Lamotrigine and Depression: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Yea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Diagnosed BP2, diurnal mood variation, anxiety, and depression in my life. (Psychs can’t make a decision, lol). Started this med back in August, 25 mg, and every two weeks go up another 25 mg. At 100 mg, I started to feel a little better. Anxiety gone, I wouldn’t feel so bad anymore about my thoughts or decisions (they’re not bad crazy ones). I could function better. I could handle work better. Went up to 150 mg, and after 3 weeks on it, I noticed I started to become depressed about how I automatically think and perceive life. It’s really, really strange and hard to explain. I went down to 125 mg, and added Pristiq 25 mg. I’m still not significantly better, but it’s early on with Pristiq. So Lamictal was not effective as monotherapy :( also doing CBT, etc. Best of luck to you!"

• ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2022

Lamotrigine "I don't think I have bipolar, but I tried this med to try and help lift my treatment-resistant depression. I started it in mid-2020 alongside Effexor (which did NOT work for me) and then alongside Zoloft, and I'd read so many positive reviews on here that I had hope. But sadly, it did nothing at all for me. I slowly titrated up (I was scared of that burning rash thing), and after weeks, I still felt no change. I may as well have been taking Tic Tacs or chalk! Only once I got above 150 mg per day did I finally notice something, and that was an even more extreme sense of boredom, apathy, and lack of motivation than I already had, and a cognitive decline (like I'd lose track of what I was saying in the middle of a sentence, and not be able to find words when usually I have a wide vocabulary). Eventually, I just tapered off it after a few months when I couldn't even find the mental energy to go back to my doctor."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I was taking it (100-200 mg) for about two years, in 2011 up until 2015, in conjunction with quetiapine. I managed to drop my dose and come off it entirely. After that, I felt pretty good for two years. I slipped into depression again, low self-esteem, so I was put back on Lamictal (200 mg), and I immediately felt really good. But it didn't last long; depression, anxiety, losing hair, gaining weight, acne, and today I began developing a rash on my hands and a sore neck. I'm worried, but I'm afraid of taking something else."

• Jai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 11, 2019

For Epilepsy "I've been on this for 5 years now to treat my epilepsy and have realized it's caused my depression and dark thoughts. It has worked for my seizure activity, though. I recommend talking to a doctor about a different medication if possible to not take this one, it's practically ruined my way of life. If you begin to take it, look out for symptoms of depression. I'm going to try to stop taking this and find a different solution/medication for my epilepsy. Before you take any medication, please look at the side effects. I never thought that this medication would do so much harm to my mental health."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 11, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "It's important to start with small doses of lamotrigine to avoid most common side effects. However, the drug is working very well for me, I literally can't feel sadness. I'm in constant hypomania, feeling better than ever."

• JWe...
• June 11, 2018

For Epilepsy "This drug has literally turned my life around. I started on Dilantin (300 mg, 1x daily @ night), and within two days of taking that drug, I started experiencing almost every side effect listed. The most troubling were: extreme lethargy, muscle weakness, uncontrollable nausea, vomiting, and a severe spike in anxiety and depression leading to suicidal ideations. I quickly went into a downward spiral where all of the above-listed side effects compounded as it built up in my body. I made an emergency appointment for my doctor to come make a house call, and he immediately told me that I needed to change medication. I was put on Lamotrigine, and within two days (it took roughly 48 hours for the Dilantin to completely leave my system), I started feeling more energetic, more hopeful, and the nausea subsided. I have been on Lamotrigine now for three weeks, and everyone in my life has said that I'm looking and acting like my normal self again. It has also helped control my anxiety and boosted my overall mood."

• Kev...
• March 8, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Lamictal for 2 months now. Before starting Lamictal, I was on Wellbutrin, Topamax, and Latuda. I stopped taking the Wellbutrin, Topamax, and Latuda when I got on Lamictal. So far, my side effects are blurred vision, and depression has gotten worse. I’m not sure if I can take Latuda and Lamictal together or not."

• pyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I have just been diagnosed with bipolar II. I have been on antidepressants for 23 years and as I got older, the drugs didn't work as well. I suffer from depression, panic attacks, severe anxiety, phobias, and erratic mood swings changing daily, even hourly. So now I am on 300 mg Effexor, Valium, and have just started in increments of 25 mg of lamotrigine. Before this, I took Epilim, which was great, but within 2 weeks, I had a rash everywhere. Now I am up to 75 mg of lamotrigine and I have headaches, tiredness, sleeping up to 15 hours plus diarrhea, sick, depression, aggression, anxiety, the list goes on. It's been 6 weeks and I am losing it... my mental health team is useless. Will this get better???"

• Sha...
• July 23, 2019

For Epilepsy "I’m 18, and I’ve been on Lamictal for about two and a half years. I was recommended to eventually be on 200 mg, but I only needed 50 mg (25 mg in the morning and 25 mg at night), and I haven’t had a seizure since I’ve started it. At first, I accidentally took all 50 mg in the morning instead of splitting it, which gave me a minor body rash, but once I stopped taking it all at once, it cleared up in a few days. I get very real lucid nightmares, though, however, I’ve also had a few real dreams while on it, which have been amazing and beautiful. So really, the nightmares are the downfall for me. It also really helps with my mood, but if I take it late, I’ll be sad and depressed until I take it, then it takes about 1 to 2 hours to work."

• Sha...
• July 23, 2019

For Epilepsy "I’m 18, and I’ve been on Lamictal for about two and a half years. I was recommended to eventually be on 200 mg, but I only needed 50 mg (25 mg in the morning and 25 mg at night), and I haven’t had a seizure since I’ve started it. At first, I accidentally took all 50 mg in the morning instead of splitting it, which gave me a minor body rash, but once I stopped taking it all at once, it cleared up in a few days. I get very real lucid nightmares, though, however, I’ve also had a few real dreams while on it, which have been amazing and beautiful. So really, the nightmares are the downfall for me. It also really helps with my mood, but if I take it late, I’ll be sad and depressed until I take it, then it takes about 1 to 2 hours to work."

• Jen...
• October 31, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed different medications for issues I was experiencing after my traumatic brain injury and then a murder/suicide involving my father and brother. I don't remember all the different medications I had tried, but I did test lamotrigine 150 mg 2x-50 mg 2x. This medication helped much more than anti-depressants alone, however, it caused me to have anxiety and depression worse. It's somewhat of a catch-22. Now I just changed my bipolar medication to Seroquel and am doing so much better."

• Ric...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 7, 2021

For Epilepsy "I was prescribed lamotrigine a few years ago now for an alternative drug for my epilepsy. This drug doesn’t seem to work either but is very good for giving me anxiety attacks and suicidal thoughts. I have already tried to take my own life once. This said, the mental health team subsequently asked me if (bluntly speaking) I would think of doing it again or actually do it again, but I couldn’t give a 100% no. This, along with my irregular sleep pattern, feeling depressed, and next to no motivation, and double vision from time to time makes me angry and frustrates me knowing that I have been prescribed drugs for a condition that seems to unearth others that have pretty much always been dismissed, let alone even thought of. Anxiety is the worst. I’m constantly on edge. I just finished a course that deals with anxiety, and it’s early days but if I’m honest, doing the methods learned I can say they will probably not work and are inappropriate to do in public without stares from others."

• Mus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2021

For Epilepsy "It's a very calm medicine, being diagnosed with ADHD after catching the virus of meningitis. It has been a very long 9-year journey for me. It helps with seizures, a lot of anxiety, hyperness, depression, and stress. I've been taking it for up to 9 months to 1 year. I'm currently a 23-year-old woman. I became sick with the virus at 14, so yes, I've been on a good five to six medications throughout the nine years, and this is a very good one! It's also prescribed for bipolar depression."

• Der...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 26, 2021

For Epilepsy "I was on lamotrigine for 18 months. Now I was taking 150 mg 2 times a day. I decided to go take the full 200 mg like the doctor said. Wow, this is difficult. The 150 mg had breakthrough seizures, but man, this dose has me feeling depressed. I would give the depression a 5 out of 10 rating, but man, this really is such a big change it feels. Everything isn't so important as it once used to be. I have a so what character now, but I've only been on it 5 days, I have to give it a chance. The 150 mg dose had too many breakthrough seizures."

• Anonymous
• January 28, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Don’t waste your time with this medicine. There’s a bunch of hype about it, and I was really hoping it would help, but it is a worthless medication. I think my depression got even worse (if that’s even possible) taking this. I think all the good reviews are probably from people trying to sell this drug. It’s worthless."

• Chr...
• April 3, 2017

For Depression "My doctor started me on this today. I have mood swings, low energy, and depression. I am scared to death of medicine. I read the reviews, and that has helped ease some anxiety, but I am still a little scared."

• jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "Lamotrigine made me irrational, irritable, depressed, sick, weak, fatigued, and unable to do anything but cry."

• Kri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 23, 2017

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "I still have minor anxiety and depression, but wow, my life got changed."

• J_J...
• July 5, 2016

For Depression "I titrated up to 100 mg. After a couple of weeks on 100 mg, I started getting tired in the afternoon, cried most mornings, and had no motivation. It definitely made my depression worse."

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2018

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "Gave me crippling depression pretty much instantly. Would not recommend."

• Pix...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 16, 2016

For Depression "Lamotrigine definitely made my depression worse. Got off it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Gave me horrendous headaches, insomnia, and depression. Lack of energy. Also gained weight. Had to come off it after just 8 weeks."

• tom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Horrible medication. Motor impairment, confusion, and emotional blunting."