Lamotrigine for Depression User Reviews (Page 5)

• Roano
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 20, 2019

"I have found Lamictal to cause insomnia and restless legs when taken in the evening. I was prescribed Lamictal for treatment resistant depression. I can't be certain whether it's helping or not, But it does cause a noticeable restlessness when I take it in the evening as prescribed. I am going to start taking it in the morning instead."

• Hal
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2021

"Lamotrigine has been a life saver. Though I do not have any manic disorders, I do struggle with anxiety and depression. I am currently on a high dose mixed with a high dose of zoloft and that combination has completely transformed my life and made me feel like myself again. It eased my mood swings, depressive episodes, and anxiety. Since being on it I have noticed a huge improvement and would recommend anyone struggling with depression/anxiety to bring it up with your doctor to see if it would be a good choice for you. All in all a very effective medicine."

• abbey...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 5, 2021

"This medication saved my life. I had Severe MDD with suicidal ideation and I had tried almost every other class of antidepressant, and was giving up hope. SSRIs in particular did not work for me and caused adverse reactions. I also have panic disorder and GAD. I was having suicidal ideation constantly out of my own volition and those scary thoughts would never leave. I was so desperate and miserable that I lost 23 pounds in two months. I was so close to giving up hope. I started this medication and was quickly titrated up to 150 mg daily in addition to Wellbutrin and xanax as needed for panic. This medication has been an absolute miracle. It has completely gotten rid of the suicidal thoughts and the physical pain of the depression. It has also helped with my anxiety. I can feel happiness, and in some ways this is still shocking to me. I did not realize how incapable I was of that emotion until I was able to feel it after almost 10 years of struggling. It has absolutely saved my life, and I have minimal side effects."

• Camirl
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2022

"I don’t know where to start with this one. Tried this mood stabilizer to balance my hormones after having a baby. My body and mind usually react well to new meds but this was the complete opposite. From day one of taking it, I began having intrusive thoughts from my past popping up in my head. Each day, they got worse and worse and more intense. I was a whole different person on this med. This drug almost cost me my marriage and my family. I can’t even describe the doom it brought to my mind. Felt like an out-of-body experience. It also made my OCD 10x worse. I have not had a big problem with it until I started this. I literally could not control my thoughts or actions. The only good thing it did was give back my libido (I’m on Zoloft). This works for some people but did not work for me. I knew I had to leave a review because my experience was so so bad. I immediately threw them away after stopping because I didn’t want to look at them anymore."

• Kyle...
• July 25, 2016

"I've tried roughly a dozen different medications for depression with little to no effect. Some have actually made me feel much worse. Lamotrigine's effect is relatively minor, but more significant than any other medication I've tried. It makes me feel more talkative and enables me to actually enjoy things. My mood still fluctuates quite a bit and on a bad day it has little effect, but the improvement it adds to my good days is very noticeable verse without it. It also helps my social anxiety. Important to note though that it's next to useless for me when used alone. It's improvements only apply when taken with a serotonergic medication. (I take it venlafaxine and mirtazapine)."

• Bobby...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 13, 2021

"After being diagnosed with MDD, I was hospitalized for three weeks and begun on a series of ECT treatments that got me well enough to be out on the street. I then spent 2-1/2 years in outpatient therapy that was a total waste of my time. A psych APRN at the VA put me on Lamotrigine. It along with some excellent therapy got me feel better and stop the suicidal thoughts that had filled my brain for almost three years. I started on 200mg/day in 2015 and have stayed on the same dose since then. I would rate it 10 out of 10 for effectiveness with the results beginning a week after starting it"

• pebed...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2018

"I was on Celexa and Buspar for about 15 years - no highs, no lows, but felt after that long I should try something new. I started with lamictal @ 25mg while I was lowering my Celexa and Buspar. First two weeks were almost euphoric. Then I stepped up to 50mg (again while decreasing my other meds), and I started seeing things. I googled this and found others were experiencing the same issue. Then I stepped up to 75mg, and my world fell apart. Dizziness, hostility, itching, "buzzing", sleep issues, nausea and uncontrollable sobbing. I'm stepping down now, but it has been a 6-week process. Now I've been prescribed meds to calm the dizziness and nausea, and I'm still stepping down while going back on Celexa. Great when it works...a complete nightmare when it doesn't."

• Smarty
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 14, 2022

"I have dysthymia and I’ve been on lamotrigine (100mg) and venlafaxine XR (150mg) for one month and I’m much better, I can’t tell exactly which symptoms got better with this drug but my feelings of frustration, anxiety, apathy and fatigue are mostly gone. I don’t go to sleep wondering if the next day I’m going to be fine or not, my mood is calm and I don’t feel like a robot anymore. My clonazepam/alprazolam abuse is improving. I feel more control of myself. No side effects. I tried escitalopram, paroxetine and bupropion and they did nothing, only emotional flatness and fatigue. Don’t give up, it’s not always easy to find the correct medication."

• ifyou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2017

"Made my depression and anxiety worse, which I wasn't expecting as this drug seems so well tolerated by others. My maximum dose was 50mg bd (50mg twice daily). I just wanted to make people aware that this can happen. On the plus side, it did get rid of my visual migraines."

• DavidUK
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 22, 2023

"I agree with DeeB's review 110%. I was prescribed lamotrigine for epilepsy. Let me give an example. Recently I faced having my car repossessed. I woke up and it immediately hit me. A sense of hopelessness and dread, a thudding pulse, this feeling running right through my body. I take a 100 mg tablet of lamotrigine and within 15 minutes it was gone completely. There was no sign of depression whatsoever. lamotrigine for me is that effective! Why it is not prescribed more often for depression, I just can't understand. People still suffer with depression whilst, on antidepressants, I have witnessed it! It seems almost sadistic. Why make people suffer like that? Lamotrigine works for me. Just like with DeeB, it has completely turned my life around. Completely depression free. P.S. Re my answers below regarding insurance and cost. I live in the UK so healthcare is free and because I am retired so are medicines too."

• Pluto...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 10, 2019

"I titrated up to 100 mg and had migraines so my doctor scaled me back to 75 mg and then 50 mg. Been on 50 mg for about a year. Honestly, I don't know if it's doing anything or not. I don't have any bad side effects nor do I feel particularly better. Staying on it for now because it doesn't seem to be hurting at all and I get too sick from antidepressants."

• Corrine
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 24, 2018

"I’ve been diagnosed bipolar 2 since my teenage years, but only have mania when on antidepressants. My mood swings are between depression, normal, and periods of high anxiety. I’ve been alternating depakote, lamictal or a combo for many years. Now I’m on 200mg lamictal and have been for over a year, I take 100mg in the am and 100mg before bed. If I miss a dose or two I get a very buzzy feeling in my body and mind, so don’t miss a pill. Otherwise no side effects, and I’ve lost the depakote weight. In the past I felt like it gave me anxiety but it’s working pretty well now. This is the first time I’ve tried the morning and night thing and I think it keeps my levels more consistent. I’ve been more happy, and I don’t use that word lightly, and had success at work so it’s keeping me stable. Give it a try for depression and bipolar depression. No sexual side effects either."

• Renee
• May 24, 2017

"The medicine seemed to work okay. However after two weeks of 25 mg I increased to 50 mg and after 6 days of 50mg I was admitted in the hospital with aseptic meningitis. I didn't know at time it was from medication. I came home restarted medication and then started with rash so stopped medication. When I called my psych to tell him about rash and about recent hospital stay he told me Lamcital causes meningitis. I was told to stop medication immediately."

• Lamre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2021

"I’m sort of disappointed in this drug. I took a gene test that examines how my body metabolizes drugs and which ones might have a an effect, and lamotrigine was the only medication that I could metabolize fine and was also considered a therapeutic option. I slowly titrated up to 200mg and then moved even up to 300mg. It just ultimately didn’t do anything. No side effects, but absolutely no benefits at all. Nothing. Glad it worked for others though."

• DJ_1970
• April 26, 2017

"I have been seeing a counselor regarding some personal issues going on. She thought I was mildly autistic or had some sort of social disorder because she couldn't read my body language. I am in my mid 40s and work in PR. Nobody has ever brought it up. She said to go to a behavioral specialist anyway to see what they says. The Specialist diagnosed me with Cyclothemia, which seems to be bipolar light, or rather just moody. Certainly the latter is true. I'm not a fan of meds but this has really changed me, for the better I believe. If I forget to take it, boy can I tell. Not sure if it's withdrawals or how I used to feel. If I lose my insurance I can keep taking it. It's cheap thank goodness."

• Rmpass
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 8, 2022

"This drug is THE WORST. Long story short…back in December I developed anxiety and panic attacks that were situational. I was put in lexapro and had adverse effects. Put on Zoloft, adverse effects. Put on lamotrigine and I was seriously suicidal. I have never been suicidal or had depression or anxiety in the past, like I said my situation was acute. This medication had the absolute worst side effects. Suicidal ideations, excessive crying, severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression (that I really didn’t have to begin with), hair loss, itching, labile mood, rash that did go away, abnormal thinking. And I was only on this for FIVE WEEKS. I am tapering off this as we speak. I know for some it helps, but honestly this is poison to me. I want others to know if you experience these side effects and you’re on this medication IT’S NOT YOU!!! I have three weeks left until I’m off of this stuff and I cannot wait. I’d give it a zero if I could…"

• Cassidy...
• August 8, 2017

"After falling ill with major depression this past Spring, my doctor prescribed Lamectil. I noticed a positive change at 50 mg , and am now up to 75 mgs. I'm looking forward to titration up to 100 and hope that will be the most effective dose, as with fibromyalgia, I am very sensitive to meds. This med has also changed my life as I became non functional, prior to taking it. I pray the positive effects last, as I was in a very dark place without it. I take my dose in the morning, as I was having difficulty sleeping at night ( and take melatonin and benzos) for that. My appetite has also not yet gotten back to normal, but I am taking in enough calories to maintain the weight I lost during the depression."

• Kowser
• February 14, 2022

"I am just taking lamotrigine. This is only my second week but today I woke up very depressed. I’m only taking 25 mg and I’m wondering if anyone has the same experience and if it will subside soon. It definitely feels worse than before I started"

• Miler...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2018

"I have been on Lamotrigine for 6 weeks and up to a dose of 100mg and have felt no change at all. I am on it for depression and PTSD and anxiety. I suffer badly from Panic disorder as well. Unfortunately there has been no change while in this and I have tried all SSRIs and none worked and I am on Cymbalta also. So far klonopin only thing that has helped me function. Also I feel the Lamotrigine made me more panicky, tired and sad:-(. I was so hopeful for this to work and am so disappointed that yet another medication has failed me. I am currently weaning went from 100mg to 50mg and will be on 50 mg for 2 weeks before I go to 25mg. After 2 days I already feel a tad dizzy and off! Ugh please tel me this will go away:-("

• Jorda...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 27, 2017

"I've been on 100mg Lamotrigine for 9 years now. I started it after a major depressive episode. No side effects that I can tell, which is a huge boon compared to SSRIs (weight gain, feeling hungry all the time, and no libido) and Welbutrin made me feel like I was on speed. It is a mood stabilizer, not so much an AD. I went from having anxious and depressed episodes every few weeks to having them rarely. After a few years I tried upping my dosage to 200mg, but I felt too 'flat' emotionally and went back to 100. I still feel some depression, but the cycling is greatly reduced. Really a miracle drug for me. I recommend titrating up (and down) very slowly, to avoid getting the rash. It takes a while , but it was so worth it for me."

• LostI...
• January 30, 2016

"I titrated up to 75 and stayed there for about 5 weeks. My depression lightened a bit but it was not effective during my menstrual cycle. Eventually I started experiencing blurry vision and I read that was a common side effect, so I weaned off of it."

• sleep...
• May 17, 2017

"It only took 4 doses of the 25mg starter pack to cause major issues for me. I experienced sleep disturbances that exacerbated my depression and anxiety. It's been a few days since my last dose and I'm still struggling with insomnia, panic and frequent tearfulness."

• pavan
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 24, 2018

"I have been on fluoxetine, escitalopram, venalafaxine, bupropione, for 2 years and never thought I was in so severe depression , although I had brain fog, decreased concentration , lethargy, inability to get up from by bed , inability to take a shower or go to classes (for your info , I am an MBBS student ) which was all due to my depression , none of the drugs have worked so far, then my psychiatrist had suggested bupropione 150 mg and lamotrigine 100 mg and riperidone 1mg , felt better than before , I am able to concentrate on my studies , although not as good as I am in first year of medicine , right now I am in final year. So lamictal has worked good so far but hope to increase my dose to 150 mg and expecting positive effects in few days so that I can do well in my exams"

• catblue
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2017

"Have had major depressive disorder with borderline bipolar since I was 9, now with added anxiety. Antidepressants never worked for me. I am also sensitive to medication. As my episodes have gotten worse, my doctor thought to try me on Lamotrigine. I had to go very slowly up, and at first couldn't even tell if this was working, until I went up to 75mg, then I crashed. My dark thoughts took over me, I couldn't stand trying to wake up or get out of bed. My hydroxyzine that usually helps calm me a bit, was no help at all. I was told with being on the low dose that I could just stop it, but then I had bad withdrawal symptoms that took over 2 weeks to calm down. I cannot recommend this medicine."

• the...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2021

"began with 25mg, felt fabulous in 2-3 days because both depression and anxiety fell away as if they had never existed (and I at 62 years old and I have had depression since age 8 years old); but by the end of the 2nd week, I had more anxiety than ever. I felt I was about to jump out of my skin. Because of this level of anxiety, I even made unwise decisions that I link to lamotrigine -- ended up having to sell my car, move to a place I couldn't afford, and in a real financial bind. My doctor took me off of it. I tried again 6 months later with similar results, only I knew what to look out for. Again, initial euphoria like hypomania then falling through a trapdoor of depression and anxiety. Never again! I traded my car for this nightmare!!!"