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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kevinj909 on March 2, 2007, at 12:47:33
Hey all,
My dr is suggesting that I try taking Lamictal for depression, anxiety and the occasional racing mind. I’m a little apprehensive because of what I’m hearing about memory problems, dizziness, balance, etc… My job requires that I stay on the ball all day and know that I have a busy month ahead. I’m also a very active person and am concerned about the dizzy balance effects.
Does anyone have any experiences with any of the side effects and do you feel that they interfere with work or while being active?
Btw…. I’m also taking 25mg Strattera daily for ADD
Thanks in advance for your comments
-k
Posted by rina on March 2, 2007, at 13:08:50
In reply to to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by kevinj909 on March 2, 2007, at 12:47:33
> Hey all,
>
> My dr is suggesting that I try taking Lamictal for depression, anxiety and the occasional racing mind. I’m a little apprehensive because of what I’m hearing about memory problems, dizziness, balance, etc… My job requires that I stay on the ball all day and know that I have a busy month ahead. I’m also a very active person and am concerned about the dizzy balance effects.
>
> Does anyone have any experiences with any of the side effects and do you feel that they interfere with work or while being active?
>
> Btw…. I’m also taking 25mg Strattera daily for ADD
>
> Thanks in advance for your comments
>
> -k
>
> Kevin i've been taking lamictal for two years now. the only side effects i've ever experienced were a little bit of sleepiness that lasted about a week. the only other one was the major munchies that have lasted up til now. but it helped my mood tremendously...until now which is two years later. so i'd say go for it.
>
Posted by TheMeanReds on March 2, 2007, at 13:23:08
In reply to to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by kevinj909 on March 2, 2007, at 12:47:33
K are you bipolar? the words bipolar and employment sometimes seem they cannot be in the same sentence. The positive side of the ups from my bipolar II is that I could find employment easily, the downside is that on day three the job would bore me to tears and I would quit.
Now that I'm on lamictal and looking for employment, I'm very agitated at interviews....now I call interviews 'interrogations'. If I get 'rejected', its really hard to deal with. And therefore I dont look again for a week or two.
I'm an optician, and that requires my bipolar ups, because I have to remember, sell, and be very personable. Lamictal, I think would make me not as good at what I do (because it makes me zombified). But, the upside would be I wouldnt call in sick because of a down spell, be irritated with co-workers as much, and wouldnt feel like tomorrow is dooms day (because it does give me energy).
So that is the 'thing'...it zombifies me sometimes, and makes me an energy ball sometimes (although I get spells where I dont want to use my energy). I call it 'The Lamictal Contradiction'. But also the drug seems to give good things to different people, and bad things to different people, and sometimes nothing at all.
I'm not sure if this will confuse more than help...but I'm so glad your have brought up the subject of Lamictal and employment. I hope your thread catches alot of attention. Good Luck.
Posted by Joe Bloe on March 2, 2007, at 13:53:13
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal » kevinj909, posted by TheMeanReds on March 2, 2007, at 13:23:08
After 2 weeks on Lamictal, I would say to give it a try. It has seriously reduced depression and situational phobia, even as I've dropped Prozac from 20 to 10 mgs (although it might take 4-6 weeks to begin to notice the effects of dropping this because of its long half-life)
My advice, especially if you are med sensitive, would be to start with 12.5 mgs before bed, (for me, its fatigue inducing in a way similar to Benadryl). I've noticed a big improvement in side effects. Day by day, the side effects continue to wain.
I went back up to 25 mgs on day 14 so let's see what happens.
I would eventually like to take Lamictal as monotherapy for depression: a daily dose of 25 or 50 mgs, and to drop the Prozac. With the Lamictal, I'm also taking Prozac 10 mgs, Adderall XR 20mgs and omega 3s.
Posted by randermin on March 2, 2007, at 15:11:51
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by Joe Bloe on March 2, 2007, at 13:53:13
from what my doc tells me, the special thing about Lamictal is you don't have to titrate down from it if you decide that you dont like it.
you can stop whenever you want, so its not a big commitment like effexor.
for anything bad going around about it, it's still supposed to have less side effects than anything else,
Ive heard that it makes some people more alert, and
some people more mellow, but its free of any sleep promblems or sexual side effects, and almost all ssris can have some sort of cognitive problems as well.I'm starting it pretty soon, Id say give it a try
Posted by notfred on March 2, 2007, at 16:35:53
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by randermin on March 2, 2007, at 15:11:51
"from what my doc tells me, the special thing about Lamictal is you don't have to titrate down from it if you decide that you dont like it."
Maybe if you are just taking a small dose, but
there is always a risk of seizures if you stop it without stepping down. That is true of all the
antiseizure meds, even if you do not have a seizure disorder. This fact is plastered all over the patient insert for the Lamictal starter pack.
"but its free of any sleep promblems"Some people report really significant insomnia.
All in all it seems to the best tolerated of the anti-seizure meds, the least likely to cause cognitive dulling amoung the anti-seizure meds.It is not a med that patients should play with the dose, it really needs slow titration without any sudden changes. This avoids an uncommon but significant side effects.
For me it has no side effects and seems to have considerable antidepressant effects.
Posted by Sandra62 on March 2, 2007, at 21:46:36
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by notfred on March 2, 2007, at 16:35:53
I have found no side-effects from taking 100 mg of Lamictal for a year now.
Posted by nolegirl23 on March 3, 2007, at 10:52:40
In reply to to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by kevinj909 on March 2, 2007, at 12:47:33
> Hey all,
>
> My dr is suggesting that I try taking Lamictal for depression, anxiety and the occasional racing mind. I’m a little apprehensive because of what I’m hearing about memory problems, dizziness, balance, etc… My job requires that I stay on the ball all day and know that I have a busy month ahead. I’m also a very active person and am concerned about the dizzy balance effects.
>
> Does anyone have any experiences with any of the side effects and do you feel that they interfere with work or while being active?
>
> Btw…. I’m also taking 25mg Strattera daily for ADD
>
> Thanks in advance for your comments
>
> -k
>
I am like you. I had the same concerns that you do about taking Lamictal. My job, like yours requires that I stay on the ball (I am a parole officer). I was also concerned about memory loss.I love Lamictal. Its benefits greatly outweigh the side effects that I do notice.
On the balance issue, I do notice a bit more clumsiness that normal. Now, granted, I am a total klutz regardless of what I am taking, but I have noticed a bit more little trips, stumbles, ect. Not a big deal.
On memory loss, yes. I do experience a bit of memory loss. However; I am also on xanax which does tend to have an amnestic effect.All in all, Lamictal is so calming. It also enhances the effects of my Laxapro - making my SSRI even more effective.
I say go for it. Try it for a couple of months.
Benefits greatly outweigh the negative
Posted by kilgor trout on March 3, 2007, at 22:15:27
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by nolegirl23 on March 3, 2007, at 10:52:40
Lamictal has seemed fairly transparent for me. But I have recently experienced lots of anxiety, which could be causing my short term memory loss. I have never been able to remember people's names, but now I am having to write everything down in meetings and I still forget what I have committed to.
My job is developing interactive advertising and I have hundreds of details to manage everyday. I just lost my job on Monday, after 3+ months. I could not keep up the pace. And I am sure the anxiety of not being able to keep up the pace was making it even harder to keep things together. Eventually I lost.
I don't think it was necessarily the limictal, cause I've been on it for a while, but things have been getting progressively more intense.
Posted by jane d on March 3, 2007, at 22:49:59
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by randermin on March 2, 2007, at 15:11:51
> > for anything bad going around about it, it's still supposed to have less side effects than anything else,
It's supposed to have fewer side effects than other anti convulsants! That's not saying much.I don't remember dizziness or balance problems but I definately had memory problems with lamictal that I never had with any anti depressant. I think this was at a dose around 200 but it was a long time ago so I'm not sure.
jane d
Posted by zenhussy on March 5, 2007, at 22:59:42
In reply to Re: to Lamictal or not to Lamictal, posted by jane d on March 3, 2007, at 22:49:59
This is the end of the thread.
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