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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
Have been taking bupropion (XL) for a while now but it just makes me tired. I take 150mg, I tried 300mg for one day but that kept me in the couch the whole day and evening. I oversleep and have no insomnia. Why this paradoxical reaction?
/t
Posted by Phillipa on March 9, 2012, at 10:47:25
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
I don't know as I ended up in hospital after l week from anxiety so bad the doc thought hypomania. Minute taken off went away. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on March 9, 2012, at 12:56:19
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
When I tried wellbutrin I had some weird stuff happen too. I ended up trying it 3 different times over a couple years just to be sure before I solidly ruled it out. Anyway, each time this is what happened.....really tired, total loss of sex drive and sex ability, intensely more depressed. Now, everyone knows wellbutrin is a stimulant and is pro-sex, right? And good for depression, right? One of the many myths of psychiatry. Just an interesting tidbit, but some other countries approved wellbutrin for smoking cessation because it demonstrated enough potential in that regard, but they did not approve it for depression because it did not demonstrate the same potential.
Mileage varies, sometimes a lot.
Why the paradoxical reaction? Good question. Well, let''s back up a minute. Do we know what is wrong inside the brain that is causing the depression? No. Do we know what the drug is actually doing? No. If we did know, can we describe how that fixes depression? Or why it doesn't in someone else? No. So how in the world could we possibly explain a paradoxical reaction when we can't even explain a desired reaction?
The important question though is....has it helped your depression at all? If it has, it might make sense to stay with it for at least 2 to 3 months for a fair test. Maybe you've already done that, don't know.
If it were me, I would lower the dose. If I couldn't accomplish that with the extended release versions then I would get the regulars instead. Basically what the tiredness tells me is that whatever the drug is doing within you, it is doing too much of it. Or doing too much too fast. Either way, doesn't matter, the dose is too high for your body....your body....not a statistical body.
In my opinion.
So how is it that a potent stimulant such as ritalin or adderall can take a hyperactive kid and calm them down? That's a paradoxical reaction, right? I mean, it is a desired reaction, but still, a stimulant that calms? Logic would say that a stimulant given to an already hyperactive person would pretty much send them over the edge into ultra extreme hyperactivity. Of course, with most people that is exactly what would happen. But if the brain is wired in a certain way....maybe dopamine receptors are too sensitive, or maybe not sensitive enough....then depending on that the outcomes are going to be strikingly different.
> Have been taking bupropion (XL) for a while now but it just makes me tired. I take 150mg, I tried 300mg for one day but that kept me in the couch the whole day and evening. I oversleep and have no insomnia. Why this paradoxical reaction?
>
> /t
Posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 13:39:32
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by bleauberry on March 9, 2012, at 12:56:19
> When I tried wellbutrin I had some weird stuff happen too. I ended up trying it 3 different times over a couple years just to be sure before I solidly ruled it out. Anyway, each time this is what happened.....really tired, total loss of sex drive and sex ability, intensely more depressed. Now, everyone knows wellbutrin is a stimulant and is pro-sex, right? And good for depression, right? One of the many myths of psychiatry. Just an interesting tidbit, but some other countries approved wellbutrin for smoking cessation because it demonstrated enough potential in that regard, but they did not approve it for depression because it did not demonstrate the same potential.
>
> Mileage varies, sometimes a lot.
>
> Why the paradoxical reaction? Good question. Well, let''s back up a minute. Do we know what is wrong inside the brain that is causing the depression? No. Do we know what the drug is actually doing? No. If we did know, can we describe how that fixes depression? Or why it doesn't in someone else? No. So how in the world could we possibly explain a paradoxical reaction when we can't even explain a desired reaction?
>
> The important question though is....has it helped your depression at all? If it has, it might make sense to stay with it for at least 2 to 3 months for a fair test. Maybe you've already done that, don't know.
>
> If it were me, I would lower the dose. If I couldn't accomplish that with the extended release versions then I would get the regulars instead. Basically what the tiredness tells me is that whatever the drug is doing within you, it is doing too much of it. Or doing too much too fast. Either way, doesn't matter, the dose is too high for your body....your body....not a statistical body.
>
> In my opinion.
>
> So how is it that a potent stimulant such as ritalin or adderall can take a hyperactive kid and calm them down? That's a paradoxical reaction, right? I mean, it is a desired reaction, but still, a stimulant that calms? Logic would say that a stimulant given to an already hyperactive person would pretty much send them over the edge into ultra extreme hyperactivity. Of course, with most people that is exactly what would happen. But if the brain is wired in a certain way....maybe dopamine receptors are too sensitive, or maybe not sensitive enough....then depending on that the outcomes are going to be strikingly different.
>You make some good points. I took it once before (years ago) and then I had relief within hours of the first pill, started to do stuff. It lasted about six weeks then it made me very tired, I had to take a nap at noon. This time though it made me tired from the beginning (no improvement in depression), although I have only taken it for over a week, I have a feeling it won't be a success story. But I'm gonna give it an adequate trial.
We don't have the IR version here, only XL 150 and 300mg. Modafinil doesn't work anymore. Wonder if one can deduce that stims like Concerta won't work either./t
Posted by emmanuel98 on March 9, 2012, at 18:53:50
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired » bleauberry, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 13:39:32
I too had a very paradoxical reaction to wellbutrin. Became exhausted, depressed, crying constantly. I called my p-doc and he just said, go off it. It's not working.
Posted by Raisinb on March 9, 2012, at 23:54:23
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
I have a friend who this happened to. She is bipolar one, very classic symptoms. She chooses to be unmedicated and spends most of her time hypomanic or manic. Very speedy,anxious, needy person, but she likes it a lot better than lithium. When she tried Wellbutrin it made her tired and slowed her down.
Posted by torrid2 on March 11, 2012, at 12:39:36
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
Do you have ADHD or ADD, what dose valium do to you, does it make you hyper?
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 11, 2012, at 13:00:17
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
> Have been taking bupropion (XL) for a while now but it just makes me tired. I take 150mg, I tried 300mg for one day but that kept me in the couch the whole day and evening. I oversleep and have no insomnia. Why this paradoxical reaction?
>
> /tNot sure but coffee makes me tired, go figure :)
Posted by tensor on March 11, 2012, at 15:45:51
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired » tensor, posted by torrid2 on March 11, 2012, at 12:39:36
> Do you have ADHD or ADD, what dose valium do to you, does it make you hyper?
I believe I have some slight ADD. Valium does not make me hyper.
/t
Posted by creepy on March 13, 2012, at 7:45:38
In reply to Wellbutrin/bupropion makes me tired, posted by tensor on March 9, 2012, at 8:53:21
I did well on it for awhile. But it pooped out and a few additional trials yielded poor results.
It gives me a lot of anxiety these days. I do better on desipramine which is an NRI.
Might be worth a shot to switch if your doc agrees.
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