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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 AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:13:30
Chemist,
Couple of questions for you.
First, I'm on 300 mg of Lamictal (up from 200 mg, but without my doctor's review yet). I take it all in the morning. It's been helpful. Is it OK to take it all at once?
Second, I have a bunch of 25 mg pills left, so this morning, for example, I took one 100 mg pill, and eight 25 mg pills. Will this affect the way the drug is metabolized by my system? Or should I stick to the three 100 mg pills I've been taking?
(I also have a prescription for 200 mg pills, which I could split to get the appropriate dosage.)
Thanks in advance,
amd
P.S. Feeling much better, finally. I find mental exercise, despite its at-first daunting aspect, is helpful in bringing me out of a dreadful mood. Nothing like reading about Oracle's OWI to lift one out of depression!
Posted by AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:21:57
In reply to chemist: Lamictal dosage and timing, posted by AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:13:30
I've also noticed some interesting changes in my word typing/finding abilities.
For example, I constantly think of one word, and type another. E.g., I want to write "can," but it comes out "and" on the page. And so forth. Plus, at times I have some difficulty with recalling words I typically use with ease. Is this effect temporary from the increase in Lamictal (which I upped last week)?
Thanks,
a
Posted by karen m. on August 16, 2004, at 22:36:24
In reply to Re: chemist: Lamictal dosage and timing, posted by AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:21:57
that is so weird to hear you say that. i consistently have to retype practically every other word. and the same thing you describe...transposing letters such as can into and. i never had to do that before lamictal. it's soooo frustrating!
Posted by chemist on August 17, 2004, at 11:52:10
In reply to chemist: Lamictal dosage and timing, posted by AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:13:30
hello there, a.....i apologize for my absence: i earned a two-week vacation (block) from PB and am now just back.....brief comments below, and more later......all the best, chemist
> Chemist,
>
> Couple of questions for you.
>
> First, I'm on 300 mg of Lamictal (up from 200 mg, but without my doctor's review yet). I take it all in the morning. It's been helpful. Is it OK to take it all at once?**** if you can tolerate it, it should not be a problem. divided doses are recommended to alleviate stomach upset, from my cursory knowledge of lamictal (one of the few i have not tried). you are well past the stage of onset of SJS and i should think that if you can tolerate it at once, it should be no problem. your doctor will confirm/deny, of course, but 300 mg is not a dangerous amount to ingest at once: far from it. ****
>
> Second, I have a bunch of 25 mg pills left, so this morning, for example, I took one 100 mg pill, and eight 25 mg pills. Will this affect the way the drug is metabolized by my system? Or should I stick to the three 100 mg pills I've been taking?**** your body has a more-or-less constant amount of the drug in it by now. if i were in your position, i would go ahead and use the meds just as you describe. then, get set up on the 100 mg regimen you propose. there will be no effect on disposition/metabolism in the way you will be administering the drug as proposed. plus, you can save some $$$ on the med. ****
>
> (I also have a prescription for 200 mg pills, which I could split to get the appropriate dosage.)
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> amd
>
**** comments in next post.....to be continued, all the best, chemist ****> P.S. Feeling much better, finally. I find mental exercise, despite its at-first daunting aspect, is helpful in bringing me out of a dreadful mood. Nothing like reading about Oracle's OWI to lift one out of depression!
Posted by chemist on August 17, 2004, at 12:05:10
In reply to Re: chemist: Lamictal dosage and timing, posted by AMD on August 16, 2004, at 16:21:57
> I've also noticed some interesting changes in my word typing/finding abilities.
>
> For example, I constantly think of one word, and type another. E.g., I want to write "can," but it comes out "and" on the page. And so forth. Plus, at times I have some difficulty with recalling words I typically use with ease. Is this effect temporary from the increase in Lamictal (which I upped last week)?
>
> Thanks,
>
> ahello again....the answer is more than probably: almost for sure. i am not aware of the transient (or non-transient) nature of this aspect of the drug. i will state that i have personally had the cognitive impairment effect when taking trileptal, topamax, depakote (this was a very short trial), and geodon (another short trial). i will say that my long trials of trileptal and topamax were accompanied by dexedrine to offset the wandering mind: a cholinesterase inhibitor (which itself might have mood-stabilizing effects) added to your regimen ought to do the trick in lieu of a stimulant, should you face that decision. in my experience, i cannot deconvolute the dexedrine effects from (perhaps) my own biochemistry ``getting used to'' the drug(s) and cognitive side effects. my feeling is that one learns to live with it: the effects are not analogous to, say, the oft-reported dry mouth upon SSRI dosage titration, in my opinion, or other truly transient (for many of us) effects. in summary, i would investigate (with your doctor, naturally) the addition of an appropriate med to reduce the impairment you are feeling. decreasing the lamictal dose seems out of the question, given that you are responding in a positive manner, and why play with it if 300 mg/day is keeping your mood in check? my experience would indicate that wither a stimulant or a cholinesterase inhibitor should be discussed as augmentation......do keep us posted, and all the best, chemist
Posted by Larry Hoover on August 17, 2004, at 12:25:12
In reply to Re: chemist: Lamictal dosage and timing » AMD, posted by chemist on August 17, 2004, at 11:52:10
> hello there, a.....i apologize for my absence: i earned a two-week vacation (block) from PB
Boo!
> and am now just back.....brief comments below, and more later......all the best, chemist
Yay!
We now return you to your previously scheduled scientific discussion.
Lar
Posted by chemist on August 17, 2004, at 12:32:51
In reply to Re: chemist is back! » chemist, posted by Larry Hoover on August 17, 2004, at 12:25:12
> > hello there, a.....i apologize for my absence: i earned a two-week vacation (block) from PB
>
> Boo!
>
> > and am now just back.....brief comments below, and more later......all the best, chemist
>
> Yay!
>
> We now return you to your previously scheduled scientific discussion.
>
> Larhey larry, thanks for the kind words...just back from obedience school/sensitivity training. i would like to promise a kinder, gentler chemist but.....well, anyhow, let's get that scientific discussion rolling....thanks much, chemist
This is the end of the thread.
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