I am really struggling today… ick!

I’m really struggling today. I swear I would do anything just to get rid of these constant mood swings. I have friends with bipolar disorder who have a lot of normal days- by normal I mean that they aren’t in some kind of mood swing. I rarely have a normal day. Today seems to [...]

Reader comment: Medication side effects: Lamictal

Hi Julie,

I was taking generic Lamictal for 4 weeks during December, but around Christmas the side effects-headache, anxiety-became too much on 50mg.  I know you’re not a doctor, but in your experience do these subside over time. I’m a street musician in Portland and just getting turned on to your bi-polar crusade.  Your work looks [...]

Bipolar Disorder and Sleep- Reader Comment, Levomepromazine,Neurocil and Nozinan

I’ve written a lot about Lamictal and Generic Lamictal (Lamotrigine) the past few months. This is the drug I take as do many other people with bipolar disorder. One reader commented that she couldn’t sleep when she was on Lamictal. That was a side effect I had not heard. Other people have had the same problem- here is a [...]

Reader Question on Lamictal (Lamotrigine)

Hi Julie,
I just read all the blogs and comments on Lamictal (and the generic) and they really answered a lot of questions for me. First off, and I know you’re not supposed to do this, but my daughter had some left over when she tried it so I used those up before I refilled my [...]

Bipolar Disorder Medications: Lamictal (or should I say- generic Lamotrigine!)

Well, I have been traveling for a week- first to Texas and now in Florida. It has been great, but I have had a lot of sleep and medication problems.

I am really uncomfortable as I write this- I have what I call the Lamictal twitches and I feel like I’m going to crawl [...]

Bipolar Disorder Medications: What is Zyprexa? (Olanzapine)

 Zyprexa, also known as Olanzapine is an anti psychotic drug (also known as a neuroleptic) used to treat psychosis and psychotic mania.

It’s called an atypical antipsychotic as it is a new class of drugs with less side effects that the old anti-psychotics such as Thorazine and Haldol. Zyprexa is known for weight gain- an average [...]

GlaxoSmithKline prescription assistance programs…

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the great comments on the Lamictal posting below. Here is some information on Glaxo’s program. They make Lamictal- it’s now available in generic, but if you qualify, this may be cheaper. For those of you new to Lamictal- it’s an anti convulsant used to treat bipolar depression.  It has helped so many people, but it’s expensive. [...]