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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lando68 on September 28, 2005, at 5:49:46
Hi...about two years ago, I was placed on Lamictal for Bipolar 1 during a tumultuous time in my life...lots of circumstantial ups and downs. The tumult eventually calmed, and I seriously doubt that I was Bipolar 1 to begin with, but was a good little patient and did what he told me. I was originally prescribed the maximum (I believe) dose of 400 mg. I took this amount for about a year, along with a small dose of Prozac. I weaned myself off the Prozac after about a year of being on the Lamictal. No problem. I then waited a month or so and weaned myself down to 200 mg of Lamictal. No problem. I have now been on the 200 dose for about a year.
This medication is insanely expensive. It is, in fact, beyond my budget even though I have very good insurance. In order to stretch my current prescription until I can pay for the next refill I broke my remaining pills down to 175 mg per day. No problems so far, but today was my last dose, and I can't afford to refill until Friday. If I wait until then with no Lamictal, how likely am I to have withdrawal side effects? I called my Dr. to see if he had any sample packets to tide me over, and he doesn't.
Posted by SLS on September 28, 2005, at 5:49:46
In reply to Going off Lamictal, posted by lando68 on September 27, 2005, at 9:32:45
Hi.
It is possible that you will experience a rebound depression along with other withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing Lamictal so abruptly. These symptoms include a small risk of having an epileptic type seizure. You might notice that you experience anxiety, insomnia, and shaking hands. However, these are harmless and pass quickly. The main event that might seem confusing is the appearance of a rebound depression. This is often a withdrawal symptom and not a true relapse. In my experience, rebound depression with Lamictal usually resolves within a week. It could get rough, though. If the depression lasts for more than a week and seems to be getting worse instead of better, you might have to consider restarting the Lamictal. If so, you will need to start at a low dosage and gradually work back up to 200mg in order to prevent the rash reaction.
Keep posting every day so that you might gain insight from others who reply. It might help you decide whether to continue with Lamictal or attempt to discontinue it altogether. One word of caution: although not fully investigated in scientific studies, it is traditional thought that the more gradually you remove an antidepressant or mood-stabilizer, the less likely one is to relapse.
Good luck.
- Scott
-------------------------------------> Hi...about two years ago, I was placed on Lamictal for Bipolar 1 during a tumultuous time in my life...lots of circumstantial ups and downs. The tumult eventually calmed, and I seriously doubt that I was Bipolar 1 to begin with, but was a good little patient and did what he told me. I was originally prescribed the maximum (I believe) dose of 400 mg. I took this amount for about a year, along with a small dose of Prozac. I weaned myself off the Prozac after about a year of being on the Lamictal. No problem. I then waited a month or so and weaned myself down to 200 mg of Lamictal. No problem. I have now been on the 200 dose for about a year.
>
> This medication is insanely expensive. It is, in fact, beyond my budget even though I have very good insurance. In order to stretch my current prescription until I can pay for the next refill I broke my remaining pills down to 175 mg per day. No problems so far, but today was my last dose, and I can't afford to refill until Friday. If I wait until then with no Lamictal, how likely am I to have withdrawal side effects? I called my Dr. to see if he had any sample packets to tide me over, and he doesn't.
Posted by lando68 on September 28, 2005, at 5:49:47
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal » lando68, posted by SLS on September 27, 2005, at 10:42:15
Thanks for the info, Scott. I'm hoping I can be off it just for the two days without any major problems. I'll call my p-doc to make sure. At some point I *would* like to discontinue it completely, but for now the major issue is avoiding a huge overdraft.
> Hi.
>
> It is possible that you will experience a rebound depression along with other withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing Lamictal so abruptly. These symptoms include a small risk of having an epileptic type seizure. You might notice that you experience anxiety, insomnia, and shaking hands. However, these are harmless and pass quickly. The main event that might seem confusing is the appearance of a rebound depression. This is often a withdrawal symptom and not a true relapse. In my experience, rebound depression with Lamictal usually resolves within a week. It could get rough, though. If the depression lasts for more than a week and seems to be getting worse instead of better, you might have to consider restarting the Lamictal. If so, you will need to start at a low dosage and gradually work back up to 200mg in order to prevent the rash reaction.
>
> Keep posting every day so that you might gain insight from others who reply. It might help you decide whether to continue with Lamictal or attempt to discontinue it altogether. One word of caution: although not fully investigated in scientific studies, it is traditional thought that the more gradually you remove an antidepressant or mood-stabilizer, the less likely one is to relapse.
>
> Good luck.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by tecknohed on September 28, 2005, at 17:04:55
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal, posted by lando68 on September 27, 2005, at 12:33:44
Hi
This sounds a bit worrying to me.
It sounds like you live in the US?
I'm in the UK and I've ran out of meds a couple of times. What has worked for me is going to the A&E (emergency ward) and plead with them to find me some or write me a prescription. Take the old packet/bottle with you. Lie if you have to- say you're very depressed (if your not already).
I suppose it depends how desperate you are.
Good luck.
Posted by lando68 on September 28, 2005, at 17:12:33
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal » lando68, posted by tecknohed on September 28, 2005, at 17:04:55
Yes, I'm in the US. I'm not overly worried at the moment. This is the first day I've taken no Lamictal so far. I normally take it as soon as I get up in the morning, and it is now 5:00 p.m., and no withdrawal symptoms yet that I'm aware of (except for slight anxiety about the possibility of withdrawal symptoms) :-) I'll be able to refill the prescription on Friday, so as long as I can survive the next 48 hours or so, I should be fine...fingers crossed! Thanks for your concern. I'll keep updating.
> Hi
>
> This sounds a bit worrying to me.
>
> It sounds like you live in the US?
>
> I'm in the UK and I've ran out of meds a couple of times. What has worked for me is going to the A&E (emergency ward) and plead with them to find me some or write me a prescription. Take the old packet/bottle with you. Lie if you have to- say you're very depressed (if your not already).
>
> I suppose it depends how desperate you are.
>
> Good luck.
Posted by lando68 on October 4, 2005, at 12:37:06
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal, posted by lando68 on September 28, 2005, at 17:12:33
Okay, it is now almost a week of cold-turkey! Every day has been a little better than the day before. I would compare it to suddenly cutting caffeine out of your diet, in that your body *definitely* notices something is missing but can still function just fine. I've been a little on the edgy/crabby side, but no depression, no irrational thinking or behavior, no mood swings. Again, this is just my experience, and it is only one week so I don't necessarily consider myself "out of the woods" by any means, but I am very encouraged so far.
Posted by heatherann on October 24, 2005, at 8:54:44
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal » lando68, posted by SLS on September 27, 2005, at 10:42:15
Hi - I just recently experienced the harsh depression withdrawal from lamictal. It did subside within a little over a week (I'm still depressed but at a 'normal' level - not a crisis state - no better or worse than when I was on a higher dose - just less paranoid)
lando68 I understand what you mean about lamictal being expensive. it was really tough when i got laid off from my job and had to pay even the 1/2 price for it through cobra (thank GOD i got a new job before that ran out and I would have had to pay full price!! plus all the rigamerol with filling prescriptions on time and blah blah blah). Good luck with your withdrawal. Lamictal creeps me out these days, so I'm lowering my dose too and thinking about getting off it.
> Hi.
>
> It is possible that you will experience a rebound depression along with other withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing Lamictal so abruptly. These symptoms include a small risk of having an epileptic type seizure. You might notice that you experience anxiety, insomnia, and shaking hands. However, these are harmless and pass quickly. The main event that might seem confusing is the appearance of a rebound depression. This is often a withdrawal symptom and not a true relapse. In my experience, rebound depression with Lamictal usually resolves within a week. It could get rough, though. If the depression lasts for more than a week and seems to be getting worse instead of better, you might have to consider restarting the Lamictal. If so, you will need to start at a low dosage and gradually work back up to 200mg in order to prevent the rash reaction.
>
> Keep posting every day so that you might gain insight from others who reply. It might help you decide whether to continue with Lamictal or attempt to discontinue it altogether. One word of caution: although not fully investigated in scientific studies, it is traditional thought that the more gradually you remove an antidepressant or mood-stabilizer, the less likely one is to relapse.
>
> Good luck.
>
>
> - Scott
>
>
> -------------------------------------
>
> > Hi...about two years ago, I was placed on Lamictal for Bipolar 1 during a tumultuous time in my life...lots of circumstantial ups and downs. The tumult eventually calmed, and I seriously doubt that I was Bipolar 1 to begin with, but was a good little patient and did what he told me. I was originally prescribed the maximum (I believe) dose of 400 mg. I took this amount for about a year, along with a small dose of Prozac. I weaned myself off the Prozac after about a year of being on the Lamictal. No problem. I then waited a month or so and weaned myself down to 200 mg of Lamictal. No problem. I have now been on the 200 dose for about a year.
> >
> > This medication is insanely expensive. It is, in fact, beyond my budget even though I have very good insurance. In order to stretch my current prescription until I can pay for the next refill I broke my remaining pills down to 175 mg per day. No problems so far, but today was my last dose, and I can't afford to refill until Friday. If I wait until then with no Lamictal, how likely am I to have withdrawal side effects? I called my Dr. to see if he had any sample packets to tide me over, and he doesn't.
>
>
Posted by bclark on December 1, 2007, at 15:18:08
In reply to Re: Going off Lamictal, posted by lando68 on September 28, 2005, at 5:49:47
This is the end of the thread.
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