Lamictal And Smoking Majiuana (Page 2) (Top voted first)

I 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

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I am one of those "Prozac junky kids". Started Prozac when I was 17, and let me tell you something, it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Have you ever had intrusive thoughts? Have you ever constantly obsessed over the smallest thought because it plays over and over in your head until it makes you feel absolutely crazy? Have you ever been unable to eat much of anything, not because you're sick, but because every time you try to eat something, even the simplest of things and thrown it all back up because you're so anxious and depressed? I began experiencing all of this during my junior year of high school. I couldn't keep focused, nearly everything frightened me, I began failing classes (thank god I was able to get my grades back up) I felt hopeless and stuck in a deep, dark, and scary place. I honestly thought I would be in this state for the rest of my life. And yes, before you say "well therapy is much better than drugs", I did go to a counselor and sought help through therapy. But what's funny? Without my Prozac and lamictal, I don't think I would be where I am today. Neither of these drugs have completely made me overly happy or have altered my state of mind. Neither of these drugs have altered my body and caused me to be a junkie. I am able to stop both meds without craving more. Marijuana on the other hand? Much different story. I quit taking my meds once because I felt better. I started smoking occasionally which eventually turned into an everyday NEED. Without marijuana, I would go crazy. Not because it made me happy etc. but because it was all I could ever think about. It was as if I was hooked on it. I began my medicine again, and after about a month of being on both meds, I smoked. After 2 hits of a small joint I began having awful depression and paranoia. It triggered tinnitus as well. I began hearing noises that sounded like crickets. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I was crawling out of my skin because I was so anxious. I cried for days because I felt myself becoming so wrapped up in the paranoia. Taking 2 hits of a small joint caused this. I'm not bashing marijuana or people who smoke it. My boyfriend smokes almost everyday. Some of my closest friends and family also smoke. If it helps you then great! More power to you! Also, marijuana can cause adverse reactions. Marijuana can cause you to become more anxious/depressed over a long period of time. Depending on how long you have smoked, how often, and other factors. (Underlying mental disorders, chemical imbalances, etc.) just to name a few. I am a medical student. I have studied several topics related to marijuana and how it effects the brain. Marijuana doesn't cause a physical dependence, but it can create a psychological dependence. Marijuana isn't a cure all, just like pharmaceutical drugs aren't a cure all. Please don't speak down upon people who take the step of fixing themselves- even if that includes pharmaceutical drugs such as Prozac. If smoking is what helps you, I hope you continue to get that relief from it. For a long time I was able to smoke and got much pleasure from it. However, it has since caused adverse reactions which is why I quit. Just because someone takes Prozac doesn't mean they are junkies and just because someone smokes marijuana, it doesn't make them a pothead. Think before you speak or type.

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i have a few friends and studied up on this and most common reactions have been blackouts manic bipolar episodes and completely counteractin the work of lamictal

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I stopped smoking mj as a late teen and just started again about 3 months ago as a Colorado mmj patient. The first thing that struck me is how weak all the mj is around here. Well, since then, my lamictal (generic), Abilify, and gabapentin, all for hypomania, have increased and now even killer whead can fail to medicate me due to intermittent times when I have to increase one of the pill dosages. All this to say, some psych drugs interact with mj readily, probably due to uptake receptor issues. Also, there are many mixes of hypomania, (read "Why Am I Still Depressed?" by Jim Phelps,) so not all meds, including Lamotrogine, affect all patients the same way, and the particular MIX of your other meds may affect your mj.

All said, I do not think lamictal is affecting MY mj smoking, and suspect instead it is my gabapentin/Abilify combo, since dosage increases in the other two seem to correlate with my decreased receptivity to mj.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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I know this is a super old post but...

I've been on lamictal for a little over a month for anxiety to help stabilize my mood. I've been smoking for about a year but never while on any other medications. I smoked less than half of what I normally do and really started to trip so I got up to go lay down and I collapsed. Everything was black and I was seeing purple flashes and my body was shaking. I passed out for a minute after that and then came back I guess. I've never had a seizure so I'm still trying to figure out what happened to me. Thanks

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Smoking stops the weird dreams for me.

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I aprreicate your honesty. I have needed an opinion other then my therapist saying it is not good. Again, Thank you, Leilani

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It has no effect on pepole wo take it and smoke maryjay, my friend is on it and he smokes more than i do and his doctors say what your theripest said but he has been on it for 4 years and has never had a problem.

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Well said.

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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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.

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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.

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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 :)

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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.

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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.

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