Posted by cache-monkey on December 31, 2004, at 17:37:24
In reply to Re: Lamictal sexual dysfunction ?!?!, posted by Piquet on December 31, 2004, at 3:42:55
" In reference to your other post, I haven't got the muscle/tendon thing (not yet, anyhow),"
Yeah, that seems to be actually doing a bit better at a higher dose, oddly enough...
"Regarding the sexual SEs, well, I've noticed some decline in libido, but I'm used to that waxing and waning with introduction of new medications or titration of current ones."
That's actually a good point. I think this has happened before even on meds that were eventually pro-sexual (Serzone and Wellbutrin) during the start-up phase. But, I got really put off by my experience with Celexa, where it turned toward complete libido/function loss.
"I'd like to add that I don't think that the start-up and titration phase of a new medication is a good time to draw conclusions as to its longer term therapeutic benefits or SEs, although I can understand that you are very concerned about these things. My pdoc has told me that it's quite possible that my 'final' dose might be around 200 mg per day, and that taking into account titration to that level at a fortnight per increase and then the delay before experiencing the therapeutic effect for that level of medication, I would quite likely be looking at a timeframe of around three months before things settled down. So I started in on this knowing that I would need some patience -- well, a lot of patience. Hopefully, the end result -- for both of us -- will be worth the wait."
Another excellent point. Patience is kind of hard for me to come by right now. Part of that is big life changes and decisions on the horizon. (Finishing grad school; looking for a job.) But I also think that I've gotten frustrated after being on a medication (Serzone) which made me fundamentally worse, mentally. The p-doc kept on wanting to wait and push the dose, but I kept getting worse and worse... for like nine months. But my experience with Lamictal so far is that, after an initial valley, I start to feel a little bit better than when I started. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and trying not to impatiently tap my foot, as much as that's possible for me.
"There's also the possibility that it won't be the right augmentation for me: from what I've read, after considerable time on Lamictal some people swear by it and others swear *at* it."
I've heard more good and neutral than truly bad. In any case, I do hope it works out for us both.
Best,
cache-monkey
poster:cache-monkey
thread:435906
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041228/msgs/436117.html