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I need some info on Lamictal tablets?

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Posted 1/12/2007 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
  Hey it's been awhile since I have visited this forum and you all have been so helpful in the past. I am a crohn's pateint and unfortunatly depression seems to go hand in hand with this disease. I could be wonderwomen and still I would be depressed. They have me on a immune-subpressant drug called imuran.  And apparently the fatguie[sp] that comes with the meds and the disease cause depression.

  I was put on two anti-depressants. Desipramine [100mgs a day] I take in the morning and Mirtazapine 30mgs [generic for remeron] at night. Both meds have been doing great till now. When I was perscribed them I was only at 75mgs of immuran. They bumped me to 150mgs. Every since then the fatigue is getting to me. It's not a helpless type of depression but a tired kind.

  My choice was to up these 2 meds or try the Lamictal tablets. So I chose to try the lamictal packet. I know nothing about this med. and the pamplet I was given talks about bipolar disorder. This is something that I am not suffering from. Is it normal to be perscribed this type of drug? I started it yesterday and with in an hour had the worse migrane I can remember having in a long time. I actually wanted to go to the ER. So today I'm some what afriad to take it. Is a migrane normal?

   I realise my questions might be hard to answer but any info would be appreciated

RJ

Posted 1/12/2007 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Redjeep, I do not think I have been on this chat area but I do have bipolar disorder and have been diagnosed with severe depression most of my life and then it was changed. I use lamictal now for a long time and it is an anticonvulsant which is also used for a mood stabilizer. I went the the doctor yesterday and he saw how much more depressed I am and thought he would increase my paxil, to my surprise, he increased my lamictal and stated he thought that will help with the increased depression it just had major surgery and had my colon removed and have been spending time on the ostomy room. So, I will let you know how it does. I will call the doctor immediately about the migraines to see if he still wants you on it, you may be able to change it if it is a side effect that obviously is bad for you. There are alot of other meds, I also take trileptal which is very much like the lamictal. I use both for other reasons. I also take so much medications it is rediculous but know that if I stop one, I have to deal with the problems, so I know I need them. Take care and hope we can talk again, call the doctor as a quick suggestion. enpointe
Posted 1/12/2007 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RJ   I do not have much experience with this drug but I have found a site for you that has many answers to questions about lamictal. Hope it helps   Take care   http://www.drugs.com/lamictal.html
Posted 1/12/2007 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Victoria-"life is worth living" isn't it? Thank you so much for finding the site for me. Hopefully it will answer some questions I have.

Enpointe-I think a mood stablizer is what she was talking about when she suggested it instead of increasing the meds. I am already on. How were you diagnosed? If you don't mind my asking? I can do better than that. My son will be home soon so he can help me give you my email address. I am just now learning how to operate the computer.Sorry to hear about you'r surgery. Can I assume you have IBD trouble? I have crohn's along with a few more diagnoses. I joked with my GI that the more diagnoses he gives me the more he can charge. I had surgery for a really bad rectal prolapse { I'm only 36!} I too was scared that I would wake up with a ostamy bag [ if I spelled that right] I have a friend that has had one for the last 12 years and she has 3 children. I have heard that it can so improve the quaility of life for a crohns or UC patient.
So can you tell a differnce in you'r depression and moods being on this med? This depression thing has me by the throat so to speak for about 3 months now. Which is exactly when the doc upped my imuran. You'r not alone with having to take alot of meds. we are in the same boat. I could make a small meal out of mine.lol
hope to talk soon, I am so bored right now I am actually cleaning.
RJ
Posted 1/12/2007 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
It certainly is RJ - It took me a while to realsie that though.   Hope the site is helpful.....take care and keep in touch
Posted 1/13/2007 6:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi redjeep, I was put on lamictal for a mood disorder too. I started with the packet and then called my Dr. and told him I didnt like the way I was feeling. He told me to take 50 mg. instead of the 100mg. I only took them for 2 months and stopped taking them. I am going this week to see if there is something else I can take instead. Every medicine reacts didfferently for each person, but lamictal made me feel suicidal and have very strange thoughts. I didnt feel like I was in control of my own emotions and I dont like to feel like that. I hope this medicine works well for you though. Keep us informed as to how you are doing. I think my biggest concern was the fact that it is given for epilepsy (which my brother had) and for bipolar disorder which I didnt have. I just wasnt comfortable taking it.
Posted 1/13/2007 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'm having a hard time getting passed the bipolar thing. Though I can't say I'm not bipolar I have never been evaluated. Which also worries me about taking it,
rj
Posted 1/13/2007 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Redjeep, I hope your day is going well. Last night I had a really hard time with the depression and did reach out to some friends and after calling them, I went to bed and did feel alot better. I have had depression since as long as I can remember actually. I grew up in an alcoholic family and everyday was chaos. I first was diagnosed in 1980 in college when I could not take it anymore and needed to study yet could not concentrate. My doctor in Fl was wonderful and I was on prozac for 10 years with problems mostly situational, which made the depression and some hospitalizations worse. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the early 90's and was very ill. My grandfather and aunts and uncles have had bipolar disorder and I knew how difficult life was for them but they did not have the meds they have today. We are very fortunate. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in the late 90's and I know this is the correct diagnosis for me. I have been also diagnosed with bipolar, mixed with psychotic episodes, sometimes it is very similar and really it all does not matter with the words as long as you get better with the meds and not get hung up on the terms. I have been a mental health counselor and addictions therapist for over 20 years and my mom had schizoaffective disorder and was diagnosed alot of the early 70's as schizophenic and then finally got on lithium and was a sane and wonderfully"normal"s person the rest of her life. I am 46. My main reason for all of this commentary is that the most important thing is to lead as healthy and happy life as possible. Saying that seems like a joke when things are really bad and right now my life is worse than it has been in many years. I just believe and know it will get better as long as I do what I need to and take care of myself with med compliance and symptom management with the doctor. I have not been hospitalized in a long time and have had many major upsets and problems this past year. I am on disability for my mental and physical problems and financially it has been a living hell for me. I know it will get better eventually. I moved and thought my home would sell and at the last moment it didn't and now have two homes and can't keep up just the one hardly. I had to move due to my illnesses and needed to be by family. I hope you have a good weekend if we don't talk again. I know this is a depression website and maybe some think I need to be on the bipolar site but right now with the site and the conversation, this was more appropriate for me since my symptoms are depression mostly and I felt comfortable to write. I hope I am not offending anyone.

Take care, enpointe

Posted 1/14/2007 10:52 AM (GMT 0)

Hi enpointe, You were not offending anyone at all.  Thank you for sharing your story and feeling safe enough to do so.  I know how difficult it is.  It is very important not to get caught up in the diagnosis as really they are just words on a piece of paper and no more then that, just something to describe a certian behavior pattern.  I have a dear friend that for many years he suffered through the break up of his parents, drug addiction, his own failed marriage, then was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder II.  He was in and out of the hospital several times until he finally received the diagnosis of Schizoaffective disorder.  The only people in his family that are really supportive of him are his mother and stepfather.  The rest treat him as a child and are very distrustful of him.  But you know past behavior does predict future behavior so it is difficult to blame them too much.  He has done really well this past 5 years and managed to knock down all of his psychiatric medicaitons to only one, Clozaril which still keeps him pretty well sedated.  He is on disability but has went back to work part-time and feels that he has a purpose in life so he is building on that which is really great.  I know alot of people when they hear schizophrenia, bipolar or any of these type disorders they automatically think of someone who is mentally unstable...medicated or not.  Please dont be afraid to share here or worried that you will offend anyone.  Depression is a huge factor with all these illnesses and you are always welcome here.  Keep posting.  :-)    

Posted 1/14/2007 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
hey guys finally got my email adderss [in my profile?]. I hope. Enpointe if you feel like talking. Or anyone else? Today I am feeling really bad. My CD is still acting up and getting worse by the day. I don't think I have mentioned about a friend of mine that is in bad shape. I had to do some babysitting yeasterday. So that put a damper on my all ready bad day. I am finding it harder and harder to deal with her. Her problems are more than I can hanle.

Tried the Lamictal yesterday again and had another migrane. One top of that mu gut feels rather bunched up. That's twice that it has happend. I know it can take time for drug side effect to wear off but when it envolves my gut I really worry. Is there another type of meds that work similar to this that would be milder on the stumach?
rj
Posted 1/14/2007 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
Dear els, thank you so much for your note, it was very supportive to me and I do feel better now to be able to use this site. It is amazing to me the survival skills that we are able to use to get through so many bad and painful experiences. It was very touching to me that I heard from you. Thank you again.

Hi RedJeep, I am hoping you are feeling a bit better this afternoon. What is CD, chronic depression, chemical dependency? I have not been sleeping which is not good and for the past few nights have been looking at the clock after 1:00. I slept until just a few moments ago and that is good. I was surprised to read your note so early in the morning. I know that so many medications have different side effects and you need to try whatever combination will work and that takes time sometime, for me, it took many months. Finally, I am happy with the regime. I may not be "happy" but you know what I mean. Yesterday I felt very out of it and that may be due to not sleeping and now that I think of it, it probably was. Do you work? Some of the things I talk about may be things you already mentioned and I am going to take notes so that I can remember what you said. That is a horrible memory isn't it ? I wonder how much is due to meds, illness or fibromyalgia. I have to write notes all the time to remember things, what about you? Well, I will check the site later since my coffee is done and will chat then. Life is good and I need to remember that. Enpointe

Posted 1/15/2007 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry. CD stands for crohns disease [I could have that wrong I am just learning some of the abreviations]. I have real big issue with sleep as well. I take ambien when it's really bad. But they have me on anti-depression med called remeron. This realiy does help.

I would bet it's sleep that might have you down alittle I am like that all the time. It's when it's my disease keeping me up it's the worst. No I don't really work right now I have been raising 3 children for the last 16 years [but I had my oldest very young]. Memory is tricky especially when you add the meds. to the mix.

I think if you'll look I have put mu email address in my profile. Right under redJeep off to the side.
later
rj
Posted 1/16/2007 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RedJeep, thanks for the email but I do not know yet how to use it since the program is different. It is not like a regular email and I will try another way. Well, this morning I am feeling fine. I hope you are. With Chrons disease, it is that you have diarrhea alot, right ? That is all I am having but it is due to the operation and it is normal at this time. That would be great to be able to get off of the other med and try a muscle relaxer, at least you are up for giving it a try. I know that I am not able to take pain meds regularly since they make me tired all the time even though the pain may be better, my quality of life is not. I am going to a program I just started and will tell you more about it next time, I have to get ready to go. Thanks for your note, enpointe

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