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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4WD on July 19, 2005, at 23:15:09
I was on 25mg day of Lamictal for about 2 1/2 weeks. I had to stop it because it was causing severe headaches and muscles spasms in my neck. I just stopped it without tapering about a week ago.
Today i woke up with the worst fear I've had in a couple of months. And it has lasted all day. Could this possibly be a result of stopping the Lamictal abruptly? I mean the anxiety was way worse than before I went on the Lamictal. And I was only on it for 16 days. I was taking it to try and augment my Celexa.
Marsha
Posted by blueberry on July 20, 2005, at 5:19:45
In reply to Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by 4WD on July 19, 2005, at 23:15:09
I sure know that hyper anxiety feeling, deep fear and panic stuff. I've had that happen to me before when I stopped a med that had any effect on dopamine. Very scary. I sure feel for you.
I'm no scientist, but my pdoc explained to me that lamictal has some dopamine reuptake inhibition to it, which indirectly causes a decrease in dopamine release. So when lamictal is stopped, dopamine release increases again, and that is a possible cause of the hyper anxiety. Lamictal also smooths out the electrical stuff, so without it the electrical stuff is going haywire. That's just a crude way of theorizing where that anxiety is coming from. I could be wrong, but since nothing else had changed, lamictal is probably the culprit.
The anxiety stuff should resolve on its own to where it was to begin with before lamictal, but I don't know how long that will take.
My pdoc, and an emergency room doctor, both at one time gave me prescriptions for xanax...just ten tablets...to keep onhand for emergencies whenever I have an adverse reaction like you are. If you went to the emergency room with your anxiety or panic, they would most likely give you short term xanax or ativan to calm it down. They told me there is no reason to suffer through that.
To augment your celexa, and to get good anxiety relief, I think zyprexa first choice and seroquel second choice would be tops on the list. I know from experience that zyprexa would completely stop that anxiety stuff in about 2 hours like magic. It goes very well with antidepressants usually. I like my zyprexa, which blends well to my prozac.
Posted by Phillipa on July 20, 2005, at 18:14:45
In reply to Re: Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by blueberry on July 20, 2005, at 5:19:45
Marsha, I'm sorry your anxiety is back. 25mg sounds like a very low dose. I wouldn't think the short time you were on it would affect you like this. Anything happening in your life that could cause this? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by 4WD on July 21, 2005, at 21:43:13
In reply to Re: Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by Phillipa on July 20, 2005, at 18:14:45
> Marsha, I'm sorry your anxiety is back. 25mg sounds like a very low dose. I wouldn't think the short time you were on it would affect you like this. Anything happening in your life that could cause this? Fondly, Phillipa
I really think that's it. It's starting to get a little better. I've been off it for a week now and the worst days were 4, 5, and 6.The anxiety never went away. It just was a litle lower. Then when I went off the Lamictal it ramped way up. I'm sure hoping that's it - otherwise I can't explain the sudden increase. Unless the acupuncture I had for anxiety backfired.
Marsha
Posted by Mistermindmasta on July 22, 2005, at 0:22:42
In reply to Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by 4WD on July 19, 2005, at 23:15:09
> I was on 25mg day of Lamictal for about 2 1/2 weeks. I had to stop it because it was causing severe headaches and muscles spasms in my neck. I just stopped it without tapering about a week ago.
>
> Today i woke up with the worst fear I've had in a couple of months. And it has lasted all day. Could this possibly be a result of stopping the Lamictal abruptly? I mean the anxiety was way worse than before I went on the Lamictal. And I was only on it for 16 days. I was taking it to try and augment my Celexa.
>
> MarshaWell as i recall, lamictal is actually an anticonvulsant, so withdrawal of an anticonvulsant (alcohol, for example) definitely has the potential to cause "hyper anxiety", and even more likely in someone who's bipolar.
Maybe you could have taken a drug to help with the withdrawal, like a benzo.
Posted by spriggy on July 22, 2005, at 20:45:59
In reply to Re: Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by Mistermindmasta on July 22, 2005, at 0:22:42
OHHHHHHHHHH yes, I know what you mean.
I took Lamictal for 2 weeks ( I was only on 12 mg's) and went off of it right before a trip to Dinseyland with my family.
It caused horrific social anxiety in me like I've never known. Imagine having social anxiety while you are in the middle of a huge amusement park full of thousands of people. ROFL Not good a combo.
I ended up spending most of my vacation hiding away in the hotel room while my husband hit the parks with my son.
I also had a full blown mother of all panic attacks while we were down there at the beach as well.
It never occurred to me that it was the coming off the Lamictal that caused it ( I forgot it at home) but now it makes so much sense.
We were in California for 5 days and by the the time we got home, I started feeling better.
My husband just thought Mickey terrified me. ROFL
Posted by 4WD on July 22, 2005, at 21:47:39
In reply to Re: Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by Mistermindmasta on July 22, 2005, at 0:22:42
> > I was on 25mg day of Lamictal for about 2 1/2 weeks. I had to stop it because it was causing severe headaches and muscles spasms in my neck. I just stopped it without tapering about a week ago.
> >
> > Today i woke up with the worst fear I've had in a couple of months. And it has lasted all day. Could this possibly be a result of stopping the Lamictal abruptly? I mean the anxiety was way worse than before I went on the Lamictal. And I was only on it for 16 days. I was taking it to try and augment my Celexa.
> >
> > Marsha
>
>
>
> Well as i recall, lamictal is actually an anticonvulsant, so withdrawal of an anticonvulsant (alcohol, for example) definitely has the potential to cause "hyper anxiety", and even more likely in someone who's bipolar.
>
> Maybe you could have taken a drug to help with the withdrawal, like a benzo.
That's exactly what I did. I doubled up on my Klonopin for a few days. It's such a relief to know what caused it. I thought I was heading for a horrible relapse.Marsha
Posted by 4WD on July 22, 2005, at 21:53:06
In reply to Re: Lamictal discontinuation causing hyper anxiety?, posted by spriggy on July 22, 2005, at 20:45:59
> OHHHHHHHHHH yes, I know what you mean.
>
> I took Lamictal for 2 weeks ( I was only on 12 mg's) and went off of it right before a trip to Dinseyland with my family.
>
> It caused horrific social anxiety in me like I've never known. Imagine having social anxiety while you are in the middle of a huge amusement park full of thousands of people. ROFL Not good a combo.
>
> I ended up spending most of my vacation hiding away in the hotel room while my husband hit the parks with my son.
>
> I also had a full blown mother of all panic attacks while we were down there at the beach as well.
>
> It never occurred to me that it was the coming off the Lamictal that caused it ( I forgot it at home) but now it makes so much sense.
>
> We were in California for 5 days and by the the time we got home, I started feeling better.
>
> My husband just thought Mickey terrified me. ROFL
Hi Spriggy,What would I do without this board? I thought I was having a relapse back to my former state of horrible unbearable terror/anxiety.
That must have been awful having to go through that away from home. And you missed your vacation! You should take one on your own now to make up for it.
The increased anxiety is already much better. I'm about back to normally scared/anxious now. It's especially weird because I didn't feel like the Lamictal was really doing much (if anything at all) as far as decreasing anxiety while I was on it. And I wasn't taking it for anxiety. Just weird. Thank God it's about over.
Marsha
This is the end of the thread.
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