Lamictal

[Doxymom]

Has anyone out there tried Lamictal? I can
t take topamax because of an eye problem
Thanks

[beatle]

Lamictal

I felt I must respond to this post because, yes, I have tried Lamictal, and that is how I got introduced to the meds forum, which has transformed my life.

I, like you, asked pretty much the same question when I came here to the meds forum a couple years ago.

I have had horrible anxiety all my life. At 18, I found some relief from the anxiety in the form of alcohol. I will say that alcohol helped me accomplish many things I never would have without it.

In my late 30s, I developed completely debilitating depression. It was not from the alcohol. It had other sources, although the alcohol no doubt contributed to making it worse.

I was very anti-meds after horrible experiences with various anti-depressants. I kept myself mostly to the Holistic Healing forum her on MWO, along with General Discussion, where I never venture anymore.

My therapist strongly urged me to see a psychiatrist because she believed, after a year of therapy 2 times a week, that my chemical balance problems could not be solved by therapy alone.

I reluctantly agreed after she found a psychiatrist who she thought would "listen" to me. Can you imagine, the implication being that most psychiatrists don't listen to their patients?

Anyway, she prescribe me Lamictal as a mood stabliizer. It is appropriate for bipolar people, which she said I was.

I did a lot of googling and visiting other forums, and of course came on the meds here, where I had never been.

The general consensus everywhere was that it didn't have serious side effects. I think, I don't remember exactly. I just know I wasn't too frightened off.

So I tried it, titrating up exactly as the sample packs they give you indicate. (Someday they will have those for baclofen, I predict).

I felt absolutely no side effects, so I continued at 200mg and have been there for 2 years now.

On the other hand, I can't say I've felt much of an effect, either. But many people do.

I suggest you search around on other sites to find out out what people are saying, sharing about their experiences. I don't think there is much here, since it is not an alcohol-specific med, not even an addition-specific med.

For me, the most important thing about Lamictal is that it brought me here to the meds section, where I found out about baclofen.

I would never have been open to the idea of baclofen, and certainly never would have sought it out if not for the Lamictal serendipity.

For that I will love Lamictal eternally. (I still take it, by the way... when I decided to titrate down, I thought I noticed an increase in the severity of mood swings. It does not interact with baclofen as far as I know, and not in my experience.)

I hope this helps.

[SlipperyPete]

Lamictal

I'd been on it for about 2 years, and recently got off it. I've been on tons of different types of anti-depressants, and I'd say lamictal worked the best in my case. Definitely helped my mood and anxiety, which was very nice.

[turboscottomatic]

Lamictal

Lamictal is like sex/breathing/watching your favorite movie all rolled into one!

I've been taking Lamictal for about 9 months. For me, best thing I ever did. Though baclofen is taking over first place as the best thing....

At different times I've been diagnosed with:

Adult ADHD
OCD
Major Depression
Panhypopituitaryism
Hypothyroidism
Bipolar with primary manic symptoms

The first three were bullshit and really came from me thinking I had those things and subconsciously steering pysch conversations in that direction. Essentially self-diagnosing and talking a good game and getting a prescriber to agree. The next two are true and are represented by low testosterone and low thyroid, which I take meds for. The Bipolar is the true truth for me and leads to my addictive problems and some behavioral problems, like extreme 'all or nothing' behaviors and having to later undo things I do when manic, which seem perfectly reasonable at the time.

I spent a year with a 'Jungian Analyst' (accent on the anal-ist) which taught me two essential things: 1. That I can't trust people or situations because I wasn't taken care of well as a child, and 2. That all the therapy in the world was still going to leave a gaping hole in me because I had organic problems that therapy couldn't help. He wanted me to come twice a week and I would see some good results within about 5 years or so. I fired him and found my psych.

He put me on Lamictal and Klonopin and virtually saved my life, or at least showed me how to be happy again. But I think you have to have the right problem to get the benefit I did. It didn't help my drinking, if that's what you are really asking....

:nicemeeting:

T

[campcop1]

Lamictal

I was prescribed Lamictal by a psych for BP and can't take it because it gives me tremors, rash, and makes my migraines worse. I need to progress up to 300mg but the side effects get worse any time we try to increase the dose. My psych just shrugs and says he doesn't know any other meds that have less side effects so just told me to go to the local med school and see if they have a drug study going. What the heck? I'd rather go without, I'm not a Rhesus monkey.

[Kradle123]

Lamictal

Hi Doxy,

I've been on Lamictal since 2007 for bi polar. I have a lot of success with it.
Feel free to PM me :l

[Samandkatharine]

Lamictal

My husband takes it as an add on to his AD. There is a risk of a life threatening rash, but most don't get it. You need to go up very slowly.

Sam

[Kradle123]

Lamictal

I was thinking about the side effects last night...the 2 biggies for me are 1) if I take a whole tablet (100 mg) I get very nauseated and I have to eat something right away. If I break the tablet in half and space it out then I'm fine.
2) My eyes...speaking of eyes, Doxy ...I have myopia and strabismus so while I'm not mr Magoo, there's no question that the Lamictol has weakened them. Actually is says right on the prescription bottle that this medication can result in blurred vision so, we'll...there you go
But I will take a little blurry eyesight and stomach ache any day over the awful mood swings I've had all my life- deep black despair one day...somewhat lifted the next...high and mighty the next and then back to deep despair again .... The leveling out is a miracle.
I truly believe that if I had been properly diagnosed 20 years ago, I wouldn't have used AL to level myself out. Which of course it stopped doing a long Time ago....

Hope this helps Doxy. :l