# Lamictal KILLS Adderall



## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

So I have been on Lamictal for about 7-8 days. I think it may be working. It is suppose to stabilize my moods. Picture a straight line with curves above the line and curves below the line- those were my mood swings before. I was up and down up an down up and down....... I would go really low after 5-6 pm. So now I feel stable but any benefit I got from Adderall has been killed. Any thoughts?


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## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

Thank you for the links - they were very helpful. In the links, it said Lamictal made the people drowsy or tired. It wires me! :boogie


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

interesting, i had never heard or come across that before.

i've been on lamictal for a bit over 2 years - 150mg in the morning, 150mg at night. it has worked pretty well for my depression, and i've noticed virtually no side-effects (possible effects on cognitive functioning but it's hard to tell). i didn't have any drowsiness or sedation after taking any doses.

it's obv hard to tell if the adderall is less effective since i started it after the lamictal, but i do know the dose it began to work for me is the pretty average dose for others off medication. from what i've read it's been only people who have just started the lamictal who complain that the adderall is less effective. if it's the sedating effects of the lamictal then those would fade over time. i'd continue trying the lamictal for a while and see if it gets better, it's a really great mood stabilizer.


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## 99x (Oct 4, 2007)

Be careful with Lamictal

From my experience it's the other way around. I took Lamictal for about a year an a half. And by the way, it took 6-7 months to reach a dose (300mg) that was effective. The reason I kept increasing is because it was the first med that gave me no initial side effects. Very different than antidepressants. At 300mg my mood was stable and even elevated, but my cognition was dampened. Short term memory, comprehension and imagination were all gone and feeling stupid wasn't worth it to me. 

I took Adderall to help boost my concentration and counteract the problems with Lamictal and it felt the difference right away, but the "crash" at the end of the day canceled out the Lamictal and made me irritable and empty. I took Vyvanse instead which helped like Adderall and just made me sleepy when it wore off.

I decided to get off the Lamictal and it was the worst experience of my life! I followed my doctors instructions on how to taper off of it, but it was still way too fast for my body to handle. I had severe headaches, dizziness, fever, tremors, twitching, hallucinations, depersonalization ect, ect.My doc described my withdrawal as being the same reaction as having a bad trip on LSD. All my senses were grossly distorted and experienced profoundly transcendent feelings that I never want to feel again. I felt like I was dreaming the whole time or like I was dead. My mom would wake me up and I would ask if I was dead, which I don't remember asking. This lasted 5-6 weeks before improving. Looking back on it I must have been having seizures (no prior history of epilepsy) in my sleep. My doc could never explain it, he'd never seen it happen and I was freaking out so much that he's now afraid to prescribe anything else. He suggested ECT. I'm still pretty traumatized and refuse to take any pills of any kind now. I'd rather been depressed/angry or whatever else I felt before meds. My memory is still horrible and my personality is a bit altered. I find it hard behave the way I use to. I'm a different person, but hopefully I can make myself a better one. Feels like I hit the reset button.

Bah, anyway be careful with these meds. Start slow and stop slooooooowly. If you can function without them then don;t even consider moving forward with them. I just don't want anyone to go through what I did, but everyone is different and reacts in different ways. Good Luck


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## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

I am diagnosed bi polar so I have no choice but to be medicated. I have had some bad reactions to medication ( Abilify) like what you described. So far Lamictal wires me and has prevented my usual evening depression. I am no longer taking Adderall and I am taking Concerta. Thanks for sharing your experience.


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## styler5 (Oct 7, 2006)

300mg? Holy...I thought 100mg was the maximum.

Anyways, I thought it was working until today. It's 7a.m. and I'm so depressed I can't sleep. D:


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## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

I am sorry that you are depressed. I have heard of people being on up to 400mg.


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## stealyourface722 (Aug 31, 2008)

nothing to fear said:


> interesting, i had never heard or come across that before.
> 
> i've been on lamictal for a bit over 2 years - 150mg in the morning, 150mg at night. it has worked pretty well for my depression, and i've noticed virtually no side-effects (possible effects on cognitive functioning but it's hard to tell). i didn't have any drowsiness or sedation after taking any doses.
> 
> it's obv hard to tell if the adderall is less effective since i started it after the lamictal, but i do know the dose it began to work for me is the pretty average dose for others off medication. from what i've read it's been only people who have just started the lamictal who complain that the adderall is less effective. if it's the sedating effects of the lamictal then those would fade over time. i'd continue trying the lamictal for a while and see if it gets better, it's a really great mood stabilizer.


what form are you on? generic, brand name? if generic can u say what company?


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## 99x (Oct 4, 2007)

MissMay1977 said:


> I am diagnosed bi polar so I have no choice but to be medicated. I have had some bad reactions to medication ( Abilify) like what you described. So far Lamictal wires me and has prevented my usual evening depression. I am no longer taking Adderall and I am taking Concerta. Thanks for sharing your experience.


I've been diagnosed by 3 doctors so far as having a "mixed state bipolar disorder" which is the most dangerous type, but what works best for me is vigorous exercise, a healthy diet, staying occupied, and Klonopin AS NEEDED. You have to have an iron will and not play the victim. Sure everyday is a struggle, but I'd rather feel like a maniac than be on life support, in a coma, or having to be taken care of like an infant for the rest of my life because of a reaction to some pill.

Sorry if I seem angry. I'm not at you. I'm angry that they'll prescribe these meds so easily and not even mention all the risks. They never try to get you to take up exercise and develop good eating habits first, but of course they don't get paid that way.


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## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

99x said:


> I've been diagnosed by 3 doctors so far as having a "mixed state bipolar disorder" which is the most dangerous type, but what works best for me is vigorous exercise, a healthy diet, staying occupied, and Klonopin AS NEEDED. You have to have an iron will and not play the victim. Sure everyday is a struggle, but I'd rather feel like a maniac than be on life support, in a coma, or having to be taken care of like an infant for the rest of my life because of a reaction to some pill.
> 
> Sorry if I seem angry. I'm not at you. I'm angry that they'll prescribe these meds so easily and not even mention all the risks. They never try to get you to take up exercise and develop good eating habits first, but of course they don't get paid that way.


So true. Good thing I already practice good eating habits and I exercise on a regular basis. I also keep a routine schedule and do a lot of other self help maintenance things. I have a firm diagnosis of bi polar and medication is required for me to remain stable. I have been on many medications and know a lot of the side effects. I am hopeful that Lamictal will work as well for me as it has for many others. I certainly do not play a victim at all as I am very high functioning. I have not let this illness prevent me from achieving my dreams or living a happy life. Bi polar is just one part of me. I have many more parts to me. Thanks for your comments and concerns.


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## michaelscott330 (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm on Lamictal 200mg and Seroquel xr 400 mg at night for mood stabalizers and I recently started adderall and am up to 45mg and not feeling alot except for loss of appetite and a calm feeling. The lamictal shouldn't take away the effects of adderall. That is what my psychiatrist said but what your saying does make sense


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## Bon (Dec 24, 2005)

MissMay1977 said:


> . I certainly do not play a victim at all as I am very high functioning. I have not let this illness prevent me from achieving my dreams or living a happy life. Bi polar is just one part of me. I have many more parts to me. Thanks for your comments and concerns.


Very well said.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

michaelscott330 said:


> I'm on Lamictal 200mg and Seroquel xr 400 mg at night for mood stabalizers and I recently started adderall and am up to 45mg and not feeling alot except for loss of appetite and a calm feeling. The lamictal shouldn't take away the effects of adderall. That is what my psychiatrist said but what your saying does make sense


Well it should to a probably significant degree, both the lamictal and the seroquel serve to prevent mania, and adderall, being an amphetamine-mixture, is known to induce mania even in non-bipolar patients. It will still have it's effect but will be greatly diminished.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

MissMay1977 said:


> So I have been on Lamictal for about 7-8 days. I think it may be working. It is suppose to stabilize my moods. Picture a straight line with curves above the line and curves below the line- those were my mood swings before. I was up and down up an down up and down....... I would go really low after 5-6 pm. So now I feel stable but any benefit I got from Adderall has been killed. Any thoughts?


How does it pharmalogically "kill" addies? I would like a good foudational answer to that.


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## meg tdl (Aug 19, 2012)

Ive been taking lamotrigine for over a year now for my bipolar and seizures and that mixed with adderall balances me out so i dont have seizures and i dont snap on people. plus i focus more and im nicer. nothing bad has ever happened to me unless i take ALOT then i get itchy


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