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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by johnnystats on January 12, 2005, at 0:08:01
My pdoc recently switched me from depakote to lamictal because of the numerous side effects i was experiencing(hair falling out, increased appetite, hand tremors, etc). I know that lamictal has a lower side effect profile but i've also heard it's not as effective as depakote. Any comments on this would be appreciative.
Posted by Minnie-Haha on January 14, 2005, at 17:04:32
In reply to lamictal vs depakote, posted by johnnystats on January 12, 2005, at 0:08:01
> My pdoc recently switched me from depakote to lamictal because of the numerous side effects i was experiencing(hair falling out, increased appetite, hand tremors, etc). I know that lamictal has a lower side effect profile but i've also heard it's not as effective as depakote. Any comments on this would be appreciative.
I was on Depakote for 2-3 years. It worked OK at first, but I gained 30 pounds and that started bringing me down. I was only on Lamictal for about two months, but I got a rash and my pdoc made me quit. I really liked it, though of course I can't speak to how it holds up over time. I think Lamictal is a great choice over Depakote if you're more likely to be depressed than manic. Lamictal is a bit more activating. I am currently on Trileptal, and it's OK, but I liked Lamictal better.
Posted by catmint on January 15, 2005, at 14:53:01
In reply to lamictal vs depakote, posted by johnnystats on January 12, 2005, at 0:08:01
> My pdoc recently switched me from depakote to lamictal because of the numerous side effects i was experiencing(hair falling out, increased appetite, hand tremors, etc). I know that lamictal has a lower side effect profile but i've also heard it's not as effective as depakote. Any comments on this would be appreciative.
Hi,
Most of us on this board have benefited immensely from Lamictal. One of my friends here, Colin Wallace was the first to tell us of it losing it's effectiveness after a couple years, I haven't heard from him in 3 months; hopefully he will be back soon. I tried to ignore him, because I didn't want that to happen to me.
Well it did, and now I want to go off it.
Expect it to motivate you, and make you feel like your in the clear. It can make your irritability worse, and does cause anxiety. I made sure that I always took something to counteract that. I hate benzos so I used alternative remedies.I'm not sure if Lamictal could be considered a mood stabilizer for me. It only helped with the depression. Now I am constanly in a mixed state.
I would suggest that you stay on it and get the most "mileage" out of it as Colin would say. If anything it could lift your depression for long enough to accomplish things in your life that would end your depression for good.
Please don't hesitate to ask any more questions and keep us posted as to how your are doing.We are all here for each other.
Amy
Posted by Sebastian on January 16, 2005, at 17:28:44
In reply to Re: lamictal vs depakote, posted by Minnie-Haha on January 14, 2005, at 17:04:32
Lamictal is much better. It works.
Posted by CareBear04 on January 18, 2005, at 13:21:07
In reply to Re: lamictal vs depakote » johnnystats, posted by catmint on January 15, 2005, at 14:53:01
i definitely agree with what catmint said about lamictal being more activating and a decent antidepressant but not a very effective mood stabilizer. i've been on lamictal since november, and for the most part, it's kept me from crashing into a bad depression, at least since i've reached 200mg. but i feel, too, like i'm often if not constantly in a mixed state, mostly an agitated depression or a hypomanic-type state. usually, my hypomanias are very productive and pleasant, and i just don't need sleep; in contrast, my agitated depressions are full of agitated energy, and though i want to sleep, i just can't. in any case, i never used to have rapid cycling, but on lamictal, i've had a handful of these states in just a month or two, and they fizzle out pretty quickly, but i'm usued to weeks or months of the same mood with resolution in between.
This is the end of the thread.
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