Drug Ratings for LAMICTALAverage Rating: 3.5 (1656 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Satisfaction from lowest to highest Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LAMICTAL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 5 | Bi-Polar | Stiff neck, blurry vision | Once I was on the full dose of 200mg the side effects went away, although I had to get my eyeglass prescription changed... Works fabulous. Gives me a sense of calm and that all is right with the world. Bad neckache if I skip a dose. | F | 46 | 10 years | 8/28/2009 | 5 | bi-polar | My 72 year old mother suffered greatly...severly depressed almost catatonic for 2 months, manic 2 months, somewhat normal 2 months..this cycle repeated itself for 2 years ! | My 72 year old mother was put on lamictal starting out at 25 mgs twice a day...after 3 months she is taking 125 mg once a day and doing wonderful! I feel like I have my mother back...I highly recommend this medication but recommend starting out in small doses... | F | 72 | 3 months | 8/25/2009 | 5 | JME with Complex Partial seizures | None....FINALLY SOMETHING THAT WORKS | Lamictal has worked great for me,verse all the other medications Iv'e tried in the past(Depkene,Depkote,Depkote er and Topamax).It has reduced my seizures tremedously.I now only have around 3-6 a year,which isint really that bad as before I was having them all the time.Morning,noon and night.Mostly they only occur when Im around my triggers which are[photosensitivity to **flashes of a camera,strobes and flourescent lighting**one of my biggest triggers],low blood surgar,stress/in the beginning of getting a bug or virus,emotional stress,not enough sleep,and hormonal fluncuations.For when they do only occur out of no where I usually get aroud 2-4. | F | 18 | 3 years | 8/25/2009 | 5 | bipolar disorder | fatigue, lack of appetite | changed my life. Feel like I'm the person I was meant to be | F | 45 | 2 years | 8/23/2009 | 5 | seizure | None | stoped seizure right away. A miricale pill. Expensive,but woth it. I had grand male and parciale seizures. Took 4 differant meds befour lamictal. They didn't help. I had side effects from all 4. | F | 61 | 15 years | 8/23/2009 | 5 | Rapid Cycle Bipolar | Brief periods of hypomania with any increase in dose. Slight fatigue, along with some clumsiness and minor memory issues. I have noticed what some call 'emotional flatness'; a better term for it is MOOD STABILIZATION. | This is BY FAR the best medication I have been given. It has been a fantastic mood stabilizer for me; from the very first dose of 25mg. It does a great job of stopping my rapid cycle down swings; it has is very effective in relieveing my depression. There are side effects, but they are far fewer and far less intense that other medications; and I have been on a few. The only issue I have had with lamictal is it's interaction with my Celexa. I had to cut down on my Celexa dose once I reached 100mgs of Lamictal because 20mgs of Celexa kicked me into a full blown manic phase. The day I upped to 100mgs of Lamictal, I took my dose of Celexa and had the first full manic episode I'd had in months. But, cutting back on the Celexa was a necessary part of the process anyway. Also take the warnings about the rash seriously; if you develop one, go into see a doctor. | M | 2 months | 8/16/2009 | 5 | Depression, mood instability | Hair loss, acne, sometimes twinges in my muscles, irritability when I increase dosage - for a few days, vivid unpleasant dreams, change in sleep patterns | Lamictal is a miracle for me. I haven't tried a lot of AD's - just Wellbutrin, which was terrible for me. I have very unstable moods (but no mania or hypomania), which is why I think Lamictal works when Wellbutrin didn't. Wellbutrin gave me terrible anxiety. Lamictal makes me feel normal. Maybe I have a little bit of memory problems and I wonder if it has affected my eyesight, but I'm not completely sure on either of those, so obviously it's not too bad. I tried the generic, and it made me terribly sleepy and fatigued. | F | 38 | 4 months | 8/14/2009 | 5 | OCD/ Anxiety | when i first started the medication i was on a very low dose that didn't help....then i took a bigger dose which caused me to have more anxiety, nausea and dizziness and headaches. Once my correct dosage was determined i had slight headaches and light nausea for a few days, but it went away. | I have tried so many different meds and this is the only one that has been able to stabilize my condition. I can tell a tremendous difference in my complusive behavior especially. My mind seems more clear and focused, and I know it works because when i DON'T take it, i have serious anxiety and get shakey and lightheaded. | F | 28 | 6 months | 8/13/2009 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | WEight gain | very helpful; gave me complete stability; prevented manic episodes | F | 37 | 3 years | 8/11/2009 | 5 | Bipolar 1 | Minor fatigue early on, body pains in the beginning and at each dose increase - if you have a minor backache the dose increase will cause it to be a major backache, but only for a few days. | Works very well for me. For about 8 years I was on Seroquel and Depakote and gained tons of weight - either extremely hungry or tired. On Lamictal I have been able to adjust to a very healthy lifestyle and have lost over 100lbs. With Lamictal I have attained the most stability I've ever enjoyed. | M | 38 | 1 years | 8/2/2009 | 5 | JME (juvenile myoclonic epilepsy) | light sensitivity w/ headaches, night sweats and vivid dreams, feeling jittery if I'm late taking it (even by a couple of hours), somewhat slower cognitive and motor skills | This drug has kept me seizure free and I can function again without fear of having a seizure. Side effects increase if I'm sleep deprived or stressed out but are manageable. My neurologist said I may be able to try going off of it next year, but I'm not sure I will as the benefits outweigh the side effects by a long shot | F | 24 | 3 years | 7/23/2009 | 5 | Dysthymia, Depression, Mood Swings | No side effects. None. | I have tried 15 or 20 different antidepressants over 20 years. None helped. Now I feel better. Mood crashes are less frequent and not so deep. Recovery is quite fast. I feel better, happier, easier, "more like myself." FINALLY. I have been taking 200 mgs per day, and am now starting to take 250 mgs per day, to see if I can squeeze out a bit more benefit. | M | 52 | 4 months | 7/7/2009 | 5 | Mood swings,PTSD,ADHA | Terrible Headaches and slight vertigo the first month. No other physical or emotional side effects. | This drug really changed my life!I had tried so many things with little success and I was so tired of everyone saying that I wasn't myself or I seemed so different. I knew they were right but didn't know what to do!I have taken Paxil (evil Drug),zoloft,wellbutrin XL & Lexapro. All made me functional but not level. After a month on Lamictal, the fog lifted and I was pretty angry about the haze I had been living in for 6 yrs! For the first time, It was a GOOD angry! Family and friends were amazed. 100mg Lamictal with 20mg Adderall XR was my magic cocktail! I am focused,level and still have a very normal range of emotion. No more zombie! The first month I had Terrible headaches but they subsided after I started taking the pill in the morning.I also consumed as much Gatorade as I could hold and the headaches stopped. Hormone flux still triggers the headaches from time to time but very rarely. My doc and I worked hard to find this mix and I couldn't be more happy. Seriously,I'm happy, for the first time in a long time! No more freaking out,crying for no reason,hopelessness or dread about the future. This medicine gave me my life back where the others made it barely tolerable. I know my side effects were mild but if you have tried the "basics" and mood swings are your trouble, this might be worth a try. Good luck! | F | 35 | 2 years | 6/16/2009 | 5 | bipolar II | weight loss, nausea, fogetfulness, tremors | Lamictal truly has done wonders for me; it brought me out of a terrible depression about two years ago, and since then has completely stabilized all of my mood swings. I liked the weight loss side effect; not so much the tremors, which have not stopped. I seriously was worried that I could have early-onset Parkinson's for a while - has anyone else had that side effect? | F | 19 | 2 years | 6/12/2009 | 5 | GAD/Depression | None | Went for years, trying every medication out there. Finally hit upon the cocktail of Lexapro and Lamictal. It is like the clock has been turned back for me to a time prior to my problems emerging. (the Lexapro alone did not do it. It was not until after we added the Lamictal that I gained relief) | M | 59 | 11 months | 6/11/2009 | 5 | Epilepsy | I've been on this med for 4 yrs the only side effects at the beginning were I couldn't drink coffee it made me feel sick | This med is such a blessing! well atleast to me it is. I struggled so long with my Epilepsy and doses of the medication I was taking since I was 14. I dont recommend DEPAKOTE it was good aweful. I have not experienced a grand mal seizure in 4 yrs!!! when I was taking Depakote I was having atleast 5-7 in a 2 wk span. I also have JME juvielle myclonic epilepsy I still have them but not as bad. I love this medication and def recommend it. | F | 29 | 4 years | 6/11/2009 | 5 | bipolar | When I started lamictal 2 years ago I must have had some side effects but quite mild | For 20 years had a depression diagnosis tried every drug with only unsustained success. Since adding lamictal to effexor I have a full life without worrying that I'm going to freak out at any little thing. Please give this drug a chance the combination has let me be a full human being again. | F | 55 | 2.5 years | 6/10/2009 | 5 | Bipolar 2 disorder | Tiny bit of acne, some lack of sleep | I've been taking this for a while. Began because I was cutting and my parents found out. I'm a total perfectionist and a very normal 17 year old. I started with 100mg but had a relapse and was put on 200mg. Ive had a great experience with lamictal and feel 10000 times better on this. I am a totally better person on it and am able to react much more rationally. I've never had any bad side effects except I noticed a couple more pimples but I have no where near what is considered "acne". I went off for about 2 weeks unconsciously because I left it in my bag and forgot to take it. I realized how much better I felt when on it and realized what a good impact it has had on me. I reccomend this for someone who is diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder like me and is a little emotionally unstable. | F | 17 | 10 months | 6/9/2009 | 5 | Bipolar II | Mental "fog" | Lamictal has been great for me. I actually feel like "myself" when I take it, but without the wild mood swings. What I like best, however, is that I actually feel emotions, and do have "normal" (i.e. not life-threatening and not rapidly changing) ups and downs. I have definitely experienced the mental fog - started bothering me about a year in - but I have found that ACCUPUNCTURE works wonders for this. I highly recommend trying it if you are having this side effect (I stumbled upon it by accident when going to the accupuncturist for allergies- didn't have much luck with the allergies, but still go whenever I start feeling "foggy"- the effect lasts a good few months, particularly if I am taking care of myself diet and exercise-wise). | F | 30 | 3 years | 5/12/2009 | 5 | bipolar | none | I love this med! I have had no side effects with this medication, which is amazing because I usually am very sensitive to meds. I have taken it for a long time, and have tried to ween off of it due to the cost. I was unable to do so as it always sent me into a deep depression. Staying on it has been the solution to the ugly depression side of the bipolar. | F | 37 | 10 years | 5/6/2009 | 5 | Bipolar NOS | insomnia and very mild acne | My daughter (10) has been on Lamictal for just over a month. We have definitely noticed improvement in her moods and ability to cope with change and stress. She began at the 25mg dose, went to 50 after 2 weeks, and just started the 75mg in week 4. After a couple of weeks on that she will be at her target dose of 100mg. One thing I have noticed is that while she still gets angry and can be rude, she is not out of control in the way she used to be. She is a good kid and we always knew she did not want to lash out or break things when she got upset; she just couldn't control her anger. Now she seems to have a fighting chance at self-control. The only side effects we have seen are a couple of pimples on her chin and some trouble falling asleep at night. | F | 10 | 1 months | 5/5/2009 | 5 | bipolar II | none | i am taking 150mg/day for extreme hypomanic episodes. i was also on 25mg zoloft and 10mg ambien but i got pulled off the zoloft b/c i was having extreme mood swings. off the zoloft i am feeling better but i am still manic. the ambien is to help me sleep b/c when i am manic i stay up 48 hrs + at a time. my psychiatrist is going to bump me to 200mg this week. hopefully it can help level out my manic/depressive phases and get me back to some equilibrium. i find that i take a certain dosage for a while that helps and then it suddenly doesnt work so i have to bump the dosage up. | F | 31 | 4 months | 4/29/2009 | 5 | anti-epileptic seziures&depression | brain fog, itchy skin & scalp, short term memory loss, dizzy, not sure footed, forget way too much, tired more then I would like, spelling errors. | No seziures! But I have only had 2 in the last 6 months. Knock on wood...Sleeping great when I had insomina, anxiety decresed, depression cured, amazing! I feel better then I have in years, but the side effects are frustrating. Now that I found this site, I feel that I'm not crazy. The pharmacy information does not do this med any justice. Education is so important! I have yet to see a neurologist and my dose will be incresed for sure. The ER Dr. was who prescribed the med. I was very scared, but didn't want anymore seziures! Hope I don't have any more side effects, when they increse my dosage. Only on 25mg at the moment. Good Luck to all! | F | 37 | 1 months | 4/28/2009 | 5 | bipolar 2 | leg tremors, decreased appetite, night sweats and am a zombie the first day the dosage is increased via the starter pack. | 2 weeks ago I was desperate, considering hospitalization, deeply depressed and having a really hard time functioning esp. in the AM when I couldn't stop crying-- nothing was wrong but couldn't stop weeping. Today the symptoms are GONE. I'M BACK! It feels glorious to be myself again. I'm only on 50 mg currently. I split the dose so I take 25mg in PM and 25mg in AM, that really helped with my out of control emo mornings. | M | 3 weeks | 4/22/2009 | 5 | Bulimia, ADHD, Anxiety, Bipolar | So far, none at all. I had been taking Ritalin (a generic) for ADHD. Somewhere along the line, it was decided that the ADHD contributed to the Bulimia. I do know that without the Ritalin, I can't focus on anything at all and the binge/purge cycles are definitely far more frequent and intense. After many failures with anti-depressants, the need to address severe occasional depression, as well as some fairly intense anxiety, my psychDoc decided to focus on the dx of bipolar. He ordered me to stop taking the ritalin and start the lamictal at 25 mg, doubling the dosage every week until I reached 200 mg. I am now at 50 mg. His stopping the ritalin is how I know I can't stop the ritalin. So, I'm back on the Ritalin, per his advice. | As for the Lamictal: I had no idea how paranoid I was until this morning when I woke up. I always sensed that people at work thought I was weird and that my boss hated me and wanted to get rid of me. To me, this was almost as real and unquestionable as the sun rises in the east; I just 'knew' it was the truth. I also wasn't pleasant to myself…I mean that I always berated myself for the lack of strength to do better, eat better, please people, be nice, be happy, be successful. I had no idea how emotionally crippled I have been. This caused me to work at home almost always and gain a lot of weight - although to be fair, I am now 45 and stopped working out years ago. I actually was able to stop at Henry's yesterday after work - I actually went into the office; that's rare - to pick up some healthy stuff to eat. And, last night for dinner, I ate some and I also ate some for breakfast this morning. I didn't go through the binge purge situation, way too much wine and half a pack of cigarettes like I would normally in the evening. I am not sure if this is a fluke or if the Lamictal has actually been key in this 2 day success story. I do know that I like the person I woke up as this morning and that is something very different. I will update at this site with further comment in a few weeks after I have more time and have increased the dose. | F | 45 | 12 days | 4/16/2009 | 5 | Depression/ anxiety | It has saved my life ! | After many many years of being in and out of hospitals and being so afraid, not being able to get out of bed for weeks on end. I missed out alot when my kids were little. I finally have a life I have never known. THANK YOU LAMICTAL | F | 3 years | 4/8/2009 | 5 | bipolar | none | Lamictal has been wonderful in relieving my bipolar symptoms. I feel normal again. | F | 45 | 6 months | 4/5/2009 | 5 | Bipolar type 2 | None. | This medication was a Godsent. | F | 23 | 2 years | 3/25/2009 | 5 | GAD/Panic disorder | Insomnia, mild rash | I just began taking lamictal, after having achieved mixed results with SSRIs. The SSRIs provided relief but at a high cost in side effects; lamictal is nearly all-gain so far, save the insomnia. I was able to discern a distinct difference in my mood within two weeks. I feel like myself for the first time in a long while; I am full of hope for the future. | M | 20 | 2 months | 3/23/2009 | 5 | Rapid Cycling/BP-Stabilize Mood | At first, I felt a bit spacey but my Doctor had told me this was normal and would go away. It went away during the second week | My moods go from slightly depressed to hypomanic sometimes several times in one day. I have taken Tegretal, Lithium, Depakote, Seroquel, Risperdol, Haldol, Geodon, Klonopin, Zoloft, Prozac, to name a few. All other mood stabilizers caused me to be "zombie-like" and made me feel "not normal due to being extremely slowed down from normal". My SSRI was changed several times due to the mood stabilizers previously taken not being adequate....if not making me feel worse than not being medicated at all. I was put on meds such as Geodon, and Haldol that both sent me to the emergency room wondering if I was going to die....I always stopped my mood stabilizer (which is typical for BP people). Needless to say after 7 years since my diagnosis, I was completely discouraged and very hesitant to try anything new due to bad experience. My new Doctor put me on Lamictal several months ago. She advised me that it would not cause weight gain and that typically, everyone seemed to be really pleased with it. I am more pleased than I ever expected. Just when I thought no combination of meds, especially one med alone would ever change my life so much for the better as Lamictal has. I now take Lamictal, Effexor, Xanax (when needed), and Adderall. The combination is perfect but specifically associated with Lamictal...I am more energetic, I am generally is a great mood and my moods are predictable at all times, I am very optimistic, I don't have anxiety nearly as much as I | F | 30 | 2 months | 3/18/2009 | 5 | Dysthymic Disorder/Anxiety | Memory loss, slight anxiety, and drowsiness. | I was prescribed six different SSRIs with various side effects. Lamictal is very tolerable and this drug has saved me from the doldrums of depression. I regained my personality, started a new relationship (after eleven years of being single), engaged in social activities, and ended many years of isolation. My mood has been stable for four months and I am very satisfied with Lamictal! | M | 34 | 4 months | 3/16/2009 | 5 | Bi Polar | dry skin. minor acne, night sweats>> all very minor . | I was on other meds, Abilify had major weight gain, then tried tegretol-- major anxiety and horrific depression-cried about everything. Lamictal has been great, very few issues. Lamictal has made me feel reenergized about life and living, and I feel good. other drugs made me hazy and zombie like too. | M | 38 | 3 months | 3/16/2009 | 5 | Bipolar I | none | It improved my mood and energy levels. I am much happier and optimistic after taking lamictal, and my energy has increased. | F | 26 | 2 months | 3/15/2009 | 5 | Bipolar Mixed | Almost none- dry mouth, dry eyes a little bit | Love it!! Tried Abilify- lots of weight then Tryleptol - major depression and anxiety- Very hazy and foggy I Love Lamictal!! No rash... feel happy and confident | M | 39 | 2 weeks | 3/13/2009 | 5 | POSSIBLY BI-POLAR | DRY MOUTH AND WEIGHT GAIN. BUT THE TOPAMAX FOR MIGRAINS IS HELPING | THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL I AM A MOTHER OF 5 KIDS AND 1 IS BI-POLAR AND 1 IS SPECIAL NEEDS AND I NEEDE TO STABALIZE | M | 37 | 4 weeks | 3/10/2009 | 5 | bipolar II | I've been on it for so long (7ish years?) I can't remember the side effects. They must not have been too horrific. | I LOVE this med. It has kept my mania pretty darn stable. Recently added a bit of Topamax to it for weight loss, but have no plans to get off the Lamictal. The generic is now available by Teva (I know, I know--they're not the most loved generic pharma), but I've noticed nothing different in my moods after taking the generic for at least 6-7 weeks now (neither has anyone else). Lamictal (brand name) is the one med that I've taken consistently and with only minor dose tweaking since I was dx'd with BPII in 2001. I did, however, find out that 400mg is too much for me, and almost immediately I experienced burning, swelling, and itchy palms. Doc lowered it right away to 300mg. | F | 40 | 7 years | 3/2/2009 | 5 | seizures | none unless I am late taking a dose by a few hours, then my throat feel funny and I get a little dizzy, but this goes away as soon as I take my dose. I take 750mg/day | Awesome medication! was on tegretol, which gave me severe anxiety and low testosterone over time(was on it for 10 years). very low testosterone. switching to lamictal was wonderful. | M | 27 | 1 years | 2/24/2009 | 5 | Rapid-Cycling Bipolar II | I am on 150 mg currently. Its a great drug once you find a "good" dose (too litte-my mood swings came back, too much-I was a walking zombie at 200mg) This stablized me to the point where I dont even need to take an anti-depressant anymore. | DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE THIS MEDICINE! YOU WILL GET REALLY BAD WITHDRAWALS! chills, hot flashes, fever, extreme dizziness and headaches. If you do need to get off, taper slowly. | F | 17 | 1 years | 2/17/2009 | 5 | bipolar | mild to severe anxiety at times, severe constipation (since dose was upped over 100 mg. Currently on 150 mg.), abdominal pain (from constipation), dry eyes. | The side effects are unpleasant, but tolerable. This drug has saved me. I was an absolute mess before, rapid cycling constantly, rampant paranoia triggering both depression and mania. I've been upping my dose slowly from 25 mg. I know immediately when I need to up it because the paranoia starts, and once I up it, the paranoia goes away completely. It's changed my life. I've been bipolar since I was 4, and I've never known what it's like to have a stable mood. It's heavenly. I will deal with the side effects. The anxiety can get pretty bad, but because my mind is clearer than it's ever been, I am able to talk myself through it. It feels great being sane. | F | 31 | 6 months | 2/16/2009 | 5 | Extreme Depression and Anxiety | Side effects are not really very bad, extremely tolerable... Night Sweats, Just need to change out of my pajamas first thing in the morning, weight Loss-about 10 pounds--but I needed it. | I have had clinical depression since the age of 16, and have tried every antidepressant and mood stabilizer out there. Lamictal has been a miracle for me. I am myself again! Effexor works well as an antidepressant, depakote and zyprexa worked but I ate too much and gained tons of weight. I currently take 150 mg of lamictal and 150 mg of effexor. I hope more depressed people, will try the mood stabilizers/anticonvulsants. I read in the New Yorker once that there were theories that some scientists thought depression was similar to little mini-seizures...anyway... I agree with the lady who posted that the reason lamictal doesn't have more positive postings is because there are so many people who have been happy with this drug that they no longer need to surf the internet for help. I hope that any one who has had a positive experience with this drug will post a comment to help all those who are still searching. Good luck! | F | 40 | 2 years | 2/11/2009 | 5 | Bipolar I | trouble finding words, trouble with spelling (which i had never problems with before), feeling slow, trouble concentrating, worsening of short-term memory and long-term memory, feeling dull and unenthused, itchy in the middle of the night, strange feeling in my ears sometimes (feels something like swimmer's ear) | honestly i would recommend this medication to anyone who is going through serious bipolar episodes. on a whole, this medication has saved my life. when i do get depressed, it doesn't get that bad and i snap out of it very fast. one trouble is that i never get into a very happy mood state... i stay at a pretty constant monotone interspersed with mild depression. even so, it has been worth it over the past year because it has helped me recognize my emotions and my reactions to things due to being able to observe myself instead of just instantly reacting to everything. this will help me immensely once i stop taking the drug. even though i've listed so many side-effects, they are somewhat mild and have been tolerable up to this point. i am going to talk to my doctor soon about trying to come off of it, though, because i am tired of the side-effects now. still, once again, i do recommend this drug. i did not gain any weight, lose my hair, or get a rash and never felt so drugged out that i c | F | 25 | 1 years | 1/31/2009 | 5 | Bipolar | extremely forgetful, gastritis | I am on 400 mg a day. I also take prozac. This drug has been a miracle drug for me. I am a different person. No more "walking wounded feeling" or extreme sadness not being able to leave the house. Exhausting manic episodes have stopped. No more paranoia. I feel like a normal person and can deal with everyday situations for the first time in my life. I am happy and motivated. However I can feel it if I miss a day or two, so I try to never miss. I can deal with the forgetfulness... it is nothing compared to the horrible debilitating mood swings. I would trade my memory for being crazy any day of the week. Lifesaver drug. | F | 39 | 4 years | 1/27/2009 | 5 | bipolar symptoms | No significant side effects | Lamictal helped me turn my life around. Prior to taking it, my emotions and actions were all over the map. I was a wreck. Now I'm relaxed, happy, optimistic, social, thoughtful ... everyone that's known me before and after can attest to the positive, significant impact Lamictal has had in my life. My only warning: do not miss a dose. I can't stress that enough. | F | 28 | 3 years | 1/26/2009 | 5 | Bipolar II | Night sweat. Temperature sensitiv. Small rash on my hands. Lamictal is the only medicine that i use. | A year ago I was searching like crazy on the net trying to find out what was wrong with me and I stumble on this page. Now that I have been cured I thought it would be nice to write some lines. I think that those who have been cured by this drug stop searching the net because they don’t need to and that’s why you have more negative feedback than positive on this medicine. Anyway, the depressive side forced me into a black hole that I could get out from without help. Started out with large doses of pure fish oil (6 large capsules a day with Omega 3 without vitamins), that lifted me up some (it took 3 months). Finally I was diagnosed bipolar II and put on lamictal. I am on 200mg a day plus fish oil and I have to say that I have never felt better. My brain is working again, all thoughts of dead has gone, muscle tension is much better, I have control over my anxiety +++. If lamictal or other drugs fail….try fish oil. | M | 42 | 2 months | 1/13/2009 | 5 | Bi-Polar I w/psychosis | I just restarted taking Lamictal along w/Risperdal. I had a cold before restarting so not sure if the side effects are coincidental. | I have been on this medicine combination before and I am so much better than before,I am happy to be back on it, the side effects don't outweigh the benefits for me. I have no more racing thoughts(at this time)my energy levels are great | F | 41 | 3 weeks | 12/30/2008 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | At first I experienced chapped lips and a little fatigue. It went away after about a month. I now feel totally back to normal and better than I have in my whole life. Mood is stable, emotions regulated, I am able to keep a job for more than 6 months. Great energy, good sleeping, and good eating habits. | F | 36 | 1 years | 12/30/2008 | 5 | BiPolar II | none | I can't even begin to explain how it has changed my life. I have tried all the other drugs. Lithium made me so sick, abilify had no effect whatsoever, depakote made me so dizzy and tired I couldn't function. I had gone off all my meds and was in the deepest depression of my life and abusing alcohol, sleeping all day, my house was awful, my poor family....then I started on Lamictil. I am a different person. I rarely nap, cut way back on drinking, stopped biting my nails!! I hope I never have to stop taking it. I have lost weight and I am more responsible than ever. I feel 'normal' for the first time in 20 years. I cried when my family told me how much they love me and how happy they are that I am 'back'. | F | 36 | 4 months | 12/16/2008 | 5 | Bipolar II | None | In conjuction with Abilify, worked with for my Bipolar II | F | 22 | 2 years | 12/16/2008 | 5 | depressive moodswings | tiredness | worked great! only brief tiredness i take 200mg and it effectively controls my moodswings | M | 19 | 1 years | 12/5/2008 | 5 | Bipolar | No real side effects. | The drug has changed my life. No weight gain, no lows and highs like I use to get. Happy and not affraid to be myself.. YOU SHOULD TRY IT; IF YOUR DOCTOR THINKS ITS RIGHT FOR YOU. | F | 37 | 3 days | 11/26/2008 | 5 | Bipolar II | I haven't noticed anything out of the normal | Has made a huge difference in my life - symptoms of bipolar almost completely in check. I still have times where I feel the bipolar more but I haven't seriously wanted to hurt myself in the two + years I've been taking. | F | 29 | 2.5 years | 11/20/2008 | 5 | bi-polar II , Insomnia | At first week mild headaches, 2 weeks a little acne, at first I would wake me up in the middle of the nigh. NOW, none.....a little drowsy | I have been on everything. I could be a pharmacist. This is the ONLY MED I COULD tolerate and WORKED.........BEST MED EVER and IM ONLY at 150mg and my goal is 400mg. | M | 34 | 2 months | 11/20/2008 | 5 | Cyclothymia / BP2 | Some terrible headaches to start with and some mouth ulcers - nothing serious. Also very very vivid dreams. Incredibly realistic and fun! Oh I cant drink anything more than 2 beers on this as I get the headaches badly | Lamictal has changed my life. After 12 years of struggling with episodes of deep depression followed by a few days of ecstasy and then normality, I had come to the end of my tether and was determined to give mood stabilisers a go with SSRI's making the whole rollercoaster much more pronounced. I havent tried any others, I dont need to. Im only on 50mg but it makes everything much more focussed and lighter. | M | 35 | 4 months | 11/11/2008 | 5 | Boderline P./Mood Stabilizer/PTSD | The side affects were present in the first month or so; that first month, this medication made me VERY tired after taking it. But that was it. Now 5 months later... No side affects at all, and this medication has literally saved my sanity! | After being treated by traditional antidepressants, and anti anxiety medications... my moods were still completely out of control. Lamictal has improved my quality of life 100%. I can leave the house now without severe anxiety. I no longer have the crazy mood swings that had plagued me nearly all my life. Finally a medication that really helps! | F | 28 | 7 months | 11/7/2008 | 5 | Bipolar NOS and organic brain syndr | Awful headaches from time to time, itchiness, and every once in a while I'll feel unbelievably sick and flu-like for about half an hour. But WHO CARES???? Not me! | Lamictal ROCKS! It does so much to stabilize my mood and cognitive functioning. I would happily accept side effects that were 10 times worse in exchange for that. Lamictal is also especially valuable for women because it lowers the toxic estrogen levels that are so common these days. | F | 39 | 9 months | 11/4/2008 | 5 | manic-depression | dry mouth. No problems with the rash SE. That is a rare (but serious SE). See the derm atlas for images http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/IndexDisplay.cfm?ImageID=1388325837 | This is my second time on it and it is great for my mood. Not only as a mood stabilizer but for depression. | F | 27 | 6 months | 10/30/2008 | 5 | Manic Depressive (Bipolar) | slight weight loss | LAMICTAL GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK! Until 2 years ago, the only "normal" life I remember was as a child. I have been hospitalized twice (once for 3 months) & have been treated with various antidepressants over the years. Some worked a bit. Others did not. NOTHING came close to helping me as does Lamictal. I have actually written the company to thank them. I would LOVE to meet with any scientist who worked to help "cure" me. My chart, tho inches thick I'm sure, honestly now states "IN REMISSION" | F | 50 | 2 years | 10/29/2008 | 5 | Bipolar/Cycling Mood disorder | Feeling drowsy in the morning, but side effect lifted after a few weeks. Lost about 30 lbs. throughout course of treatment. This is a definited plus because many medications used for mental health purposes have the weight gain effect. | Before I started taking Lamictal 3 years ago, I had always had bouts of slight depression and mild manic phases (usually more manic phases than depressive states). My doctor brought me back down to a "normal" state with Zyprexa (an antipsychotic), and then put me on Lamictal (100 mg twice a day) to help stabilize my mood and keep it there. For the first time in my life, I felt completely comfortable with myself; that is, all my panicky feelings, paranoia, depression, etc. were gone because Lamictal stabilized my mood. I could function like a normal human without anxiety attacks getting in the way, for example. About 3 months ago, I had my first relapse and was, unknowingly, in a major manic state for about 3 weeks straight. I did not know it was a manic phase at the time because I was only feeling severe PHYSICAL symptoms (i.e. severe back and chest pain that led me to getting an MRI). When the general practitioners/back specialists couldn't figure out what was wrong, I | F | 20 | 3 years | 10/25/2008 | 5 | BIPOLAR, DEPRESSION,OCD, | SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES, ACNE ON SHOULDERS(BAD), FEVER, FACIAL NUMBNESS | THIS DRUG WORKED VERY WELL FOR ME. I HAD TO STOP IT DUE TO SWOLLEN GLANDS EVERYWHERE- PUT ME IN THE ER | F | 23 | 2 years | 10/24/2008 | 5 | migraines/psych reasons | none | Lamictal has been a Godsend. from migraines, it helps and works better than topamax. also take for instability for borderline personality disorder. i finally feel comfortable in my skin & that everything might end up ok | M | 36 | 9 months | 10/23/2008 |