Lamictal, cymbalta and side effects

I started the Lamictal 10 weeks ago. I had a bit of an itch, but the mood effects were perfect, so I decided to "deal with it".  Over the last 10 weeks I have tried every home and OTC remedy for itching out there and it just gets worse.  Tomorrow I am going to call off work and see my family doc to see what to do for the itching.

Also, since starting the Cymbalta I have noticed increased brusing.  Again, as I continue to take it, it only gets worse.  I have 8 quarter sized marks, and 4 fist sized marks on my legs and stomach.  Scratching is causing brusing.

I had assumed that any side effects would "fade away" if I could only put up with them long enough.  This is the first time I have EVER felt "even" and not depressed my entire knon memory, so I don't want to give up on the med's "effects" just get rid of the "side effects" that are driving me crazy.

When I first got the itch I went straight to a Dr at prompt care worried about a drug interation, allergy, or the rash associated with the drug.  The Dr there looked at me like I was an idiot and said I have hives.  He said that they would go away, but acted like he really didn't think I had anything at all.

I did not want to go to the phych with something that was probably nothing.  I don't like going to see him, so why would I go "extra"?

Ok this AM I called both my Fam Doc and my Phycitrist.  I left messages at both at 8 AM.  My fam doc opened at 9:00, so I called then too.  She said to see the phyc. 

I called the phyc at 10:00 when they opened.  I was promised that the phyc would call me right away.  At noon I had not gotten a call, so I walked over to the office and asked if there was another Dr I could speak to, preferably a woman.  The lady said that there wasn't a woman in that office, but gave me a number for a woman in town. 

At 1:30 the Phyc called me from his car.  He did not know what meds I was on, how long I had been taking them, did not know what was going on, and told me to take benadryl.

I told him I have already done that.  He thought aloud about what med to put me on, and decided on one.  (don't know what it is beyond the fact it is an antihistimine)  He said that if it didn't work I should go to my regular fam doc.  He didn't sound like he thought it would work, and said that the itchyness was really rare.  He did not say he would replace the lamictal with anything.

I don't think I trust anything he says at this point.  I don't want to take it.

I can't get into the woman phyc till Sept even IF she will take me.

The Fam Doc just called and said tht I could have an appt @ 10:00 tomorrow, or go to prompt care tonight.  I think I will go to prompt care tonight.  Now I am so upset I don't think I can work anymore.  I might as well go home.  I hate going to prompt care.

The phyc did NOT call in the med he said he would. I went to go pick it up and it wasn't called in. This was a Walgreens, so even if he had called the wrong location it would still be in the computer. I was LIVID.
My hubby says I should wait for the Fam Doc appt rather than go to prompt care. He thinks I am being mean and should just ignore the things he does. I don't feel like I am overreacting, but then I have been off of the mood meds for 3 days now. I can FEEL my emotions skyrocket and collapse every few minutes.

A bit more about my personal experience with ramping up on lamictal: I started taking it on December 12 and it wasn't until late February that I was at my therapeutic dose of 150mg. I started to feel better along the way, but I remember waking up one morning in late February thinking, "this just isn't a problem anymore" about a family problem I had been worrying about/gnawing on for about 10 years. No kidding! And for a long time prior to lamictal being effective, I'd had a very difficult time getting along with one of my adult daughters. We seemed to argue pretty much everytime we talked on the phone. I felt like I was always defensive, always walking on eggshells. I visited her in May, 2006, and it was a disaster. I visited again this last April, and we had a GREAT time: no arguing at all, and it wasn't just because I was being careful about what I said. I wasn't. My knee-jerk reactivity and being quick to get my feelings hurt had disappeared; it wasn't a change she made. It was absolutely amazing to both of us.

I am late to a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder. I am 60 years old! But when I reflect on my life, I can see that it's had an effect on my work life and personal relationships ever since my late teens. It wasn't until I was under a LOT of stress in my late 50s that the depression and hypomanic symptoms kicked in so strongly that two counselors independently suggested that I might have bipolar II and that I should see a psychiatrist for a diagnosis. Prior to that, another psychiatrist had diagnosed me with ADD and depression (some symptoms are similar to those of bipolar II), but neither the ADD drugs nor standard anti-depressants did anything for me. In fact, it's possible that quitting my Lexapro along with several cross-country red-eye flights might have triggered the hypomania and deep depression in 2006. That happens to some people.

So, I encourage you to find a good psychiatrist, do your own research about the drugs prescribed, take a look at bipolarhappens.com, and know that the right drugs CAN definitely help. You just need a psychiatrist who's willing to be thoughtful in working with you to find the right one(s). If lamictal is causing this rash, it **may** be that you can start over with it IF you titrate slowly.

Hang in there!