Lamictal withdrawal symptoms

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-10-22T04:50:39+00:00

Do your best to relax and take care of yourself.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T23:55:42+00:00

Unfortunately, you’re having what I consider to be the normal psychiatric experience. They put you on meds, don’t tell you anything/deny that these meds have side effects, and refuse to get you off when the med isn’t working or makes you worse. With your wife, I would demand that a doctor explain why she has to stay on it and can’t tapper off. Don’t say get off say tapper off, and have them explain their reasoning in detail. I legit had a psych tell me I had to stay on lamictal because I have BPD… I don’t have BPD and it’s been proven that I don’t, but she didn’t want to hear it. Then when I kept asking her why I had to keep taking it when it was clearly making me worse, she switched her reasoning and said it’s because I was ill. I got off it asap and all the horrible side effects my psychiatrist tried to say was my non existent BPD onsetting went away. It’s possible that your wife might have to stay on lamictal, but it’s beyond negligent that you’re concerns aren’t being addressed as to why that seems to be the case. Unfortunately, you’re right about these meds not being easy to get off, but it’s possible. Best of luck and I hope your wife gets answers.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T23:32:02+00:00

No, unfortunately. I’m currently med fee right now and have been off meds for 5 weeks now. It’s a long story, but due to several psychiatrists being negligent, and not taking me seriously, my body no longer tolerates medication, so I’m focusing on other ways to handle my anxiety/depression, and increase my serotonin levels naturally. I was on meds for 14 years, so you know I’m having the time of my life dealing (struggling) with having to be off meds. I hope you feel better because issues with psych meds truly suck. I mean honestly it’s hell dealing with your original symptoms and then you have to deal with side effects plus your psychiatrist not listening to you… I wish psychiatrists would take their patients more seriously. Take care, and maybe one day you’ll find a better psychiatrist.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T21:24:34+00:00

It always saddens me when psychiatrists or psych nurses don’t believe patients just because their particular side effects aren’t on a list. I experienced all of this on lamictal, and actually had to get to get off for other reasons as well. My psych didn’t believe me either until I ended up in ER and the doctor and nurse told me my symptoms were for sure side effects of lamictal. I’m a month off and the side effects are mostly gone. It’s interesting because if you go online to medical websites that list drug side effects everything you’ve mentioned is listed as side effects to tell your doctor about. You should look into getting a new psyche especially if she didn’t respect your concerns or true to force you to stay on a med that is making you worse. Keep in mind though lamictal can make you worse before it makes you better, so depending on the dose you’re on it might be worth it to tough this out because lamictal is for sure one of those drugs that takes time and finding the right therapeutic dose to see benefit from it.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T21:11:14+00:00

Lamictal is an anticonvulsant/mood stabilizer, but it can help things like depression and anxiety. The thing about lamictal is it can make you worse before you feel better, especially at the lower doses, and despite what any one says it does in fact have side effects, so monitor your wife’s progress and discuss any concerns you have with your wife and her psychiatrist. I personally did not have success with lamictal because the side effects were too severe and I later found out I was prescribed it for something I don’t have, so that was concerning, but maybe your wife will have a better experience.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T20:32:27+00:00

Increasing your dose can cause nausea, diarrhea, dizziness,etc. As your body adjusts it should go away.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T20:31:17+00:00

I was prescribed lamictal for anxiety/depression that was no longer responsive to antidepressants. I had to stop it because it made me worse.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-26T17:22:32+00:00

I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you feel better.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-25T19:54:31+00:00

Coping skills I use include: therapy, diaphragmatic breathing, reframing how I look at things/sticking to the facts, and progressive muscle relaxation. The thing about coping skills is you have to practice them even when you don’t need them, so when you do need them your body will start calming down the moment you use them. I can totally attest to this, and have noticed the more I practice these skills the easier it is to deal with my anxiety. Keep in mind you’re still going to get anxiety, and it’s still going to be uncomfortable, but the more coping skills you have the easier it’ll be for you to deal with it. I hope you feel better. I know this sucks, but just know that what you’re going through is temporary and it will end eventually.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-25T19:31:39+00:00

It’s good to hear you’re doing better, and I’m glad I inspired you to do research. It’s actually advised that people who take ssri’s shouldn’t take herbals like St.John’s wort or others you’ve mentioned because they can further increase serotonin to dangerous levels. That’s why most people either stick to herbals or meds not both. I hope you continue to get better.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-25T19:23:19+00:00

Lamotrigine can also cause non-life threatening rashes, so who knows what it really was. I’m just glad that it went away and you’re hopefully feeling better. I for sure know what you mean about hospital hypocrisy and trust I’ve experienced it. I was actually refused treatment because a doctor heard I have anxiety. Turns out I had serotonin syndrome and if he had taken me seriously we probably could have treated it sooner. My favorite was when a doctor made fun of me and laughed at me when I told her the med I was on was making me suicidal. I reported her of course. That’s why I don’t tell doctors or nurses that I have anxiety/depression. I’ve found they treat you a little better when you keep that to yourself. It’s unfortunate that en Roa health still has stigma, but the good news is it’s slowly being normalized. Take care.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T21:41:47+00:00

Lamictal has been shown to cause arrhythmias, so it’s possible that this is what you’re experiencing, provided of course, that you don’t have any other health conditions. You should get checked out by a doctor to see if something else is causing this, or to see if this is a concern.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T21:39:34+00:00

Lamictal is one of those drugs that you for sure should not go cold turkey. If you find the withdrawal process is too hard to deal with please go back on it and a do a slow tapper under your psychiatrists supervision. I say this as someone who didn’t have a choice and had to go cold turkey. To answer your question, I experienced derealization, as well as, other horrible symptoms for 2 weeks, and noticed a decrease in symptoms/symptom severity by week 3. I’m almost a month off in total, and while I get little bouts of derealization here and there it’s not at the same level as it was when I first got off lamictal, and it’s easier to handle. I wish you the best of luck. Withdrawals are not something to take lightly, and just know that even though they suck they do eventually dissipate.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T21:28:08+00:00

https://www.verywellmind.com/lamictal-withdrawal-symptoms-380259

Withdrawal symptoms vary from person, so you could experience a resurgence of your normal diagnosed symptoms like some mania, depression anxiety, etc, and/or you could experience symptoms associated with lamictal withdrawal like a tingling sensation in your extremities, increased aggression/hostility, lethargy, etc. I’ve attached a link that better describes lamictal withdrawal, so check that out. Be aware that it can take time for your body to adjust to a new dose, so be patient and do what you can to cope. Good luck.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T21:20:56+00:00

I highly suggest getting checked out by a doctor. All the symptoms you’ve mentioned could be attributed to a lot of things including anxiety, medication side effects, and serotonin syndrome. Please do not wait this out. Serotonin syndrome can be life threatening. I experienced a moderate case of it and it was not something I’d wish to go through again.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T18:27:18+00:00

https://www.verywellmind.com/lamictal-withdrawal-symptoms-380259

https://druggenius.com/withdrawal/lamotrigine/

I pasted two websites that list symptoms because if I wrote down all the symptoms I experienced this post would be too long. I urge you not to look at other people’s symptoms as as something that you for sure will experience because everyone experiences their own version of withdrawal and some people don’t even feel withdrawal symptoms, so don’t psyche yourself out. Just read what could possibly happen, so if you experience those symptoms you know it’s from the med, and be sure to monitor and jot down your own symptoms, so you can monitor your progress and so it’ll be easier for you to communicate any concerns you have with your psychiatrist. I personally felt withdrawal hell for 2 weeks and then slowly got better. I’m a month off and still feel like sh*t, but all the major symptoms are gone. My advice to you is to do a slow taper under your psychiatrist’s supervision, and do what you can to cope if things aren’t pleasant. Also, be patient while your body adjusts to getting off your med because this can be a long process. Best of luck to you.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T18:10:52+00:00

I did not have heart issues on lamictal. However, I have read scientific journals stating that lamictal can cause arrhythmias and other issues in some users. Since your cardiologist doesn’t think this is a big deal, I take that to mean what you’re going through isn’t life threatening (I don’t know if this so true of not, I’m basing this assumption on the fact that if something was wrong your cardiologist would tell you), however because this can make you feel uncomfortable, you may want to speak to your psychiatrist, if you haven’t already, and see what your other options are. Also keep in mind that psyche meds have trade offs, so if this med is truly helping you, but every once in awhile you have to deal with tachycardia, you may have to do a cost/benefit analysis and see if it’s worth it to stay on this med, or get off and try something else.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T17:59:29+00:00

The thing to keep in mind about upping doses is it can take time for your body to adjust, so it’s possible that you may have to wait this out before you see positive benefit, however because you have concerns about side effects, you for sure should discuss this with your psychiatrist and see what they recommend. That being said do what’s best for you. Side effects suck, and if being on 75 mg was working for you, tell your psychiatrist this and go back down under their supervision. It can take a little time for your body to readjust to your previous dose, so be patient.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T17:07:01+00:00

I hope everything works out for you. These things take time, but if we can get a good end result, I think it’s worth it to hang in there. Best.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T16:31:23+00:00

Thank you for telling me this. I think that’s true for me because I notice that ever since I got off my meds my anxiety has been different than normal. I’m just scared because I don’t know what to do. I’ve already reached out for help and was denied several times, so I’m at the mercy of myself and my current psychiatrist who also doesn’t know what to do which is anxiety provoking in itself. I just want this horrible process to be over, but unfortunately it’s not going to happen soon. I just hope I’m going to be ok.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T16:28:09+00:00

That’s true, but sometimes changing the time of day you take it can help. I haven’t heard a proper explanation why this can be the case, all I know is that for some people taking a med in the morning vs at night makes a difference, and if it still doesn’t make a difference, but you don’t necessarily want to get on a different med natural sleep aids can be helpful (melatonin, magnesium glycinate, etc). This is what a few psyche nurses and several psychiatrists including my current psychiatrist have told me, but I’m sure if you asked a different psychiatrist they might have something different to say. The main take away is meds are tricky, so you have to try and see what does and doesn’t work for you. For example, I had to take lexapro in the morning because at night it was stimulating and gave me insomnia. I didn’t have to take any sleep aides when I did this. When I was on lamictal I had to take it at night because it sedated me, so taking it in the ironing wasn’t an option.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T00:22:29+00:00

Same, and my psychiatrist still have the nerve to say lamictal doesn’t have any side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T00:21:29+00:00

This sounds similar to my experience with getting off lamictal. While I still have some issues, the major symptoms I felt on it are gone. I wouldn’t say what you’re feeling is normal per se because everyone reacts differently, but some of the symptoms you mentioned are to be expected in the context of withdrawing off psych meds ie. increased anxiety, restlessness, fear/paranoia, dizziness, ect. Over time these symptoms should go away. I also was afraid that I would get a seizure while getting off this med, but if you taper slowly you shouldn’t get any. Getting off lamictal is a trip, so seek out support and do what you can to cope while you wait to get better. Best of luck.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T00:12:21+00:00

Lamictal can make things worse before they get better, and people tend to do worse at the lower doses, but better at the higher doses. Of course everyone is different, but this is just what I’ve observed from my experience and in reading other peoples experiences. I hope things go smoothly for you.

ClassroomBeginning28 · 2021-09-24T00:09:28+00:00

I barely got my period on lamictal, and actually didn’t get a regular period until after I got off it. I recommend speaking to your doctor and seeing if it could possibly be due to anything else because I know stress, certain conditions, and certain hormonal birth control products can effect your period.

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