lamictal and effexorxr

[Dana626]

I have taken efexorxr for a year and it worked so well it's changed my whole outlook on life!
Feel,think,act,it was a miricle....so-after a year was up my meds were no longer given to me because my grant was up and could not afford them...so i just quit them just like that..I wasn't on them anymore and i still felt good. Somthing really bad happened so I went back to the doctor; only this time it was a new one. We talked a while about what was going on and she suggested limictal to me...I've been taking 200mg for a while now --went back to the doctor and told her I was on effexor before so she decided that would probably work in my favor so I'm taking the smallest amount possible of the efexor along with the limictal. I've been taking it together for a couple of weeks now, but have noticed it's interfering with my concentration, pluss it's almost iffy that I may be back where I started...could it be that I havn't taken it long enouph? or maybe the chemical are going through transition?

[coolbreezeh2o]

I took  Effexor more than 10 yrs, it helped me not to explode on others, even the ones I loved.  It helped tremendously, altho I did have fuzzy brain.

My doctor gave me lamictal 200 mg. Didn't notice a difference.  In the mean time she stepped me down from Venlafaxsine (Effexor), till I was completely off, less than 10 days later I had an eruption, like I did w/o Effexor.

I called her tellin her I need that medicine. ,or an increase of this lamictal.  When I requested more Lamictal, she told me I was at my maximum, then I requested to be supplemented with Effexor.  She (THE NEW DOCTOR) said no.

I told her I need something for my anxiety.  That day the first day off the effexor I called then asked if I could have something. IShe asked if I was having anxiety issues NOW.. I told her of course not it is still in my system but 7 days for now I will have a reaction, which I did.

I take trazadone to help me get to sleep, but I ALSO HAVE rls (RESTLESS leg syndrome, and long ago, was given 2 Klonopine which helped, after severAL years, a doctor increased Trazadone  to 3 NIGHT.  she wanted me off of the Klonopine (1.5mg) and told me only to take one, and the trazadone to increaseD  to 3 at night...

I sure feel like the ginny pig, she tried to put me on Gabapentin FOR rls...I called her back because it did nothing for my RLS, it increased the feelings of RLS over my whole body.

then THE LAST MED SHE PUT ME ON WAS LURASIDONE (LATUDA)..THE DIRECTIONS SAY TAKE 3 TIMES A DAY WITH FOOD.  the Kicker was she put on the prescription  ' FOR MENTAL DISORDER"
this med contradicts the Nizoral i take for a skin rash.

' FOR MENTAL DISORDER"
doesn
y that give away my privacy from the privacy act???
I looked up the med and the primary purpose is for ANTISYCOTIC and ANTI schizophrenia...I don' have this.  PLUS AFTER 25 YEAR ON THE MEDS i WAS ON, SHE SAYS i have mania which was never mentioned at any time or in my medical records.

[shell1313]

I am on effexor xr for post traumatic stress disorder.............it does help, especially with the overwhelming sense of feaer i was having about everything..............but it is so expensive and i am not insured.  the dr says i have been on it so long i will likely always be on it.  i tried a psychologist, but who can afford $125 a week, and basically he says keep a journal............i still find myself having very blue times, especially during pms....but i was a mess without the medication.  but i still do not feel fully functional or normal...........and it is getting hard to "fake it."

[Jackie100]

Dana,

I am also on Effexor XR and Lamictal.  My doctor added a small dose of Lamictal to the mix, because Effexor seemed to lose its effect.  I am not bipolar.  I  also have problems with concentration, but I  believe I had problems with concentration previously,  as it is a common syptom of depression.  Best wishes!

[xanweaner]

I'm not sure if you carry AAA but they also discount meds, too. A lot of pharmacy techs may not know the code, but hopefully, one of them can do it. It's not a huge savings, but every bit helps.
I'm sure the Effexor xr is being promoted heavily by the pharmaceutical reps, so you can ask your Dr. for help with samples. My pdoc is generous with his as he knows that my finances are stretched thin since I'm not working currently.

I know that I'm not a physician, but I question the "minor bpilor diagnosis". Is she a psychiatrist or internist/fam. practioner/general practioner?  Lamictal does have some antidepressant qualities, I've heard, so you might be getting some of those benefits - not sure.

And, I'm glad that my suggestion was helpful, too. Good luck in getting another grant approved, too.

Xanax is definitely not a good drug to play around with - it's bad enough when you're taking it on a therapeutic, regular basis as I've been, but this drug is a nasty one when  you have  build up a tolerance. So many people are not prepared for the withdrawal symptoms that are a part of the package.

Hope you're feeling better...

[Dana626]

I'm so relieved! your the first person that replied to me..Thanks!
Im going to take your suggestion...My doctor had said she thought I had a minor bpolar dsorder and gave me the lemictal,although I hadn't taken anything in a while it did help me organise my thoughts and it kept me on a regular plain,but the effexor helped ale much more...Thanks for your advise..I'm going to tell my doctor about this--no need in taking both of them ,right? Xanex I've taken it and got hooked at one point,although I wasn't presribed for it if you know what I mean...I go to AA and have for atleast two years. It's great to kmow ther's others out there who share in your pain and now I have more friends I can shake a stick at that really care about me.I never had that before!
    As far as your question about the cost of the efxr xr,I'm going to see about getting another grant approved, because even this year Im not well finacialy..Thanks again for being there for me!

[xanweaner]

Why couldn't you go back on the Effexor xr if it was so effective for you? I had thought that Lamictal was pricey, too.
Does your Dr. feel that you have BP? Not sure why she prescribed this.

Based upon your post, it seems like Effexor xr worked the best for you. I'd suggest that you let your Dr. know that you felt your best on the Effexor xr, and perhaps something can be worked out. Are there samples available that your doctor could provide to you to help you with the financial aspects?

Good luck...