newbie - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

speedy43 · 08-15-2008, 07:23 PM

Well Im sure you get a lot of these newbie post, well I have been diagnosed July 28 and I just started lamictol Sunday I was hesitant because of the rash issue my Dr was upset I hadnt started it and I missed this whole week of work I got very depressed so Im on day 6 Im just curious how long does this take to work?? Im suppose to go back to work on Sunday and Im so not ready.. I have a high stress job and I dont want to tell my boss my problem.

I have been diagnosed with depression for years on and off Prozac and Zloft which made me very manic..And yes it runs in my family my mother, grandmother , and my neice we are cursed only the woman,, anyways I appreciate any advice..

Hugs

notafan · 08-16-2008, 01:07 AM

Hi there. I would give it a couple of weeks before it works too well. You could start to feel the affects sooner. I liked the med personally, but it gave me acne for some reason.. I tried the med on two different ocassions.. but don't let my experience intimidate you.. I'm the only one I know of to have that side effect. I know 2 weeks might seem like a long time, but it might be worth the wait!

katlin09 · 08-16-2008, 04:13 PM

Hey speedy, welcome to the board. Lamictal does take a while to work, only because it has to be started at such a low dose and increased in very small increments as opposed to other drugs. But usally after a couple of weeks you should start to feel some effect from it, and once you get to your therapeutic dose hopefully it will help you very much. Just an FYI it can be a bit activating as you begin it and go up to each new dose, but that doesn't last very long, so if that happens to you and your pdoc says it's normal, please don't give up on it. Most of these drugs have some side effect that you have to work through.

I have been on it for 5 months now and it has helped tons with my depression, I am finally up to 300mg. I also use Seroquel to help with the depression and the combination of the 2 seems to be the magic number for me. I also take some other meds for different aspects of the Bipolar, but these two are the major Depression killers for me.

Good luck and let us know how you do!

seaturtle · 08-16-2008, 09:21 PM

I've such a positive reaction to the Lamictal: no other antidepressant every did anything at all for me, made me worse. Lamictal has been a miracle, stabilizing my moods (well, somewhat), and the antidepressant effect is more than I dared believe.

It's also stopped chronic, disabling freqent migraines.

I am functioning on the best level I've ever had in my entire life, and I'm 61.

Give it a good try, and it will click in gradually. I'd say it took a month before I felt better, and with each increase, I've felt better and better.

I hope it works for you as well as it does for me!

Keep posting for the support here - it's great folks on this board.

Seaturtle

patteecake · 08-17-2008, 03:10 AM

I've been on Lamictal for almost a month on Tuesday, It was a slow process i'm up to 50mgs. I went from having 4-5 episodes a day, to 1-2 a day or every other day. Mostly my episodes is b/c i'm home alot, i try to get out every day, even if its for an hr or two. i live in a large extended family and everything gets to me. But hang in there, it will work one day at a time. For me, it instantly stabilizes my mood after an hr. I journal my progress with this pill, its nothing like the 8 different pills i tried nothing worked, i will say like Seaturtle, its a "miracle". but remember it's not going to stop everything, you have to work with it in order for it to help you and if you feel better don't stop taking it. thats what some people do and they have relapses. good luck and keep us posted.