Posted by sweetmarie on April 14, 2001, at 16:17:10
In reply to Re: current Lamictal trials - JahL and Phillybob » sweetmarie, posted by phillybob on April 14, 2001, at 14:51:20
> Hi, Anna! I'm up to 100 mg/day (just 2 days at this level) and not really noticing anything either.
As I just said to Jah, that is still a relatively small dose. >
> I had, of late, been toying with Adderall as an adjunct but seemed to, after an initial good going, have negative effects from such (same thing happens for me with Ritalin). Anyway, now I've added some Prozac (20 mg/day) just yesterday because I have not been that well, and I always get an initial boost for up to a couple of weeks with Prozac after re-visiting it (as long as it's been quite a while since I last took it). Long-term trials with Prozac at varying levels (as high as 80 mg/day, I believe) have never been able to maintain positive effects, though.
I`ve heard this happens a lot with Prozac. Frankly, it didn`t do anything for me at all, but then I took it on it`s own.
> Maybe WITH the Lamictal, the Prozac could have long-term efficacy? Who knows.
Worth a try.
Regardless, of all of the AD's I've taken (which is all of the newer ones that are legal in the US), including a couple of Tricyclics, Prozac has the least (practically none) negative side effects for me and I tolerate it very very well.
There must be countless other combinations that you can add Prozac to (if the Lamictal doesn`t help).
> I will still be titrating up on Lamictal also. (Sometimes, it is hard for me to resist the urge to add Topamax into the mix ...
Did Topamax work then? It`s a new one on me - presumably because we don`t have it over here.
but I really need to see what's up with Lamictal, once I get to a higher therapeutic level, before doing so).
They reckon on 4 weeks at therapeutic dose (or that`s what I`ve heard).
> A little over a year ago, I was going to trial Parnate (an MAOI) but during my clearing out period (getting other AD's out of my system), I had a positive bounce and ended up back on other ADs eventually when that subsided. I'd consider an MAOI again, too, but from what I've read on that, I've seen a lot of "pooping out" with that (though some people are getting many years out of it before that occurs).
I know that some people do `poop out` - I myself was very well for 3 weeks with it (not Parnate, but Nardil). I also know of people who absolutely swear by it, and say that it`s turned their life around. I think it`s worth a try, but be aware of the possible weight gain - I`ve put on a huge amount of weight and haven`t been able to shift it. Having said that, if it had worked then this wouldn`t be such a catastrophy.
I guess I think a mood stabilizer will be a good long-term help for me.
Have you tried Lithium? Didn`t do me any favours, but I`ve heard that it has excellent results in others.
> > I`m up to my 3rd week on 250 mg and no change at all. Should I call it a day?
>
> Sorry, it is not working for you the best. It seems from what I've read on this board, no one has had success with it as monotherapy and, as an adjunct, it doesn't seem as if anyone really knows whether it is helpful or not. My guess so far is that because it is such a benign additional drug, the benefits may not really be anything at all. We shall see.As I also said to Jah, it`s meant as a part of my new combination, so maybe it`ll work in that capacity. I was hoping it would work on it`s own though (but we all know what happened to hope).
> Anyway, I am glad your day in the hospital is finally near, and we are all hoping that you recieve the treatment which leads you to the euthymic land. :)
Thanks.
No calling it a day on the Lamictal yet. It just very well might be the right adjunct for you for whatever the docs in the hospital have in mind to add to your med mix. You've only got a few days!
O.K.Anna.
poster:sweetmarie
thread:55442
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010411/msgs/59858.html