![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by idolamine on September 5, 2006, at 23:57:00
as the subject states, I can't decide. The only difference seems to be a down mood in the evenings, I really can't say there's objectively any difference as of yet. Is there a big change when you need this drug and it works?
Posted by Janelle on September 6, 2006, at 3:16:17
In reply to trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not, posted by idolamine on September 5, 2006, at 23:57:00
When you say "the only difference is a down mood at night" do you mean that the "difference" is when you were NOT on Lamictal you felt a down mood at night and the down mood at night went away when you were ON Lamictal?
I have been on it for a few years, and frankly, I question if it is doing anything for me. I don't (knock on wood) have any negative side effects from it, and wouldn't mind getting off it, but my pdoc says I'd be a lot worse if I didn't have it. Perhaps it works quietly in the background. I'm kinda confused about it's efficacy myself.
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 10:36:08
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not » idolamine, posted by Janelle on September 6, 2006, at 3:16:17
What are you taking it for? They are using it for tx resistant depression. Love Phillipa
Posted by idolamine on September 6, 2006, at 11:42:56
In reply to trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not, posted by idolamine on September 5, 2006, at 23:57:00
hey guys, thanks for the response. I suppose I'm taking it for bipolar II. My initial Dx was ADD, but stims stopped working for me, and eventually, down the line, I thought BPII. I really just can't tell, I think I feel a little more spacey off it, maybe, but my anxiety is exacerabated quite a bit on the lamictal; as I'm withdrawing from valium, I thought I'd temporarily stop it. And yes, I meant I feel better in the evenings when I take it. It's a circadian sort of thing, somehow. *Maybe* it improves my performance in school, but now it's like school, or anxiety. If I need to perform and function in class, anxiety is bad, so . . . I appreciate all of your thoughts. It's so difficult with this medicine to know if you need it or not.
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 18:23:18
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not, posted by idolamine on September 6, 2006, at 11:42:56
Is your pdoc reducing your valium? If not does he/she know? Love Phillipa
Posted by finelinebob on September 6, 2006, at 20:38:57
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not » idolamine, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 18:23:18
I'd wonder about the timing of starting the lamictal and coming off the valium as the source of the anxiety. My Dx is Bipolar Spectrum (which means many things to many people) but one of the things about the "poles" is that they're depression and anxiety, not mania. Lamictal works very well for my depression, but I really need klonopin to address the anxiety well enough.
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 21:31:03
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not, posted by finelinebob on September 6, 2006, at 20:38:57
Bob you're the first one who has explained the spectrum so I completly understood it. They did give me lamictal. My side effect was constant splitting. Like every two minutes split horrible on the street or anywhere. They told me at the time that it was for tx resistant depression. Love Phillipa ps do you think it works?And how to deal with the excess salivation listed as an uncommon side effect.
Posted by Janelle on September 6, 2006, at 22:24:46
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not » Janelle, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 10:36:08
I'm taking Lamictal for BiPolar2, the mood swings and also because it has been found to help depression. However, I'm having problems with both these conditions, and have questioned my pdoc about the Lamictal several times. I've tried other mood stabilizers, with bad results, which is what led me to Lamictal. And since I've had no problems with Lamictal, mypdoc feels I'm better off with it than without it. (and for now, I'd be too scared to try to go off it and see what might or might not happen).
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 22:51:11
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not » Phillipa, posted by Janelle on September 6, 2006, at 22:24:46
I agree. Love Phillipa
Posted by finelinebob on September 7, 2006, at 21:02:07
In reply to Re: trying to figure out if I need lamictal or not » Janelle, posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 22:51:11
I switched to Lamictal after Zyprexa shot my triglycerides over 900 but saved me from intense mood swings from PTSD. I have to admit, it isn't as effective as the Zyprexa, which handled my anxiety and did a better job on my depression ... but Lamictal's not chewing thru my pancreas either.
I found this site back when I was in Michigan and my PDoc there suggested Bipolar Spectrum. It described it in a much more "determinant" way than any other site I've seen since, and I can't find my way back to that one! =^( But some of the other things that had me nodding was "resistant to SSRIs" "but at least one manic episode triggered by an SSRI" "good response to TCAs" "good response to atypical antipsychotics", other than the depression-anxiety tag-team on your psyche.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.