Becks Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Pdoc changed my meds up. I'm now on Seroquel, Lamictal and Clonazepam. I'll take my first dose of Lamictal 25mg tonight. For anyone who has taken the lamictal, did you find it more or less sedating? I'm just trying to get a feel here so I know what to expect going on a new med. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I think most people find it activating, but personally I found it quite sedating. I think it's really pretty individual, but if you had to put money on it, I'd put money on activating. I'm just an odd duck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallowedink Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 I've found it activating - contrary to my doctor's sage advice regarding sleep: "well, the lamictal ought to help you..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muriel Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 It was different at different doses for me, but for the most part it was sedating. I almost always took it at night. You'll figure it out, but it may take you until you're on a steady dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. I took my first dose about 10 minutes ago. I'm hoping that if it is activating, I won't notice much with my other sedating meds heh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 To me it is pretty neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 To me it is pretty neutral. Me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 I really didn't see much of a difference with the Lamictal last night. I figured I'll wait a few days and see if there's a difference if I take it in the AM alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearhead Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Activating. This is the only one I have to take at breakfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catnapper Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Definitely sedating. My pdoc said about 20% of his patients find it sedating, so his initial direction is to take it in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treklexa Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 It was activating for me at first. I couldn't really sleep. It didn't keep me up all night though. Just took maybe 20 mins longer than usual to fall asleep. Now that I've titrated up to the sky in dosage, I get extremely drowsy & feel drunk every time I take it. Extremely. I've always taken it at night though, regardless. It works out well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 i take mine in the morning, it's a little bit activating for me. fwiw, my pdoc told me this week that it is far more common to be sedated than activated. i don't think she hangs out at CB heh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I titrated up in such small increments that I really felt no difference. Later on my pdoc had me jump from 200 to 400 and it was a little bit sedating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 I took mine about 2 hours before I took my other meds last night (too much of a chicken to miss a dose to try it in the AM) and I wasn't sedated or activated. So.....I think I'll keep doing that, take it right after dinner time and see how it works out the higher I go. I'm titrating up very slowly too. Thank Goodness for the Seroquel, Klonopin and Hubs!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreakMyBones Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I've been on Lamictal for just about a month now and even though i take it in the morning and during the day I feel kind of sedated for some reason it really keeps me up at night ....go figure haha ... maybe I should talk to my pdoc about taking it night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilacOutsideMyWindow Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I find it sedating - pdoc first suggested taking it in the am, thinking I'd find it activating, but we had to switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I find it sedating. The first dose they gave to me, they actually had me take at NIGHT, and it did make me tired. Now I always just take it at night, but don't notice much sedation anymore. I probably wouldn't chance taking it during the day, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Yeah......I've decided to just keep it at the night time dose. Even if it is activating for me, I'm taking enough of sedating meds that I'm not noticing the difference. Plus, I'd probably forget if I changed up my times It's just easier I think to take them all at once at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jericko1 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 A little update, I did have a bit of anxiety over the weekend but that was do to me forgetting to take my one of my Depokotes (I later discoverer it in a pill box. My depression is gone. I feel like the Zoloft never touched my depression. Zoloft did an excellent job on my OCD, but never did anything for my depression. I feel so happy right now, but not in a manic way, in a relaxed way. It is also wiping out a lot of my ADHD symptoms. This is a great drug. Pdoc changed my meds up. I'm now on Seroquel, Lamictal and Clonazepam. I'll take my first dose of Lamictal 25mg tonight. For anyone who has taken the lamictal, did you find it more or less sedating? I'm just trying to get a feel here so I know what to expect going on a new med. So far I find it relaxing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 I'm glad you had a good experience with the Zoloft. Zoloft is pure poison for me. Sent me right into a mixed rage with lots of depression thrown into it. So far I've been take the Lamictal around 7pm or so and I see no effect either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattitude Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I find Lamictal to be both sedating and activating. I take it during the day and it makes me drowsy. I go to lie down for a nap and I end up sort of dozing but never go to sleep. I tried taking it last night before bed. I took it with 100 mg of Seroquel and 6 mg of Invega. I slept for about 3 hours, then woke up and tossed and turned for the rest of the night. Today I felt like crap: nauseous, chills, stinking headache, and I think I had a fever (my ears were hot). Back to daytime I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 2nd night in a row and I'm awake at 1:30am. This has happened twice since starting the lamictal....it could be related or not....I'll have to wiait a few days and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty_pear Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Hi beckette, Did you start on 25 mg? I had trouble sleeping the first week or so that I began lamictal on that dose. After that it got better for me for some reason. It might be somewhat like that for you too, but I know everyone is different. In the meantime, benadryl helped me sleep during the first week in which I was having some moderate insomnia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brishen Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty_pear Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Hehe honeymood... That's genius! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saoirse Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 It's a bit activating for me. When I was on Prozac, all I had to do was take my Lamictal and Prozac in the morning (saving the AAP for evening), and I was more alive than I felt in... forever. Great energy, great mood. Too bad it couldn't last (due to the Prozac, not the Lamictal, FWIW) Lamictal is a great drug for a lot of people, not many side-effects. I really like it. Hope it works for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 I like "honeymood!" It seems appropriate Yes, I was started at the 25mg and just hit 100mg now. I'm still finding it quite activating, even through the Seroquel (500mg) and Klonopin (.5). I moved Lamictal to the morning time and at first I didn't see any difference with my sleep. I was still waking several times throughout the night and falling asleep was a huge task. It's getting a little better now, but I'm still waking up a bunch of times throughout the night. I'm going to talk to pdoc about it! Also, I haven't had ANY side effects from the Lamictal....kinda makes me wonder if it's working?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I don't have any side effects from the Lamictal, yet I have no doubt that it is doing its job! Do you feel better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 I do! I made a blog post over the weekend considering going inpatient.....I'm really happy I waited! The last 2 days I've felt better, today especially! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I always felt good after each dose increase. Then I hit 150mg and it was a pretty consistent "normal" feeling. If you feel good, then it might be the Lamictal working. I hope you continue to feel good. Like I said, I don't have any side effects and I feel fine. Just because something doesn't have side effects doesn't mean it's not working! It means it's working AND yay! You didn't get any side effects! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Initially it was very activating but at a therapeutic dose it is entirely neutral for me. I take it when I wake up and then at night, sometimes before bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breezy Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 It was too sedating for me so I had to take it at bedtime. I also forgot more often at night and ended up having a myoclonic seizure and started taking it in the morning again, but then it wasn't sedating anymore so it wasn't a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallowedink Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I initially said it was activating for me. Now that I've been taking it for quite a while I've found that it's fairly neutral. I take it at night with all of my other meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 It's not activiating for me any longer.....I went back to taking it at night with my other meds, it was just easier to remember that way. That said, I know I need to go up in dose. Doc has me at 100mg for awhile now and I'm still feeling really depressed. I thought he would have upped my dose when I saw him last but he wasn't interested. I'm really hoping when I see him on the 18th Hubs can convince him otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Krazy Kat Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I find it neutral to mildly activating. I've been up as high as 150mg before, which is when I found it "mildly activating." I'm titrating up on it again, only at 25mg still, which I find neutral (minus the start-up headache, which is just annoying.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I think Lamictal is neutral for me in terms of sedation or activation. I like it. But I had crazy, vivid dreams for the first titration (later increases haven't had that effect), even though my dreams are pretty vivid as it is. I think I remember other people saying the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becks Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Since going on the Seroquel back in June I don't dream very much I kinda miss them.....and when I do dream, I don't remember what they were about, just that they were there...if that makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallowedink Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I think Lamictal is neutral for me in terms of sedation or activation. I like it. But I had crazy, vivid dreams for the first titration (later increases haven't had that effect), even though my dreams are pretty vivid as it is. I think I remember other people saying the same thing. My dreams have been really vivid and kind of scary since I started on the Lamotrigine. I do usually have a tendency to have nightmares instead of dreams, but I wasn't dreaming at all since I went off of Fluoxitine in September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VoodooDali Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Lamictal was activating for me when I was first on it, but then turned neutral. I take it at bedtime so I don't forget. Never noticed whether vivid dreams were connected to it. That's a side effect I kind of enjoy though - was one of the great things about trazodone when I took that years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janedoe12345 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 It's activating for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinkerMel Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Lamictal was very activating for me. And my god did I feel good on it.. until the rash started.. Not SJS, but allergies.. UGH! Figures I'd be allergic to a med that makes me feel great! Beckette - how are you feeling? Hanging in there on the Lamictal? Did you get the doc to up it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.