Lamictal side effects ?

I see from reading this whole thread that there is a multitude of reaction and non-reaction to this medication. And some it worked for and some it did not.
Doc started me off on 50mg at bedtime for about a week, then up to 100mg and see her in a month to see how I feel. I'm hoping maybe it will work for me. I am never talking Lithium again! When I was first diagnosed in the mid 80s phsc got me up to 300mg per day and I got completley went numb. I mean I could not move a muscle.

Carrie

and no rash so far. She started me off on 50mg for 3-5 days and then up it to 100mg for the rest of the month and she will see me again. Like I said, if I don't feel better she will up me to 200mg and I will start with 1 1/2 + 175mg and work up to 200. I won't lie, I am deathly afraid of bipolar medications. I hope this one works!

Carrie

The Dr. was EXTREMELY disappointed that Lamictal didn't work for me. He has has so many patients who its worked wonders for, as you can see... it can be a good drug for some. I "in general" do not take to any meds well. Getting shortness of breath from lamictal is a RARE side effect, I am the queen of rare side effects. You may like the medicine and it could work. My next medicine could be lithium, being ive already tried zyprexa, abilify, cymbalta, and zolft. I am not sure what is left. I am actually thinking of going Holistic if this doesn't work... what can it hurt at this point! Good luck with the Lamictal, so far I've heard more good than bad.

Thats what happened years ago when I was on Lithium. Doc atually overdosed me and I have kept it a secret since due to the fact I never want to see another Lithium tablet again. So, like everyone, I a truly hoping that this works and I won't have to go up to 200mg. Actually I will NOT go up that far. I will go as far as 150 but no higher.

Carrie

You know, just to add another unneeded piece of the puzzle, finding a good Dr that knows medicine and how to mix and properly increase them is an obstacle onto itself. You know how many times that I looked at the failed meds and wondered if it was me or the dosage was just in correct? I am going to a new Dr that was highly recommended next week... I am soo hoping that she will have the answers to the meds and get me on a stable track. Otherwise I will probably have to go to the city and get the best PHD out there, and just start paying moocho dollars out of pocket...which is my last resort.

I have had the same GP for four years now and she knows me better then I know myself. My last visit is when she picked up on my long secret of BPD. I put all my trust in her. I want you to know that most of those meds on my list, I have been on for over 30 years! Most of the breathing meds. I was on Xanax for almost four years and just the year switched to Klonopin and along with an occasional Xanax for severe panic attacks, I am doing fine on all of them. She is a great GP and has taken care of ALL my needs (even physc) and I would not trade her for anything. My newest med being Lamectal.

Carrie

I have Bipolar I (diagnosed in 1995) and have been taking Lamictal since 2001. I was on a variety of treatments before that, all with disastrous results. At this time, I only take 200 mg of Lamictal every night before bed. I was on 50 mg for years and very slowly moved up. I haven't increased my dosage in over 2 years. At one point about two years ago, I started feeling really moody and thought I should up the dosage. My doctor suggested that I was not getting enough quality sleep, so now I take an Ambien CR every once in awhile to have a really good night's sleep, and I get right back on track. I have virtually no side effects from the Lamictal other than sleepiness (which works great because, naturally, I'm an insomniac). No weight gain either, thank goodness. And, because I moved up so slowly, no numbness or loss in creativity. Every few years or so, I will have a depressed phase and start on an antidepressant to get through it (Lexapro was the best for me, but I haven't tried Cymbalta or Effexor), but those occurrences are less and less frequent. Lamictal truly saved my life. Also, I whole-heartedly believe that the measured and holistic approach of my psychiatrist helped me to achieve the success that I have had with treating my disorder.

but i have only been on it for 2 days now. I am keeping a journal of my symptoms and feelings well here I will share what i have so far:


NIGHT ONE- Mellow slowly made me drift off to sleep.
Next morning: very mild headache....Seem to be very talkative really happy most of day.

Night two: Brief moment of light headed feeling, feeling content. Still feeling disorganized but i was feeling this way before meds, slight headache before bed. Diarreha (unaware if its related at this time), SLEPT very WELL!, Weird vivid dream.

Next morning: feeling confident about things i once felt not so confident about (parenting skills, relationships with family members) NO HEADACHE SO FAR!


OH its not making me eat anymore then normal so i dont think this is gonna cause weight gain for me. Seroquel and zyprexa was BAD FOR ME. Seroquel gave me diabetes issues and zyprexa made me a zombie and if i missed a day i had debilitating paronia and cutting issues. my new doc said that i should have never been prescribed zyprexa and its not very good for people who has bipolar 2

Hello, everybody, this is my first post here and I need some help with regard to Lamictal. Here's my question:


How likely is it that a patient can be on Lamictal for seven months with little or no improvement even though the psych keeps increasing the dosage at each visit, and then, all of a sudden--shazaam!--there is a dramatic improvement and the patient starts feeling good for the first time?


That's the situation I'm in now. I figure that I've been bp for almost twenty years, even though I wasn't diagnosed until this past summer. So, I haven't been on any kind of med like this before, and don't know what to expect. However, I've done a lot to educate myself about bp since my diagnosis.

I know that many have trouble finding meds that work, but I'm worried that I've wasted a lot of time and money on a medication that ultimately isn't gonna work for me. I'm almost maxed-out on the dosage already. I figure my doc has got just one more upward adjustment before I have to find another med and start all over again. He seems a bit conservative in his approach and doesn't hand out pills like candy, but now I'm wondering if he's too conservative--maybe waaay too conservative. He's very experienced though--been at it a long time. So, I don't know what to think, other than I still don't feel good at all and I'm running out of patience...

Has anybody been through something like this before? I'd appreciate some advice.

I, too, am Bipolar. I've been seeking therapy and see a psychiatrist monthly or biweekly depending on my episodes.

I really don't see much of a change in me when I do take it. I didn't have any of the side effects, no weight gain, no sleeping disorders that I don't already have, no weird feelings what so ever, but when I lost my insurance and was off of it for four months, I started getting manic and depressive episodes. Usually my manic episodes are short.. lasting a week or so - i've had them last up to a month and a half - and my last major depressive episode lasted a month.

Like I said, when I was taking it.. I didn't see much of a difference really, but now that I have been off for some time, I'm starting to feel drug down, worthless, have drained my savings, I'm in a financial bind, I have an extremely increased sex drive, and I get extremely aggitated with pretty much anyone I come in contact with. So, after being off of it, I'd have to say.. I like Lamictal. It's not as strongly effecting me as some of the other meds i've been on, but I think I like the gentleness. That is just my experience. Meds affect each person differently.

*[Edit] Also, I was on zyprexa and seroquel and neither worked. I have low blood sugar so seroquel really made me sick and zyprexa caused me to have a liver infection and the whole time i was taking it i had kidney stones (not sure if thats a side effect but I never before had them and once I stopped taking it, they have passed) I also have issues with migraines and both made them worse. My psychiatrist told me that Lamictal also helps relieve migraines. Kind of odd how a med that relieves migraines would have headaches as a side effect, but it doesn't seem to effect me in that way.

And 500 mgs? Honestly I don't know of anyone who is prescribed over 100 mgs. I thought I was maxed out ??? I'd get a second opinion hun!