Social Anxiety Support

SloopjohnB · 05-24-2009, 04:31 PM

My psychiatrist has finally put me on a new medication this week called Lamictal to help with my depression. I have been feeling very depressed for the past year and hopefully this works for me.

My mom has been on it for a long time and she seems to be benefiting well from it, but despite genetics on my side has anyone taking it and seen success?

UltraShy · 05-24-2009, 11:45 PM

I tried Lamictal and found it to be a true sugar pill -- no positive nor negative effects. It was equal to taking nothing.

And I notice you're in Madison -- I'm just 75 miles east of you.

Karl

Medline · 05-25-2009, 12:49 AM

Lamictal will probaby not help with SA or anxiety in general, but it may help with your depression - especially if you are having mood swings and are now in a "down phase".

whozthatgyrl · 05-26-2009, 10:24 PM

I tried Lamictal and was on it for about 3 months, while we completed my psycological testing. It's a drug that is used mostly for manic-depression (bipolar).

I didn't have anything negative happen, nor did I have anything positive come from it either. To me it was just a waste of 3 months. Did nothing for my depression or my SA. Just my .02

ShyViolet · 05-26-2009, 11:27 PM

I've been on it since October. I think it has helped but only a tiny bit. Lately I've been in a deeper depression but it's probably situational.

kev · 05-27-2009, 12:49 AM

Lamictal is a very strange drug. What I have found is that lamictal increases my empathy amd calms me down a little. However, sometimes too much empathy can cause depression (if you feel all the pain of those around you). Lamictal is really weird. It might be helpful to combine with an SSRI if you are still depressed. Lamictal is a mood stabilzier, not an antidepressant, so it is normally used for bipolar disorder.

Ironically, lamictal in high dosages can cause panic attacks. Lamictal is really weird. I'm not sure what to say about it.

MissMay1977 · 05-27-2009, 07:06 AM

I tired Lamictal a few years ago and got a rash so I was taken off of it. I go to my pdoc today so it will be interesting to see what she adds. I am willing to try lamictal again.

mirakaigh · 06-04-2009, 08:30 PM

I have bipolar disorder along with panic disorder and social phobia, I was prescribed Lamictal last year and it has helped a lot with irritable anxiety and the ups and downs of bipolar disorder.

What works better for anxiety, social or otherwise for me has been the addition of neurontin which is also being used as a mood stabilizer off label.

It seems to kill the initial activating effects of any dosage increase in Lamictal. I will say I feel much better on Lamictal than I ever did on SSRIs.

However, I can only take 100mg of it, it seems to be the right dose, anything more makes me very anxious and agitated. It seems to be one of those drugs which has different effects at different dosages.

05-24-2009, 04:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
SloopjohnB Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Madison, WI Gender: Male Posts: 256	Lamictal? My psychiatrist has finally put me on a new medication this week called Lamictal to help with my depression. I have been feeling very depressed for the past year and hopefully this works for me. My mom has been on it for a long time and she seems to be benefiting well from it, but despite genetics on my side has anyone taking it and seen success?

05-24-2009, 11:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
UltraShy Status: Accident of Birth Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Milwaukee, WI (Atheist, Libertarian) Gender: Male Age: 36 Posts: 25,295	I tried Lamictal and found it to be a true sugar pill -- no positive nor negative effects. It was equal to taking nothing. And I notice you're in Madison -- I'm just 75 miles east of you. Karl __________________ Nothing is ever the way it should be What we deserve we just don't get you see http://www.insureyourgunrights.com/ (I just became an NRA Life Member.)

05-27-2009, 07:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
MissMay1977 Status: Freakin Beautiful Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Indiana Gender: Female Age: 32 Posts: 1,106	I tired Lamictal a few years ago and got a rash so I was taken off of it. I go to my pdoc today so it will be interesting to see what she adds. I am willing to try lamictal again. __________________ I'm a monster rawr rawr rawr

05-25-2009, 12:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Medline Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,866	Lamictal will probaby not help with SA or anxiety in general, but it may help with your depression - especially if you are having mood swings and are now in a "down phase".

05-26-2009, 10:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
whozthatgyrl Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Gender: Female Age: 39 Posts: 6	I tried Lamictal and was on it for about 3 months, while we completed my psycological testing. It's a drug that is used mostly for manic-depression (bipolar). I didn't have anything negative happen, nor did I have anything positive come from it either. To me it was just a waste of 3 months. Did nothing for my depression or my SA. Just my .02

05-26-2009, 11:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
ShyViolet Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Gender: Female Age: 29 Posts: 1,995	I've been on it since October. I think it has helped but only a tiny bit. Lately I've been in a deeper depression but it's probably situational.

05-27-2009, 12:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
kev Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 25 Posts: 1,344	Lamictal is a very strange drug. What I have found is that lamictal increases my empathy amd calms me down a little. However, sometimes too much empathy can cause depression (if you feel all the pain of those around you). Lamictal is really weird. It might be helpful to combine with an SSRI if you are still depressed. Lamictal is a mood stabilzier, not an antidepressant, so it is normally used for bipolar disorder. Ironically, lamictal in high dosages can cause panic attacks. Lamictal is really weird. I'm not sure what to say about it.

06-04-2009, 08:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
mirakaigh Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 18	I have bipolar disorder along with panic disorder and social phobia, I was prescribed Lamictal last year and it has helped a lot with irritable anxiety and the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. What works better for anxiety, social or otherwise for me has been the addition of neurontin which is also being used as a mood stabilizer off label. It seems to kill the initial activating effects of any dosage increase in Lamictal. I will say I feel much better on Lamictal than I ever did on SSRIs. However, I can only take 100mg of it, it seems to be the right dose, anything more makes me very anxious and agitated. It seems to be one of those drugs which has different effects at different dosages.