Mood Stabilizers- Lamictal?

[Guest BERNESES]

I don't know why I'm scared. I've been on them before- Neurontin- and it was fine to augment my antidepressants. But, I'm bummed. I thought going gluten-free would help my depression and mood swings and it has to some extent, BUT when I get glutened I have horrible mood swings and it's scary. I get so bummed out. I haven't felt like myself since my Celiac symptoms started to come on full-force over a year ago and it's gotten better, but the mood swings scare the hell out of me.

Is anyone else on them? If you don't mind telling what you take and how you like it, I'd be grateful. If you don't want to post it here, please email me through the board. Thanks, B

[nettiebeads]

I don't know why I'm scared. I've been on them before- Neurontin- and it was fine to augment my antidepressants. But, I'm bummed. I thought going gluten-free would help my depression and mood swings and it has to some extent, BUT when I get glutened I have horrible mood swings and it's scary. I get so bummed out. I haven't felt like myself since my Celiac symptoms started to come on full-force over a year ago and it's gotten better, but the mood swings scare the hell out of me.

Is anyone else on them? If you don't mind telling what you take and how you like it, I'd be grateful. If you don't want to post it here, please email me through the board. Thanks, B

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me, I'm zoloft 50 mg a day. I had celiac disease before I developed dysthymia. My first depressive episode was when I was nine. I don't think my celiac disease caused my depression, I'd been treated for it a few times before I developed celiac disease, but I'm sure in looking back that my celiac disease sure aggravated my depression. Of course, living with an emotionally abusive husband didn't help. He's gone, but the dysthymia stayed.

Of the two, I'll stick with the dysthymia. But then, like you, no matter what meds I'm on, when I've been glutened, the depression is back in full force. But I just tough it out in my work room away from my (current and last) hubby until it passes. Or curl up with a book and ignore everything/everybody. Hope this helps! Want to know something funny? I'm more willing to talk about my depression than I am about celiac! Go figure.

[Guest BERNESES]

Thanks nettiebeads- I guess i'm just really questioning adding another medication because when I get glutened, I don't think it's going to matter if I'm on a million drugs. maybe I'll just tell my doctor I want to hold off as I only have the mood swings when I'm sick. Like yesterday. The problem is, they scare me, but if i remind myself they'll pass when the glouten gets out of my system, it helps. Thanks!

[amydstar]

I don't know why I'm scared. I've been on them before- Neurontin- and it was fine to augment my antidepressants. But, I'm bummed. I thought going gluten-free would help my depression and mood swings and it has to some extent, BUT when I get glutened I have horrible mood swings and it's scary. I get so bummed out. I haven't felt like myself since my Celiac symptoms started to come on full-force over a year ago and it's gotten better, but the mood swings scare the hell out of me.

Is anyone else on them? If you don't mind telling what you take and how you like it, I'd be grateful. If you don't want to post it here, please email me through the board. Thanks, B

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didnt know this could cause depression! I have been on lexapro for two years and it works pretty good. I seem to be very sensitive to different medications so I asked the doctor to put me on something with very few side effects. Lexapro is generally a good one for woman, even a little better than zoluft which I have also tried. I tried the lamasil that is some pretty hard core stuff, I got worse from it not better, but if there is one thing I know different medications work for different people.Try lexapro though its pretty good stuff.

[amydstar]

I don't know why I'm scared. I've been on them before- Neurontin- and it was fine to augment my antidepressants. But, I'm bummed. I thought going gluten-free would help my depression and mood swings and it has to some extent, BUT when I get glutened I have horrible mood swings and it's scary. I get so bummed out. I haven't felt like myself since my Celiac symptoms started to come on full-force over a year ago and it's gotten better, but the mood swings scare the hell out of me.

Is anyone else on them? If you don't mind telling what you take and how you like it, I'd be grateful. If you don't want to post it here, please email me through the board. Thanks, B

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I didnt know this could cause depression! I have been on lexapro for two years and it works pretty good. I seem to be very sensitive to different medications so I asked the doctor to put me on something with very few side effects. Lexapro is generally a good one for woman, even a little better than zoluft which I have also tried. I tried the lamasil that is some pretty hard core stuff, I got worse from it not better, but if there is one thing I know different medications work for different people.Try lexapro though its pretty good stuff.

[Guest BERNESES]

Hi Amydstar- Yes- there is definitely a correlation between celiac's and depression- a big one actually. The Celexa works fine for me but when I get glutened I get really depressed. What I have been doing is taking a little bit extra when I get glutened and that seems to do the ttrick. I think I'm going to tell him no on the lamictal because frankly, I don't think it's going to make a difference when I get glutened.

I tried Lexapro and it didn't work well for me (but it works great for my sister) so I think I'll just stay with the celexa and concentrate on NOT getting glutened. Thanks for your input, B

[brookridge]

I don't want to scare you any further but is Lamictal the one that has a rare chance of giving its paitents a horrilbe rash? I stayed away from that one when it was offered to me. Give Zonegram a try...no side effects whatsoever. Quite expensive but a wonderful drug. Good luck!

[NYCisTHEplaceTObe]

i actually am on Lamictal for a seizure disorder and it is a very safe medication. the chances of actually developing that rash are extremely unlikely. it is very rare, i would definetly not be worried about that. i also have absolutely no side effects from it and i can be pretty sensitive with medication. one of my friends was actually on it as a mood stabilizer and it worked well for her with no problems. i'm sorry you are going through this!

[Guest BERNESES]

Lamictal is the one that can give you a rash but only if you are allergic to it and go up too high too fast with the dosage. It's pretty rare as NYC pointed out. But the thing is, I don't have these horrible mood swing every day- only when I get gluten in my system so I'm a little leery of adding another medication if it's just when I get glutened. I don't know what to do.....

[skbird]

I'm wondering if this is in my future. I have been revisiting the idea that I might be bipolar and in evaluating my life, I have designed my habits, etc, so that I cause the least impact on myself and least stress. I don't tend to have mood swings, what makes my doc suspect this again is the fact that so many meds cause me to feel manic.

For example, I recently tried birth control hormones again and got manic right away. I didn't know that estrogen, which can act as an antidepressant for those depressed, can cause manic episodes in people who are bipolar, and even some who aren't. Also, antidepressants always make me manic.

I get the impression my doc wants to start me on a med in a couple of weeks to stop the pain/gut problems I have which, as they seem to not have strong physical causes, might be perpetuated by mixed signals and my anxiety over them getting worse. I don't know if he's thinking of a mood stabilizer or not - I don't think that's exactly what I need, but for now he has given me some ativan which I used to take. Weirdly, the ativan is making me more aware of my racing thoughts, which I have as it wears off between doses.

Let me know how lamictal works for you, if you decide to take it. Some of the stuff you write about sounds like things that happen to me, so I think we have similar reactions to some things and I would like to stay in touch.

Stephanie