[ChangingMyMind]

Alright, so if any of you have seen my posts you'll know I'm having a hell of a time trying to find a medicine that will work for my depression/anxiety. I have tried so many anti-depressants lately that my pdoc finally prescribed me Lamictal.

First let me tell you I have side effects to nearly every drug I take, be it an anti-depressant or an acid blocker or whatever else.

I have had an allergic reaction to Wellbutrin and Zoloft. Too many side effects on Cymbalta, Celexa, Viibryd, Pristiq, and Lexapro.

So at this point I have a feeling the typical ADs will not cut it for me so I am ready to try Lamictal BUT I have seen the side effects profile and I am a bit scared.

I am curious about the likelihood of side effects on Lamictal. Anybody on here as sensitive to medicine as I am? If so, have you tried Lamictal and what were the results?

I know everybody is different and nobody here can tell me how I will react to Lamictal. I am just curious to see what others have experienced.

[Altered Moment]

I responded to your PM. I am not sensitive to meds and have very few side effects. I am actually to tolerant of them and they quit working or I need higher doses of a lot of things.

But I take Lamictal with no side effects and it has helped me.

You didn't mention Fetzima. Did you try that one yet?

Hi, Lamictal is tremendously helpful for so many people. My experience with it was, unfortunately, not good. I had high hopes for it when my p-doc prescribed it, but the Lamictal caused me to feel agitated and anxious. I had a mild rash from it. I hung on, taking the Lamictal for 2 very difficult months and finally decided it was just not working for me.

[Travelinglady]

A lot of meds haven't worked for me, but I took Lamictal for a long time with no problems. It's just that they tanked me up so much on it (max dosage) for so long that it evidently built up to a toxic level. So, I went off of it.

But I know folks who take it and are very satisfied. And I know for many docs it seems to be the go-to drug as a stabilizer.

Of course, we don't know until we try. But I'm like you, I like to ask other folks about a med before I pop one of them into my mouth.

[ChangingMyMind]

Originally Posted by zinco14532323

I responded to your PM. I am not sensitive to meds and have very few side effects. I am actually to tolerant of them and they quit working or I need higher doses of a lot of things.

But I take Lamictal with no side effects and it has helped me.

You didn't mention Fetzima. Did you try that one yet?

Hey zinco... No, I actually couldn't gain the courage to take the Fetzima because of all of the bad reactions I had to the other meds. I thought I'd try Zoloft since it has been around for awhile and just my luck I get a rash and itching all over within 4 hours of taking it.

[eeyorestail]

My pdoc has me on Lamictal as well for depression/anxiety. I am not super sensitive to drugs but I have had some very adverse reactions in the past to particular ones. I haven't had any adverse reaction to Lamictal, and I think it is actually helping stabilize my mood a bit. I was skeptical of it at first like you, mostly because it's labeled for epilepsy and bipolar, not depression/anxiety. Plus that rash warning. My pdoc is actually upping my dose right now and we are going veeeeery slowly to prevent side effects.

I only had start up side effects with lamictal: headaches, achiness. But those decreased as the dosage increased and within a short period of time no side effects at all.

Fetzima, by the way, worked well also with very few side effects (can't actually remember what they were now). I only discontinued it because it was rather expensive even with insurance and I had other med options that were more affordable.

[Nammu]

I've had a lot of horrible side effects to meds. I posted about that when I was a new member a lot, I gave up on meds for a long time. I recently got to the point where I had to try something and I was put on latuda and lamictal, to my surprise and wonder I'm not having any problem with either of them and the latuda has helped the mixed BP symptoms. Still waiting on the lamictal as I am going up very slowly. I'm starting my 5th week and just went up to 50 mg where I'll be for 3 weeks before going up to 100. It's hard to wait for the lamictal to kick in but worth the slow climb to avoid the side effects.

[Marshellette]

1 in 1,000 chance of rash, the younger you are the more likely. Lamictal is a mild med with a long half life processed by the kidney. If you've got a healthy kidney then hey, it's one of the safest drugs for BPII if not the safest...Lamictal is more likely to help with depression and negative thinking than mania. Lamictal is often used for BPII as well as an add on treatment with another drug for epilepsy. I am in the process of attempting to switch from Depakote (summer weather led to mania) to Lamictal. Depakote caused major depression in me but helped with my mania. Lamictal is a mood stabilizing antidepressant agent but does not help with mania, I wish there was one that did both or that the FDA would invent one. SALT works for my bipolar mania, Lamictal tastes like CHALK and helps with my depression. The salts (valproate and lithium) often cause severe side effects such as tremor and dehydration which I suffer through every day. And my depression is horrible! Depakote alone cannot control that. I will become housebound, lose 20 lbs. in a depression. Think black thoughts, view every dish in the sink as a gaping hole, every item in site a disaster waiting to happen. Every conversation a disagreement. At time I wish I was dead but when I help the little old man in my support group I am glad to be alive.

[Marshellette]

Originally Posted by sidestepper

I've had a lot of horrible side effects to meds. I posted about that when I was a new member a lot, I gave up on meds for a long time. I recently got to the point where I had to try something and I was put on latuda and lamictal, to my surprise and wonder I'm not having any problem with either of them and the latuda has helped the mixed BP symptoms. Still waiting on the lamictal as I am going up very slowly. I'm starting my 5th week and just went up to 50 mg where I'll be for 3 weeks before going up to 100. It's hard to wait for the lamictal to kick in but worth the slow climb to avoid the side effects.

Insomnia was a major side effect of Lamictal for me.

[eeyorestail]

Insomnia was a major side effect of Lamictal for me.

Hmm. I've been having trouble sleeping since we started upping my dose...perhaps the two events are related.

[ChangingMyMind]

Originally Posted by krminnj

My pdoc has me on Lamictal as well for depression/anxiety. I am not super sensitive to drugs but I have had some very adverse reactions in the past to particular ones. I haven't had any adverse reaction to Lamictal, and I think it is actually helping stabilize my mood a bit. I was skeptical of it at first like you, mostly because it's labeled for epilepsy and bipolar, not depression/anxiety. Plus that rash warning. My pdoc is actually upping my dose right now and we are going veeeeery slowly to prevent side effects.

It's nice to hear you're seeing a difference and have been prescribed the medicine for the same reason as me.

I am checking with pdoc to see if I can start lower than 25mg to ease in slowly. Then if I do have an adverse reaction I won't have so much in my system, at least that is my plan but have to wait to hear from pdoc.

[ChangingMyMind]

Originally Posted by Marshellette

1 in 1,000 chance of rash, the younger you are the more likely. Lamictal is a mild med with a long half life processed by the kidney. If you've got a healthy kidney then hey, it's one of the safest drugs for BPII if not the safest...Lamictal is more likely to help with depression and negative thinking than mania. Lamictal is often used for BPII as well as an add on treatment with another drug for epilepsy. I am in the process of attempting to switch from Depakote (summer weather led to mania) to Lamictal. Depakote caused major depression in me but helped with my mania. Lamictal is a mood stabilizing antidepressant agent but does not help with mania, I wish there was one that did both or that the FDA would invent one. SALT works for my bipolar mania, Lamictal tastes like CHALK and helps with my depression. The salts (valproate and lithium) often cause severe side effects such as tremor and dehydration which I suffer through every day. And my depression is horrible! Depakote alone cannot control that. I will become housebound, lose 20 lbs. in a depression. Think black thoughts, view every dish in the sink as a gaping hole, every item in site a disaster waiting to happen. Every conversation a disagreement. At time I wish I was dead but when I help the little old man in my support group I am glad to be alive.

Well I hope Lamictal works well for you. I am not bipolar, so I do not have to worry about mania (thankfully) but because I'm not bipolar it makes me wonder why my pdoc have me this med. Although my depression can get pretty bad, so if Lamictal helps with unipolar then I'm in good shape, providing I don't get the rash. I am hopeful!

[ChangingMyMind]

Originally Posted by Marshellette

Insomnia was a major side effect of Lamictal for me.

This is actually a good side effect for me to have because all ADs have been sedating for me (the ones I could take anyway, I'm allergic to Wellbutrin). So having something that is more activating or does not cause sleepiness is better for me.

So far lamictal sounds good but I am still to afraid to take it. Maybe if I get bad enough i finally take it out of desperation. Sad that it has to be that way but I have really bad anxiety and get very anxious about meds.