Posted by mvaureen on May 13, 2001, at 1:38:01
In reply to Any one with good/bad exp. w/ Wellbutrin?, posted by hf on May 12, 2001, at 11:24:53
Hi!
I just went off Effexor, and I know what you mean about withdrawal. I never want to go through this again. This is my seventh day, and I am only now feeling like I can someday become normal. Here's what my doctor made me do to lessen the withdrawal: start Wellbutrin [first 150 mgs, then 300 mgs]; remain on Effexor at 225 mgs [my dose] for one week, then taper down to 37.5 mgs by the fourth week; stop Effexor; take as many natural stimulants as possible; he prescribed a stimulant for me [a diet pill; then, he suggested I stop smoking [believe it or not! I thought he was crazy].
Well, Welbutrin made me feel some joy for the first time in the couple of years on Effexor. For me, Effexor was a neccessary evil: an induced stupor. The withdrawal symptoms were almost unimaginably horrid for five days, and now are tolerable. I found that if I could just get out of the bed long enough to get stimulants in, I could break the cycle of excess sleep and lethargy. I felt terribly depressed because I realized that while Effexor probably saved my life, I am quite fat now. I also realized that I was quite detached from my emotions for these couple of years and a flood of them came back by the 5th day off of Effexor. I regretted some of the things I tolerated because of the detachment created by Effexor.
However!! I am laughing at the silliness of my withdrawal horror on this, the 7th day. I find that the vertigo, brain shivers, shock sensations, fatigue, etc. created a hilarious set of experiences. I walked into a glass door. I fell over my own shoes. I cried for three days. I vomitted at embarassing and unexpected times.
As for Wellbutrin, I feel that it is a gentle mood changer. It is what I need now, and while I was flooded with emotions for a week -- it was natural after sustaining an enforced evenness for over 2 years. I feel some happiness. HERE IS AN IMPORTANT TIP: my doctor was right about not smoking with Wellbutrin. By the time the Effexor wore off, I was only taking Wellbutrin and vitamins. I forgot to take the stimulants to stop me from sleeping too much. What I thought was depression disappeared when I added the stimulants to Wellbutrin. ABOUT THE SMOKING: what I didn't realize for a day or two was that I was experiencing grotesque sensations every time I smoked. I thought the sensations were part of the already ghastly Effexor withdrawal. The cigarettes were making me sicker. At one week off of Effexor, I thank Wellbutrin from preventing me from succumbing to depression because of the withdrawal symptoms. I also realize that my doctor was right to prescribe stimulants. Until I took them, I was feeling like I was depressed. It's a side affect AND withdrawal symptom of Effexor. I hope that you avoid depression and can find success with a drug that won't leave you with the double rebound of bad side effects and withdrawal when you stop taking it. Wellbutrin, I hear, does not have those effects. According to my doctor it will stop food cravings once the withdrawal ends, permit a free range of emotions, allow more energy, and make cigarette smoking disagreeable. I didn't believe much of that. I am starting to, though! Good luck and I hope Wellbutrin works out well for both of us.
poster:mvaureen
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010507/msgs/62714.html