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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
i started on lamictal about two weeks or so ago. i heard the average dose is about 200, is that about right?
she started me at 25mg once a day. she's now got me to 25mg BID.
i'm wondering though if that's just maintaining me at 25 rather than having actually 50mg in my system?
also, any thoughts as to if its better twice a day or once a day?ps... lost my job.. :(
Posted by rjlockhart37 on March 20, 2015, at 11:17:42
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
lamictal does have a moderate half life duration.....but yea i don't think it would be bad to take it twice daily.....i take 400mg in morning, and it just kinda straighns out thoughts that are agitating.....mood stablized
Posted by Phillipa on March 20, 2015, at 11:57:22
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
So sorry about the job :( Phillipa
Posted by herpills on March 20, 2015, at 13:59:09
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
> i started on lamictal about two weeks or so ago. i heard the average dose is about 200, is that about right?
> she started me at 25mg once a day. she's now got me to 25mg BID.
> i'm wondering though if that's just maintaining me at 25 rather than having actually 50mg in my system?
> also, any thoughts as to if its better twice a day or once a day?
>
> ps... lost my job.. :(
>
>First, sorry about the job. Something better WILL come along eventually.
Lamictal has a longer half life than a lot of the psych meds so you are definitely at the 50mg in your system. You don't have to split the dose if you don't want to. I take 150mg all in the morning. 200mg is the average dose, you'll see anything between 150-300 for bipolar. I hope you feel better soon. A lot of people start feeling the Lamictal working once you get to 100mg. herpills
Posted by SLS on March 20, 2015, at 17:11:26
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
> i started on lamictal about two weeks or so ago. i heard the average dose is about 200, is that about right?
> she started me at 25mg once a day. she's now got me to 25mg BID.
> i'm wondering though if that's just maintaining me at 25 rather than having actually 50mg in my system?
> also, any thoughts as to if its better twice a day or once a day?
>
> ps... lost my job.. :(
If you take Trileptal or Tegretol, you might have to take more Lamictal. These two drugs are called enzyme inducers, and they cause Lamictal to disappear more quickly from the blood stream.Personally, I found that I feel better when taking Lamictal twice a day. Lamictal XR, an extended release version, is available if you absolutely must dose once a day.
Some people experience a passing improvement in depression at dosages as low as 50 mg/day that can last a day or two. However, a more permanent response usually isn't seen until one reaches 150 - 300 mg/day. 200 mg/day seems to be the dosage most often arrived at.
Sorry about the job...
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on March 20, 2015, at 19:41:54
In reply to Re: lamictal » b2chica, posted by SLS on March 20, 2015, at 17:11:26
Sorry about your job :-(
I take 100mgs/Lamictal per day, in the AM. I also take 1200 Trileptal, 200 wellbutrin SR, and 30 Abilify. Honestly, I don't know what to say. I feel...calmer. Less agitation. When shrink added Wellbutrin, the low mood was elevated faster than expected, with lower dosage than I was anticipating, so that's good. I think for me, the idea is to take the edge off and delay future episodes, and make future episodes less severe (I'm prone to psychotic depression).
Anyway...I really hope you find something that works for you. Have you tried supplements? I do Orthomolecular. For my level of problems (read: used to be state mental hospital material), it took a couple years, plus meds, plus moving in with my family (better living environment) for my probs to get better, but...it does seem to help a good bit, over the long haul.
Do you have a diagnosis? I mean, diagnosis isn't all that useful in psychiatry, but it could help guide your treatment...
Posted by Zyprexa on March 21, 2015, at 9:21:43
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
How did you lose your job? Did they let you go because you were unstable? Are you going to go on disability? Thats what happened to me..
I didn't function so well on lamictal. I went as high as 100mg. I don't see how 2 x25mg wouldn't be 50. You only need to take once a day.
How is it going now for you mentaly. Are you ok with out zyprexa. If I stayed on zyprexa I never would have had any of my problems with the last job I lost and ended up on ssdi.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 21, 2015, at 17:45:49
In reply to Re: lamictal » b2chica, posted by SLS on March 20, 2015, at 17:11:26
>i'm wondering though if that's just maintaining me at 25 rather than having actually 50mg in my system?
Not really, your total daily dose is 50mg.
>also, any thoughts as to if its better twice a day or once a day?
Either is possible, but twice daily dosing is more common.
Posted by b2chica on March 23, 2015, at 13:25:42
In reply to Re: lamictal » b2chica, posted by Zyprexa on March 21, 2015, at 9:21:43
thanks all.
lost job mostly because my boss was not honorable and blamed me for a mistake that was made. though i was having trouble concentrating that lead to one of the issue. i dont think loosing the job hurt me NEAR as much as How he did it. Totally unexpected. set me up in a meeting with 4 other people to tell me how horrible i was performingetc. i felt my ptsd major rise i was blindsided and shocked couldnt hardly speak, couldnt read what they handed me, head spinning..etc.
i stayed in same clothes day and night for a week
BUT, im past that now. just want to worry about getting well these next two months before i can look for another job.my hubby keeps saying i should go on disability. but Ive heard its really hard to get on.
i dont know.
all i know is now Im not in any shape to even look for a job. i have no idea what im going to do for a job. with my life. my degrees are so specialized that its hard to find a job in this town (other than the ones ive already had)
i almost feel like i have to go back to school. but with my brain/memory the way it is i just dont know that it will work..i feel like Im cycling. about every two days or so. but in general i have a HORRIBLE time getting up in the morning, let alone getting dressed or doing anything. but once i make it to about 1-2:00 im fine. Then in the evenings i have a hard time getting to sleep. mostly due to anxiety and restlessness, not because im not tired.
i see pdoc tomorrow and really hope she jumps me up to 100 asap.i also wish i could get back on my adderall, it was the only thing that really ever helped. i was very angry she took me off it. though i do have a couple left and if i go look for a job, i might take one the day before and day off interview that is to say id get one.
anyway, about diagnosis Ive had both psychotic depression, but mostly bipolar mixed. last fall/winter (from about september to Jan) suffered from the worst episode i can remember. all last fall was living on 6 then 4 than 2 hours sleep every night until i went into hospital end of jan.
anyway i can only live one day at a time right now. i want to give myself till the middle of april before i really start panicking about a job.
for now im working on getting stable..but im starting to wonder if ill ever be able to successfully hold a job.
Posted by Phillipa on March 23, 2015, at 20:14:27
In reply to Re: lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 23, 2015, at 13:25:42
Have you ever discussed this with your pdoc? As seems when you are functioning you are an overachiever. As for Disability your pdoc most likely could get you on it. But do you really want to stay home every day? Lots of factors to consider. Phillipa
Posted by b2chica on March 24, 2015, at 15:46:34
In reply to Re: lamictal » b2chica, posted by Phillipa on March 23, 2015, at 20:14:27
spot on p.
about high functioning, but about other typically it would drive me bonkers to stay home everyday, but right now, i dont want anything else.
i think that speaks for itself as to where i'm at mentally right now...
thnx.
b2
Posted by phidippus on April 12, 2015, at 7:36:20
In reply to lamictal, posted by b2chica on March 20, 2015, at 11:05:06
You can go up to 400 mg on Lamictal, but most people end up at the 200 mg mark.
Taking 25 mg twice a makes for a 50 mg dose, because Lamictal has a half-life longer than 12 hours.
Sorry about the job.
Eric
This is the end of the thread.
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