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The nurse practitioner I'm seeing for my meds wants to put me on Lymictal...

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Bipolar Disorder
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Posted 10/22/2006 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
he has me on Geodon right now and when I get stable he wants to switch to Lamictal. I just finished reading the information on the drug and OMG, I don't want to be on it. There are way too many horrible side effects. Now I'm scared. Any advise?
Posted 10/22/2006 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
 

Hi, I am not currently on lamictal but I know of people who are.  My sister-in-law is on lamictal and she really likes it.  It was one of the few drugs she could be on while being pregnant.  I think once you get over the "deadly rash" issue it really is not that bad.  I heard that even if you have the rash you can have it for a while before it becomes really serious.  I geuss lamictal has one of the best antidepressants qualities for a mood stabalizer.  I think it also has fewer side effects than a drug like lithium etc...

 

Posted 10/22/2006 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Chelle hun --

Right, first things ... you know that these med companies have to list every side effect that has effected 1% or more of people on the med? Ok, that means that for all of those possible side effects up to 99% of people don't get them! That's GOOD!! Whenever we read side effect info it *can* be scarey, especially if we are in an anxious state of mind: we can assume that they are all things we are going to get. Well, that's not the case. I'm on Celexa (Citalopram), for example, and, though I get a spaciness and nausea in the first few days (nothing too bad!), there's a massive collection of things on the side effects list that I *don't* get. Those lists are worth familiarising yourself with, not so that you worry you will get all, but so that if you do get a side effect you can check to see if it's one that is very temporary, or if it is potentially longer term or serious (in which case chat to your doc). And because Geodon's a short-term, crisis management med, if you do happen to get side effects that last (rather than occur briefly while your body adjusts in the first couple of weeks) they might be things that you and your doc feel are worth bearing with while the med sorts you out, as you'll be swapping to a mainenance mood stabiliser in a few months anyway. As always with these things, just keep a gentle eye on how your body reacts, but don't fixate on it, as anxiety can make us all *think* we have reactions to things -- and even create those reactions -- if we're not careful!! -- Essentially, just remember that your condition, including the anxiety, has also given you "side effects": looked at this way, you can keep reminding yourself that it's *that* that is scarey and that you wouldn't want to be on.

Maybe have a little diary that you check in with every couple of days just to write down how you're feeling and whether or not you think there are any effects. Other than that, try to concentrate on the management tools you can foster to help you deal with this condition and the day-to-day stuff of life (like checking out more educational stuff or setting yourself little projects -- related or otherwise!).

Hugs to you.

Rosie x
Posted 10/22/2006 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
I recently started taking Lamictal and got a rash. It didn't look like the rashes you see when you Google Images "Lamictal rash", so I didn't stop taking it right away, as I was told to do.

I saw my new psych and showed him the rash. He was mildly concerned and referred me to a dermatologist, who just gave me treatments for it. Nobody seems to think this is a big problem or a deal-breaker. The new psych was holding off upping my dose until I saw the dermatologist though.

I don't seem to be experiencing any other side effects (well, I am totally spun out-- but I think that is from stressful life conditions, not my meds).
Posted 10/22/2006 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
i've said it before on this forum and i guess i have to say it again.  EVERY drug is a poison - a toxin - to your system.  some of the side effects of drugs are 'helpful" like penecillin killing bateria and dieing off before it kills us.   this dynamic is true for all medications.

i am on lithium (900 mg) and welbutrin (100 mg).  the side effect of the lithium is that my moods are generally stable.  the side effect off the welbutrin is that my depression for the fist time in a long time is unde control.  and negatives?  i have to take a thyroid supplement once a day because of the lithium.

i read all i could before starting this regime.  yes, the side effects listed concened me.  they still do.  but when i balanced the posities against the possible negatives, i opted for the medication.

Posted 10/23/2006 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to all of you. I'll wait and see what he says. You're all right, there are side effects to everything. For some reason, I kinda flipped over the ones for this. I don't know why. It just triggered something and I went, "no way Jose". Oh well, I'll keep chugging along. Thanks for the reality check!

Posted 10/23/2006 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Always a pleasure lovely Chelle -- I've freaked out over these things too in the past. -- It's only years of meds and knowing that I've not had the majority of side effects listed that has brought me my personal reality check! I did have to change meds twice because of weird long-term side effects, but they weren't serious as such (cleared up pretty smartish when I got off those meds), and, in truth, that's not much to worry about considering the different med options out there and the fact that each time it was only one of the side effects that caused any trouble, not all of them together.(And I'm now on a med that I know works brilliantly for me and causes me no problems at all!! yey!) All in all, it's worth chugging along (love that phrase!) and seeing how the meds go for you -- and I wish you a whole load of success on them!!!

Rosie x
Posted 10/24/2006 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
i get a kick out of the warning labels for meds.  a cautionary on sleeping pills, "may cause drousiness."  duh?  or warning label on the percocet that i take for chronic pain: "may cause dizziness."

yes, rosie, they have to list everything.  but come on, give us a break!

warren

Posted 10/24/2006 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
LOL -- Like the warnings on packets of peanuts: "May contain nuts"!!

Rosiex
Posted 10/26/2006 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
Chelle,I

I have been taking Lamictal as part of my cocktail on-and-off for about a year now, and never had severe side effects.  I also used to get different, yet minor rashes all the time.  It was not really a problem, it just seemed like a rash you would get by wearing wool or something.  But as you have read or heard from others, a small % of people do get the major rash.  I was told by my pdoc, if you do get the rash it usually happens within the 1st two weeks.  When I first started taking it, I was terrified, but it all worked out.  Other than that, most of the other symptoms were very minor.  I only felt a little drowy the first few days, but I was fine afterwards.  Good luck and best wishes on your meds.  :-)

Posted 10/28/2006 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
I'm trying to hang in there. I'm having really bad mood swings yesterday and today. Calling myself awful names....

I did end up taking the lamictal last night. I'm not really itchy today. My mind playing tricks on me? Probably. Now I'm calling myself some more bad names....

 

Posted 10/29/2006 8:57 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Chelle -- *no more mean names to yourself*!! Ok? That's just the condition trying to fight back now that you are starting to fight *it*. Practise reminding yourself how brilliantly you have been coping with the shock of this diagnosis -- how far you've come -- and tell yourself these things again when those negative thoughts come on: you are not bad -- you are good and lovely!! :)

(((Chelle)))

Rosie x
Posted 10/30/2006 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Ya know what Rosie? I love you. You have a way about you that always seems to make me smile, no matter if I'm calling myself bad names or anything else. Thank you soooo much! You're beautiful!

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