Posted by kylenn on July 27, 2006, at 23:38:08
Ok, please, someone tell me if constant yawning--and I mean like 100 times a day (I can't count them)can be a side effect of high dose wellbutrin XL? I take alternating doses of 300 and 600 a day (I am supposed to be on 450, but can't find any 150s)
I am a physician,(I used to treat myself but not anymore) and believe me, I have researched this for many, many hours, and I cannot find out.
I know I didn't use to yawn like this. I think it started a few months ago, but my increased dose of Wellbutrin XL happened about 2 months ago.
I also take 30 of Lexapro.
It all started (here we go) a few years ago.
I had depression, I knew it, and I was treating myself. I used Paxil for years. Finally, it didn't work anymore, and I started upping the dose
FAST (I went from 20 to 80 inside 3 weeks, if I remember correctly.) That was an experience I won't soon forget. I think I had serotonin syndrome, or close to it.
I figured I had to switch antidepressants so I switched myself over to Zoloft.
Didn't work.
Then I think it was Effexor, didn't work as well as Paxil, but I was going to give it a fair chance
This was in like 1999 and I do not believe it was well known about Effexor Withdrawal Syndrome. I was probably patient ZERO! I forgot to grab some out of the sample closet one long weekend.
I thought I would die. I went to several other MDs in the next 3 or 4 weeks, because no one could figure out what was wrong with me.
I had intense symptoms:
Insomnia (like maybe 1-2 hours a night of sleep at first, but I also forgot my Ambien, but even on a night without Ambien I would get like 4 hours.
When I did fall asleep for 1 or 2 hours, I had
THE WORST NIGHTMARES OF MY LIFE!!! Very bloody,
and very colorful, and very terrifying.
As time progressed, I began to have back to back panic attacks (I had never had one before, but I found out fast they are legit) Like, I would have one triggered by like, a door closing (not slamming, just closing) or a phone ringing or someone asking me a question. They would last 15-30 minutes, I'd have a 5 minute recovery period, and off I'd go again. I couldn't work, and by day 3, I couldn't drive (Sunday morning).
The shock sensation started somewhere in my belly or chest and shot up to my brain like I'd been shocked by an electric fence. I could not describe it to anyone.
I was constantly anxious (when I wasn't having a panic attack, Hey, I'm serious here)
I was shivering, sweating, having abdominal cramps, diarrhea, tachycardia, and a dreamlike sense, like nothing was real or that I had somehow completely checked out.
After about 3 or 4 weeks, I finally started to feel better.
I didn't find out that it was Effexor withdrawal that caused me to be the sickest I had ever been in my life until a few months later, while researching the symptom cluster online, I came across this site (or another just like it) and finally, I saw my symptoms described, all together like I experienced, and I finally had a name for the indescribable electric sensation--Brain Shocks. I have seen them called Brain bounces lately, but for me it was definitely a shock.
Anyway, lesson learned.
During this time, I also suffered from extreme daytime sleepiness, and I was worked up for that.
It was discovered with a sleep study that I had OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), and I went thru the ringer trying to get fixed. I even had a UPP
(uvulo-palatoplasty). Didn't work. CPAP helped just a little bit.
Time passed, kept being my usual depressed self, I can't remember what I was on for it at this point, this period of my life is kind of a blur.
I went into a deep depression, and ended up in the hospital.
For any of you that might be unaware, Physicians are not supposed to get sick, and we are DEFINITELY not supposed to have a MENTAL illness.
They will tell you on TV that it is not a stigma to have that diagnosis. Even your own doctor might spout this propaganda. Well, the Medical Community (I mean physicians, and the Medical Boards, and lawyers involved, and Forensic Psychiatrists) are THE MOST prejudicial towards doctors who become mentally ill.
I lost my job, and I nearly lost my license, and for NO OTHER REASON than the fact that my secret diagnosis had been revealed. I was reported to the Medical Board while I was in the hospital for commiting the offence of depression.
Anyway, I fought for two years to keep my license, and I am back at work now, and I REALLY don't treat myself (but only because they held that against me as well). Let me tell you, the shrink that I was seeing right before my hospitalization stabbed me in the back and misdiagnosed me. He was unavailable and had cancelled and rescheduled 3 appointments I had with him prior to my admit, and when he sent his report to the board, he claimed I was "lost to follow up!!!" He misdiagnosed me with Bipolar Disorder. Not to knock the bipolars, but to get that diagnosis, you need to have suffered (or enjoyed, however you want to look at it) at LEAST one true episode of MANIA. I have never (fortunately or unfortunately) had any mania whatsoever. I was either down, or really down, my entire life. I think my true diagnosis, now, if you really want my opinion, is Major Depressive Disorder, severe, recurrent, currently in remission on medication and Dysthymia.
My new (and competent) psychiatrist and I have come to this conclusion together. (Some call it "double depression")
Oh, he's not really my NEW physician--I have been seeing him since 2003. He is the best shrink I have ever met. ANyWAy.
I still suffered from severe daily sleepiness.
No matter if I used my CPAP (which I did, faithfully) or how many hours of sleep I got, or how many cups of coffee I drank, taking the Lexapro at night, all that, I was still very sleepy.
Wellbutrin was added over a year ago, maybe two, for residual symptoms of inertia, anhedonia, decreased energy, and helped about 40%, and it improved my sex drive (thanks, doc!)
But I was still sleepy. Went thru the thyroid tests (again) adjusted my CPAP (again).
finally about one month or six weeks ago, my MD put me on Provigil (200/Q AM). It MAY have helped some...I think it helps me concentrate...but I am still sleepy! And, NOW I am YAWNING!!! I can deal with "sleepy", I always have (you learn that in medical school and residency) but this Yawning is really affecting my ability to functon.
I yawn as soon as I get up.
I yawn thru reading the paper and doing the crossword.
I yawn all the way to work.
I yawn at work.
And worse, much, much worse, I have startet to actually yawn while I am talking to patients, even if I am standing up!!
I yawn all thru the workday, all the way home, and the rest of the night (I'm yawning now)
until I go to sleep.
What is causing this!!!???
Please, if anyone has any ideas, I am exhausted.
Again, my meds are:
Lexapro 30mg/Q HS
WellbutrinXL 450mg/Q AM
Provigil 200mg Q AM
Cefazolin
and lots of coffee (no, I'm kidding, I never have time for more than one cup when I first get there)
THANKS in advance for any advice!
poster:kylenn
thread:671301
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060724/msgs/671301.html