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suzsm
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My husband is waiting for the Lamictal to kick in and fix me! However I've started to miss my mania, the lamictal has slowed down the fireworks of thoughts but has also taken my energy (my very high energy). I have been taking .25 mg of alprazolam 2 a day for the aniexity. I've been on 100 mg. of Lamictal for about a month and a half now. My back round has been looking for the DX for about 20 years now, ADD, ADHD, OCD. And now Bipolar II, which seems to hit the nail on the head for me. The rapid thoughts in my head, assumptions, fear, panic, 150 mph or 0, unable to follow through have always been in the for front of my life. Now with marriage of 12 years, two children I feel unable to keep up with the expectations of getting better now that we have a DX. With the slowing down comes a feeling of not good enough, I don't want to take care of stuff, I'm tired of going 150 but don't know how to do Yellow! It's always been red or green. Slowing down almost seems to be worse then the 150, because at 150 I was the over achiever and no one seen me sad, tired, I was always doing 10 things at once, now I can't seem to get my laundry done! I'm not sure how to get balanced, or do you ever with this DX? |
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carmen33
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Hi, Suz, welcome, one of the others here one the site said her doctor told her that she had became so use to doing the 150 that it was going to take her a while to get use to being slowed down to a normal speed, this is probably what is going on with you.. You'll adjust, missing the highs is normal, a lot of folks do.. but I for one don't, my bipolar II leaned more towards the depressed side, and with the Lamictal for once in my life, I am seeing life in color, not just the dullness of depression.. You'll come to adjust over time to the new speed limit.. take smaller bites of things and remember that person going 150 was not really you, it was the illness being unchecked.. your still fairly new on the lamictal, I've been taking it since August of last year.. my panics are gone, the racing thoughts are gone, the frustrations, and very high energy feelings that had me feeling like I was fixing to explode are gone.. I like it.. |
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suzsm
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Thank you for the feedback, I've been reading on the site, I was not aware that the mg. of Lamictal could increase to 600mg. When do the thoughts stop comeing so fast? I explained to my husband when he gets a thought it's like 1 firecracker, whenI get a thought it's like the grand Finally!!! but it doesn't stop ever!! I have found that my body has slowed down, I can sit and watch a movie with my daughter, thats a first. I'm used to getting so much more accomplished(I didn't say finished!!) so that is getting me kind of down. Thanks for listening, Suzs
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carmen33
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Hey Suz, the Lamictal as far as I know can be increased, they make 200mg pills, and those can be increased in the daily dosage, I started with the starter pack like everyone else does, and then my doctor adjusted it as we went, I'm not sure where the top dosage ends, I had been at 200 then went to 400 after having some rapid cycles, and then had a complete melt down about 6 weeks ago and we upped it to the 600, I take 200mg in the morning, 200mg in the afternoon and another 200mg with the evening meds.. It's going to take time, perhaps, you could make yourself a list of all the things you want to do, and then just tackle them one at a time till complete.. like the kitchen, do the dishes, wipe the counters, sweep and mop the floor, one thing complete..etc.. Stick with it, it will happen, if the racing thoughts continue tell your doctor about it next time you see him/her, maybe a adjustment or a addition is in order |
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callme2crazy
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It sounds as if depression is becoming and issue and all bipolars need mood stabilization and treatment for depression. Beyond this some people benefit greatly by taking 2 of each, MS and AD. For example I take Seroquel and Lamictal. Once I reached a theraputic dose of Seroquel and still had symptoms my doctor added a low dose of Lamictal and that was the key to the puzzle for me. The same for my AD meds. I had taken Celexa for years and found some quality benefits but continued to have break through depression. He added a small dose of Wellbutrin and it worked great. One med augments the other to cover all the symptoms. Beware the new claims that meds like Lamictal are AD drugs, they are not. An AD is an SSRI, SNRI or in other words a serotonin and/or a norepinephrine and/or dopamine. Big pharma is trying to sell some of the MS drugs as ADs but it is not accurate and more a ploy to sell more of a particular drug. MS may have some AD qualities but not enough to fully treat depression. Post edited by: callme2crazy, at: 07/06/2008 13:30  Dee |
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LizzyDiamond
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I am 25 and started on Lamictal about a month ago. As of the first day I noticed differences. I could focus on everything around me and actually concentrate long enough to finish my daily tasks. It has thus far been a miracle drug, just ask my husband. After about a week he said to me,"All this time and frustration to finally get to know you has been worth it." Everything in my life has changed. I now have the courage to do all the things I have needed to in order to restore happiness to my life as well as my families. However, I do often worry about the long term side effects being that it is a relatively new drug. For me it gets an A++. One question I do have is I was wondering if anyone was taking Lamictal and Concentra? How is it together? Post edited by: LizzyDiamond, at: 07/28/2008 07:41 |
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callme2crazy
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LizzyDiamond I am so happy to hear of your positive results. This is a classic example of the way meds should work when they do work. I am not certain about the time when Lamictal came on the market but it has been more than 8 years. I prefer not to take meds that are less than 10 years old, with the exception of psych meds. In the case of psych meds most new drugs are chemically similar to their predecessors and I always ask a lot of questions before starting something new. Concentra is a new med and one that I am not familiar with but I have read in the threads that others are taking this also. I truly hope you continue to improve every day! Dee
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suzsm
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I have just increase Lamictal to 200mg, this is just day two. I am waiting to see if there is a difference from 100mg, I had gotten alittle nervous thinking it only went up to 100mg, and this is as good as it gets. My doctor has been great. I think fear has played a major part, thinking I will not finish what I've started. Then the guilt would set in. So I'm a little worried the same thing will happen. I just want to be better so bad. I have been taking time for myself, I have always been the caretaker to anyone I was around. I'm learning I'm ok just by being me, and not trying to over compinsate for this disorder, the not feeling good enough. Thank you for the encouragement. Suzanne |
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zoey
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I jsut started Lamictal transistioning off Paxil whioh wasn't working. I had to start slow am taking 25mg of Lamictal then in 2 weeks to 50 while I get off the Paxil. I am hoping this works. Mt dr. says it has been around about 18years. I am keeping my fingers crossed as I have not had a good day for weeks. Zo |
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suzsm
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Zoey, Trust me, it has been much better then what it was!!! I couldn't even talk to my 9 and 10 year old with out them saying "mom can I ask you a question? DON'T YELL!! so I'd say it's much better. I can breath now. Hang in there. i started off at 25, 50, 75, than 100 in the starter pack. then 150 for 2 weeks now 200. I've also been taking zanx .25 mg. that to has offered alot of help too. Suzs |
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