I'm in the process of titrating my lamictal dose up from 25mg to 100mg. I was at 50mg for 2 wks and and this week going up to 75mg. I have not felt well at all so far, just very depressed. Depressed is usually my predominant state, however it's really pretty bad and I keep waiting for a sign that this med is going to help. Has anyone here had this experience while starting lamictal? How long before improvement is noticed?
How long does Lamictal take to work, I'm increasing my dose and not feeling any effects?
Question posted by Kate5 on 30 July 2012
Last updated on 16 February 2021
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48 Answers Page 2
Inactive
21 Jan 2018
Lamictal is a funny med for me. I take 800mg day. Wow right. I started low and when 400mg didnt help i was bumped up. For me i feel my manic slow down already after 2 hours. And at night after last does. I will wake up after 6 hours. My body screams to take it like a opioid would without the withdraws. I wake up wide eye at the 6 hr mark on the button. It works on depression different for me. Its more like it just helps after you hit your personal dose level. If i stop like some of us do, my anger is raged. Until i start up again. So im not sure i will ever get off with a wife and kid taking the brunt of it. One note klonipon made my depression a 100x worse. And i never thought it was that med until i stopped for several months. It just goes to show meds work different for everyone.
WildcatVet
21 Jan 2018
Klonopin is a CNS depressant just like alcohol or opioids. New studies have shown that benzos, especially when taken long term, can actually cause deeper depression, increased anxiety, sleep rhythm disturbances, and memory loss. Not to mention that they carry a great potential for addiction. Many doctors are now refusing to prescribe benzodiazepines except for the most severe of panic attacks.
fruitcake 2
15 Jan 2018
You have not reached a therapeutic dose of 125mg. I felt great at 100mg for about a year. Currently increased to 150mg, and am stable. Remember each person is going to be a different therapeutic range. Also just because a medicine works now doesn't mean it is forever with psych meds. Good luck. Keep in contact with your prescriber. Online forums aren't trustworthy.
Noahsmom16
28 Dec 2017
The medication is 20% the battle , i would try therapy since i am in your position depending on diagnoses
Vanessa1984
25 Dec 2017
I have been on it for about a month and am about to go up to 4 25mg pills a day. I have noticed that every time I up my dose, I get really sad for a few days. I have a hard time staying focused and have no motivation to do anything. However, for me, it doesn't last long. I would imagine that if it lasts for a while with you, maybe it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor. There are other anti-epilepsy medications out there that you may respond better to. Just a thought.
coffeejunkie
12 Nov 2017
Hello,
I do hope you are feeling better by now. I'm in my 5th week of Lamictal (generic). I was on 25 for two weeks, then 50 for the other. I believe to warm me up without the rash. My normal psych wasn't in that day, which in a way I'm glad. The other psych put my 200mg right a way. My normal psych is very slow when it comes to increasing medications and to get to that does if at all would have taken months. The other psych that is the normal does. I didn't start 200 right way as I thought that was a huge leap from 50mg. So I've been on 100mg for the last five days. I'm not sure if I'm bipolar and well haven't been labeled too much, but I have a lot of tendencies of a lot of illnesses. But my moods were so out of control. I had highs and lows but mostly lows. I was very suicidal. Although I didn't try anything, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The psych also increased my Lexapro to 20mg instead of 10mg.
Which I'm glad he did. I even asked my other psych if he would increase it but didn't. I actually stopped taking it three days before I got the increase. THinking maybe I didn't need it. I was reading with those with bipolar should not take antidepressants alone. I started noticing right away. My moods had been completely calmed down. At 100mg I'm feeling more "myself" which I'm not sure who that is anymore, but more I am calmer, more relaxed and more present. I do take 10 other vitamins which I'm not sure are helping, but I'd like to think so. I'm definitely going to increase to 200mg. 100mg in the am and 100mg in the pm. The only side effects I've had is tiredness, but it should dissipate. And actually, some insomnia when the sleepiness wheres off. Hope all is well.
lamitcalquestions
13 Sep 2017
Hey! So I was diagnosed with bipolar II in August and currently at 100mg. I do a lot of exercise because I am training for a triathlon, and wondering if that is contributing to the lack of effects of the medicine or maybe I'm just impatient lol. When I first bumped up to 100mg, I had a minor case of hypo mania that lasted for about one week! I was so happy because I was talking a lot, I didn't feel anxious or self conscious at all, and in the back of my mind I was thinking this is too good to be true. I was right. I dropped from my mini hypo mania right back to depression. When I get depressed, I start feeling a weight on my chest that is always there, every time I talk to people my brain freezes and I can't have normal conversations! I also feel like everything I'm doing is so much effort and am super exhausted in the morning. Anyways enough about that.
I keep reading post about people feeling absolutely great after a while, but I am worried that I won't feel as great as everyone is saying. I can't live a normal life feeling cognitively lethargic and unable to properly socialize. That's literally all I want! I don't care about any other symptoms of depression, I can keep them all except for the fact that I feel like I can't think and talk to people. I'm so sick and tired of it. I want to be able to have a boyfriend, be a fun person and not be a stick in the mud. I'm not asking for hypo mania. I'm asking for a bridge in between the two.
amandag27
13 Sep 2017
Hey. I can definitely relate to what you just said! I have read that those with fast metabolism may need a higher dosage.. but who knows. I also work out twice a day and I am relatively small female and on 400mg a day. My previous post I said one day I felt f****ing amazing out of the blue. I now think that this was lamictal pushing me into a hypomanic mood as after I crashed :( . I think it has stabalised a bit more now going from 25mg slowly to 400mg a day. At 400mg for about 3 months now and feel that I have not had really bad depression like I used to. However at the moment I feel pretty crap, have had enormous anger outbursts, not sleeping, not going out, dont feel like socialising at all, drinking has increased dramatically. On the other hand I can still make it to work and continue excercising so think the lamictal is taking the edge off the depression a bit? I take 400mg at night before bed.
It is important I take it RIGHT before I go to sleep because about 45min after taking it I get extremely woozy sort of the same feeling as if I am drunk and head spinning.
It is definitely dissapointing because when I first started taking it I thought it was the wonder drug :(
My doc says it could be many months before it stabilises. I think 100mg is a relatively low dose so maybe you will slowly increase?
lamitcalquestions
14 Sep 2017
Thanks for the advice! I hope you start feeling better. I think the worst part is having a lack of control over hypo mania and depression. Although there are things that everyone with mental illness can to to feel better. I'm 18 and worried that all of this will get worse. :( I feel like I am dragging myself around all day. 400 mg is a lot wow. Good job with exercise!!
BUT just from some experience and I'm sure everyone can agree, the best thing to do when you are depressed is to not cave to bad habits, just eat well, exercise and surround yourself with people who are motivated and help you feel "alive". POSITIVE people. People who don't do drugs, don't waste their time, people with goals and people who seem mentally stable lol. My friends have helped me tremendously I don't know what I would do without them. I'm sure you guys can relate. Even if the depression is hard, in the back of your mind you can reassure yourself that you are trying to live a healthy and positive life.
amandag27
14 June 2017
Hi , I would like to share my recent experience with Lamictal.
I am 27 and diagnosed with BP2 about 6 weeks ago. My moods rapidly change since teenage years, from extreme confidence to extreme anxiety, depressive states where I wouldn't leave the house to being the biggest party animal. Also get extremely agitated and aggressive quickly (regardless what mood I'm in).
Started lamictal 4 weeks ago, 50mg taken once a day before bed. Like what some others said, one day I woke up and it was like a giant (good) slap in the face, suddenly felt light and like life was great. This was only 2 weeks in but was extremely obvious to me. Haven't felt this great since I can remember. My anxiety has reduced massively, don't feel down in the dumps/low self esteem etc. Also concentrate way better at work, more talkative (the list goes on!)
One thing I have noticed is that I feel like a semi hypomanic mood the last 2 weeks. I have read other blogs where people experienced this too and said it evens out eventually. Although my hypo moods don't upset me they were a welcome change from bad depressive states.
I am going to continue increase slowly to 200mg a day.
Also important, I exercise daily and also do yoga. Feel this is extremely important. If I didn't do this I doubt it would be so effective. I also have quite a fast metabolism and quite small so maybe that's why it has started to work so fast?
Re side affects - have definitely noticed hand tremors, forgetfulness (stopping mid sentence no idea what I was talking about ) and tummy upsets. Hope this goes away in time but the good definitely offsets the bad.
One more point- I also see doc for alcohol counselling. One day I took Lamictal after getting home from a big binge drink. Had the worlds worst hangover, threw up for 12 hours straight. I usually do not get bad hangovers. So think lamictal some how changes when mixed with alcohol. This was actually kind of good because I was so sick I do not want to drink. Im hoping Lamictal in conjunction with exercise and counselling will help in reducing impulsive drinking.
40sigsauer
14 June 2017
That's good! I too get daily exercise. I was on 200mg for about a month and it still didn't seem to be effective. My doc did some bloodwork and found out that my lamictal level was only 1.1 and the therapeutic range is between 2 and 15. He jumped it up to 300mg and lowered my Effexor back to 150 and I am feeling great! I think I finally found the right regimen. I am keeping a positive attitude and hoping I no longer have to deal with the sinking depression!
40sigsauer
1 May 2017
I too started on a low dose of 25. I started to feel better about 2 weeks after starting it. I eventually got bumped up to 100mg. I felt absolutely great! I ran out of my prescription for about 5 days and once I got back on it I started to feel depressed again. Also at this time, my doctor increased my Effexor. I don't know if the stopping the lamictal for a week caused it or the increase in the Effexor but I feel like crap. It's been about a month and I still am feeling down, sad, and unmotivated. I know this is a really old post (2012) but was wondering if it ever helped or if you tried something else. Thanks!
Healingwarrior
10 April 2017
We all react differently I'm learning. It may kick in as it levels up in your bloodstream. Maybe you're a person who's body/brain adjusts slowly. Also could depend on previous or concurrent meds you've been on/are on.
I was prescribed it for severe depression and anxiety and it took a while for me too. its working great, just to encourage you. My doc and I played around with doses (oh joy lol) and too much made me more depressed. So the perfect balance for me so far is 150mg twice a day. It's very clean as in zero side effects as long as it's taken regimentally on time every single day. I set alarms on my phone. Don't give up.
pammipoo414
9 April 2017
I have been on it for 9 weeks tomorrow I start 200mg it hsnt worked for me yet :( good luck
DSM5
2 March 2017
Hi. I have been on Lamictal for 2 years and i am on 200mg and it is working well for me. hope this helps.
Openmindnewworld
2 Jan 2017
Ive been taking lamictal the same thing in addition to Xanax .5 mg and enlyte in the morning and I am still always so exhausted even if I get a great night sleep I'm still yawning and consistently tired all day. On top of that I feel even more depressed than normal. I feel like a lab rat. Even though I know all I have is ADD. I feel like I'm an experiment to see how it will work.
I still take notes everyday from how my poop is to how I feel through the whole day. I'm getting so sick and tired of waiting for change. I feel like I can't turn to anyone that listens they just do what they think is better for my problems that I already know I have and medications that I've taken to fix them that got me back on the right track. I know it's not an answer. I just didn't want you to feel alone and also vent some. I hope we can get some answers soon. Good luck bruv!
Shadpat
2 April 2017
Do you think it is the enlyte that is making you tired. I take it also and notice about 2 hours later I am absolutely exhausted
CaseyLeMay
3 Nov 2016
I've now been taking lamictal for three years now. I started off with 100mg a day and after a week 200mg. I was also starting to take 3 other medications all at the same time for many other health reasons. The whole two weeks I started taking it I felt depressed, emotional, suicidal, I was gaining weight and had the worst anxiety! After a year I got to get off one medication, then after a year and a half I got to get off another! My results are a lot better then three years ago but I still get really depressed when I'm under stress. Once you've taken it for a long period of time, your body will adjust to it and it won't be as bad and you'll handle it a lot better! Even with me on two stong dosages of medicine at such a young age with a lot going on, it makes me depressed and have bad anxiety. I wish you the best for your health. (Please take this advice seriously. I was in the hospital for 12 days fighting for my life.) I seriously wish you your best!!
Boricua691
2 Oct 2016
Well I'm just like you waiting. I started 7 days ago at 25mg 14 days 25mg then I will go to 50mg then after days I go to 200mg. I feel really bad I have crazy thoughts I am depressed,irritated agitated, in top of all that I am unhappy. I took this medication when I was in Puerto Rico 4 years ago I was at 100mg and I stopped after 2 weeks and I had a seizure that left me still with side effects. My thyroid is not good neither I take medication for it also and my back is bad with cyst and deterioration of the bones.
themodgulator
13 Sep 2016
For me, it took 10 weeks. When it kicked in, it was a night and day difference. I've read the same thing over and over again.. that it saves lives. But, I will say it again.. It is saving my life. Good luck.
100 mg.
50mg in the morning.
50mg in the evening.
I should add that I'm also on Wellbutrin as well.
Moon Raven
19 Sep 2016
Absolutely agree - I'm a little over a year in and still taking 250 mg of Lamictal at night along with 1 mg Klonopin and my life is completely different. I actually feel "normal" and my relationships and interactions with other people are so much different. I didn't even realize how many facets of my life were disrupted by my BPD. I knew that I was mean and miserable, but now that I'm on the other side of it I realize was a hot mess I actually was. I was the poster child for BP 2 with mixed episodes. I don't just feel better; I'm a completely different person - one that I like but didn't know I could be. I wish everybody the same success that I've had.
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Further information
- Lamictal uses and safety info
- Lamictal prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Lamictal (detailed)
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