Posted by Emme on March 1, 2008, at 13:38:21
In reply to Lamictal Weaning, posted by ZeldaMae on February 29, 2008, at 11:55:29
> While I felt great for the first couple of weeks on this medication, I have been experiencing major ups and downs, and more anxiety than I have in many months.
Are you on a high enough dose? Or too high? Maybe it's not the right drug for you, but you might consider tweaking the dose before you bail. Some people get an initial boost from Lamictal that then fades. They have to then raise the dose again to find a lasting therapeutic dose. It's possible that you might need a different dose, along with something for anxiety. Have you tried many drugs? You might want to have a discussion with your doctor about your frustration with psych meds (I know the feeling well). It can take enormous patience to find the right medicine, but the trial and error paid off for me.
> My goal in leaving Lamictal behind is to begin an alternative, holistic therapy. Psychiatric meds haven't been working for me, and I'm anxious to try something natural and to detoxify my body.
My personal experience with alternative remedies has been negative. I've tried a number of things (which I won't list here) and they were largely either ineffective or made me worse.
Now I realize alternative medicine works very well for some people, and I'm glad such options exist. You may find something that works spectacularly for you. But I would urge you not to rule out trying other prescription meds if your forays into the alternative world don't pan out.
Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) has been shown in clinical trials to be useful for mood disorders. If you're going the alternate route, I'd definitely consider that. Perhaps your doctor has some experience with it (mine recommended it to me).
Should you decide to stop the Lamictal, I'd definitely to it under your doctor's supervision. Let her/him know what you're going to try in terms of alternative medicine to keep the lines of communication open. That way, if you need to go back on prescription meds, she/he will be up to date.
emme
poster:Emme
thread:815347
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/815552.html