Posted by bleauberry on April 22, 2012, at 9:13:04
In reply to How long to give lamictal to work?, posted by jerseygal111 on April 19, 2012, at 17:01:35
If it were me I would already be starting the journey of weaning off it. It should have already given you a hint of something if it was going to do anything for you. it is not, I don't believe, just going to magically kick in with a few more days or weeks. I would like to be wrong on that.
The process of getting up to 300mg involves time....time enough to feel something if there is going to be anything to feel. It's not as if you have to reach some magical supposed therapeutic dose to feel anything....most people feel something even at 25mg. So if you aren't, that to me says....bummer this trial didn't go well but that's ok I have more wisdom now and I'm moving on....the mood stabilizer thing is probably not going to be a good route for me. But that's just my way of thinking.
I see too much "garden variety" treatment of depression. Much too common. Here...lexapro for you....lamictal for you....whatever. The true powerhorses for depression are not those. They are things like Zoloft+Nortriptyline, Prozac+TCA, Clomipramine, Parnate, Nardil, antidepressant+Ritalin. Sometimes antidepressant+antipsychotic but I prefer that not be a top choice save it for last.
Even in clinical trials, not sure your doc is aware, lamictal wasn't that great of an antidepressant....and when it was, it generally relapsed within 9 months. It is primarily, as stated in those trials, for "delaying" the onset of the next depressive episode. I think its use as monotherapy use or cocktail use as an antidepressant is more anecdotal, industry habit, general industry consensus, whatever, but not really based on any earth shaking evidence or fact.
Best first line mood stabilizer and antidepressant combo on the planet to try before any meds, after med failures, or added to meds, is rhodiola rosea. imo
poster:bleauberry
thread:1015973
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120411/msgs/1016171.html