Off Label Use for Lamotrigine

I am in the field of law enforcement and have recently been diagnosed with PTSD and depression due to an on-the-job incident and numerous simultaneous personal traumas.  I was sent to the Psychiatrist used by our Department to deal with situations like this. I am very happy with the treatment so far, but today, I met with a Board Certified Advanced Nurse Practitioner who specializes in medications for anxiety and PTSD.  She took a thorough medical history, spent over 3 hours gathering an immense amount of pertinent information. After reviewing the medications I was already taking (to avoid any conflicts) she recommended Lamotrigine for my intense anxiety. I am VERY familiar with off-label drug uses, but I can find no information re: the use of this drug for my situation. It is a drug used for bi-polar disorder and seizures. I thought that Atavan would be the drug of choice, and after reading more about Lamotrigine, I have become actually quite shocked about this recommendation. Has anyone else been given such advice for the use of Lamotrigine. I show no signs of bi-polar disorder whatsoever.  Thank you.

[ILADVOCATE]

I believe Lamictal is used to treat PTSD as well as the other uses you stated. but you could speak to your psychiatrist more about this.

[aacwells1966]

Lamotrogine is Lamictal and has been a miracle medication for me.  I have  Bipolar and occasional seizures  brought on by stress,   I also have PTSD.  I have only ever heard one bad report of it and i know many many folk on it from a chat room for mood disorders

[Paxiled]

With meds you definitely have to do your own homework as well as listen to the professionals you see.  The recent revelations about seroquel marketing are just another reminder to us that often meds are heavily marketed for purposes that have no FDA approval and no studies to back up either safety or efficacy.  Which doesn't mean they aren't perfectly appropriate and the best alternative, it only means that professionals often recommend what they've heard the most about lately and that usually comes from the manufacturer trying to maximize income.  It is perfectly legal for a physician, once a med has been approved by the FDA, to use it for off-label purposes.  What isn't legal is for the manufacturer to talk the physician into using it for off-label purposes.  So this med might be the best thing for you, and it might be completely inappropriate depending on where the professional got the info from.  So you're right to question things, but as I said, that doesn't mean this isn't a good med for you.  The biggest question we all face is whether we need meds at all or whether therapy alone will do the trick, since none of them will cure us and they all have downsides, but if you need them, the best you can do is see people you trust, research the med on the internet as much as you can, and then make your decision.  Good luck however it turns out.