Lamotrigine for Depression User Reviews (Page 2)

• Ang...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 20, 2019

"Lamictal has been a lifesaver for me. I began taking it as an inpatient at 16 years old for very severe depression, and now after two and a half years, I feel like my mood has completely leveled out. I don't experience extreme highs and lows anymore, I just feel normal. That doesn't mean I never get sad or never feel happy, just not to the extremes that I used to, which I'm totally fine with. The only problems I've had were that it took a really long time for it to start working for me, I still found myself experiencing depressive episodes six months after beginning to take it. However, they weren't as bad as they were before, and after another several months, the depressive episodes were pretty much nonexistent. Also, it didn't help much for anxiety like I was told it would, but it didn't increase anxiety for me either."

• jse...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2013

"I really like it. I never had bipolar disorder, which I know that's what lamotrigine is primarily for, but it really helped me with depression and there were no side effects at all. It's helped me relax and enjoy life more. I'd highly recommend it."

• mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2015

"I have gone many years thinking I was not depressed. My symptoms were anxiety, mood swings, irritability, and low energy. Other doctors tried antidepressants and they always made me tired. Lamotrigine has truly shown me that it was depression. I have a much better mood and a sense of calmness plus a little motivation boost!"

• mir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2017

"Note - I take Lamictal for treatment-resistant depression, but that wasn't offered as one of the condition choices. Lamictal has been a godsend. My p-doc prescribed it to augment the Effexor (300 mg/day) that I take. As others have noted, you have to titrate up gradually on Lamictal so it can take about six weeks (in my case) to start seeing improvement. At 75 mg/day, I definitely began to notice a change for the better, and at 100 mg/day (which I've been taking now for 2.5 weeks), the positive impact has been dramatic. I don't wake up every morning plagued by anxiety and negative, self-loathing rumination. I am actually happy, which hasn't been the case for many years."

• Cat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 8, 2015

"I've taken Lamictal for many years for depression. Previously, I took Prozac and Zoloft with many side effects. I have a daughter with bipolar. It's worked great for bipolar and it works amazingly well for my depression, and no side effects."

• Han...
• May 30, 2015

"I have major depression and was prescribed Lamictal along with Abilify and Wellbutrin that I was already taking. I was surprised because Lamictal is usually given to bipolar people and I'm absolutely not bipolar, but it has really helped me. The only side effect I noticed is a tendency to break out a little more (not THE RASH). No weight gain (weight gain is an issue with so many other depression meds) and no other problems."

• Lov...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 30, 2019

"I've been on Lamictal for over ten years. I changed psychiatrists due to moving. I told him that it helps with depression and bipolar disorder. Now he wants me to go off of it. I tried to and became suicidal each time. I will not go off of it! It is a wonder drug! I highly recommend it."

• Wsc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2024

"I am 53 years old. I have experienced depression for over 2 decades. I have been diagnosed with recurrent treatment-resistant Major Depression. I also have ADHD. I have tried every SSRI, SNRI, and Ketamine therapy. I have anhedonia pretty much permanently. Nothing has ever worked effectively, and sometimes the only result was negative side effects. Up until now, Ketamine was the most effective in removing suicidal ideation but wears off, and it never helped with not experiencing pleasure. No doctor had suggested Lamictal. Recently, the Nurse Practitioner I see for ADHD recommended I try Lamictal. I was skeptical and did not want to try yet another med. I did not expect it to work. However, she convinced me, and it is amazing how much better I feel. I felt it start working immediately. I do not think it was a placebo effect, I had zero belief this medication would work. I feel calmer and more engaged. My anxiety and desire to overeat are gone. I feel better. I am not at the full dose yet."

• 451...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 21, 2018

"Depression was overwhelming. Started off at 25 mg because I’m sensitive and had a bad reaction to other meds. Went to 50 mg after three weeks, then 75 mg after a few more weeks. That is the level that gave me my life back. I have stayed on that level, and it is still working after 6 months. Hang in there. Once you find the drug to regain balance, things will get better. For me, that drug was Lamotrigine."

• ADH...
• February 3, 2017

"I am 26 years old and struggle with ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, an eating disorder, and dysthymia (bipolar type 2 now?). I always had impulse control issues and hypersensitivity. Very irritable. I could go from laughing to crying in 20 seconds. I tried so hard my whole life to control my emotions and thoughts. Eventually, I self-medicated with drugs. Finally, I decided to get sober, and the doctor said it would be much easier if I stabilized my emotions, so he recommended lamotrigine - because I refused to take any medications that make me gain weight. Lamotrigine changed my life. Don't get me wrong - I still get annoyed - but I can stop, think, and react calmly in a way that I just couldn't do before. I also don't cry over every little thing anymore. Lamotrigine saved my life!"

• Lea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 25, 2018

"I was prescribed Lamictal for treatment-resistant depression. I had tried every SSRI under the sun starting at age 14 with little to no relief. After slowly titrating to a dose of 150mg, life has been so much easier. No extremely low moods and a definite increase in motivation. An added bonus is that it seems to help with my social anxiety as well. Overall, without this drug I might not have made it. Truly magic for me. And to those who are correctly diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression... mention Lamictal to your psych!"

• Jun...
• November 25, 2015

"I originally began Lamotrigine about 6 weeks ago for Visual Snow syndrome caused by hallucinogen use. I am only on 75mg at this point as I've had to titrate up slowly. I've suffered major depression for most of my life and mild anxiety in the past year. I have noticed a HUGE difference in my mood on Lamotrigine. I have a greater sense of well-being, I no longer think about suicide, and I feel great about myself. It also decreases the intensity of my visual snow symptoms. I hardly notice or care about it anymore. No side effects either. This drug has truly been a blessing."

• dbo...
• June 27, 2021

"Lamotrigine was a last resort for me for my treatment-resistant MDD. I have been on more SSRIs than I could count, emotional flatness, brain fog, genital numbing, nausea, uncontrolled diarrhea, and rather severe hand tremors on all of them. Effexor, Remeron, Trazodone, or Wellbutrin simply do not work. I can't tolerate a therapeutic dose of any tricyclic. I started 25 mg of Lamotrigine and noticed a difference immediately-no crying jags, no passive suicidal ideation, no GI upset, no side effects at all except very vivid dreams. My dose has now gone up to 50 mg, with a goal of increasing up to 200 mg daily if needed. Honestly, this has been a game changer even though I was very hesitant to begin a new med that I associated with bipolar disorder. I am so glad that I agreed to give it a try. No more SSRIs for me EVER! The only reason I don't rate it a 10 is because I frankly expect an even better therapeutic effect as my dose goes up."

• Kit...
• June 18, 2019

"I started Lamictal about 2 months ago, off-label to treat severe treatment-resistant depression. I was titrated up too quickly and broke out in “the rash” on day 8. I was pretty bummed because I had noticed a drastic improvement in my mood. My doctor and I decided to stop the drug and wait a month after the rash was gone at a slow titration. The depression became unbearable, and I began experiencing suicidal thoughts. I began Lamictal again 5 days ago. My depression significantly lifted. I gave it a 9 because it did make my acne worse (who wants a face full of pimples at age 33?!) But I’ll treat the breakouts. I’d rather have acne than feel the way I did. I am praying the rash doesn’t return because this is saving my life. I suffer from anxiety too. This drug has helped with my social/generalized anxiety. I am nervous about the stories I have read about hair loss. I hope that doesn’t happen to me. In 9 more days, I will go up to 50mg per day. This is a miracle drug!"

• Sol...
• May 22, 2016

"I have been suffering with mental illness for some time now. I have been on quite a few meds, and nothing seemed to help with my depression. My doctor put me on Lamictal, starting at 25 mg and now up to 100 mg for about 2 months. This medication has really changed my life for the better! The depression is so much less, and I am able to function. I would recommend this drug."

• CTA...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 24, 2019

"Having suffered from treatment-resistant chronic depression and GAD for years, I had been on so many medications - either efficacy was short-lived or side effects unacceptable (weight gain, lethargy, hyperness, insomnia, agitation, +++). In 2013, my MD prescribed 100 mg Lamotrigine with 20 mg Trintellex once a day. I can’t begin to describe the amazing efficacy these two medications have had on my depression and anxiety. Everyone has their ups and downs, that’s life - but chronic depression is nothing but days of downs - so hard to live with - for the first time in 30 years, I feel ‘normal’. Trintellex has the added benefit of reducing brain fog, and my thinking is clearer. Lamotrigine enhances the overall control of major depressive disorder, and I am so grateful for the relief these two medications provide. One downside: Trintellex is still under patent, but Takeda offers cost reduction support because it is terribly expensive."

• Kri...
• September 7, 2015

"I have bipolar 2 and anxiety. I've been on and off different medications for this over the last 20 years. I started on a small dosage about 7 months ago. I slowly made my way up to 100 mg once daily. I did have some skin reactions with each increase but it would disappear after a few days. This, with my 150mg bupropion and 60mg of duloxetine, has changed my life. I've only felt suicidal once over these 7 months, and it was manageable and it abated quickly. My moods are stable, and I've been able to face some challenges that would have crushed me if I wasn't taking lamotrigine. I love being stable and level-headed. I do have some minor thought blocking and trouble remembering words sometimes, but I'll take it!"

• C10...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2014

"The only treatment that has worked exceptionally well, with minimal side effects. Major benefits are: substantial improvement in mood, decrease in mood fluctuation, removal of any suicidal ideation, improved temper. Dramatic overall improvement in quality of life. Side effects: some drowsiness. Take at night."

• Guy...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 24, 2014

"Lamictal, along with Abilify, has been a lifesaver for me. No antidepressant would work for me, and I was feeling hopeless. I started taking Abilify and felt a little better. Once my doctor added Lamictal, I was back to my old self. I must note that you have to titrate up on the medicine no sooner than every 2 weeks. Once I hit the 100mg mark, I started to feel better."

• Chr...
• December 11, 2015

"I am diagnosed with major depression. My doctor added Lamictal because Wellbutrin alone was not effective. The addition of Lamictal improved my symptoms and maintained this improvement. There are three side effects I get with it. I get mild nausea, mild euphoria, and sleepiness. I highly recommend it. My doctor says he has great results using it with his patients."

• Ksm...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 30, 2019

"Lamotrigine was really a game changer for me and my depression. I use this in combination with an SSRI antidepressant, another mood stabilizer, and an old school antidepressant. I have treatment-resistant depression and borderline personality disorder. Lamotrigine has really helped keep the lows from being so significantly low and helped keep the impulsivity to a minimum. My dose ranges from 25-200 mg over the years and depending on symptoms. But I have no side effects or complaints. Just thankful."

• Cic...
• December 27, 2016

"I've been under treatment for depression for over 10 years, and I've tried Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Luvox, Cymbalta, Efexor, and a few more. Efexor was by far the worst! Instead of making me awake, I was sleeping around 16 hours a day, and little did I know my blood pressure was always high. I've started Lamotrigine about 2-3 weeks ago, and I'm still on 25 mg, but I can tell the difference in my energy, and I'm not taking naps during the day at all! I don't even feel like it. My energy level is great, something that was making me even more depressed! Life is good again!"

• Ste...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 29, 2018

"I suffer from depression since elementary school age. My whole life, I've had therapists. I've tried antidepressants, but they did not work for me, they actually made my depression worse. Currently, I'm taking the mood stabilizer lamotrigine, and have been for 3 years now. I can honestly say this drug saved my life. My suicidal tendencies have significantly dropped, which I struggled with since I was a child. Lamotrigine made it easier for me to lower the thoughts of worthlessness and emptiness. This drug allows me to see a bright future for once. It helps control my anger and sadness. I notice it takes a lot for me to cry now because this drug helps me be in control and in tune with my emotions. I did not experience side effects taking lamotrigine. I have no issues whatsoever. It was the smoothest drug transition of my life, unlike antidepressants. I currently take 250 mg of lamotrigine."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2024

"I was diagnosed with depression about 8 years ago. Over the years, I've failed Lexapro, Prozac, Trintellix, Cymbalta, Fetzima, Rexulti, Vraylar, Pristiq, and Wellbutrin. Pristiq with Wellbutrin helped for a period of time. Vraylar also helped, but the severe fatigue was not tolerable for me. I did my research and found anecdotal evidence that Lamotrigine, off-label, was great for treatment-resistant depression. I decided to take a chance and ask my doctor. At 25mg, I didn't notice too much, some improvement in mood. At 50mg, I noticed a big change in my mood, my outlook on life, my ability to get things done, a sense of happiness. A feeling I was never sure I'd feel again. Currently at 100mg plus Pristiq, and I couldn't be happier with the results I've had. This medication has lifted that constant daily depressive outlook on life. Just 1 month in, and hopefully it continues."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2017

"I've always had depression as a struggle of mine. Fast forward to a low point, my doc put me on numerous antidepressants throughout a period of 2 years that temporarily helped me to be functional before the extreme fatigue returned. We started Lamictal. After 4 weeks, I went up to 50 mg. At first, some tummy issues, it wasn't prolonged. I'm currently on 50 mg, and it's been 6 weeks. I've felt a huge difference that I can clearly see. I have ADHD too. I'm much more focused. My intense cravings for sweets are gone. I'm much more positive. I'm able to focus on the long term. I'm less tired, and my antidepressant and my Concerta are working now! I've lost weight and not needed to sleep during the day. Mornings are easier. At night, I'm ready for bed :-) hope it stays."