How much lamictal?

Question

My doc started me on lamictal, with 25mg/day and gradually working up.  I'm now on 50 mg/day and tomorrow will go to 100mg, then a week later to my maintenance dose of 200mg/day.  That seems like an awfully high dose to me.  I'm feeling a lot better now on just the 50 mg -- why do I need to keep upping the dose?  I don't see my doc for another month so that's why I'm posting the question here, to get other opinions before I go to see him.  One issue is that for the past several days I've had major stomach upsets -- major gas (flatulence), cramps, stomach rumbling and I feel like my insides are all messed up.  I'm hungry but as soon as I start to eat, I get nauseous and have trouble swallowing much food.  I don't know if the lamictal is causing that, or do I just have a stomach bug, which was going around my area a few weeks ago.  Any comments would be most helpful.  Thanks.

carol1943 · Answer

Thanks for the comments.  I took a liter of honey and covered my hair with it, then wrapped it with saran wrap for four hours, then used baby shampoo, then poured a jug of white vinigar through my hair, caught it in a basin and then repoured four more times.  Now when my head feels hot or ichy I pour the vinegar oven my head.  So far my head loves the vinegar and my hair is very shiny.  I will try malt beer (I do not drink it because it has cafeen and that is very bad to drink when on lamictal) I will try cinnimon, and even cayanne pepper next.  There has to be some secret to a head of hair????? I am sure I will find it if I keep searching.  I am 65 and people say old age is the cause of hair loss.  Wow, old age is not so golden after all.  Regards, Carol

RubyShooz · Answer

Hair loss!!  Oh, no!  My hair has always been thin and fine-textured and I can't afford to lose any more of it.  While I was on depakote for a couple of months my hair was falling out.  It was not helping me so doc dropped it and put me on the lamictal, along with seroquel.  Hair loss seems to have stopped  but I have not regained what I lost along the way.  It seems that every drug that makes my bipolar symptoms better, has some nasty side effects along with it.  I keep asking my doc for any new, even experimental treatments.  I will try almost anything!  Brain implants, electro-shock therapy, whatever is out there -- but the doc tells me not to get carried away with everything I read about -- I guess he is taking a more conservative approach in order to try and get this thing under control.  So frustrating at times!
Best of luck to you.
Hugs,
Ruby

carol1943 · Answer

I have been on lamictal about 3 years and doc started me off by breaking a (tiny) 25mg into four pieces and taking one piece 2x day for one week and then in week two two pieces, it took one month to take a whole tablet 2x a day. I was told to always start an increase gradually that too fast is dangerous. He said to be patient, watch for signs of rash etc, and report them at once. I also take gabapenten which helps with anxiety. Together (for some reason) is thought to be more helpful. I am now up to 100mg of lamictal 2x a day. Feel ok but over time my hair is thinning. I have lost 2/3 of my hair and am getting very distressed by the hair loss. The doctor suggested I take vitamine B but it is not stopping the hair loss. Also my depression feel much better.

Nikki2226 · Answer

I have been having stomach problems too and I just started lamictal a few weeks ago!  My doc said that it is probably stress related, not the medication.  I'm still not so sure I believe him.  It is wierd how so many people need such different doses of lamictal.  My doc recomended I stay at 50mg a couple of days ago, instead of going up to 100 like he had said before.  I was glad, because I feel like the lowest effective dose is the best option.  I am feeling better but still far from normal.  I don't know what to expect as far as results.  Is "better" goog enough or do I keep hoping to return to my normal self before I started having problems?

samantha828 · Answer

I've been on Lamictal for about 3-4 years now.  I started out gradually at 25 mg, and I'm actually up to 400mg now...I just seem to get worse as time goes on..so the increase is necessary.  No major side effects from it at all actually.. just slight dizziness, which i can tolerate.

--sam

RubyShooz · Answer

thanks for the comments -- I will see how the higher dosage goes, but it seems to me that if I am feeling OK with 50mg or 100mg, why is it necessary to raise it to 200?  I have a doc's appt. in a few weeks so will discuss with him. Thanks for your continuing support.  None of us can go this alone -- we all need each other's help.
BTW - today I confided to a long-time friend that I was recently diagnosed with bp and by the look in her eyes you would have thought I was confessing to an ax murder!  She did not say anything directly, but I just got the feeling that she does not understand this at all.  Big mistake to take her into my confidence with this.  
Ruby

triedeverymed · Answer

Ask your doctor. You may be fine on the lower dose and have a bug. Only your doc will know what's best. I have heard of other people feeling crummy on the higher dose It's a hard call, only your doctor will know.
Good Luck

Jen813 · Answer

Hi.  I've been taking Lamictal for about 7 months now.  I went from 25mg to 50mg to 100 to 150.  I was great on the 100mg but when I jumped up to 150mg I was okay for a couple of days and then the mood swings just got worse and I got really agitated.  My doc told me I was just adjusting and to keep at it for another couple of weeks.  Bad move.  I stayed at the 150mg, but my anxiety went through the roof.  I started having anxiety attacks once every couple of days all the way to the point of having them 3 to 4 times a day.  Then I started having all of these really stupid compulsions (doors, locks, etc).  My doc told me all of the stuff was related to the Lamictal.  Once I knocked the dose back down to 100mg/day I started doing much much better again.  I say try it for a little while, but once you start seeing (if you do) a reverse effect try to get it lowered as soon as you can.  This probably wasn't much help, but I started taking risperdal yesterday and my brain feels really fried....but I hope it at least makes sense ;)
Good luck.

RubyShooz · Answer

thanks for your note.  I will definitely ask the doc to keep me at a lower dose.
As for the stomach problems, the psych doc told me to call my regular doc first, I saw him this am and he gave me some stomach meds (prescription Prevacid) and also ordered abdominal ultrasound. Hopefully that will take care of the stomach problems.
Thanks again for posting.  It's very lonely to post a note and have nobody respond!

xanweaner · Answer

I agree with you...if you are feeling good at 100mg., let your Dr. know that this is the dose that you'd like to try. I couldn't tolerate 75 mg., and told my Dr. that I wanted to stay at 50 mg. 

Good communication is key here...you can call your doc on the phone to discuss vs. waiting 1 month for your appt. I do this all of the time with my psychiatrist....

Good luck finding the right dose for you....I find lamictal quite easy to tolerate overall at my dose...I hope you feel better soon (stomach virus?).