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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 kathie on May 18, 2002, at 23:03:06
I was recently diagnosed with adhd and prescribed wellbutrin. Within a couple days of reaching the desired dose of 300 mg a day, it hit me. At first I noticed I felt more relaxed then usual. Then, suddenly, I got a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach and it felt like every ounce of tension drained out of me. My vision and speech became clearer, I looked around at my piles of bills and junk and felt the need to organize it. When I went to the store I acually bought only what I came for and I didn't feel to tell the clerk my life story. My handwriting improved. I even, for the first time in my life, felt I had a sense of rhythm. I slept great at night and in the morning would wake up my old self until I took my first dose. I had to take 150 mg every 3-4 hours to keep up the effect. I called my doc and he said I could take up to 450 mg a day. I could tell when the dose was wearing off because I would find myself clenching my teeth and I felt like my words weren't coming out as clear. This went on for about two weeks and began to fade. Or maybe it was still working but I got used to it. Any way I stopped taking it and when I went to my doctors appt. about a week after it wore off I told him it had worked but it seemed to lose its affect. I was afraid to tell him of my experience because at that point I started to wonder if what I felt was what is supposed to happen when adhd is medicated or if it was some bizzarre reaction. When I look back it seemed so surreal. The doctor then put me on ritalin which really mellows me but that's about it. I've been searching the internet and it appears I'm the only one this has happened to. Can anyone relate to this?
Posted by ST on May 18, 2002, at 23:46:28
In reply to adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by kathie on May 18, 2002, at 23:03:06
Kathie, were you on Wellbutrin SR, which is time released? I've been on Wellbutrin for about 6 years. Only if I've forgotten to take like two doses will I start to feel weird. The SR is supposed to stay in your system. And for whatever this is worth: My pdoc long ago told me 300 mg was the max dose for Wellbutrin and that it could be dangerous to go above that. You were on 450 mg???
Sarah
Posted by kathie on May 19, 2002, at 0:14:14
In reply to Re: adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by ST on May 18, 2002, at 23:46:28
I built my way up to what was supposed to be 300mg but when I called the doctor and told him it was only lasting 3-4 hours he said not to take more than (3) 150 mg day. I did get three books out at the library to research this and found the same, no more than 450. Yes I was on wellbutrin sr. I also researched that, why it only lasted 3-4 hours and found that not to be unusual when it is being taken for adhd verses depression. I also found that, unlike when it's taken for depression, the effects usually take place within a week. However what I'm not finding is if this was a normal response. I've heard that stimulant treatment for adhd is like putting on a new pair of glasses but I wasn't prepared for anything as dramatic as that was.
Posted by BLPBart on May 19, 2002, at 8:02:55
In reply to adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by kathie on May 18, 2002, at 23:03:06
> I was recently diagnosed with adhd and prescribed wellbutrin. Within a couple days of reaching the desired dose of 300 mg a day, it hit me. At first I noticed I felt more relaxed then usual. Then, suddenly, I got a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach and it felt like every ounce of tension drained out of me. My vision and speech became clearer, I looked around at my piles of bills and junk and felt the need to organize it. When I went to the store I acually bought only what I came for and I didn't feel to tell the clerk my life story. My handwriting improved. I even, for the first time in my life, felt I had a sense of rhythm. I slept great at night and in the morning would wake up my old self until I took my first dose. I had to take 150 mg every 3-4 hours to keep up the effect. I called my doc and he said I could take up to 450 mg a day. I could tell when the dose was wearing off because I would find myself clenching my teeth and I felt like my words weren't coming out as clear. This went on for about two weeks and began to fade. Or maybe it was still working but I got used to it. Any way I stopped taking it and when I went to my doctors appt. about a week after it wore off I told him it had worked but it seemed to lose its affect. I was afraid to tell him of my experience because at that point I started to wonder if what I felt was what is supposed to happen when adhd is medicated or if it was some bizzarre reaction. When I look back it seemed so surreal. The doctor then put me on ritalin which really mellows me but that's about it. I've been searching the internet and it appears I'm the only one this has happened to. Can anyone relate to this?
I was on prozac and then added wellbutrin SR to counteract the lethargy and weight gain from the prozac. I eventually had to go off the prozac because the SEs were so rotten and was on wellbutrin alone. When the prozac wore off, I noticed a slight ability to concentrate better and focus on things at work. This started getting me suspicious about ADD and I talked to my pdoc about it. He thought that I met the clinical diagnostic criteria for it so we added dexedrine SR to the wellbutrin. I am now on Wellbutrin SR 300 mg/day and 40 mg/day of dexedrine SR. So I guess what I'm saying is that I saw some of what you're describing with the wellbutrin alone, but I had to add another stimulant to that to get the desired effect. Mine has not been as dramatic as what you've reported though. I have been able to organize my office, however, and I find that I can start a project, and actually get back to it after constant interruptions rather than ending the day with 50 unfinished things sitting on my desk.
Posted by waterlily on May 19, 2002, at 18:21:36
In reply to Re: adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by ST on May 18, 2002, at 23:46:28
Wow, Sarah. You've been Wellbutrin for the same length of time as I have and take the same dose. Have you done well on it? Actually, I guess that's a stupid question since you've been on it for so long. I've tried a few medications along with Wellbutrin to control the generalized anxiety I had. Finally I found that Serzone works well.> Kathie, were you on Wellbutrin SR, which is time released? I've been on Wellbutrin for about 6 years. Only if I've forgotten to take like two doses will I start to feel weird. The SR is supposed to stay in your system. And for whatever this is worth: My pdoc long ago told me 300 mg was the max dose for Wellbutrin and that it could be dangerous to go above that. You were on 450 mg???
> Sarah
Posted by Raga on May 20, 2002, at 20:50:05
In reply to adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by kathie on May 18, 2002, at 23:03:06
Kathie,
I had a very similar experience with Wellbutrin for ADHD to what you described. I couldn't believe
how effective it was. Unfortunately, the effect wore off after a few weeks, like you.I since went on desipramine and am finding it effective, but nowhere near as effective as what WB did for me at first. It is much better than the wb was after the effect wore off.
Desipramine slows me down nicely and gives me the ability to focus -- if I put a little effort into it -- about 1.5-2 hours after dosing. (I'm on 75mg).I've heard other people have had similar experience with WB for ADHD.
I am really tempted to try dexadrine even though
I hear it may aggravate the lowlevel psychosis I have. If it works nearly as good as wellbutrin did at first for me, then it would be worth the risk (or the increased dosage of Risperdal to cover the psychosis...)Anyway, you aren't alone in getting such a cool
response from WB at the beginning...
Posted by kathiep on May 20, 2002, at 23:09:25
In reply to Re: adhd wellbutrin experience, posted by Raga on May 20, 2002, at 20:50:05
Thanks for responding. I'd heard that meds made a big improvement but I didn't quite expect it to be THAT big! It freaked me out. Not so much at the time, well...yeah even at the time, but in retrospect. It was like "was that a dream or did I really organize those bills and by the way who who cleaned the house!" Now, if I can only find something that works as well and doesn't wear off. If it weren't for the wellbutrin I probably would have settled for the calming effects of the ritalin, but now I want both! I hope I'm not one of the minority that doesn't respond well to meds. So, what is desipramine and how does it work? Do you know if dexedrine is supposed to work on the same neurotransmitters (or whatever it is that it works on) as wellbutrin? If not, do you know what does? kathiep
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