HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Lamictal question

Support Forums
>
Bipolar Disorder
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/4/2011 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
Ive been on Lamictal for about 7 weeks 100 mgs 2x day (worked my way up over the 7 weeks)  yesterday I went up to 200 mgs (after my pdoc appt)  I took it last night and was unable to fall asleep .. I was itching all over and felt like something was crawling on me . once I finally fell asleep , I had VERY vivid dreams, In one dream I was out buying a new puppy and I found a "puppy farm" that had dogs and cats that they had changed their DNA to be differnt colors . I had picked out a hot pink puppy with white polka dots and was gonna to pay 900 bucks for it.  they seemed like I was actually there in person.  Then THIS happened :

Apparently I was dreaming . I was having a conversation with my BF and some lady from the internet  (strange enough)  We fell asleep ... Then my BF woke up and said " go downstairs and get me a drink.. I really hate diet coke" in my dream , I fell back asleep .. then I heard him yell "NOW"  I jumped out of bed , in such a deep sleep I couldnt even stand up straight , and stumbled my way down the stairs I went to the kitchen and poured a glass of diet coke...  thinking WHY did he make me do this , WHY didnt he get up and get it himself" I was angry. Then I went back upstairs and saw him lying there sound asleep with the covers pulled over his head , and all I could think of was I cant believe he made me get up , and now hes fallen back to sleep and doesnt even need a drink now

I pulled the covers off him , and yelled "HERE is your drink" he woke up and said " I didnt ask for a drink , didnt want a drink , but thanks for waking me up, I was sound asleep"  I argued with him and told him that he DID tell me to bring him a drink. He swore up and down that it was a dream , and I still couldnt believe it ... it was so real. And until I realized what I was doing , it still felt like I was asleep. Im not sure how I even made it down the stairs.

I called my pdoc and she said it has nothing to do with the meds... I ahve NEVER had anything even similar happen to me . Im afraid im gonna dream something stupid again , like the neighbors calling me and im knocking on their door at 3 am.

any thoughts?  I truly believe that my pdoc is a complete idiot now.

Posted 2/5/2011 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mean to laugh but your post was very descriptive and familiar. My prof had me take the Lamictal in the am because it is known to cause lucid dreaming, night terrors, and insomnia during the first few wks. Also the 200 mg is very high dose I personally think but again I'm a newbie to bipolar treatment not so much the field of psych but of the drugs actual relation personally. The Lamictal also can cause a very serious rash. Which you need immediate treatment for but I def had the whole creepy spiders in the bed feel as well.
You might also wanna consider a bed alarm it will be annoying get use to it at first but sleep walking can be very dangerous and depending on your psychosis dangerous for other.

Goodluck and please keep me updated as I am also on lamictal.
Posted 2/5/2011 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
 

     I have been taking 200mg of Lamictal for years. I've never had the kind of nightmares you are describing but

     have had trouble sleeping for a long time. It seems most people with bi-polar disorder have that problem.

     If possible try taking the Lamictal earlier in the day and not near bedtime, maybe that might help.

 

     I've never paid attention to when I took my Lamictal, just when I remembered to take it. I'm going to start

     taking it in the AM and see if it changes my sleep pattern.

 

    I think it stinks that the medication for a disorder that makes life so difficult can make your body feel even worse, go figure.

Posted 2/6/2011 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Don't wporry a b out laughing.... Its pretty hilarious :)

Ok so I started taking the meds in the morning. No. Insomnia
No itching or feeling things crawli ng on my skin , and no vivid dreams.

I still have strange , sort of real like dreams, but not like the other wheree I couldn't. Tell the difference in dream from reality.

Lamictal has been a miracle for me. I've been through horrible muscle/joint aches
Nerve pain similar to fybromaialgia , migranie headaches, you name it.

Things are better now , and I will never EVER. Take trhat pill at night again :)

And I'm finding a new Pdoc asap
Posted 2/6/2011 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
I don't remember having that reaction when I started Lamictal. I had crazy dreams when I went on Risperdal. I started a week or so after my husband's back surgery, so he really couldn't climb stairs. One night he tells me I came running downstairs in the middle of the night screaming about the dead body in bed with me. I actually insisted he come up and look, and he did even though I know it must have killed him. Funny thing is I NEVER woke up. After 2 or 3 more incidents and no response from my pdoc I ended up in the hospital. Of course I was headed there before they put me on the Risperdal so it wasn't a real surprise.

It's so funny how all of us react so differently to these meds. Best of luck!!!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply