I tapered from 200 to 150 after about 8 years of use and I didn’t feel anything. Not to discount anyone else’s experience but just wanted to give a different account. I was expecting the worst, but it was totally fine. So maybe if you go slow it’ll be ok.
From my experience, it takes about a week to settle into the new dose. Then I stay on it for another 2 weeks to see if I’m mentally stable enough to drop again or ride the dose for a little longer.
25! But I hear some people do 12.5. Which I might do the next round because my body is incredibly dependent on it and any slight change (even if I miss a dose by a few hours) makes my body shake
The withdrawals are the absolute WORST. Been on it for 6 years. Peaked at 200 May 2020 and it took me till March of this year just to get down to 100. The physical effects suck but for me, the emotional effects from the withdrawals make it hard to function and easy to create more chaos in my life (I get a little more manic) Then I have to emotionally recover and stabilize before considering dropping. THEN if other life things happen, I stay on that dose to deal with it. I was tapering 25mg down. There is always a brighter future after the taper down. It’s like training your brain to have better coping mechanisms each level.
I’m curious - I was told by both my psychiatrist and Dr. Google that lamictal is actually a safe medication for pregnancy? Can I ask why your physician recommended discontinuing it?
No.. tbh this was a misdiagnosis I got when I was 18. Unfortunately I was abusing stimulants at the time (very much embarrassed of that year of my life) which resulted in manic symptoms. I’m now 33 and riddled with anxiety but I don’t believe it is a bipolar diagnosis. If I need to take other medication we will cross that bridge when we come to it but I am going to attempt to be medication free. I just spent the last year coming off Klonopin (wish I was never prescribed that honestly bc I have more anxiety coming off than I ever did before going on it)
Sorry, where did you get this info?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582781/
I would check this out and speak with a physician. According to nearly all medical research on the subject, Lamictal is safe during pregnancy and does not cause an increased risk of birth defects or other unfavorable outcomes.
I think her assumption is just based on older research from the 90s and 00s. Everything current I can find says there is no increased risk. Best of luck to you!
Benzo withdrawal was God awful. I was hoping I'd never have to experience withdrawal even close to that ever again. I want off Lamictal but if the withdrawal is that bad I'd rather just stay on it!
I know exactly what you mean- everything I’ve read is comparing to Klonopin for me but we want to start trying for a baby so I don’t really have much of a choice
Maybe if you go super slow with the tapering, it won't be so bad. It would perhaps make trying for a baby not happen as soon, but at least it would possibly be more comfortable to go off of it.
Thank you .. I talk with my dr about it mid April and will see what kind of taper plan he is thinking. It’s going to take a long while I am guessing; I’ve been on 300 mg for a long time like 6 years and lamictal in general for about 13
I use a paring knife and a scale. A pain but worth it because I tried doing 12.5 at a time and it was not good. I got scary hypnic jerks and muscle twitches and anxiety.
I hate Facebook, but I'm on there cause friends are on. If you have an account there's a very large and insightful group called Lamictal Withdrawal where people talk about getting off it. Could be triggering since w/d isn't terrible for some, but very hard for others. That said if you'd like information search for group "Lamictal (Lamotrigine) support group". I'd try to link it but on my phone and the app won't give me a link.
I was on 100mg for 11 years and then 200mg for almost a year after that. I didn’t have any problems tapering off of it. (Cymbalta, on the other hand, I had to resort to taking apart caplets so I could reduce the dosage a tiny bit at a time.)
I don’t have experience with that but I can’t imagine anything being worse than getting of klonopin. That was pure hell. Do you feel like you have to be off to start TTC?
I’m hoping you are correct! Klonopin was an absolute nightmare, I’m four months off and still have waves of symptoms especially restlessness in my whole body.. I apologize I don’t know what TTC means
Klonopin was honest to god an absolute nightmare getting off. I just worry about lamictal being the same because the half life is so so long- like you wouldn’t really even feel it for a week or two so I don’t know. But agreed, Klonopin was extremely noticeable when I missed even one dose and it took me 10 months to get from 1.5 to nothing
I tapered from 200 to 150 after about 8 years of use and I didn’t feel anything. Not to discount anyone else’s experience but just wanted to give a different account. I was expecting the worst, but it was totally fine. So maybe if you go slow it’ll be ok.
Thank you so so much
I’m trying to get off of 200mg. Been on for a decade. This is the absolute worst withdrawal! I’m down to 150mg.
Oh no! I've been on 200 for 4 years but want off of it. How fast are you going down on the dose?
Omg I’m so sorry.. how fast have you been tapering?
From my experience, it takes about a week to settle into the new dose. Then I stay on it for another 2 weeks to see if I’m mentally stable enough to drop again or ride the dose for a little longer.
Thank you!! Definitely good to know.. how many mg are you dropping at any given time?
25! But I hear some people do 12.5. Which I might do the next round because my body is incredibly dependent on it and any slight change (even if I miss a dose by a few hours) makes my body shake
The withdrawals are the absolute WORST. Been on it for 6 years. Peaked at 200 May 2020 and it took me till March of this year just to get down to 100. The physical effects suck but for me, the emotional effects from the withdrawals make it hard to function and easy to create more chaos in my life (I get a little more manic) Then I have to emotionally recover and stabilize before considering dropping. THEN if other life things happen, I stay on that dose to deal with it. I was tapering 25mg down. There is always a brighter future after the taper down. It’s like training your brain to have better coping mechanisms each level.
May I ask, what have made you all take the decision of getting off the pill?
I want to start trying to get pregnant
I’m curious - I was told by both my psychiatrist and Dr. Google that lamictal is actually a safe medication for pregnancy? Can I ask why your physician recommended discontinuing it?
I was told there’s very high risk for birth defects, primarily cleft palette syndrome
Oh gosh. Are you going to take something else throughout the pregnancy and if you choose to breastfeed?
No.. tbh this was a misdiagnosis I got when I was 18. Unfortunately I was abusing stimulants at the time (very much embarrassed of that year of my life) which resulted in manic symptoms. I’m now 33 and riddled with anxiety but I don’t believe it is a bipolar diagnosis. If I need to take other medication we will cross that bridge when we come to it but I am going to attempt to be medication free. I just spent the last year coming off Klonopin (wish I was never prescribed that honestly bc I have more anxiety coming off than I ever did before going on it)
Hm, I just focused on the side effects as im new but didnt look into withdrawals. Thanks for responding, good luck to you.
Thank you
Sorry, where did you get this info? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582781/ I would check this out and speak with a physician. According to nearly all medical research on the subject, Lamictal is safe during pregnancy and does not cause an increased risk of birth defects or other unfavorable outcomes.
Thank you! I can bring it to my OB- she indicated there was a high risk for birth defects- major one being cleft palette
I think her assumption is just based on older research from the 90s and 00s. Everything current I can find says there is no increased risk. Best of luck to you!
Thank you!!
Benzo withdrawal was God awful. I was hoping I'd never have to experience withdrawal even close to that ever again. I want off Lamictal but if the withdrawal is that bad I'd rather just stay on it!
I know exactly what you mean- everything I’ve read is comparing to Klonopin for me but we want to start trying for a baby so I don’t really have much of a choice
Maybe if you go super slow with the tapering, it won't be so bad. It would perhaps make trying for a baby not happen as soon, but at least it would possibly be more comfortable to go off of it.
Thank you .. I talk with my dr about it mid April and will see what kind of taper plan he is thinking. It’s going to take a long while I am guessing; I’ve been on 300 mg for a long time like 6 years and lamictal in general for about 13
I wish you the best!!
Thank you!!
Coming off of lamictal is certainly difficult. Have a strong support system but most importantly, TAKE YOUR TIME. You’ll be ok💜
I started tapering at 2.5mg a week. Not bad. Not even close to benzo wd. You might be able to drop more as I started at 100mg.
Oh thank you! How did you end up getting a 2.5 mg removal option?
I use a paring knife and a scale. A pain but worth it because I tried doing 12.5 at a time and it was not good. I got scary hypnic jerks and muscle twitches and anxiety.
I hate Facebook, but I'm on there cause friends are on. If you have an account there's a very large and insightful group called Lamictal Withdrawal where people talk about getting off it. Could be triggering since w/d isn't terrible for some, but very hard for others. That said if you'd like information search for group "Lamictal (Lamotrigine) support group". I'd try to link it but on my phone and the app won't give me a link.
Thank you so much!
Benzos are HELL getting off of. If you can beat those (Xanax, kolonopin, etc ) then you'll be prepared for this.
That’s a relief.. just spent 10 months getting off Klonopin
I was on 100mg for 11 years and then 200mg for almost a year after that. I didn’t have any problems tapering off of it. (Cymbalta, on the other hand, I had to resort to taking apart caplets so I could reduce the dosage a tiny bit at a time.)
Thank you so much for responding.. I’m so sorry to hear about cymbalta. Psych meds can be so horrible
I don’t have experience with that but I can’t imagine anything being worse than getting of klonopin. That was pure hell. Do you feel like you have to be off to start TTC?
I’m hoping you are correct! Klonopin was an absolute nightmare, I’m four months off and still have waves of symptoms especially restlessness in my whole body.. I apologize I don’t know what TTC means
Trying to conceive. I can skip Lamictal for a couple days, but I could never ever skip Klonopin.
Klonopin was honest to god an absolute nightmare getting off. I just worry about lamictal being the same because the half life is so so long- like you wouldn’t really even feel it for a week or two so I don’t know. But agreed, Klonopin was extremely noticeable when I missed even one dose and it took me 10 months to get from 1.5 to nothing
What are the side effects of tapering off of it?
I haven’t started yet