Posted by SLS on July 5, 2009, at 13:02:07
In reply to Discontinuing Lamictal -- how fast?, posted by fires on July 5, 2009, at 12:05:59
> I've been on Lamictal in combination with Parnate for several years. I recently added Neurontin to the above. My response to Neurontin has been so good, that I want to try to discontinue Lamictal. (Bipolar, mild hypomania).
Lamictal is not a great anti-manic drug to begin with. However, let us say that it is helping to some degree. Have you been stable long enough on Neurontin to conclude that its beneficial effects will persist?
You can't taper too fast with Lamictal. There is the potential for rebound seizures. Still, you really don't have to baby the thing too much. Maybe you can cut 50mg at a time every three or four days. With Lamictal, I believe that it can produce a rebound depression when lowering the dosage too fast. It wouldn't be a true depressive episode, but why go through it? Actually, for you, I would worry about a rebound mania. It has happened with Lamictal before.
- Scott
>
> My pdoc stated that although increasing the dose has to be done slowly, decreasing the dose can be done quite rapidly.
>
> Has anyone ever discontinued Lamictal rapidly? If so, just how rapidly? (I take 150 mg x 2/day)
>
> If hypopmania returns, I can make a quick u turn.
poster:SLS
thread:905084
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090630/msgs/905090.html