Lamictal And Smoking Majiuana (Page 2)
UpdatedI wanted to see if anyone can tell me the known side effects with smoking majiuana and taking lamictal, if any. I have been trying to get info on this for about 2 months and can not seem to get anything back on it. Of course my doctor and counselor says tht it is not good to do ANY drugs...but I have to be honest, I smoke and dont plan on stopping...so I would like to know what to expect when these two are combined. Thank you and I would love to hear a responce about this. By the way, I do not smoke alone so I need to know what to expect so I can educate my husband. Thank you again, Leilani
Well said.
Ive been on LAMICTAL. on a few months and i smoke weed. it helps me with my manic episodes and helps me to sleep. i find its the only way to help me relax and stop my racing thoughts. also it has stopped my anxiety,
As far as I have noticed spending the last few years switching from anti-depressant to anti-depressant and smoking I have not had any bad interactions, I was recently prescribed Lamictal as a last stitch effort because it is not supposed to be used for depression but my psychiatrist decided that we should try it, I have not noticed any effects from smoking on it, but I do notice that as a drug it has all sorts of side effects whether I smoke or not, it is very unpredicatble, and I am pretty sure that it has nothing to do with smoking, my psychiatrist and counselor both know about my marijuana usage and know I don't plan to stop and all they have to say is just to watch myself and if anything happens of concern to let them know. I don't know if this is helpful but it is my experience.
You are correct in saying that Lamictal is prescribed for Bipolar usually, also for seizures, and although it has not been approved as an anti-depressant, it is sometimes prescribed as one, I know, cause I am on it, and I am not bipolar or have seizures, it was prescribed to me as an antidepressant because none of the normal ones worked for me.
If I had a seizure while I was smoking pot, I'd probably never smoke pot again, lamictal or not. But then, I stopped eating avocados after getting the stomach flu after eating a lot of avocado in Santa Cruz one day. You can be irrational, it's your right, but just as the avocado didn't cause the stomach flu, marijuana did not cause a seizure.
I smoke marijuana daily and take my lamictal as prescribed and we get along famously.
Hi there, I know you posted this a long time ago, but for people who might run across the thread, thought I'd put my two-cents in.
I have a wonderful pdoc (the one who prescribed lamictal) who is completely honest with me. I told her I smoke weed and do mdma. She said I should not touch ecstasy (but I've never had any problems whatsoever, just fyi) but smoke as much weed as you wish and trip shrooms if you'd like. They do not interact. I think it is because shrooms and weed are dopamine related drugs while many others (such as mdma, cocaine, meth, etc.) effect your serotonin.
I have been on lamictal since I was 14. I am now 20, 3.6 gpa college student, do extreme outdoor sports, and have toked basically every day for over a year. Life is good.
Ok, so I googled Lamictal and Marijuana on the off chance that some scientist would have a study and low and behold, I found an even better connection with actual Lamictal/weed users! Fawesome!!
Anyways. I was diagnosed with epilepsy exactly three weeks ago. At first I had refused the medication because I'm a firm believer in natural remedies, not to mention a firm hater of side effects. My third seizure cleared that up rather quickly, so I have began my pharmaceutical saga. I have smoked, daily, for at least 6 full years now and I've never been healthier. So of course, my first question to my neurologist was, could I still smoke? He advised me to stop. I haven't listened yet. I've not had any faulty interactions, but I also am still on the lowest dose of the meds. I have no clue what will transpire once I upgrade to the final dose of (I think) 250mg. If it proves to be irreconcilable differences between the two, I have no problem returning to the lower dose, which has proved effective in halting my seizures. I will keep the site updated, as I'm stoked as hell to have found an epileptic community of smokers!
Laters, and happy 420!!
Am starting on Lamictal tomorrow after my 4th seizure med failed. I started smoking weed a month ago (licensed) to help me deal with the seizure med side effects. I didn't notice any reaction to MJ on the last two seizure meds ( & Trileptal). I'm nervous about taking Lamictal, with or without MJ use! I wont use MJ until I feel confident the Lamictal isn't going to kill me...I mean harm me. :/. You said you never smoke alone and that sounds smart.
This is just my personal experience, but everyone has a different reaction: I've been an everyday smoker for over 12 years and I was just put on Lamictal a little over a month ago for anxiety. I don't know if it was just in my head, sometimes when I smoked, it would send me into panic and I would have an episode. Not every time I smoked, but it seems the higher the dose of Lamictal the worse smoking made me panic. I went to another doctor to ask about it, and she said that smoking on Lamictal can cause seizures. I think that freaked me out a lot too. It's hard mentally and socially to quit smoking,but I want my sanity. Also, I've heard people saying they hallucinate and feel all tripped out when they smoke on Lamictal, but that's not what I want out of the herb at ALL. good luck, friend.
Do you think doctors just say not to smoke on AEDs regardless of the type of AED or does Lamictal's mechanism of action have a specific interaction with weed? I wish my neuro could put aside her personal prejudice and give me a scientific explanation of the chemical interaction with weed.
By the way, to an earlier comment about natural medicine...you can't get much more natural / organic than weed. I am terrified of the dangerous side effects of AEDs. Science has disproven the myths and horror stories of the moderate use of weed. If weed could control my seizures, I'd be absolutely thrilled and would never in a million years consider taking an AED.
I used to believe all the negative propaganda about pot, but I am educable, so as new research began to dispell the myths, I had to change my opinion. Hoping the best for everyone with epilepsy :)
First of all marijuana is not a drug. Its a medicine. Don't listen to these assanine jerks. Its perfectly fine to smoke marijuana for the right reasons.
Ummm...Clarabell.....first of all marijuana is not a drug. Its a medicine. Obviously you have never smoked it for medicinal purposes or maybe never. Its perfectly fine to smoke marijuana for the right reasons. Your ignorance is not going to get you far in life. Before you open your word hole maybe study up on the topic. Just saying.
So I'm a jerk because I had a panic attack and shared my personal experience? Get off your high horse and realize people react differently. I miss my mj more than you know, but it's out of my control, and I wish I could handle it like you. Watch your mouth, Dr? Didn't think so.
Actually I, and many others, are prescribed lamictal and are NOT diagnosed as bi-polar. I also am not prescribed it for seizures. I have asked my primary physician, my psychiatrist, as well as my therapist several timrs if I am disgnosed with bi-polar and all of them have responded everytime with a firm NO. None of them believe me to be bi-polar. Lamictal IS a mood stabilizer and is often prescribed as an augmenter or add on drug for those who are not fully responding to SSRIs or other anti-depressents and/or anti-anxiety drugs. YOU are the one who needs to look it up because your comment is clearly wrong. It really bothers me when people jump to the conclusion that if I'm on lamictal I must be bi-polar, because they are not doctors and i am not bi-polar.
Lamictal is actually an anti-seizure med and cannabis also has been known to prevent seizures. So unless you are abruptly stopping your lamictal without tapering, this BS about both together can cause seizures is very much unlikely true. I've never heard of it happening to anyone. Cannabis is a natural plant. Much like all the herbal supplements you can buy at your local drug stores,etc. Most of those un-FDA evaluated & approved supplements can actually be much more dangerous. Exspecially when self prescribed and taken with pres prescription drugs. The whole "Marijauna is a horrible drug" thing is just another lie/scam to make the pharmeceutical companies, the alcohol industry and the government millions, if not billions of dollars. They would much rather you take their extremly overpriced meds than smoke weed. God forbid it might cut into their profits! Its all a scare tactic and absolutely NOT the truth!!! Smoke & be Happy!!
P.S. the chance of u being given or sold laced pot is slim to nothing. Cannabis is PERFECT & BEAUTIFUL naturally!! No drug dealer who is trying to make money is going to cut into his profits by spending money on extra "stuff" to add to or put on Bud. The idea is slightly ridiculous to me. Been smoking since for over 24 years, pretty much on a daily basis and I've never once encountered laced weed. Just some REALLY good BUD. different strains better than others. Doesnt mean its laced. Also I take Lamictal 150mg a day & 20mg of Lexapro.... plus all the Nugs I can get my hands on ;) No problems here. Don't be scared of the green! If anything be scared of all those prescription bottles filled with all those little "Happy" pills!!
I was told that if you smoke weed and take this medication, it will cause you to be compleatly f***ed up. im just 16 so i was thinking they are lieing, are they just so they hope i stop? or will it really?
Agreed!!!!!
Yes and No - as many people have noted, marijuana doesn't "interact" with prescription medicines and it is not a "dangerous" combination. But from personal experience - if your doctor is prescribing lamictal for bipolar they are trying to control your overall mood, reduce mania and/or depressive symptoms. Marijuana also affects your mood. So it can be hard to tell if a drug is working if you're high all the time! If you're high only occasionally, the mood change it causes could make you kind of manic - but it all depends on how weed affects you.
I take lamictal for manic depressive and I smoke for the same reason. In my experience, it almost makes the high... Better. It seems to take a lot more to get me high, but the high seems a ton better. More quality. Lasts longer. Etc.
im on lamictal and marijuana has never affected me ive been this way since i was 6 so weed causing it is idiotic but not weed has no affect on your lamictal
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