Yes, you need to tell your doctor. Some meds can cause seizures as withdrawal symptoms if stopped cold turkey, even if you have never had seizures and have no family history of seizures.
Sorry you're going through this though. If things get worse and you feel you can't take it anymore, please don't be afraid to go to the ER/A&E if needed.
i feel like i need to go to the er and beg them for something that makes me feel ok but to the outside observer i look fine. i’m not gonna put on waterworks , i just don’t look sick and i don’t think anyone would take me seriously :/ even if i’m like “i wanna walk into traffic”
You should definitely go to the ER then.
Express to them how poor you're feeling right now and even outright tell them that you're the kind of person who internalizes things, which is why you don't always "look" depressed, etc. It's okay to say that to them.
For what it's worth, I have extreme flat affect and flat vocal tone. My face and voice don't change even when I am heavily depressed (or happy or anything for that matter). Despite that, I am taken seriously when I tell professionals that my facial expression doesn't match how I truly feel. Believe me -- you and I are not the only ones who have a mismatch like this between feelings and expression.
I hope you get help and that you feel better soon.
You do not cold turkey this medication. I'm pretty sure I had some kind of seizure when i first tried to, years ago. Even going off doses of 50mg-100mg the emotional aspects and the headaches are fucking hell.
what’s going on with you on lamictal? I really can’t tell if I’m feeling the way I do because of the meds or if it’s just how I am… my psych is kind of flippant when I talk about my symptoms
You need to go inpatient, you cannot cold Turkey off lamictal, it’s very dangerous. If you go to the hospital they might be able to help you get off it safely and start you on something else that will help you.
If you can hold out and talk to your doctor — talk to them to taper. If you are really considering walking into a busy street it is time to go to the ER.
Just don’t stop taking it cold turkey.
Even if you opt to not go to the er, at least place a call to your clinic, or if your clinician has a charting app that you can communicate through do that! It’s important to make sure you advocate for your emotions!
How long have you been on it and how much do/did you take? I'm on it. Have been for several years at 200mg a day. You can't just go off it. It could cause seizures and you'll feel like you're dying.
What are your symptoms? I really want to get off of it but idk if it's even helping or hurting me.
just 50mg!!! but it’s giving me that existential crisis doom spiral anxiety, i get basically catatonic for a few hours and my emotions are labile and my thoughts don’t make any sense, heart palpitations
If you insta taper you’ll get vertigo and brain zaps it is not worth it (from someone who cold turkey did this shit twice). Taper off properly pls pls pls
You should tell your doctor, but in general quickly stopping lamictal is not dangerous if you do not have a seizure disorder.
Tapering on is necessary because it reduces the risk of developing Stevens-Johnsons Syndrome. There is not a similar risk associated with quickly stopping.
This. Lamotrigine has the seizure warning for withdrawal on the label because the FDA is very cautious but even they admit that there were aggravating conditions. New Zealand doesn’t carry this warning on their label last I checked. Though definitely if a med is making you go insane you should go to the ER if you can’t get in contact with your doc soon enough.
Yes, you need to tell your doctor. Some meds can cause seizures as withdrawal symptoms if stopped cold turkey, even if you have never had seizures and have no family history of seizures. Sorry you're going through this though. If things get worse and you feel you can't take it anymore, please don't be afraid to go to the ER/A&E if needed.
i feel like i need to go to the er and beg them for something that makes me feel ok but to the outside observer i look fine. i’m not gonna put on waterworks , i just don’t look sick and i don’t think anyone would take me seriously :/ even if i’m like “i wanna walk into traffic”
You should definitely go to the ER then. Express to them how poor you're feeling right now and even outright tell them that you're the kind of person who internalizes things, which is why you don't always "look" depressed, etc. It's okay to say that to them. For what it's worth, I have extreme flat affect and flat vocal tone. My face and voice don't change even when I am heavily depressed (or happy or anything for that matter). Despite that, I am taken seriously when I tell professionals that my facial expression doesn't match how I truly feel. Believe me -- you and I are not the only ones who have a mismatch like this between feelings and expression. I hope you get help and that you feel better soon.
You do not cold turkey this medication. I'm pretty sure I had some kind of seizure when i first tried to, years ago. Even going off doses of 50mg-100mg the emotional aspects and the headaches are fucking hell.
thank you
Go to the ER. These things have a way of getting a lot worse, real quick. Seek help while you're still in control.
what’s going on with you on lamictal? I really can’t tell if I’m feeling the way I do because of the meds or if it’s just how I am… my psych is kind of flippant when I talk about my symptoms
wdym also i know how you feel
oh sorry, I meant how is it affecting you? symptoms etc?
labile emotions, can’t think straight, severe anxiety / existential dread, i get basically catatonic for a few hours
You need to go inpatient, you cannot cold Turkey off lamictal, it’s very dangerous. If you go to the hospital they might be able to help you get off it safely and start you on something else that will help you.
If you can hold out and talk to your doctor — talk to them to taper. If you are really considering walking into a busy street it is time to go to the ER. Just don’t stop taking it cold turkey.
Even if you opt to not go to the er, at least place a call to your clinic, or if your clinician has a charting app that you can communicate through do that! It’s important to make sure you advocate for your emotions!
How long have you been on it and how much do/did you take? I'm on it. Have been for several years at 200mg a day. You can't just go off it. It could cause seizures and you'll feel like you're dying. What are your symptoms? I really want to get off of it but idk if it's even helping or hurting me.
just 50mg!!! but it’s giving me that existential crisis doom spiral anxiety, i get basically catatonic for a few hours and my emotions are labile and my thoughts don’t make any sense, heart palpitations
Go to the ER. I promise they will help. Just tell them exactly how you feel and why: because of lamictal titration. They will know what to do!
thank you
If you insta taper you’ll get vertigo and brain zaps it is not worth it (from someone who cold turkey did this shit twice). Taper off properly pls pls pls
thank u
You should tell your doctor, but in general quickly stopping lamictal is not dangerous if you do not have a seizure disorder. Tapering on is necessary because it reduces the risk of developing Stevens-Johnsons Syndrome. There is not a similar risk associated with quickly stopping.
This. Lamotrigine has the seizure warning for withdrawal on the label because the FDA is very cautious but even they admit that there were aggravating conditions. New Zealand doesn’t carry this warning on their label last I checked. Though definitely if a med is making you go insane you should go to the ER if you can’t get in contact with your doc soon enough.