Lamotrigine

[Stacieamy]

I have had a lot of stressors and hadn’t had CBD for about a month. My emotions have been much stronger than normal. Depression was really bad, have had more episodes of numbness, and love has been overflowing. My current scripts:
Wellbutrin
Ranitidine
Atenolol
Cymbalta
Meloxicam
Hydroxyzine prn (do not use when I have Cbd)
Flonase
Trazadone prn

My psychiatrist started me on Lamotrigine yesterday (haven’t taken it yet). I talked to the pharmacist about any possible interactions and he said I’m good. They were very clear that this is a serious med and made sure I was clear about what to watch for in case of side effects. I have done some research on it. I’m still really nervous to start it. Anyone have any reviews on it?

 

[8888]

I take 75 mg of the extended release which is a low dose. Going to 100 mg made me manic so I'm staying at 75. I take it mainly because I also have an autism spectrum disorder and it helps with my emotional regulation and mood, but I guess those benefits could be helpful for PTSD too. No major side effects.

 

[Stephani8o]

I have bipolar so it may be different but I worked my way up to 150 which the other med I take makes it more like 300. When they tried to lower my dose or when I forget, I get so so depressed. I wouldn't be here without it. Go slow, watch for the rash, but it's worth a try.

 

[joeylittle]

How long have you been on the cymbalta? I ask because there was some info that recently came out about how it loses efficacy over time - after +/- 5 years, it's not necessarily useful anymore as an antidepressant.

And, can you share a little about what tools you use (besides meds) to manage the intensity of the feelings you are experiencing?

 

[Stacieamy]

I just started Cymbalta about 3-4 months ago. I was loving it, especially since I have chronic pain. About a month ago a series of very stressful events started. I still like Cymbalta but it wasn’t keeping up with the shit that was happening.
That being said, my best friend was very suicidal on it. So it varies a lot between individuals.
SSRIs and SNRIs usually crap out on me between 2-3 years, so I would be thrilled to get 5 years out of it.
The best thing so far has been CBD. It is a friggin miracle treatment. I can go on a lot about it, so I’ll let you research it.
There is also a device called “Alpha-Stim”. It works by changes some of your beta brain waves to alpha waves. It is excellent. Definitely research it. It’s kind of like a TENS for your mind.
I also spend time with dogs and close to nature
I strongly believe that our self-imposed distance from nature accounts for much of our suffering. We are created by nature, we belong with it, not fighting it.

 

[joeylittle]

I just started Cymbalta about 3-4 months ago. I was loving it, especially since I have chronic pain. About a month ago a series of very stressful events started. I still like Cymbalta but it wasn’t keeping up with the shit that was happening.

Cymbalta was the first thing I was put on, for depression. Wellbutrin added as an adjunct about 6 months in. That combo was pretty solid for me for about 2 years, give or take - but had to start adding in other things at that point. I'm not entirely sure when the cymbalta stopped working for me altogether, probably around 3 years in. Good to know you've just started it.

If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely make sure I'd tweaked everything that was tweak-able within my current meds before starting on another. Making sure I was at max doses or had already ruled out dose increases, keeping track of time of day in relation to mood, and looking at adjusting med times accordingly.

Lamotrigine is a very effective drug. It can be quite strong, and I've come to believe (based on my own experience with it, and in reading about it) that using it for adjunctive depression management is a little like using a sledgehammer on a finishing nail. It will get the job done, but it's going to (potentially) cause some other problems.

For me - it was like being wrapped in packing foam. I was buffered from the depression, but in a way that separated me a little too much from reality. It also slowed me down; I was not totally aware of it, or rather, I didn't care too much - but it affected my work in such a way as to be a problem. I also had the side-effect of shaking, which wasn't very easy for me to deal with, as some of my work can be very manual and I need precision in my hands.

I have had a lot of stressors and hadn’t had CBD for about a month. My emotions have been much stronger than normal.

This indicates that the intensity you're experiencing might be

• Transient / manageable on the stressor side
• Addressed with CBD, which you know works for you

What's your CBD situation?

Re-reading your post, I realized that I made an assumption, that the emotions you were experiencing too intensely were negative. But are you having both highs and lows? If that's the case, lamotrigine might be a very good way for you to go. My concerns about it all have to do specifically with adding it into unipolar depression management.

 

[Sideways]

My concerns about it all have to do specifically with adding it into unipolar depression management.

This, especially with 2 anti-depressants already in the mix. Cocktails like that have no evidence base to draw on in terms of efficacy, and too often create health issues with side-effects from interaction. Mixing multiple anti-depressants is not typically recommended for ptsd, and when used for MDD, should be considered a last resort.

 

[Stacieamy]

It’s been a few months now and I have fixed a lot of stressors. In fact, I’m just finishing up moving in with the man I’m in love with. ?
Becoming overheated has become a big problem since I started Lamotrigine. I do the smallest strenuous activity (walking around the store, hauling in things from the car) and I get very hot, sweat a ton, and have to rest.
I will have my psych appointment soon and I’m going to talk to her about getting off of it.

 

[EveHarrington]

It’s been a few months now and I have fixed a lot of stressors. In fact, I’m just finishing up moving in with the man I’m in love with. ?
Becoming overheated has become a big problem since I started Lamotrigine. I do the smallest strenuous activity (walking around the store, hauling in things from the car) and I get very hot, sweat a ton, and have to rest.
I will have my psych appointment soon and I’m going to talk to her about getting off of it.

Have you tried any other mood stabilizers?

Did this one work for you?

 

[Stacieamy]

It’s the first MS I’ve been on. It seems to be doing it’s job. But, as I said originally, I had a lot going on and everything has stabilized for the most part. I started having PTSD and MDD symptoms about 20 years ago and hadn’t had mood swings like that before.