GABAergic vs Antiglutamatergic

[elena1]

I have been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and anxiety and put on Lamictal and Lexapro. I think lamictal works really good for me. I feel calm and able to concentrate. Lexapro on the other hand is making me feel sick. I experience all of the side effects. I tried to research about these meds and I know that Lexapro mechanism of action is based on SSR but I am not quite sure what lamictal does. Some meds affect the serotonin levels, other the dopamine and glutamate. I just watched a video about bipolar and there was an interesting aspect on Sedating GABAergic vs Activating/Antiglutamatergic meds. I find it quite interesting as they claim that the GABA ones are associated with weight gain whether the antiglutamatergic ones with weight loss. A lot of patients are concerned with weight gain so I think this is something to look forward to.
Anyway, I was wondering if every medications acts on different neurotransmitter how do you know what type of neurotransitter is the most appropriate to be altered?  
Is Lamictal antiglutamatergic?

[elena1]

Thank you for the response. I was just concerned with what the best medication would be but after reading through this site I figured there isn`t a simple answer to this.
~E

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

My advice to you is to not try to figure out the brain metabolism issues.  We professionals only have a small understanding of that even though it seems we know more.  Be practical...lamictal works and Lexapro is giving you side effects, so either talk to your doctor about stopping it or changing the dose or substituting something else.  They all can cause weight gain but if you are careful about your emotional eating patterns, you will not gain weight.