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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by f l y on April 8, 2004, at 21:49:07
i am taking lamictal (200mg). havent figured out how to take it w/o having an uncomfortable come down period. seems to last 2-3 hours and then i go down hill. tried taking all 200mg in evening and following day started off ok but after 2:00pm started going down hill fast. seems to help w/ mood swings but dont know if i can continue b/c come down periods. any experience welcome!
best to ya,
fly
Posted by SLS on April 9, 2004, at 6:42:42
In reply to lamictal come down !, posted by f l y on April 8, 2004, at 21:49:07
> i am taking lamictal (200mg). havent figured out how to take it w/o having an uncomfortable come down period. seems to last 2-3 hours and then i go down hill. tried taking all 200mg in evening and following day started off ok but after 2:00pm started going down hill fast. seems to help w/ mood swings but dont know if i can continue b/c come down periods. any experience welcome!
If I recall, the half-life of Lamictal is 11 hours. Most people take it as divided dosages twice a day. Until recently I had been taking 100mg three times a day for a total of 300mg. I guess the next step is to consider increasing your dosage and trying a twice a day or three times a day schedule. It might not help, but it might be worth a try.
- Scott
Posted by Peter S. on April 9, 2004, at 23:25:40
In reply to Re: lamictal come down !, posted by SLS on April 9, 2004, at 6:42:42
I think that for some people, Lamictal may offer an anti-depressant effect that is secondary to its mood stabilizing effect. For me the effect kicks in about an hour after I take it and then tends to fade in the afternoon/evening. It is a very stimulating but not unpleasant feeling. Even if I stop taking Lamictal for a couple of days and then restart, the same effect kicks in. I would compare it to how stimulants work. This does not match what I understand as how Lamictal "should" work. It seems that a small percentage of lamictal users experience this. Any others have this experience?
> > i am taking lamictal (200mg). havent figured out how to take it w/o having an uncomfortable come down period. seems to last 2-3 hours and then i go down hill. tried taking all 200mg in evening and following day started off ok but after 2:00pm started going down hill fast. seems to help w/ mood swings but dont know if i can continue b/c come down periods. any experience welcome!
>
>
> If I recall, the half-life of Lamictal is 11 hours. Most people take it as divided dosages twice a day. Until recently I had been taking 100mg three times a day for a total of 300mg. I guess the next step is to consider increasing your dosage and trying a twice a day or three times a day schedule. It might not help, but it might be worth a try.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by rod on April 10, 2004, at 6:52:29
In reply to Re: lamictal come down !, posted by SLS on April 9, 2004, at 6:42:42
> > i am taking lamictal (200mg). havent figured out how to take it w/o having an uncomfortable come down period. seems to last 2-3 hours and then i go down hill. tried taking all 200mg in evening and following day started off ok but after 2:00pm started going down hill fast. seems to help w/ mood swings but dont know if i can continue b/c come down periods. any experience welcome!
>
>
> If I recall, the half-life of Lamictal is 11 hours. Most people take it as divided dosages twice a day. Until recently I had been taking 100mg three times a day for a total of 300mg. I guess the next step is to consider increasing your dosage and trying a twice a day or three times a day schedule. It might not help, but it might be worth a try.
>
>
> - Scott
Hmm, thats interesting. The monograph I was looking at said its half life is 30 hours and decreases for 20% after chronic administration. But I also could read somewhere else it varies from 10-40 hours. Thats quite interesting, because I also expereince a fade in the afternoon, but which is not necessarily the Lamictal, because I also take a load of other things at the morning.
Maybe I also should divide my dosage alsoRoland
Posted by SLS on April 10, 2004, at 9:47:31
In reply to Re: lamictal come down !, posted by rod on April 10, 2004, at 6:52:29
> > If I recall, the half-life of Lamictal is 11 hours.
> Hmm, thats interesting. The monograph I was looking at said its half life is 30 hours and decreases for 20% after chronic administration. But I also could read somewhere else it varies from 10-40 hours.
You are right. So much for the reliability of my recollection!
Still, I do notice a definite loss of antidepressant effect if I miss a dose or two. I feel a boost almost immediately after dosing. I would give 100mg three times a day or perhaps 150 twice a day a try.
- Scott
Posted by Peter S. on April 10, 2004, at 14:50:03
In reply to Re: lamictal come down !, posted by SLS on April 10, 2004, at 9:47:31
Scott:
Have you noticed any reduced efficacy over time on the LAM? How long have you been taking it? I'm currently on 50mg in the AM. I've tried taking another dose later but find that it doesn't work that well
Thanks!
Pete
> > > If I recall, the half-life of Lamictal is 11 hours.
>
> > Hmm, thats interesting. The monograph I was looking at said its half life is 30 hours and decreases for 20% after chronic administration. But I also could read somewhere else it varies from 10-40 hours.
>
> You are right. So much for the reliability of my recollection!
>
> Still, I do notice a definite loss of antidepressant effect if I miss a dose or two. I feel a boost almost immediately after dosing. I would give 100mg three times a day or perhaps 150 twice a day a try.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by lauram on April 10, 2004, at 15:13:52
In reply to Re: lamictal come down !, posted by rod on April 10, 2004, at 6:52:29
I am on Lamictal 200mg. My Pdoc has me taking 100mg in the morning and 100mg at night. So far this twice a day dosing has been very helpful. No let down in the evening. Doing very well on this med by the way.
This is the end of the thread.
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