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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
last night i took my 1st 25mg dose. i didn't feel a thing from it. is Lamictal a medication that should be felt from the beginning, or does it take a few days to weeks until you feel it? i have read different reviews of it and it seems like most people feel the effects of it from the 1st dose.
Posted by Phillipa on July 11, 2012, at 9:59:12
In reply to how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
Personally I didn't feel a thing either. Never made it past 50mg not that I felt anything but began incessant spitting and couldn't stop. It was what I found could be a rare side effect. Stopped when I stopped the med. Phillipa
Posted by emily elizabeth on July 11, 2012, at 13:53:34
In reply to how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
I started Lamictal about 3.5 weeks ago, so I have been doing a lot of reading on it. I'm surprised you have read that people feel something on 25mg. Everything I have read suggests that 25mg is essentially a non-therapeutic dose. There is some evidence that 50mg can be therapeutic, but most people need to go up at least to 100 or 200.
As for my own experiences.... I did 2 weeks on 25 mg and don't think I felt much. After maybe 5 days on 50mg I did notice improvement and I have been feeling pretty good for the past few days. I hope it stays.
Unfortunately, the unavoidable, slow stepping up process of Lamictal can be very frustrating when you are suffering. The other thing I read about Lamictal (which I am hesitant to share for fear of discouraging you) is that it is better for maintaining stabilization than relieving acute, crisis states. Of course there exceptions to every rule, so your experience may be different.
Did you see I responded to your post above? I am interested in your thoughts on those suggestions.
Good luck,
EE
Posted by herpills on July 11, 2012, at 14:30:22
In reply to how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
I started feeling better on Lamictal when I reached 100mg. What is your iniital target dose? herpills
Posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 14:39:22
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by herpills on July 11, 2012, at 14:30:22
im taking lamictal for a different reason than most people, actually. i seem to be having a problem with my dopamine system due to some long term effects Mirapex had on me, and my new doctor and i got the idea to try Lamictal because of the indirect boost it can have on the dopamine system. im not really taking it for mood stabilization or seizures, but im hoping for an increase in libido and a better mood along with it.
i'll just keep taking the lamictal and then i raise the dose to 50mgs after this week and hopefully i will get something great from it. and if not at that dose i will just try raising it again.
Posted by novelagent on July 11, 2012, at 18:24:31
In reply to how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
Isn't Lamictal what's given to pediatric patients? I was advised of taking Lamictal by a doctor who saw me after my family brought me to an ER hospital, and I was so fine, it was a no-brainer that he had to release me, but he at the end said, "I find great results with Lamictal." As if to suggest I take that up with my pdoc.
I mentioned it to my pdoc, and he dismissed it, saying he only prescribes that to his pediatric patients.... I'm not sure why. I think it was lamictal, anyhow. My pdoc knew his stuff, and gave a good rationale for why it's a pediatric med, but I forgot it.
> last night i took my 1st 25mg dose. i didn't feel a thing from it. is Lamictal a medication that should be felt from the beginning, or does it take a few days to weeks until you feel it? i have read different reviews of it and it seems like most people feel the effects of it from the 1st dose.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 11, 2012, at 20:55:46
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal » poser938, posted by novelagent on July 11, 2012, at 18:24:31
I'd never heard that before. I looked at Lamictal's website and it isn't even approved for psychiatric purposes for people under 18. (It is approved for seizures for kids, but they have a higher risk for "the rash" than adults.)
Best,
EE
Posted by novelagent on July 12, 2012, at 15:26:31
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal » novelagent, posted by Emily Elizabeth on July 11, 2012, at 20:55:46
I think it was a different drug, then. It was awhile ago... can't remember, but it was some mood stabalizer. Yeah, it was a different drug.
> I'd never heard that before. I looked at Lamictal's website and it isn't even approved for psychiatric purposes for people under 18. (It is approved for seizures for kids, but they have a higher risk for "the rash" than adults.)
>
> Best,
> EE
Posted by Dinah on July 13, 2012, at 9:02:06
In reply to how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 9:23:06
I've been on 50 mg for a very long time. For migraine prophylaxis, with mood stabilizing benefits as well.
I don't ever remember feeling any effect at all. But when I recently decided to try to taper off, my mood got very unstable and my sleep erratic. I tried for about a month, then increased back to 50. Apparently it has more effect than I think.
Posted by huxley on July 19, 2012, at 7:25:33
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by poser938 on July 11, 2012, at 14:39:22
> im taking lamictal for a different reason than most people, actually. i seem to be having a problem with my dopamine system due to some long term effects Mirapex had on me, and my new doctor and i got the idea to try Lamictal because of the indirect boost it can have on the dopamine system. im not really taking it for mood stabilization or seizures, but im hoping for an increase in libido and a better mood along with it.
>
> i'll just keep taking the lamictal and then i raise the dose to 50mgs after this week and hopefully i will get something great from it. and if not at that dose i will just try raising it again.Have you heard the story about the old lady who swallowed a spider?
Posted by poser938 on July 20, 2012, at 19:02:27
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by huxley on July 19, 2012, at 7:25:33
what???
Posted by SLS on July 21, 2012, at 6:52:07
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal, posted by emily elizabeth on July 11, 2012, at 13:53:34
Hi.
Lamictal can be a real tease. People often experience an antidepressant effect within the first two weeks at dosages of 25-50mg. This almost always dissipates, requiring dosage increases. If the improvement is to persist, it usually does so once a dosage of 200 mg/day is reached.
- Scott
Posted by papillon2 on July 21, 2012, at 8:21:28
In reply to Re: how long until i *feel* Lamictal » emily elizabeth, posted by SLS on July 21, 2012, at 6:52:07
I notice the absense rather than the presense of Lamictal. I didn't feel it noticeably "kick in", which I suspect is due in part to the slow titration method. It gives rise to a slow but steady improvement, which you may not notice unless you or someone else is keeping notes. It's also possible that you are still on a sub-therapeutic dose for your body.
I have major depression (melancholic sub-type) and take Lamictal to (a) augment my anti-depressant and (b) as a relapse preventative. Studies have shown it increases the time between episodes of depression for people with Bipolar II; we're hoping it may do the same for recurrent unipolar depression like mine. Again, this is a feature which one would notice in the absense rather than the presense of the medication.
For me, Lamictal isn't the sort of medication that screams out to you. Instead, it works quietly in the background. If Lamictal had a personality it would probably be an introvert. This doesn't mean that the work it does is not important or significant.
Your mileage may vary, especially since you are taking Lamictal for different purposes.
This is the end of the thread.
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