Lamictal and depression

I have been taking Lamictal for about 2 1/2 years now. I have been taking 200 mg for two years. I have experienced very few side effect. Except vivid dreams and not sleeping well. I have always had vivid dreams but there is one I have had since the medication it was so awful that I can't stop thinking about it and it makes me feel suicidal. I have had many ups and downs in my life but never thought suicide to be a positive option. I don't think I would do it but I can't stand these awful repetitive thoughts. I have had less and less energy in the last 6 months or so. I thought it was because I was working to much. I have quit doing most the things I love. I have always been a high energy person. So I thought it must be the Lamictal. When I had complained to my doctor he said that it sounded like depression and normally they would increase the dosage but he would decrease it if I wanted. I went to 150 and then 100. I felt awful just like I used to before the drug. So I went back up to 200 and at least I didn't feel so awful. So I increased it to 250mg and I started to fell less depressed. Sometimes I have taken to much in the past because I forgot I had taken it and repeated the does. That is when I had the first bad dream that has haunted me since. Then I started to forget to take my medication off and on and that is when the depression started. Now I took the 250 and I had another haunting dream. This drug really has been a miracle for me. I have never felt this stable in my entire life! In the past I was trying to self medicate but since the Lamictal I have quit smoking pot and drinking. I don't like alcohol and drugs anymore because I don't like to feel altered anymore. Most of the symptoms everyone has described are how I felt before Lamictal and I feel better since. I will never go below 200mg or above again without a suitable alternative. I still can't get rid of the repetitive thoughts on 200mg. Typical anti-depressants have the opposite effect for me. Has anyone found a suitable alternative. I have heard that other drugs for bi-polar such as Lithium and Depakote have a sedative effect and I don't like that. I want to be my normal energetic self!

Blurred vision, 15 lb weight gain, irritability, insomnia, excess hair growth (exacerbating my PCOS), nausea, nightmares, fuzzy thinking, bad memory, lose train of thought mid-sentence. Been on 100mg for 3 months. Doctor upped to 200mg but after 3 days on it and 3 days of no sleep, I dropped back down. Helps a bit with my depression, but I feel sort of numb. Not as bad as on some, but not good.

Everyone's body is different and reacts to every medicine differently. After experiencing depression for some years i was finally put on an antidepressant (cymbalta). My dosage was continually increased because I wasn't feeling any better. Eventually I changed psychologists and she diagnosed me as being bipolar II and said that anti-depressants have an adverse effect on people who are bipolar. so for about a year and a half i was on 200 mg of lamictal. It worked wonders and i felt no negative side effects other than if i forgot to take my second dose during the day. Eventually i took myself off of it (slowly, in the same fashion that i had started it) and was off of it for about a year. Getting off of it was hard, but eventually i felt ok. Then a year later i felt i needed it again. So after a 3 months of being on it again my doctor took me off of it because i experienced extreme head pressure-to the point that i felt like my head was going to explode. i had a checkup at my regular doctor and nothing was wrong. once i had the lamictal out of my system i felt fine again. well now a year and a half after that, i started the lamictal again in hopes that it would work like it did the first time for me. Unfortunately that has not happened yet. As i write this, my head has so much pressure. I ve experienced headaches on and off for the past 4 days. This is not a common side effect so im not sure whats going wrong.. Has anyone else experienced this or know why that is happening? Anyways like i said the first time i was on lamictal for a yr and a half and i felt fantastic. I would tell people i "loved it"---which sounds silly but when you go from absolutely miserable to feeling alive again and having motivation, that phrase doesnt sound so silly. so take everything you hear with a grain of salt. experience it for yourself because everyone's body is different and who knows, maybe you will feel better on it. I however am stopping this drug tomorrow because of the rare head pressure i experience while on it!

I've been on Lamictal for about 5 months now. I recently have had some horrible side effects. I've had the acne, brain fogginess and weight gain all along. About a month ago I was hospitalized for having a blood phosphorus level of 0.6 which is dangerously low. The symptoms around that day were nausea, feeling like I couldn't breathe, hyperventilation, heart rate of 120-130, tingling sensations from my nose to my toes, diarrhea and almost blacking out. Of course, the ER doc thought I was having a panic attack and told me to breathe into a bag and try to breathe slowly. NOT from a panic attack. Granted, I was panicking because I was scared. Has anyone experienced this low phosphorus problem?? I will be coming off of Lamictal in the next week. Hasn't made my depression, panic attacks or sex drive any better. thanks.

I started taking an increased dose of Lamictal from 100mg to 200g BD along with Tegretol CR200 and Tegretol CR400 BD. This mixture has resulted in fatigue, depression and an erotic sex drive - mostly on the side of decreased libido. My poor darling husband....

hi i have been on fifty mgs of lamictal for a month, depression was much better,,,,then pmd decided to fiddle faddle and says yes you are better but lets up the mgs to 100 mgs once a day,,,,i have sore throat,,walk into walls, freezing cold....and believe it or not,,,just started this drug yesterday at this dose...now,,i agree that these shrinks are just playing around and love to give out the samples that the drug salesperson brings in...son is into medical research...he told me it is all big business now,,,and to especially watch out for the druggist,,,they make terrible mistakes,,,,also the pharmaceutical companys cut back on active ingredients and this has been prove....my sore throat and sinus problem is very disturbing...in a nutshell ,,,i don't like this dosage and have to take it upon myself to cut down to fifty....we have to be proactive...after all it is our bodies and our minds....

I have been on Lamictal for about five months for bipolar II. I has been increased slowly over these months and I am now up to 300 mg a day. I have a tendency to sometimes forget things but remembering numbers has never been a problem for me. In fact I can look at someone's tag number driving down the road and remember it for days. Phone numbers of people I have known for 20 years would stick and I wouldn't even have to call them on a regular basis to know the number. However, recently while trying to use my bank debit card at the store I was asked to enter my PIN number and totally could not remember. I tried it several times but it never came to me. I felt like a fool!. At this time, that was three days ago and I still cannot remember it!

This is very, very distressing to me. I feel like something has been wiped clean and that I will never get it back.

My Lamictal dose has been increased in the last couple of weeks and I thought maybe Lamictal or one of my other meds could be making this happen so I started researching and found this site where other people were complaining of memory loss while on Lamictal.

Headaches are another common side effect for me while on this med. It has really helped me emotionally and I need to know if the memory loss is just going to be a temporary thing and it will get back to normal or if I will be forgetting more and more over time. PLEASE HELP!!!

I was wondering if high doses of Lamictal can cause seizures. I am prescribed 200 mg 2x daily. I accidentally took 800 mg for a few days after switching from 2 100 mg tabs 2x daily. What followed was miserable. I had this weird vision-thing like a microfiche on its side, running very fast. I got dizzy, then had trouble walking. By the time I got to the hospital, I was having severe tremors, and the (dumb) hospital did not give Ativan for 45 min.after this started. The doctor said it could not be a seizure, because I was slightly aware at times, and could answer questions. I can't remember almost all of it, nor about 24-48 hours after. They had to administer 10 mg of Valium in the ambulance on the way to a separate hospital. The thing lasted for over an hour, I guess, and my husband (who has seizures from childhood also) says it was terrible- full generalized seizure. What ticks me off is that later they called it an anxiety attack, without knowing about the Lamictal doses. Has anyone ever heard of something like this?

I have been taking Lamictal for about 8 weeks now for depression. My docs have tried me on approximately 15 other antidepressants with no avail. I cannot take the side effects. ALL of them I stayed on for months to see if the side effects would go away. Zoloft was wonderful BUT gave me SEVERE diarrhea (last episode was 15 times in one day). So, I am trying to figure out if the Lamictal is giving me increased muscle/joint pain. I do have Fibromyalgia but I swear, since I've been on the Lamictal I feel like somebody wacked my knees and legs with baseball bats. This time last year I was walking/running 3-4 miles 3-4 days a week. Now I can't even walk up the stairs.

Lib

I have been on it for about 7 weeks now, I have the best Dr.I dont know what I would do with out her..I am transitioning from the Dilantin, been on that 25 years, now have ostiop........... ( Used to be a really good speller, maybe thats a forties thing!) in my hips and back. I started feeling really good, now having huge lapses of depression, Lonliness, eye sight which I hear very common, spotting different times of month, headache, dont know if its a side effect but each time I up my dosage things I think are becoming clearer, and cry a couple days, like to much information is flooding my mind. I Have bad dreams the kind that you can obviously analize, but wake up crying. Its a very lonely place to be, people think you will have a seizure thats why they avoid me ( I have been told) which I dont understand because Im taking more medicine and feeling better!

I was on Lamictal for 4 years and after the first year I suddenly started having all kinds of teeth and gum problems for no discernible reason. But since Lamictal has the possible side effect of "sores or blisters on the inside of the mouth" I wondered if it could be related.

I did a Google search and am coming up with no experts yet, but lots and lots of posts connecting anticonvulsant meds, particularly Lamictal, Topamax, Neurontin, and Depakote, with dental problems. Dilantin is well known for causing gum disease and breaking down tooth enamel, loosening of teeth, and even breaking down of jawbone tissue.

I don't think the experts have connected the dots yet, but is anyone else having this problem?

I went blind on 150 mg of Lamictal. I couldn't see anything. My eyes were blurry all the time. I couldn't figure out what it was and when I weaned off of the Lamictal, my sight came back. Not to mention, it did absolutely nothing for my mood whatsoever.

I have been taking Lamictal for a few months now. I have horrible pains, tingles in my feet and legs. At times I feel like I am getting electric shocks in my feet. I started at low dosage of 25mg and now up to 175mg. I am taking this medication with Lexapro 10mg for depression and bipolar. I am also diabetic and thought maybe these pains are from neuropathy. I got tested for neuropathy and it was negative. I am not weening myself off of Lamictal and my leg pains are subsiding a bit. I now have a bad headache. My nose has been running to and I have bad waives of nausea throughout the whole time I am on this medication. I hope when I am fully weened off that this side effects will go away.

I've been on Lamictal since December, i started out with 25mg, then to 50mg and now at 100mg which is where my doctor said I should be. I am taking Lamictal for a seizure disorder. Now I'm not bashing the drug but when I was taking 25 and 50mgs it was fine, I loved it. Seemed to work instantly. But now that I'm at 100mg the weight gain problem started. I have always tried to watch my weight so the only thing i can blame for not being able to take the weight off now is the Lamictal. I have been eating right, got back into the gym, watch my caloric intake as well as fats and carbs. Seems like for every pound i lose i gain right back in a day, it is awful. I did go thru a bad depression around the beginning of the year which I gained some weight from, but trying to get it off now is the hardest I've ever tried in my life. I am now 20 lbs heavier than I was since December. Has anyone experience this? And please tell me the outcome. I want to know if its me or is that a common effect that is now really greatly expressed as a side effect.

I have not taken a drug with so few side effects. Dose up to 200mg. Outstanding med for bipolar disorder.

I started taking Lamictal in September 07 for bipolar. Started with 25mg and now on 150 daily. I\ Since being on the medication, I feel like Ive lost my sense of self. I find it difficult to keep a conversation going and i lack creativity, I'm just not as witty and sharp as i used to be. I used to write and draw a lot but i have trouble creating inspiring works like i used to. I sleep away too much and have too many weird dreams.

I never really struggled with bad depression but have had some manic episodes. Lamictal has stabilized me, but i fear too much stabilizing. haven't had any manic episodes, but I feel my self and my life slipping away. Theres gotta b something better out there.

While I still have times of depression and the occasional bout of caffeine induced manic time- my life is livable and in control. A few occasions I have been without medication for 2-3 days and experience some pretty awful depression. It takes a few weeks before it evens out again. I live in fear during those times that the Lamictal (200 mg) will stop working for me and my life will return to its unpredictable hell. Antidepressants alone do not work for me. I have read that restarting Lamictal after being without it/completely off it has ineffective results. I believe Lamictal has given me my life. I read some of these entires and I am afraid for some of you- so many drugs and combinations.

I've only been on Lamictal for about 3 weeks now. I started taking it the day after Christmas. I take 25MG twice a day, with .5MG of Klonopin 3 times a day. I have been diagnosed as Bi Polar II, with very deep bouts of depression and suicidal thoughts. So far the Lamictal has been working for me. I have noticed that if I don't take it in the morning when I am supposed to, I let little things get to me. But as soon as I remember to take it, I feel better in a short amount of time; but that could also be the Klonopin. Anyway, the only side-effect I've noticed so far is that I started my period a week and a half early, and I have been on it for 2 1/2 weeks now. And it keeps getting heavier and that is very annoying.

Are any other females having period issues? Or is it just me? I can't find any other sides that list heavy bleeding or early periods as a side-effect.

Hello! I've been taking Lamictal for about 6 years now. I'm diagnosed as BP II and have the most difficulty with depression. I currently take 500 mg-- 400 mg at night and 100 mg in the morning. I have to say that Lamictal has been very good to me for the most part. As long as I don't put myself into extremely stressful positions-- such as my last job-- I do quite well. I also take a combination of supplements with Lamictal which seem to give the extra push that I needed to completely get out of my last depression. I take 1000 mg EPA (fish oil), B-100 Complex, Folic Acid, Cal-Mag, multivitamin (high quality, organic), Vitamin D (at least 1000 mg) and a few others.

I notice that when I take it at night if I don't go to sleep right away, my mouth and tongue will tingle. Sometimes when I take it in the morning, I feel foggy and dizzy and sometimes get vertigo. Every now and then the side effects seem to get worse, which I am not sure about. I started searching on the internet because I've been noticing that the "tip of the tongue" problem has been occurring more and more often. I often cannot think of the word I want, simple things even. As others have mentioned, I also have difficulty with memory. I am still very successful, currently pursuing a 2nd Master's Degree, but have noticed that achieving the same level of quality of work takes a lot more effort than during my previous degrees.

I do have some periods of anger/irritability and have recently been sleeping a lot, though it probably has a lot more to do with the time of year-- winter with less light-- than anything else.

I am particularly worried about my memory loss and inability to sound "well-spoken" in a setting which demands that of me. It is frustrating! I don't want to do any lasting harm on my brain. After increasing to 500 mg from 400 mg, I have noticed more of these brain issues, but I'm also doing so much better mood wise!

I've been on Lamictal for about a month now. Started extremely slowly at 12.5 mg, now I'm at 25 mg. I've had minor side effects (cramps in my calf muscles, esp., muscular and joint pain, but not strong). I did have crying spells in the first few days, don't know if they happened because of Lamictal, but it seems likely.

Looks like it's working so far. My mind feels lighter and the mood swings are becoming less severe than before. I've started to think about new work projects I'd left aside before due to depression.

I have been recently diagnosed with cyclothymia, rapid-cycling, with mostly depressive rather than hypomanic symptoms.

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.

I have been on Lamictal for about a year and am up to a daily 400mg dose.

The drug has changed my life with little if any side effects. Hearing isn't as great as has been but I am 56 and my father's hearing loss started at the same time.

Short term memory loss/distraction has been more noticeable lately: where are my keys, wallet, what was I looking for. Coping behaviors have helped, but this may be an indication that I should scale back on my dosage. The med doc will advise I am sure.

I was on anti-depressants, Zoloft mainly, for 14 years. It helped with depression but deadened me to feeling. I also believe it contributed to manic-like 'blow-outs' every few years. Jury is out and may be always regarding whether I am BP II, a first-class depressive, or just have some very important biography that only now I can attend to.

I am physically and emotionally healthier than at any time in my life. I consider myself very fortunate that I have not experienced the severe side effects that some others on this list have experienced.

I've been on Lamictal for the past 2 years. I had suffered from depression from the age of 15, which was subsequently diagnosed as bi-polar at age 37 and treated with Lamictal at 39. I started on 25 mg increasing to 100.

It literally changed my life. I felt completely normal, without having lost my personality and didn't have these huge ups and downs. My short term memory, which was never very good, has become worse.

I have now got a rash. This maybe because I was feeling so great, that I didn't take my tabs for a few days, then resumed at my normal dose.

I have moved and so am no longer in contact with the doctor who prescribed this to me. I just can't bear to go back to the space I was in before I took Lamictal and am going to try starting at a low dose and building up again.

Good luck to anyone trying this. For my bi-polar condition it literally changed my life. I was never really happy before, and I can say that i am often content these days, and positive.

I have been on Lamictal for almost a year now and everything seemed to go okay until almost three weeks ago when I had to increase my dosage from 100 to 150mg and my Lexapro to 15mg. In the last couple of weeks, I have gained 7 pounds and I am really depressed. I have an eating disorder (bulimia) and because of this, I profusely purge my food in fear of gaining a dramatic amount of weight again. I am going to see my psychiatrist next week because all of this is going to cause me to crash.

I am so glad I am not alone. I started this horrible drug 2 months ago for bipolar. Started with the starter pack. I was up to 100mg when I really started feeling ill. I had BAD leg pain. Joint pain,back pain, all the time. I had a never ending appitite and gained 12 pounds in 2 months. All my labs were normal and my primary doctor looked up the side affects and immediatly took me off of Lamictal. I have to admit though my depression got better but my body hurt so bad I almost lost my job due to not being able to walk as the pain was so bad.It has been only one day of being off lamictal and the pain is still unbearable. My doctor says it will take a good 5 days to feel relief. God help us ! This was a horrible experience for me and I feel for all who have used this for bipolar.

I am so glad I am a research junkie, and that you all posted this for me to find. I just started on Lamictal about 3 weeks to one month ago. I just increased the dose to 100mg at night along with 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL. So far I have experienced hair loss, constant fatigue, excessive yawning, hacking cough, stuffy nose, dizziness, acne on my back, shoulders and face, terrible nightmares, waking with my heart pounding in the middle of the night, extreme rage, continued depression with racing thoughts, lack of energy/desire, general mental fuzziness and some trouble expressing myself verbally and literally.

I have tried several times to contact the doctor who prescribed this for me. But I can't get him to call me back. I desperately want to get off of this drug as soon as possible. That heart episode the other night nearly scared me to death! I didn't know what to do.

I was diagnosed with bipolar, but I still believe it's depression. I hope that I can get it figured out here soon before things get even worse. I had increased my level of exercise initially but for the last week I have been so tired and out of it I don't want to do anything.

Good luck to all of you as well, hopefully they'll get better at these treatments eventually!
~A

Been at 50 mg of Lamictal for 6 months now- went to 150 at one time with bad results, rash, more depressed, spacy, tired and everything that goes along with that. I take it for depression/anxiuety along with 4 mg of clonipin and Ativan mixed daily.. I am not as sharp as I used to be. Searching for words in speach and typing. I am sure for some people this drug is fine. For me it does nothing but make me worse. I am scared to come off it totally. I am at 37 mg right now. My mood swings are worse. I look for vergbal fights, look to get angry and can't stop myself when I am in a verbal fight.. I am not the same person. I have tried every anti depresant in the books with no results. My only savior is Benzos. Clon and ativan. I would not survive without them. Does anyone know the long term side affects of this drug. When stopping this drug do the side affects diminish or go away. I have much more to say but can't remember cuz of this wonderful drug..Good luck to all

I have been taking Lamictal for depression for about 3 weeks now, first two weeks at 25mg, now at 50mg. The only side effect I've noticed is that I wake up more often than usual at night and have some trouble getting back to sleep. I also have enhanced dream recall, which isn't a bad thing.

I have been prescribed Lamictal for seizures, and am currently taking 400mg daily, with my 300mg of Dilantin. Had horrible side effects this weekend-nightmares, exhausted, worsening depression, crying jags, difficulty swallowing. Has anyone else experienced mood changes for the worse while on this drug?

Started Lamictal after a suicide attempt. Thinking this drug would help, I took the medication with anticipation. I have been taking it for 2 1/2 years, and starting having night terrors, weight gain, exhaustion, don't have the drive I used to, and now it is affecting my sexual behavior (and not in a good way). I used to come home from work, and want to work in my yard and be proud of what I accomplished. However, within the past 3 or so months, I've almost given up. Beings I'm best known for my ambition, and attention to details, (probably on the anal side) I have been told that I have changed. I have had memory laps, trouble focusing at work, feeling as though I am inferior to others, and trouble with the driving aspect also. Sometimes I'll forget where I'm going, and take the exact opposite turns than I should. Although my income just meets my billings, and my credit score is excellent, I am having trouble keeping track of when they should be paid, even though I put them on my calendar. I do find my credit score is falling, and fast. I am seeing my MD, and the psycho-therapist on a regular basis. I am weaning off this medication, but have only been doing this for 1 week. I can't wait til the end of all this depression and still don't understand why they mark me as a bio-polar person. Also, I have never experienced seizures. I wish all of us luck and patience in our endeavors. Let's all think of each other, and thanks for letting me know that I am not alone.

I am on 300mg for bipolar. I am having trouble concentrating, remembering (i forget what i'm doing while i am doing it!), I often worry about driving-just don't feel like i can focus well enough-riding down the road thinking "hope i know what i'm doing". It is like i daydream constantly with periods of not daydreaming. I feel pretty cheerful and not having any real emotional problems, but the physical problems are a mess. I am so tired that i feel like every single day is a "well i'm sick today, i'll give myself a break, maybe i'll feel better tomorrow". i do have better days sometimes, but for the most part, i feel kind of useless-not "useless" like i'm depressed-i mean "useless" like i get nothing done and it takes me two hours to get some lunch for myself and my three-yr-old child, and i mostly sit around because i'm "taking a break" and my legs are so sore or i have a headache or i feel shaky, or nauseated - each day, i feel so sleepy i am desperate for my husband to get home to care for my daughter (and me)-it feels like i took NyQuil or Benadryl or something! So, i am literally pretty useless. It's such a shame. I can't find a medicine to help me cope, it is always a trade-off...and going on and off them to try another is a nightmare. At least, right now, it is just a daydream...

I've been on Lamictal 25 mg for 4 days and for the past 2 days I have notice severe aching and muscle pains in my legs. The dr advice to quit taking it and see if it goes away but all my lab work was good so i keep taking it. I guess tomorrow I won't be taking it cause now its going up into my arms and making them ache and it hurts so bad.

Glad to know i am not alone. Mine is for stress/anxiety/depression they made a point to say it wasn't for bipolar

This is a nightmare. I have been on Lamictal 200 mg, tab in morning, for approx. 5 months. About 3 1/2 months ago I started getting muscles aches and weakness, muscle overuse problems, fluid retention ( like 12 pounds), stayed in a trance with very little short term memory. Thought it was everything but this medicine....I am an avid athelite, yes, even at 51. So, I blamed myself for not slowing down. Quick exercising totally, for 2 months, iced 3 times a day on leg muscles. Finally after making it to the summer without a mental breakdown, I went to the emergency room and a new internist to get checked out. Blood work, thyroid, hormones,ok.... Really don't care what they think , I can not walk, it hurts like hell. The Dr. did tell me to get off Lamictal....ok 7th day and I have some relief but it is not complete. Called manufactures, interesting, yes- these are side effects!!! But the studies are limited. Listen , unless you have seizures, get off this medicine... you read the full disclosure of side effects and then search yourself......It can ba a huge FOOOOOPA.....And you are the fool that will end up holdling the bag, not the manufacturer. Hopefully I will get better. Right now , I just trying to stay calm.

Took Lamictal for about a month and a half for depression, starting June 206. Did help flatten out & stabilze mood. Started with small 25mg dosages and ramped up. By the time I got to 175mg, for some unknown reason, I started to get bad "pins/needles/elctric shock-type" pains in hands & feet, then progressed to arms, legs & trunk areas, with some body twitches and deep, inner aches. Symptoms started in mid August 2006 and still remaining today, mid November 2006. Fearing these symptoms will never cease has me under alot of anxiety. Hard to get to sleep at night. Has made life very difficult to manage. Has anyone else experienced these side effects? Was not taking any other med at the time.

SAVA102503 AND ANYONE ELSE WONDERING ABOUT ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY: It should ONLY be done as a last resort!! In my experience, I had it once in my early twenties and it had only a temporary effect on my depression, ZAPPED my short term memory and I had PTSD from it for YEARS!! Please know that there ARE community mental health clinics for those who have no money, and they are lifesavers. Find one!! Good luck.