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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AprilA on February 16, 2000, at 11:44:51
1. Is there a risk of seizures with Wellbutrin at a lower dosage if it is taken in combination with other drugs (effexor and/or ritalin)?
2. If Wellbutrin was discontinued because of allergic reaction (hives) is it safe to try it again at lower dosage?
Thanks
Posted by Renee N on February 16, 2000, at 23:16:10
In reply to Wellbutrin questions, posted by AprilA on February 16, 2000, at 11:44:51
> 1. Is there a risk of seizures with Wellbutrin at a lower dosage if it is taken in combination with other drugs (effexor and/or ritalin)?
> 2. If Wellbutrin was discontinued because of allergic reaction (hives) is it safe to try it again at lower dosage?
> Thanks1. I take Wellbutrin SR 75mg once a day, Effexor XR 150 mg once a day and 75 mg once a day, and ADDerall(similar to ritalin)10 mg three times a day. I haven't been warned by my pdoc, pharmacist, or primary care physician of any greater possibilty of seizure. I do experience myoclonic jerks almost every night before falling asleep. Usually my legs or arms jerk, but one time my whole body jerked strongly. I wonder if these are related to seizures in any way?
2. What dosage of Wellbutrin were you on when you got hives? Was it the regular or SR(time released) version? I understand that there is less chance of allergic reaction with the regular formula. Some people are allergic to the substances added to make it release more slowly.
Posted by torchgrl on February 17, 2000, at 0:17:45
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin answers (and more ?s), posted by Renee N on February 16, 2000, at 23:16:10
> > 1. Is there a risk of seizures with Wellbutrin at a lower dosage if it is taken in combination with other drugs (effexor and/or ritalin)?
> > 2. If Wellbutrin was discontinued because of allergic reaction (hives) is it safe to try it again at lower dosage?
> > Thanks
>
> 1. I take Wellbutrin SR 75mg once a day, Effexor XR 150 mg once a day and 75 mg once a day, and ADDerall(similar to ritalin)10 mg three times a day. I haven't been warned by my pdoc, pharmacist, or primary care physician of any greater possibilty of seizure. I do experience myoclonic jerks almost every night before falling asleep. Usually my legs or arms jerk, but one time my whole body jerked strongly. I wonder if these are related to seizures in any way?
>
> 2. What dosage of Wellbutrin were you on when you got hives? Was it the regular or SR(time released) version? I understand that there is less chance of allergic reaction with the regular formula. Some people are allergic to the substances added to make it release more slowly.I had the same myoclonus when I was on Wellbutrin, but still notice it to a certain degree now (I don't know what that's about!). I don't think it's directly related to seizures, in that it shouldn't lead to them, although may be induced by the same mechanism. I happen to know my EEGs are normal (from the study that I just participated in), so I'm trying not to worry. But the annoyance of the myoclonus is definitely keeping me away from trying Wellbutrin again.
I would think that combining Wellbutrin with any other medication would only increase the risk of seizures if the other medication lowered the seizure threshold, or also posed a seizure risk. There seems to be enough awareness of this aspect of Wellbutrin that I would think that your doctor would avoid a dangerous combination, or at least warn you of the possibilities, but I suppose that's a bit of wishful thinking.
Posted by Renee N on February 17, 2000, at 0:22:25
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin answers (and more ?s), posted by torchgrl on February 17, 2000, at 0:17:45
> > > 1. Is there a risk of seizures with Wellbutrin at a lower dosage if it is taken in combination with other drugs (effexor and/or ritalin)?
> > > 2. If Wellbutrin was discontinued because of allergic reaction (hives) is it safe to try it again at lower dosage?
> > > Thanks
> >
> > 1. I take Wellbutrin SR 75mg once a day, Effexor XR 150 mg once a day and 75 mg once a day, and ADDerall(similar to ritalin)10 mg three times a day. I haven't been warned by my pdoc, pharmacist, or primary care physician of any greater possibilty of seizure. I do experience myoclonic jerks almost every night before falling asleep. Usually my legs or arms jerk, but one time my whole body jerked strongly. I wonder if these are related to seizures in any way?
> >
> > 2. What dosage of Wellbutrin were you on when you got hives? Was it the regular or SR(time released) version? I understand that there is less chance of allergic reaction with the regular formula. Some people are allergic to the substances added to make it release more slowly.
>
> I had the same myoclonus when I was on Wellbutrin, but still notice it to a certain degree now (I don't know what that's about!). I don't think it's directly related to seizures, in that it shouldn't lead to them, although may be induced by the same mechanism. I happen to know my EEGs are normal (from the study that I just participated in), so I'm trying not to worry. But the annoyance of the myoclonus is definitely keeping me away from trying Wellbutrin again.
>
> I would think that combining Wellbutrin with any other medication would only increase the risk of seizures if the other medication lowered the seizure threshold, or also posed a seizure risk. There seems to be enough awareness of this aspect of Wellbutrin that I would think that your doctor would avoid a dangerous combination, or at least warn you of the possibilities, but I suppose that's a bit of wishful thinking.I didn't experience the myoclonus until I started the Effexor. As I've increased my dosage, the myclonus has increased. I never had it with Wellbutrin before Effexor.
Posted by torchgrl on February 17, 2000, at 0:40:09
In reply to Myoclonus, posted by Renee N on February 17, 2000, at 0:22:25
> > > > 1. Is there a risk of seizures with Wellbutrin at a lower dosage if it is taken in combination with other drugs (effexor and/or ritalin)?
> > > > 2. If Wellbutrin was discontinued because of allergic reaction (hives) is it safe to try it again at lower dosage?
> > > > Thanks
> > >
> > > 1. I take Wellbutrin SR 75mg once a day, Effexor XR 150 mg once a day and 75 mg once a day, and ADDerall(similar to ritalin)10 mg three times a day. I haven't been warned by my pdoc, pharmacist, or primary care physician of any greater possibilty of seizure. I do experience myoclonic jerks almost every night before falling asleep. Usually my legs or arms jerk, but one time my whole body jerked strongly. I wonder if these are related to seizures in any way?
> > >
> > > 2. What dosage of Wellbutrin were you on when you got hives? Was it the regular or SR(time released) version? I understand that there is less chance of allergic reaction with the regular formula. Some people are allergic to the substances added to make it release more slowly.
> >
> > I had the same myoclonus when I was on Wellbutrin, but still notice it to a certain degree now (I don't know what that's about!). I don't think it's directly related to seizures, in that it shouldn't lead to them, although may be induced by the same mechanism. I happen to know my EEGs are normal (from the study that I just participated in), so I'm trying not to worry. But the annoyance of the myoclonus is definitely keeping me away from trying Wellbutrin again.
> >
> > I would think that combining Wellbutrin with any other medication would only increase the risk of seizures if the other medication lowered the seizure threshold, or also posed a seizure risk. There seems to be enough awareness of this aspect of Wellbutrin that I would think that your doctor would avoid a dangerous combination, or at least warn you of the possibilities, but I suppose that's a bit of wishful thinking.
>
> I didn't experience the myoclonus until I started the Effexor. As I've increased my dosage, the myclonus has increased. I never had it with Wellbutrin before Effexor.
Myoclonus seems to be a potential side-effect for several meds -- I happened to notice mine coinciding with the Wellbutrin. No one had ever mentioned this to me before, though; it was kind of an accident that I wound up putting two and two together. Now if only I could figure out how to make it go away!
Posted by Noa on February 17, 2000, at 0:55:40
In reply to Re: Myoclonus, posted by torchgrl on February 17, 2000, at 0:40:09
I had myoclonus on Paxil--really bad at higher doses--and have it on Effexor. My pdoc has said he doesn't think there is any risk from it, but if I wanted, he would refer me to a neurologist. Anyway, I have found that since taking a substantial nightime dose of Serzone, the myoclonus is almost nonexistent. Occasionally, if I get in bed before the serzone has kicked in, I'll have one or two little jerks of an arm or leg, but that's it. Before, I would have numerous twitches of muscles all over my body, muscles that I could never possible flex at will. And, I would would also have the full body jerks. On paxil, it was so bad, my arm would randomly shoot straight up in the air! It made it so hard to fall asleep.
Good luck.
Posted by Louisa on February 18, 2000, at 11:31:34
In reply to Re: Myoclonus, posted by Noa on February 17, 2000, at 0:55:40
I have been on Paxil (40mg) for several months, and Wellbutrin SR (150mg) for about a month. No myoclonus with the Paxil, but with the Wellbutrin it hit right away! I'd wake up myself and my husband several times a night with my jerks -- it was really disturbing. But after a week or so, they started subsiding, though I still slept terribly and had horrifying nightmares. Then my pdoc suggested I take the Wellbutrin in the morning, and the Paxil in the evening before bed instead of in the morning. Now, I sleep like a baby, my tremor has decreased, and I actually think I might be getting some relief from the depression!
Louisa
Posted by Noa on February 18, 2000, at 12:39:45
In reply to Re: Myoclonus, posted by Louisa on February 18, 2000, at 11:31:34
>Now, I sleep like a baby, my tremor has decreased, and I actually think I might be getting some relief from the depression!
COOL.
Posted by Renee N on February 18, 2000, at 17:37:21
In reply to Re: Myoclonus, posted by Noa on February 18, 2000, at 12:39:45
> >Now, I sleep like a baby, my tremor has decreased, and I actually think I might be getting some relief from the depression!
>
>
> COOL.I made a mistake. I take 150 Wellbutrin SR, not 75. I wonder if I took all my ADs in the morning, if that might help? They are both time release, so I could. I think I will try that. Thanks for the idea!
This is the end of the thread.
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