Posted by SLS on January 6, 2001, at 14:33:08
In reply to Does Lamictal cause memory problems?, posted by Dwight on January 5, 2001, at 0:10:21
Hi Dwight,
I would have responded to your post earlier had I not forgotten to do so.
:-)
> I have found Neurontin quite helpful for my social anxiety, but I only take it rarely now because it causes memory problems. Does lamictal also cause memory problems? Does it work in a way similar to Neurontin?
Lamictal can disrupt memory quite a bit at high dosages. At 450mg, while driving, I would all of a sudden not recognize roads that I have driven down all of my life. Perhaps worse, at the same time, I would forget where I was going.
At 300mg, I have virtually no memory problems. What little there may have been when I first raised the dosage from 200mg (the average effective dosage for depression) to 300mg dissipated within one or two months. With this information in mind, I would advocate your giving Lamictal a try. Generally, it produces the least amount of cognitive changes among the anticonvulsants and unlike the others, possesses true antidepressant properties.
I don't know whether or not depression is an issue with you, but social anxiety is often associated with atypical depression or bipolar depression. I do not know anything about the use of Lamictal exclusively for social anxiety without depression.
For depression:NIMH has found that Lamictal + Neurontin is often very effective when either alone is inadequate.
My non-credentialed suggestion:
I would suggest to you that you begin taking Neurontin continuously at the lowest dosage that does not affect your memory too much (600mg-900mg?). Then, begin to titrate Lamictal in the way suggested for monotherapy:
25mg - > 2 weeks
50mg - > 2 weeks
100mg - > 1-2 weeks
100+ - > as per doctor's suggestionsEffective dosages for bipolar depression:
Range: 50mg-300mg
Average: 200mg
Let me know what you decide. Don't be too concerned about the memory difficulties.Good luck.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:50927
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001231/msgs/51036.html