So yeah. Apparently I was enjoying the hell out of my wellbutrin. A little too much. combined with dex. It was such an awesome controlled mania, now that I reminisce...

Now that I've been snapped out of this overproductive haze, I am starting to accept that wellbutrin was inducing mania. I have been stubborn until now and straight up refused any thing that could be labeled "anti-psychotic" or "mood stablizing." Mainly for fear of side effects.

So I have this new job which I am rocking, and no longer training, and the longer I am not being closely supervised, the more I am noticing my work quality is at the mercy of my moods.

So I gave in and spent half of my paycheck (uninsured!) to see my doc. She put me on lamictal and took me off stimulants for like a month until I even out. Because of some stupid rash effect, I am on some insanely low ineffective dose until I become acclimated, which apparently takes a while.

I am super hopeful despite the sarcastic tone of this post. I was pretty much ordered by my doc to get back on birth control so my hormones were regulated. I am just wondering how all of you girls out there were effected by this med, and what I, the pharmaceutical junkie, can expect. I am taking nothing else but BC and no stims, so life is a little harder. Please give me hope!!!

I enjoyed the heck out of my wellbutrin! Gee, was I productive. I did get fired from a job while taking it though (funny story, actually, but I won't digress). I was so hopped up that I had to go to the gym twice a day. I also lost a bunch of weight because I couldn't eat at all. As for sleep- that word was not a part of my vocabulary. And, I'll fess up to the slightly embarrassing part. It made me a total sex fiend. (I won't go into detail, but I'll just tell you I had a lot of sex with a lot of different people). When I went back to the dr. that prescribed it, he wouldn't refill my prescription because I was very obviously manic. I have moments that I think of trying to convince a psychiatrist to give it to me again.

I just started Lamictal as well. I've been on adderall and seroquel for months because my psychiatrist has been trying to calm me down enough to be able to start the Lamictal. I've also been having a lot of strange reactions to meds. I react differently, but I'll tell you that the Lamictal is making me severely hyper and I had to increase the Seroquel to try to keep it under control. And here comes the disconcerting part-- yet another weird reaction. I kept thinking that my breasts were getting bigger but kept trying to tell myself that I must be imagining it. I did notice that my period was much lighter than usual which I found strange. I exercise constantly (it's my job!) so I was trying to tell myself that it was the exercise. Well, my breasts kept getting bigger and none of my bras fit (I have gone from an A to a C). However, all of my pants fit the same, so it is definitely not a result of weight gain. Antipsychotics can cause elevated prolactin levels which leads to an increase in breast size (and, sometimes, lactation). I am definitely not pregnant (fiance has a vasectomy). I called my dr. and he said that it's not really a health concern, but he said if it's bothering me, to try decreasing the Seroquel. I've now cut it in half, but I'm starting to get manicky. I also had a big, embarrassing psycho meltdown about the prolactin issue. I know I shouldn't say this, but I'm kind of hoping that the Lamictal makes me get manic in a fun way because I've been struggling with a severe depression. (I just increased from 25 mg. to 37.5-- have to go very slowly due to reaction already).

I also take adderall (80-100mg./day) and my dr. has not changed that as it does not affect my mood cycles. It is actually the only thing that calms me down sometimes and it gets rid of my severe anxiety.

I've read a bunch about Lamictal and, generally, the minimum effective dose is 100 mg. However, some people need significantly more as we all respond differently to meds. I would just hang in there and give it time to work. It is said to be as effective as Lithium and is approved for maintenance treatment of Bipolar 1. I don't know if you're 1 or 2, but it is also a potent antidepressant so it is the first choice for type 2 as they tend to have more depressive phases.

I understand your frustration-- I've been there. I was having a psycho flipout and had to call the emergency psychiatrist #. I then proceeded to curse her out to high heaven and hang up the phone. Fortunately, my regular psychiatrist called me back later. I had some ranting meltdown about pumpkins, a world covered in blood and Don Quixote. I always feel bad about these episodes and terribly embarrassed later, but am at the mercy of my bipolar when they happen.

As for the rash, I was concerned about it to, but my psychiatrist told me there are about 30 meds ahead of it on the list that can cause Stevens-Johnson syndrome. A lot of them are antibiotics. Although people do get rashes, the slow titration decreases the likelihood of that happening. The rash possibility is always mentioned because SJS can be life-threatening, but it takes a long time to get to that point so it would be an extreme rarity for it to progress to that level. The pharmaceutical company has to warn people about the possibility to cover their butts if someone were to have a fatal reaction and to decrease the likelihood that that occurs.

I hope things don't get that crazy for you, and if they do, at least you know you're not the only one it happens to. You can pm me any time to talk about it if you want. My psychiatrist said that he prefers to try Lamictal first as it does not have a flattening effect as the other mood stabilizers tend to.

Wellll --

First of all, very possible that Lamictal is whacking out your hormones. I had way bad PMS (but I am also going off 5 HTP, which helps with that) and then I had my period for 2 WEEKS after going up to 200 mgs. of Lamictal. I was not thrilled at all.

LOL, I just stopped nursing my daughter and Lamictal has NOT helped my boobs, LOL, the poor puppies used to be a bouncy almost D before my baby -- now they are a sad little flabby almost Bs. My hubby's not a boob guy so it really doesn't matter and I can wear things that used to be immodest -- but sometimes I miss my bigger un's.

By the way, I guess you really don't have to worry about pregnancy, Nonsequitor, but apparently birth control can alter the efficacy of Lamictal, so make sure your doc knows if you go off it.

I can't really tell if the Lamictal is working or not. One of its initial side effects can be suicidal thinking (fun) which I did experience but sort of ignored. The period was much more annoying as I am one of those extremely regular 5 day type girls.

Can't wait to get to the ADD meds which my doc won't give me until I'm stable on the Lamictal. Whatever.

The journey we are on is not an easy one. Good luck with the Lamictal and above all else please remember to cut yourself some slack.

I'm on Lamictal too. I'm very mildly bipolar (cyclothymia). It has worked great since August or so but it seems to be losing it's effectiveness. I'm on 200mg. I started Vyvanse 1.5 weeks ago (for the ADHD) and now that is going sour. I don't think my body responds well to medications.

I hope you have great success with Lamictal.

Sounds like my hubby would like it if I were on the Lamictal, ADHDdogwalker!!!!! Hahahahahahaha!