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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by woolav on November 9, 2004, at 18:35:27
Hi, are pdocs giving lamictal to patients who just have depression or what? I thought it was more of a mood stablizer and used for people with BP2. I am asking bc i take an anti-depressant and started having weekly cycles of major depressive episodes which i had never had before. I have always been depressed but for years.. i have never had the highs that bp1's have. So, anyway. my pdoc upped me to 300 mg of lamictal and i am feeling better. (no crying episodes in 2 weeks) yeahh..So, i am wondering if i have bp2 or is the lamictal just helping with my depression.???
Thanks
S
Posted by Mr.Scott on November 10, 2004, at 1:20:44
In reply to Lamictal question, posted by woolav on November 9, 2004, at 18:35:27
Hi I'm like you in many ways,
My thoughts are that just because a med is approved and marketed for a given condition and it works for you, that does not in and of itself mean you have the condition it's approved and marketed for. There is so much that is not understood about these psychological maladies, the circuitry of the brain, and the chemicals prescribed in an attempt to help. The latest thing is bipolar disorder. Suddenly everyone has a version of it and not coincidentally a large variety of newly patented anticonvulsants are now available to treat it. If you can get help from these meds without too many side effects thats great, but I wouldn't put a whole lot of weight in the labels. In 10 years the DSM will have a new category for us and the pharmaceutical industry will have a whole new group of meds to treat us.
Sorry for the rant. May I ask what your diagnosis and med regimen are? I thought I saw earlier you mentioned anxiety and benzos?
I am a primarily depressed, anxious, obsessive individual who occassionally gets angry, goofy, and aggressive. I've told I am likely bpII, but I'm not entirely convinced. I also am very med sensitive. I currently take 50mg Lamictal, .5mg klonopin, 5mg prozac daily.Scott
Posted by saw on November 10, 2004, at 3:46:48
In reply to Re: Lamictal question » woolav, posted by Mr.Scott on November 10, 2004, at 1:20:44
Even though I read all I can on this board about Lamictal, I still feel I could learn more.
I took my last Effexor yesterday after tapering over 3 weeks and took my first Lamictal of 25mg last night. I will cycle up to 50mg twice daily over the next three weeks to see if I can tolerate it.
I had far too many side effects from Effexor, including horrible weight gain and I could not appreciate its benefit as an anti depressant because of this.
I have major depressive disorder which is treatment resistant and generalised anxiety disorder. I was dx BP2 a few years back by another pdoc and did not believe it at the time. But he may not have been wrong. It certainly explains a lot for me.
I am holding thumbs and big toes that Lamictal will work for me and hope to learn as much as I can about the good or bad benefits of this mood stabilizer
Sabrina
Posted by SLS on November 10, 2004, at 7:34:02
In reply to Lamictal question, posted by woolav on November 9, 2004, at 18:35:27
> Hi, are pdocs giving lamictal to patients who just have depression or what? I thought it was more of a mood stablizer and used for people with BP2. I am asking bc i take an anti-depressant and started having weekly cycles of major depressive episodes which i had never had before. I have always been depressed but for years.. i have never had the highs that bp1's have. So, anyway. my pdoc upped me to 300 mg of lamictal and i am feeling better. (no crying episodes in 2 weeks) yeahh..So, i am wondering if i have bp2 or is the lamictal just helping with my depression.???
> Thanks
> S
The use of Lamictal to treat unipolar depression is increasing. Its antidepressant effect might be independent of its mood stabilizing effects. It seems, however, that Lamictal is primarily effective only when combined with an antidepressant when used this way.
- Scott
Posted by woolav on November 10, 2004, at 9:46:04
In reply to Re: Lamictal question, posted by saw on November 10, 2004, at 3:46:48
Hi, thanks for your response. Are you going to get on a different SSRI now that effexor didnt work for you? Or are you just going to try lamictal alone?
Sandy
Posted by woolav on November 10, 2004, at 9:50:32
In reply to Re: Lamictal question » woolav, posted by Mr.Scott on November 10, 2004, at 1:20:44
Sorry for the rant. May I ask what your diagnosis and med regimen are? I thought I saw earlier you mentioned anxiety and benzos?
I am a primarily depressed, anxious, obsessive individual who occassionally gets angry, goofy, and aggressive. I've told I am likely bpII, but I'm not entirely convinced. I also am very med sensitive. I currently take 50mg Lamictal, .5mg klonopin, 5mg prozac daily.Scott
Hi Scott, I dont blame you for the "rant" its getting ridiculus now. Are these labels put on us..My pdoc dx me with having panic disorder and my prev. pdoc said i have major depression that lasts for years. After many meds, I am now taking 20mg prozac, 2mg klonopin and 300 mg lamictal daily. And i feel better than i have in a while. I am sorry you are med sensitive. I didnt get the full theraputic value of lamictal until 300mg. But, hopefully your combo works for you..
Thanks
Sandy
Posted by saw on November 12, 2004, at 4:44:11
In reply to Re: Lamictal question-Sabrina, posted by woolav on November 10, 2004, at 9:46:04
Hi Sandy
It will just be the Lamictal for now. I am hoping it will work sufficiently but itself. If not, and I do not have major side effects, I will ask my pdoc to add to it rather than change again.
I have been taking 25mg for three days now. Physically I feel fine. Except that I get pins and needles and a skin crawling feeling around my face and hands and a strange sort of dizzyness with it.
The Lamictal must be working, even after 3 days. I have managed to cope with my grief.
My dad passed away day before yesterday and without medication, I am sure I would have crashed.Sabrina
Posted by ravenstorm on November 12, 2004, at 17:46:53
In reply to Re: Lamictal question-Sabrina, posted by saw on November 12, 2004, at 4:44:11
sabrina, keep us posted on your progress. Hope the lamictal works for you! At least you don't seem to be having effexor withdrawal, so that is a big plus.
Posted by CraigD on November 13, 2004, at 13:15:06
In reply to Re: Lamictal question-Sabrina, posted by ravenstorm on November 12, 2004, at 17:46:53
I had an immediate reaction (positive) to lamictal -- obsessive qualties gone, social anxiety gone, and an ability to plan my life and follow through. Also, my manic periods of self-destruction (possibly BPII from the SSRI) have disappeared.
I was also on 40 mgs of Celexa, and have dropped down to 20 mgs -- I have my sex drive back and I desire a love relationship for the first time in a year -- I think it took a few weeks to drop out of my system, because I've found anger, frustration, sadness, and difficulty concentration, creeping back. It is hindering my performance as a massage therapist.
So, I'm wondering (this is especially for those at 300 mgs) if I should continue moving up the Lamictal (the positive effects tend to fade after a week or so after increasing my dose) or boost my
SSRI dosage every now and then.I would hate to go up to 40 mgs of Celexa again as I am enjoying the return of my sentiment. Also, my doctor suggested adding 5 mgs of abilify for the anger and frustration, but I'd really rather not be on three psych meds...it's hard to know which end is up.
I'd love to hear some advise from anyone with relevent experiences.
Sorry for the long post -- I'm not manic, I promise!!
This is the end of the thread.
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