Lamictal?

[avantikashankar]

Hi,
I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but have been on the medication for it since 2009. I experienced a lot of weight gain (40 pounds) on this medication (olanzapine), and it just added to my depression and made me miserable and totally unconfident. Also, although I haven't experienced a full-blown manic episode in a while, my depressive episodes have become harder and harder to cope with. I am sad and weeping for maybe two weeks every month, and it has affected my studies and my social life.
So I asked my doctor to change the medication and she suggested lamictal. I was wondering if anyone else has been on this drug and what their experiences were?
Thanks.

[Bobby3000]

Can get out of bed now in 2 hours verses 6  AHHHH
Some brain fog.. no other side effects for me

[Lory1978]

Well I've been on lamictal for over a year,  I had depression still, and alot of weight gain, but for me excersise seems to help with the depression, I excersise with DVD's called Shawn T.- INSANITY, it's very intense work out, but is a big stress reliever, And i dont get in the depressed moods so much, It calms the anger problem sometimes. anxiety i havent figured out wats good for that yet.

[BipolarBear75]

I have no idea either but I am only on 100mg of Lamictal but 1500 mg a day of lithium. That may be the problem. Thanks so much. :)

[Doeiis9]

I take a total of 300mg a day. I am not sure if this is considered the norm, low, or high.

[BipolarBear75]

What dosage are you on may I ask? I haven't been doing well more on the depressive side and think that I will need a higher dosage of lamictal.

If you don't feel comfortable saying your dosageon this forum, please message me.

[run4you]

I have bipolar 1, I'm on Lamictal. I had issues with huge weight gain with Depakote, same issues as you have - it was spiraling into depression, so no deal. I have had no weight gain because of the Lamictal :)

I didn't have to step it up as slow as the above poster's chart, but do follow your dr's instructions. And don't miss doses. I haven't had any issues with it at all, thankfully!

[BipolarBear75]

Hi, I have rapid cycling Bipolar 1. I was also born with an inactive thyroid gland. That has made everything worse....for example I cannot take any of the antipsychotic meds out there. They are 10x stronger for me because of my thyroid and meds I take for that.

I am on lithium which is an "anti-manic" mood stabilizer. I am also on Lamictal which is an "anti-depressant" mood stabilizer. Mood stabilization is all I have to work with because of my other illnesses. They are both my lifeline or as my pdoc says...my oxygen.

If it makes you feel any better, I find that lamictal has cut my appetite a bit which is a welcome thing....as I am trying to lose weight too. Aren't we all??? But the anti pyschotic family of drugs packs on more pounds for sure.

[Doeiis9]

I take Lamictal for bipolar disorder. It was a suggestion made to me by my doctor after we tried every other drug on the market. It was a decision WE made together. He gave me some reading material and we discussed the side effects. Many of the side effects were similar to that of the other meds that I had already been on. The main issue for me is that it has raised my sugar levels. So I have to watch what I eat more than what I did before.

BUT, ..... It has been the only medicine that finally helped me! (There was a small timeframe that Abilify was added, but I no longer take it). I guess what I am saying, if you have tried everything else and nothing has worked for you, then this might be your saving grace. I actually lost some of the weight that I had gained from being on some of the other meds. I feel better, I have more energy, and my mood swings have dramatically decreased. It has really contained my manic episodes.

[adel_ezz]

olanzapine/zyprexa is a potent atypical antipsychotic of eli lilly good as antimanic too. but as you said gives weight gain. all these antipsychotics have the risk of acquiring diabetes too.

As to lamictal it's an anticonvulsent known as a bipolar drug too. its risk is slim for gaining skin rash 1 in every thousand. People have contradicting views about it since it's a new drug comparatively to the other drugs of same category like tegretol and depakote say. But i would say among all these ones, lamictal stands as one of the best because it helps with depression too.

All drugs have adverse effects and one has to come up with a combo after some trial and error.

you can give it a try. But be slow with lamictal. Here is the titration
Lamictal dose
Week Morning dose Bedtime dose
1               —           12.5mg
2             12.5mg           12.5mg
3             12.5mg            25mg
4             25mg               50mg
5             50mg            50mg
6             50mg               75mg
7             75mg            75mg
8                  75mg            100mg
9            100mg              100mg

good luck    

[rBoulet]

Well olanzapine, which I was on before I was diagnosed too, is actually an antipychotic and did cause a ton of weight gain for me too. I don't know about lamictal but I just wanted to say its not a main bipolar medication, so you have a lot of other options. Why not do some of your own research and find a list of medication that you think might help you, then present that to your doctor.