Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 213226

Shown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

lamictal newbie

Posted by jonh kimble on March 26, 2003, at 18:44:57

hello, to everyone who has taken lam or is on it now, could you tell me when it kicked in, what it did for you, and anything else that you found interesting about it. i havent responded to any ads at all, and ive tried plenty. they simply did nothing. im mildly bi polar and have add, social phobia, and dythymia. thanks for your help. oh and im on 12.5mgs first week.

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by pork chop on March 27, 2003, at 10:02:39

In reply to lamictal newbie, posted by jonh kimble on March 26, 2003, at 18:44:57

Hello there,

I've posted several times on this subject because Lamictal works so well for me. The best advice I can give is GO SLOW. Over the course of three months, I finally saw the benefits, and it's totally worth it. It's really hard to be this patient with a drug, at least it was for me, but I've never felt this good. Hope it works for you!

Kind Regards

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by jonh kimble on March 27, 2003, at 14:44:55

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by pork chop on March 27, 2003, at 10:02:39

thats good to hear, for you and for me. I know many people love this stuff but i havent responded to anything else. so i cant help but think it wont do anything. im 25 mgs today. did it help clear up your mind? i have plenty of brain fog. any effect on sociability? thanks for post

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by fluffy on March 27, 2003, at 14:46:19

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by pork chop on March 27, 2003, at 10:02:39

Thanks Pork Chop and John Kimble for posting on this subject. I tried to post my own thread, but I think it got lost.

I also just started Lamictal--Bipolar II. I'm in a clinical trial with Lamictal for BPII. Tegretol worked on hypomania for me, but not depression. Now I'm just on 25mg of Lamictal, but having some problems w/ hypomania. I wouldn't mind so much if I could sleep and keep my mind on one thing at a time. UGH. My boyfriend is getting tired of my being demanding / hyper and my "leaky eyes". *sigh* I go up on my dose in less than a week.

Did anyone (BPII) find that Lamictal quelled both hypomania AND depression?

Jittery and curious,
Fluffy

John--let's keep each other posted on progress. I need some moral support right now.

 

Re: sounds good (nm) » fluffy

Posted by jonh kimble on March 27, 2003, at 18:26:31

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by fluffy on March 27, 2003, at 14:46:19

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by pork chop on March 28, 2003, at 10:57:06

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by fluffy on March 27, 2003, at 14:46:19

Hi Lam group!

I too am being treated for BPII with Lamictal. I am also an insomniac, so for that reason I take between 50 - 100 mg Seroquel at night. My pdoc says it also helps with mood stability.

Anyway, I definetly find that Lamictal helps with depression. My thinking is also as clear as its ever been. I work full-time and attend grad school so if I wasn't able to concentrate, it'd be something I'd notice right away.

When I was in transition from Lexapro, which sent me into my first manic episode, to Lamictal I used Clonazipam (sp?) to ease the stress and anxiety that were constantly present. I was still cycling week to week until after about 2 & 1/2 months. I think at that point I was up to 150. 200mg's of Lam and 50 - 100 mg of Seroguel is the magic combo for me. I feel great.

The only time I really notice a difference, with depression, is the day after I have drinks. I DON'T TAKE SEROQUEL AFTER DRINKING- just to preempt anyone's concerns. Social drinking has been part of my life for a long time I find it hard to change my lifestyle. This probably isn't too easy on my liver, but hey, I need a break sometimes too.

Love reading your posts. Let me know how you guys are faring with the Lam. pork chop

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by fluffy on March 28, 2003, at 12:17:58

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by pork chop on March 28, 2003, at 10:57:06

Thanks, sweetie porkpie!

Weirdly enough, I feel totally normal today. I feel that I've been subject to outside forces, moving me up and down, up and down. Today I feel really calm and "normal". Finally got some zzzzzz's last night without taking melatonin. phew.

I wonder if Lam could even be effective @ 25mg, after a week and a half? Maybe it's just a fluke, but I feel good.

Porkpie--
What kind of drug is Seroquel? Is it like Ambien? Do you think it helps stabilize your moods due to getting sleep? I've heard that not getting sleep aggrivates mania, making it worse. Which comes first? Chicken or egg?

Glad to chat with someone who isn't arguing that BPII isn't a real diagnosis. Sometimes those BPI folks can get on their high horse. We all need reassurance, ya know?

Also interesting to hear that Lexapro made you manic and cycle faster. Me too. Did you think it was all in your head? My ruminations were so bad that I couldn't get anything straight, and I was sure that I was making it all up until I stopped, and the brain noise stopped, and I felt OK.

keep in touch guys,
fluffy


 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by jonh kimble on March 28, 2003, at 13:37:52

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by fluffy on March 28, 2003, at 12:17:58

Hey. Seroquel is an antipsichotic that is also useful as a sleep aid. Ive been on it 1 week and already i am at 500mgs. I think that fairly high. But it certainly helps make you tired. just went to 25mgs lam last night. I have times when i feel great etc.. but i wonder if this is just part of the bpII. A few hours later I can feel terrible. is this what they call rapid cycling? something that makes me wonder though about my diagnosis is that no ssri ever made me manic. they just did nothing. does this contradict the diagnosis? thanks, keep in touch

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by fluffy on March 28, 2003, at 14:40:48

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by jonh kimble on March 28, 2003, at 13:37:52

John-
I'm no expert, but I have done a fair share of reading on the subject. The first time I went on antidepressants, I didn't get manic. It seemed that I slowly came out of depression in about 2 or three months. I'm not sure if the AD's really helped me, or if I just came out on my own. I continued taking them, and then went off (a year later), thinking that I was doing better, and that the depressive episode I had was just a fluke and due to stress.

Soon after discontinuing the AD, I had my first "hypomanic" episode, which I just thought was some major anxiety like I'd had before. It was punctuated by a devistating depression again. Thinking I had problems with depression and needed to be on AD's indefinitely, I went back to my former psychiatrist. We tried Lexapro, and within 4 weeks, I was fully mixed. I didn't sleep for 4 days...(maybe I told my "story" in an earlier post) This is what confirmed the BPII diagnosis. Otherwise, we might have been fumbling around for years.

It used to be that people who had BP in their family tree and who had depressions that didn't respond to SSRI's or MAOI's, psychiatrists would prescribe Lithium to supplement. It worked for lots of patients (probably a lot of them were mildly bipolar like us). I'm not sure, but I think psychiatry is starting to recognize that SSRI's are only suitable for people who are TRULY unipolar.

In that sense, I'm not sure if it matters what your diagnosis really is, John. Only that the SSRI's didn't work, so why not try a mood stabilizer? They seem to be safer, and people who were formerly diagnosed unipolar are benefitting, too.

I just hope it works for you! I'll post a link for you so that you can read a good site on BPII.

good luck!
Katy

 

Here's the link. It's good

Posted by fluffy on March 28, 2003, at 14:47:19

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by fluffy on March 28, 2003, at 14:40:48

http://www.psycheducation.com/index.html

I learned a lot from this site. It's thorough and makes a lot of sense.

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by pork chop on March 28, 2003, at 15:26:43

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by jonh kimble on March 28, 2003, at 13:37:52

Right, Seroquel is an anti-psychotic. It's weird that I'm reacting so well to it because wouldn't an anti-psychotic be the opposite of an anti-depressant? Does that make any sense? I thought I experienced more depression than euphoria, but I guess if it's not broke, don't fix it. As for Ambien, after three nights it stopped working for me.

Anyway, John. I always cycled too, but not as rapidly as you. I think I never noticed any of my hypo-manic phases because that's how I wanted to feel all the time. The only time I ever went for help was when I was a crying, worthless, broke, suicidal, paranoid, depressed mess.

Fluffy, I don't think I ever experienced the cloudiness you had on Lexapro. The only thing I really remember, besides the freak out, was that coming off it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I had brain zaps, body zaps and achiness all day and I couldn't sleep. It took forever tapering off that drug. Never again.

On a lighter note, hope you all have a nice weekend!

Oh yeah John: You take 500mg of Seroquel? I would never be able to get up in the morning. Is that giving you the mood stabilization effects the doc says it will? If so, I guess it would be hard to isolate the effects of the Lamictal, ya know?

 

Re: lamictal newbie--What's the RASH like?

Posted by fluffy on April 4, 2003, at 12:58:29

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by pork chop on March 28, 2003, at 15:26:43

John, Pork Chop--

How's it going? I'm up to 50 mg Lamictal, and I'm starting to feel a little bit better after a week. I'm able to sleep a little, at least. I got into some trouble with my hypomania last week. Mainly though, I was missing my sleep. John- any dent in your depression? I hope so.

I'm a little scared about the rash thing. I have a patch of itchy irritated skin on my back resembling eczema. It happened with Tegretol, too. I don't want to get freaked too soon. I think Lamictal may be the drug for me, so I HOPE HOPE HOPE I DON"T GET THE RASH!

Let me know how you're doing!
Katy

 

Don't mean to but in but.............

Posted by Krissy P on April 5, 2003, at 23:28:54

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie--What's the RASH like?, posted by fluffy on April 4, 2003, at 12:58:29

Hi, I have been on the Lamictal and have a slight rash from it. I sleep better when I take it at night too. The rash is more like the pores of my arms and legs with red bumps/rash-it's hard to explain. I do know, that when I get some sun, they subside. I take 50 mg of Lamictal. I could never go above, or should I say, stay with any dosage above 50 mg due to unwanted side effects.
No, try not to get freaked so soon. When I read that side effect, I got scared, but took the med and it helped A LOT and the rash-didn't kill me. Remember though that all our "systems" are different.
I am happy to hear that you feel the Lamictal is working for you and keep us posted :0)
I wish you the best.
Kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> John, Pork Chop--
>
> How's it going? I'm up to 50 mg Lamictal, and I'm starting to feel a little bit better after a week. I'm able to sleep a little, at least. I got into some trouble with my hypomania last week. Mainly though, I was missing my sleep. John- any dent in your depression? I hope so.
>
> I'm a little scared about the rash thing. I have a patch of itchy irritated skin on my back resembling eczema. It happened with Tegretol, too. I don't want to get freaked too soon. I think Lamictal may be the drug for me, so I HOPE HOPE HOPE I DON"T GET THE RASH!
>
> Let me know how you're doing!
> Katy

 

Re: lamictal newbie » jonh kimble

Posted by Krissy P on April 5, 2003, at 23:33:52

In reply to lamictal newbie, posted by jonh kimble on March 26, 2003, at 18:44:57

hi jonh kimble,
I take 50mg of Lamictal at night.
This is my experience. It kicked in the second night I started it. I started at 25 mg. The med totally evened out my moods and it extremely decreased mood swings. Something I found interesting about it, is that it felt like I wasn't even on any med!!! I didn't gain weight from it either. Something Depakote caused for me.
Good luck :0)
Kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hello, to everyone who has taken lam or is on it now, could you tell me when it kicked in, what it did for you, and anything else that you found interesting about it. i havent responded to any ads at all, and ive tried plenty. they simply did nothing. im mildly bi polar and have add, social phobia, and dythymia. thanks for your help. oh and im on 12.5mgs first week.

 

Re: lamictal newbie

Posted by pork chop on April 7, 2003, at 15:57:40

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie » jonh kimble, posted by Krissy P on April 5, 2003, at 23:33:52

Hey Guys,

I'm such a space cadet! I posted this message last week to the psychological babble listserv when I mean to post it here. So I found it and reposted it here:
3/25

I was doing great on my 200 mg Lamictal and 50 mg Seroquel until last week. I started cycling big time and I'm unable to be cordial with anyone. I finally have myself a little boyfriend and it seems this relationship's going down in flames like all others. I'm uninterested in him, I'm picking fights, I'm irritable, I hate my job, I definitely hate my boss, and I can't stand my family.

I'm so sick of being in the situation I'm in. I feel stuck at work, I'm supposed to be finishing a thesis for grad school and I just can't take it. I do have happy, laughing, light spots throughout the day, but they never last. I'm so frustrated. What the hell?!

I called my pdoc and she increased my Lamictal to 300 mg and told me to up the Seroquel to 100 mg if possible. I usually can't function until noon the next day on 100 mg. Anyway, this whole "episode" came out of nowhere. Could this be massive PMS or am I just going nuts? Oh yes, I forgot to mention the shopping spree(s)...

Sorry to be a downer. Anyone have similar experiences?


I see someone asked a few Lam questions so here's my history. I hope I'm remembering it all correctly, but it's been several months and I didn't keep a journal.

Took 25 mg to start, got a small red rash on my neck within a few days. Went down to 12.5. One week and no rash. Increased back to 25 for a week. Stayed there for a week and went up to 37.5, noticed another small rash on my neck, but just kept a close eye and it went away. Stayed there for a week or so. Went up to 50 for 2 weeks, no rash. Next went to 100, no rash after 2 weeks. Next up to 150mg. I should mention that at this time I was really noticing the positive effects of the drug. I was really stable and feelin good. After a month on 100 we went to 150mg. 200mg was the original goal and I made it there after about three months. I was there until this last messy episode.

Back to the problem at hand, i'm feeling better, but not completely where I was before. Things are better with the man too. Anyway, hope I didn't scare the Lam newbies off! I'll check this thread more often. I was out of town last weekend.

Bye!
pork chop

 

scapegoating and crying...*sniff*

Posted by fluffy on April 11, 2003, at 10:24:10

In reply to Re: lamictal newbie, posted by pork chop on April 7, 2003, at 15:57:40

Hi P.C., J.K. and all.

Pork chop-- Did you get to read my reply to your mis-posted message? I try to believe in at least 2/3 of that stuff. Sometimes it's hard.
What do you do when you feel that you went "over the edge" with someone--that you were extreme, more than the "normal" human being? Lately, I find that I want to blame it on my BP disorder...And lately I find that it doesn't help to use it as a scapegoat for bad behavior. But sometimes it seems to be the only logic behind some of the things I do. I hate that. My boyfriend is starting to get tired of "I'm not feeling stable yet...sorry for being out of control". What does one do? It's only recently that I have been AWARE of my disorder (about 8 months now...trying to find just the right med, going through psychotherapy and what-not). Just sometimes I wish that I wasn't me with a big label hanging over my head.

I have been pretty turbulent at times over the past couple of weeks (50 mg Lam) but overall, I feel better b/c I can sleep now. I will probably increase to 75 mg on monday.

Have any of you tried Lithium WITH Lamictal? I wonder if I don't feel any better after like 100 mg Lamictal if I should drop out of the study and try adding Lithium...

How is everyone else? Updates, please.

 

Re: scapegoating and crying...*sniff*

Posted by pork chop on April 11, 2003, at 10:51:02

In reply to scapegoating and crying...*sniff*, posted by fluffy on April 11, 2003, at 10:24:10

Hi Fluffy and all,

When I was first diagnosed I would blame BP for every little screw up, but now I wonder if I would have acted the same way without medication. Ya know?

When I get a little too extreme I mean things like lashing out at people around me, becoming insanely jealous with the boyfriend, convincing myself I have diseases that I don't have, (I was so convinced I had HIV I got tested and bothered my doctor round the clock about the results for 2 weeks- they came back negative), spending obsene amounts of money, racing thoughts, messed up communications with co-workers, lots of alcohal use, binging and purging, exessive exercising- the list goes on...

I don't tell my boyfriend that BP is the root of all my bad behavior and even if I did, I don't think he'd buy it. He knows my situation and I think he realizes I don't mean to be such a nut with him. He's really supportive and patient, thank god.

What do the rest of you think?

Right now I'm scared b/c I thought I was at the right level with Seroquel but I'm using larger amounts to get to sleep now at night. My pdoc told me I could increase the dosage, but I hate to get into that, this is wearing off I need to try something else cycle again. I can't tell what is helping more with my mood, the Lam or the Seroquel. This is so annoying-
Hope all is well- pc

 

Re: scapegoating and crying...*sniff*

Posted by fluffy on April 11, 2003, at 12:50:26

In reply to Re: scapegoating and crying...*sniff*, posted by pork chop on April 11, 2003, at 10:51:02

Yeah--
I guess I'm realizing what a thin argument it is that every bad judgement call is BP. I'm human for god's sake (something I forget from time to time) and I screw up. I feel like I'm beginning to get the hang of this thing, though. It's been a strange adjustment period. You get this label that explains SOME bad behavior, but not ALL. It's difficult to not totally deny the whole thing or embrace it so much it's annoying. Thankfully my boyfriend seems to understand, too. His mom is BPI.

How long has it been since you were diagnosed Pork Chop? How many med trials did you go through before trying Lamictal? I'm on my second Mood Stabilizer. I tried Tegretol first, but I felt very flat and depressed after a couple of months. I just don''t want to be a guinea pig forever. (as I'm sure you feel the same way)

AND I hope that you find stability with your combo soon. It's tough.

 

Re: scapegoating and crying...*sniff*

Posted by pork chop on April 14, 2003, at 12:21:23

In reply to Re: scapegoating and crying...*sniff*, posted by fluffy on April 11, 2003, at 12:50:26

Hi Fluffy,

I was diagnosed about 5 months ago. Before that I was on anti-depressants. That obviously didn't work. Lamictal was the first thing my pdoc tried. I wasn't going to try anything that might make me gain weight. That's a big part of my being so depressed!

Things are getting better, but not all the way normal yet. Hope everyone else is good!


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