Is Lamictal an Effective Mood Stabilizer?

For many years of my life, I suffered through periods of extreme depression, alternated with periods of extreme productivity. I just accepted these mood swings as a normal part of life, but then I saw a psychiatrist that told me that these mood episodes were likely the result of a psychological disorder that could be regulated with medication. I had only ever tried taking traditional anti-depressants, like Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro in the past, and my doctor informed me that this could acutally be making the symptoms of my mood disorder worse.

The doctor and I came to a mutual decision that it would be a good idea for me to try a mood-stabilizing medication instead of just an anti-depressant. I was hesitant, since it seemed like there were more potential side effects with mood stabilizers than with SSRI medication, however my doctor seemed to think it would help so I decided I would try it.

The mood stabilizer that she put me on was Lamictal, which is an anti-seizure medication which is also approved by the Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of bipolar disorder. While it is unknown exactly how Lamictal works, it is thought to regulate chemicals in the brain responsible for mood and impulsivity. I started taking Lamictal at a very low dose, which is required due to the risk of an extremely rare skin rash, and as the lowest doses, I didn't notice very much of a difference in my mood at all.

Slowly, my psychiatrist began to increase the amount of Lamictal I was prescribed, until I reached the recommended therapeutic dose of 200mg per day. After a few weeks of being on this dose, I began to notice a big difference. My mood swings started to become much less frequent, and I was feeling more "grounded" and emotionally stable in general. When I did get depressed, it became much less severe--and when I was feeling better, I was still much less impulsive and got much less agitated than I normally would.

A year later, Lamictal has me feeling like my old self again. In medical studies, Lamictal actually has outperformed lithium as a mood stabilizer, which was considered the "gold standard" by medical doctors for years. I found that Lamictal definitely brought my moods to a much more normal and stable level, and I have heard others recount similar experiences. Only your doctor can tell you if prescription Lamictal is right for you, but if you have been experiencing severe mood swings, it could be an important conversation worth having!