![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by malthus on August 16, 2004, at 11:35:45
I am really starting to lose hope that any medication will help me. Serzone helped me for years but stopped taking it because of liver effects. I started taking lamictal and at 75mg. felt great for a few days. Now that I've been at 100 mg. for a week I feel depressed, unmotivated, antisocial. I know I'm not at a "theraputic dose" yet but wonder if I will feel better as I go higher. Please help me, anyone who is on lamictal and started to see benefits as they went higher. I feel so sad and anxious at the same time:(
Posted by theo on August 16, 2004, at 12:05:28
In reply to Losing hope with lamictal, posted by malthus on August 16, 2004, at 11:35:45
I feel your pain, I'm at 150mg and have had the exact same issues you described. I've only been going up 25mg a week and was feeling good a few days after a dose increase at 75mg and 100mg. I've only been on 150mg for a couple of days but whats scaring me is I haven't had that initial feel good after a dose increase past 100mg, which makes me wonder if going any higher will make any difference.
Posted by SLS on August 16, 2004, at 14:36:07
In reply to Re: Losing hope with lamictal, posted by theo on August 16, 2004, at 12:05:28
> I feel your pain, I'm at 150mg and have had the exact same issues you described. I've only been going up 25mg a week and was feeling good a few days after a dose increase at 75mg and 100mg. I've only been on 150mg for a couple of days but whats scaring me is I haven't had that initial feel good after a dose increase past 100mg, which makes me wonder if going any higher will make any difference.
I recommend that you:1. Push the dosage of Lamictal to a minimum of 200mg.
2. Continue to push your doctor into adding an antidepressant if you don't experience sustained relief.
3. Be patient. (Easier said than done)!
- Scott
Posted by bipolarspectrum on August 16, 2004, at 15:43:42
In reply to Re: Losing hope with lamictal, posted by SLS on August 16, 2004, at 14:36:07
Hi,
I experienced what so many on this board seem to have experienced... Every time I increased the lamictal dose, I felt great for a few days and then fell back into depression!! I made it all the way to 400 mg, with no side effects but the depression too! (And some ruminating thoughts)
I'm seeing my pdoc tomorrow and I was wondering what people have added to lamictal successfully??Thanx for the read
bp
Posted by woolav on August 16, 2004, at 18:46:18
In reply to I have officially lost hope with Lamictal!! Help!, posted by bipolarspectrum on August 16, 2004, at 15:43:42
I always thought lamictal was best used as a "boost" for AD drugs. I take it along with prozac now and i am starting to feel better. Its only been 3 1/2 wks, and I know the prozac is helping with the depression. I mainly want to add the lamictal for mood swings. I am not sure if using it alone would be of great help. Are you taking it for BP?
S
Posted by malthus on August 16, 2004, at 19:18:42
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal!! Help!, posted by woolav on August 16, 2004, at 18:46:18
> I always thought lamictal was best used as a "boost" for AD drugs. I take it along with prozac now and i am starting to feel better. Its only been 3 1/2 wks, and I know the prozac is helping with the depression. I mainly want to add the lamictal for mood swings. I am not sure if using it alone would be of great help. Are you taking it for BP?
> SYes, I am BPII and my pdoc confirmed this afternoon that at a therapeutic dose I should see some results. I wish I could have tolerated Prozac like you do; the only one without side effects so far has been Effexor at 150 mg. but I don't think that really helped me at all, before the lamictal or now with it. I am so frustrated; I'm starting to believe that I will never be able to feel any relief from this depression, lack of motivation, anhedonia, anxiety..The list could go on and on. Sorry to be such a bummer.
Posted by karen m. on August 16, 2004, at 22:30:19
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal!! Help!, posted by malthus on August 16, 2004, at 19:18:42
like you and those others of us on this post, i have been working with lamictal to see if it's "the one". wouldn't it be nice to just have it work and not have to bounce around any more?
everytime i increase my dosage, the following 5-7 days just suck. anxiety and irritability to rival jack the ripper. you have depression, i have anger... we both have negative reactions to increases.
i would watch and see if those feelings fade at 7 days after. sometimes just knowing what to expect can make it easier to deal with...knowing it'll pass after x days.
i have heard about what scott said. it seems to be common to add an ssri. since i (like you) have problems with ssri side effects i'm going to hang in there until 400mg. 300 mg didn't seem that much different from 200mg. but, sometimes it's hard to see changes in ourselves. i usually need someone to say 'you seem like a different person lately'. maybe we're doing better than we think we are! gaad those pills are bitter!
Posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 10:33:47
In reply to Re: Losing hope with lamictal, posted by SLS on August 16, 2004, at 14:36:07
If I go to 200mg Lamictal and find I need to add an antidepressant, would I keep the Lamictal at 200mg or drop down some in dose to use it as an augmentor?
Posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 10:35:44
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal!! Help!, posted by woolav on August 16, 2004, at 18:46:18
What dose of Lamictal are you taking with your Prozac?
Posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 10:43:33
In reply to Losing hope with lamictal, posted by malthus on August 16, 2004, at 11:35:45
I had no side effects up to 100mg Lamictal. At 150mg, I am having stomach issues, feels like hot coals in my stomach and slight nausea. I've only been at 150mg three days and hoping it goes away. Anyone had any stomach problems with dosage increase?
Posted by woolav on August 17, 2004, at 12:21:36
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal!! Help! » woolav, posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 10:35:44
I take 20mg of prozac right now. I go to the doc in 2 wks. She may move me to 40mg. But I dont think she is planning on upping my lamictal....
S
Posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 15:02:32
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal-THEO, posted by woolav on August 17, 2004, at 12:21:36
But how much Lamictal are you taking?
Posted by tryingtobewise on August 21, 2004, at 0:20:24
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal-THEO » woolav, posted by theo on August 17, 2004, at 15:02:32
Just thought I would chime in and say I take 100 mgs of Lamital and 10 mgs of Celexa nightly. This has been a very good combination for me. I've been taking this mix for about 9 months.
Good luck!
Posted by theo on August 21, 2004, at 7:45:01
In reply to Re: I have officially lost hope with Lamictal-THEO, posted by tryingtobewise on August 21, 2004, at 0:20:24
Thanks!
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.