Comparing Lamotrigine vs Venlafaxine

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 Depression: Been on venlaxfine 75mg for a week now, I haven’t experienced any side effects. At first I was really hesitant because of the reviews but it’s been a week I haven’t had any side effects though my appetite has decreased but other than that I feel as though I’m less depressed. Usually I get really bad anxiety in certain situations but when I was faced with a situation I would usually have a panic attack over, I felt nothing. I felt like it wasn’t a big deal. I know my doctor said it will be a couple of weeks till the medication works, but I feel as if it’s already working. Is this normal? Should I expect side effects in a few weeks?

For Depression: Venlafaxine can give you a false positive on a drug test. I'm in the military going on 17 years and I failed a drug test because of this medication. The military made me aware of my positive drug test and I gave them a list of all my medications. They were able to reevaluate my positive drug test and break it down further which showed it was in fact venlafaxine and not ampthetimines, like cocaine or meth. As for your job, I'd take them documentation and show them were venlafaxine can give a false positive and demand a review or ask to do another drug screening and have them do a full panel work up. Good luck. Hate that happened to you. Don't stop fighting till you get your job back. That's discrimination if nothing else!