Can you use Lamictal and Prozac for bipolar disorder? (3 reasons why) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can you use Lamictal and Prozac for bipolar disorder?”. Lamictal is a mood stabiliser and Prozac is an antidepressant. Both of these meds are approved for the management and treatment of Bipolar disorder. 

In fact, the combination of Lamictal and Prozac can be used for the better management and treatment of this mental health illness. However, these meds may cause some side effects. Let’s discuss these two in detail. 

Can you use Lamictal and Prozac for bipolar disorder?

Yes, Lamictal and Prozac can be used for bipolar disorder, but only if prescribed by your healthcare provider. Both Lamictal and Prozac are approved for the treatment and management of bipolar disorder but in terms of monotherapy. 

As far as the combination therapy is concerned, your doctor may adjust the standard doses of both of the drugs and prescribe them together. However, it is not recommended to take these meds without your doctor’s approval. 

You need to understand the fact that actual prescriptions are based on a number of factors and you can’t just figure out a perfect treatment regimen for yourself based on the information you may find on the internet. 

Both Lamictal and Prozac are associated with a number of side effects as well and people may respond to the drug differently. Lamictal is a mood stabiliser.

It works by inhibiting the sodium ion channels in your brain, which play an important role in the release of two major excitatory neurotransmitters in your brain; glutamate and aspartate. Excessive levels of these chemicals can worsen the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. 

Lamictal controls and blocks the release of these chemicals and helps you recover from disturbing symptoms. Prozac, on the other hand, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. 

It works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by blocking serotonin transporters (SERT). This way more serotonin becomes available to bind to its respective receptors. 

Serotonin is an excitatory neurotransmitter responsible for modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and various other psychological processes. 

This is how it works to counteract the symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and several other mental health conditions. As both of these medicines work on your brain and brain-related problems, the doses at which you take them play a huge role.

Lower doses, especially when a combination is used, are your best bet, and many people respond well to well-adjusted doses. 

Why is the combination of Lamictal and Prozac considered a good one for the treatment of bipolar disorder? 

The combination of Lamictal and Prozac is considered a good one for the treatment of bipolar disorder because of the following reasons:

• Prozac is the only antidepressant approved by Bipolar disorder 
• Lamictal works well to stabilise your behaviour 
• The two can be tolerated well together 

Prozac is the only antidepressant approved by Bipolar disorder 

Prozac is the only antidepressant which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management and treatment of bipolar disorder because it is the only one that acts against the disease. Prozac can alter the amounts of different chemicals in your brain. 

The actual reason behind the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder is the chemical imbalance. When some chemicals are available in excessive amounts and some are diminished, your brain starts to malfunction and you suffer from unusual symptoms. 

Prozac is an antidepressant that manages these chemicals. It increases the levels of those chemicals which are diminished to balance out the entire chemical composition of your brain that messes up your entire system. 

Once these chemicals are balanced, you begin to notice differences in your mental health condition. However, one important thing to bear in mind is that Prozac may take some time to kick in. It can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to start working in your body. 

It may also cause some side effects and not everyone can tolerate this antidepressant. If you’re one of the unfortunate ones who can’t tolerate Prozac, your doctor can not prescribe this antidepressant for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Lamictal works well to stabilise your behaviour

Lamictal, as stated earlier, is a mood stabiliser. The drug can manage those chemicals in your brain that are usually the root cause of manic behaviour associated with bipolar disorder. The chemicals on which Lamictal works are glutamate and aspartate. 

Prozac does not work on these chemicals which is why the combination of these two can work together to have a broader spectrum of action which can significantly help them balance a huge variety of excitatory neurotransmitters in your brain. 

However, Lamictal should always be started from the lowest effective dose. This is because Lamictal can cause a severe type of rash when it is started from higher doses. The dose should only be escalated when your body can tolerate the medication well. 

Otherwise, higher doses can cause a more severe skin allergic reaction and it is harder to manage as compared to the allergy caused by lower doses. Even if you know you are not allergic to Lamictal, you should still start your dose from the lowest effective dose. 

The two can be tolerated well together 

Lamictal and Prozac can be tolerated well, but only when the doses are adjusted. Lower doses are the key to ensuring the safe and effective use of these two meds together. However, this combination may not be the best choice for some individuals. 

This is why you should only take these two meds together when prescribed by your healthcare provider. Not every human body is the same and not every mental illness has the same kind of symptoms and severity. 

What are the side effects associated with the use of Lamictal and Prozac? 

Both Lamictal and Prozac are associated with some side effects. Let’s look at them individually. 

Side effects of Lamictal 

Lamictal is associated with the following side effects:

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Constipation 
• Headache 
• Abdominal pain 
• Restlessness 
• Anxiety 
• Dizziness 
• Drowsiness 
• Heartburn or acid reflux 
• Dry mouth 
• Joint pain 
• Inability to speak 
• Difficulty in remembering things 
• Difficulty in making decisions 
• Difficulty in understanding your surroundings
• Genital swelling or itching, especially in women 
• Tremors or involuntary movements 
• Vision problems like blurry vision, double vision, inability to focus on the image, or pain in one or both eyes
• An allergic reaction associated with symptoms like redness of skin, itching, burning sensation, blisters, blue-purple patches, tightness of chest, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, hoarseness, etc. 
• Swelling or tenderness in different parts of the body 
• Infections in different parts of the body

Side effects of Prozac 

Prozac is associated with the following side effects:

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhoea or Constipation 
• Acid reflux or heartburn 
• Abdominal pain 
• Loss of appetite 
• Weight gain or loss 
• Excessive sweating or night sweating (nocturnal/night hyperhidrosis) 
• Frequent urination 
• Polydipsia or excessive thirst
• Tremors 
• Muscle twitching and pain
• Drowsiness 
• Dizziness 
• Excessive tiredness or fatigue 
• Insomnia or inability to fall asleep 
• Xerostomia or dry mouth 
• Dysmenorrhea or heavy periods
• Flu-like symptoms, including irritation in eyes and runny nose
• Loss of libido in both males and females. Males may suffer from inability to release, while females may suffer from inability to have a climactic experience. 

These side effects can vary from person to person. Make sure you take the meds properly and right on time. Improper dose administration, either by mistake or by non-adherence, can cause a number of complications for you and these complications can become extremely difficult for you to manage. 

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed the use of Lamictal and Prozac together. Lamictal is a mood stabiliser and Prozac is an antidepressant. Both of these meds are approved for the management and treatment of Bipolar disorder. 

In fact, the combination of Lamictal and Prozac can be used for the better management and treatment of this mental health illness. The combination should only be used if prescribed by your healthcare provider. 

Make sure you take the meds properly and right on time. Improper dose administration, either by mistake or by non-adherence, can cause a number of complications for you and these complications can become extremely difficult for you to manage. 

FAQs: Lamictal and Prozac for bipolar

Can you take Lamictal and Prozac together?

Yes, you can take Lamictal and Prozac together, but only if prescribed by your healthcare provider. Both Lamictal and Prozac are approved for the treatment and management of bipolar disorder but in terms of monotherapy. 

As far as the combination therapy is concerned, your doctor may adjust the standard doses of both of the drugs and prescribe them together. However, it is not recommended to take these meds without your doctor’s approval. 

Is Prozac good for bipolar?

Prozac is the only antidepressant which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management and treatment of bipolar disorder because it is the only one that acts against the disease. Prozac can alter the amounts of different chemicals in your brain. The actual reason behind the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder is the chemical imbalance. Prozac can help you balance these chemicals. 

Can Prozac worsen bipolar? 

No, Prozac can not worsen bipolar disorder, but it can make your condition worse if you’re allergic to Prozac or any of the excipients present in the formulation. When you’re allergic to some drug, your body is not able to process it well and the entire mechanism of the drug is changed in your system. 

If you’re not allergic to it, Prozac can be a good addition to your BD treatment regimen. Prozac is the only antidepressant which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management and treatment of bipolar disorder. 

What antidepressant works well with Lamictal?

According to research studies, Lamictal can be paired with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), particularly Fluoxetine and Paroxetine. This is because the combination of these two can provide better safety and efficacy in the treatment and management of several mental health conditions. However, if we talk about bipolar disorder, only Fluoxetine can be paired with Lamictal for that purpose. 

What is the best mood stabiliser for bipolar?

Lithium is used as the best mood stabiliser. However, it may not be tolerated well by some people. Lamotrigine can also be used. It works by inhibiting the sodium ion channels in your brain, which play an important role in the release of two major excitatory neurotransmitters in your brain; glutamate and aspartate. Excessive levels of these chemicals can worsen the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder.

References 

• Management of bipolar depression with lamotrigine: an antiepileptic mood stabiliser https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2015.00242/full
• 16-week Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Lamotrigine vs. Fluoxetine for Bipolar Depression (FLAME) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02389712
• Olanzapine/fluoxetine combination vs. lamotrigine in the 6-month treatment of bipolar I depression https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19079815/