DOSE:

25 mg

oral

Pharms - Lamotrigine

(pill / tablet)

BODY WEIGHT:

245 lb

Context: In June of 2012, I suffered a head injury at work. A concussion has left me in a somewhat damaged state, as it frequently does, and I have concentration, anger, and mania issues, as well as memory loss, word-recall impairment, motor function impairment, and general malaise. So my neurologist prescribed me Lamitrogine to regulate my mood and to help my concentration. Initially, I refused, as I do not normally take rx medication. But he pressed me to take it recently, and today I had the prescription filled, and I am reporting what I have experienced.

Setting: I was in my home. I had a mostly empty stomach. I did drink coffee, about 16 ounces at a typical strength (Chock Full o' Nuts, Original Blend, perhaps 2 tbsp per 6 ounces – brewed in an automatic Mr. Coffee). I have an extremely low tolerance for anything psychoactive, so I am always very cautious taking any chemical. I took one 25 mg tablet of lamitrogine, and sat idly, waiting for an effect, being wary of what it might do to me.

Body type: I weigh 240-245 pounds, but I am not overweight, I'm just very large. My BMI indicates I am only slightly overweight, and no-where near obese. I am Native American, and have the usual low tolerance for mind-altering substances for Native Americans. I suffer from chronic clinical Major Depression, and some people wonder if I have mild manic-depression. I have experienced mild symptoms of schizophrenia, and also have the aforementioned concentration issues, which manifest as symptoms similar to those associated with ADD. I am poor, so I have not received any medical analysis of my many mild dysfunctions.

Events: I took the medication at 1500, and within 30 minutes began to feel a physiological difference. My energy skyrocketed, and I became hyper-focused, as in a manic phase.

1500 – I took 25 mg of lamotrigine.

1530 – Physiological differences manifest: energy skyrocketing, hyper-focus on minutiae, mild mania.

1600 – Symptoms described previously exacerbated, marginally; symptoms crescendo gradually.

1600-1830 – Extreme aggression manifests, otherwise experienced hyper-mania, hyper-focus, high energy. No filter on what I say, am willing to say incredibly obtuse, offensive, aggressive, thoughtless, angry, hostile, disturbing, black things. I am incapable of not bursting out aggressively, passionate, etc. I am remarkably efficient and goal-oriented. Cleaned an absolutely devastated kitchen that serves 7 people in about 30 minutes, which is remarkable. I am hyper-rational while simultaneously emotionally spiraling out of control. Constitutionally incapable of staying calm, still, settled, patient, kind, gentle; everything must be loud, hateful, spontaneous, etc.

1900 – Reup (in hindsight, I may've I reupped too early)

1900-2000 – Extremely disgruntled, incapable of calming myself. Friend from church redirected me to writing, wrote 3 pages in my novel, grew restless, and started freaking out, stormed the kitchen and was very fitful, had tremors in my hands, involuntary grunts and ticks, hyper-intellectual, abrasive to my wife and step-daughter, decided to separate myself from humans, trying to meditate and self medicate with exercise and writing. The computer screen seems to calm me. I am by no means calm, but I am contained.

(1945) – Took 500 mg niacin, 4000 mg ascorbic acid, 500 mg vitamin e, 500 mg cod liver oil. Ate 1 bowl of mixed bean/ham soup with many spices, ate 1 plate of ham and potatoes, drank 16 ounces of same brew of coffee. Drank 24 ounces of water.

2035– Took pulse, 96 bpm. Hyper-manic. Need help, considering triggering my celiac's to send myself to bed, can't stand being so aggressive, riled up, manic. Emotional outbursts are subsiding somewhat.

2040 – Look online, no conclusive information, consult WebMD, no conclusive information. Seems like there's very little information anywhere on this stuff. Writing report to self-medicate, intellectual activity calms me. Hands involuntarily clench, unclench, twitch, etc.

2152 – Took pulse, 106 bpm. Mind is distracted enough to seem normal, presumably because of writing. Sitting still makes me absolutely insane.

2210 – Food + Ascorbic acid + niacin + water seems to have stabilized me somewhat.

Because this reaction is not typical, I am discontinuing use of lamitrogine.

Exp Year: 2012	ExpID: 98583
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 22
Published: Dec 13, 2012	Views: 27,889
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Pharms - Lamotrigine  (432) : Alone (16), Therapeutic Intent or Outcome (49), Depression (15), Medical Use (47), Difficult Experiences (5), General (1)