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Amy3boys
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Default Oct 09, 2019 at 01:27 PM
  #1
I've stuck with Lamictal for two weeks but I can't tell if it's making me more tired. I have a lot of fatigue with my depression so I'm wondering if there's a chance that it could improve my energy level? Have others found it to make you tired or given you energy (or neither)?
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Default Oct 09, 2019 at 01:29 PM
  #2
I also have fatigue with depression, and I found that lamictal restored my baseline level of energy, but only once I got up to 100mg. At 25mg and 50mg, it didn't seem to change my energy.

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Default Oct 09, 2019 at 04:48 PM
  #3
It is important to realize that everyone has a different reaction to medications. If this is understood, it really would not matter which types of reactions others were experiencing.

That said, I am happy to share my experience. I have found Lamictal just fine for energy level until I hit 400mg/day. I am fine at 300mg. I am exhausted and dizzy at 400 mg. It is important for me to add: I take several other meds related to painful autoimmune conditions. It is likey these med interact. with Lamictal.

I hope Lamictal will work just fine for you!

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Default Oct 10, 2019 at 10:12 PM
  #4
It seems that every med I've ever taken has caused me to feel tired. With regard to Lamictal, I'd say that for me, it's one of the more neutral meds as far as sedating or stimulating.

Wild Coyote has an excellent point, too - most meds are dose dependent when it comes to sedating and activating.

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Default Oct 11, 2019 at 11:54 AM
  #5
Lamictal has always been more activating for me than sedating. I remember the first time I was put on Lamictal, I was also on Abilify. The start of that period was pretty darned nice. I specifically remember getting back into dancing (I took 2 to 3 ballroom/Latin dance classes per week for a while), working at least part-time again, if not full-time, and having tons of energy. I believe I reached a dose of 300 mg, at my max. Unfortunately, the "activation" became too much and I became full blown manic and hospitalized. I have bipolar disorder type 1 and historically lean much more to the manic side. I think that many many people who don't, get an extreme benefit from Lamictal and don't have the issue I had with over activation.

The second time I was put on Lamictal, it was following a long period of pure depression. Yes, I have had them, and one particularly bad one. I had recently finished a series of ECT treatments, but decided to stop ECT. Unfortunately, the depression started to come back, but I didn't want to have more ECT. My doctors totally overhauled my medications. The new medications helped a little, but it wasn't until Lamictal was added to that mix that I finally started to come out of the depression. Just as with unicornlady, the starter doses of 25 mg and 50 mg didn't improve my situation, but when I reached 75 mg, I was seeing a difference. By 100 mg, I was actually starting to get hypomanic. My doctor decided to keep me on the 100 mg, but add more antipsychotic. I have been on that 100 mg of Lamictal for about eight years now. I do realize that most people need a higher dose than 100 mg. As Wild Coyote wrote, people respond differently.
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Default Oct 15, 2019 at 01:59 PM
  #6
ya, it wasnt sedating for me.

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