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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
I feel so normal today, and its only day 4 of Wellbutrin 150 mg x 1 - the brand. I got 15 pills filled of the script ($42.00 w/20% Rite Aid discount). I think I'm going to stick with the brand for the rest of the month then try the generic again.
I'm energetic. Mood is good. No hypo-anything. No anxiety. No fuzzy brain. The energy is more physical though-I haven't gotten to my studies yet because I've been taking care of moving stuff out of my house into my new storage unit, so I don't know how that's going to be today. I was having trouble yesterday with my research project so I took a Ritalin which only lasted like 3 hrs.
I transfered my Xanax .25 to Rite Aid ($11) + got Buspirone 15 mg x 2 for ($9) - then got a $30 free gift card and bought all the stuff I needed like detergent, trashbags, etc.
If you get your scripts written monthly w/no refills like I do - you can still get the $30 gift card from Rite Aid as a transfer if you ask, but you have to have the old script/bottle with you. They have the coupons at the pharmacy so ask. Also, Rite Aid and CVS both have clearance isles in the back of the store w/50% and 75% off stuff - like Pantene shampoo/conditioner and all sorts of stuff. The stores have a high turnover of products, so the clearance stuff are regular products they discontinue to make room for the fastest-selling stuff. When I had time for coupons, and shopped in the clearance isles and sale stuff w/coupons I used to easily get $150 worth of stuff for about $30.
So including the free $30, a month of generic Xanax, generic Buspirone, and Wellbutrin (brand) cost me $75. That's still a lot but at least I survived the month.
So buspirone and wellbutrin is a good combo for me so far. For anyone with panic attacks/anxiety and low motivation/dysthmia/ADD symptoms, but not full-blown depression - consider this combo.
I love Wellbutrin and I can't believe how fast it works.
Posted by Maxime on March 17, 2009, at 15:44:21
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
Nice to hear that someone is feeling good! I hope it continues for you!
Posted by bleauberry on March 17, 2009, at 16:27:59
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
While most people scoff at the idea of generics being any different than brand, I am one of the people that pounds my fist on the table saying there is a huge difference. Not with all drugs, and not with all companies who make the generics, but generally speaking.
The biggest differences I personally experienced in generic verses brand were Prozac, Xanax, Remeron, and Lamictal. But the biggest, hugest, most profound difference of them all was...Wellbutrin. The generic was absolute poison and crap compared to the real stuff. Just my experience though.
Posted by Phillipa on March 17, 2009, at 16:54:28
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by bleauberry on March 17, 2009, at 16:27:59
BB greenstone for xanax same manufacturer. I wonder if I'd taken brand of wellbutrin if I would have been considered manic? Phillipa
Posted by raisinb on March 17, 2009, at 19:46:38
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
Awesome! Wellbutrin worked super quickly for me, too. I felt wonderful--the only issues were hypomania and severe insomnia. So watch out for those. Glad to hear something is working well for you!
Posted by garnet71 on March 19, 2009, at 9:56:27
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
Thanks for the thoughts! Bleuberry-i posted a few times about generic Wellbutrin too and had the same effect as you from it...but I was always taking a SSRI when I tried generic Wellbutrin the last few times so this time I will give the generic another try with Buspirone instead. The FDA, as of the end of 2008, is investigating generic Wellbutrin again; the complaints are for the XL though, not the SR. Maybe there is some secret component GSK doesn't share w/the generic makers..lol..there's corporate corruption everywhere so it's not too far fetched.
Raisin-I only had insomnia for 2 days and it's gone. Did you try to wait out the insomnia, or was it more protracted? The whites of my eyes are brighter too and I'm back to an exercise routine. It's better for energy/motivation than Ritalin too because it is continuous whereby Ritalin was more energy draining and 2 doses lasted only a few hours for me. The day before yesterday, though, I accidentally took 2 doses--and felt terrible. I do that every once in a while-I forgot I already took the pill and then take a dose realizing I already did when it's too late. Does anyone else do this sometimes?
I don't know yet how I'm going to afford WB, but am going to give the generic another try again, although I'm scared I may permanently lose the effect if I switch.
Posted by garnet71 on March 19, 2009, at 10:17:33
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
I forgot to tell you guys-WB took away my evening carb/chocolate cravings w/in 2 days---completely disappeared. I am happy to report I no longer have '2 wills' lol. Maybe that's how it helps some people lose weight?
I read on a website where one doctor referred to Wellbutrin as a diurectic. I know I didn't spell that right, but I mean water-extracting. That seemed odd. I never knew that.
Posted by raisinb on March 19, 2009, at 14:11:09
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 19, 2009, at 10:17:33
I couldn't eat at all on Wellbutrin. I'd try to force food down three times a day, but it was a real struggle. I lost something like ten pounds in a month.
Posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 22:46:12
In reply to Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by garnet71 on March 17, 2009, at 12:41:16
I have to take back everything i just said. I went from feeling normal to depressed in a matter of a day and a half. I am feeling so overwhelmed, I can't take it anymore. I can't handle anything right now. Should I quit taking the Wellbutrin? Or give it some more time? I was ok for the past month and a half but tonight have tears streaming from my eyes.
I tried a Ritalin today to help with schoolwork but it made me tired and fuzzy brained, like it didn't work at all. My research is all over the place--it's one big disorganized mess and I can't get it together.
Posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 23:00:20
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 22:46:12
In case anyone would mysteriously know what is going on with these meds, I guess I should point out that I was ok with Buspirone--been ok moodwise for the past month and a half and have had no anxiety, but had low motivation and some dysthmia which had continued after SSRI use--but improved dramatically as soon as I quit Zoloft in Dec/Jan, can't remember exactly when.
It took the Wellbutrin to increase dopamine levels in replacement of Ritalin, which I started taking with the Buspirone in February, but found it to be only partially effective and it wears off very quickly.
Posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 23:04:45
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Feeling Horrible, posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 23:00:20
Okay so I got together with some of my friends the night before last I had 2 glasses of Chianti (more full than restaurant servings so maybe 3).
I felt hungover yesterday from it. I don't think I should have felt hungover from just that. I remember reading about Chianti and MAOIs--though I'm not taking MAO--could it have affected the meds; could I have sabatoged my whole treatment just be drinking that one time?
Posted by Phillipa on March 21, 2009, at 20:06:59
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Feeling Horrible, posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 23:04:45
Garnet would doubt it very much used to drink on paxil and xanax and no bad effects. Anything else happen to upset you? Any better now? Hoping so. Love Phiilipa
Posted by raisinb on March 21, 2009, at 22:15:59
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great, posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 22:46:12
Oh wow, that sounds so much like what happened to me when I first started Wellbutrin. Week one--whoo hoo! I went from suicidal to reorganizing my entire kitchen in three days.
Weeks 2-4--radical ups and downs. Felt good for a day, then wept all day the next, then the cycle would be repeated. Overall, though, I went downhill.
Now, in my case, it may have been because of the WB-induced insomnia. Sleeping 2-3 hours a night (max) for several days can definitely make you weepy.
My doctor said it didn't matter whether the WB was directly causing the upheaval, or whether it was insomnia. Either way, it wasn't relieving symptoms on its own and we had to add something to it. 50 mg of Zoloft plus the WB made all the difference.
Posted by raisinb on March 21, 2009, at 22:16:40
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Feeling Horrible, posted by Garnet71 on March 20, 2009, at 23:04:45
Wellbutrin (and a lot of other ADs) will do that when you drink. I got hung over from one glass of wine when I was on it.
Posted by garnet71 on March 22, 2009, at 10:46:09
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great » Garnet71, posted by raisinb on March 21, 2009, at 22:15:59
Yeah, Raisin, insomnia can screw you up. I bet that was VERY disappointing for you after you went and cleaned for 3 days and all. The feeling of accomplishment and productivity can be a mild anti-depressant in itself. It is also in this way, for me, I think I'm a victim of myself. I think I feel low when I know I have a zillion things to do and am not accomplishing anything. I feel low because of my weight gained. I feel low because I didn't have the mental ability to do everything that needed done for months, and am now paying for it dearly. It doesn't seem like clinical depression, though some have suggested I have depression.
I'm not having the ups and downs too bad. I think I was in tears the other night out of frustration with my homework, and after that Chianti..well, I have no interest in having a drink after that. lol I didn't know you could get a hangover off one drink either.
One great thing about WB is no cravings for sugar/carbs like I was having nightly and no cravings for alchohol which I had occaisonally. I only drank that night because I was wiht friends who wanted to drink, just seemed like the thing to do at the time. I have another get together to go to tonight, I know there will be alcohol there and think I will abstain. The good thing is that I'm spending time with friends. Months ago, I hated to leave the house or be around anyone.
So I've felt ok with the Wellbutrin since then. Not good, but ok. Interestingly, the first day I felt great is when I took one of my weekly doses of Vitamin D script. I have 6 more weeks left, so I'll watch for that when I take it next time.
I don't know whether to go up or down on the WB thought. Since I'm not experiencing anxiety, irritability, or insomnia, I'm thinking maybe I should go up to 300 mg in a couple weeks. Do you still take the Zoloft and Wellbutrin combo?
Thanks for writing :))
Thanks, too, Phillipa :)))
Posted by raisinb on March 22, 2009, at 12:18:23
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great » raisinb, posted by garnet71 on March 22, 2009, at 10:46:09
Hi Garnet,
It sounds like you're tolerating the WB pretty well, in comparison to me. It was disappointing, because initially I felt like I'd found the holy grail!It should definitely help you lose weight if you want to. I couldn't eat at all (which in my case was a bad thing, because I was already underweight from depression)--though it doesn't necessarily cause weight loss in everyone, seems to be a common side effect.
I'm not still on WB. My pdoc thought it was bad for me, as I was still losing weight and couldn't sleep. She switched me off everything to Remeron (which was disastrous). Now I'm on Zoloft + Lexapro, with the occasional Xanax, which is working fine. I still felt best on the WB + Zoloft, but I think that was also due to other factors--the happiness that comes after months of depression lifts, and the fact that it was summer (I teach, so I was lying on the beach and watching TV all day--no stress).
Overall, I think SSRIs are the answer for me. Since anxiety, insomnia, and weight loss are big features of my depression, the side effect profile of WB just wasn't right in the end.
I hope this works for you and you keep feeling well. It's common to go up and down when starting a new AD and it will take a few weeks at least to assess whether it's right for you.
Posted by garnet71 on March 23, 2009, at 10:04:16
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great » garnet71, posted by raisinb on March 22, 2009, at 12:18:23
"Now I'm on Zoloft + Lexapro, with the occasional Xanax, which is working fine. I still felt best on the WB + Zoloft, but I think that was also due to other factors--the happiness that comes after months of depression lifts, and the fact that it was summer (I teach, so I was lying on the beach and watching TV all day--no stress)." - Raison B
I never knew of anyone taking 2 SSRIs. How in the world did you come about that remedy?
Laying on the beach all day--no stress!!! That sounds like a dream to me...I once considered becoming a teacher for that reaason. Of course, it was only a brief thought; obviously, that is the wrong reason to be a teacher!! I thought of the utility of it all to justify even thinking about it, but I am not a nurturing type of person in that way. I'm nurturing with relationships, people close to me, friends, family, whatever, but don't think it would be possible for me to be so nurturing to a group. It would suck all my mental energy out of me-I would be exhausted at the end of each day!
Actually, it's a dream for me to even live by the beach. When I finish grad school, there will be opportunities :))
Posted by Phillipa on March 23, 2009, at 20:09:49
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin - Day 4 - feeling great » raisinb, posted by garnet71 on March 23, 2009, at 10:04:16
Garnet lived at the Beach still a condo for sale there. It's not what it's cut out to be as aged 20years in three years sun damage. And frankly it got boring. First year was fine. Want to buy a condo? Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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