Combining Zoloft and Lamictal - What are your experiences?

Hi MLynn,

I have moved your post here to a new thread as I think you will get more responses.

Darren

 

MLynn said...
Hi everyone, Im new to this site.

I have had Depression for about the last 4 years or so and was given Zoloft which I started out on 50 mg a day. That didnt seem to help so they raised it to 100 mg which after about a month worked wonders for me. Well about a month ago I started to have the same symptoms I had before I started meds. (racing thoughts, thoughts of death, i couldnt stand to be around my boyfriend almost like i hated him and I definitely do not, we have been together almost 6 years and he is a wonderful man, felt nervous, hopeless, worthless etc...) So I contacted the nurse practitioner that gives me my scripts and she raised my Zoloft to 150 mg. She told me if that didnt help to call her in a week and we would try something else. It didnt do anything so of course I called her and she gave me an appointment for the next day and I went in. When I got in there she had me take a test so I did and after I was finished I handed it to her and she went over the results and asked if anyone had ever told me that I may have a mild case of Bipolar, and of course I answered no. So she decided the best choice for me would to go back down to the 100 mg of Zoloft and she also prescribed me with Lamictal, starting with 25 mg once a day for 2 weeks, then 50 mg a day for 2 weeks, then 100 mg by week 5. Wednesday will be a week that I have been taking the Zoloft and Lamictal together and so far I seem to feel a bit better but I do have moments when I feel blah all over again. Would this be because the Lamictal hasnt really had a chance to work yet? Anyone else on something similar to this with good results? Im just hoping and praying that this will be a good combo for me and I can stop thinking so negatively and get back to loving my boyfriend, this is not fair to him as well.

I just want my life back!!!

Anyone with ANY feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

PS
I just read your post again, and it's amazing how similar my symptoms are to yours. Anyway I just wanted to say that according to what I've heard, that your almost immediate response to zoloft is typical of bipolar patients. Typically depressed patients take a while for a SSRI to work, while those with bipolar feel better quickly.

I have been on 200mg of Lamictal and 75 mg of Zoloft for 3 years now. I was diagnosed with bi polar 2 when I was 23 (I am now 28). It took forever to find the right medications for me. However, 3 years later, I am finding that my symptoms of bi polar 2 have decreased tremendously. My symptoms were typically anxiety with constant thoughts that would essentially just snowball (my highs) and deep depression and feelings of utter worthlessness (my lows). Although the swings were somewhat infrequent, I always felt on edge and I knew that there was something wrong. Now I can gladly say that I have had maybe 1 manic episode since being on my meds. Everyone is different, though! It took a while for these pills to kick in (about a month). I have also found a lot of relief talking to a therapist (not my psych) for about a year now. But like with all emotional issues, it takes patience and a little trust to find out what will work. Hopefully this will help you. Sorry it was so long winded and posted much later than anyone else's. Good luck to you! I have felt your pain! Believe me!! :P

Hi MLynn,

This is my first time on the site, and I found it because I was looking into how Sertraline and Lamictol interact. Like you, I was put on Zoloft for depression and suicidal tendencies about five months ago. I was also first given 25 mg, then upped to 100mg. It seemed to help for about a month, but then I went back into fits of reoccurring severe depression. I told my psychiatrist, he listened to my symptoms, and diagnosed me with Bipolar II. He said Zoloft usually only works for about a month with people who are Bipolar because it only pacifies the depression, but doesn't help with the mood disorder. He put me on Lamictol, lowered my dose of Zoloft to half pills (50mg)but warned me that I probably wouldn't feel better until after the first week. I do feel better, but lately I've had a couple of really bad moments. I've started taking a whole Zoloft again, and it has helped so far. I'm not really sure if this is safe (that's why I was looking online) because I haven't seen my doctor since I started taking the whole pill again.

Another thing my doctor warned me about is that Lamictol can make you sleepy. I was so tired the day after I took it. I mean really tired like dozing off while waiting at red lights. I started taking it at night, and I'm sleeping better (with the help of hydroxyzpan) and feel more refreshed in the morning.

I don't know if any of this will help you, but I hope so :)

Thanks, Karen. I guess I should pay attention to dates haha

Have you told your doctor about this? Maybe you need a med adjustment...

Welcome to the forum.

Hugs, Karen...

I am sure he will find you the right combination, hang in there and take things one day at a time...

I hope you feel better soon...

Hugs, Karen...

I am not sure what he's thinking or doing with my meds but I feel sad, thoughts of suicide, every night I think about death and cry and I'm constantly fighting with my family it's all very frustrating I've been on my mess for at least 6 months now