Introduction from baibel, tapering off lamotrigine

[baibel]

Hello.

Like others, mine is a long story, I'll give the brief version here:

- depression since 15 years old

- hospitalized with acute anorexia - now recovered

- depression worsened, various drugs tried, suicide attempts

- got married - in process of getting divorced (amicable - turned out we were just friends)

- sustained severe sexual abuse at hands of psychiatric nurse, who was responsible for me being on the cocktail I am on now

- moved to the north of the country where have retrained, bought my own house, enjoy my job and in a loving relationship

 

Working to be rid of the medication now. Went to see doctor who wasn't much help, wanting to write off to different doctors etc, and told to come back in 8 weeks. Meanwhile, I would like to be DOING something about this, particularly as I would like to be working towards the point where my partner and I can start a family. As a teacher, I am about to start the long summer holiday, and think this is an ideal time to come off the meds.

 

Done my fair share of internet research, and have whittled down the drugs I am on, now just taking the Lamictal (Lamotrigine). Very pleased that no adverse effects from having reduced/stopped the others... now just working to be free of Lamictal. Done all this over the last 2 weeks. Lamictal's the tough one though... am sleepless, feverish, hot and cold... but I'm battling on. I want to be rid of this. I've been on psychiatric meds for over half my life - the last 18 years... and now I want to be in control.

 

Last night, the second night on the reduced dose of Lamictal, wasn't as bad as the previous night, but am still very tired. Good thing I only have two classes to teach today, and school finishes tomorrow. Still feverish, couple of palpitations I guess as body adjusts. teaching should take my mind off it.

 

One thing that really upsets me, is that there have been years of my life that I can not remember... not just the 'bad' memories that I have had to walk away from, but good times, good years.... even years before I became unwell - why can I not remember ANY of my schooling? Summer holidays? Will I ever get this back.

 

Still, I'm working on being positive. (Lack of Lamictal is leaving me so hungry - just had large breakfast...)

 

Wishing everyone a good day

 

x

[Altostrata]

baibel, very good news you haven't had withdrawal from venlafaxine, trazodone, and temazepam!

 

What was the tapering method you used?

 

How much Lamictal are you taking now? How did you taper it so far?

 

I have some experience with Lamictal.

 

(Please put your Lamictal dosage and tapering in your signature as well.)

[baibel]

Thanks for reply, Alto!

 

I'm not sure whether there was a method to coming off the first three meds, I just reduced them over a two week period. To be honest, I wonder if the Lamictal masked some of the withdrawal symptoms.

 

It was three days ago that I reduced the Lamictal dosage by half, from 50 to 25 mg. I'm struggling to regulate body temperature and poor sleep. It has upset my stomach as well, everything going straight through me. Last night I slept a little better than the previous two. I'm wondering whether to reduce again, or just stop Lamictal completely (is 25mg to nothing s bigger jump thsn 50 to 25?)

 

On the positive side, this is the first morning in YEARS that I have not taken any tablets!!! (I take Lamictal as I go to bed)

 

Can't wait for symptoms to stop, and feel normal, this time without medication...

 

Last day of school beckons.

 

Baibel

[baibel]

Too good to be true..??

 

Been sick twice today. And this morning, couldn't stop crying... Feeling rubbish. Is this a bug, or is this more withdrawal? Slept for an hour this afternoon. Just been sick again. Am hoping it's a bug of some sort. Am worried. It was all going so well. Maybe it's just something I ate last night. And I am tired. But what if it's not? Scared. I want to leave all of the old life behind. The medication behind. I had been stable on it for the last three years, so much happier and together. Really want to be free of it.

 

Is is the Lamictal? Can it make you physically sick three days after you have halved the dose? It doesn't sound too logical, surely??? What should I do?

[Altostrata]

Too good to be true..??

 

Been sick twice today. And this morning, couldn't stop crying... Feeling rubbish. Is this a bug, or is this more withdrawal? Slept for an hour this afternoon. Just been sick again. Am hoping it's a bug of some sort. Am worried. It was all going so well. Maybe it's just something I ate last night. And I am tired. But what if it's not? Scared. I want to leave all of the old life behind. The medication behind. I had been stable on it for the last three years, so much happier and together. Really want to be free of it.

 

Is is the Lamictal? Can it make you physically sick three days after you have halved the dose? It doesn't sound too logical, surely??? What should I do?

 

Sure, it can be the Lamictal. People get withdrawal all the time from a too-fast taper.

 

What we suggest is, if you get intolerable withdrawal symptoms from a drop, that decrease was too much. Go up a little in dosage, stay there for a while, then decrease slower.

 

Are you cutting up a Lamictal tablet to taper? Perhaps you should cut it in quarters instead of halves, and take 37.5mg instead of 25 at this point.

 

Lamictal also comes in 5mg tablets for children. This can help you taper slowly.

 

When did you go off venlafaxine, trazodone, and temazepam? In what order? What kind of tapering did you do?

 

If you quit all 3 two weeks ago, withdrawal symptoms from any or all of them could be hitting you right now.

 

It is possible the Lamictal has been reducing withdrawal symptoms from the other drugs.

 

If I were you, I'd go up to 37.5mg or 50mg Lamictal and stay there for a month to see if it all settles down.

[baibel]

Update.... Been a rough ride, but things easier. I have a doctor's appointment for Friday to let her know whst I have been up to. I have put more detail into tapering 'method' used in my signature,,, not sure it's a method!!!

 

It was a really tough decision thinking about coming off these tablets.... As I have been really stable and ok on this concoction for the past six or more years. It has also been really terrifying, in case it turned out I DO still need to be on ADs, and thst I'm not where're I thought I was.

 

Despite being on quite high dosages, I didn't really notice much in the way of withdrawal symptoms from the other tablets, but all that changed with Lamictal. I have had two really really scary episodes, both in the middle of the night, over the last couple of nights. It has left me scared of going to sleep in case it happens again. In both cases I was sound asleep, but was suddenly jolted awake feeling incredibly dizzy, as if I were falling backwards and very sick. Given that I was lying down, it was horrid feeling that dizzy, I lost vision In my eyes, heart pounding. This lasted about half a minute at highest intensity. I know that Lamictal was originally developed for epileptic patients to prevent brain seizures. I was scared that the withdrawal would induce such s seizure in me. Has anyone come across this happening?

 

Gut problems have been severe, though at least not being sick anymore, even the nausea is subsiding. Been really picky about what I feel up to eating... Body does NOT want any cheese, dairy product, alcohol, even acidic tomatoes can't be stomached. I have found that plain salted pasta with fresh ground black pepper is easy to eat at the moment. Bananas too. Stayed away from my much Loved loose leaf English Yorkshire tea, but finding isotonic diet coke settles stomach. Oven cooked sausages and plain roast chicken have also been working well.

 

Still struggling to maintain constant body temperature, first too hot, then too cold, permanently clammy and feverish to the touch. Been taking a couple of paracetamol to help with that. Staying distracted, upbeat and positive have been essential, and possibly the hardest thing to do. Pottering around in my garden has been very healing.

 

Today is now day five of no tablets.... I'm tired, thinner, but I'm ok. I think it is one of the loneliest things I have done though...

 

England is grey this morning.... How is everyone else?

 

Xx

[baibel]

Off to doctors in half an hour..... Been off all tablets for a full week today....

 

Seem to be excessively thirsty a lot of the time. I know that drinking lots of water is a good thing to help flush toxins out etc, but this is a NEED to drink lots of fluid. I'll ask

The doctor about that too. What's upsetting me currently is that I am going to have to tell the doctor that I have moved, only 20 minutes away, but it means that I will no longer be able to use that doctor's practice,... Ut will have to register at one closer to my house. I really don't want to, I have been with that doctor since I moved to Yorkshire five years ago and I trust her. Now I'll have to register elsewhere.... Bother.

 

See what she says...

[Altostrata]

Vomiting and diarrhea are both dehydrating, baibel. If your body says it's thirsty, drink water for it!