches.

I went cold turkey one day at 150 mg because of the deadly rash. Fortunately, I had no reaction except mania and it developed slowly enough that I had a wonderful time on my vacation!

When I got back, I crashed.

Can't vouch for any higher dosage.

The chewable ones are black currant flavor (kinda tangy blackberry taste) and the desolving ones cherry flavored. tastes like kids cold medicine to me