I've been rolling along for more than a month now with no depression (just irritability). 2 nights ago I increased lamictal to 50 mg. Yesterday morning I felt very peaceful. Today I feel very depressed.

Is a quick switch to bad depression anything to be concerned about? I read there can be moodiness with titration, but should I call my doc about the bad depression or will he just tell me to wait things out until possibly 100 mg (in 9 days) will make me feel better?

Sorry if this sounds disjointed. I'm very disjointed today, can't think straight. Self esteem has gone into the crapper, literally overnight.

Thanks for any input.

[wotchermuggle]

Originally Posted by newgal2

I've been rolling along for more than a month now with no depression (just irritability). 2 nights ago I increased lamictal to 50 mg. Yesterday morning I felt very peaceful. Today I feel very depressed.

Is a quick switch to bad depression anything to be concerned about? I read there can be moodiness with titration, but should I call my doc about the bad depression or will he just tell me to wait things out until possibly 100 mg (in 9 days) will make me feel better?

Sorry if this sounds disjointed. I'm very disjointed today, can't think straight. Self esteem has gone into the crapper, literally overnight.

Thanks for any input.

I'd wait to your next appointment. If it's literally been one month, then that's only four or five weeks. Often it takes 6-8 or even more to see any improvement. 50mg may not be a therapeutic dose - I was on 150 and noticed the big difference between 150 and 200mg.

[Skittles56]

I had a couple of very bad episodes of depression while I was titrating on Lamictal. I think my final dosage at that time was 150 mg. I got quite a bit better after that. If your doctor is anything like mine, he will probably tell you to hang in there until you get to your final dosage.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Skittles56

I had a couple of very bad episodes of depression while I was titrating on Lamictal. I think my final dosage at that time was 150 mg. I got quite a bit better after that. If your doctor is anything like mine, he will probably tell you to hang in there until you get to your final dosage.

Hope this helps.

Thanks guys. I actually only started with 25 mg 2 weeks ago, so I guess it's really early. I was just surprised how the depression hit so severely, so fast (with no real trigger that I can think of).

Originally Posted by newgal2

Thanks guys. I actually only started with 25 mg 2 weeks ago, so I guess it's really early. I was just surprised how the depression hit so severely, so fast (with no real trigger that I can think of).

My pdoc had me pick up samples of viibryd. I do tend toward depression and had a little bit of suicidal ideation this morning. Hope he knows what he's doing. Kind of scared, but at least I see him Wednesday so I can actually talk to him instead of his secretary (he's an independent and doesn't have a nurse).

Right at this moment, I don't feel depressed. Apparently it was just a swing? Do I really want to start it if it was a swing? Yes, I do, because I've been so tired for the past week or so.

Originally Posted by wotchermuggle

I'd wait to your next appointment. If it's literally been one month, then that's only four or five weeks. Often it takes 6-8 or even more to see any improvement. 50mg may not be a therapeutic dose - I was on 150 and noticed the big difference between 150 and 200mg.

So wotchermuggle, are you saying that even once I get up to whatever the therapeutic dose it is for me, it'll be six to 8 weeks from THAT point that I see improvement? Thanks.

No. It will take about 6 weeks to hit therapeudic dose which you willknow you have hit when you start feeling improvement. For me that was 200mg when it started kicking in, but I had to go up to 375 to get to best dose for me. It varies personto person.

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

No. It will take about 6 weeks to hit therapeudic dose which you willknow you have hit when you start feeling improvement. For me that was 200mg when it started kicking in, but I had to go up to 375 to get to best dose for me. It varies personto person.

Thank Chris. BTW, sorry you are heartbroken. :-(

So you are cycling, right? that is going to still happen as Lamictal starts trying to regulate everything. Do you know your cycle?

[anneo59]

good advice here, newgirl!!!!! I can speak from personal experience. Also, see if you can come up with other tools other than meds that can enhance staying out of depressed mode. They really vary from person to person. I wish you all the best, and am happy to speak with you further, if you like!

Originally Posted by dumbfounded

So you are cycling, right? that is going to still happen as Lamictal starts trying to regulate everything. Do you know your cycle?

No, I do not really know my cycle. All I know is today I'm not depressed (seem even almost), although yesterday I was reallly depressed, and then anxious.

It's my experience with Lamictal that your cycle will change before the relief comes. For example, if you usually have a seven day cycle, it will change to three or four and become irregular, before Lamictal tones it down to something that is more than manageable. that is the way it worked for me anyways. 50 seemed to bring on more depressed emotions. 75 brought on excited emotions. 100 seemed to even me out. I am now on 100 in the mornings and afternoons... so 200 throughout the day spread out.

hope this helps.

Originally Posted by dumbfounded

It's my experience with Lamictal that your cycle will change before the relief comes. For example, if you usually have a seven day cycle, it will change to three or four and become irregular, before Lamictal tones it down to something that is more than manageable. that is the way it worked for me anyways. 50 seemed to bring on more depressed emotions. 75 brought on excited emotions. 100 seemed to even me out. I am now on 100 in the mornings and afternoons... so 200 throughout the day spread out.

hope this helps.

Thanks, dumbfounded. I really appreciate that info. :-)

Originally Posted by anneo59

good advice here, newgirl!!!!! I can speak from personal experience. Also, see if you can come up with other tools other than meds that can enhance staying out of depressed mode. They really vary from person to person. I wish you all the best, and am happy to speak with you further, if you like!

Anne, I just had a session with my cognitive behavioral therapist. It helped immensely with my negative, irrational thoughts. Didn't seem to need his help so much when I was hypomanic, but today the session was extremely helpful.

As a result, I have written a note to myself and hung on my office door that says, "Stability should come in one to two weeks." (One week I'll be on 100 mg lamictal, and a week from then will be at 200). The month of August getting started on this has seemed like an eternity with anger and anxiety creeping out of nowhere.

[anneo59]

Hi, how are you doing, newgal2? Sorry I got this msg late, still getting the hang of PC navigation! Feel free to write back or PM, if you'd prefer! I think CBT is good stuff, but one time it didn't help me was with non-combat military sexual trauma. Maybe it wasn't done right, or I wasn't ready. Can be a great tool, tho, for lots of traumatic experiences, I know. Be well!