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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
Ok, I just started Wellbutrin SR today at 100mg to try to offset the remeron sedation and it made me more tired. Like, incredibly so!
How is this possible?!! Chemist, anybody??
And here I was afraid of being overactivated or anxious. HA! Yeah, it would be funny if I wasn't so desperately sick of all this.
Posted by 1980Monroe on July 18, 2004, at 19:02:54
In reply to HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
Unsolved Mystery........
This could just be a pardoc. effect, or maybe you should just wait a couple more days or weeks to let the full stimulating effect of Wellbutrin to kick in.
Chemist could very well awnsert this better than i can, so good luck.
Posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 19:24:01
In reply to HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
You know. I had the same experience. It made me shake more and sleep constantly. The doc looked at me like I was crazy.
Posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 19:26:41
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 19:24:01
I forgot to mention that after 4 weeks I got the itches all over. So, I had an allergic reaction when it was supposed to peak. I don't know why, but drugs really act weird with me.
Posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 20:31:11
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 19:26:41
Posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 20:36:21
In reply to HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
My pdoc said that if Wellbutrin makes you tired then you could use a bit of Ritalin. You know how ritalin helps calm people with ADHD. I think this falls in the same category. Maybe, I have a mild case of that or it's an allergic reaction.
Posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 21:06:35
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 20:36:21
Well, that is interesting. But I don't think with my anxiety adding a stimulant would not be what I need at this point. I can't even drink coffee.
The wellbutrin is suppossed to be off setting the remeron sedation, so I guess thats out. (unless tomorrow I miraculously don't lapse into a coma after taking the drug.)
Since I only took one SR version, the sedation started to wear off by 7:00pm.
If I'm sedated with wellbutrin, does that mean I would be sedated with Nortriptyline as well?
Posted by TenMan on July 18, 2004, at 23:28:56
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 21:06:35
That is very interesting. If you just started the wellbutrin maybe the major metabolite hydroxybupropion which effects NE has not had time to build up in your system. I take wellbutrin and it is very activating as it is with most people.
Posted by SLS on July 18, 2004, at 23:56:04
In reply to HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
Wellbutrin makes me more depressed every time I take it. It's too bad we can't better predict how these drugs will affect us. Just when they think they've got it all figured out...
One day they'll be able to determine what treatment to use for each individual based upon their immediate reactions to a series of biological challenges and/or through the analyses of gene activity using microarrays.
- Scott
Posted by ravenstorm on July 19, 2004, at 9:31:53
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by SLS on July 18, 2004, at 23:56:04
Well, the weirdness continues. The severe sedation wore off around 7:00pm but I was still fairly tired. I took my remeron around 10:00pm and was in bed by 11:00pm. . .and I couldn't sleep. WTF!!! Remeron pretty much knocks me out cold until the next morning--no memories of anything!! I wasn't agitated or even mind racing. I just couldn't sleep. I felt really tired, mind you.
My pdoc returned my phone call this morning and said he has never heard of anyone being tired on Wellbutrin (ie I don't really believe you). But, he told me to try taking it night for the rest of the week. Since I didn't sleep last night, I'm not sure how that is going to work!!
The only other major paradoxical effect I have had was with klonopin: it made me WIRED. But in general I am pretty drug sensitive. I have the side effect gene: I get sick going on and coming off these drugs to an often severe extent!
I think maybe I just should have muddled through on a partial response the rest of the summer. But then I have severe seasonal affective disorder and doing med changes in the winter will, I assume, be even less fun. This is the only time of year I can feel really good and I'm still playing russian roulette with meds. Crap.
Posted by Slinky on July 19, 2004, at 10:44:49
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by shadows721 on July 18, 2004, at 19:24:01
Wellbutrin makes me very tired also reboxetine made me sleep and sleep.
I'd like to know why.
I choose my meds now by the most common side effects and think the opposite...seems to work.
Posted by Mila S on July 19, 2004, at 13:56:32
In reply to HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by ravenstorm on July 18, 2004, at 18:52:09
I'm on 150mg of Wellbutrin and 150 mg of effexor. During the first few weeks I was very tired and depressed. In fact it seemed like I was more sleepy than ever. But I had been taking restoril at night at that time also. I stopped the restoril after a couple of weeks. I found I was still depressed and only a little less sleepy.
However: After about 6 weeks, the meds have finally kicked in. The Wellbutrin is definitely activating for me (I have been on effexor alone before so I know it must be the wellbutrin or the combo). Perhaps it is just a matter of giving it more time. However, the remeron may complicate things. Have you tried increasing the remeron dosage?--That often reduces sedation.
For me the activating effect of the Wellbutrin is pretty amazing as I've had a daytime sleepiness/fatigue problem since I was a child. This is the first thing that has helped without making me agitated and it has been a very unexpected surprise for it to suddenly start working so well. But its only been five days so far..am keeping my fingers crossed.
Posted by ravenstorm on July 19, 2004, at 16:05:07
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin: sleepy at first, later activating, posted by Mila S on July 19, 2004, at 13:56:32
I am soooooo confused. Some people remain tired and some people get over it. For the last poster: (sorry forgot your ID) did you get significantly tired after taking the WB? I took it and within an hour was totally wonked out. For four hours it was a real struggle just to keep my eyes open and I was totally discombobulated. (Remeron already has me feeling confused most of the time, so this was most unwelcome!)
But, before I get too far, let me thank all of you for your responses. It really does help to get input.
As instructed by my pdoc, I did NOT take the wellbutrin this morning and instead will take it this evening. (Even though he doesn't believe wellbutrin makes people tired--ever) I am not very hopeful about this, seeing as even though it made me very tired during the day, I was still up all night even with the remeron. Weird as all hell, I know.
I can't bump up the remeron because when I tried to up it I pretty much lapsed into a coma. Again, not the typical response. I am beginning to think I am wired wrong. (OK, I already know I'm wired wrong, but even more wrong than I had originally anticipated).
You know, that idea posted about looking at the side effects and then expecting the opposite might be what I have to start doing! So far, prozac (which everybody said would be so activating) made me tired (and suicidal, but that is another story). Klonopin made me so wired I only took it once! Paxil (which is touted to be the most sedating SSRI-I took in the morning).
I know that only time will tell on this. But I just don't know if I want to spend the next five weeks of my summer feeling like crap. At least as a partial responder to remeron I could exercise and do some stuff. Of course I also cried, got despondent and was way hung over from the remeron everyday. Really, I thought I had it bad until I started this.
Well, at least I don't have to worry about horrible withdrawal if I do try it for five weeks and it doesn't get any better.
I don't know. I only took 100mg of SR yesterday a.m. and I still feel wonky and confused. At least the remeron is blocking the nausea I am SURE I would be feeling if I weren't taking it.
I have to say, at a gut level I don't think this is going to work. But then, I just am not very good at feeling like crap, especially when I wasn't feeling all that great to begin with.
The feeling it reminds me off most is when I was in Middle or early high school and I felt so tired all the time (hello, depression anyone?!)in the late seventies, early eighties. I would try to take no-doze (caffeine pills) but they would just make me feel physically tired but mentally wired. It would not feel good. (Meanwhile my other friends would be buzzing around having a great old time).
It is a cruel fate to be genetically predisposed to depression and anxiety and also have the side effect gene which raises the stakes with every new med you try. I have three friends who can go on and off these meds like NOTHING. They don't understand what the big deal is for me to start trying new meds if the remeron isn't working.
Again, thanks for listening. I know you all have your own problems or you wouldn't be here.
I'll keep you posted about what happens tonight.
Probably just should have tried the moclobemide first. It probably wouldn't have worked, but I wouldn't have had to get sick to find out!!(I am such a whimp)
Posted by ravenstorm on July 19, 2004, at 16:08:14
In reply to Re: HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! » shadows721, posted by Slinky on July 19, 2004, at 10:44:49
OOPs forgot:
SLS, God I hope that day is coming! Do you think in our lifetime? My fear is that my brain has been too screwed up by paxil for anything to really help again!
Slinky: So what have you settled with now? How long did you try the WB? Did you give it a full trial?
Posted by Mila S on July 20, 2004, at 11:34:40
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin: sleepy at first, later activating, posted by ravenstorm on July 19, 2004, at 16:05:07
> I am soooooo confused. Some people remain tired and some people get over it. For the last poster: (sorry forgot your ID) did you get significantly tired after taking the WB? I took it and within an hour was totally wonked out.
Yes, I was zonked out after taking the wellbutrin and effexor upon waking. I felt sleepy all day. But its hard to know for sure if it was caused by the effexor or the wellbutrin, or the combination. I do not recall getting so sleepy when I took effexor by itself a few years ago, but then again, this time around, I have experienced other side-effects that I did not have back then from the effexor either.
Sorry, that is not of much help. I sympathize with your frustration. I have been seeking an effective or even semi-effective treatment for ten years now. And the side-effects of the drugs I have tried have been severe at times. I felt like I was always complaining about something new to my friends and family. Despite the symptoms being real, it's embarressing and humiliating because of the image I projected to others.
Posted by ravenstorm on July 20, 2004, at 11:46:47
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin: sleepy at first, later activating, posted by Mila S on July 20, 2004, at 11:34:40
Mila S,
So did you just continue to take it in the A.M. or switch to the pm? I took it last night with the remeron and am doing better today but still more tired than before the WB.
Thanks!
Posted by mila s on July 20, 2004, at 17:11:45
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin: sleepy at first, later activating, posted by ravenstorm on July 20, 2004, at 11:46:47
Hi,
No, I continued to take it in the AM or the afternoon which is usually when I would get up. I have been out of school and off work, so I could afford to be sleepy during the day for a few weeks. Actually I welcomed it given my severe depression.
This is the end of the thread.
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