r/Lamotrigine

I feel so depressed and irritated all the time, at first it was good, and then it would stop working and I would get my dose up more and it’ll work then it would happen again when I completely loose it and act out on people and my surroundings which is completely my fault. I feel like I ruined a big part of my life being on this, I feel like 3 years of lamotrigine had really affected my life in a unstable way, I don’t know why I kept going thinking if I go higher it’ll get better. I’m hating everything right now, I hate how I act to others, sure some days I’m really in a good mood but most of the days I’m completely emotionless, irritated, isolated and insecure. I have lost so many friendships because of just knowing how I can act any moment I don’t want to be around anyone.I’m mentally exhausted I can’t control my emotions anymore. I’m on 250mg for bipolar 2. Just wondering how life got for some of you guys when you stopped taking lamotrigine? I don’t know why I didn’t stop sooner. I feel completely lost now. I just want it to get better for me.

So I’ve been on this for. Over ten years. My loving insurance will sometimes tell cvs it’s “too soon” to refill I’ve occasionally had to go 2-4 days without it, no taper just stopped because they won’t refill it. I’ve never had any issues. I recently had to go a week without it. And since re starting it, have had a small itchy rash on my chest. I haven’t been able to figure out what caused it (I randomly get skin reactions to things like an allergy so assumed something touched me.) it hasn’t gotten any better or any worse. And the only thing I can relate to is…being off this for a week and re starting it. Am I gonna have to stop this???? This works so well for my bipolar and I don’t want to have to stop it …
Anyone else had this happen? Most I’ve read with rashes is it’s the first week or so starting but I didn’t “start” it ya know.

I've been taking 150mg daily for at least one year for bipolar, with good effect, but the last month my mood has got lower and lower and lower. I'm seeing my consultant on the 22nd and I'm guessing she'll want to up the dose, but I don't want to just keep upping the dose of it's going to keep plateauing. It's our normal to change doses throughout treatment?

Hi everyone :)

i’m looking into lamotrigine and trying to figure out if it might actually fit what i’m dealing with before I see my psych NP this week. I’ve been wondering about this med for probably 15 years (lol) but with health anxiety always been too freaked out by the rash. I feel a bit more ready to try it now if my prescriber thinks it’s a fit.

my main issues are:

• emotional reactivity / very fast overwhelm
• meltdowns/like suddenly overwhelm spikes into panic, SH impulsivity—I don’t identify as BPD but I’ve done DBT in the past and found it moderately helpful
• PMDD
• anxiety/ mild OCD type thought patterns

i’ve tried SSRIs before and they helped a bit but didn’t really stop the emotional swings underneath. Also couldn’t tolerate the side effects.

i’m currently on concerta & guanfacine for ADHD and using rescue benzos more than I’d like these past couple weeks, which is my clue that I need something else on board. FWIW a lot has been going on in my relationship and family so stuff has kind of come to a boiling point where I need a new Kind of help.

Curious if any of this sounds like what you may take the med for, and how it’s helped you?

appreciate any experiences. Thank u 💛💛💛

I’ve been taking 25 mg of lamotrigine for about a month, and over the past few weeks I’ve been feeling very spacey and mentally foggy. It’s been harder to think clearly and stay focused. During a recent presentation, I completely explained the graph backwards and kept repeating the wrong interpretation even after people asked for clarification. It felt like I was mentally somewhere else, which isn’t like me. I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this on lamotrigine.

Hey everyone, im a 20 y/o dude and have been researching Lamotrigine and all its side effects and wanted to ask if anyone else has been prescribed it but not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder? About a week ago i got prescribed it for "mood swings" i've been having, like one week im pretty happy, then a week later Im going insane for a day, then back to normal. If anyone else has been in a similar situation, please let me know.

I don't want to be on psychoactive drugs anymore. I don't want to swallow pills from now on. I can't even remember if I've taken that 200mg of Lamictal in the morning. I forget, i'm always on dissociation. Using it for major depression.

I talk by myself all the time. I fight with people, i forgive them. I see vivid visuals. I'm always ruminating something. I was crying on the bathroom's floor this morning. Then, it was enough of psychiatric treatment.

I'm contemplating quitting this with the help of other drugs. I have enough benzodiazepines. Diazepam and Klonopin. Where i live, Lamictal is otc, so that i can even taper down all by myself but i don't want to.

5mg of diazepam a day for 1 week straight, everyday. Totally 10mg all over. One for morning, one for night. Will it work out?

Started taking Lamictal about a month ago, not bipolar but have bad anxiety, intrusive and obsessive thoughts, and a “sticky” brain when it comes to these thoughts. Especially being sober this has been difficult to deal with. But I titrated up to 100 mg about a week ago, and I’m wondering when yall have started seeing positive effects? I feel like it’s definitely been helping and haven’t had any of the negative side effects I usually see on here. Just wondering if anyone can relate to the stuff I mentioned and taking it while not bipolar. Thanks !

Has this helped with anxiety? Positive experiences ✨️

lamictal is the main medication that is able to make a dent in my severe depression. it genuinely keeps my cyclical moods at bay. but it does give me mild non-SJS related hives (isolated to wrists or hands) when i titrate up (doctor knows). i’ve read that sometimes it just agitates your skin without it being affiliated to SJS.

however, i’m becoming increasingly uncomfortable with this symptom. quite frankly, i just don’t want to have to worry about it anymore. i’m also used to having some on and off brain zaps from it and they’re getting kind of old.

i’m definitely going to discuss this discomfort with my doctor, but i just wanted to know if anyone had experiences with other meds that help with breaking through stubborn/extremely severe depression and keeping moods stable. especially if it’s a non-anticonvulsant and something more like an antipsychotic.

in the past few years, my hypomania has not been more than being irritable, being able to actually get things done, talking too much, and spending too much money (not that these things aren’t “bad”, it’s just that i’m usually way more concerned with how horrible my depression is). however, (in addition to lamictal) i am now on an SSRI and an SNRI that are really helping me, but also make me susceptible to a way more unpleasant level of hypomania if i’m not on lamictal.

to be honest, i’m asking this because i’m overwhelmed with the idea of having to medication-hop again to find a replacement for lamictal. :( i know everyone’s body is different, but i guess some success stories would at least calm me a little bit for now.

thanks in advance. 💗

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

I've also had side effects when tapering off. I've been on it for 4 years, at 300mg. Anytime I try going below 150mg, I start getting these weird feelings where things get cold, light gets really bright, and theres this colorful sheen on the edges of objects. Feels like I'm coming up on MDMA (things start feeling really good) Like there is this itch that needs to be scratched. Usually these "auras" last around 5 min, I can tell an episode is going to happen.

Then I have a "seizure-like" episode where I go into convulsions and can't control my body. I'm still present, but very confused.

Sometimes my eyes roll into the back of my head and I start stuttering. Sometimes the stutter can last a day or so.

I've been taking it for anxiety and depression, but I can't seem to get off of it without having these episodes. I have never had these kinds of symptoms before taking it.

hi all, i have a question for anyone who can offer w listening half to me. I’m 22F and I recently have just been advised to take Lamictal by my psychiatrist who wants me to try the medication.

however I’ve been experiencing side effects and I wanted to ask— is this anything to be super concerned about? I brought it up to my psychiatrist but he doesn’t seemed concerned.

i developed a rash across my body the second day of me taking it. This happened last time I took lamictal but I chalked it up to both times being contact dermatitis.

Well currently I am dealing with a sore throat, a running nose, and nausea. The sore throat feelings slight bad that each time I press the sides of my throat I get the urge to cough violently.

I’ve been taking allergy medicine every 24 hours to help with the throat ache but I am beginning to wonder if my throat might be swelling. I’ve never experienced before, I am autistic and I struggle to know how to tell sensations.

I would really appreciate any advice from anyone who had tried this medication, tell me how your experience goes or if this is normal. Every time I read about it I just see people calling it a miracle drug.

I am planning to talk to my prescriber about this next week, but curious if anyone's been in a similar situation and how you approached it.

I have long thought lamictal might help me (not bipolar but a bunch of stuff going on this med has been proven helpful for) but I am a person who has incredibly sensitive skin. In winter especially I would say I almost always have some small rash here or there. I know you have to more or less stop taking it if you get any rash at all.

This has always made me think, I'm just not a candidate for this med. But what if it could really help? IDK.

If anyone has insights I'd be very open to hearing! TYSM!

Started med recently (was on 25 mg for 10 days, am on day 7 of slight titration up 37.5 mg). I'm feeling like I can't concentrate and don't want to do anything or even think. I don't know what to do with myself.

Is this a temporary side effect that subsides over time? Or is it just the new normal (unless I lower my dose)?

Hi everyone,
I’m new to Reddit, but I really wanted to hear about other people’s experiences with what I’m going through right now. First of all, I want to reassure everyone that I’ve already sent a message to my doctor about all of this. I’m not looking for medical advice. I just feel a bit lost and would really like to hear from people who have actually been through something similar.

I was diagnosed with rapid-cycling Bipolar II with mixed episodes about nine years ago. However, I’m now seeing a different psychiatrist who thinks I may actually have Borderline Personality Disorder instead. My previous psychiatrist had already noted that I had borderline traits, so I’m still trying to figure everything out.

I had worked my way up to 100 mg of lamictal (lamotrigine)and honestly, I was doing really well. I felt better. Then my dose was increased to 150 mg, and ever since then I feel like I’m back at the beginning of my treatment. I’m depressed again, having dark thoughts, feeling like hurting myself, and feeling like life has lost its meaning. At the same time, I feel emotionally numb nut not in a good way. It’s like I’m just looking at life with a blank stare. I'm tired, and it feels like my brain is working in slow motion. I just don’t feel like myself anymore. I don’t know if this is a real side effect, if it’s just me, or if the medication simply isn’t working for me anymore. My anxiety grow up too. Like intense....

Even my partner has noticed a huge difference. When I was taking 100 mg, he kept telling me how much better I seemed. Now he says it feels like I’m falling into a deep hole.

Has anyone else experienced something like this after increasing their dose?

Thank you ❤️

Hi guys,

I need your help to understand something.

I’d love to hear from people who do creative work and have been taking 100–200 mg of this medication for a while.

I’m a videographer and content creator. I’m taking it for epilepsy, and I chose this medication because it seemed to have a lower risk of side effects. At the moment, I’m on 25 mg for the first two weeks, and the plan is to gradually increase to 200 mg a day.

My main question is: Did you lose your creativity?

I’m usually very active and passionate about video editing. It’s something that genuinely lifts my mood, no matter how I’m feeling. My imagination and creativity are a huge part of who I am, and after putting so much work into developing those parts of myself, I’m scared of losing them.

I’ve also experienced several other side effects. It’s harder for me to fall asleep, I don’t enjoy food as much, and I’ve felt a bit emotionally numb from day one. That “spark” just isn’t as strong as it was before starting treatment. Now I really have to push myself to start new projects, and editing just doesn’t feel the same.

When I first started taking it, these feelings were much worse. After two weeks they’ve improved a little, but I’m still not back to feeling like myself.

If I increase to 200 mg, will I lose that part of myself permanently? I understand that this medication is meant to level out your emotions, but I honestly don’t mind the occasional lows. My highs are incredibly important to me because they’re what fuel my creativity, motivation, and enjoyment of life.

I do like how calm I feel, and I like the extra energy it seems to give me. Although, to be honest, I already had plenty of energy before starting it. For those of you on a stable dose of 100–200 mg, does that energy eventually go away?

More than anything, though, I care about my motivation and creativity. I can still be productive even when I’m tired, as long as I have the motivation to create.

I’m really looking for experiences from people in a similar situation. I honestly can’t imagine being happy if I lose the part of myself that loves creating. It’s one of the most important things in my life.

I hope there’s someone here with a creative career who has been on a stable dose of 100–200 mg and can share their experience.

Ive only been on it for a week but have never had these thoughts before taking it. I called my dr and she said she doesn’t think its the med and that im getting in my own head.. idk though

So, I 27f, have been taking lamictal for mood stabilization since mid-January and it’s been absolutely incredible. I have never been happier or more stable. That said, I think it’s messed with my hormones. I have PCOS as well, so my period has always been irregular and off, but it’s been out of character since January. I brought it up with psych back in February and she asked me to track it, but at our next appointment it was back to my normal so I thought we good and I told her everything was fine. Except, I just got my period 2 weeks early which has never, ever, not in my 14 years of having a period happened. Also, my boobs got bigger. I didn’t gain weight (I’ve actually lost weight), but my boobs are definitely bigger based on how my bras fit. (Although definitely not complaining, I’ll take a B/C cup)

I know this isn’t necessarily a normal thing, but all of this started happening after I started lamictal. I’m curious if anyone else has noticed something similar.

I haven't posted here in a while, but I'm feeling quite confused by what's happening and wondered if anyone has experienced something similar.

A little while ago I restarted lamotrigine and, over time, I gradually got back to what felt like my baseline. I was showering every day again, keeping on top of cleaning and tidying, working, seeing friends, and generally functioning much better than I had been.

Then I went through a significant emotional stressor, and it honestly feels like someone flicked a switch.

A few days ago I experienced sleep paralysis, felt unusually elevated afterwards, was spending money without really knowing what I was buying, and ended up using cocaine more often than I should have. I knew something wasn't right and contacted my mental health team because I felt like I needed crisis support.

Now things seem to have shifted again.

What's strange is that it doesn't feel like "ordinary" depression. It feels more like a bipolar depressive episode, but with some manic elements still mixed in. My thoughts and motivation feel depressive, but there are still parts of me that don't feel completely "down."

At the same time, I'm still somewhat physically functioning. I'm able to force myself to do some things, but everything takes a huge amount of effort. I'm barely communicating with friends, showering and cleaning feel overwhelming, getting out of bed is difficult, and I even had to cancel work because I just couldn't cope. It feels like I'm operating on the edge of what I can manage rather than functioning normally.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? Almost like you're in a depressive episode mentally, but there are still manic features present, and you're somehow still just about functioning physically?

I'm also curious whether anyone finds that a significant interpersonal stressor can trigger such a sudden change, even after you've been doing really well.

I know everyone experiences bipolar differently, so I'm not looking for a diagnosis I'd just really appreciate hearing other people's experiences because I feel quite alone and confused by what's happening.