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Lowering my antidepressant
My situation is very complicated. I've been on the antidepressant Lamotrigine also known as Lamictal for over a month, and as soon as I went up to 100mg, I started to feel severely depressed and I can't shake off those feelings of total hopelessness and things are very bad with me. Unlike when I was on 50mg, I was doing pretty great. The only problem was that it wasn't helping completely, and I still found myself depressed, that's why I went up in the first place. I'm bipolar, and I'm also on Seroquel, if that matters. So my question is, can highering an antidepressant make you more depressed? Please don't guess on me, only answer if you know it for certain. I know I should ask this to my psychiatrist, but I don't trust her anymore, and meanwhile I haven't found a new one. Do you think I should go for a completely new antidepressant? Most of them have had the opposite effect and have made me suicidal. Don't you think it's worth it anyway? I mean, does anyone have an experience where an antidepressant has actually done its job right?
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Both drugs you mentioned are used in the treatment of Bipolar disorder as well as an anti seizure drug which works well for depression.
I reviewed both drugs side effects and for both the makers say to watch out for what you are feeling, especially in the early stages of taking the drug. I also found that women are more prone to side effects with this drug then men. Especially women who may be on birth control. If you are on birth control then you doctor need to know this.
I understand not trusting your psychiatrist. What I'm not sure of if it is not trusting or just not comfortable with him or her. It really doesn't matter which for you need to be comfortable with your doctor as well as trusting in the doctors in order to work well with them.
The side effects you are having are serious and you need to do one of the following IMMEDIATLEY. Regardless of how you feel about your doctor you need to contact the doctor and let him/her know what is going on so the medication can be changed. If you are that uncomfortable with this doctor that you feel you cannot do this. Then go to the nearest emergency room NOW and talk with the staff psychiatrist there. If you cannot get their on your own call 911 it is that serious.
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You need to go back and talk to a doctor. I don't think anyone here is likely to be able to help you.
Lamictal is not a normal 'anti-depressant'. Your are using it off-label (probably because you've have negative reactions to the more common anti depressants).
Most people are going to tell you that upping your dosage of an anti-depressant can cause an increase in feelings of depression (and that is true - it's very, VERY uncommon - but true.)
HOWEVER, Lamictal is not an SSRI - the kind of drug people normally mean when they say anti-depressant. So those studies don't apply to your case at all, and I highly doubt there will be many people here with any personal experience on Lamictal.
Here is what I can say:
I tried three different anti-depressants before finding the one that worked for me (and even then, there were still some side effects, just manageable ones.) I know it's hell, physically and mentally to try and find one that fits, but honestly, it's also worth it in the end. They are absolutely invaluable tools in healing yourself. I couldn't have possibly fought my way back to 'normal' if the drugs hadn't helped to show me what normal thinking felt like.
So speak to another doctor if you aren't able to work well with your current, but do keep at it.
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