Posted by Tomatheus on February 19, 2014, at 23:18:47
In reply to Lamictal dosing help?, posted by Sheilac on February 19, 2014, at 13:07:52
Sheilac,
According to RxList.com (http://www.rxlist.com/lamictal-drug/clinical-pharmacology.htm), the mean elimination half-life of a single dose of lamotrigine in healthy volunteers who weren't taking other medications was found to be 32.8 hours. The mean elimination half-life of a single dose of the medication was found to be 48.3 hours in health volunteers who were taking valproate. Half-life refers to the amount of time it takes for the concentration of a drug in a person's bloodstream to fall to half of its peak level.
So, as far as I can tell, I think that Lamictal needs to be taken every day. It seems to make sense that the concentration of the drug in your bloodstream would drop too low if you were to try to take it every other day. At least that's my lay-person's understanding of how that would work.
I think that what you wrote about taking Depakote with Lamictal possibly feeling like you're taking a downer with and upper does make sense. Although it's always hard to predict how taking two medications together might affect you, I see what you're saying about the Lamictal helping with your depression and the Depakote making it worse.
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions on what I've written.
Tomatheus
Has an affective psychosis with strong symptoms of fatigue, hypersomnia, and difficulty concentrating
Taking Abilify & supplements
poster:Tomatheus
thread:1060866
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140214/msgs/1060892.html