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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by heatherann on October 22, 2005, at 14:23:33
Has anyone ever felt they had increased paranoid symptoms while taking a high dose of lamictal (i was taking 200 twice per day - i've dropped down to 100 2x and now i can stop or not act on the thoughts when they come, which is less often and less intense than when on higher dose)
has anyone had this type of withdrawal symptom from lamictal: tingling under skin sort of like electricity or when your foot has been asleep; sort of tingling tongue and lips, metalic feeling; sometimes feels like touching a frozen flag pole, almost burns for a split second
Posted by theo on October 22, 2005, at 16:19:09
In reply to Lamictal and paranoia, posted by heatherann on October 22, 2005, at 14:23:33
> Has anyone ever felt they had increased paranoid symptoms while taking a high dose of lamictal (i was taking 200 twice per day - i've dropped down to 100 2x and now i can stop or not act on the thoughts when they come, which is less often and less intense than when on higher dose)
>
> has anyone had this type of withdrawal symptom from lamictal: tingling under skin sort of like electricity or when your foot has been asleep; sort of tingling tongue and lips, metalic feeling; sometimes feels like touching a frozen flag pole, almost burns for a split second
>Lamictal gave me kind of a paranoid anxiety with each dose increase. It also made me feel like my brain was soaking in warm water, kind of a burning sensation. It was so strange it scared me so I stopped taking it. I found it ineffective in that the antidepressant effect pooped out 2 weeks after each dose increase. I finally gave up at 200mg.
Yes, I had some tingling when I stopped for a short time and also the "warming of the brain" feeling took a while to go away.
Posted by Phillipa on October 22, 2005, at 18:58:57
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » heatherann, posted by theo on October 22, 2005, at 16:19:09
Guess that's a good reason for not trying lamictal as my pdoc wanted. I knew about the rash but not these side effect. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Greif on October 22, 2005, at 23:15:58
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » theo, posted by Phillipa on October 22, 2005, at 18:58:57
I tried Lamictal for 30 days. Had very vivid nightmares (both of my dogs heads were ripped off in seperate dreams)...Did not ease anxiety, was very good at first but I become stupid...short term memory gone and confused. It was a relief to quit. Havew gone to 1.5 mg Klonopin day. Very agreeabla and better than xanax for gerneral anxiety. Xanax best for wuick acting during panic attacks
Posted by SLS on October 22, 2005, at 23:21:20
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia, posted by Greif on October 22, 2005, at 23:15:58
> was very good at first but I become stupid...short term memory gone and confused.
At what dosage did these things appear?
- Scott
Posted by SLS on October 22, 2005, at 23:26:22
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » theo, posted by Phillipa on October 22, 2005, at 18:58:57
> Guess that's a good reason for not trying lamictal as my pdoc wanted. I knew about the rash but not these side effect. Fondly, Phillipa
What are your doctor's reasons for wanting to use Lamictal?
- Scott
Posted by theo on October 22, 2005, at 23:54:31
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia, posted by Greif on October 22, 2005, at 23:15:58
> I tried Lamictal for 30 days. Had very vivid nightmares (both of my dogs heads were ripped off in seperate dreams)...Did not ease anxiety, was very good at first but I become stupid...short term memory gone and confused. It was a relief to quit. Havew gone to 1.5 mg Klonopin day. Very agreeabla and better than xanax for gerneral anxiety. Xanax best for wuick acting during panic attacks
I forgot to mention the nightmares. I would have very violent dreams of death and killing, keep in mind, I've been in one fight in my life! This was bizarre since I'm not a violent person. Also, I felt like I was always sleeping with one eye open. I would wake up feeling energized, but would sleep in a "light" way, if that makes any sense.
Posted by heatherann on October 23, 2005, at 10:51:15
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » Greif, posted by theo on October 22, 2005, at 23:54:31
> > I tried Lamictal for 30 days. Had very vivid nightmares (both of my dogs heads were ripped off in seperate dreams)...Did not ease anxiety, was very good at first but I become stupid...short term memory gone and confused. It was a relief to quit. Havew gone to 1.5 mg Klonopin day. Very agreeabla and better than xanax for gerneral anxiety. Xanax best for wuick acting during panic attacks
>
> I forgot to mention the nightmares. I would have very violent dreams of death and killing, keep in mind, I've been in one fight in my life! This was bizarre since I'm not a violent person. Also, I felt like I was always sleeping with one eye open. I would wake up feeling energized, but would sleep in a "light" way, if that makes any sense.
>
>yes - i don't have nightmares but i definately sleep in a light way - i get paranoid while falling asleep, like the place is going to burn down or someone is going to come stab me. this isn't all due to meds but I'm putting together that it all got way worse when my lamictal dose raised to 200 x2 and has subsided or become more controllable now that i've lowered the dose.
Posted by spriggy on October 23, 2005, at 11:21:24
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia, posted by heatherann on October 23, 2005, at 10:51:15
Lamictal gave me social anxiety- Which I don't typically have. My anxiety is more general ( racing thoughts, etc..).
I was on Lamictal in Disneyland and nearly hid in my hotel room the whole time.
Of course, it could've been all those adults running around in costume that scared me and not the Lamictal... who knows. LOL
Posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2005, at 16:22:14
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » Phillipa, posted by SLS on October 22, 2005, at 23:26:22
Scott, she said my tolerance to valium was increasing and not working anymore. But that's not true. Right now I am under a lot of stress in what should be a happy time with moving. Two of my children getting a divorce and my Son is legally blind from Desert Storm. Tough to come back from blind rehab after four weeks and find your house trashed and filled with empty alchohol bottles and a Borderline female trying to beat him up. And leaving him with no food. And he came home with pneumonia too. So she thought the lamictal would help with anxiety. Do you have a better choice? No antipsychotics though been there already. And I have to stay functional for closing etc. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by fuchsia on October 23, 2005, at 17:21:13
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia, posted by spriggy on October 23, 2005, at 11:21:24
I don't have any paranoia yet; no more than I did before anyway. I'm much calmer than I was but I am only at 150 mgs.
I haven't had nightmares but I am bothered by an opposite problem; I can't remember my dreams now and I used to always remember them. I'm hoping this isn't a sign of impending memory trouble.
Posted by SLS on October 23, 2005, at 19:32:03
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » SLS, posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2005, at 16:22:14
> Scott, she said my tolerance to valium was increasing and not working anymore. But that's not true. Right now I am under a lot of stress in what should be a happy time with moving. Two of my children getting a divorce and my Son is legally blind from Desert Storm. Tough to come back from blind rehab after four weeks and find your house trashed and filled with empty alchohol bottles and a Borderline female trying to beat him up. And leaving him with no food. And he came home with pneumonia too. So she thought the lamictal would help with anxiety. Do you have a better choice? No antipsychotics though been there already. And I have to stay functional for closing etc. Fondly, Phillipa
I don't think Lamictal would help with anxiety per se, unless the anxiety were a component of bipolar depression. Otherwise, I would look into adding Neurontin or Lyrica or perhaps Abilify if you have not had success with Seroquel.
Hopefully, your level of anxiety will abate as you become more able to compartmentalize the stressors in your life into more manageable pieces. You might do very well not changing your medical treatment at all if you can find some psychological relief from the psychosocial stress you are currently subject to. You might want to use some of the other boards on PB to reach out for support and some non-medicinal advice on how to approach your current predicaments and how to go about dealing with them emotionally.
So much easier said than done, I know.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2005, at 21:09:07
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » Phillipa, posted by SLS on October 23, 2005, at 19:32:03
Thanks Scott. I think you're referring to psychology Board. And I definitely agree with not changing med regime right now. It is not the right time. And the first thing I need to do is look up your referral and try to get an appointment with someone. I have his name in a folder and will google him now. Love your friend,Jan
Posted by ClearSkies on October 24, 2005, at 7:44:47
In reply to Re: Lamictal and paranoia » SLS, posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2005, at 21:09:07
Phillipa, I'd like to point out that if fear of side effects kept me from trying a new medication I would not have found any relief at all - even aspirin has side effects, beneficial though they are. You really have to give a medication a chance at being allowed to work before you can say it's not the right one for you.
Having said that - lamictal does nothing for anxiety for me, and it wasn't prescribed as such. it stabilizes my moods well enough that I don't go through the steep troughs I had been doing.
take care
ClearSkies
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