![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by smith562 on August 20, 2005, at 14:21:54
Hey Everyone,
Lamictal is soooooo frustrating. This has happened multiple times .... I guess I never learn! Start lamical .... depression abates and I start dating, seeing friends, planning a vacation. Then three weeks later, depression returns in full force and it a struggle to answerthe phone/get out of bed. All my friend are upset that I am not calling and I have to cancel my vacation plans. Why does this happen?
Smith
Posted by ed_uk on August 20, 2005, at 15:08:04
In reply to Why does lamictal always do this?, posted by smith562 on August 20, 2005, at 14:21:54
Hi Smith,
I know you like Nardil. Have you tried Parnate?
~Ed
Posted by theo on August 20, 2005, at 22:58:57
In reply to Why does lamictal always do this?, posted by smith562 on August 20, 2005, at 14:21:54
> Hey Everyone,
>
> Lamictal is soooooo frustrating. This has happened multiple times .... I guess I never learn! Start lamical .... depression abates and I start dating, seeing friends, planning a vacation. Then three weeks later, depression returns in full force and it a struggle to answerthe phone/get out of bed. All my friend are upset that I am not calling and I have to cancel my vacation plans. Why does this happen?
>
> SmithIt's typical with Lamictal. Some days I when I'm feeling low I think about restarting Lamictal, only to know that I will only get 2-3 weeks relief per dose increase. Some people say when you get to higher doses it sticks, but I have my doubts because I know people that have gone to 450mg chasing the feeling, and it fades. Also at higher doses (around 150mg), I had major cognitive problems and couldn't remember what happened five minutes ago.
Lamictal is a HUGE tease. I feel like a junky chasing its effects, knowing they will fade.
Posted by linkadge on August 21, 2005, at 0:54:13
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal always do this? » smith562, posted by theo on August 20, 2005, at 22:58:57
ARe lamical's effects in epilepsy also so variable, and short lived ?
Linkadge
Posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 6:26:37
In reply to Why does lamictal poop out ?, posted by linkadge on August 21, 2005, at 0:54:13
Hi Link,
>ARe lamical's effects in epilepsy also so variable, and short lived ?
No, apparantly not.
~ed
Posted by SLS on August 21, 2005, at 7:04:05
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ? » linkadge, posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 6:26:37
> Hi Link,
>
> >ARe lamical's effects in epilepsy also so variable, and short lived ?
>
> No, apparantly not.
>
> ~edI have always had a suspicion that there was something dopaminergic going on with Lamictal, although not necessarily directly. I think it is here that the drug produces its short-lived mood-brightening effects. Lamictal seems to like to work in combination with other drugs, although I would not yet be able to characterize them. Perhaps NMDA antagonists would be helpful in extending the therapeutic effects of Lamictal. Memantine and dextromethorphan come to mind. Of course, dextromethorphan cannot be combined with an MAOI.
- Scott
Posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 7:35:25
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ?, posted by SLS on August 21, 2005, at 7:04:05
Hi Scott,
You could be right. I think emme takes Lamictal + memantine.
~ed
Posted by Emme on August 21, 2005, at 13:52:31
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ? » SLS, posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 7:35:25
Did I hear my name? :)Hi Scott & Ed,
Yes, I take Lamictal and memantine. I think it's a combo worth considering. I know it didn't work out for Scott, though.
The memantine definitely worked as an antidepressant. But I had to lower the dose b/c of brain fog, weakness, and feeling sort of wooden. I think I still retain some antidepressant benefit from it, but it's limited by how much I can tolerate. At the moment, a low dose of Abilify is blasting my remnant wicked exhaustion and apathy out of the water.
emme
> Hi Scott,
>
> You could be right. I think emme takes Lamictal + memantine.
>
> ~ed
Posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 14:31:47
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ? » ed_uk, posted by Emme on August 21, 2005, at 13:52:31
Hi Em,
>At the moment, a low dose of Abilify is blasting my remnant wicked exhaustion and apathy out of the water.
I read your post :-) I know banga's had success with Abilify for quite some time now. I hope it keeps working for you :-)
Kind regards
~ed
Posted by Sabino on August 21, 2005, at 19:34:47
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ? » Emme, posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 14:31:47
Wow. Sort of a bummer to read this thread. I just started Lamictal two weeks ago, and today was my first day at 50 mgs. I'm liking it so far. Does it poop for everybody, or are there some for whom it has lasting effects.
Sounds a bit like a stim, the way you guys are describing it.
I see my pdoc tomorrow. Can anybody tell me what Abilify is, and what it does for you? I recall reading recently that some are having success with it, and haven't looked it up yet. Guess I'll look it up here on PBabble too, but if anyone cares to answer, well thanks.
Posted by smith562 on August 21, 2005, at 19:45:23
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal always do this? » smith562, posted by ed_uk on August 20, 2005, at 15:08:04
> Hi Smith,
>
> I know you like Nardil. Have you tried Parnate?
>
> ~EdYeah .... much too stimulating for me. That was a tough 3 month trial .... anxious, sleepless and very depressed!
Smith
Posted by smith562 on August 21, 2005, at 19:49:20
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal always do this? » smith562, posted by theo on August 20, 2005, at 22:58:57
> It's typical with Lamictal. Some days I when I'm feeling low I think about restarting Lamictal, only to know that I will only get 2-3 weeks relief per dose increase. Some people say when you get to higher doses it sticks, but I have my doubts because I know people that have gone to 450mg chasing the feeling, and it fades. Also at higher doses (around 150mg), I had major cognitive problems and couldn't remember what happened five minutes ago.
>
> Lamictal is a HUGE tease. I feel like a junky chasing its effects, knowing they will fade.
>
>Definately a tease. In the past I have cycled my usage .... 4 days on 50 mgs and 4 days off .... just to keep it effective. I also have felt like a junky on it .... once it starts wearing off I get real desparate and keep praying and changing up the dose so it will work again.
Smith
Posted by Emme on August 22, 2005, at 7:13:31
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal poop out ? » Emme, posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 14:31:47
Hi Ed,
> >At the moment, a low dose of Abilify is blasting my remnant wicked exhaustion and apathy out of the water.
>
> I read your post :-) I know banga's had success with Abilify for quite some time now. I hope it keeps working for you :-)Thanks! Me too. :)
Emme
Posted by ed_uk on August 22, 2005, at 16:36:59
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal always do this? » ed_uk, posted by smith562 on August 21, 2005, at 19:45:23
And what about Marplan?
~ed
PS. I'm worried about Ritch/Mitch. He suddenly vanished.
Posted by lostsailor on August 24, 2005, at 5:14:05
In reply to Re: Why does lamictal always do this? » smith562, posted by ed_uk on August 22, 2005, at 16:36:59
FYI gang...Lamictal, as I'm reading here seems to be used as a mono-therapy for depression. When it was originally introduced, it was an anti-epileptic only. Off label, it began to be used as a mood stabilizer for bi-polar folks who "usually" have the tendency to cycle more towards the depressive end of the scale.
Now, it does have FDA approval for Bi-polar type 1 and, perhaps, 2 also.
I have been on it twice now, as I wanted to try ablify (which, like another poster mentioned, just made me unable to sit still and feel calm. As a mood stabilizer, there does not seem to be the "poop out" that I'm am seeing here, but is also given a 100-200mg slowly titrated. For me, this has probably been the best mood stabilizer (mixed with an antidepressant--cymbalta at the time--and xanax)with the fewest side effect that I have ever been on. But as a mono-therapy...I don't see how it would work, though I'm not a chemistry expert.
In peace,
~tony
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.