Lamotrigine or Lamictal for major depression

This past Monday, my new psychiatrist prescribed Lamictal to treat my major depression. All other antidepressant medicines that I have tried in the past (e.g., Elavil, Etrafon, Prozac, Cymbalta, and even Lithium once) either caused debilitating side effects or didn't do anything at all (i.e., Prozac). My new doctor indicated that Lamictal has been used successfully to treat major depression disorder with few sides effects. She also indicated that I can continue to use St. John's Wort, a supplement that I have taken for seventeen years to treat chronic low-grade depression--a mood disorder that developed in my early twenties. Most posts on this and other health forums seem to have been made by people who have been prescribed Lamictal to take in conjunction with an SSRI or SSNI antidepressant. Numerous other posts seem to have been made by people who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. As far as I know, I have never experienced a manic episode. In fact, I have never felt the ecstasy or uncontrollable energy and self-confidence often associated with mania, though I have often experienced an intense and lifelong seething rage. I have also struggled with unstable emotions including long periods of deep despondency which coincided with the loss of loved ones through death or breakups. I'm just not sure why my doctor prescribed Lamictal since I don't seem to fit the typical profile of a successful user. Also, I haven't begun taking Lamictal because I am currently suffering from a bout with influenza--including symptoms of high fever and nausea. I don't want to confuse those symptoms with possible Lamictal side effects. But to be completely truthful, I I am always reluctant to try any new psychotropic medicine because I have had some truly miserable reactions to them over the years, and it often takes me days to recover completely. I would really appreciate hearing from someone who has taken Lamictal only for major depression and with no other supplemental antidepressant medication--or from a healthcare professional who has experience with the drug being used in atypical circumstances like mine. Thanks for any feedback because I'm waiting till I feel comfortable that Lamictal won't be a nightmare before I take it.

I was precribed Lamictal in Aug to try & compliment Pristiq (which wasn't working). I did get some relief. At the same time, my psych upped my dose of Pristiq. Technically I don't know which one helped but it's always been in my gut that it was the Lamictal.

Case in point, I'm currently going off of Pristiq and onto Viibryd bc the Pristiq wasn't working.

My dose is low for lamictal, 50mg/day but I'm staying on it.

My psych likes the drug (Lamictal), and it's not an uncommon treatment to use for major depression. I'm familiar with it being used as an addon to an AD. To use it alone, isn't uncommon though and since common AD's didnt work so well for you, this seems a very logical route.

I too am very hesitant to take new meds but I can honestly say the Lamictal gave me no side effects other than some fatigue the first week. It went away.

Btw, I'm not bipolar either- DX w/MDD & GAD. My friend also takes Lamictal (with Prozac), & she's not bipolar.

Dont be afraid to take it. My psych NP takes it too at a much higher dose than I do. I believe that when it's used as an addon, a typical dose is 100mg/day.

Best wishes!
Lisa

I take 50mg lamictal with 120mg cymbalta works well

Peace
Trina

Hi-

I take it as a mood stabilizer and it works great for me. It was fast acting and it helped a lot. I take it at bed time. Initially the only side effect I had were strange dreams. But within a couple of weeks, they were gone.

Good luck!