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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 Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 18:15:11
Hi,
Based on what you had written in a post somewhere above, it sounds like you were given a starter kit for Lamictal which is the same as the one I have just begun - I'm on 25mg every other day for 2 weeks then 25mg every day for 2 more weeks and now 50mg a day. Did you use the starter kit? Just curious because what you mentioned is EXACTLY how I'm titrating up on it (low and slow).
How high a dose does your pdoc plan to get you to and do you know what increments you will be doing it in?
My pdoc told me that 200mg/day of Lamictal for BP or depression is the therapeutic dose, although with my sensitivity to meds, I may not make it that high.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 27, 2003, at 19:44:36
In reply to GALKEEPINON: questions re Lamictal !!, posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 18:15:11
Hi Janelle:-) Yes, I was given a starter kit for Lamictal-exactly. I did use it and it worked out well for me. Two nights ago I started taking the 50mg at night and he said he will most likely do that for a month, then see how I feel. He is mostly going on how I *feel*.
I'm really sensitive to meds too and need very low doses for some reason, so I may only need 50mg of Lamictal in addition to the other meds I take.
Hope this helped and good luck:-)
> Hi,
>
> Based on what you had written in a post somewhere above, it sounds like you were given a starter kit for Lamictal which is the same as the one I have just begun - I'm on 25mg every other day for 2 weeks then 25mg every day for 2 more weeks and now 50mg a day. Did you use the starter kit? Just curious because what you mentioned is EXACTLY how I'm titrating up on it (low and slow).
>
> How high a dose does your pdoc plan to get you to and do you know what increments you will be doing it in?
>
> My pdoc told me that 200mg/day of Lamictal for BP or depression is the therapeutic dose, although with my sensitivity to meds, I may not make it that high.
Posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 20:02:50
In reply to Re: GALKEEPINON: questions re Lamictal !! » Janelle, posted by galkeepinon on August 27, 2003, at 19:44:36
Hi,
Thanks for your response. Why did your pdoc have you switch to taking the 50mg of Lamictal at night? Just curious.
I have the same situation you do - I am VERY sensitive to meds, so I wind up on low doses of them also!
However, something tells me that I will be able to go to at least 100mg of Lamictal, but that is just a hopeful guess!
Posted by galkeepinon on August 27, 2003, at 20:44:14
In reply to GALKEEPINON: thanks, a bit more ... » galkeepinon, posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 20:02:50
Anytime....
My psychiatrist didn't switch me to taking the Lamictal at night~~that was my idea. I just take all 50mg at night~~hoping it helps me sleep better.
Keep me posted on how your increase to 100mg goes, good luck! There's always room for hope;)
100mg of Lamictal does have benefits~~it's got to, and that may be all *you* need:-)> Hi,
>
> Thanks for your response. Why did your pdoc have you switch to taking the 50mg of Lamictal at night? Just curious.
>
> I have the same situation you do - I am VERY sensitive to meds, so I wind up on low doses of them also!
>
> However, something tells me that I will be able to go to at least 100mg of Lamictal, but that is just a hopeful guess!
Posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 21:37:41
In reply to Re: GALKEEPINON: thanks, a bit more ... » Janelle, posted by galkeepinon on August 27, 2003, at 20:44:14
Interesting that you decided to take all 50mg of the Lamictal to see if it helps you sleep better because everything I've heard about it indicates that it is ACTIVATING! Helps with depression, etc. So, I would think it would not help a person sleep, it might even make it harder to sleep. But that's just my guess, based on what I've read about Lamictal.
It's going to be a s-l-o-w increase for me to the 100mg, that's for sure. I'll be happy if in 5 weeks (that's how the starter kit works as I'm sure you recall) I reach 50mg successfully!
I hope that *all* I'll need is 100mg, but if I have to go higher (150 or 200 tops), I will!
Good luck to you also, in your quest for Lamictal to help you sleep. Let me know if it works.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 28, 2003, at 1:12:00
In reply to Lamictal for SLEEPING ?? » galkeepinon, posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 21:37:41
yeah, since I started the 50mg dosages 2 nights ago, I've been sleeping good. That may change though. I went very slow on starting this med.
The starter kit my psychiatrist gave me (I'm looking at it now) yes, has 2 weeks of 25mg every other day, 2 more weeks of 25mg every day, and then 50mg every day.(week 5) I do notice that week 5 has 25mg once (which is most likely in the am right? LOL) then the other 25mg (which I believe is to be taken at night)
I just saw Barbara's post about spacing the dosages, and looking at this starter kit, I might be wise to stick with spacing the 50mg dose out until I see my doc again.
**I hope we both reach 50mg successfully!!!!!!
I did notice, though that last night after taking the 50mg-I got VERY nauseas-not good.
Good luck! I'm sure we'll keep each other updated on the board:-)
> Interesting that you decided to take all 50mg of the Lamictal to see if it helps you sleep better because everything I've heard about it indicates that it is ACTIVATING! Helps with depression, etc. So, I would think it would not help a person sleep, it might even make it harder to sleep. But that's just my guess, based on what I've read about Lamictal.
>
> It's going to be a s-l-o-w increase for me to the 100mg, that's for sure. I'll be happy if in 5 weeks (that's how the starter kit works as I'm sure you recall) I reach 50mg successfully!
>
> I hope that *all* I'll need is 100mg, but if I have to go higher (150 or 200 tops), I will!
>
> Good luck to you also, in your quest for Lamictal to help you sleep. Let me know if it works.
Posted by HenryO on August 30, 2003, at 4:37:33
In reply to GALKEEPINON: questions re Lamictal !!, posted by Janelle on August 27, 2003, at 18:15:11
I have been taking 200mg of Lamictal and it works better than anything I've taken date. But I thought I'd try upping the dose (slowly) to 300 hundred because of posts I've read. I fell pretty good at 200 but I still have less energy than most anybody I've ever known. Well at 250 and above the higher I went the less I slept. It was like I was asleep dreaming I was awake. I knew I was asleep but I was aware I was asleep. It was weird. And so I started getting maybe five or six hours of this half sleep a night. I need nine hours of real sleep minimum. The moment I cut the dose back I slept like a log. I made up for weeks of sleep debt. I am going to stick at 225 for the foreseeable future.
Anybody have anything like that happen?
Posted by galkeepinon on August 30, 2003, at 20:17:44
In reply to My latest Lamictal experience, posted by HenryO on August 30, 2003, at 4:37:33
I really like Lamictal too-it really does help 'level' me out. I've never taken above 50mg though. Did you get any side effects as you increased-do you remember? I am barely starting at 50mg now and am already having nausea.
> I have been taking 200mg of Lamictal and it works better than anything I've taken date. But I thought I'd try upping the dose (slowly) to 300 hundred because of posts I've read. I fell pretty good at 200 but I still have less energy than most anybody I've ever known. Well at 250 and above the higher I went the less I slept. It was like I was asleep dreaming I was awake. I knew I was asleep but I was aware I was asleep. It was weird. And so I started getting maybe five or six hours of this half sleep a night. I need nine hours of real sleep minimum. The moment I cut the dose back I slept like a log. I made up for weeks of sleep debt. I am going to stick at 225 for the foreseeable future.
>
> Anybody have anything like that happen?
Posted by HenryO on September 1, 2003, at 9:07:36
In reply to Re: My latest Lamictal experience » HenryO, posted by galkeepinon on August 30, 2003, at 20:17:44
I have to take it with food or I get an upset stomach. Other than that no side effects that I can tell, other than the ones mentioned above.
I would advise you to take your time, your body will adjust to it probably.
This is the end of the thread.
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