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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on July 6, 2015, at 23:44:28
i was doing research on the differinces between these two, they both are used for mood depression, but i read that lamotragine is more for helping depression in bipolar cases, and lithium is more for treating mania.....their both on the same page but treat on the opposite ends....
lamotragine makes me not depressed, but it also won't let me get into excited moods, really euphoric and feeling mood sensations, it just keeps things at bay......(kinda boring) but i think when someone who has mood disorders, mainly elevated moods expeierience both plesanant and negative moods at an extreme....
i may let my doctor use it, but im trying to see how these two are collaborated with eachother.....
Posted by SLS on July 7, 2015, at 15:24:31
In reply to lithium v.s lamotragine, posted by rjlockhart37 on July 6, 2015, at 23:44:28
Lamictal and Trileptal make a nice combination for bipolar disorder, especially when mixed-states exist. Trileptal is a top-down drug that acts as an anti-manic, while Lamictal is more of a bottom-up drug that helps with depression. Lamictal, although approved for bipolar depression, is also used for unipolar depression. Abilify can make a good adjunct to Lamictal. I'm thinking you can add Wellbutrin if there is residual depression and anxiety is not a prominent feature of your illness. I can't provide any literature to support these suggestions. They come from personal observations (anecdotes) and those described to me by physicians.
The only true mood stabilizer at this point is lithium, although some argue that Seroquel and Tegretol are as well. However, lithium has a narrow therapeutic index (window). Too little doesn't work and too much is toxic (kidneys; thyroid). For bipolar disorder, the dosage of lithium should produce a blood level between 0.8 - 1.2 mEq/L for acute episodes, and 0.6 - 0.8 mEq/L for maintenance. People with a strong propensity for mania often have to continue taking the higher dosages. In unipolar depression, low-dose lithium (300 - 600 mg/day) can be used as an augmenter of antidepressants. It helps me with depression at a dosage of 300 mg/day. Another reason to take low-dose lithium is to help reduce one's risk of getting Alzheimer's Dementia. Depression has been linked to a 2 - 3 times greater risk of developing it.
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on July 7, 2015, at 18:31:30
In reply to lithium v.s lamotragine, posted by rjlockhart37 on July 6, 2015, at 23:44:28
I would take lamictal before lithium. I take lamictal, trileptal, abilify, and wellbutrin (pretty much the combo SLS was talking about, lol), and it works nicely. The wellbutrin helped with concentration, which is nice considering that I'm on 2 anticonvulsants.
Anyway...anticonvulsants can cause b and e depletion, so do watch out for that....supplements b, c, e, and d3 has been very helpful for me. I do take lots of other things, but I think my main supplements are : b-100, b3, C, E, D3. Pretty simple...I've just made it crazy complicated, lol.
Sorry to hijack your thread. I do think sometimes its better to take 2 anticonvulsants than to ramp one up very high, but that probably depends on the indvidual. I only take 100/lamictal, but I also take 1200/Trileptal, to use my line up as an example.
This is the end of the thread.
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