Lamictal 150 mgs: Possibly Too Much Information

For the past two weeks, since titrating up to 150 mgs of lamictal, I've been having some ... issues ... with certain side effects.  If you're squeamish, you may want to browse the rest of this blog.  If you want to hear about my GI and urinary tract issues, please click through.
Since I started lamictal, I've had occasional minor problems urinating.  Jared over at CrazyMeds notes this as a side effect -- sometimes, you try to go and nothing happens.  In general this hasn't been severe enough to be bothersome -- except for my brief stint on the evil NorthStar version of lamotrigine.

Since going up to 150 mgs, it's become bothersome.  This has been the case especially over the last few days.  There have been times when I've really had to pee, to the point of jogging to the bathroom, only to sit down and have nothing much happen.  Just a trickle.  And I still feel like I have to pee.

Possibly the problem here is that my $%#*@!!! large intestine is so bloated that it's pressing on my bladder.  I don't know if this is even anatomically possible.  Anyway, the other problem I've been having  is some SERIOUS constipation.  And gas.  And bloating.  And constipation.  Did I mention constipation?

I eat a healthy diet with plenty of fiber, but for the past few weeks it hasn't been enough.  The only time I've been able to poo at all is when I drink an herbal laxative tea.  Even then, the feeling is much the same as when I need to pee -- nothing happens.  The feeling of being unable to pee or poo is extremely uncomfortable.  It got to the point where my belly was slightly distended.  I get a stomach ache whenever I ate something, probably because there was nowhere for the food to go.

Since the laxative tea box says only to use it for seven days, I picked up some prunes yesterday.  I had two yesterday evening.  I also made some bean soup for dinner.  Today seems to be a little more normal. I can actually go to the bathroom, my belly has returned to its normal size, and I ate breakfast without getting a tummy ache.  So I guess the moral of the story is, you need extra fiber when you're on this med.  Except when you don't.

Given all these problems, I'm pretty glad that I'm staying on 150 mgs for a month before trying to take on 200.