Lamotrigine also known as Lamictal (by GlaxoSmithKline) is an anticonvulsant and is used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Although preventing seizures  was its original purpose, the FDA approved it for treating bipolar disorder- particularly the depressive phase and rapid cycling between moods Lamictal has also shown some promise in treating people who suffer from unipolar depression, although it hasn’t been approved for this purpose. It’s especially helpful for patients who haven’t responded to other depression medication.  For epilepsy it is used to treat partial seizures, primary and secondary tonic-clonic seizures, and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lamotrigine also acts as a mood stabilizer. It is approved for the maintenance treatment of bipolar type I. Lamictal comes in strenghts of lamictal 25 mg, lamotrigine 100 mg, lamotrigine 150 mg,lamotrigine 200 mg.

It has been found that Lamotrigine Tablets being a Phenyltriazine is chemically unrelated to other anticonvulsants, has relatively few side-effects and does not require blood monitoring in monotherapy. The exact way generic lamotrigine works is unknown but it has been thought as a sodium channel blocker. Lamictal pill is thought to work by restoring the balance of certain natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain and inactivated by hepatic glucuronidation.

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Bipolar as a term is being used so broadly that it is beginning to lose some of its meaning. It is, I think, often used as a default diagnosisespecially in children and adolescents. We dont know whats going on so we call it bipolar if there is mood instability, meltdowns, rages, or if the symptoms respond to a medication that is used to treat bipolar category symptoms.

So, the first clinical issue is what exactly is being treated? Diagnoses tend to be reductionistic. In other words, they are used as categorical labels instead of being recognized as a somewhat limited tool for communication between clinicians. They also tend to separate patients out into us and them. I am bipolar becomes an identity rather than a description of certain behaviors/emotions that are only part of a much greater whole that we call a person. It reminds me of Alcoholics Anonymous where someone stands up and says, Hi, Im Chuck. Im an alcoholic. Now I know that this is necessary, but I always want to ask, So, what does that mean? because viewing behavior in the whole context of the persons life helps me understand who someone is much more.

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I was just wondering if you guys know ofd any safe wholestice vitimens that I can take in addition to my lythum and atvn i take for my bipolar I am type 1 bipolar.I do relize that some whoestic solutions could accuaslly interfier with my perscribed meds and accually cause me harm just wondering your opions on this. only serious answers no buttholes answering just to get 2 points thank you
Alex62 your assumeing that i am depressed and i am NOT depressed at all in fact I am accually manic.
Bk you are 100% wrong there are vitimans that can not be take with perscribed meds a good example is st johns wart you can not take that with a lot or depression medication most medical doctors willl tell you that this would cause a very bad reaction if done

I’d prefer it if someone who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (doesn’t really matter if it’s type 1 or type 2) could answer. Do you feel hot (even in a cold room) at the beginning of mania / hypomania, or cold in the stare-into-the-middle-distance ‘bla’ state? I could just be blithering, I don’t know.

My mother has rapid-cycling type 1 bipolar. I was wondering if there is ANYONE on the face of the earth that has the same problem as me: living with them on a day to day basis. My therapist suggested that i find a person who is about my age (teenager) that can relate so I don’t feel so alone.

So is there anyone else dealing with this or am I truly all alone?

I have rapid cycling type 1 bipolar affective disorder with dysphoric mania…it’s bloody awful to be frank and I’m feeling really down at the moment while questions of meds are sorted out…

I wanted to know, if you have bipolar, what meds have you tried and how did you find them? What were the side effects? Have you got to take them long term? Do you know the long term effects? What didn’t work?

i have bipolar disorder type 1. All of the drug seem to make me worse what do i do. the doctor said they were making me better. i have no idea what to do

I have bipolar type 1. I od’d by taking 60 tylenol PM on Sept 18. I was in ICU and then the psych ward. I don’t think I would do it again but I’m starting to feel depressed again. Last time it came on so quickly that I barely thought about it before trying. I don’t want to go to the psych ward so I’m hesitant to tell my psychiatrist or therapist. Any suggestions?

So, for the past 5 years I have been suffering from bipolar disorder. I know what the disorder is, but it never crossed my mind as me having it. Sorta of like in denial that im not bipolar.

So the doctor gives me a bunch of medicine and i get slightly stable now.

Basically i first went to this doctor 5 months ago. There he talked to me and decided to put me on pills to help me concentrate and slow down my fast thinking. So I told him I might have ADHD, and he agreed.

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I have been diagnosed with having bipolar Type 1, but I feel like I have social anxiety disorder too. I have most of the symptoms. I’m also afraid I could develop avoidant personality too. I have no friends besides my husband and I avoid my family now because I feel like they just talk about how “crazy” I am. I really don’t want friends anymore and I don’t like answering the phone or the door. I don’t like having to talk to people out in public either like at a store. Is this common with bipolar disorder?
I appreciate your answers. It does help just knowing you’re not the only one who feels like this.