Lamictal-no emotions, no motivation

Hello to you all!

I am experiencing something very annoying and thought to share it with you, maybe someone will find him/herself in my story or help me udnerstand this.

I am experiencing lack of emotions, mostly emotion towards my BF, but also towards everyone else. My Pdoc says it's totally normal to feel this way, (shows that the med is working) if I had too much emotions before, I have none now. (well I only had some last week, I was feeling super happy, I also wrote about that experience on the forum). Even my family said, you are finally YOU after 2 years of agony.

Towards my guy, I have practicly no sexual desire...but I am checking other guys like all the time and hate it! Like I'm cheating on him?

Like I said, that afternoon, when I was really great and everything was just the way I want4ed it to be, I felt love, towards everyone, him, my family, towards my life, I suddenly felt like I haven't felt for ages. And no, wasn't hypomanic...I was simply me

Another thing I am noticing is lack of motivation, ideas and ambitions. And I was always a person that knew exactly what I want and I was moving towards what I wanted as long till I reached my goal.

If someone else is experiencing this on Lamictal, please do share.

Hugs***

Cocinella

Sorry, I may relate, however, you post is quite confusing.

You say at one moment you have no emotions at all and then the other moment you said a week ago you were simply you.

Rule of thumb with "stable meds", "if you are either not to happy about good events and nor to sad with disappointments" that means that meds are actually working.
The other point is.. how long ago have you started, what's your dosage current and future one.. all that counts.

About checking other guys, I feel that same way as well.. suppose it's the way it is, doesn't mean you going to sleep with them all, "just check it out" but don't tell anyone.

Lack of motivation, ideas and ambitions? I can totally relate to it.
It's a matter now for you to self-discipline you, everything paces at a very "low-pace".. you wake up and just feel "like everyone else", smashed frustrating faces commuting to work, not to smiley nor contagiously happy and energetic, lunch time, break, exercise, bed time... and everything else in between. it takes a bit of time, but you'll get there..

The only difference I can tell about "lack of motivations, ideas and ambitions" is that I don't necessarily lack them so much, but they far more analytic, rational and objective ideas and ambitions than the "pure emotionally" plans and decisions that I used to do it, everyday, constant going for years.

Lack of motivation? You are allowed to sleep-in nowadays.. "feel like, you should and you deserve it sometimes". (Also, I did stop doing lots of things, such as socializing any day in a week, partying a lot less, drinking less etc. etc..)

Hello and thanks for you reply.

I've been on Lamictal for more than 2 months, on the dosage 100mg for about 6 weeks, now on 125mg for 5 days.

Yes, I was myself the very same day I had my pdoc appointment. But that day went away and I am back to not feeling anything.

I don't agree with you that that's normal. Cus I never was like that. True, feeling too much is horrible, but not feel anything is not good as well. I was always happy and motivated and loved every aspect of my life. I was happy even with drinking coffee with my family after lunch. I don't think it's normal not to feel joy as you once did.

I think I should feel like I did "that afternoon" all the time, when I really felt myself. True, my life is better than it was before taking Lamictal but it's not normal yet. All this lack of motivation, being the same as everyone else just isn't me and meds shouldn't make that.

They should make you like you were before, only without that swinging sh** that is really annoying.

But I am glad you shared your story with me cus it really helps knowing your not alone. I thank you for that very much and I do hope your feeling great already big hug

Cocinella,

Thanks for the post. I've been contemplating switching to lamictal for close to the same symptoms in lithium except fatigue as well. But I've have been having that loss of feeling for my bf too. I wondered if I just feel normally about him now(like not obcessive over-love). Now we get along better actually, but that's mostly because I just don't care much. It's a weird side effect, do you feel a lack of interest in everything? I do. I also feel no motivation at all. I can't really offer much help except to say I totally get where you're coming from. I hope you get it worked out. Post updates

Jen thank you so much for your reply
Yeah my situation is the same, I heard lithium can do that to you, but not Lamictal. But when I mentioned it to my pdoc, she said it's totally normal. I just hope it'll pass.

I am experiencing more hypomanic symptioms as well. Like wanting other guys, checking them out, of course I am not cheating my BF but it's really hard when you have no desire towards someone who was and still is your rock during your illness.

I do think I'll have to add Abilify to my lamictal, since Lamictal alone don't think is doing the trick. Appart from that one afternoon I am simply not me, so I do hope things will change for the better for me.

I have pdoc appointment in 3 weeks and I'll tell her all about it. Hopefully I'll get myself back. Cus I simply don't believe someone can loose him/herself when he/she gets mental illness. You just need meds to get you back where you were before this "illness" started hapenning.

Thanks for your support and stay well Jen

One thing I disliked about Lamictal was that I felt like I was emotionally deadened. It may have killed my demons, but it killed my angels as well. I could never get a lift in emotion, or really care about anything at all. I was just blah all the time. And I too was at the place where I stopped having emotions about my partner. For me, it wasn't okay and deepened my depression to a place where I was fearful for my survival, so I quit taking it.

That said, it is worth giving the med some time to see if you even out, and play with dosages. Also, when I was manic, it did help me function at work at a dose of 850mg/day. It was when my mania was low and at the lower doses between 150mg and 300mg where I didn't do well.

iatansaldanha wrote:Rule of thumb with "stable meds", "if you are either not to happy about good events and nor to sad with disappointments" that means that meds are actually working.

I disagree highly with this statement. Medications are not meant to make you devoid of all emotions. That is called anhedonia. It is a side effect of medications. My understanding is that medications are meant to take the two extremes and even out those mood swings to a more manageable level.

If your doctor is not listening to you when you tell them that you are feeling this way, I would switch doctors, but that's just my personal opinion. I feel very strongly in the partnership that each psychiatry visit is supposed to be.

Thank you all for your informations.

Yea, I agree, nobody should loose all the feelings. I mean I just feel numb and with no motivation. It's not depression, kinnda melancholia. Luckily I have pdoc appointment in less than two weeks and I'll tell her that. Well I read that Abilify helps Lamictal. Cus Lamictal calms you down...maybe too much to the point you don't feel the world and feelings. Yeah maybe ahedonia...from time to time emotions and everything comes back to me...lasts for a little time than goes away. YOu know that feeling of feeling totally normal? Well that's what I'm talkign about

I am still on 125mg of Malictal and my mood swings are really better, I hardly ever have them, but I'm still not ok. Today I had to take my 1st benzo cus I got anxiety at work...probably cus my period is coming and I usually get worse before "those days in the month". Anyways I really hope that I'm right when I read that Abilify helps Lamictal and gives you back energy, "normal emotions" cus Lamictal calms you down too much.

I just hope...

Thanks guys!