Posted by Enike on May 5, 2002, at 22:46:30
In reply to Re: Tapering off Lamictal » Enike, posted by Cindylou on May 5, 2002, at 18:35:09
> Hi Eni,
> You and I are in the same boat -- I hope to become pregnant in the late summer or fall, and just tapered off of Lamictal for that reason, and also because I wasn't sure if it was helping me much or not at only 75 mg. (I wasn't able to increase it due to side effects.)
>
> I tapered very quickly -- in about 5 days. (I went from 75, to 50 mg for two nights, then 25 mg. for 2 days, then off completely.)
>
> My pdoc said Lamictal has a very short half life and does not stay in your system long at all. (A day or two, maybe?)
>
> I had a very hard time for a couple weeks after I got off of the Lamictal, as far as fatigue and irritablity and agitation goes. I'm not sure if it was due to Lamictal "withdrawal," or simply not being on a mood stabilizer. I'm feeling better today, but it is the first day of my period and I usually find relief for a day or so after horrendous PMS.
>
> Are you planning to be med-free while you try to get pregnant? Let me know how you do. I am still taking Klonapin due to agitation, and may need to go back on Lamictal if I can't find some natural help.
>
> Good luck,
> cindy
>
Hi Cindy:I've had really good results with Lamictal once I hit 100mg QD. I could probably use 150mg QD but because I'm thinking of getting pregnant again I don't want to increase that much. I've been going through a really stressful period and it's shown me that I should probably be on a tad more but, as I said, I'm staying put until I see my doc and talk about tapering off and being off until I'm about 6 weeks post-partum (unless I start having a need for it closer to the birth). In fact, I only just realized that I was rapid cycling and the stressful event was the trigger when I was reading about the half-life of Lamictal.
Anyhow, I suspect that you weren't experiencing withdrawal from Lamictal but, as you said, just weren't on a mood stabilizer. I think that knowing why you might be reacting to certain things and feeling certain ways may be a great help in dealing with it. What I mean is that I get a little perspective about my mood problems when I realize that I'm rapid cycling or whatever. I know, I know, easier said than done. Ugh.
Have you been pregnant before? This would be my third pregnancy. My first pregnancy was a dream and I was in the best possible mood you could imagine. Not manic or euphoric but just plain normal and peaceful. What's that, right? ;0) I can't definitely remember what my mood was like with pregnancy #2 (my second will be a year in a couple of weeks-isn't that sad that I can't remember?) Actually, what am I talking about? My "stressful event" that I spoke of earlier also occurred when I was about 6 months along and I did go into a very bad depression. But, this event would've put me there whether I was on meds or not so it's not fair for me to say one way or another. Before that event I don't remember mood being an issue. In fact, I don't believe it was so after two pregnancies I guess I can report that at least for me it was fine. I just have to try and avoid if at all possible any triggers that I know would affect me. Again, easier said than done.
I've read that pregnancy many times brings a bit of relief to mood disorders so you may be just fine. I'm going med-free because I just simply don't want to risk any damage to the baby. Would something happen as a result of my taking the drug while pregnant or conceiving I would probably end up either hospitalized or worse because I know that I would hit such a low that I wouldn't recover. I know myself that well to say that.
Like you, though, I'm nervous about going off the Lamictal. My current stressors aren't necessarily going to get better but I know what event that is my worst trigger and that won't be occurring again until I'm well done having children. (I know I'm being illusive but I'm not ready to post so publically much more personal information.) It's so hard to say about all this. I've just made the decision that I'm going to be med-free (and for a little while so that I can feel sufficiently confident that the drug is completely out of my body) and I'll have to cope as best I can if I start having any issues with mood. Sometimes I can go very long periods (years) without much trouble. That, of course, could change but who knows. I guess we make ourselves more crazy (pardon the expression) by trying to predict the future and worry about things that haven't happened than if we tried it and went with the flow.
As for Klonopin, I have a very high anxiety level (get easily agitated too) and have had it for as long as I can remember (last week? LOL). It does dip and raise as time goes by but it's always there. I've learned to live with it I guess. I tried Klonopin years ago and was on it for a little while but then I didn't notice anything. Then, my pdoc prescribed it a few months ago. I tried one pill (in his defense he did, I think, tell me to start with a half a pill) and was literally on the floor for about an hour not able to do much. I actually called my husband at work (not an easy task to find him where he works) to see if he could come home because I didn't know how long that would last and I have two very young children at home to care for. It was scary. It did pass but it made me not want to try that again. Now, if I wasn't planning on getting pregnant I'd probably try a half a pill while my husband was home to see how it worked and maybe worked up from there. Now I figure that I've lived with it for this long (how, I don't know) that I can just wait until I'm done having kids to try it again. Then I don't have to worry about going on, going off, effects to baby etc., etc.
BTW, I'm Bipolar II just so you know. I hope you keep in touch and I wish you much luck. It's funny. I've gone so many years not knowing that I was Bipolar (I was diag'd back in '95 but after about a year I stopped my meds because they didn't do a thing and I thought they were wrong--thought I was just clinically depressed--then was diag'd again back in September) that I just chalked myself up as being someone with a lot of character flaws. I guess I just learned to cope (not well but thankfully not with any substances) or, at the very least, live with it without taking my life one way or another. Anyhow, maybe that was like basic training for me. I so enjoy the help but I've learned, however hard it is, how to at least struggle through. Man, what one has to do to get through the day, huh?
Let's try and bounce this back and forth. I think it would be good for the both of us. Having a child is big enough as it is. Factor in BPD and meds on top of that we have a much bigger fish to fry.
Sincerely,
Eni
poster:Enike
thread:105182
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020503/msgs/105232.html