[kkrrhh]

Hi! I wanted to see if anyone's had experience taking lamictal and then starting birth control. I've read about how hormonal birth control reduces blood levels of lamictal. I've seen more about birth control pills, but it seems it's possible with hormonal IUD's, too.

I've taken around 225-250 mg of lamictal for a while, and I just had the Liletta IUD put in (it's hormonal, lesser known but a lot like Mirena.) I'm unsure whether it'd be best to raise the lamictal dose a bit now or just wait and see if it seems necessary, but I have a couple concerns. I've been trying to keep my lamictal dose as low as possible because of the acne and bad hair loss it's caused. I feel like this may be a dumb question, but from experience or guesses, could raising the lamictal dose while taking bc not increase side effects the same way it would otherwise? Like, even though I'm actually putting more of the lamictal in my body (let's say 300 mg instead of 250 mg), if the bc affects the lamictal in a way that lowers the amount that reaches the brain to do its business there, would it definitely have the same effect on the way lamictal does everything else anywhere in the body?
I feel like this should probably be obvious, but... haha

Also, if anyone has taken the 2 and had to raise their lamictal dose, by about how much did you end up having to raise it?

[healingme4me]

What does your pdoc suggest?

I don't have any experience with lamictal.

When I did take an ad, my pdoc seemed unconcerned about my birth control use and efficacy of my ad. Sorry I can't offer any insight otherwise.

[88Butterfly88]

I take a low dose of Lamictal extended release, 75 mg. I was put on Lo Loestrin Fe. I didn't notice much of a difference. I went off Lo Loestrin Fe two months later because I was getting 2 10 day periods a month. I was taking Lo Loestrin Fe for Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome and not MI though, not sure why you are taking it.

I am on lamactil (lamotrogine) and additional receive regular depo-rovera shots. My GP is aware of my psychiatric medication and my psychiatrist the depo-provera. Neither has suggested there is a problem.