Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1014114

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Does lamictal cause weight gain?

Posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 26, 2012, at 20:01:26

I have taken depakote before many years ago for several months. And I know that causes severe weight gain. I also tried lithium augmentation of my antidepressant many years ago and I know lithium also causes weight gain.

I tried lamictal years ago but did not stick with it, I cant remember why it was so many years ago. But I remember it has some mild mood elevation effects but at the same time anti-convulsant properties.

Ive also tried Neurontin before and that is kinda what I need, taking a little Neurontin nightly would drop my BP, but Neurontin causes severe weight gain, at least as bad as depakote I found, for me at least.

I need to add something to drop my blood pressure, but most of the blood pressure meds cause weight gain, except for ACE Inhibitors which is what I am on and Im on a max dose already.

Does lamictal have a reputation for causing weight gain? Like depakote or lithium?

I know topomax does not cause weight gain but my Pdoc does not like topomax, it is one of the few drugs he wont rx me, he thinks it is a "junk drug" kind of, I think.

If lamictal does not cause weight gain, I think I am gonna ask my Pdoc for some, as it elevates mood but also has a relaxing effect which would help my hypertension.

Thanks,

Eric

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » LostBoyinNCReturns

Posted by papillon2 on March 27, 2012, at 3:43:39

In reply to Does lamictal cause weight gain?, posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 26, 2012, at 20:01:26

Lamictal is considered to be weight-neutral. That is, it does not usually cause weight gain or weight loss. Any weight loss would probably be due to a general trending towards one's baseline weight having discontinued a medication which resulted in weight gain.

For example, I've lost the excess weight I gained on Zyprexa and Remeron and am back to my usual weight range, but that's not because I take Lamictal, but rather because I no longer take Zyprexa or Remeron.

Your mileage my vary, but I would not be concerned about gaining weight on Lamictal. I would be more concerned about titrating your dose very slowly so as not to develop the dreaded rash.

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » papillon2

Posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 6:19:21

In reply to Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » LostBoyinNCReturns, posted by papillon2 on March 27, 2012, at 3:43:39

> Lamictal is considered to be weight-neutral. That is, it does not usually cause weight gain or weight loss. Any weight loss would probably be due to a general trending towards one's baseline weight having discontinued a medication which resulted in weight gain.
>
> For example, I've lost the excess weight I gained on Zyprexa and Remeron and am back to my usual weight range, but that's not because I take Lamictal, but rather because I no longer take Zyprexa or Remeron.
>
> Your mileage my vary, but I would not be concerned about gaining weight on Lamictal. I would be more concerned about titrating your dose very slowly so as not to develop the dreaded rash.

For those few people, like me, who do see weight-gain on Lamictal, it is minor in degree. I gained ten pounds over the course of a six to eight week period. Most people never noticed. This effect plateaued early, whereupon my weight remained static. I lost the weight when I discontinued the Lamictal. At worst, you might gain a few pounds that are certainly able to be controlled through some minor changes in eating habits.


- Scott

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain?

Posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 27, 2012, at 8:42:07

In reply to Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » papillon2, posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 6:19:21

I appreciate the responses as I could not remember if lamictal increased weight on me or not. I only took it for a short time at a low dose to "try it" and that was as mentioned, many years ago.

The med combo I am on, which is very simple, Zoloft and klonopin, causes NO weight gain. Which is what I need, as I have sleep apnea and again, as Ive mentioned before the apnea has as much to do with my mood/mind as meds do. I go off the CPAP and I feel like a psychotic, my blood pressure goes up and I get blood shot eyes and I wake up repeatedly and feel super irritable. On CPAP I am pretty calm and closer to normal.

I might ask my Pdoc about getting me on 100 to 200 mg lamictal, if it wont cause weight gain. Im sure he will rx me some if I want it, he has before.

later,

Eric

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » LostBoyinNCReturns

Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2012, at 9:47:17

In reply to Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain?, posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 27, 2012, at 8:42:07

I only took it for a short time and had no weight gain. But Cpap seems to be a trend now. Why do so many stop breathing during sleep? I don't get this? Is your due to snoring? If so isn't there a small operation where they cut some of the ulvea the thing that hangs down on back of mouth? And that in turn stops snoring? Phillipa

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain?

Posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 27, 2012, at 13:12:23

In reply to Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » LostBoyinNCReturns, posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2012, at 9:47:17

> I only took it for a short time and had no weight gain. But Cpap seems to be a trend now. Why do so many stop breathing during sleep? I don't get this? Is your due to snoring? If so isn't there a small operation where they cut some of the ulvea the thing that hangs down on back of mouth? And that in turn stops snoring? Phillipa


CPAP is a "new thing" because it has only been in the last five or six years that it has become a widespread treatment. I suppose insurance companies have figured out it is cheaper to pay for the sleep studies and CPAP gear than later have to pay for the strokes, complicated hypertension, obesity, type II diabetes, heart attacks and treatment resistant mood disorders sleep apnea is responsible for.

Also, there is a lot of money to be made in sleep medicine, so that is one impetus I am sure. But as far as I am concerned, I'd rather my money go to pay for CPAP gear than drugs that are hit or miss and only work about a third of the time.

CPAP, titrated properly, has a good name, it actually works, unlike psychiatric meds.

Snoring is a mere side effect of sleep apnea. You can gauge yourself by asking yourself several questions.

1) Do you snore regularly during your sleep?

2) is your neck circumference 17" or larger if you are male? or 16" or larger if you are female

3) do you feel fatigued, irritable and sleepy during the day?

I have found I get best results combining CPAP with Zoloft. With just Zoloft, I feel absolutely awful. With just CPAP, I feel OK but still dont feel good. When I combine the two, I feel passable, consistently.

People stop breathing during their sleep for three main reasons: 1) being overweight, 2) genetically they have too narrow tracheas and 3) they drink booze at night before bedtime or take other sedating medications (benzos, anti-histamines, etc.) that causes the trachea (airway) to overly relax to the point you are essentially, suffocating in your sleep and experiencing hypoxia.

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » LostBoyinNCReturns

Posted by Shes_Initforthemoney on March 27, 2012, at 15:25:20

In reply to Does lamictal cause weight gain?, posted by LostBoyinNCReturns on March 26, 2012, at 20:01:26

> I have taken depakote before many years ago for several months. And I know that causes severe weight gain. I also tried lithium augmentation of my antidepressant many years ago and I know lithium also causes weight gain.
>
> I tried lamictal years ago but did not stick with it, I cant remember why it was so many years ago. But I remember it has some mild mood elevation effects but at the same time anti-convulsant properties.
>
> Ive also tried Neurontin before and that is kinda what I need, taking a little Neurontin nightly would drop my BP, but Neurontin causes severe weight gain, at least as bad as depakote I found, for me at least.
>
> I need to add something to drop my blood pressure, but most of the blood pressure meds cause weight gain, except for ACE Inhibitors which is what I am on and Im on a max dose already.
>
> Does lamictal have a reputation for causing weight gain? Like depakote or lithium?
>
> I know topomax does not cause weight gain but my Pdoc does not like topomax, it is one of the few drugs he wont rx me, he thinks it is a "junk drug" kind of, I think.
>
> If lamictal does not cause weight gain, I think I am gonna ask my Pdoc for some, as it elevates mood but also has a relaxing effect which would help my hypertension.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eric
>

Hi Eric,

Nice to see you back. A couple of comments...one, is have you had your testosterone level checked? (Could help a bit with weight gain problems.) Second, I am finding a tiny dose of the BP med Clonidine helpful without causing weight gain.

The Lamictal I found wayyyyy too stimulating. It makes me very irritable, and almost in a dysphoric manic state. I found the same with you with Neurontin, but have success with taking Lyrica (same type of effect, minus all of the side effects.)

Best of luck...
Jay

 

Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain?

Posted by leslieg on April 3, 2012, at 0:38:51

In reply to Re: Does lamictal cause weight gain? » papillon2, posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 6:19:21

> > Lamictal is considered to be weight-neutral. That is, it does not usually cause weight gain or weight loss. Any weight loss would probably be due to a general trending towards one's baseline weight having discontinued a medication which resulted in weight gain.
> >
> > For example, I've lost the excess weight I gained on Zyprexa and Remeron and am back to my usual weight range, but that's not because I take Lamictal, but rather because I no longer take Zyprexa or Remeron.
> >
> > Your mileage my vary, but I would not be concerned about gaining weight on Lamictal. I would be more concerned about titrating your dose very slowly so as not to develop the dreaded rash.
>
> For those few people, like me, who do see weight-gain on Lamictal, it is minor in degree. I gained ten pounds over the course of a six to eight week period. Most people never noticed. This effect plateaued early, whereupon my weight remained static. I lost the weight when I discontinued the Lamictal. At worst, you might gain a few pounds that are certainly able to be controlled through some minor changes in eating habits.
>
>
> - Scott
Same here. 10 pounds in less than 2 months. I blame it on a sort of apathy that Lamictal gives me -- I compare it to being a teenager again. I'd rather sit than go to the grocery store, thank you anyway. Lamictal is mentally stimulating for me -- I can only take it in the am. (Yes, I sit and think about what I *should* be doing, if I felt like actually doing anything.) Finally getting that under control by adding a tiny amount of Tegretol. I have a CPAP too; I'm overweight AND I often use sleep aides due to night-time anxiety. Sigh.
Very cool Lamictal anecdote: my musical abilities increased. Read in Oliver Sack's (sp?) Musicophelia another case of increased ability w/ Lamictal (hers was more pronounced than mine.) The brain is such a fascinating and fragile place ...
Leslie


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] 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.