I was diagnosed with Bipolar I in Feb 1978 (over 30 years ago.) At the beginning it was the mania that gave me the most problems. As I got older, the depression was the worst of the two. I have had good times and bad and the best thing you can do if you have bipolar is to pick the right spouse!

I have used Lithium, Depakote (with Zoloft) and now Lamictal (with Lexapro), along with several anti-anxiety drugs as needed along the way.

LITHIUM worked great for many, many years. I had a little weight gain but not much. It was a pain to monitor (blood work, urine workup). What I didn’t like most was the heat warning. I also developed a bad case of psorasis (for the first time ever). Don’t know if the stress from a car accident helped cause the psorasis. A few months later I was hospitalized for bipolar (the only time since my intial hospitalization when I was diagnosed.) A few years down the road and I started having tremors. Once it was really bad. That’s when my meds where changed. All in all a great drug.

Then I went on Depakote with Zoloft. I had a good response to the drug. HOWEVER, I gained almost 50 lbs really quickly. That alone will put you into depression. But I stayed on this for about 7-8 years because it worked well. No side effects (but weight gain). Would NEVER recommend Depakote.

I was changed to Lamictal and Lexapro when trying to lose weight. Lamictal has to be started very, very slowly. This combination seems to work well. My psorasis has returned (but had only left when I was on Depakote because I took Amevive shots that put it in remission). It did not come back immediately so I don’t know if the Lamictal caused it or if it was just time to come back. (No one has had complete permanent remission from psorasis with Amevive and I was lucky that it worked for as long as it did.) Have been happy with Lamictal because it doesn’t have to be monitored as closely. But I do hate the size and dimension of the pill. It’s hard to get down.

I think that everyone has different reactions to the various drugs for bipolar and you must be patient when starting a new regime. Just please don’t give up because a full, happy, productive life is possible with full compliance and the right attitude. Oh yeah, also with the right spouse.

I have been on Lamictal for about 8-10 years (bipolar I) with a history of suicide attempts. It has helped TREMEMDOUSLY. I had a problem with crying jags starting about 2 years ago in inappropriate places & for no good reason so my dosage of Lamictal was increased & they ceased. Also, take several other meds, too.

I loved Lamictal. It was the one mood stabilizer that worked really well for me (once it got to a therapeutic dose, which took forever, of course).

And then I landed in the hospital for 5 weeks, near death from acute bone marrow failure. In the fine print on the package insert (you know, the stuff nobody ever reads), it says Lamictal can cause that.

I’m a medical weirdo anyway — I got a blood clot in my lung from birth control pills, which come with a similar 1 percent possibility warning — but I really would like to see people be very careful with this med. Once my pdoc and I started looking back, it was clear that the problems (mouth sores, etc) had started much earlier, but neither of us knew enough to know where it was coming from. (Neither did an ENT and an oral surgeon, I might add.)

I really miss this med. I wish I could still take it. Just be careful and keep an eye on your physical health as well as mental.

I’ll be starting Interferon/Ribavarin treatment for my Hep-C in November, and I’ve had bouts with clinical depression for most of my life - certainly through all of my adult life. So depression + Interferon can equal disaster, since the medication has been known to cause extreme depression, even suicidal ideation. In fact, I know of a guy in my neighborhood who was taking Interferon and got so depressed that he attempted suicide. (Thank God someone observed him and he was prevented from acting on it.)

So it seemed prudent for my doctor to start me on an antidpressant as at least a partial, if not full, ‘insurance policy’ to head off any trouble that might occur.

Problem is I also have an underlying bipolar condition - as a few trips to the emergency room and a short hospital stay after taking JUST an antidepressant will attest. So I’ve been started on Lamictal (Lamotrigine) to get a ‘base-line’ in place so that the antidepressant may then be safely added.

Re the Lamictal: I started on a minimum dose about 2 months ago, and my doctor is ‘taking me up’ very slowly, however surely. My experience up to this point has been “So far..
so good.” And I’m reasonably confident that the med will prove to be a ‘good fit’ for me.

There are 2 side-effects that I’ll mention:

1) There’s a little feathery tickle in my throat with a resulting dry cough. At first the coughing was unbearable, and I had a friend drive me to the hospital. I was told that I had a viral infection; I was prescribed an antibiotic; and it worked almost immediately. I suspect that the infection may have been due to the Lamictal, and the antibiotic is probably still working to keep the symptoms down to a manageable degree.

2)My sex-drive has increased manyfold. While some might applaud this as a real plus, in truth it’s somewhat annoying. I mean, sure a little sex-drive is fine. But..every day?
Happily, that, too, seems to be abating with time.

Hope this post may prove helpful to someone.

‘Raj’

I’ve been on Lamictal for several months and am up to 150 mg. I seemed to be getting better, but i’m back down again - don’t want to get out of bed. I don’t really have much choice because I have to take care of my mother, otherwise I would rather just lie around and watch t.v. and sink down further. I have to see my p.a. Monday - hope she has answers - am really tired of being depressed. I would sure as hell rather chance a slight bout of mania (it never gets full-blown out of control) than stay in this depressed mode. Does anyone have any suggestions????

Hi Ladybug -

As with all psychiatric medications Lamictal will be more effective for some people than others - and it can sometimes have partial benefits, which you may be describing.

You are right on about seeing your PA - the best plan is to be as clear as you can about your depressive symptoms, especially your low energy. While we try to avoid antidepressants alone in bipolar disorder some situations will still warrant a trial of such medications, often in combination with a mood stabilizer. I cannot say if your situation does, but communicating effectively with your prescriber is the best path toward the right medication regimen.

Dr. Fink

I have been taking a low dose of Lithium for 14 years and it has worked great. I have had no cycles of mania or depression. However, in the last year or so I have noticed that my short term memory loss is getting worse and worse. Also, my ability to process thoughts within a conversation is increasingly harder. I often can’t keep up with the conversation. Would Lamictal reduce these side effects?

Chad -
It is terrific that you have had such good response to lithium over the long haul - and certainly understandable to be concerned about your memory and thinking. It is not possible to know in advance if Lamictal would provide you with the same positive results or fewer side effects. Have you talked to your doc about your concerns? It is important not to jump to the conclusion that the lithium is causing those symptoms - your doc would want to look carefully at them and maybe rule out other causes before changing the lithium which has been such a good fit for you for so long.

Candida Fink MD

Lamictal and Invega
I was on a low dose of Lamictal for a few months but it didnt seem to have the effect I was looking for. Now I am on 200mg Lamictal with 3mg Invega. Invega is this new drug used to treat schizoprenia, but now it is being used to help treat bipolar disorder too. These two drugs together have changed my life and cleared my head. I definately recommend this combination.

I started Lamictal about one week ago. So far, it has been nothing but literal hell for me. I was diagnosed with Bipolar I in the last few weeks, and this medication was started as a “remedy” for the damage that had been done due to misdiagnosis over the past 15 years, and being given only SSRIs to treat depression, which was not the root of my issues - I have always been more manic than depressive. My PA prescribed a high dose of Klonopin to “rewire my brain and try to get a level heading for Lamictal along with some combination (to later be decided) of SSRI for permanent treatment.

My issue with the medication is this - I know I have not been taking it long, and I’m not sure if it the combo of what I am taking, but my swings have been happening from 2 to 6 times a day - where normally I would swing about every few months. I am extremely tired, and sleep about 16 out of 25 hours a day. I am not able to work, and had had trouble leaving my home due to the anxiety before the medication. This seems to be worse, only I push myself to try to ride in the car with my husband because I refuse to be home bound because of this disorder.

I guess my question is - I am so terrified of being on medication this strong, as I have a low tolerance for drugs and have never used anything like Klonopin or anything as strong as Lamictal will be in the end (dosage wise). Are my swings related to the dosages, just getting into my system, or am I just not being patient enough. I’m concerned mostly because I saw the PA for anxiety symptoms and ended up with this diagnosis, and medication that makes the anxiety worse.

My name is Denise Simon and i would like to show you my personal experience with Lamictal.

I am 57 years old. Have been on Lamictal for 24 weeks now. Lamictal has worked well with no side effects other than the sleep problesm. My problems with other meds included constipation and depression. Lamictal also relieves my anger bouts…and settles me down which probably helps with seizure control.

I have experienced some of these side effects-
Following conversion from tegretol and Zonegran, I began on 400 mg Lamictal. Bad dreams followed with sleep talking and thrashing during dreams. This turned into more vivid short dreams in which I could not discern dreams from reality. I have contacted my Dr asking permission to take the meds earlier and he concurred to try them 4 hrs earlier. HE is leaning toward changing the meds. After laying out a lot of $ for a 3 month supply, I am reluctant to change meds as I am tight on $….

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Denise Simon

Hi, I have been taking Lamictal for a seizure disorder for over 3 years. It works for me, no break through seizures. I was recently given the generic Lamotrigine. Insurance refused to pay for Lamictal. My sister who is also taking Lamictal is afraid to switch medications. She says she has read over various internet sites that Lamotrigine is not as effective and people have reported that seizures have started again since switching over. Can this be possible??? Please reply and adbise. Thanks

started lamictal 3rd week in 8/08 12.5 took 6 days i had headache,nausea,dizzy also thought it made me agitated,kinda feeling of alertness so i stopped it to make long story short went into a withdrawal headache,nausea,kinda felt like had the flu,then started crying jags,panic attacks,didnt have either before i went on so i felt i should go back on its been about 8 wks still cant function to drive or work ii was never told about withdrawal all over net this drug is gaining reputation as very hard to get off of still have noise sensitivity and light sensitivity Im basically homebound where i wasnt before i guess thats the chance you take

I have been diagnosed with ADD and depression, but I really think I am bipolar II. The symptoms seem to overlap. Has anyone else been incorrectly diagnosed? I also have fibromyalgia. Have been taking Cymbalta and Lamictal with Xanax prn. They seem to be helping some, but I still feel nervous and anxious and I feel like I have been manic in the last week.

Oops! Sorry…I also take Ritalin for the ADD. Thanks!

I have been taking Lamictal for 3 years now. I have the treatment resistant, rapid cycling bipolar I disorder.
For me, the SSRI’s kept me cycling daily. So when a psychiatrist realized that, he recommended me to try Lamictal (at that time, I was on Depakote and Tegretol and Zoloft).
I have seen a decrease in cycles after I stopped taking all three of the above drugs and started just taking Lamictal. I have noticed that I don’t have as many suicidal thoughts or tendencies either.
So far, this drug has not caused me any unusual side effects..just the blurred vision is what bothers me.
I am happy with this one and I do stay stable and don’t suffer as much.

my husband started lamotrogine on 2-4-09. over the last year and a half he has been on many drugs. zoloft which caused pancreatitis which they told him was in his head, lexapro,cymabyax, zyprexa,lorazapan,ceraquil and some others(all were not good for him). he was diagnosed with bipolar but has never had a manic episode,but is often extremely fatigued(can’t and don’t want to get out of bed), anxious, has some social anxiety,and excessive thinking.when he’s not depressed he seems normal. he was tolerable and seemed to be normal with a little anxiety before all medicine and he thought he was depressed. he has forgotten what it’s like to be off any drugs or normal. we’re not sure if he is bipolar and has seen 7 doctors as of now. we’re scared to resume lamotrogine in case it’s not for him. he’ll have bad withdrawls and possibly and yet another hellish year. do you think he’s bipolar and would you suggest continueing lamotrogine?

I was just recently diagnosed with Schizoaffective Personality Disorder and I was put on Lamictal about 9 mo. ago and I have found that it really hasn’t helped with my depression or my anxiety but it has helped with my mania and most of my irritablity. I’m on an antipsychotic (Seroquel) and that helps as well.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II 2 and a half years ago and started Lamotrigine which helped a lot and caused me to drop a lot of weight. I then stopped the lamotrigine in favour of aripiprazole which was also working out great for me but cost a fortune, so I have gone back to the lamotrigine but this time I have gained quite a bit of weight with it.

Does anyones else find that their weight has increased with it?

I have had success with Lamictal, taking 300 mg per day. BUT BE AWARE OF GENERIC of this drug. There has been many instances of people not being able to tolerate the cheaper generic. I myself tried switching and felt like I was going to spontaneously self-combust, plus i had the rash and fever. This is a dangerous side effect and you should see a doctor immediately. With most insurances you can ask for the Lamictal Brand.

I have gained weight also, a lot of weight, and I think it is because the lamictal causes me to have a apathetic attitude towards life. I don’t have the drive that I had when I was manic, sure miss that. The lamictal is working in other areas, I still have suicidal ideations, and anger, would like to not have these, they are getting stronger and more frequent. I have been on Lamictal sense 2002, and have slowly very slowly gone up to 200 mgs.

I have been given a new generic one and its round and has ZC 82 imprinted on it. does anyone else have this one?

First let me say that irritablity is one of the side effects of Limictal…I started the titration on the drug…I was already irritable due to out of control mania so at first was hard to notice or attribute to the medication..then after reaching 100mg a day my irritatablity had turn to full blown RAGE…the Pdoc has taken me off saying it was a classic sign of intolerance to this medicaton….lol I might note, she changed me to Keppra which has the same side effect…go figure.

I had been taking Lamictal for three years for my bi-polar. It worked well for me. My insurance company will now only pay for the generic form, lamagotrine. I landed in the emergency room with a severe adverse reaction to this. Insurance companies answer, try something else. I have tried a multitude of medications for my chemical imbalance, Lamictal worked. My Doctor is fighting with my insurance company, but to no avail. At this moment I am not taking any medication and believe I am having some disturbing withdrawal symptoms. I feel like my body is buzzing all the time. I do not feel quite connected. Is this ringing a bell with anyone else out there?

hi Beth Lamictal has been Hell for me I only took it 6 days and stopped it only 12.5mgs went into crying jags,sensitivity to sounds and light This all happened in the fall 08 I am still out of work first time in 10 yrs and longest in 17yrs I also felt disconnected and still do I couldnt drive I am now on Stavzor like depokote slowly recovering I reported reaction to medwatch the fda and I know Im not the only one go to http://www.furious seasons and good luck

My wife tried Lamictal last year for about 4 months. She’s a creative director and artist for an advertising agency we own. I noticed that while taking this med, she was easily half dimmed mentally and creatively. It did help with the depression, but giving up cognitive thinking is not a sacrifice she was willing to stick with.

I started taking Lamictal about 3-4 years ago and I would recommend it to anyone who is having trouble with bipolar disorder!!!

I suffered for 33 years wondering what was wrong with me and why I was always so hard to handle…and why I had no friends. After one horrible incident I finally went to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with Bipolar 4 disorder. I never hear of anyone else with Bipolar 4…but I have been on Lamictal 100mg in the am and 200mg in the pm. This stuff works great. I finally feel normal. It has upped my confidence level and my concentration as well. I havent wanted to kill/hurt anyone…I don’t have argueing fits and throw things anymore. I recomment this medication to anyone with this disorder. It has been a lifesaver for me.

i have been taking 100mg lamictal for 5 years. it worked immediately in stabilizing my hypomania and depression cycles of few day intervals with major deprssive episodes every few months. initially i also took valproate for depression with lamictal..a good combination.
i stopped valproate after 1 year when depression was over.
now 4 years later i have plunged into depression again. i just recently started zyban ans seroquel with lamictal. feeling better but not entirely there yet still a couple of weeks to go before it really kicks in…i am hoping…

I started taking the generic Lamictal and over the past three months, I have noticed a complete turn around in my life. I read the comments above… and everyone’s making me paranoid that I should be on Lamictal rather than the generic. Is this so? Also, I have gained weight- but how do we know it’s the lamictal or the depression that leads to fatigue and poor eating habits. Is this drug really causing me to gain weight- If I start working out will I be able to drop the ten or so pounds I’ve gained? help! None of my clothes fit and I feel very self conscious. Can you take this drug if you are pregnant… I’m not but want to be at some point and I don’t ever want to stop taking this drug!

I was on Lamictal for a couple of years for severe chronic recurrent depression and it changed/saved my life. I highly recommend it.

Since the generic came out my insurance company will only pay for the generic lamotrogine, which doesn’t work quite as well. At my next visit I’m going to see if an increased dose would compensate for the generic’s lower effectiveness, otherwise I’ll fight my insurance company for the brand name drug.

Starting and stopping this drug must be done slowly. At one point my insurance was cancelled and my new insurance excluded the drug for six months (yes, we need health reform). Needless to say this was extremely callous of the insurance company because suddenly discontinuing Lamitcal is dangerous. My withdrawl symptoms were flu like with a slight tremulus sensation in my muscles, especially my hands. I also felt like I was being crushed inside, particularly around my eyes and heart (rapid heart beat). The description above about feeling as though spontaneous combustion was imminent is an excellent way to describe it. It’s miserable and seizures are a risk. DON’T STOP THIS DRUG WITHOUT A DOCTOR’S SUPERVISION.

This is my 3rd week on lamotrigine and second day at 50mg. I’ve been experiencing lack of sleep. one or two hrs then awake. The worst side effects are these strang, scary almot 3d dreams. very difficult to describe. will they go away? will I ever get a full night sleep?

I went through a breakup from a long distance relationship with a woman in miami in december of last year. I found out she was lying to me about several things, misleading, using me, and…. her life and baggage became unbearable for me. I have never been depressed in my life but have suffered from OCD and high anxiety and maybe some panic disorder. Before the breakup experience - I had taken Celexa, Prozac for anxiety relief…. and then cymblata after the breakup to curb some brief depression due to time of year, emotional negative energy asociated with terminating a relationship, etc.. I stayed on cymbalta up until recently and have switched over to Lamictal. I am in the early loading dose phase and really havent felt the full affects of it as of yet. But am very optimistic that it will provide relief and take the edge off. My only issues… really at this point…. are related to a new relationship were I have experienced some distrust issues (all apparently in my head) and some acute but short lived feelings of uncertainty with my present girlfriend. I am very hopeful that the anxiety symptoms and paranoia (or distrust) will subside with Lamictal hopefully balancing me out so I dont experience the negative energy associated with distrust. Maybe I need therapy. In any event….. film at 11.

I’ve been on Lamictal for 8 years and it has been a godsend, successfully treating my bipolar disorder and allowing me to be a productive entrepreneur and author. HOWEVER my insurance company recently switched me to the generic brand and I am suffering. I had the first depressive episode in many many years and I feel like I’m spiraling out of control. My doctor won’t listen to me, she says that the two medications are identical. I’d believe her if I didn’t feel this way. I’m going to pursue this further…hoping to get it resolved before something terrible happens.

I was diagnosed with NOS bipolar 4 years ago @ 52 years old. I surrendered to being on medication 3 years ago. I taken many medications over this time and hate them all. I’ve gained close to 60 pounds since being medication. But at least I’m no longer caught up in my other diagnosis of drug addiction. The combination of the two got me incarcerated twice in two years. Just today my psychiatrist whom I trust (as much as I trust anybody around this mental health issue) agreed to wean me off Depakote which may have been causing the weight gain and begin me on Lamictal. I’m just venting cause. I know my situation could be worse but I do hate having this illness! I’m interested in the experiences of others.

I am on 300mg of Lamictal (not Generic), 20mg Lexapro, and 20mg of Adderal XR.

The Adderal keeps me focused (my brain is a whirlwind usually).

I was on the Lexapro first, (for many years now, for depression). Now I also on Lamictal after being diagnosed with Bipolar 1. I was crying 1min, angry the next and I turn my head and I am happy. Never new what would trigger any of it, almost as if I had no control.

Question is this… Could the Lamictal cause you to have paranoid thoughts?

I have been on Lamictal for about six years now with much great success. However, I am in the beginning stages of menopause and have found a dramatic increase in my mood swings in the past 9-months or so. For the past four years I have been able to “pretend” I don’t have bipolar while continuing to take the meds because I was so “normal”. This reality slap-in-the-face is wearing me down and depressing.

Has anyone else had a similar experience where entering menopause meant a change in symptoms? I am diagnosed Bipolar I.

Jenny (from back on Sept 2nd) -

Taking Lamictal during the 1st trimester of pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of cleft palate in the baby. I believe the palate forms somewhere about three weeks after conception (don’t quote me on that).

It would be important to consider this if you’re thinking about getting pregnant since many women are several weeks’ pregnant before they find out. I experienced severe depression during pregnancy and was put back on Lamictal after my first trimester. The catch is, you cannot take it while nursing. I was not willing to give up breastfeeding and had to slowly wean off it close to my due date.

That means you need to be off it, get pregnant, go back on it for a short time, and wean back off if you want to breastfeed. I would talk to your doctor about it, but I probably wouldn’t do it again, since I was not on it long enough to benefit much.