Posted by Ritch on June 12, 2003, at 23:00:59
In reply to Re: Lamictal: Ron Hill, Ritch 'Q' and 'A', posted by fluffy on June 12, 2003, at 16:17:12
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> > Colin Wallace and others here are on Lamictal-I've never tried it yet. From what I understand from all the posts and other info I have read is that it is worthwhile to reach 200mg or so and hang in there a few weeks to realize the maximum benefit of the Lamictal. Your cycles are similar to mine. It is possible that your cycle length is too close to the titration frequency and the "slips" may be your natural "pattern" confusing things. See if you can either stay at your current dose of Lamictal "through" about 1.5x your cycle length and see if the "slip" fades AND/OR keep going up, but lengthen the time before your next scheduled increase to go beyond a full cycle length by some amount to try to separate the two effects somehow. If you start to get predominantly hypomanic in the late summer-I would wait for the symptoms to show first before reaching for the lithium. They might *not* show up or may be more attentuated than they have previously. If they do show up and are troublesome, lithium would be the thing to add if you don't want to hassle with the Lamictal blood levels jumping up by adding Depakote, although Depakote might work better than Li for you (given you are a rapid-cycler like me).
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> Thanks Ritch--
> Interesting point you make about my natural cycles. The peaks and valleys are less predominant now than before. I just reached 200 mg a little over a week ago. The study I'm participating in requires a dose of at least 200mg. I'll wait it out for another 2 weeks until my next appt.
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> Is it Ritch or Mitch? I don't get it...inquiring minds want to know! And are you a doctor? Or a very experienced patient? Just curious..
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> Katy
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Hi, I've just been "fooled" into thinking meds weren't working or they were triggering hypomania, or making me more depressed, etc., because my own cycling was the real culprit. I've been dx'ed BP-II for about 25 years, not a doctor. So, you are in a STUDY? Let us in on what's happening, if you don't mind...Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:99976
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030609/msgs/233589.html