Mood stabiliser Lamotrigine - does anyone else take it?

[Henpen]

Hi all,

My Consultant has prescribed me Lamotrigine as a mood stabiliser to take alongside Fluoxetine. I haven't been diagnosed with bipolar but do I have depression with anxiety and pretty bad mood swings, so it's to help with that. I was wondering if anyone else takes this and how it has been for you?

However I'm a bit freaked out because the info leaflet in the box says it shouldn't be taken with the contraceptive pill, but is quite cryptic about why not. So, is it because it makes the pill less effective, or because it causes side effects in combination, or what? If anyone knows please let me know.

Also, I am concerned because the info leaflet is all about treating epilepsy, and says nothing about use as a mood stabiliser. My doctor said it is only newly licensed for this use so perhaps that is why.

Thanks in advance,

HP xx

[bajskorv]

I just started taking it last week after a polar bear diagnosis. I'm being treated abroad (let's just say in a country with one of the world's highest suicide rates) where it seems that specialists know a damn sight more than they do in the UK. So far I haven't noticed anything, I've only been on it 5 days so I'm not expecting to, plus I've just started on 25mg.

It is used as a mood stabiliser, I was told that it's a really good one because of the minimal side effects compared to the other ones currently available AND for polar bears who have more severe depressive episodes than mania/hypo mania it's meant to "take the edge off" without knocking you out. Aside from the scary skin side effects that can happen.

What I was told about the pill aspect is that if you're on an oestrogen one, it affects the uptake of the lamotrigine so they may need to adjust the dose accordingly. Plus you should tell them if you come off the pill as again, it can adjust the amount in your blood. I've got the implant though so the doctor was fairly confident it didn't apply to me.

After I've typed all that, I see now that you posted over a year ago. So you're probably well on your way with treatment! I hope it's gone well for you. I'm really, really feeling positive about Lamotrigine, after all I've been told and things I have read. Fluoxetine wasn't cutting it alone and some weeks I was up to 60 mg/day. That's no party, especially as lo and behold it has a habit of triggering my hypo-mania! The psych even said that if all goes well with Lamotrigine as the dose increases over the months I may even be able to cut down to just 20mg fluoxetine a day. Which sounds like paradise and will save me a shed load of money on prescription charges!

[harasgenster]

Hi
I'm on 150mg lamotrigine and the mini pill (progesterone only). I checked this out with my doc. It slightly reduces the absorption of the lamotrigine, but that's not too bad. If it was the other way around you'd have cause to worry

I was given it for bipolar disorder and my leaflet actually says a lot about the modd stabiliser stuff, different manufacturer maybe?

As for its effectiveness. I've been on it for about 18 months or so. It helped me sleep and has made me calmer. It has a very slight anti-depressive effect but not much of one. It just does what it says on the tin - stabilises! Does nothing for anxiety, either, but I have liked it much better than all other pills I've been on. I did find it made me a bit too drowsy on 200mg so I had mine reduced. All around a good pill, though, hope you have a similar experience!

Word to the wise: careful with alcohol! It doesn't actually interfere with the drug but because lamotrigine has a slight sedative effect, when you mix in alcohol you feel like you're on heavy tranquilisers. So you'll feel very drunk very quickly and will lose coordination. This was only when I was weaning up to the full dosage and it happens if I forget to take them. Try not to forget them either. I feel completely out of it if I do, so set a reminder for yourself or an alarm or something. Once you're used to the pills alcohol should be fine, although my tolerance has been lessened by the pills so I can't really drink that much. Not really a bad thing, though!

[ElizabethJane]

I just started taking it last week after a polar bear diagnosis. I'm being treated abroad (let's just say in a country with one of the world's highest suicide rates) where it seems that specialists know a damn sight more than they do in the UK. So far I haven't noticed anything, I've only been on it 5 days so I'm not expecting to, plus I've just started on 25mg.

It is used as a mood stabiliser, I was told that it's a really good one because of the minimal side effects compared to the other ones currently available AND for polar bears who have more severe depressive episodes than mania/hypo mania it's meant to "take the edge off" without knocking you out. Aside from the scary skin side effects that can happen.

What I was told about the pill aspect is that if you're on an oestrogen one, it affects the uptake of the lamotrigine so they may need to adjust the dose accordingly. Plus you should tell them if you come off the pill as again, it can adjust the amount in your blood. I've got the implant though so the doctor was fairly confident it didn't apply to me.

After I've typed all that, I see now that you posted over a year ago. So you're probably well on your way with treatment! I hope it's gone well for you. I'm really, really feeling positive about Lamotrigine, after all I've been told and things I have read. Fluoxetine wasn't cutting it alone and some weeks I was up to 60 mg/day. That's no party, especially as lo and behold it has a habit of triggering my hypo-mania! The psych even said that if all goes well with Lamotrigine as the dose increases over the months I may even be able to cut down to just 20mg fluoxetine a day. Which sounds like paradise and will save me a shed load of money on prescription charges!

I just love your post about the polar bear diagnosis and I hope that you are feeling better. I don't have the polar bear diagnosis but I am on lithium 1,000mg at night and as Hara says it stabilises Lithium is another mood stabiliser. I am also taking mirtazapine 45mg. EJ.