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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on January 12, 2002, at 17:55:08
Hi,
i stopped taking Wellbutrin after 3 1/2 weeks, cos I became really depressed (suicidal) and angry on it. I'm also taking 20mg of prozac which doesn't seem to have any side effects for me. I'm really annoyed cos i really wanted the Wellbutrin to work as well. Do you think I gave it sufficient time to work ? Do you think those side effects would have disappeared if I had just stuck with it ? I keep reading about its excellent properties as an AD and i desperately want my share of them . What do I do, start taking them again or just forget about it ?
Regards
Jane
Posted by jay on January 12, 2002, at 20:32:31
In reply to Wellbutrin Woes, posted by janejj on January 12, 2002, at 17:55:08
> Hi,
>
> i stopped taking Wellbutrin after 3 1/2 weeks, cos I became really depressed (suicidal) and angry on it. I'm also taking 20mg of prozac which doesn't seem to have any side effects for me. I'm really annoyed cos i really wanted the Wellbutrin to work as well. Do you think I gave it sufficient time to work ? Do you think those side effects would have disappeared if I had just stuck with it ? I keep reading about its excellent properties as an AD and i desperately want my share of them . What do I do, start taking them again or just forget about it ?
>
> Regards
> Jane
Hi:I am looking at going back on my combo of Wellbutrin, Effexor, and Depakote. You may want to try adding Depakote to your mix, as I found it tamed the wild mood swings the Wellbutrin AND Effexor brought on. It's tricky, because you have to start at a low dose, and make sure the Depakote doesn't go too high a dose, because it can mess with the depression and fatigue.
I can say it really did have an amazing effect, and it was the combination I believe that did it.
Good luck!
Jay
Posted by wendy b. on January 12, 2002, at 22:30:19
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin Woes » janejj, posted by jay on January 12, 2002, at 20:32:31
> > Hi,
> >
> > i stopped taking Wellbutrin after 3 1/2 weeks, cos I became really depressed (suicidal) and angry on it. I'm also taking 20mg of prozac which doesn't seem to have any side effects for me. I'm really annoyed cos i really wanted the Wellbutrin to work as well. Do you think I gave it sufficient time to work ? Do you think those side effects would have disappeared if I had just stuck with it ? I keep reading about its excellent properties as an AD and i desperately want my share of them . What do I do, start taking them again or just forget about it ?
> >
> > Regards
> > Jane
>
>
> Hi:
>
> I am looking at going back on my combo of Wellbutrin, Effexor, and Depakote. You may want to try adding Depakote to your mix, as I found it tamed the wild mood swings the Wellbutrin AND Effexor brought on. It's tricky, because you have to start at a low dose, and make sure the Depakote doesn't go too high a dose, because it can mess with the depression and fatigue.
>
> I can say it really did have an amazing effect, and it was the combination I believe that did it.
>
> Good luck!
>
> JayI think Jay is right, it may be in the combination, maybe the Prozac doesn't mix well with the Wellbutrin. I myself have had great success with it, and lost 27 of the 30 lbs I gained on Zoloft, so I was glad for that too.
May I ask what condition you're being treated for (sorry if I missed it on other posts), the doseages, and what the dr thinks each drug should be doing? Depakote is a strong drug, maybe you can treat what ails you with a milder combination. I take WB with Neurontin for BP II, it seems to keep the mood swings at bay... most of the time! Hope to hear from you and best of luck,
Wendy
Posted by JGalt on January 12, 2002, at 23:11:12
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin Woes, posted by wendy b. on January 12, 2002, at 22:30:19
I don't know about how good of an idea it is to mix w/ prozac, that's for you and your pdoc to decide, but for me, wellbutrin had similar sides in that time frame. Beginning of week 2 to beginning of week 4 was rather unenjoyable. Lots of excess anger (that wasn't the pleasant type of anger), return of suicidal thoughts (but not initiative to do so), etc. I stuck with it though, and now, at week 5.5, I'm happy to say that I'm doing the best I have in two years (which is when my depression began). Bad anger has become assertiveness and sense of justice. My thoughts are clearer and faster as well. My drive and motivation have increased to the point that I no longer have to have 8 hrs of sleep every night (used to be 10 at times), and have taken up projects that I started over 2 years ago but just stopped and never felt like picking up again. So WB has been very positive for me. The only other drugs I'm taking are 25mgs ephedrine/day, 100mg's caffeine, 16mg's galantamine (just started on this, its an anti-alzheimers, supposed to increase memory and cognition. Feeling the effects already), inderal as needed for situational anxiety or insomnia. Will WB work this well for you if you get back on it? No one knows, but I think that if you are able to without endangering your health up until at least week 5-6 it would likely be worth your while. If nothing else you could determine for certain that WB is not for you so that you won't have to look back and wonder if you made the right choice. Have you talked to your Pdoc about this? Let us know how it goes and what your decision is.
JGalt
Posted by Mr. Scott on January 13, 2002, at 19:57:36
In reply to Wellbutrin Woes, posted by janejj on January 12, 2002, at 17:55:08
Interesting...
I attempteed suicide when put on that combination. And I mean REALLY attempted suicide, and I'm really usually not the kind of depressive to do so(luckily I've generally been free of such impulses). I expereinced mood swings that changed in an instant, from everything is gonna be okay to I have to die. It was terrible, but that was just me. I have been very scared to try those meds again...That was six years ago already. I know this isn't what you want to hear...I'm sure my response was unique.
Scott
Posted by Mair on January 14, 2002, at 9:48:05
In reply to Wellbutrin Woes, posted by janejj on January 12, 2002, at 17:55:08
> Jane - your post didn't say how you're titrating the dosage, or whether you added the WB or prozac because you were already headed on a downward slide. I've never mixed those 2 - I use WB and lamictal now. Wb never had the effect you described - it's actually been a very good drug for me but usually not enough in and of itself. However, I've always titrated every drug very slowly.
Mair
Posted by janejj on January 14, 2002, at 12:54:10
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin Woes, posted by Mair on January 14, 2002, at 9:48:05
Hi,
Thanks for your replies. I'm not sure what my exact diagnosis is, but I have/had severe depression which built up over a period of 2 years before I got help. I took effexor 75mg for a week, then switched to 10mg of Prozac, then 20mg after 3 weeks. I've been on prozac for a bout 3 months now, and recently added Wellbutrin at 150 mg then 300mg. The Wellbutrin was supposed to counteract the sexual side effects of Prozac. Everyday got worse on the Wellbutrin, I had major mood swings, actually thought about ways of killing myself. So I stopped taking it. I feel fine now, but I have no sex drive. I really hoped the Wellbutrin would work, thats why I'm wondering if what I experienced were side effects that would eventually go away ???
Anyway, I think I should just leave W alone, it obviously isn't for me. I'm not seeing a pdoc, just a regualar family doc. I suggested the W to him. I hardly ever see him, I get much better advice from you guys !!
Regards
Jane
> > Jane - your post didn't say how you're titrating the dosage, or whether you added the WB or prozac because you were already headed on a downward slide. I've never mixed those 2 - I use WB and lamictal now. Wb never had the effect you described - it's actually been a very good drug for me but usually not enough in and of itself. However, I've always titrated every drug very slowly.
>
> Mair
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