Posted by JahL on March 11, 2001, at 9:58:20
In reply to Re: treatment resistant depression » phillybob, posted by sweetmarie on March 11, 2001, at 6:18:34
> > phillybob - I checked out the thing you sent. Jah seems only to be on a small dosage of Lamotragine, and doesn`t say whether this will be increased. I wonder if it will (Jah, if you are reading this, could you let me know - cheers). I`m actually quite concerned about this huge increase; the only reason I can think of, is that they are concerned that I be kept on a high level of something whilst I undergo the transition. I am really quite ill already (immobilised by the severity of the depression much of the time) The last time I came off meds altogether, I was very nearly catatonic. This may be a factor, I don`t know. Anyway, I`ll still check it out.Hi Anna.
Valproate more than doubles Lamotrigine blood levels. The increase you described previously was effectively a jump from 50mg-400mg/day in just over a week! Phillybob & I wld take *8 months* to reach 400mg on our current dosing schedule! IMO (FWIW) Lamotrigine has been recklessly prescribed to you.
Phillybob is spot on when he says you must get this checked out, & dropping the dose back to say 100mg is probably good advice too.
To answer your Q, I'm now on 37.5mg/day & intend titrating upwards (weekly) in 12.5mg increments to btwn 100 & 200 mg, based on response/side-effects. If yr depression is severe, the proposed (4 you) dose of 250mg sounds reasonable.
This slowly-slowly approach shld enable me to pin-point the optimal point of benefits against side-effects, whilst reducing drastically my chances of developing the rash.
Jah.
poster:JahL
thread:55847
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010310/msgs/56191.html