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138 patient evaluations for Lamotrigine

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Sep 27, 2008 (Started Aug 01, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for Other)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for Increase effect of another treatment)
  • Side effects
    Mild (cramps in calf muscles, hair loss, sedation, slowed reaction time, vision problems)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Don't take more than 100mg for Bipolar a day quickly. The side effects go from mild to moderate. The distorted sparkes went crazy, slight pains like growing pains appeared, the calf cramps made it hard to walk, it made me really sedated, and my reaction time was 5X slower. My friends would hit me in the face, and I didn't respond to it until 2 seconds later. At 100mg a day and over a month into it, the side effects are pretty much non-existent. If you experience calf muscle cramping, it's from a Calcium deficiency. Lamotrigine decreases Vitamin D, which absorbs calcium. Take one or two Calcium+D tablets a day. It is a glutamate inhibitor and sodium channel blocker, so MSG has no direct mental effects. I was worried that it would make the effects less effective, but then I heard about a woman who took it for migraines that were sensitive to MSG. That also means that L-Glutamin is fine to take as a weight lifting supplement. Overall, it has made me much more reliable and stable. I get mild hi, lows, and mixed swings still, but that's nothing compared to what I'm capable of. The mixed swings have increased, but again, they've been really mild. It also has a slight elevating effect so that mood swings tend to be in the positive direction. Socially, it has killed my over-hyperness and anxiety. I think that's a very good thing. I can actually talk to people without being a d*ck or a creep.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: vision problems, hair loss, cramps in calf muscles, slowed reaction time, sedation
  • 2 helpful marks

Jan 1, 2009 (Started May 08, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for Other)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly

Dec 13, 2008 (Started May 08, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for Other)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Itchiness is one thing, but if you develop any rash (no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is) go the nearest hospital emergency room. Rashes caused by Lamictal can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Nov 29, 2008 (Started May 08, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: risk of dangerous rash. if your develop a rash, go to the nearest emergency room
Cost: < $25 monthly

Sep 1, 2008 (Started May 08, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I started Lamictal SLOWLY because it is necessary. I did not have a rash (which can be life-threatening-GET TO THE ER) but did have a lot of itching for the first month, talked to my psychiatrist and he said not to worry about it and then it stopped. I was worried I would not be able to take Lamictal and was disappointed because it was the first medication I was given as I am recently diagnosed. I am able to take Lamicatal and I am so happy with this medication. It has really helped my mood disorder. I notice if I am a couple hours late taking my dose I get really irritated. It really does make a big difference. Some days, of course, my mood is all over the place or totally up or totally down. I believe medications are great, but sometimes I think no medication can controll all mood fluctuations when you have bipolar disorder. I have been on the same dosage for months and sometimes think I need a higher dose, but my psychiatrist disagrees at this point. I listen to him because he knows more than I do about mood disorders. I have never handled my mood swings very well on my own (hence, alcohol & drugs).
Cost: $25-49 monthly
  • 2 helpful marks

Jun 23, 2009 (Started Jan 06, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    Mild (dry mouth, word fishing, sore throat, headaches, problems concentrating, nasal congestion, word finding difficulty)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 200 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: sore throat, word finding difficulty, word fishing, dry mouth, headaches, problems concentrating, nasal congestion, problems concentrating, nasal congestion
  • 2 helpful marks

Oct 24, 2008 (Started Jan 02, 2006)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: after going off it for a few weeks, i noticed increased feeling of depression that lasted for a almost a week until my doctor put me back on at a lower dose. now i am at 100 mg daily and seem to be doing fine.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Aug 28, 2008 (Started Jan 02, 2006)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: not too helpful for unipolar depression.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 1 helpful mark

Nov 24, 2008 (Started Oct 03, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for Treat my mood condition(s))
  • Side effects
    Mild (headaches, problems concentrating, sleepiness)
  • Adherence
    Sometimes
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 300 mg Daily
Cost: $200+ monthly
Side effects: sleepiness, headaches, problems concentrating
  • 1 helpful mark

Apr 22, 2009 (Started Apr 22, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for bipolar disorder)
  • Side effects
    Severe (insomnia, nausea, weight gain, problems concentrating, nightmares, dizziness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 300 mg Daily
Cost: $100-199 monthly
Side effects: insomnia, weight gain, nightmares, nausea, problems concentrating, dizziness, problems concentrating
  • 1 helpful mark

May 3, 2009 (Started Sep 03, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for bipolar disorder)
  • Side effects
    Mild (weight gain)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 100 mg Daily
Cost: $25-49 monthly
Side effects: weight gain
  • 1 helpful mark

May 15, 2009 (Started Nov 23, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for bipolar disorder)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 375 mg Daily

May 12, 2009 (Started Nov 23, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for bipolar disorder)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 25 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: This treatment doesn't seem to be working for me.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 1 helpful mark

Jun 24, 2009 (Started Sep 25, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for bipolar disorder)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 200 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: so far I think it's helped me quite a bit.
  • 1 helpful mark

Dec 7, 2010 (Started Jan 16, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Severe (night sweats, blood pressure decreased, spinning dizziness (vertigo))
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Advice & Tips: I had SERIOUS problems with this mediation. When I missed so much as a single dose, I would start having serious chills and night sweats and felt like someone coming down off heroine or something. The neuro told me that could not possibly be a side effect. But it happened on three separate occasion after that - and again when I had to wean off of it to go on some other similar med. BEWARE!
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: spinning dizziness (vertigo), night sweats, blood pressure decreased

Dec 1, 2010 (Started Jan 16, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for epilepsy)
  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Severe (night sweats, blood pressure decreased, spinning dizziness (vertigo))
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: spinning dizziness (vertigo), night sweats, blood pressure decreased

Jan 18, 2010 (Started Jan 16, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for seizures)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (night sweats, blood pressure decreased, spinning dizziness (vertigo))
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 200 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: spinning dizziness (vertigo), night sweats, blood pressure decreased
  • 1 helpful mark
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