lamotrigine advice, please

i've been in a minor depression for a while now, along with paranoia, anxiety and quite extreme anger. my mood has been down but not particularly low, but i have had lack of energy, disturbed sleep, a return to self harm after a year without, problems with communicating, difficulties leaving the house, lack of motivation, poor diet etc.

this started with a reduced thyroid function, and then, on fixing that, lowered lithium levels. both these things have been dealt with, but the depression has continued. until a day or two ago it was worsening almost daily, but in the last couple of days the actual depressive part has lifted a little, although i'm still anxious and paranoid most of the time, and have issues with leaving my house.

i have been seeing my pdoc and a few sessions ago he suggested that if my depression worsened he might consider starting me on lamotrigine and an anti depressant. he was wanting to put the lamotrigine in because anti depressants usually send me to mania, and he was hoping the lam. would help stabilise me further. however he seemed to dismiss this idea at later appointments.

i have a holiday i'm due to go on in 5 weeks and i am really looking forward to it and don't want to do anything to risk it, so i'm wary of antidepressants. however, the way i'm feeling at the moment it won't be much fun. i have done some research myself (he doesn't call me the expert patient for nothing!) and i read that lamotrigine is not only a mood stabiliser but has anti depressant properties too. if this is the case, i think it might be useful for me because i obviously am not stable and need further stabilising, but an anti depressant may be too much.

i'm currently on lithium, seroquel and thyroxine, can anyone offer any advice/thoughts, please?

It is a good stabilizer for Bipolar-II, due to milder mania than Bipolar-I, which requires a stabilizer designed for that.
Lamictal (Lamotrigine) has ant-depressant qualities, but is not an AD. I was switched to this for that purpose (I'm mild Bipolar-II) after AD's weren't effective any longer, SSRI's tend to poop out after a couple or more years.
I'm pleased with this med.,it's non-sedating,I haven't had any side effects, at least I do not re-call any, if so they were short acting.
Almost any med. there are chances for side effects, many are temporary till body adjusts, one needs to have some patience during this adjustment, unless something that states or or doc states to contact him/him or the pharmacist.
After being tried on various mood stabilizers, I find this one the best for me and my situation, but everyone is different. Lamictal is now alsoeing used to help people who are migraine sufferers. Several mood stabilizers are anit-epileptic/anti-convulsives, which are now being found to help with various mental and/or physical disorders.
I wish you luck with what you decide.

i am bp I but this would only be a secondary stabiliser, as i'm on lithium already and although i've destabilised it's not by much, just a wobble, and the doc is thinking of lamotrigine just to even things back up. which kind of makes sense, i think they say in the "rules" that lamotrigine should never be the primary and first use stabiliser. it can be used on its own but only after trying other stabilisers and bringing it in alongside those then dropping them.

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dogtanian said:
i am bp I but this would only be a secondary stabiliser, as i'm on lithium already and although i've destabilised it's not by much, just a wobble, and the doc is thinking of lamotrigine just to even things back up. which kind of makes sense, i think they say in the "rules" that lamotrigine should never be the primary and first use stabiliser. it can be used on its own but only after trying other stabilisers and bringing it in alongside those then dropping them.

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Lamictal (lamotrigine) is approved for Bipolar I - but is used offf-lable for Bipolar II, anger mangement, anxiety and depression as well. One thing to talk to your doctor about BEFORE starting this medication is the risk of a life-threatening rash that may occcur. Although this is very rare, it's still a precaution. I've known many people for whom this med has work wonders for their depression and anxiety - and for mood stablization when used in adjunct with other meds (SSRIs, Lithium, etc). I believe the only med contradiction is with Depakote.

Hope this helps
Jerry

I'm on Lamictal, which is a mood stabilizer with anti-depressant properties. I cannot take any anti-d's cause they drive me to hypomania every time. I'm more on the dysthymic/borderline side than bipo, but this med is good, with no weight gain and little sides. I would not worry about "the rash". I think it is worth a try.

Hi, i can only repeat what darkeyes and cracked already said. I have been on lamictal for about 3 years and it's been really good. I also didn't have any side effects, actually i had much more problems getting used to the seroquel. I'd definetely give it a try. Good luck to you and please keep us posted.