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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 18:43:25
Ok here is goes, I've been on Wellbutrin now for almost 3 weeks 150mg once a day, I'm also on Sarafem (Prozac) 20mg once a day for almost 7 weeks, I feel irritable and that anxious feeling that I'm in trouble has come back (god do I hate that feeling). On just the Prozac I felt apathetic that's why I augmented it with WB but now I feel the way I use to anxious all the time!! Does it take awhile before this works? I just don't want to feel anxiou but I don't want to feel apathetic either--any advice or suggestions or anything??????
Thank you for letting me be irritated! :(
Posted by Chris A. on June 7, 2001, at 20:04:26
In reply to Wellbutrin what happens next?????, posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 18:43:25
Wellbutrin made me more irritable than any other med I ever took (too many to list). I was taking it as mono-therapy when still diagnosed with major depression. My diagnosis now is mixed bipolar - close in my experience to bipolar II. I get the impression that irritability caused by wellbutrin is not rare. Hope it gets better for you.
Blessings,
Chris A.
Posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 20:13:44
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next????? » femenist, posted by Chris A. on June 7, 2001, at 20:04:26
Chris:
Did it ever go away? How long were you on WB? Any other side-effects? How much were you on?
Posted by Chris A. on June 7, 2001, at 20:47:37
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next?????, posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 20:13:44
No, it never went away. I was on it a month the first time and about three the second. It's been so long ago that I don't remember the dose. I don't recall any other side effects, but the irritability was profound. It was probably the first hint that I fit in the bipolar spectrum, although no one picked up on it.
Finding the right cocktail takes a lot of tenacity. Don't give up.
Chris A.
>
> Did it ever go away? How long were you on WB? Any other side-effects? How much were you on?
Posted by lifelongevity on June 7, 2001, at 21:39:22
In reply to Wellbutrin what happens next?????, posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 18:43:25
I'm on effexor (300mg). It worked fine for decision making problems but still had apathy and lack of motivation. My doctor added wellbutrin and upped it to 450mg. The two together was synergistic. I would never give them up now.
About 2 to 3 months after I noticed my sexual libido coming back.
I'm female, 50 and married if that helps.
Posted by terra miller on June 7, 2001, at 22:55:07
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next?????, posted by femenist on June 7, 2001, at 20:13:44
> Did it ever go away? How long were you on WB? Any other side-effects? How much were you on?Hi, I had the irritability (pretty extreme anger and agitation) for the first month+. I don't remember anymore exactly how long. I "do" remember that I started on the Wellbutrin SR at 150mg and then bumped up to 300mg on the normal schedule and it was too fast for me; I needed to increase more slowly. Taking it slow helped me with the agitation and side-effects. I am now taking Wellbutrin IR 300mg/day.
Posted by femenist on June 8, 2001, at 15:36:53
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next????? » femenist, posted by terra miller on June 7, 2001, at 22:55:07
Terra Miller:
How are you doing on it now? Do you still feel irritable? How is it different for you than the SR? Should I stick it out or tell my doctor that I want to stop? I'm lost on this one....
Posted by bonnie_ann on June 8, 2001, at 19:14:41
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next????? » femenist, posted by terra miller on June 7, 2001, at 22:55:07
>
> > Did it ever go away? How long were you on WB? Any other side-effects? How much were you on?
>
> Hi, I had the irritability (pretty extreme anger and agitation) for the first month+. I don't remember anymore exactly how long. I "do" remember that I started on the Wellbutrin SR at 150mg and then bumped up to 300mg on the normal schedule and it was too fast for me; I needed to increase more slowly. Taking it slow helped me with the agitation and side-effects. I am now taking Wellbutrin IR 300mg/day.Hi- Are you only on Wellbutrin? Do you experience any panic/anxiety?
I am currently taking 15mg Celexa and 75mg Wellbutrin 3x a day. I am going to try the Wellburtrin alone- 100mg IR 3x a day.I didn't feel ok until I added the wellbutrin to the celexa- so I want to try it alone, how are you doing on it?
Bonnie
Posted by femenist on June 8, 2001, at 20:54:14
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next?????terra, posted by bonnie_ann on June 8, 2001, at 19:14:41
Bonnie:
I'm on it with Prozac 20mg...not doing ok on it I'm exstremely anxious on it and that's my problem anxiety, so today my PDoc told me to stop it and continue on the Prozac alone...see how that works, he was also worried because I want to have a baby, so he said just get off it...the WB basically made me edgy and anxious and that's how I usually am....how do you like the celexa?
Posted by terra miller on June 9, 2001, at 15:24:22
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next?????terra, posted by bonnie_ann on June 8, 2001, at 19:14:41
> Hi- Are you only on Wellbutrin? Do you experience any panic/anxiety?
> I am currently taking 15mg Celexa and 75mg Wellbutrin 3x a day. I am going to try the Wellburtrin alone- 100mg IR 3x a day.I didn't feel ok until I added the wellbutrin to the celexa- so I want to try it alone, how are you doing on it?
> Bonnie
Bonnie- I am only on Wellbutrin, but I also have ativan (1mg) which I am (sigh) having a hard time weaning off of. But I honestly don't think I have Wellbutrin-induced anxiety/agitation anymore. I still get frantic, but that is in response to my therapy issues (PTSD). So currently I take Wellbutrin 75mg 4x a day, and end up taking 1mg ativan twice a day as needed. I take 10mg ambien from time to time at bedtime. I like the Wellbutrin. For me personally, I wouldn't want to add an SSRI because I think it would just drag me down and wouldn't address the panic/anxiety issues. Just MHO, but I think benzos are just the way to go for the panic/anxiety stuff. So, long story, but that's my current cocktail. And asside from feeling that I'm using ativan more than I'd like, I am happy with it.Terra
Posted by terra miller on June 9, 2001, at 15:34:04
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next**TERRA MILLER**, posted by femenist on June 8, 2001, at 15:36:53
> How are you doing on it now? Do you still feel irritable? How is it different for you than the SR? Should I stick it out or tell my doctor that I want to stop? I'm lost on this one....I only feel irritable when I am being triggered dealing with my issues. There is definitely a difference between the agitation you feel when you get started..... it felt like terrible rage to me..... and being irritable after being on it for a while.
I think you should tell your doctor all about what symptoms you are feeling. I almost came off because I get hypothermic on the SR version. So I suggested that we try the immediate release version instead and go slower, starting at 75mg. Going up slower and taking immediate release helped my body adjust better. With each increase I would have the same side-effects, but they would level out within the week. I also had the return of the "wellbutrin-irritability" for two days with each increase. But now I seem to have kicked into a good routine with it. But the first 4 or so weeks were rough. You have to be determined. Sometimes I would think, "Why am I gutting this out?!" But it was worth it for me. Hope things are lightening up for you.
oh, you asked how sr is different than ir. IR is supposed to be harder on you/side effects, but it's the opposite for me. I like being able to take a pill every 4-5 hours (very inconvenient though), because it keeps the dose steady in chemicals. The SR wouldn't stay in my body long enough and I would be hurting until I could take another one. Now I take more pills, but I feel more stabilized. That's just me. Other people do fine on extended/sustained release meds. I just don't.
Terra
Posted by femenist on June 10, 2001, at 14:31:51
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin what happens next » femenist, posted by terra miller on June 9, 2001, at 15:34:04
My Pdoc said that I should get off the WB and stay with Sarafem (prozac). He said that most, although not all, who suffer from anxiety (that's me) should not be on Wellbutrin b/c it will make it worse, which it did, so I'm off...wish me luck with the Prozac and those side-effects!!!
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