I am officially joining the ranks of those who are facing the challenge of Lamictal withdrawal.
On Wednesday, I went to see my psychiatrist with a plan to come off of Lamictal:
- 150 mg for 3 months
- 100 mg for 3 months
- 75 mg for 3 months
- 50 mg for 3 months
- 25 mg for 3 months
- 12.5 mg (depending on whether my side effects on the 25 mg are bad)
I told him that my husband and I were looking to have a child sometime next year and that I’d like to taper off of Lamictal but was open to the possibility of getting back on it should I encounter severe suicidal ideation and mixed episodes. He warned me against it and thought it was a bad idea.
He proceeded to say that it’s a maintenance medication, I have a lifelong disorder, it won’t just go away, my symptoms would probably return, I have a higher risk of attempting suicide, blah blah blah — am I aware of all these risks?
He explained people with bipolar depression after coming off of meds can actually be worse, undergo severe depressive episodes, have more suicide attempts, and yadda yadda yadda. To sum it all up, I was risking my life just to get off of Lamictal.
My pdoc was trying to scare me into staying medicated.
He then added if I really wanted to come off of my meds, I could “just stop.”
WHAT?! My eyes flew open.
He stated he’d had patients who had stopped cold turkey without a problem. According to him, anticonvulsants don’t have severe withdrawal effects.
WHAT?! His advice just flies in the face of what most doctors recommend. In fact, quitting Lamictal immediately increases the risk of seizures, which is exactly what I’m afraid of.
Philip’s experience and Gianna’s experience along with the comments on each blog are proof that many people have experienced tremendous withdrawal effects from decreasing Lamictal’s dosage. In the past, I’ve quit Paxil and Lexapro cold turkey — both with not-so-good results to put it mildly.
I insisted that I wanted to come off of it slowly so he said I could just cut my 200 mg pills in half and jump down to 100 mg and stop after 2 weeks.
For real? Two weeks, doc? I had a plan that would take me over a year and you’re reducing it to a mere two weeks? On 100 mg dosage?
Again, I insisted that I wanted to take more time. He reluctantly wrote me a 30-day prescription for 100 mg and said since I was off the medication, I had no need to see him anymore. “Good luck,” he flatly told me.
When I came home after the appointment (and a bitching session to my husband), I remembered that I’d stashed a few 150 mg pills away sometime ago after I jumped back up to 200. So as of Wednesday, my arsenal included:
- A bottle of six 150 mg pills
- A bottle twenty-five 200 mg pills
- A prescription for thirty 100 mg pills
I dropped down to the 150 mg on Wednesday and have been doing all right so far. I intend to keep myself at 150 mg (cutting the 200 mg and the 100 mg in half) for at least 2 weeks, then drop down to 75 mg for 2 weeks and then 50 mg for 2 weeks. I’m most worried about coming off of the 25 mg. This is a way more accelerated plan that I hoped for but I’ve got to work with the cards that I’m dealt.
We’ll see what happens.
Stephany said,
February 13, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I hope it goes smoothly for you.
susan said,
February 13, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Good luck with this…. I want to stay in the loop about how it goes for you.
Ana said,
February 14, 2009 at 8:28 am
Have patient and go slowly…
Goood lucky!
I’ll be praying for you.
sandy said,
February 23, 2009 at 3:51 am
Any updates on this. Let me know because I am going through the same thing. Sick of all the med’s I take and cutting them down or out.
Peyre said,
March 5, 2009 at 7:16 am
I just found this board. I just started taking Lamictal 5 weeks ago. The doctor put me on it after having been successfully treated with Lexapro and Wellbutrin. I told him I was under a lot of stress and seemed to have a short fuse. That’s when he suggested Lamcital. I am not bipolar and never have been.
However, after being on Lamictal and Wellbutrin together (starter pack) I am now up to 100 mg of Lamictal. Blurred vision, headaches, brain freezes and get this … suicidal and homicidal thoughts accompanied by increased rage.
Duh … thought that is what we were trying to treat. I finally figured out that my reactions are perfectly normal to stress (and I am under a lot) and psychopharmacology is what I don’t need.
I have tried several SSRIs for depression and Lexapro works best and I only need a small maintenance dose.
This stuff is messing with my brain. I hope the damage is not permanent. To his credit, when I called my doctor about this he said to get off the lamictal NOW. I go back to 50 mg for 2 weeks and then 25 mg for 2 weeks and meanwhile start back on Lexapro.
The only reason he is tapering me off is because I had a very bad experience with Effexor and he doesn’t want a repeat.
So, if you are not bipolor and do not have seizures I would suggest that you stay off this medicine.
In every interaction with people I have to maintain tight control and remind myself that I am on a powerful medicine and I am having a reaction to it. If I don’t the drug induced rage takes me places I’ve never been and don’t want to go.
rick said,
August 10, 2010 at 7:13 am
doctor puy on lamotrigine 3months ago having trouble w/ant ssri for anxiety stop cold turkey any trouble w/dizzy sym any help 6day off
thanks rick
Skip said,
June 25, 2009 at 10:10 am
My wife is experiancing dizzy spells as she is weaning off Lamotrigine.150′s-75.
Any one having similiar experiances?
Janice said,
May 10, 2012 at 7:57 am
I had a very similar experience. I ran out and of my 150 mg tablet’s and didn’t get the prescription until the next day, less than 24 hours and I felt like I was dying. I was dizzy, I felt like I might pass out or have a seizure. By the time I got to the drugstore my vision was so affected I thought I was not going to make it to the counter. NEVER stop abruptly! I have researched this drug and read many forums I most people say they have horrible side effect’s from trying to come off this. My advice is to do it very slowly–very.
Good luck
Erin said,
July 2, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I have been weaning off of Lamictal (100-75-50-25) for roughly 6 months because I wanted to make sure I would do ok without the meds….I have been taking the 25 mg for approximately 1 months but have just discontinued it starting this week. I am experiencing some vertigo and maybe some tight chested feelings (anxiety?). Also, I have noticed a significant drop in my hunger.
Jenally said,
July 15, 2009 at 7:34 pm
I just started weaning off of Lamictal 3 days ago. I had been taking 400 mg for 5 years and I want to have another baby, so I’m tapering by 25 mg every two weeks. I am so scared that my symptoms will come back and with a vengeance. I am bipolar, type II. I’m petrified that I will be pregnant and start having severe mood swings and then I’m stuck, I can’t do anything about it. I have a wonderful husband and my psychiatrist is the best but I’m afraid I won’t be able to do this and I desperately want another baby, I have a 7 year old. Adoption is out, who the heck is going to give a baby to a bipolar woman? Just venting. Thanks for listening.
Lee-Anne said,
November 3, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I am in the same boat and doing this for the first time. I am taking 450mg daily and I’m petrified too. If you’d be willing to talk with me, that would be great.
Lee-Anne
cheap pharmacy online said,
July 24, 2009 at 3:06 am
I had a friend who was experiencing bipolar depression. he doesn’t want to be around with anybody. We are trying to reach him out but the problem was, he wasn’t reach out back. Effort was useless. Talking to somebody is the best therapy, that was his doctor. To change your healthy lifestyle start from within, so if my friend doesn’t reach out back, its up to him.
Summer said,
October 15, 2009 at 5:58 am
I want to stop taking this too, I actually want off all my drugs I’m on. My psychiatrist never calls me back and quite frankly, sucks and dicks me around. I’ve only been on this for almost 2 weeks and I’m still at the 25 mgs (orange starter kit). I’ve only been diagnosed w/ depression and anxiety but have severe mood swings as of late. I’ve had gastric bypass surgery and my psych doesn’t seem to take that into account-just keeps piling on the meds. I’m going today to my primary care doc to get hormone testing. At 29 years old, no kids I shouldn’t feel this way! Do you think it’s safe since I’m not that far in to my lamictal to just stop? I have a call into the psych but it’s been 2 days.
Kass said,
October 15, 2009 at 10:56 am
At 25 mgs, it’s the starting dose so if you want to stop taking it, you should be okay. Good luck with your primary doc.
april said,
February 11, 2010 at 7:59 pm
i took all my 25mg (orange starter pack) and one of the 50mg. and stopped it 2 days ago should i be ok?
Kass said,
February 11, 2010 at 9:24 pm
You should be fine since you haven’t been on it long.
april said,
February 13, 2010 at 11:39 am
it as been 24 hours what withdrawls should i be having if any of only taking 25mg for 2 weeks and one 50mg for one day?
Alex said,
July 6, 2011 at 9:45 am
I was on 200mg lamotrigine and a bunch of other stuff like Lexamil, Geodon and Seroquel. I went cold turkey on all of them about a month ago and i haven’t experienced any withdrawals at all. Funny enough all of the symptoms I was having while on the meds have disappeared… Kinda makes you think don’t it…
vumpa8 said,
October 17, 2009 at 1:35 am
I have been on lam for about a year and a half or so. I accidentaly ran out of them and couldn’t get them for a couple of days. So pretty much I was quiting cold turkey for a couple of days. I was was so sick. I felt like I had to puke every 15mins. Now I am very aware of the difficulty I would have trying to get off for something like pregnancy in the future. One important thing to have is a good psyc/doc. If you don’t then you are pretty much on your own for the situation and that is really difficult.
alan said,
November 16, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Sometimes we all get taken in by what we think is going to happen, what the shrinks want us to think will happen, what the drug companies want us to think will happen and we talk ourselves into these side effects. Once you taper off, nothing new will happen–you will still be bi-polar, but no worse than what you were before. Remember, when you are off medication and feel the mood swings, try to be aware that it is a chemical in your brain that is doing this and try to push the feelings and chemical, back, add to this awareness and control meditiation and some eastern thinking and relaxing–and reward yourself., Try exercising, massage…and everything else that makes you feel better. Just remember that a lot of stuff is bullshit and they want us to believe it and it becomes pyscho-somatic,
Brandi said,
November 17, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I recently found out I was pregnant I have been taking Lam for almost two years. I decided just not to take them anymore because of the pregnancy. Is quiting lam cold turkey ok or should I taper off.
Kass said,
November 17, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Quitting a drug cold turkey is never advised and I’d recommend that you’d work with your doctor (or a supportive one) in tapering off safely.
Christie said,
August 3, 2011 at 9:50 am
I agree exactly with what Kass said. I’m planning on getting off Lam too, but I’ve heard that you can do some permanat damage if you dont come off of it correctly.
Christina said,
January 13, 2010 at 3:47 pm
I started on Lamictal about 15 months ago. I was on Lexapro for over two years and quit cold turkey. I started getting my depression and anxiety severely and went to see a new psychiatrist. He spoke to me for 15 minutes and said, “oh, you are bipolar 2.” I recently changed doctors after the first one kept adding drugs to the point I ended up in the hospital because of suicidal tendencies. They put me back on Lexapro. Now my doctor is allowing me to come off the Lamictal and has reduced me from 300 mg to 200 mg. I go to see him in a month. Wish me luck!
Kass said,
January 13, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Good luck to you. I hope you find what works for you.
John said,
February 5, 2010 at 8:54 pm
I started on lamotrigine 2 years ago. The shrink who got me started would turn his back to you and type as you spoke. I never got more than 10 minutes a session. I was there for depression. I was having terrible side-effect with effexor. He put me on Cymbalta which was terrible too. I have hell going up on these drugs and hell getting off. He seemed annoyed that these were not working for me, so then he decides I am Bi-polar. Just out of the blue! He gives me lamotrigine going from 100 mg to 200 mg in a 2 month period. Each time I experienced terrible flue-like symptoms and exhaustion for 2 weeks. I have had 2 years of weird skin problems that the doctors can not clear up. I am convinced they come from lamotrigine. I want off this poison also and will take a year to do it. But a broke of a tiny piece for 4 days and got massive depression. It is hard to explain to the doctors that the depression these drugs give you are far, far, worse than the depression you are trying to clear.
Rob said,
December 7, 2011 at 10:48 pm
I’ve been on Lamictal for almost 10 years. I’m wanting to get off all of my meds. It seems every time I go to the doctor I end up on another med. I’ve been out of work for almost a year and simply can’t afford all of them anymore. In addition to this, I’ve been having all kinds of weird skin conditions that they doctors can’t clear up also! I thought I was the only one. It’s been going on since on the Lamictal but the doctors swear it’s not from the drug. After reading your post, I think it is. I’m going to take my time, but I’m getting off it as well.
Maria said,
February 19, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I’ve been on 100mg on lamictal and 600mg of trilpetal since 2005, that’s five years and have not had any problems on meds. I had my first episode at 21after my mother died in 1996. When I went back to school I quit my meds (risperdol and depakote) and was fine until 2004, seven years with no meds and no problems becuase I was busy, focused and balanced on my own. When I moved back into my childhood home the anxiety came back. I didn’t feel well in my environment. I seem to relapse when I have violent or negative people around me. But since then, I earned my doctorate, I am a yoga instructor (and know what it takes to live a balanced life), I have a place and full time job and a wonderful boyfriend. Now, I would like to taper off because I’d like to pregrant in about a year or so. My doctor said he would take me off trileptal which is the most dangerous of the two. I’ll have to see what he says about lamictal. When I go one day without it, my skin feels dry and I’m a little dizzy. I don’t ever get depressed anymore but when I do get mildly manic, I can control it more because I know what’s going on. I’ve never written about this on-line before and I appreciate the advice and honest dialogue on this site. Thank you.
Corey Serowik said,
February 22, 2010 at 8:06 am
I have been on Lamictal/Lamatrogine since 2008. About 6 months into it I became really paranoid and started feeling as if I was dying. I think it is hypercondria. I need to wean myself off of it. If I come off of it will I loose those thoughts. can I live a normal life again. I have 4 children and I need to loose this hell that I in. I am a prisoner in my own mind. Help me please.
CMS said,
February 22, 2010 at 8:09 am
What should I do to get off medications?
Rhiannon said,
June 6, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Taper very slowly. At Gianna’s Beyond Meds site and on the Benzo Withdrawal forum and Surviving Antidepressants you can get information on a liquid titration method which will allow you to make small cuts. You MUST come off any and all psych meds slowly. Any drug that affects neurotransmitters causes your brain to adapt and change itself. When you remove the drug your brain cannot function right, unless you wean your brain off it slowly, so it can slowly re-correct its chemistry.
Most people recommend tapering one medication at a time. If you taper more than one at a time (like I am doing) you must taper them all more slowly than you would individually.
A realistic time frame for tapering off a drug someone who has been on psych meds for five years or longer is AT LEAST a year and probably several, depending on how many different meds and what the dosages were. Probably about one year per med, but you must adjust according to your own body and mind’s reaction.
Be aware that the symptoms of withdrawal will usually mimic whatever you are supposedly taking the drug for, so your doctor will probably call it a “relapse” and try to give you MORE meds, when what you really need is a slower taper.
I cannot recommend highly enough the works of Dr. Peter Breggin and the book Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker. Anyone on psych meds or with a loved one on psych meds should read these.
CMS said,
February 22, 2010 at 8:12 am
I have on Lamictal/lamatrogine since 2008. About 6 months into it I noticed a huge change, I became paranoid. I thought I was dying. I almost feel like a hypercondriac. Does anyone feel the same? Will these feelings go away after i am off the meds? I am a prisoner in my own mind. I want my life back. Please help or give me some advice…
maria said,
February 22, 2010 at 2:12 pm
I am not an expert but I have never had those feelings before. Be sure to talk to your doctor asap.
Lisa said,
March 5, 2010 at 11:45 am
Lamotrigine affects the wood element relating to the chinese elements. Find an acupuncturist to give to supplemental herbs to balance you out.
As somebody who has successfully gotten off of all my drugs with the help of alternative medicine and supplements, I realize that it is you belief that will influence your successs. If you believe you need the drugs, there will always be a placebo effect. good luck
Jessica said,
March 7, 2010 at 2:41 am
I have been on Lamictal for almost 4 and 1/2 years (prescribed to me as a mood stabilizer), and have gone off both Effexor in the past (which wasn’t pleasant but also not as bad as I have seen others describe) and last year after having a medication induced seizure due to an increase in dose of Wellbutrin XL, I went off of that as well. It scares me that such things can happen as side effects of these medications, and I really want to go off Lamictal because of other side effects, but am nervous of the consequences emotionally. Part of me thinks I’m ready and can handle it, but I’m still nervous.
I am very interested in the option of alternative medicine and supplements and going off all the medications I take because of side effects, which is currently the birth control Kariva, Xanax as needed, and Lamictal, and it makes me feel not so nervous to see that it has worked for you Lisa. You also say that acupuncture worked for you? I’m curious about this alternative medicine option…so if you have anymore incite about that I’d really appreciate your input.
Thanks!
Rae said,
July 29, 2010 at 4:52 am
Hi,
My partner has just come off lamotrigine and gone cold turkey and this was over 3 weeks ago. unfortunately he is experiencing a combination of all the side effects others have already mentioned. I am really interested to know more about the acupuncturist as alternatives. Could you expand on what they gave you etc.
Thanks
Rae
Kass said,
July 30, 2010 at 9:47 am
I am not familiar with natural alternatives to treating Lamictal withdrawal. If you would like more information on that, go here:
http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/lamictal-redux/
Ann said,
August 23, 2010 at 7:17 pm
I am considering going from lamictal to lamictal extended release. Has anyone ever done this before? I am on 900mg/day and Ideally i would like to get off completely. I am very fearful of the side effects of withdrawl. Does anyone have any information they can share about withdrawl. Is there some one who has successfully discontinued it? I do not take it for depression, but figured the withdrawl symptoms would be same.
.
Tara said,
September 17, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I’ve been on lamotragine, seroquel and clonazapam for 4 years for anxiety, depression mood swings. I was diagnosed as manic depressive. I have asked my doctor that i really want to come off of these medications by tapering off. She said I would be on these medications for life. i go for therapy on a regular basis and feel that im ready now to come off of them. I recently came across a website called Point of Return http://www.pointofreturn.com I was wondering if anyone has heard of them or has had any experience with them.
karen said,
October 3, 2010 at 11:53 pm
I have been on Lamictal for 15 years. I started it and Topamax to replace Depakote for seizures, there is a history of bi-polar in the family so it was the best drug choice. A month ago I had to chose whether to increase it again or find something else. Extended use of any medication causes damage to your body. My kidneys are the one’s suffering but I was taking 600mg a day. I am currently reducing mine 75mg weekly, with the exception of the mentrual week. The first thing I noticed was I was unable to sleep. Could easily be up for 24-36 hours then only sleep 3-4. Pain pills etc didn’t help much to get sleep. The thing that helped the most was to eliminate caffeine. Another thing I noticed was when you come off lamictal it is like having your brain thaw out. There are emotions, feelings, and memories that you have that you haven’t felt in a long time return. Good luck people !
Jlo said,
October 7, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I am on lamotrigine 175 in am and 200 in pm. I want to have children and will have to come off of it. How long does it take to wean off of it and after that, how long does it take to get out of your system? Does anybody know?
Daniel said,
October 7, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Hi
My doctor recently diagnosed me with bi-polar and said that I should start taking lamictal to balance me out I was feeling very suicidal.
Well after reading things about this drug I think he is a bit crazy.
They say you have to slowly build up on this drug but he told me to take 200mg everyday from the start.
Well I did what the doctor said thinking he knows best and after 1 week I started to have really bad panic attacks ive never had them before in my life and the most messed up dreams and it was really freaking me out.
So I just stopped cold turkey thinking that taking this crazy drug anymore will only make things worse.
Well its been 3 days now since I stopped and im still feeling really bad.
Can you tell me your experience on this and how long it will take to stop feeling the withdrawal symptoms I know everyone says you should not stop cold turkey as it is really dangerous but i was only taking it one week and my body was telling me that this stuff really doesn’t agree with me.
my e-mail is danielbestpower@gmail.com
Thanks very much
daisy said,
October 12, 2010 at 11:28 am
I’ve been off of all medication, lamictol and trileptol since I found out I was pregnant in march. I didn’t feel any withdrawal symptoms, probably because I was taking very little, only at night. I had a misscarriage, due to stress and maybe becasue of medication but I’m not sure. I feel great now. Just married and we’ll be starting a family soon. So it’s doable. My doctor was very supportive and he says I’m balanced and doing well:) I hope to not be on medication any time soon or ever. I was diagnosed with biplar but I do yoga, eat right, keep busy teaching and lead a positive lifestyle. Good luck!
Amy said,
January 11, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Hi everyone-
I hope that everyone’s journey off and on Lamictal is going well. I have read a lot of posts about this medication and would like to share my story. I started taking Lamictal in Nov 2008. It took over a year for me to find my therapeutic dose, which was 400mg. Once I hit that number it was like magic. I was the calmest, most tranquil I have been in a long time. I took it for a year at 400mg, and it worked wonderfully. I AM a mental health professional, so I know that in order to feel better with a mental disorder it is incredibly important to not only take meds, but TALK TO A THERAPIST you trust. Also, no or restricted caffeine, some daily exercise, and eat well! Having a mental disorder is like having any other disability, you have to live a healthy lifestyle in order for you to feel better.
It gets really frustrating when looking for the cocktail that will work, for me it took years. If your psychiatrist isn’t working with you, find another one. Same goes with therapists. Not all doctors are created equal. Good luck in your personal journeys for peace and don’t give up! You’ll find it. <3
Motel said,
February 25, 2011 at 3:47 pm
I’m on a very low does of lamotrogine 75mg a day – and even at that low dosage its given me fatigue.
Initially it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders when I started to take it as I felt mental clarity for the first time in years…..however i did get the allergic reaction to it, which you need to be careful of…i had to come straight off it and when the doctor put me on it again i had to start in tiny dosages i think they were as low as 10my to start with over a 6 week period….so going straight to 200mg sounds like madness to me.
Has anyone else got problems getting out of bed on their medication or any tips on how to overcome that?
Casey said,
February 28, 2011 at 10:02 pm
I have been on lamictal for about 5 months now. Built up gradually to a daily dose of 200mg. The biggest side effect I have is the ability to think of words when speaking. I have also noticed that I have suffered greatly in the performance of my short term memory and remembering peoples names. It has, however, really helped stabalize my mood. I have also noticed that taking a good dose of Niacin seems to help it work better. I am hoping to get to a point where I can come off of all medications. What kind of a time line have others found? How long before you can come off of the med?? or is this a lifelong med?
Thanks
Rhiannon said,
June 6, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Page back up a ways, I posted a reply to someone else asking for advice in getting off meds.
Be careful, go slow, and believe in yourself and your worth and sanity.
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savillia said,
July 1, 2011 at 11:58 am
Hi all,
I’ve only been on Lamictal for about 5 wks. Just titrated up to 200 mg. 2 wks. ago. Not diag. Bipolar, unspec. depression and anxiety. Pdoc decided the Lamictal wasn’t helping (not much change in symptoms, but increased feelings of aggitation) so she told me to take 50 mgs. for the next two days and just stop. WHAT? Is this ok to do? Not sure since I’ve been on this only for awhile, but she did have me titrate up slowly. Would love some help w/ this as I’m supposed to go to 50 mg. tomorrow and I’m scared to death I’m going to go into psychosis or something, Thanks!
Chelsea said,
July 2, 2011 at 11:43 am
I am just hitting the tail end of my titration. I have gone down 25mg a week for the last 6 weeks. The first two were a freaking nightmare (migraines every day, really dizzy…) I am going completely off tomorrow (from 25mg to 0). I actually feel pretty good! In the past, I ran out of the meds and had no choice but to stop for 6 days. I had to sleep for 3 of them because the effects were so bad. The reason I am going off is because we’re about to start a family. Best of luck to all backing off… just like others said: back off of it slooowly.
Savillia said,
July 2, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Chelsea-if you don’t mind me asking, what dose were you on and for how long? Just wondering b/c of my pdoc telling me to quit so quickly. Also, did you notice a drop in your appetitie or anything? i’ve read about that happening to people and I would gladly welcome this symptom! Thanks!
Brandie said,
July 6, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Hello everyone:
My sister has been off Lamictal for 2 months. She has had red spots come and go and she is in terrible pain right now. She can’t even walk, she said, “It feels like my nerves are trying to crawl out from under my skin.” I am worried her doctor took her off of it to quickly. Has anyone ever felt this? I keep looking all over the place and I am just worried about her. Any help would be great! Thank you.
Christie said,
August 3, 2011 at 9:59 am
Wow….I hope things get much better for your sister! I wish I had some words of advice :0/
karen said,
August 9, 2011 at 7:54 pm
When I first contributed 9 months ago I was coming off 600mgs of Lamital and 600mgs topamax. It took 4 months to do both and was sent to a psych for observation. The end was the worse because my perspection of the world was distorted. Feeling emotions I hadn’t felt in years and walking across streets getting dizzy. I was put on Depakote so I would not go into massive seizures. I feel like my head is finally back on straight but if you get put on it you have to watch eating habits.
rodney Meyer said,
September 7, 2011 at 9:05 pm
My 44 pound six year old daughter is taking 50 mg a day of lamotrogine. She was put on it because of seizures at age 3. She has only had one seizure in the past year, and it was a febrile seizure. My daughter’s seizures only happen when she first falls asleep. I want to get her off of the medication because of the side effects, and I truly believe any febrile seizures are going to happen anyway with this medication. The Dr says he can see from her brain scan that it isn’t quite normal, but I still want her off of it, because I think my daughter is having cognitive side effects, she just doesn’t remember things, even if we talk about things a few minutues ago. But she also remembers longer term things. I don’t know what to do or get my dr to do, because my wife doesn’t ever question what the dr says. Any help???
Rodney said,
September 7, 2011 at 9:07 pm
By the way, it’s 50 mgs of Lamotrigine twice a day.
karen said,
September 10, 2011 at 11:37 pm
I was on it for 15 years for seizures. I would get her off of it. But first I would make sure she is not having seizures in her sleep. Any loss of memory is usually caused by the seizure itself. There are drugs like phenobarbitol that can decrease cognitive skills. I have been on a variety of seizure drugs in the last 37 years and would recommend depokote if it is appropiate for her particular type of seizures. If you do take her off of medication there is a likelihood seizures can resume at puberty.
Marie said,
September 18, 2011 at 1:16 am
Hi, just wanted to see if anyone knows how long approximately do the withdrawal symptoms last? I have gone off of only 50mg of Lam after a 6months on and I am feeling awful. It has been a week now and it’s getting worse. Blurry vision, horrible depth perception, absolutely emotionless and overall confused and disconnected. I didn’t have any side effects just thought I didn’t need the pills. Felt good so thought I couldn’t be bipolar! Now I remember why I went on the pills in the first place. Just want to feel normal:-(
Rodney said,
September 18, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Our Dr agreed to give it a shot to let my daughter wean off of Lamotrigine. He said you need to slowly get off of it. We are going reduce the drug from 100 mg a day by 15 mg a week for six weeks. Meaning the first week she’ll take 85, then 70, then 55, etc. If there are no non-frebile seizures, we can keep her off the meds. If she starts having seizures for no apparent reason, we have to put her back on the drug.
Marie, maybe you shouldn’t stop cold turkey, but do it more slowly.
Cynthia Tomaszewski said,
November 10, 2011 at 10:13 am
I quit 75mgs lamictal 11 days ago. I feel great!
Is this normal?
Kassi said,
November 21, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Withdrawal symptoms differ for everybody. I am glad that your Lamictal withdraw has gone well!
Katie said,
November 21, 2011 at 5:51 pm
I started taking lamictal 2 years ago after I went to my psychiatrist complaining of intense anxiety and depression. Since, I haven’t noticed any positive chance in my mental illnesses except that my anxiety and stress has gotten much worse (possibly due to other, environmental factors as well). I have been seeing a therapist to work on my anxiety disorders and would like to come clean of all medication. I feel like the lamictal clouds my thoughts and makes my mental state worse. I only take 200 mg a day but after reading this comments I’m becoming fearful of quitting the drug. I want to be done with it so badly, though… what should I do? How slowly should I come off of them if I decide to stop? When I first started taking lamictal that had me on 25mg for one week, 50mg for two weeks, 100mg for two weeks and then finally 200mg. Would it make sense to do the same thing but in the reverse order?
Rowena Wasyliw said,
November 29, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Hi Katie,
It is absolutely possible to come off Lamotrigine (Lamictal) successfully. I’ve posted about my experience below, if that’s any help. Personally, i would do it slower than the reversing the build up – that is based on physical tolerance, whereas coming off is about giving your brain time to re-adapt to not having the drug. I didn’t find doctors helpful because they were so pessimistic and seemed to be constantly on the look out for ‘relapse’ and saw every experience as that, but i really wished I’d had a supportive one, because it would’ve made it much easier, particularly for getting some short-term sleeping tablets at points. I found support, wherever you can get it, essential, so i hope you have some. Try and remember the effects you experience (if you do) are due to discontinuation of the drug and will pass. I wish you the very best of luck.
Rowena
Kassi said,
November 22, 2011 at 9:04 am
I’m not a doctor, but my recommendation would be seeking a psychiatrist who will help you taper off of the medications. Tapering off on your own in reverse order is sensible, but listen to your body and if you’re having an adverse reactions, stay on the specific dose until your body gets used to it then continue to taper down.
Other people with different experiences may disagree with me, but this is just my opinion.
Rowena Wasyliw said,
November 29, 2011 at 4:36 pm
i have just found this website after coming down off Lamotrigine for a year – and i really wish I’d found it sooner! I decided to come off after starting a professional doctorate and learning that there is no reliable scientific evidence of a neurotransmitter or structural brain abnormality for depression, bipolar, anxiety disorders (except possibly PTSD) or psychotic disorders (that is, before people take psychiatric drugs; I can recommend good reading, if anyone is interested). i have been on Lamotrigine for 10 years, since i was a teenager, diagnosed with bipolar 1. i spent the better part of two years of my adolescence as an inpatient, a year of that against my will.
I was on 250mg (whenever it was raised higher i would gets dots in my vision and pass out) and I’ve been mostly reducing it by about 25mg roughly every 3 months. The most important thing for me to remember has been that the effects i experienced when i come off are due to a discontinuation effect (that is, the brain adapts to the drug and therefore is in an abnormal state when the drugs are withdrawn, until it can adapt) and not relapse…it will pass. The main effects I’ve had have been extreme insomnia, frequent migraines, nausea and vomiting, elation, paranoia and visual disturbances. These have been most intense when I’ve become frustrated and cut down too much, too quickly. I’ve noticed they last about a month after each reduction and then i feel settled.
I’ve had to do this without professional support, as the doctors i spoke to tried to scare or bully me into staying on it. It’s important not to break tablets in half (this will intensify the side-effects as they are designed to release over certain amount of time and so you get too much in the system at once) so I’ve had to get the right tablets from my GP (primary care doctor). Luckily, I’ve moved GP regularly and am a mental health professional so they a) trusted i knew what i was doing, and b) thought that my previous GP had agreed my reduction plan (because i told them this was so, whilst waiting for my notes to be transferred!). I’ve had to convince terrified family, who are now incredibly supportive, and I’ve had the support of colleagues and people in the survivor movement who have come off successfully.
I have come to believe that my problems were due to a traumatic and abusive childhood, and that the mood swings, suicidality and psychosis are all meaningful and understandable in this context. Understanding myself, having others believe in me and leading a healthy lifestyle have been the key for me in coming off meds.
i wanted to post this because i was told when i was still a child that i had a ‘brain disorder, no different to a physical illness’ (no-one mentioned that there was no actual scientific evidence for this or that it was hotly contested) and that i would need to be on medication for the rest of my life. By the time i was 20, I’d been on 17 different medications, many of which made me very ill (one almost killed me), both physically and mentally. I was given a very one-sided and pessimistic message (although i was told i could have a good life, as long as i took my meds), which i believed for many years. Now i believe something very different and I’m much happier.
If we can survive whatever it was we experience that made us so distressed, if we can survive the distress and the mental health system (and i say that as someone who met many wonderful professionals, as well as some very bad ones, and as a mental health professional myself), then we have tremendous strength, courage and resources to survive withdrawal and to cope in a world that can be both wonderful and awful. I am now down to the last 25mg test dose and I’ll be stopping that in about a month. It’s been a very tough and rocky road, but i can actually feel fully again. i feel like a proper and complete human being with my full emotions back, even if they are hard sometimes. I’m working through my experiences (both the abuse and the mental health system) and my relationships have improved, largely because i can feel emotions fully. It’s truly wonderful, even the pain and darkness, in its own way, because it means i am alive. Furthermore, i believe i have control and the ability to change, in a way i never did when i bought into the medical model of the diagnosis. I wish everyone else the best of luck and want to express my respect for and belief in all of you.
Annabelle said,
February 5, 2012 at 6:25 pm
I have been taking Lamotrigine for bipolar for 15 years.
Year 1-7: 25 mg
Year 8-15: 300 mg
I was on an extremely low dose for the first 7 years and was doing well until college life became very stressful. I saw a psychiatrist who raised my dose to 300mg and have been on that dose ever since.
I have recently married and am looking to get off of my birth control around August if the tapering is successful. I have an appointment to see a psychiatrist in a few weeks and would like a personal goal that I feel comfortable with before speaking with the psychiatrist because I don’t want to fall into a trap of them pushing me to taper it off too quickly and I want this to be a successful experience.
I am thinking of proposing to my psychiatrist that I lower my dose by 12.5 mg per week (decreasing by half of a 25 mg pill each week) but I would like to know whether you think this is still too quickly for my body to stabilize. I am also looking for your thoughts on how long you think I should be off Lamotrigine before trying to conceive. If I need to wait longer to begin trying for a baby then I am willing to take it slower but I am already 30 years old, so I don’t want to wait too long.
I feel pretty comfortable getting to 25 mg since I was on 25 for 7 years and have since learned stress management techniques. I am am most concerned getting from 25 mg to 0.
I understand that everybody is different and I will listen to my body, keep a “feelings” journal, and will be closely monitored by my family, friends, family practitioner and psychiatrist. I really, really want this to be a good experience and hope to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride when I am done! Do you have any other suggestions?
Rowena said,
February 10, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Hi Annabelle,
congratulations on the marriage!
Re. coming off and getting pregnant. I’m not a doctor, and I don’t have any knowledge about that, I’m afraid. I’ve also not been through pregnancy, so i can’t even give my experience. Perhaps there are others who can? You could also talk to pharmacist, or your GP or a midwife, or someone – might be helpful. Maybe it would help to think first what your specific questions are that you want them to answer about coming off and pregnancy (so you feel less pressured / influenced by their own beliefs). That’s something that’s helped me!
Re. 12.5 reduction….it doesn’t sound to large to me at all and if that’s what you feel comfortable with, then it sounds right for you. I’d ask a pharmacist about the effects of breaking tablets in half. for some, this can lead to an increase in side effects. I thought Lamotrigine might be one of them, but I’m not sure.
Sounds like you really know yourself and have a good plan and support for coming off. If you’re concerned about getting from 25 to 0, maybe you don’t need to make that decision yet. wait and see how you feel when you get there?
Good luck and i hope it all goes well with your psychiatrist!
Best wishes,
Rowena
Moe said,
March 4, 2012 at 9:14 am
Rowena, how did it go with getting from 25 to 0? Its been a few months I am curious.
Annabelle said,
March 25, 2012 at 7:16 pm
Hello Moe,
Rowena was responding to my inquiry so I assume you are asking me how my tapering is going.
I met with a psychiatrist and he supports my plan to decrease very slowly. I have been decreasing by 25 mg each week for the last 7 weeks and am now at 125 mg (from 300 mg). I have had absolutely no side effects or withdraw symptoms and I feel normal. I have been keeping a mood journal, exercising regularly, and sticking to a sleep schedule. I am feeling less worried about going from 25 mg to 0 mg now but we’ll see how I feel after another month.
I’m doing well and I hope others find assurance in this. I will post again next month.
Annabelle
Rowena said,
April 25, 2012 at 12:09 pm
great news! lovely to hear and the reassurance and inspiration is always welcome!
Katrina K said,
December 16, 2011 at 5:33 am
I have been taking Lamictal (lamotrigine) for 4 years and have been on 200 mg everyday for most of the time. I also take Risperidone with it and I am only perscribed to take both pills at night. I am not bipolar my psychiatrist classified my mood swings as adolescent bipolar and told me when my body fully develops and my brain chemicals settle down I can stop taking my pills. I’m 19 years old. I stopped taking Lam about a week and a half ago completely. I don’t feel sick or different at all. My close friends have been watching me and they have said my moods have been stable and no different than when I was on my medication. I just want to know if it’s bad for me to have stopped cold turkey and if it is, do I have to start taking them again at a lower dose then start to increase until back to normal dose? One improvement I have noticed with not taking this med is I can wake up in the morning very easily. When taking Lam at night I needed a full 8 hours of sleep at least and even then waking up was a struggle. It made me so tired and I never ever thought to consider it could be due to the pills. If anyone can expand on that please let me know.
Tracey said,
December 16, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I have been on Lamictal for years around 300-400mg dose. I have been weaned off it on numerouse occassions because it just poops out. I am then started back on it. I have never had any side effects coming off of it. Everyone is different so don’t take it all to heart. I am going off it again and being put on Trileptal for bipolar depression. A little worried I might get suicidal but wishing for the best. I wish you an easy exit off the stuff too.
Michelle said,
December 28, 2011 at 11:29 pm
I started weaning from 400mg about 3 weeks ago and finished the wean last week. I have experienced occasional dizziness the whole time and some anxiety around the 100mg to zero drop. I had a weird muscle twitch for over a week under my eye (but I am also coming off of topamax…) I’ve actually felt better emotionally this entire time, but definitely anxious a few times. Now that i’ve been OFF for a few days i’m noticing my taste buds are really weak. Nothing tastes salty enough and all sweet things are enhanced to an unpleasant level. So weird!
hrsilverman said,
March 3, 2012 at 12:31 am
I’ve gone down from 250 to 0 mg. I’ve done this before and then had experiences that trigger severe anxiety/depression. I feel like now I’m in a good enough place to get over my need for mood stabilizers and just deal with the emotions as they come and go. I must admit that my desire to drink has increased substantially so I’m not sure what the lesser of two evils may be at this point. I go through periods of severe irritability and then become dizzy but all in all I feel its best to start working through these emotions instead of dulling them out.
Moe said,
March 3, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I’ve been on Lam for about 6-8 weeks, starting at 25 mgs for 10 days to 2 weeks ( i can’t remember), then 50 for about 2 weeks, then 75 for I think 2 weeks. My anxiety is through the roof. I’ve had an extremely upsetting 9 months and my doc said I was bi-polar, but I am 46 and have had enourmous stress in the last 9 months. I don’t think the diagnoses was right of bi-polar. I went to see her last week and said my anxiety is extremely high. She said it is not the drug it is me! She said it should work for anxiety. Well it is not!!!! I did notice an increase in anxiety during the 25 mg phase but was so upset I wasn’t sure it was the drug. About two months later the anxiety is so bad its debilitating. I dropped 25 mgs. after my visit with her. So now I am at 50mg for about 3 days and I was/am VERY ANXIOUS, although I was on the drug too. I feel like I need to get off it quickly, because the anxiety is killing me. Since I am only on it for 6 weeks can I cut down to 25 then 0?
Moe said,
March 3, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I do not think I am b-polar, I was diagnosed with MDD for over 10 years. I was in an upset state when she made that decision. I seriously doubt it. I don’t want to go through withdrawals but the withdrawals I’ve been experiencing for the past three days have been super anxiety, which ebbs a little during the day, then comes back. I feel it is the Lam causing the anxiety. I want to get off it, I can’t see being at this level of anxiety for three months or more tapering down. Even the 2mg Klonopin I take 3x a day does not seem to help this anxiety. I told the pdoc that. I think the only solution is to get off it.
Alex T. said,
April 4, 2012 at 6:56 am
My doc put me on Lamictal for Mood Disorder NOS after my dad shot my step mom then himself and I had a miscarriage. It’s been over 2 years now, and I’m not so sure I was dealing with a mood disorder. Could it may have just been that I was going through a really rough time?? If all that won’t throw someone into hysterics I’m not sure what will. Needless to say, I’m ready to get off the meds. I was on 200mg and for the last 3 weeks I’ve been taking 100mg. I was trying to get a little insight on how I should taper down. I’ve had no side effects and feel just fine taking the 100mg dose. I’m happy to say that I am off all my anti-anxiety meds
Also, I was on 100mg trazadone every night, but have cut that down to 50mg for the last 3 weeks, too. Seem to be doing just great! I know there can be serious adverse effects from discontinuing meds, but how long do you guys think I should keep on the 100mg dose of Lamictal? Should I cut down to 50 soon?
Erica said,
April 11, 2012 at 11:25 am
Hi guys. To avoid a huge back story about my mental health history (i have been on sooo many different things), I was prescribed Lamotrigine 4 years ago for bi-polar. My dosage was increased by my doctor from 150 to 200mg last year due to heavy anxiety, but then we came to the conclusion I am not bi-polar (as I was probably mis-diagnosed at age 18). I am trying to start a new life med-free, and am wondering if the following taper system is good or if it is too fast (I am weary of her methods and don’t completely trust my nurse practitioner). She suggested dropping from 200 to 150mg for 3 weeks, then 100 for 3 weeks, then 50 for 3 weeks, then stop. I am scared, but I want to do this. Any opinions? Thanks
Annabelle said,
April 13, 2012 at 11:04 am
Hello Erica,
I can provide an opinion (which is not medical advice). I decided to taper 12.5 mg per week and sometimes 25 mg per week. I am able to do this with a combination of 25 mg pills and 150 mg pills broken into quarters. I spoke with my psychiatrist about breaking up the pills and he said it was ok as long as I saw no adverse reactions. He trusts me to know my own body and to adjust as needed.
For me, a drop of 50 mg is too fast. My goal was to taper so slowly that I can’t tell the difference week to week. If something strange comes up in my life (e.g. stressful week) then I may stay at that dose for a few weeks until things are stable in my life. This has worked well for me so far. I’ve slowly reduced from 300 mg in January 2012 to 75 mg today. My psychiatrist is supportive with whatever I want to do which makes me feel empowered. He is there to help and coach me but not to make decisions for me. If you don’t trust your nurse practitioner, there are many other people available. Keep hunting for the person you feel comfortable with. You are the client and you have every right to choose a different provider for any reason. I know this can be frustrating and time consuming so it is up to you to measure the benefit versus the cost of your time.
Any way you choose to taper, I do suggest you keep a mood journal, keep your eating routine & healthy, sleep 8 hrs per night, work out five days per week, and talk to trustworthy people about how you’re doing.
Good luck,
Annabelle
Erica said,
April 15, 2012 at 11:16 am
Thanks so much for your thoughtful response
I have been such a mess and don’t know what the heck to do. I gave Zoloft a run a few weeks ago, but tapered off because the anxiety was too much (perhaps it would have started to work after a few weeks, but I guess I was just impatient). Now that the Zoloft is out of my system, I’m assuming my brain is back to pre-Zoloft state. I so badly wanted to be med-free, but sadly I am depressed and anxious and unfortunately feel that I do, in fact, need meds to lead a happy and productive life. SSRIs freak me out because of the withdrawl (if i ever have to go off them)….but that may be the only think that can help my obsessive thoughts which cause me anxiety :/ I am trying to eat well and exercise, although i have no desire to put food in my mouth, nor motivation to exercise. Still, i’m trying. It’s such a struggle. I will be going to see a new doctor who is osteopathic, so I really hope he has new insight that my other nurse practitioners didn’t have. I’m hoping for the best!
Vicki Johnson said,
April 24, 2012 at 9:05 am
Well,I’ve read thru all of your posts,hoping to find answers for myself.I have been on “Lamictal” , from Mar.9th using starter pac,to todayApr.24th-@200mg.I have been on antidepressants since 1992 when I first started Prozac.I am 54 now.all the years of switching to new and better ones,they work well for 2or3 yrs and just seem to stop,and I still have issues with terrible depression! Lamictal by far has been the worst,I cry many times a day,the slightest irratation makes me want to tear my home apart.I just hate life these days,my head is so full of negative thoughts,memories,shoulda,couldatype things….I feel bad because things Ive always enjoyed are a burden.Dont know what I’de do w/o my husband!And feel sorry for him to face this so regular now. SO, I have read so much on here I am more confused>Taking months to go off this doesn’t seem possible when you feel like you’re living from hour to hour.I know I’m pissy and tired of the pillpushers.Ihave been treated well at times for depression but early Mar. when he decided it was bipolar instead.They have no right to put you on a drug that could make you want to kill yourselfBut yet I need help………Good Luck to all of us hear.Thanks for listening to my whining.
Sandie Frick said,
May 3, 2012 at 11:28 am
I just discovered this site and was shocked to read what your doc said. Because it is exactly word for word what my doc said. Same one??? I also am trying to get off lamictal. Have been taking it for several years. 200mg 2x a day. I am very dizzy, head ache, stomach ache. Maybe I’m going too fast?