[kkrrhh]

So I've been on Lamictal, usually around 250mg but ranging from 200-300mg, for a little over a year. I've definitely thought it's helped, evening out my emotions and moods and helping with depression. I'm pretty sure it affects my motivation though and I've even wondered if part of why it "helps" is because it removes me emotionally from things so I kind of just care less if I'm not doing well in life.

Aside from those worries, I've hated the way it messes with my skin the past 6 months or so (and a bit when I was first starting it). My skin just gets itchy everywhere, and it's the most maddening feeling, or sometimes my skin just generally feels really odd and dry when it's not. It happens when I'm changing the dose and occasionally just out of nowhere, and a while back it was going on almost constantly for a spell until I realized that literally just splitting pills was what was causing it that time.

The past week or so, I had a serious scare of thinking I could have SJS. Between winter, bad depression and anxiety, and starting multiple new meds, I think in hindsight the symptoms probably have an explanation. But I've been feeling fatigued, started feeling very achey out of nowhere, got a sore throat and bit of a cough, had stomach problems, headaches, and then the other day I got a rash on my legs and thought back on this all and realized it all fit SJS symptoms. I was freaking out the past 2 days, and while I'm starting to feel a little relieved and like it's most likely not that, I'm still keeping an eye on things. Feeling just how scary it was and looking up more info, though, I'm just really freaked out about the whole SJS thing and whether it's worth the risk. Especially when I do seem to have smaller reactions to it, which are annoying on their own aside from making me worry it's indicative of something.

I just worry there's literally no other option that will be anywhere close to Lamictal for me. As far as mood stabilizers, I'm not even 100% certain I have bipolar 2, but if I do mania and highs are not a big problem for me. I've had a couple of very rare times that may've possibly been some sort of hypomania, but I'm not even sure. Generally, depression is the big problem. I also love the way lamictal seems to help even my moods on a daily basis though, and seems to make me so much less extremely emotionally sensitive like I can be naturally.

From what I seem to hear, most other meds used as mood stabilizers help in the mania department and not really with depression. I would prefer to never take Lithium, which is the other one I remember being mentioned as helping with depression. Does anyone have any suggestions, please?

[SingDanceRunLife]

Seroquel, Latuda and Abilify are supposed to be good for depression. Zyprexa is good for both depression and mania. There are tons of options for mood stabilizers!

[seoultous]

What does your doctor say about SJS and your symptoms? From what I understand about SJS, you know you have it because the symptoms can be severe and a doctor should be contacted immediately if you suspect SJS. According to the Mayo Clinic

"Drugs that can cause Stevens-Johnson syndrome include:
1) Anti-gout medications, such as allopurinol
2) Pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve)
3) Medications to fight infection, such as penicillin
4) Medications to treat seizures or mental illness (anticonvulsants and antipsychotics)..."

But you probably know all this already.

[kkrrhh]

Hopefully it's ok for me to bump this again, sorry.

The lamictal's still doing the whole acne thing and other worries, plus I've now realized that for months my hair's been thinning. It's gotten dramatic and recently it's coming out like crazy and my hair is getting seriously thin. I can't be totally sure, and have some blood tests I'm going to get done, but I feel almost sure the lamictal is involved.

I'm panicking and finally just refusing to go above 225 mg for now, because I don't wanna end up straight up bald. I'm not dropping lower for now, though, because I'm working a kinda new job and just generally barely keeping from going crazy/falling too low, so I don't wanna push things. I've been having increased dissociation, excessive thinking, extreme emotions and stuff which I was pretty sure the lamictal was helping. Some of it isn't necessarily lamictal related, but these are some things I remember thinking lamictal helped a lot when I started it and I get the feeling the lower dose is helping it come up/a higher dose would help some of it, considering I'd been needing a higher dose before I started going off anyway.


I can't stay on it or raise it, though, unless I become completely desperate. Is there anything else that might replace it, with the benefits it gave me? Basically it really helped with my typically extremely sensitive emotions, depersonalization/derealization, and did an amazing job quieting my mind so I could even think clearly (whereas naturally I have an insanely overactive mind). Also helped with depression and anxiety some, but I think those other things are the ones I'm most worried about ever finding something to help in the same way.

Can anyone suggest something that's helped them with these things? I'd considered trying other anticonvulsants, but if they're likely to cause a lot of the same problems I'm thinking it'd be a bad idea. Even though I'd like to stay away from antipsychotics, I might try them if I knew one to try that'd be likely to help this stuff, rather than shooting in the dark and trialing even more random meds. I'd take off-label, supplements/natural, anything, if anyone has any ideas that might help the symptoms I've mentioned.

[LonesomeTonight]

Have you tried any SSRIs or SNRIs? If you're mostly looking for help with depression, those could be options for you. I'd talk to your p-doc about other options.

I was losing hair during the few months I was on Lamictal, too. And it seemed to increase my anxiety (I have generalized anxiety and panic disorder, plus was going through a major depressive episode that led my p-doc to try me on Lamictal)

Currently on Zoloft, and it's helping some. But the thing with psych drugs is that different ones affect people in different ways. Hope you can find something that helps!