Lamictal Extreme Exhaustion, Good Chance, Weight Gain, Fatigue, Supervision
Posted over a year ago
Been on it for almost 5 years, 400 mg a day. Don't know what the official word is on long-term use, but I have had the following problems: recent weight gain and long-term extreme exhaustion/fatigue. Although I haven't changed the dose in years, the ... more »
Been on it for almost 5 years, 400 mg a day. Don't know what the official word is on long-term use, but I have had the following problems: recent weight gain and long-term extreme exhaustion/fatigue. Although I haven't changed the dose in years, the fatigue seems to be getting worse. I am on other meds, so I don't know if it is for sure the Lamictal causing these effects, but there is a good chance. I'll see as I lower the dose, under doc supervision, of course. Take care, all.
Cmbandrwb - I was on Lamictal for about a year for Bipolar disorder. I wanted to go off of the medication because of the weight gain and intentions to get pregnant. Also, I thought it was making me depressed. I started napping all the time and had no energy or motivation. I went to my shrink and he said that I could wein off of the medication. He said however originally when my husband called with my symptoms he wanted me to up my dosage of Lamictal. I decided to stay on the same dosage until my next appointment because of our desire to get pregnant and my depression about my weight gain. However, I weined off of it slowly and the depressions got WAY worse. I was on a vitamin regimine (fish oil, folic acid, vitamin b6 and b12, vitamin D and calcium). My depression got very severe. I went back to my shrink and he put me back on Lamictal. I am now only taking 25mg per day but I am increasing slowly until I reach 250mg per day. He also is putting me on Topamax which I am starting this evening to counteract the effects of the weight gain. Hopefully that will work. My lamictal side effects have just been fatigue and constipation mostly. I think the other side effects was due to a swing back into a depressive episode.
Yxlumiere - I have Bipolar Disorder I and I agreed to start taking it 2 days ago and already I am feeling fatigued ALL the time. I slept far more than I used to the day after I started on it and was falling asleep in class. I am also on 600 mg of Lithium carbonate every night and I take the Lamictal 12.5 mg in the morning. My doctor wants me to raise the dose to 25mg by next week.
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