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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by gardenergirl on September 10, 2006, at 0:50:36
Hi everyone,
My pdoc increased my Lamictal from 100 to 125 last week due to a recent depressive episode. Since I started on this dose I've been extremely irritable. Horribly irritable. And I've felt like and have actively indulged this bad mood by saying some negative things to others that I've wanted to say for a long time. Not good. It feels like raging PMS, but I'm certain that is not the cause.Can this be due to the Lamictal increase? I have not experienced anything like this sustained horrible bad mood before.
If it's Lamictal, is it likely to subside?
I'm also feeling hypersensitive to noise and visual stimulation, again like I do at times when my blood sugar is low or during PMS. It's probably not a good idea to run screaming from the room while tearing my hair and yelling "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" But that's what I feel like doing.
Help! Thanks in advance for any offered.
gg
Posted by finelinebob on September 10, 2006, at 1:08:03
In reply to Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by gardenergirl on September 10, 2006, at 0:50:36
I'm on 150mg, and it's calmed me considerably. Perfect case of YMMV.
The logic is inescapable, unless there is some other difference:
100mg => not irritable
125mg => suddenly horribly irritableI'd say the increase is the catalyst of the issue, but whether it is the root of the problem is a different matter.
Maybe the irritability was there, underneath the depression, and the additional lamictal was enough to smooth out your depression enough so the irritability could jump forward and take center stage. Sayng things that you've wanted to say for a long time, for instance.
Or maybe the additional dose is something you cannot tolerate. Some of the physical symptoms sure sound like a reaction to the increase in medication. But that may settle out.
Just a few thoughts....
Posted by Phillipa on September 10, 2006, at 13:03:26
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help! » gardenergirl, posted by finelinebob on September 10, 2006, at 1:08:03
GG better stay away from you except to try and help. But it does sound like the increase in lamictal. Love Phillipa
Posted by theo on September 10, 2006, at 14:05:32
In reply to Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by gardenergirl on September 10, 2006, at 0:50:36
> My pdoc increased my Lamictal from 100 to 125 last week due to a recent depressive episode. Since I started on this dose I've been extremely irritable. Horribly irritable.
Lamictal did this to me also. Seems like after 100mg, a felt angry and even had horrible stomach aches.
Posted by Phillipa on September 10, 2006, at 20:15:30
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by Phillipa on September 10, 2006, at 13:03:26
And now that I've had time to think about it it's when I tried the lamictal was only on 50mg but got mad in front of the grocery store slammed a plastic bottle and screamed at Greg. I didn't care who saw it or heard it not like me. Love phillipa
Posted by gardenergirl on September 11, 2006, at 17:55:33
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help! » gardenergirl, posted by finelinebob on September 10, 2006, at 1:08:03
Thanks for the input. I'm glad you're doing well on Lamictal, and you're right about varying results .
It really does seem like a major coincidence if it's not related to the increase in my dose.
I didn't take the extra pill on Sunday, though I did today. I feel better, but given Lamictal's half-life, I doubt that it would be because of taking only 100 mg Sunday. As long as I'm not continuing to act like a raging harpy, I'll stick with the 125 to see if it helps and if the irritability goes away.
I did have a moment when I wondered if it was the beginning of a manic or hypomanic reaction, but in looking at the criteria, irritability is pretty much the only one that I would meet, so I'm going to let that worry go for now.
Thanks again.
gg
Posted by gardenergirl on September 11, 2006, at 18:00:46
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by Phillipa on September 10, 2006, at 13:03:26
> GG better stay away from you except to try and help. But it does sound like the increase in lamictal. Love Phillipa
LOL, so which one are you doing in this post? ;)
And glad you didn't hurt someone with the bottle at the store. I think I probably hurt or angered my father-in-law. I KNOW I angered my brother, but that's impossible to avoid and is his problem, not mine. And I did get the drunken lout shouting obscenities in front of children at the football game to shut up.
So one out of three was actually useful for others, not just me indulging my bad mood. But boy howdy, did I indulge.
gg
Posted by gardenergirl on September 11, 2006, at 18:03:27
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help! » gardenergirl, posted by theo on September 10, 2006, at 14:05:32
Sorry you went through that, too. What did you end up doing about the Lamictal? Did the irrititablity and stomach aches go away?
Besides being so touchy, I've had what I call "the Lamictal headache", which I experienced when I was ramping up originally, and some diarrhea, which also was present in the beginning, too. Both got better, so I'm hoping that they do again and that the irritability also goes away.
We'll see, though. I bet my husband is glad he's travelling this week, though. :?(
gg
Posted by Racer on September 11, 2006, at 21:58:51
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by gardenergirl on September 11, 2006, at 18:03:27
>>
> Besides being so touchy, I've had what I call "the Lamictal headache", and some diarrhea, which also was present in the beginning, too.More proof mileage varies, since I got completely constipated on it... (Overshare?)
>
> We'll see, though. I bet my husband is glad he's travelling this week, though. :?(
>
> ggHe's travelling? Don't worry -- that means we can chatter later in the day! Whoohoo!
Posted by gardenergirl on September 14, 2006, at 18:53:14
In reply to Re: Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by Racer on September 11, 2006, at 21:58:51
I don't know if that's me getting used to the new dose or if I'm just not around as much stimulation and aggravating stuff.
Well, then again, I did have some exposure to aggravating stuff today, and I'm still smiling. :)
But according to the stuff I found about Lamictal, it does seem to be the likely cause.
Anyhoo...
gg
Posted by Phillipa on September 14, 2006, at 19:37:08
In reply to Smoothing out some now, posted by gardenergirl on September 14, 2006, at 18:53:14
gg so you adjusted to the higher dose and it's working. That's great. Love Phillipa
Posted by Donna Louise on September 16, 2006, at 6:07:43
In reply to Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by gardenergirl on September 10, 2006, at 0:50:36
> Hi everyone,
> My pdoc increased my Lamictal from 100 to 125 last week due to a recent depressive episode. Since I started on this dose I've been extremely irritable. Horribly irritable. And I've felt like and have actively indulged this bad mood by saying some negative things to others that I've wanted to say for a long time. Not good. It feels like raging PMS, but I'm certain that is not the cause.
>
> Can this be due to the Lamictal increase? I have not experienced anything like this sustained horrible bad mood before.
>
> If it's Lamictal, is it likely to subside?
>
> I'm also feeling hypersensitive to noise and visual stimulation, again like I do at times when my blood sugar is low or during PMS. It's probably not a good idea to run screaming from the room while tearing my hair and yelling "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" But that's what I feel like doing.
>
> Help! Thanks in advance for any offered.
>
> ggMaybe saying something that has needed to said for a long time isn't such a bad thing?
donna
Posted by SLS on September 16, 2006, at 8:00:26
In reply to Increased Lamictal=major irritability? Help!, posted by gardenergirl on September 10, 2006, at 0:50:36
Hi GG.
I'm sorry to jump in here so late.
Lots of people report the same thing with Lamictal. It is difficult to estimate whether for you this will be:
1. A progressive adverse psychotropic effect of the drug.
2. A biological shift that is a prelude to an antidepressant response to the drug. This often happens as depressions first begin to lift.
Either way, it seems pretty certain that your atypical feelings and behaviors are due to the drug.
Given the moderate level of intensity of these experiences, I think the right choice is to continue with the medication.
Now, if I go on to read further down in the thread that you have discontinued the drug due to an increase in the intensity of adverse effect, I won't feel so bad for you following the advice that I never gave you.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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