Does Lamictal Help Ptsd If You Are Not Bipolar?

[brae]

ugh med confusion is so awful, im so sorry they arent being clear with you. it feels like informed consent isnt a priority here, and u totally deserve that and to feel supported in starting a medication. its a big deal to take these steps and i feel if our anxieties arent soothed or heard in the process it can totally affect our relationship with the drug and its effects, let alone our trust for the doctor.

i agree with EveHarrington, why is an osteo diagnosing mental disorders and prescribing meds like that?? i had no idea they were even really linked to mental health??

maybe sharing my experience could give insight? i dont have bipolar, i am diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, i also have hypothyroidism like you. i get nervous about how meds affect my thyroid but they always tell me not to worry. every med i have been prescribed has had awful awful side effects, especially ssri's (extreme anxiety and panic, hypomania, migraines, exacerbates my insomnia, amongst other things) and the anti psychotics ugh. i was prescribed lamictal on its own abt 6 months ago after not being on meds for a few months, to be honest it is the only med so far that has relatively stabilised my moods in a way where im not just at a suicidal depression baseline all the time. i was doing quite well on the therapeutic dose of lamictal (200mg), but i had to reduce to 100mg for certain reasons and my moods are becoming out of control again, so it definitely worked/works in ways. i was nervous because i couldnt find a lot of information about it being used for anything other than an anticonvulsant and bipolar med, but turns out a lot of people i know are successfully on lamictal and they all either have bpd or ptsd

a hard thing with just ~giving lamictal a try~ is how slowwwwly you have to take it increasing/decreasing the dosage, because of 'the rash'. its really hard when you Need Help Now and have to wait a few months to even get to the therapeutic dose! maybe thats a part of why its not usually used on its own? im still really confused about lamictal to be honest

i really hope some wonderful synchronicity happens that means you can get in to see someone helpful before the end of the year and feel more secure about all this

 

[joeylittle]

its really hard when you Need Help Now and have to wait a few months to even get to the therapeutic dose! maybe thats a part of why its not usually used on its own?

Mostly, this. It just has to be titrated up very, very slowly - and the potential negative side effects are greater. For what it's worth, I'm not surprised to hear it's helping you manage your BPD/PTSD combination. It can be a good solution for an emotion regulation disorder like BPD. Best way I can describe my experience on it, it just buffered things so nothing was affecting me quite as sharply/deeply - things were literally less intense, instead of just becoming easier to manage.

to be honest it is the only med so far that has relatively stabilised my moods in a way where im not just at a suicidal depression baseline all the time. i was doing quite well on the therapeutic dose of lamictal (200mg), but i had to reduce to 100mg for certain reasons and my moods are becoming out of control again, so it definitely worked/works in ways.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that things even out for you.

 

[brae]

Best way I can describe my experience on it, it just buffered things so nothing was affecting me quite as sharply/deeply - things were literally less intense, instead of just becoming easier to manage.

yes, thankyou such a good way to put it, i identify with that in my own experience too. its basically what my psych said, that it would buffer the extremes of my moods, it gave me space to start working with my emotions at a safer distance from them, if that makes sense? im hoping to go back up to a higher dose in a few months ~crossing fingers~ thank u for the well wishes!

 

[trying2movefwd]

Im not bipolar. Im on lamictal, Abilify, and welbutron....i have ptsd and borderline personality disorder. So themood stabilizers help as my moods rollercoaster throughout each day. My BPD will benefit most from DBT therapy.I also have severe major depression recurrent severe.

 

[LisawithPTSD]

Why is an osteopath diagnosing mental disorders? I think she's way out of her league on this one!...

Exactly. And now it is ON MY MEDICAL RECORD at the hospital in a small rural where everyone knows each other. You can delete it. Only strike it but it will always appear there. That is if she will strike it.

 

[LisawithPTSD]

@joeylittle and @Panda Bear : I'm on SSRI—Lexapro, Armour Thyroid and a variety of non-prescription support (Vit D, B-complex, Adreno-Mend).

@brae: It is very hard to start a medicine when the dr/patient relationship has been seriously compromised. The whole thing has been a trigger. Its like the worst thing to do to someone with PTSD is take advantage of their trust, be dismissive of them, give them care and treatments that exacerbates their symptoms. She is no doubt fired, in my opinion. But I'm still considering the Lamictal because I need relief and have heard good and bad things.

To make matters even worse, my abuser was (is) bipolar. This misdiagnosis is painful on so many levels. So I'm having trouble getting past it to feel comfortable giving this medicine a try.

I feel better knowing that those who don't have bipolar are able to take it for relief. I'm just scared, triggered by this so I'm having trouble judging it. If I'm bipolar, I'm bipolar. But I was a psych professional to diagnosis it, not a DO. And I don't want to have the ER staff to give me inappropriate treatment if I have to be admitted for suicidal ideation.

 

[joeylittle]

@LisawithPTSD - are you on a wait list to get in for the psychiatrist sooner? I know you said 2017, that's a ways away.

Also, have you looked into seeing a clinical psychologist for a more in-depth (and informed) diagnosis?

Finally: you don't have to take any medication you don't want to take, that's the bottom line.

I'm still considering the Lamictal because I need relief and have heard good and bad things.

I re-read through the thread and didn't quite see the answer, so forgive me for asking - very specifically, what do you need relief from?

 

[LisawithPTSD]

@LisawithPTSD - are you on a wait list to get in for the psychiatrist sooner? I...

When I get a severe Trigger (with a capital T) I am having less tolerance and patience with living with PTSD and go into suicidal ideation almost immediately. I'm getting more serious about completing it as well--not reaching out, trying three different methods, preparing for what will happens to those I love afterward and being ok with it. I'm dropping like a stone into it. The Lamictal is to augment refractory depression.

[Note: But in the appointment she repeats that I'm on the "bipolar spectrum" when she goes to prescribe it—even though I repeatedly tell her I have never been diagnosed as having it. I have asked her to contact my psychotherapist, my psychiatrist, the psychotherapist she referred me to this year. I've signed releases with them. Each one of them have specifically stated that I am not bipolar. So I'm having trouble separating this event from the prescription because the event is triggering. My PTSD is making it hard for me to judge whether to take it for rational reasons.]

If we rule that aspect out and, say, a Psych prescribed this to me, there is a chance that it could help me level out. So, I'm thinking of trying it. The Lexapro helps a lot except when I hit the severe Triggers.

 

[LisawithPTSD]

@LisawithPTSD - are you on a wait list to get in for the psychiatrist sooner? I...

Wait list. I had seen two in recent years—one on my own and another thru a facility. One has passed away so I can only go the the one with the long wait list.

 

[joeylittle]

One has passed away so I can only go the the one with the long wait list.

And there are no clinical psychologists (for diagnosis)? I'm not saying I don't believe you, only asking.

I'm getting more serious about completing it as well--not reaching out, trying three different methods, preparing for what will happens to those I love afterward and being ok with it. I'm dropping like a stone into it. The Lamictal is to augment refractory depression.

Lamictal will buffer that. I would suggest asking your doctor about latuda instead. I can only speak from my personal experience of the two - Latuda is a really nice drug that doesn't have as many tricky side effects, but can be a great adjunct in addressing depression. It's also OK'd for bipolar. So, while I know you're pretty sure you don't have bipolar, if you're getting this scrip from your PCP and they are on this bipolar kick, Latuda would be acceptable to them.

It's a good drug, just less heavy.

 

[7Cs]

I take it for PTSD but I have bi polar type symptoms when I'm not on my meds.

Right now I'm having them anyway.... time for a med check.

I also take wellbutrin for depression and in the past I took risperdal.

Risperdal and lamictal was my wonder drug combo. Changed my life.

 

[7Cs]

It does - at least, I'm a sample of 1, but it was effective in buffering the worst aspects of my dep...

What is MDD?

I think I know but can't remember now.