[settie]

I'm on 300mg of Wellbutrin and 40mg of Celexa. I had been doing really well for a while and was very happy that I finally had found the right combonation. Well, in the last few months things have gone really downhill and my doctor is considering adding either Topamax or Lamictal. Does anyone have any experience with either of these?

Thanks for any insight.

[bassetbabe]

I tried Lamictal and it definitely wasn't for me. I have a minor form of bipolar disorder and it actually made my mood swing/shifts much worse. I did the Topamax and had no problems with it and actually did well.

I know it shouldn't be a deciding factor for a mental health medication but Topamax does have the common side effect of weight loss. If its up to you, might wanna give that one a try first.

Good luck.

[MorningJoy]

Hi Settie:
I agree with bassetbabe. I've been on both Lamictal and Topamax. Lamictal really didn't help my depression, and I think that (not that this should play a big part in your descision) Lamictal has a chance for weight gain, whereas Topamax can reduce your appetite and cause weight loss. If you haven't already, you might want to google the two medicines and compare side effects and purposes. Good Luck!

[Fun Size]

I think alot depends on your health issues. Some people get depression relief from Lamictal. I understand it often requires a rather high dosage. There is a small chance of a rather problematic rash associated with Lamictal. I have not heard of people gaining weight on this medication. I have heard it referred to as "weight neutral." However, everyone is different. My guess is that most folks either don't gain weight or gain a very tiny bit.
On the other hand, people seem to either remain steady (neutral) on Topamax or LOSE weight on this medication. However, Topamax has some annoying side effects. One of which has to do with memory loss. Sort of like big time ADD. If your work requires a good memory, you might want to either keep your dosage low or not take it at all. Or another thought would be to combine Topamax with an antidepressant of some sort...ideally, something weight neutral.
BTW, I have been posting a lot about how sometimes the B vitamins help a little with depression. Same with Fish Oil.
Wishing you well.

[settie]

Thanks so much for your replies. Problem is I talked to him yesterday and he decided on a third one - aaahhhhh!!!

So as well as the other two I am also on Olanzapine. I start tonight so I guess I'll see how it goes.

Wish me luck,

[bassetbabe]

Good luck. I have never heard of that last one. The one med I found most beneficial to my bipolar disorder is plain old lithium. I tend to be more sensitive to side effects and this one had virtually none for me. Only thing is you have to have a blood draw once a month to check meds.

Whatever you end up with, remember that everyone is different and reacts differently to different meds. And just cause something worked for someone else with the same issues, doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you.

Good luck.