Comparing Lamotrigine vs Valproic Acid

For Bipolar Disorder: Lamotrigine has been pretty good along with lithium (bipolar). Have been on 200Mg for 3 years and lithium for 15. I decided to ramp up lamotrigine to 400 mg and I had more energy and zest and best moods but also had more anxiety, math/memory issues, and a touch of hypomania. However, I did have incredible orgasms!!! Back down to 300mg and I am experiencing a bit more depression but seem to be pretty level. Lamotrigine seems to lessen the severity of my depressive episodes but does not eliminate them. It helps me enough to stay on it.

For Bipolar Disorder: Have others found after 1st manic episode to be sensitive to meds? I started low dose zyprexa & gained 10 lbs in two weeks, took a half pill of low dose abilify & developed akathisia. Took 600 mg lithium & became toxic. Now on Lamictal. I started at 2.5 mg & felt great & 5 mg even better. At 10 mg became a little aggressive. Then tried 12.5 mg and hopefully 25 mg but I can’t get past 12.5 mg without wanting to rip someone’s head off! I cut that in half to 6.25 mg (1/4 of tablet). I am hyper, it makes me sometimes feel like I’m on speed but my head is clear & I’m extremely active now. I added 5 mg of buspar twice a day to take the edge off & reduce anxiety. Appears to be holding but wonder if I’m the only one sensitive like this. I was diagnosed major depressive disorder & anxiety in 1997. Been on Paxil & Wellbutrin for years but now can no longer handle them after first manic episode. Now I am also diagnosed bipolar 2 & ptsd. Thank you!

For Bipolar Disorder: Have been on Valproic acid 1000 mg. Recently was told lower to 750mg at bedtime for insomnia. Feel flat affect; would like my feelings back. Tremors were a problem. Less after lowered meds. Diarrhea aplenty! Thinning hair, depression, nightmares. Sharp pain right abdomen wakes me up from sleep.

For Bipolar Disorder: The jury is still out on this medication (branded as Epilim). I was prescribed 1.5g a day to act as a mood stabiliser. It's hard to tell if it's any better than previous medications. I didn't suffer any immediately obvious side effects and my mood does appear to have been mostly 'stable' since using it. Though I have suffered from increasing memory loss in the years since taking this drug so there could be possibly be a link there? I have read on some of the epilepsy (a condition this medication is usually prescribed for) forums that some 'users' have also experienced short term memory loss. Perhaps one day (probably after I'm long gone, or at least after my mind has faded away) evidence will come out to support this? For this reason I can only rate this drug as a neutral 5, with not much firm evidence either way. It's unlicensed for my condition and hence I am (as we all are) being experimented on to some degree.