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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by yesac on July 29, 2003, at 13:37:46
I have been on Lamictal for 3 months. After about a month, I was on 150mg and it seemed to be working for several weeks. Then I tried an "experiment" of cutting back to 75mg for about 2 weeks. I felt terrible during those 2 weeks and went back up to 150. So now I've been back up on 150 for a few weeks and it doesn't seem to be doing anything anymore. I'm trying 200 now to see if that does anything, but I don't think it will. Could this have happened just because I cut it down for a little while? Does anyone know what this could be about?
Posted by jaby on July 29, 2003, at 15:07:13
In reply to Lamictal problem, posted by yesac on July 29, 2003, at 13:37:46
I really doubt it was a result of your cut back. I would say that te majority of the people here (including myself) had great results with lamictal inititaly only to have it fade and not be regained with an increase in dosage. I take a small amount still as it has a subtle AD effect for me, but nothing like it did when I first started. Search "lamictal poop out".
Posted by yesac on July 29, 2003, at 15:39:32
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem, posted by jaby on July 29, 2003, at 15:07:13
> I really doubt it was a result of your cut back. I would say that te majority of the people here (including myself) had great results with lamictal inititaly only to have it fade and not be regained with an increase in dosage.
Really? Does it normally fade out so quickly, after only a few weeks of really helping? (I haven't searched yet but about to)
Posted by jaby on July 29, 2003, at 18:57:17
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem » jaby, posted by yesac on July 29, 2003, at 15:39:32
I was completely CURED for 2 weeks! It was totally amazing. Then I found myself in a deprssed state even worse than before I started. I think you will find similar stories here.
Posted by rod on July 29, 2003, at 19:31:24
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem, posted by jaby on July 29, 2003, at 18:57:17
> Then I found myself in a deprssed state even worse than before I started.
Same for me. I am now on 200mg for 2 weeks and its actually making me a bit suicidal, pessimistic and depressed, much worse than before. I'm wondering. Lamictal it treated as some kind of miracle cure for most people who failed on various ADs. But I have read on some site at the internet, Lamictal has a higher incidence of depression and suicidal ideation than Depakene or Tegretol (these were non scientific articles).
Did one of you try good old Tegretol? (I haven't, yet)
Roland
Posted by HenryO on July 30, 2003, at 1:03:01
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem » jaby, posted by rod on July 29, 2003, at 19:31:24
Lamictal has been great for me. No poop out. Why did you cut back on your dose like that? I think we do that sometimes because we are starting to go into a depression and we think a particular drug may not be working. It usually results in a crash and burn. Now it could be you are going through a depression episode which is overwhelming your dose. I would stay on it. Increase the dose slowly with your docotor's approval. Don't go on and off it (or anything else) that way and see how you are in a month or two.
About the poop out thing. They say about word of mouth news, if something works great you'll tell three other people about it, if it stinks you'll tell ten. Who knows these meds have such different effects person to person.
Posted by yesac on July 30, 2003, at 9:58:34
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem, posted by HenryO on July 30, 2003, at 1:03:01
> Lamictal has been great for me. No poop out. Why did you cut back on your dose like that?
I've never done anything like that with any other drug. But the reason I did it was because I had gained about 10 pounds since starting Lamictal, and I wanted to see if going down would cause me to lose any weight. It didn't. Also, I had started to feel the positive effects at around 100mg so I thought that maybe 150 was too much and a lower dose would be okay. I guess I was wrong!
How long have you been on it? My doctor actually suggested going off it, but I said I wanted to try it for a while more at a higher dose, so that's what I'm doing.
Posted by jaby on July 30, 2003, at 10:12:17
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem » jaby, posted by rod on July 29, 2003, at 19:31:24
Lamictal WAS a miracle. I mean total abatement of ALL symptoms after 5 years of failed med trials. Once it pooped out though it was like it had a toxic effect on me at higher doses. the when I went to retry after getting of I would become super emotional. I am back on it now, but only while taking lithium as well. Now I get just a slight AD effect from it.
I haven't tried tegretol, but it would be a good option. I'm also interested in zonegran, rilutek, and maybe topamax.
Posted by HenryO on July 31, 2003, at 1:38:27
In reply to Re: Lamictal problem, posted by jaby on July 29, 2003, at 15:07:13
Jaby, I'm just making sure I understood you, this positive result you experienced from Lamictal lasted only two weeks?
This is the end of the thread.
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