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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 12:58:51
Has anyone had awful lamictal side effects that have gone away, and if so, can you tell me how long? I started low at 12.5, and had the worst dry mouth I've ever had from any medication (and I've taken so many!). Then came the headaches, which became a migraine. Then I went to bed and kept waking up nauseous and felt like I would have diarrhea, and a fluttery heartbeat. Then a little while later just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, horrible insomnia, so took something. Woke up again though feeling like I would have diarrhea or vomit, and had diarrhea all morning with a horrible migraine. I told my doc, and he told me he can start me on the pediatric size Monday. I imagine that will take even longer to help my depression, and I am at my wit's end, but he just does not want to give in on lamictal, and thinks it will work. I feel so so sick and have a baby to take care of. Did anyone else have these side effects, and do they go away quickly? Thank you!
Posted by emme on November 19, 2010, at 13:24:08
In reply to how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 12:58:51
> Has anyone had awful lamictal side effects that have gone away, and if so, can you tell me how long? I started low at 12.5, and had the worst dry mouth I've ever had from any medication (and I've taken so many!). Then came the headaches, which became a migraine. Then I went to bed and kept waking up nauseous and felt like I would have diarrhea, and a fluttery heartbeat. Then a little while later just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, horrible insomnia, so took something. Woke up again though feeling like I would have diarrhea or vomit, and had diarrhea all morning with a horrible migraine. I told my doc, and he told me he can start me on the pediatric size Monday. I imagine that will take even longer to help my depression, and I am at my wit's end, but he just does not want to give in on lamictal, and thinks it will work. I feel so so sick and have a baby to take care of. Did anyone else have these side effects, and do they go away quickly? Thank you!
I felt fluish, had headaches, some insomnia, and terrible tight muscles. It lasted a couple of weeks and then got better.
Although 12.5 is the standard starting dose, you can start MUCH lower if you're having a hard time tolerating it. I developed a mild rash on my first try, so when I restarted it, I began at 2 mg. Takes longer to titrate up, but it's worthwhile if you can tolerate it better. They do make tabs small enough to go well below 12.5.
Good luck.
emme
Posted by morgan miller on November 19, 2010, at 14:51:43
In reply to how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 12:58:51
I hope your Lamictal trial turns out to be successful. I have to say though, I'm not crazy about your doctors decision to go with Lamictal, it just seems to be a trendy one, not the best one. I think there were many other better options out there to try instead of Lamictal. Sorry Cydnie, I'm not trying to make this trial harder for you, I just think Lamictal is a very dirty and very invasive medication
If you end up sticking with Lamictal and it works really well, make sure you take a good form of folate, as Lamictal deplete's the body's stores of folate. I would also take with a really good multivitamin if you are not already. Who knows what all these psych meds we are taking are depleting our bodies of.
One thing to remember, there is no perfect treatment out there. Sure some are lucky and experience complete remission with very little or no side effects, but that is not the case with many of us. So whatever you do, if you receive even 70 percent relief of symptoms with minimal side effects, this may be the best it will ever get. Also, at 70 percent relief, you should have the strength to do many things that may give you the remaining 30 percent relief for short periods of time.
Good luck and I hope you start feeling better soon!
Morgan
Posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2010, at 16:56:26
In reply to Re: how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by morgan miller on November 19, 2010, at 14:51:43
Morgan had no idea it depletes folate. Took 50mg of lamictal once but developed spitting that was constant. And this was as an add on for an ad. Thanks for posting this Phillipa. And Cyndie the very best of luck with your trial!!!!!
Posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 17:13:06
In reply to Re: how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by morgan miller on November 19, 2010, at 14:51:43
Thanks so much - I am actually unsure if I can last through it. I suffer from a chronic pain autoimmune disorder, so having more pain on top, and having a baby who never wants to be put down (who I actually have to take to the bathroom each time I had diarrhea!! SO horrible) I feel at the end of my rope again, so I called a doc who treats with buprenorphine and is a colleague of my DH and made me an appt, sent me an e-mail with directions, and his price of $650! Last time this I found someone who treats with progressive meds, it was $1500, but this still ain't gonna work! I was so depressed when I was the e-mail and am back at square one. I know side effects are part of ADs, but have never had any that made me feel this sick. I can't do it, with the pain on top of my condition, I am just ready to fall apart. I know somewhere out there there are some good docs, with good hearts who can help. Right? Maybe just a run of back luck here - how many years. I can't do it, I feel like I'm losing it! I went through a month of waiting for my doc to get back because she wrote my pain rx wrong, and she just got back, and the cvs told me the new one was written wrong too. I feel like I'm going to lose it, I'm venting, I feel like I'm going nuts. $650, I can't do it without help. I can't do lamictal, nothing seems to work, I feel like giving up! I'm at the end of my rope, I can't take it anymore. Sorry, wow, this turned into a rant. I feel like I'm breaking down. There's only so much someone can take, and there's only so much physical pain someone can take and for so long. God, I thought I was a good person, I wonder what the heck I did wrong to deserve all of this. Wow, this ended much differently then I started. I just can't pretend I'm "together" anymore, I'm a freaking mess.
Posted by morgan miller on November 19, 2010, at 17:43:15
In reply to Re: how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 17:13:06
No need for apologies for ranting, you deserve it and this is the place to do it.
Do you mind revealing what autoimmune disorder you have? I wonder if a powerful aloe juice would help given some time. It has been shown to have some potential to increase immunomodulating cells and may be helpful for some autoimmune disorders. There is something else I just read about that might help but I can't remember at the moment, shoot. I'll get back to you if I remember. Have you ever tried LDN(low dose naltrexone)?
Hang in there Cydnie. Try to be patient. I'm sure you will find something that gives you relief sometime soon enough.
Morgan
Posted by Jeroen on November 28, 2010, at 13:24:55
In reply to how long til lamictal side effects go away?, posted by Cydnie on November 19, 2010, at 12:58:51
i took 25 mg for a week and it induced a psychosis
i now take 2 anti psychotics against my will, to treath bad reaction to lamictal
This is the end of the thread.
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