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What Causes Severe Depression While On Effexor And Lamictal?
Posted on
Tue, 21 Mar 2017
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 21 Mar 2017
Answered on
Wed, 12 Apr 2017
Last reviewed on
Question : HI Dr. XXXXXXX
You recently answered a question about trileptal but it wasn't clear to me. To recap the I had taken two doses of trileptal and was somewhat sedated but my mood was fine until I took my effexor and lamictal in the morning, at which point I became extremely depressed. I don't want to continue because I missed a day of work. Can you tell me why this happened? Specifically what the specific interraction was?
I have had similar reactions adding depakote to prozac, although I don't think I was it was because I was manic.
thanks
You recently answered a question about trileptal but it wasn't clear to me. To recap the I had taken two doses of trileptal and was somewhat sedated but my mood was fine until I took my effexor and lamictal in the morning, at which point I became extremely depressed. I don't want to continue because I missed a day of work. Can you tell me why this happened? Specifically what the specific interraction was?
I have had similar reactions adding depakote to prozac, although I don't think I was it was because I was manic.
thanks
Brief Answer:
Please read below
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX Faucher,
Thanks for positing again to Healthcaremagic.
Yes I remember what I answered four days back about the drug interactions resulting from start of trileptal.
First off all I was of the opinion that you should not abandon trileptal at this stage as it will be premature to decide against or in favour of trileptal. I am recommending this because stabilisation of dose and effect of medicine takes almost two weeks and despite the initial bad experience you may develop positive effects in coming days.
Regarding the experience I like to tall you that trileptal acts on the sodium channels, effexor acts on the serotonin and norepinephrine receptors while the lamotrigine acts on multiple receptors. I mean to say that every drug have different action profile and it is possible that some activation of interneurons (albeit indirectly) could have resulted in the despair and depression feeling.
The other possible explanation is depletion of norepinephrine from synapses after the start of trileptal. The depletion may resulted in feeling of depression which was not lifted even with ritalin because there was no neurotransmitter to get released from nerve terminal.
What I explained above is simplest possible explanation and it is possible that drug interaction was more complex than what we can understand.
I hope this answers you.
Thanks and regards.
Please read below
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX Faucher,
Thanks for positing again to Healthcaremagic.
Yes I remember what I answered four days back about the drug interactions resulting from start of trileptal.
First off all I was of the opinion that you should not abandon trileptal at this stage as it will be premature to decide against or in favour of trileptal. I am recommending this because stabilisation of dose and effect of medicine takes almost two weeks and despite the initial bad experience you may develop positive effects in coming days.
Regarding the experience I like to tall you that trileptal acts on the sodium channels, effexor acts on the serotonin and norepinephrine receptors while the lamotrigine acts on multiple receptors. I mean to say that every drug have different action profile and it is possible that some activation of interneurons (albeit indirectly) could have resulted in the despair and depression feeling.
The other possible explanation is depletion of norepinephrine from synapses after the start of trileptal. The depletion may resulted in feeling of depression which was not lifted even with ritalin because there was no neurotransmitter to get released from nerve terminal.
What I explained above is simplest possible explanation and it is possible that drug interaction was more complex than what we can understand.
I hope this answers you.
Thanks and regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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