Lamotrigine

I have been taking Lamotrigine for a few years now. It didn't really seem to have any bad side effects. About 4 months ago my Pdoc increased the dosage from 300 per day to 400 because my up and down mood changes had gotten much worse. Has anyone else had bad results when they increased Lamotrigine? My Pdoc seems to think I should continue at the higher dose and thinks that I need to focus on getting better sleep and that is the issue. I know that it is always bad to just change the dosage on my own, but I things are not good. Yes, I am looking for a new Pdoc. Thoughts? Experiences?

I was on 400 for quite a long while and I don't think it ever did as darn helpful thing for me. Sorry. Wishing you find something helpful soon.

I've been on 400mg for a couple of months. I don't notice any difference between 200mg and 400mg. It's so difficult to tell whether a medication is of benefit. I mean, if there are obvious intolerable side effects, well, that's apparent. But sometimes I think a med isn't helping, I stop taking it, and find out it was helping, after all. That's when a talented pdoc can be such an asset.

If you do want to increase or decrease Lamictal please do so with your Pdocs help.. it’s the chance of SJS ( Stevens Johnson Syndrome) or also called “ The rash” thats of big concern , plus it’s actually a medication for seizures so you can wind up in a bad way.

Here’s the thing about Lamictal it’s a medication that is not fast acting .. it works mainly in the background. Many people find when they stop taking it that it indeed was helping.

Hope you feel better soon

From a guy who was diagnosed as bipolar because of mood issues caused by circadian rythym disorder ( i trashed my internal body clock working rotating 72 hour duty shifts) you seem rather dismissive of your Pdoc opinion ,why?
Have you been evaluated by a pulmonologist or Sleep pathologist in a sleep study ? It's great they can do that at home these days ! Actual sleep pathologists are hard to find there are only 6,000 licensed in the US ,but many pulmonologist are cross trained and do sleep studies ,have you considered keeping your Pdoc and adding somebody with experience in sleep disorders? I assure you 99 percent of the time a Pdoc will find a diagnosis that sorta fits in order to get paid ,so chances are good you have a decent Pdoc, who maybe giving you solid advice without hanging a mental health shingle on your medical record( once my doctor figured out it wasnt "routine insomnia" or Bipolar they apologized profusely for the diagnosis ,saying it would haunt my medical record , I said I could care less ,it's not written in stone ,and i have 1000's of records documenting my sleep disorder that I wouldn't have if it weren't for them, my first sleep pathologist was a buddy of there's from medical school ,when they realised they were in over there head ,they called in a favor and got me the actual care I needed from a sleep pathologist).
If you hate your Pdoc or they have the bedside manner of a brick ,by all means replace them with someone you can trust ,but if they haven't crossed any lines or pissed you off, try getting a sleep consult ,the worst that happens is you have sleep disorder or breathing disorder that ruins your sleep that's treatable ,or you get a clean bill of health and stay with a Pdoc, trying to figure it out . And in case your wondering I believed the bipolar diagnosis ,because I could check every box from deppresion to hypo mania depending on how sleep deprived i was ,and consequently how awfull my attitude was .

People don't realize your brain does 1000 X's more when your sleeping then it does when your awake .
Everything from memory making and storing memories to how you perceive the world is done well sleeping .