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Is anyone taking LAMICTAL for DEPRESSION ONLY (NOT bipolar disorder)?

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Posted 2/12/2008 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
I was just prescribed lamictal for my depression and I was kind of shocked to discover that it is a medication for bipolar disorder. This is quite new to me so I'm wondering if anyone else has experience w/this medication for depression exclusively.

thank you.
Posted 2/12/2008 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome SSG72~

 

I am taking Lamictal as well.  My dose however is combined witrh Lithium which apparently has shown near 80% effective in most cases.

 

As far as bipolar disorder, there are three different types of bipolar disorder.  In fact the last time I was in the hospital, that became a diagnosis also.  The best thing to remember is a diagnosis in mental health is just that a diagnosis.  For example, I have had chronic depression which is deemed treatment resistant for many years.  Mental Illness has such a vast array of symptoms that alot of time symptoms overlap which is then categorized by a doctor.  You will discover that doctors very rarely agree with the same "title" of mental illness.

 

Take comfort in that you are actively involved in your treatment.  As far as the Limictal along with other meds in my treatment, I do feel as if it helps and go at this depression with a positive attitude.

 

Hope this helps.

Posted 2/12/2008 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I am not considered bipolar, but have been given bipolar medications. I understand that they can be for mood stablizing.

Thought this might help.

Hugs,

Karen
Posted 2/13/2008 6:58 AM (GMT 0)
thank you guys. it makes me feel better knowing that others have received the medication and not necessarily bipolar. I was a little concerned as I thought these drugs could be dangerous. well, I guess anything can be if not taken properly.

regarding the mood-altering, what is your experience with that? when I hear that, I think of being made sort of subdued, which concerns me too, because my depression is a "I have no energy, can't get off the couch hopeless" kind of thing. I need something that will hopefully help with motivation and mood elevation.

let me all know your thoughts, and thanks again to everyone who's responded.
Posted 2/13/2008 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ssg72,

The medication that I take is called abilify. It is on the stimulation side of the scale, though it is a mood stabelizer. It seems to give me a little energy. They had upped my dose and I couldn't stay asleep at night so they lowered it back down. So far so good.

I wish you luck,

hugs,

Karen
Posted 2/13/2008 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Me again.

Befor the abilify, I took risperdol which worked very good, but made me gain a lot of weight. The abilify doesn't do that.

Hugs,
again,
Karen
Posted 2/14/2008 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
thanks karen and teresa for responding-- this really helps. I swear, if it wasn't for your feedback, I was seriously considering blowing off this prescription!

if anyone wants to add their two cents, please do! :-)
Posted 2/22/2008 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
I have not been on any meds in about 10 years.  I took adderall (sp?) for about 6 mos.  I forgot why I stopped taking it.  I knew at the time I need to be more focused.  I went to a Dr. this week and she gave me Vyvanse 50mg for the first 15 days then 70mg.  She also gave me Lamictal.  I too have never diagonse Bipolar. The Vyvase I took first without the Lamictal and felt druged after about 2 hours.  I have really felt more OCD and not social (which is not like me).  Almost withdrawn??  I called her today and she said take the Lamictal only.  It is a mood stablizer.  Then after about a few weeks, try the Vyvanse.  Has anyone ever felt the same way I do.  I feel like I am in a rut in my life, but might not be ADHA just might have more energy than others??  Anyone please.  I have done lost of research too!

Posted 2/23/2008 12:00 AM (GMT 0)

Hi New,

I too would like to welcome you to HW forum.  We are all here to help if we can, though I am not familar with these medications, I will try to look them up for you.

My book doesn't tell me much about lamictal and doesn't have Vyvase at all so I will look on the net.  Is the lamictal making you groggy?  I take abilify and it doesn't make me sleepy and it is a mood stablizer too.  I also took risperdone, but it caused weight gain.

I hope you can get your meds straight.  If I learn anything new, I will post it.  In the meantime keep posting.  We have a great group of people here as you can see and they are always happy to help.

Good luck,

Karen

Posted 3/18/2008 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
i'd welcome you, but i just found this spot for the exact same reason that you did. :)


however, i always encourage people to worry less about diagnosis and more about their body's response to medication. i've heard hypothesis from professionals as far as to suggest eleven different subtypes of bipolar disorder. now, i heard that from a family member going through his own treatment for bipolar 1, and usually only find 3 or 4 in my own research. the point is, psychiatry has so so so far to go. in fact, though i personally haven't experienced a manic episode, my psychiatrist feels i may experience hypomania in addition to the unipolar depression. he doesn't give me a diagnosis, and i don't ask for one. whether or not we call ourselves bipolar, as long as the mood stabilizer is helpful, by all means. i'm not sure about your case, but i tend to experience cycling depressions (without mania) and am crossing my fingers that this along with the wellbutrin will relax my swing. hopefully it will do the same to you!
Posted 3/18/2008 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Cakes,

I wanted to welcome you to the depression forum. There are a lot of wonderful people here with a lot of valuable advice. So keep posting and we will help you in any way that we can.

Have a wonderful evening

Karen
Posted 3/18/2008 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
thank you. :)
Posted 6/14/2008 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I too have also just started taking Lamictal today to treat untreatable depression.  I went though the gamet of SSRI's with a 55lb weight gain and they all stopped working even at the highest dosage.  I started taking Wellbutrin XL and I have went from 150 to 300mgs over a period of 3 years and I lost 25lbs of my weight gain.  It has begun not to work so well.  My pdoc started me on Lamictal and explained it is used to treat untreatable depression.  I was a little wary of it because of the side effects I thought I would encounter, mainly the tiredness.  I feel tired as of taking it 3 hours ago but not as bad as right after taking it.  I also feel a little weird behind my eyes like I can't focus physically or mentally.  I feel ok inside though and I am going to stick this out.  I am positive that this will keep me stable.  What other choice do I have.  The research shows that it does help to relieve the symptoms and keep you where you belong. 

I would be interested to hear how this is working for people with depression and when do most of you take it?  Morning or evening.  I work in a dentist office and don't want to feel weird during the day until the side effects wear off after my body gets used to it.

Thanks,

Keely

 

Posted 6/14/2008 4:00 PM (GMT 0)

Keely,

I tried it but did not have luck getting onto it.  the side effects were not good and I started at 25mg.  I was staggering and walking into walls..........

I know it is a miracle drug for many so I hope it works for you.

Kitt

Posted 6/15/2008 1:00 PM (GMT 0)

Hello,

Day 2 of Lamictal.  Tired from not sleeping last night.  Not feeling quite as funny today behind the eyes as yesterday yet I am only into an hour after the second one.  I feel like my mind won't shut off when I lay down.  Still have pretty bad anger mad   but I think it is from not getting sleep and having my loser niece drop off her 4 year old to my sister so she can go out with her boyfriend and spend the night with him.  If this happened once in a while I could take it.  I am hoping Lamictal will help with this anger and smooth me out a bit. 

Keely

Posted 6/15/2008 4:08 PM (GMT 0)

Hiya,

Just thought I'd throw in that I know people who have used Lamictal very successfully for Epilepsy and I guess it should work for depression but im not 100%. Keep letting us know how you get on!

Darren

Posted 6/15/2008 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
My son takes Lamictal for epilepsy and it works very well for him .  He takes 2 other meds for the epilepsy and he has been seizure free for almost 3 yrs now.  Before he started on these meds he was having daily seizures.  One of the meds he was taking before all this was an anti depressant drug and that was something that was helping cause his seizures.  Since he has been on the lamictal he is no longer depressed so I think it probably does help depression.  His neurologist said the lamictal would take the place of the AD drug so I guess that is why it is prescribed for depression for some people.  I hope it works for you.

Posted 11/1/2012 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
I have been taking it for about 6 months. It has helped me better than the other anti-depressants I have been. Celexa made me emotionally flat, Welbutrin is great for weight loss, but causes irritability (can be used along with others), and a few others. Lamictal so far has been the best for me. BUT I got diagnosed with ADHD and starting taking Vyvanse. Vyvanse has been fantastic! I got off Lamictal after the first week of taking Vyvanse, and got severely depressed for 3 days. I started taking it again. I realized quitting it cold turkey was a bad idea. Lamictal is supposed to be the new wonder anti-depressant. I have noticed though while taking Lamictal and Vyvanse together, the Vyvanse seems to lose its potency. Not sure if that occurs with others or not. I am trying to ween off of it (Lamictal), in hopes I won't need it any longer. ADHD meds, I was told, helps with depression as well. So hoping that will be my only drug I will have to take.
Posted 2/13/2014 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi ssg72,
I just joined this website to get this message to you!
I have had depression for 20 years ( now 43) and have so far been untreatable on any SSRI or SNRI etc you care to mention. The side effects were all I seemed to get from them and was taking them at such high doses because the depression just wouldn't shift. I have the same style of slug-like depression as you- but laced with a bit of anxiety too. I cannot tell you how debilitating and devastating this disease has been for me, but of course you know all about that.
I tried Lamictal as a kind of "what do I care?" Experiment and it is the best medication I have ever had. I don't have any side effects- unlike all medications behind me. The mood stabilizing effect you are worried about is not numbing or drowsy for me, but rather I have the energy to live my life and I even have my sense of humour back!
My experience has taught me not to sweat the diagnosis and to rather just try to find the meds that suit you.
Best of luck to you. Keep slaying the dragon xx
Posted 2/13/2014 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Anniversary,

This is a very old thread so you may not get a reply. I take abilify and it helps me a lot. It is also a mood stabilizer. I am very happy that the medication is working for you. That is awesome.

Keep posting when you feel like.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 2/15/2014 6:52 AM (GMT 0)

Anniversary said...
Hi ssg72,
I just joined this website to get this message to you!
I have had depression for 20 years ( now 43) and have so far been untreatable on any SSRI or SNRI etc you care to mention. The side effects were all I seemed to get from them and was taking them at such high doses because the depression just wouldn't shift. I have the same style of slug-like depression as you- but laced with a bit of anxiety too. I cannot tell you how debilitating and devastating this disease has been for me, but of course you know all about that.
I tried Lamictal as a kind of "what do I care?" Experiment and it is the best medication I have ever had. I don't have any side effects- unlike all medications behind me. The mood stabilizing effect you are worried about is not numbing or drowsy for me, but rather I have the energy to live my life and I even have my sense of humour back!
My experience has taught me not to sweat the diagnosis and to rather just try to find the meds that suit you.
Best of luck to you. Keep slaying the dragon xx

thank you for this post, its me to a "T". no AD has worked for me either all 20 some of them, started Lamictal today. Wish me luck!
Posted 8/19/2014 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
I can't believe all of the side effects people are experiencing from lamictal. I've been on it for a week and haven't had any side-effects. I was a little irritable one day, which isn't like me, but everybody gets that way from time to time. No other side effects for me. Don't be discouraged by all of the negative talk you read online and just give things a chance to work for you :) If it doesn't work, go back to the doctor and they can help you find something that does work. You'll be okay!

I was wondering if lamictal has helped anyone with anxiety? I'm not bipolar, I have slight depression which the lamictal is supposed to help, but I was wondering if it would have any effect on my anxiety?
Posted 8/19/2014 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Dulciepoo,

Lamictal is pretty much a mood stabilizer for people without bipolar. Though I imagine being in a better more stable mood could help with anxiety.

I wish you luck with it. The benefits are usually noticed with in a week or two.

Welcome to the forum...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 8/19/2014 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
welcome to the forum.

I am on this med along with a few others and it has helped, with out any noticiable side effects.

If it helps you I would stay on the med and let your doctor know the results.

peace
Trina
Posted 11/12/2014 7:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi...I'm new to site and hope it'll be helpful as my choice of therapy; I don't like talking with doctors re: my depression that I've been fighting since I've been a teen; I just turned 44. I have horrible loss over the past 7 yrs. My dad, sister and her husband, my apt after 15yrs to a bed bug infestation; I lost everything. Since my recent lost..my mom...I fell back into it. I've been prescribed lamictal for it and was even more upset that its used for bi polar patients. However I have found it is helping. I feel a mental and emotional positive difference taking it. After all these yrs not finding any meds that worked and usuing the power of mind over everything I've been able to help myself. But yrs of fighting have caught up and I'm in a terrible state once again. So my reason for the post is to try and comfort thoes like me taking the lamictal. Yes...we aren't offically diaged with bi polar depression however if the medicine is working for you stick with it. Bottom line...its about you and your well being. I wish oceans of love, happiness and most of all strenghht to the men and woman who have to face life as we know it. Such as life is not easy so is the uphill battle of having depression. Don't bail on youself; your more important than any tag that may come with a medication such as the lamictal...again go with what works...life for us is diffucult enough. Be well....patricia {hugzzzzz}
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