![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 11:24:26
When I was taking lamictal to supplement nardil, it was pretty effective, but I gained 15lbs. I felt uncomfortable, swollen stomach, breasts, ankles, etc. The same thing happened (to a lesser degree) with neurontin. Within two weeks after I dropped the lamictal, I had lost the 15lbs, and felt 100% more comfortable. Can all of this 15lbs be water retention? I tried a dieuretic but it didn't really change things. Are there any other options? I'd love to try lamictal again, but can't tolerate 15 extra pounds that I can't control by diet and exercise. I am already eating a very low sugar, low salt, low fat diet, and exercising 45minutes of treadmill plus weights about 5 days a week. Any suggestions? Can one gain 15lbs of pure water weight, or could it be hormone related? I know it has nothing to do with cravings, etc. and the discomfort points to water retension. Any ideas, suggestions? Anything other med I can take to counteract this?
Shelli
Posted by Gracie2 on October 7, 2001, at 21:18:42
In reply to Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 11:24:26
How's your blood pressure?
-Gracie
Posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 22:03:05
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by Gracie2 on October 7, 2001, at 21:18:42
>
> How's your blood pressure?
> -Gracieon the low side, always, but within normal range. why?
Shelli
Posted by susan C on October 8, 2001, at 12:16:16
In reply to Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 11:24:26
I have been puzzling about this too. Always looking for the cause...with the meds you mentioned, I never got through the trial period of one to four weeks, and never gained any weright, so there is no connection I can make there.
For me, there were two things different starting about the middle of july...I have been releasing water like crazy. I had maintained depakote at 1000mg a day since Feb, and I hit the year mark for my period, so I am officially in Menopause. So, as I understand it, my hormone/estrogen levels are lowering. my main effect has been hotflashes, which i control with a little added estrogens/progesterones...but this does not seem to be connected to mood.
And now, for the last two months, on Keppra, (another mood stablizer AC)my appetite is gone, I am unsteady on my feet, so have not been active, but have continued a 'diuretic' effect especially at night, at times, and have lost weight. I am wondering if it is water loss more than anything else...that as i went through perimenopause i started retaining water...like women do just before their periods...cause that is what it feels like at night...just a flood, every hour, on the hours, some days...now add to all of this, about june, I noticed swelling in my ankles. So, how can I be loosing weight, but having ankle swelling?
Thanks for the chance to reflect...it will take me a while to get the courage to go see my gp...I need to practice what i am going to say...they never have much time...mark, get ready, get set, GO.
Mouse on the starting line
susan C> When I was taking lamictal to supplement nardil, it was pretty effective, but I gained 15lbs. I felt uncomfortable, swollen stomach, breasts, ankles, etc. The same thing happened (to a lesser degree) with neurontin. Within two weeks after I dropped the lamictal, I had lost the 15lbs, and felt 100% more comfortable. Can all of this 15lbs be water retention? I tried a dieuretic but it didn't really change things. Are there any other options? I'd love to try lamictal again, but can't tolerate 15 extra pounds that I can't control by diet and exercise. I am already eating a very low sugar, low salt, low fat diet, and exercising 45minutes of treadmill plus weights about 5 days a week. Any suggestions? Can one gain 15lbs of pure water weight, or could it be hormone related? I know it has nothing to do with cravings, etc. and the discomfort points to water retension. Any ideas, suggestions? Anything other med I can take to counteract this?
>
> Shelli
Posted by Gracie2 on October 8, 2001, at 13:26:49
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention » Gracie2, posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 22:03:05
Well, then, that's no help.
I have high blood pressure and after a couple of years on calcium channel blockers I started retaining water, swollen feet and ankles so bad that I couldn't even tie my shoes. OTC diuretics didn't do squat. So I ran to the doctor in my untied shoes and after tests to make sure I didn't have diabetes or some awful thing, the doctor put me on some BP medicine called Prinzide. It has a powerful diuretic in it and the swelling was gone in no time.
So that's why I asked about your blood pressure.
Sorry couldn't be more helpful.
-Gracie
Posted by shelliR on October 8, 2001, at 16:07:10
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by susan C on October 8, 2001, at 12:16:16
>well, thanks for trying to connect. You must be in an HMO the way you talk about racing through. I always go into doctors, all doctors (except if I go for a flu shot or something) with a list. And they don't get to push me out until every item on my list is checked. Sometimes I do get short answers, but the list really does work for me.
Shelli
Posted by shelliR on October 8, 2001, at 16:08:29
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by Gracie2 on October 8, 2001, at 13:26:49
Posted by Gracie2 on October 9, 2001, at 11:24:02
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention » susan C, posted by shelliR on October 8, 2001, at 16:07:10
Shelli-
Yeah I have a !@#$%?&# HMO, which assumes you are not smart enough to know what kind of doctor you need. For instance, when my son hurt his knee, I took him to one of the doctors at the orthopedic office where I work, and he said my son had a locked knee and needed surgery. So then I had to take my son to his primary physician who said hmmm, your son needs to see an orthopedic surgeon
because he might need surgery, so here is a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. The insurance company wouldn't have paid for the surgery without the referral from the primary physician. Ridiculous.
-Gracie
Posted by Mr. Scott on October 9, 2001, at 18:13:09
In reply to Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention, posted by shelliR on October 7, 2001, at 11:24:26
How much Lamictal were you taking if you don't mind me asking?
Scott
Posted by shelliR on October 10, 2001, at 9:24:10
In reply to Re: Mood Stabilizers and Water Retention » shelliR, posted by Mr. Scott on October 9, 2001, at 18:13:09
> How much Lamictal were you taking if you don't mind me asking?
>
> ScottHi Scott.
The first time on lamictal, I think I was taking 300 and I started to feel much much better. (This was as an adjunct to Nardil.)
The second time I tried, I went up to 400. I did find some benefit, but not as much as the first time.Shelli
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.