lamotrigine and lithium

So I switched from lamictal and buspar to lithium about 2 weeks ago and I haven’t gotten any better, I’m actually worse and still get diarrhea but now it’s from the Lithium! Today I decided to go back on Lamictal and mix it with my Lithium after reading a lot of positive threads on the combo on the net. Today: 100mg lamictal/ 900mg lithium Next week: Going to go back to 200mg lamictal/900mg lithium Today is the best day I’ve had in weeks.

From what I am aware of benzodiazepines only have a mild mood stabilization effect (I have had them prescribed for anxiety issues but they never had a full mood stabilization effect) and lithium is a first line mood stabilizer and generally would be the one choice used before the other but you could speak to your psychiatrist about this.

Yes a regular blood test is needed with lithium to check Lithium levels and Thryoid function - at the start its likely to be every 4-6 weeks and later every 3 months or so depending on your maintenance and how well you maintain theraputic levels.

I started on Lithium one week ago. Two nights later I had trouble sleeping, and every night since--can't fall asleep right away, can't stay asleep, wake up multiple times throughout the night, and have very stressful dreams (one where I kicked the bedpost so hard it woke me up and hurt my foot a bit). Anyone heard of this? I don't see it listed as a possible side effect of lithium. I have been taking a lorazepam to sleep for many months now and it used to work great.

I am the only care taker for my sister who is Bio-Polar and has been on Lithium and Haldol for 42 years. She is 60 years of age - back in the 70's she underwent approximately 120 electric shock threatments because this was apparently deemed right at that time. She suffers almost all of the side affects from the above medications and I would like to know what is the safest way for her to transcend to a newer medication with less side affects.

I take lamotrigine - 200mg -- and it has worked well for me with no side effects. It is usually weight neutral meaning it doesn't affect your appetite. I have taken other mood stabilizers and didn't like the side effects - lithium, bad hand tremor, diarrhea, vomiting; depakote, hair loss, weight gain; seroquel, extreme sleepiness Do remember that this is my experience and yours may be different.

I weaned myself off of that once. It was hard, but mostly when I got down to 50mg. I was so dizzy and sick, and it felt like the room was spinning, and I couldn't walk because of it. Good luck!

Hi folks. After about three years of fighting the black dog I've now been started on lithium and will wean down the lamotrigine when it's up to level. I have always been very resistant to lithium but accept now that I ned to give it a go. Can anyone tell me when I might expect to notice any effects? I've been started on Priadel s/r 400mgs at night.

I had some tremors and had some balance problems on the higher doses. I also take 450mg lithium carbonate and 60mg methylphenidate (this one's in the morning). Methylphenidate gives me high blood pressure so I also take atenolol 25mg. I've tried a lot of medications there are only 2 that I've ever had REAL problems with- Seroquel and Abilify. I didn't take them together. There were years between when I tried them separately.

Other mood stabilizers, like lithium and Depakote work well for mania. I would discuss the option of adding one of them to the lamotrigine.

i'm on a regiment of lithium, cymbalta, seroquel and lamagotrine. my meds and dose has been the same over the last year.over the last six months i've been havinf memory issues - forgetting where i am, forgetting names, if my wife says get the vacuum i bring a broom, i can't think of words, etc. doc has been doing lots of test to rule out physical issues. blood work and mri are fine. now finished some cognitive and emotional testing.

lFor several years I was treated for bipolar with lithium, clonipin, and one antipsycotic after another. I live in a very small area and our county mental health dept. shut down. When I went to our community clinic they took me off of lithium because I was losing my hair and the clonipin because it COULD be misused. and put on serequel which I was told would help all my symptoms. It did not. Now I can't drive, hell I can't even leave my house.

Does anyone know a drug that works well with Pexeva and Lithium? My biggest problems are racing thoughts and anxiety when I am off of the Seroquel. Help!

Do you normally prefer to sleep on your side, back or stomach? Are you waking up short of breath on your back only? Have you gained any weight recently? If so, you may be slowly developing a sleep-breathing problem.

what i really wonder about is whether i am being medicated correctly because my pdoc chose AP's and still does contrary to MS that I detested and tried lithium with no success on the contrary kept erring in the house like mad. So I read today: ---somebody who goes untreated could go from a diagnosis of bipolar II to bipolar I as the disorder progresses.--- therefore my concern was depression for 9 consecutive years (can't get up except by a tricyclic AD).

So, I am wondering if your psych, is prescribing a high dose which you are unable to tolerate. Also, you mention Lithium and hopefully this will never happen to you, but if you are prescribed too much of this, you may have Lithium poisoning like me. I was in hospital with five times the normal level in my blood and got kidney disease after that. I am talking about an extreme case, of course, but if you should start to feel sick and dizzy on Lithium please get medical attention.

Meds are pretty individual. Lamotrigine would be the one I'd ask for. It has a low side effect profile and is good more for the downs than the ups. If you are up more than you are down - lithium may be a better choice. Although with lithium you will need regular blood testing. Depakene is the other mood stabilizer but I know very little about it except it can make your hair fall out. I had a hard go around with the antipsychotics. Lots of side effects But finally Abilify works great for me.

ve really been on every possible mood stabilizer for bp. depako neurontin triliptal, lithium and the list goes on. everyone responds differently to meds as i'm sure you know but i can honestly say lamictal saved my life. maybe you should think about adding an antipsychotic. i take trilafon.... it has a ton of side effects but i've never experienced any.

We are on Lamictal, Lithium and Abilify and are thinking of going Lamictal alone also. How is Lamictal monotherapy going for your, and were you able to wean off Abilify from 10 to 0?

I am really surprised they put you on another antidepressant without a mood stabilizer like lamotrigine, or lithium. You mention doctor but not psychiatrist. For bipolar it is best if you can see a psychiatrist. They just know more about bipolar and medication. Wellbutrin ended up causing me to ultridian cycle (cycling in an out of hypomania/depression every few days, less sometimes). It made me ancy and it didn't work for me at all.

I am now 90 pounds heavier (I started gaining weight on the meds and continued after) and not even able to get pregnant (probably too heavy and getting off the meds messed up my system.) I want' to get pregnant which was fine with everyone two months ago before I got off my meds now everyone thinks I'm in need of major help and need to get my head straight. I just don't know what to do because after researching these meds I'm very scared to get pregnant on them.

re BP I or II, and whether your main problems are depression, mania, or a lot of both, and whether you have psychosis in the mix. Lamotrigine and carbamazepine are generics, for the record, and Abilify and Seroquel are still under patent and so there aren't any generics yet. Anyway, lamotrigine (brand name Lamictal) is one of the best for BP II where depression is the main issue, although it's approved for BPI.

I'm in the Uk and currently taking Quetiapine, Depakote and Lamotrigine. The Quetiapine for me was prescribed for rage and agitation, I don't feel any anti depressant properties from it, but it has saved my life. Lamotrigine was prescribed 7 weeks ago and I feel a lot better, I am doing things that I didn't think I'd ever feel I could do again. Nobody has ever specified what type of Bp I have, I have symptoms from across the spectrum, I have mixed episodes.

Lamotrigine and lithium

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