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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:00:28
Has anybody ever experienced this??? I'm on day 4 of wellbutrin 150mgs (in morning) and I take lexapro 10mgs (at night)I have really experienced any side effects from the wellbutrin yet except I have been have a bad time sleeping...I fall asleep fine but find myself waking up a couple of times at night feeling like I'm gasping for air or my heart will stop. Is this a form of anxiety that is a side effect to the wellbutrin, will it stop??? I've never had this kind before while sleeping. I've experienced heart pounding and feeling like I can't get in enough air while I'm awake but not while I'm sleeping. Some advice please, anyone??? I'm now scared to sleep.
Posted by iforgotmypassword on September 9, 2005, at 16:31:33
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping...HELP, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:00:28
this sounds a lot like sleep apnea, but that is something i have never experienced.
one thing i do experience is difficulty (or percieved difficulty) breathing during a lot of episodes of sleep paralysis. do you ever get episodes of waking up not being able to move or vocalize?
Posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:41:53
In reply to sleep apnea? sleep paralysis?, posted by iforgotmypassword on September 9, 2005, at 16:31:33
do you ever get episodes of waking up not being able to move or vocalize?
-No I never have those problems just the gasping and kinda feel like my hearts racing. I'm not familiar with sleep apnea so I will google it. I'm just really freaked out by this.
Posted by spriggy on September 9, 2005, at 17:18:30
In reply to Re: sleep apnea? sleep paralysis?, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:41:53
I answered this question somewhere else on this forum but can't remember where.
Anyway, when I was on Wellbutrin, I also had this side effect. It scared me so bad that I almost hesitated to fall asleep.
Wellbutrin increased my anxiety times 100 so it was not for me.
Posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 19:21:38
In reply to Re: sleep apnea? sleep paralysis?, posted by spriggy on September 9, 2005, at 17:18:30
So u quit or did u wait it out and see if it was just a side effect??? I'm just wondering if it will stop and is it common...Somebody said I should call my doctor ASAP but I'm thinking this is just a side effect. However it is very scary. My heart has started pounding a lot today too. (I'm thinking I should take a xanex???)what do you guys think?
Posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 20:23:52
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping...HELP, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:00:28
I guess I spoke to soon. I now have the heart pounding/racing feeling. Sure signs starts of my anxiety. :-( I also have a jittery feeling but my hands aren't shaking it feels like my bones are shaking under my skin. Does that make sense??? Well I finally gave in and took a xanex. I'm hoping this will subside soon.
People with these side effects from wellbutrin, how long did you have the side effects???
Posted by UgottaHaveHOPE` on September 9, 2005, at 21:32:11
In reply to SPOKE TO SOON...ANXIETY KICKED IN, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 20:23:52
i feel for you. that is the worst feeling in the world, waking up all night with rushes of anxiety. here''s why: you are full of anxiety all day, and then when you sleep, which is the time you are supposed to finally get some relief and rest, you are still ravaged by the anxiety. ITS LIKE THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
and i really hate the night sweats. they were terrible.
the good news, at least for me, is that this stage eventually passed after a few months. it still happens now, but maybe once per month or so. it got better once i convinced myself of the truth, which was that i had anxiety the day before but made it through it. and i will make it through this again today.
my thoughts are with you.
Posted by Sarah T. on September 9, 2005, at 23:32:42
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping...HELP, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:00:28
Hi. I had problems like that when I was on Wellbutrin, especially when Wellbutrin was combined with other meds. Wellbutrin alone was panic/anxiety-provoking enough, but when other antidepressants were added to it, I started to get rapid heart rates, high blood pressures, and panic/anxiety.
Have you taken high doses of melatonin by any chance? About ten years ago, I went to a recklessly insane yet highly respected doctor who was prescribing 10 and 20 mg of Melatonin to me. I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. I really think I was going to die. I do remember reading a post from someone else on PB whose husband had the same reaction to high doses of melatonin. Could that have been Spriggy's husband?? (I'm sorry if I got that wrong).
You should definitely discuss this problem with your doctor. Some possibilities are to lower the Wellbutrin or lower the Lexapro, or switch from Lexapro to Celexa, or perhaps add a tiny bit of Klonopin to the present combo to allay some of the anxiety. I think it would be best to get rid of the culprit, whichever med that might be, rather than add more meds to the mix.
Posted by mellymel_d on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
I posted this on the other board too but thought I might get a quicker response here at social...
Has anybody ever experienced this??? I'm on day 4 of wellbutrin 150mgs (in morning) and I take lexapro 10mgs (at night)I have really experienced any side effects from the wellbutrin yet except I have been have a bad time sleeping...I fall asleep fine but find myself waking up a couple of times at night feeling like I'm gasping for air or my heart will stop. Is this a form of anxiety that is a side effect to the wellbutrin, will it stop??? I've never had this kind before while sleeping. I've experienced heart pounding and feeling like I can't get in enough air while I'm awake but not while I'm sleeping. Some advice please, anyone??? I'm now scared to sleep.
Posted by Phil on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping..., posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:02:43
I'd put a call into my pdoc *today* if I were you.
Waking up gasping for air obviously is not good. Give your doc a call.Be safe.
Phil
Posted by spriggy on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
In reply to Re: Gasping for air while sleeping... » mellymel_d, posted by Phil on September 9, 2005, at 16:09:39
I did the EXACT same thing on Wellbutrin. I thought I had sleep apnea. After the meds cleared my system, I stopped doing it.
Posted by Dominique on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping..., posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:02:43
IMO you may need to seriously consult your doctor.............. If you truly beleive that its the meds stopping your breathing, and you can not see the doc soon.... ER.
Dom
Posted by mellymel_d on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
In reply to Re: Gasping for air while sleeping..., posted by Dominique on September 9, 2005, at 19:59:42
> IMO you may need to seriously consult your doctor.............. If you truly beleive that its the meds stopping your breathing, and you can not see the doc soon.... ER.
> DomThe thing is my breathing isn't stopping I don't think??? It's like I wake up "feeling like" I need to gasp for air. Kinda like when I have anxiety and can't catch a breath...Does that make sense? I've read that some people have gotten sleep apnea while on wellbutrin and I think this might just be a temporary side effect. I wasn't having any of the others earlier when I posted here but since then I started having anxiety like feelings...Heart racing, jitters, etc...So I finally gave in and took a xanex. I hope I'm making the right decisions with this stuff. I just don't know whether or not this is something that goes away????
Posted by Dominique on September 10, 2005, at 14:37:23
In reply to Re: Gasping for air while sleeping...NOW ANXIETY, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 20:28:59
> > IMO you may need to seriously consult your doctor.............. If you truly beleive that its the meds stopping your breathing, and you can not see the doc soon.... ER.
> > Dom
>
> The thing is my breathing isn't stopping I don't think??? It's like I wake up "feeling like" I need to gasp for air. Kinda like when I have anxiety and can't catch a breath...Does that make sense? I've read that some people have gotten sleep apnea while on wellbutrin and I think this might just be a temporary side effect. I wasn't having any of the others earlier when I posted here but since then I started having anxiety like feelings...Heart racing, jitters, etc...So I finally gave in and took a xanex. I hope I'm making the right decisions with this stuff. I just don't know whether or not this is something that goes away????My husband is on meds similar to yours and has severe anxiety, more so than ever (while on pills). I still suggest you call a Dr soon.
Dom
Posted by mellymel_d on September 11, 2005, at 1:18:47
In reply to Gasping for air while sleeping...HELP, posted by mellymel_d on September 9, 2005, at 16:00:28
So, I had the same type of feeling slast night and they were getting progressively worse- I think the call the docs ASAP comments were burning in my head too...So, I ttok my xanex and slept wonderfully...THANK GOD. I left a message for the doc just to let them know what's going on but I feel so much better that the xanex helped. Next time I start freaking out again somebody PLEASE tell me to stop fighting it and take my xanex!!!
However I am still wondering is this just a temporary side effect? I know people have experienced increased anxiety while starting wellbutrin but can anybody tell me when does it start to subside and will it?
Thanks for all your advice and opinions- It really helps getting through this. I believe somewhere down the road there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's just hell getting there.
This is the end of the thread.
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