Reply to ASD/ADHD & anxiety - Lamictal or Lithium

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[quote=Anonymous]We did both.  Lithium requires periodic blood tests so there is an inconvenience.  Lithium was viewed as a last option after everything else failed - and by that point, there had been 13 different medication cocktails and multiple hospitalizations in a 13 month period.  My observation (because I can't really say how my son felt) was that Lamictal was a really good medication.  It worked quickly and did what it was supposed to do.  The only worrisome side effect is the potential for a rash that can have devastating consequences so you have to be really aware during the first six weeks, which is tough with a child with mental health issues.

Due to many hospitalizations, IOPs and PHPs during a relatively short period of time, we had many providers reviewing medications.  It was only the last one that prescribed the Lithium - everyone else disagreed and as soon as he was transferred to a long term inpatient program, Lithium was immediately discontinued.  Based on my experiences of providers avoiding Lithium at all costs and Lamictal working so effectively, if I were faced with the choice, I'd choose Lamictal.

If you are thinking about Lithium, have you tried Abilify?  It is often referred to as Lithium-lite.  That didn't work for my son - the weight gain was just awful, which sounds like a deal breaker for you, and it just wasn't effective for anything but a short period of time.

FWIW, what is working for my son and has been for years is Zyprexa.  It is combined with a stimulant and a sleep medication.  The key for him was getting the right combination.  Stimulants were a disaster until the right combination was found, but nothing else worked for the ADHD issues.  And, there was no miracle stand alone drug.  [/quote]

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