Geodon and lamictal
Common Questions and Answers about Geodon and lamictal
geodon
Sometimes with Lamictal I find that getting a blood level can be helpful. Also Geodon and Lamictal is very different from just a higher dose of Lamictal in terms of therapeutic effects - do you need to have a replacement for Geodon?
Third I would look at the time course of your symptoms, when did you start feeling which symptoms? You have had two changes in medications - what were the effects of those changes.
I am currently taking Geodon, Cymbalta, Lamictal and Geodon. Recently I've had times when I've seen things that weren't what they really were. I'm wondering if this is psychosis. They're not like hallucinations, just sort of like I'm in a fog, not with it. I also have trouble with my understanding when someone is saying something to me, like a delayed reaction, feeling kind of slow. I really wonder if I need both mood stablizers.
Two of the medications (Cymbalta, Geodon) you are taking can commonly (especially Geodon) cause extra pyramidal side effects (temporary movement disorders) such as akathesia which can be treated with a side effect pill. I had that problem with Lamictal but with that it is a statistically rare adverse side effect. If you are feeling any cognitive confusion that should go away in time. Once the Lamictal begins to work in full you can ask your psychiatrist about adjusting your other medications.
I was on Lamictal when I was a teen and don't remember a lot but I was also on Geodon (which I'm allergic to) and having really bad symptoms with it. So I'm not sure but I wish I could try the Lamictal again just to see if it would work.
I was going to take the Lamictal with the Geodon, and and only take the Geodon long enough to get me to the theraputic dose of lamictal. However, the Geodon made me really hyper and irritable (at only 20 mg), and gave me a ravenous appetite. So now I'm trying a very small dose of seroquel with the Lamictal.
And yes, the dr. I'm seeing is a psychatrist who specialises in eating disorders. I love my family doc.
I think Geodon is for BP patients who have equal mania and depression or more on the manic side (as opposed to Lamictal which is used for greater depressive BP). Trileptal is very similar to Tegretol - in fact, I think they are the same molecule but varied somewhat. I've read a statement from a Psychiatrist that Tegretol is always more successful for them than Trileptal is. Go to Bipolarworld - the Dr. in charge of that wrote a abstract of his experience using Tegretol vs Trileptal for BP.
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder since '95, but through a lot of research and getting completely sober I really feel that I actually have Borderline Personality Disorder with Severe Depression and Anxiety. I just got prescribed Lamictal because I've tried everything over the years and nothing works for long. I'm still on Topomax, Geodon, Prozac and Desyrel.
Is anyone taking both Depakote, Lamictal and Geodon? I feel very unemotional and blah still, and my doctor doesn't know what to do. I'm sort of at my last resort with this. I was under the impression that Depakote and Lamictal do the same thing, so why would I be on both when it's not helping? Any answers would be appreciated.
One week ago a psychiatrist put me on 300mg Lamictal pm (without titration), 20mg Geodon pm, 1mg Intuniv pm, 10mg Ambien pm, 15mg Focalin am, and 40mg Vyvanse am for ADHD and bipolar. Prior this regimen I wasn't on any medications. Today I had to call an amulance as my resting pulse shot up to 140bpm and my blood pressure went up to 166/90. I thought I was going to die. As well, my lymph nodes are swollen and a bleeding rash has started to form on my hand.
I take lamictal, geodon, zoloft, welbutrin and lithium. I've been going down on all doses except the zoloft and lithium. Right now I am losing weight very slowly without trying. I took zyprexa for a while and gained weight on it but that was the first med I've tried that I could definitely point the finger at and say it caused me to gain weight.
Hes putting me on geodon to try and get me off zyprexa and to see if i get better sleep. I am on 30 mg of zyprexa right now and life has been better, cause at one time i was on 40 mg. With all the medications I am on I still don't sleep that well. We both think I'm over medicated. The doctor says that I need to calm down and relax and wait for them to work and then he will start to slowly reduce my amounts and how much medications i am on. the objective right now is to fisrt stablize me.
what mood stasblizer wont cause weight gain if any??? exclude serquil and lithiem and topamax..cant do these already been on them..
I know that Geodon (and other antipsychotics) can cause cognitive confusion. Lamictal has less of that potential but each person responds differently to each medication but see if their adjustment of the dose of Lamictal will help. Feelings of guilt can be part of depression or the depressive aspect of bipolar. Anxiety episodes and mood disruptions of any kind can overlap and if they have stated that psychosis is a part of it that can further worsen them.
She was on Geodon 80 mg (gained 30lbs and no improvement) and zoloft 50mg... with all the other stuff she was on. That was from August until mid December. For "psychosis" which turned out to be rapid eye movement from Lithium when she was manic.
She has been off the Geodon and the Zoloft for 2 months and is back stable.
My main issue was the binge eating at night when i was on geodon and seroquel. Ive been on geodon for 10 years and eventually was On such a low dose 40 mg that I just quit cold turkey. I did up my seroquel to 400 mg to eliminate the withdrawls. (im quite the pharmacist) I have actually been loosing weight rapidly. So glad I found the right cocktail! i'm 29 its about damn time!!
I am off those now and taking Lamictal and Lexapro. I lost 12 lbs. in the first 2 weeks and am continuing to lose 1-2 lbs. a week. I'm not so hungry all the time, and I have more energy to exercise 30 min a day most days of the week.
They seem to have no side effects for me, at least.
I take the Lamictal in the morning because it seems to keep me awake, and the Lexapro at night because it tends to make me sleepy.
There are many other mood stabilizers such as lithium, Depakoate and Lamictal and Lamictal generally has less of these side effects (for general information on mood disorders google "Depression Central"). However, if your psychiatrist believes you require an antipsychotic, Abilify is generally the most tolerated out of what is available now though if you read through my posts you will see in the coming years there may be more options that are easier to tolerate.
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