Lamictal and insomnia?

GinAndTonic

New Member
Have any of you found Lamictal leading to insomnia? My son's never been a good sleeper, so it could just be a coincidence, but his sleeping patterns have been lousy lately.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I was hoping somebody who'd used Lamictal would answer, but I'll tell you what I know (which is not a whole lot). I do know that Lamictal is a mood stablizer/anti-seizure medication that works well in people who tend towards the depression. Because it sort of works as an antidepressant in some people in can cause mania. Mania causes a lack of sleep. Maybe that's it.
 

smallworld

Moderator
Lamictal can be somewhat activating because it works on the depressive end of BiPolar (BP). When we first started it, our psychiatrists told us to give it to our kids in the morning. Once we went to divided doses (some in the morning, some in the evening), we tried giving it to them at dinnertime instead of bedtime. But both of my kids who take Lamictal still need something to help them sleep (Seroquel for my son, Zyrtec for my daughter).

What time are you giving Lamictal to your son? How much is he currently taking? How does his mood seem?
 

GinAndTonic

New Member
He's getting 25 mg in the morning -- he's still building up to whatever his regular dose will be. I think it's already helping, but it could be wishful thinking on my part.

At night he's out of control with energy when he's supposed to be brushing his teeth, then calms down for bedtime stories, then can't fall asleep and gets bored in bed. We let him bring books to bed (he can read), but he just can't relax. Last night he went to bed at 8:00 and didn't fall asleep until 9:30.
 
Top