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Can Lamotrigine Help Cure Bipolar Disorder?
Question: Hello, I have had several question and answers with you about my son and I am wondering if you can read the background questions?
My question...my son started lamotrigine about 6 weeks ago. He slowly titrated up and has been at 100 mg for about 3 weeks. No problems except I have a couple of concerns. He started taking it because he was having constant racing thoughts, working excessively on an app he thought up, staying up very late at night to work on his app/then sleeping all day, and he was unable to meditate due to excessive thoughts or relax. He found them very bothersome. He was also working on his app but unable to pull away to take care of his college responsibilities and he neglected his personal care. Currently, he is no longer having racing thoughts. However, he is having some hyperfocusing on his app project and I find him frequently glued to his computer at inappropriate times. He is sleeping normally now. He is back to exercising and eating right. He is taking better care of his hygiene. He is also quite spacey however, and seems to need reminders and cuing to take care of some very basic things. I have to repeat myself and he seems to have a hard time paying attention to me. I am wondering if this is from the lamictal or if it is still the prior issues that caused him to need lamictal. He wasn't spacey before he started the lamictal. Will this go away? I am worried about how he can hold down a job being absent minded like this. Thank you!
My question...my son started lamotrigine about 6 weeks ago. He slowly titrated up and has been at 100 mg for about 3 weeks. No problems except I have a couple of concerns. He started taking it because he was having constant racing thoughts, working excessively on an app he thought up, staying up very late at night to work on his app/then sleeping all day, and he was unable to meditate due to excessive thoughts or relax. He found them very bothersome. He was also working on his app but unable to pull away to take care of his college responsibilities and he neglected his personal care. Currently, he is no longer having racing thoughts. However, he is having some hyperfocusing on his app project and I find him frequently glued to his computer at inappropriate times. He is sleeping normally now. He is back to exercising and eating right. He is taking better care of his hygiene. He is also quite spacey however, and seems to need reminders and cuing to take care of some very basic things. I have to repeat myself and he seems to have a hard time paying attention to me. I am wondering if this is from the lamictal or if it is still the prior issues that caused him to need lamictal. He wasn't spacey before he started the lamictal. Will this go away? I am worried about how he can hold down a job being absent minded like this. Thank you!
Brief Answer:
Private Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thank you so much for using my private direct service. I now consider your son (and you as his proxy) my private clients and will do everything I can to help you.
I have read over your previous questions on this site carefully. The description you give of your son, and information from prior questions, suggests he has bipolar disorder, which is treated well with lamotrigine. The dose of lamotrigine he is on is actually a mid-level dose. His difficulties concentrating is much, much more likely related to bipolar disorder rather than lamotrigine, which does not typically have this side effect. I would actually recommend increasing the lamotrigine to better address his likely only partially-treated bipolar disorder. This is done by increasing 25mg every two weeks to a target dose of 200mg total daily.
Dr. Sheppe
Private Consultation
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thank you so much for using my private direct service. I now consider your son (and you as his proxy) my private clients and will do everything I can to help you.
I have read over your previous questions on this site carefully. The description you give of your son, and information from prior questions, suggests he has bipolar disorder, which is treated well with lamotrigine. The dose of lamotrigine he is on is actually a mid-level dose. His difficulties concentrating is much, much more likely related to bipolar disorder rather than lamotrigine, which does not typically have this side effect. I would actually recommend increasing the lamotrigine to better address his likely only partially-treated bipolar disorder. This is done by increasing 25mg every two weeks to a target dose of 200mg total daily.
Dr. Sheppe
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Naveen Kumar
Thank you!!
Brief Answer:
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You are most welcome!
Please remember to rate and close this answer when you are finished and satisfied.
As you have just done, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me directly at my private link below. After you ask a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers
Private Followup
Detailed Answer:
You are most welcome!
Please remember to rate and close this answer when you are finished and satisfied.
As you have just done, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me directly at my private link below. After you ask a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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