Question on How Lamictal Works

Okay, when I started Lamictal I had to titrate and but once I got to around 75 mg I think I started getting a boost of energy and happiness. That lasted maybe 10 to 12 days. It was upped again and I got a mood boost. Again for 10 to 12 days. This type of thing happened til I got to 200 mg. I went to 300 mg next and it did not give me any bump in energy or mood. I am now going back down to 200mg or so. My question is, what causes this initial boost of energy, focus, and happiness? What is the science behind what is going on here? What neurotransmitters or channels in the brain does it work on that would cause this energy at first but then calming down later?

 

Do you have bipolar disorder? That could explain it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamotrigine

 

I have been on lamictal for a year and I spent 2 months working up to 200mg, I went through a lot of mood swings during the working up to it and I think the different amounts affect everyone differently. Are you on it for bipolar? It has made my bipolar symptoms all but disappear at 200mg but unfortunately I think it is what cause my T and I am going to try going off it later this year.

 

I think I am bipolar II. I have now reduced it to 150mg. I am curious, how loud is your tinnitus? Do you only hear it in a quiet room?

 

yeah I'm bipolar II
I worked up to 200mg and have stayed there about a year, and like I would call it light to mild most of the time. sometimes it will be to the point where I can never ignore it in my right ear, but a lot of days I can sort of forget about it in the morning and it becomes more noticeable throughout the day and then I always have issue with it trying to sleep. I am going to talk to my doctor about going off lamictal to see if that helps/stops it getting worse.

 

That is interesting. What time do you take your lamictal?

 

Hi Jason, just wondering if Lamictal affected your tinnitus?

 

It's really weird... Lamictal did actually have an effect on my tinnitus. It seemed to greatly reduce or get rid of my static tinnitus and sometimes it would help lower other types of tinnitus. Other times it didn't seem to do anything for those other types of tinnitus and sometimes I wonder if it increased a "tonal type" of tinnitus. It was really hard to figure out what it would do sometimes due to my dysautonomia.

 

I tried it too but it didn't help me, unfortunately.

 

Did it worsen it though? My therapist gave me some insight into myself. I do horrible with antidepressants. Definitely not bipolar. She said I seem to suffer from dysthymia. I knew I had OCD, anxiety and now this. I did VERY well on Ketamine IV. Troches, I got addicted. I saw some users with dysthymia do well on Lamictal.

 

I think @JasonP tried it too. For me, it made the tinnitus sharper and slightly louder, but that could have been the natural progression of my ever-worsening version of this horror. So inconclusive, but for sure it didn't help. I hope it helps you.

 

Excuse my language. Ah fuck nuts. Does your tinnitus sound like it is coming from the brain or the ears? Is your original cause noise induced? Did it go down after removing the med?

Good luck.