Wellbutrin
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – snip I would also like to hear some info on Welbutrin. Please post! Jeff Hello I am not well informed about Wellbutrin but I will tell you what I do know as I just talked to my Dr. about it last week. It works differently than the SSRI’s. It works on the dopamine (sp?) receptors which my Dr. says indirecty effects seritonin. There is an increase chance of seizure with this compared to SSRI’s but still it’s relatively low. It does not affect libido.
Hi Susan — I’ve switched from Zoloft to Wellbutrin in the last 10 days — and for me the improvement was truly dramatic. My doc had me ‘wash out’ the Zoloft for 3 days ( I had been taking it for 51/2 weeks at that point), and then started me on 100 mg Wellbutrin for 2 weeks, then up to 200 mg for two weeks. The first 7 days were so enormously successful for me, that I asked to go to 200mg after 7 days. No side effects, and libido returned with a vengeance 
. Your doc didn’t mention to you that it inhibits seratonin, norepinephrine and dopamine — and when you read around about what each of these neurotransmitters help control, you find that there is a pretty big difference. The largest effect in on norepinephrine and dopamine. The things that I have noticed being different on Wellbutrin vs. SRI’s: 1 – a sex life 2 – I wasn’t having all of he awful side-effects: sleepiness, **rashes**, increased desire for sweets and cigarretes, weight gain….you name a wierd side effect, I had it…allergic to SRI’s, don’t you know. 3 – I’m not so ‘flat’ emotionally — I can cry about things I would usually cry about – sad movies, stories, etc… and I also just plain laugh a lot more. In other words — myself again. So, my mileage is very good on this AD, and I’ve had *no* anxiety from it. Best, Anne PHARMACODYNAMICS AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS: The neurochemical mechanism of the antidepressant effect of bupropion is not known. Bupropion does not inhibit monoamine oxidase. Compared to classical tricyclic antidepressants, it is a weak blocker of the neuronal uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine; it also inhibits the neuronal re- uptake of dopamine to some extent. for the full ’scoop’ – check here – http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/buprop.htm
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I’ve been on Paxil (20mg) and Klonopin (.5mg, am & pm) for about 3 months. For the most part I feel pretty good, all PAs, most of the GAD, and depression have been substantially relieved. The only side effect that I have a problem with is the oft-mention male sexual disfunction (anorgasmia). My GP suggested swapping Paxil for Wellbutrin (75mg/day). I can find little info on Wellbutrin. Is it a SSRI? Can you just stop Paxil and start Wellburtin. I had a hell of a time getting used to Paxil and don’t want to go through anything like that again. Info greatly appreciated. Regards, Jeff
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been on Paxil (20mg) and Klonopin (.5mg, am & pm) for about 3 months. For the most part I feel pretty good, all PAs, most of the GAD, and depression have been substantially relieved. The only side effect that I have a problem with is the oft-mention male sexual disfunction (anorgasmia). My GP suggested swapping Paxil for Wellbutrin (75mg/day). I can find little info on Wellbutrin. Is it a SSRI? Can you just stop Paxil and start Wellburtin. I had a hell of a time getting used to Paxil and don’t want to go through anything like that again. Info greatly appreciated. Regards, Jeff
I would also like to hear some info on Welbutrin. Please post! Tekbir
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All I can tell you about Wellbutrin is my own personal experience; whether it affects others the same way, I do not know. I took it for a grand total of two days (I forget the dosage), and it was two of the worst days of my life. It felt as if I had drank about 100 cups of coffee before bedtime; couldn’t sleep, was very edgy and agitated, anxious, etc. Dr. immediately pulled me off it. From what I understand, Wellbutrin is neither a classic SSRI nor a tricyclic, but a relatively new drug in a class of its own. If I am off base on that part, somepone please feel free to correct me on that, as my head is a bit foggy today. David
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I have been taking Wellbutrin for over a year. I took Prozac for serveal years and it stopped working for me. For a brief period I took Paxil. It made me very anxious and did not help my depression. I have had a great deal of success on Wellbutrin. I also take Zanax. The combination is working. I still have anxiety and panic attacks but the symtoms I have, I manage with cognitive approaches. It isn’t perfect. I am working on slowing reducing my my Xanax. I am not having depression and I think the Wellbutrin is working. As I continue in cognitive therapy, I am more confitdent regarding the management of anxiety and panic. I’m not sure Wellbutrin will help you with your anxiety and panic. I do know if I am depressed I can’t manage much. With Wellbutrin and a good congnitive therapist I am managing both. Mary K.
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snip I would also like to hear some info on Welbutrin. Please post! Jeff
Hello I am not well informed about Wellbutrin but I will tell you what I do know as I just talked to my Dr. about it last week. It works differently than the SSRI’s. It works on the dopamine (sp?) receptors which my Dr. says indirecty effects seritonin. There is an increase chance of seizure with this compared to SSRI’s but still it’s relatively low. It does not affect libido. He told me I would have to wean off Paxil slowly and then slowly start back up on Wellbutrin. (Again, This is my Dr’s approach, can’t speak for others) The thought of this was enough to put an end to my interest in switching for awhile. some people have their libido return after a period of time on the SSRI’s. (I don’t know the percentages) I am going to stick it out and get my self up to 20 mg and hold for awhile before determining that I must switch. I have to have some stability for awhile before I can tolerate going through another change. I will switch down the road if libido hasn’t corrected itself. We cannot deny this is a very important part of our lives. God Luck, I hope that little bit helps Susan
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And…one of my favorite side effects from Wellbutrin is weight LOSS. Not like the "oh it may cause weight loss" and then you gain 20lbs kind of drug. It is the real thing, and its a MAJOR side effect meaning that it happens more often then not. Allegra
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Hi everybody I am new to this group. I have had anxiety for about 15 years but it did not get really bad until I got married had a baby got a house and had to make presentations of software I develope for my job(yuck, that’s the worst!). I went to a phyciatrist for about 6 months(3 months ago) with no progress. So I decided to go to my family doctor and he prescribed 2 doses of 150 mg of Wellbutrin has anybody else tried this before with any problems?
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Hi everybody I am new to this group. I have had anxiety for about 15 years but it did not get really bad until I got married had a baby got a house and had to make presentations of software I develope for my job(yuck, that’s the worst!). I went to a phyciatrist for about 6 months(3 months ago) with no progress. So I decided to go to my family doctor and he prescribed 2 doses of 150 mg of Wellbutrin has anybody else tried this before with any problems?
Hi Scott, and WELCOME to A.S.A.P!! Well, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) on this one….personaly…I had rather nasty experiences with panic/anxiety and Wellbutrin. To me, it felt like I had just drank about 40 cups of coffee everytime I was on it. Mind you, it is a rather "energizing" drug overall. As far as anxiety/panic goes, I haven’t really seen alot of research or seen anecdotal reports that show Wellbutrin to be of benefit. BUT, again…you may find that it DOES help with your symptoms. I would also like to add maybe enquiring to your doctor about adding a benzodiazepine such as Klonipin or Xanax to help take some of the "edge" off of the Wellbutrin.(Especially when first starting). Anyways, again, this is VERY MUCH my humble oppinion, and you don’t really know until you have tried!! Best of luck….and keep us posted as to how you are making out…this is a VERY good supportful and knowledgeable group we have here! Good luck… Peace…James — "You can fight..fight without ever winning.. But NEVER EVER win…win without a fight" Neil Peart, Rush, Resist "DESTROY ANAL RETENTIVENESS: Rid yourself of spell checkers and day planners.." JM
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Maybe It will work for you but it made me feel worse. It made me feel nerves all the time. I know a man who is taking it to stop smoking and It gave him a anxiety attack. He had to cut back on it. I was put on it because I am dealing with PD / anxiety / hyperactivity. My doc thought in would bring me down and he was wrong. Hope it works for you. I would not try it again if you paid me to. Bobby
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I am on my 4th dose and feel pretty good maybe I should stop drinking 6 cups of coffee a day. My doctor said this is what he usually prescribes people that come to him with this problem. I looked up Wellbutrin on the internet and this is an anti-depressant would this be an appropriate med? I asked my doc about Xanax and he said it is pretty strong and it might affect my programming at work. Well anyways I will keep you posted and thanks for the responses. Scott
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I am on my 4th dose and feel pretty good maybe I should stop drinking 6 cups of coffee a day. My doctor said this is what he usually prescribes people that come to him with this problem. I looked up Wellbutrin on the internet and this is an anti-depressant would this be an appropriate med? I asked my doc about Xanax and he said it is pretty strong and it might affect my programming at work. Well anyways I will keep you posted and thanks for the responses. Scott
.. Scott, You might want to try another, more experienced doctor. In other words, one who’s experienced in these matters. I do plenty of heavy duty programming while taking 15 MG/Valium with 10 MG imipramine/Day in 3 divided doses. In the past, I’ve taken Xanax as well. In the case of Xanax, a starting dose of 4 MG/day might be considered "strong". On the other hand with some commonsense involved (like starting at a reasonable dose), many people report great results with this medication (sounds better than "drug") doesn’t it? I can tell you this much *for sure*: Anxiety and/or panic attacks will have a far more dramatic and negative effect on your programming performance than taking an appropriate medication or medication combo will. I’ve been there! Please keep posting to let us know how you’re doing. It helps us all.
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God bless the people in this group & their patience. I am continuously amazed at how it seems the pdoc’s throw the drug of the month at every new client. Including mine. Tell your pdoc to read the friggin literature on YOUR disorder and try a front line med for anxiety/panic. "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" Thomas Jefferson.
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I was put on Wellbutrin years ago for depression and I switched over from zoloft because of the sexual side effects. I loved Wellbutrin-no side effects and it worked. I went off those meds years ago and when I was diagnosed with PD my pDoc told me that unfortunatley Wellbutrin doesn’t work for PD. Since I am uninsured we choose not to use any of the SSRI because of the price. But apparantly each SSRI can affect you differently so it may be possible to find one with minimal side effects. I am currently taking desipramine which is much cheaper than any SSRI and since it is a TCA there is no sexual dysfunction-just dry mouth. Jeff
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Hi Everyone: I have been suffering with panic disorder for several years now. About 3 years ago I was prescribed Paxil and I found it to be very effective, but the weight gain and libido problems were too much, so after about a year I was prescribed Wellbutrin, which alleviated the weight and libido problem, but is much less effective in controlling the panic. I’m facing a dilemma here. Has anyone found a medication which can alleviate the panic without the strong libido lowering effects ? Regards, Ken
It’s a pity that you didn;t try the combination of Paxil and Wellbutrin which sometimes helps. Wellbutrin as a primary med as a rule is unsuited for PAD because it is so stimulating that it tends to exacerbate anxiety in most people. There are several ways to go. 1. Try another SSRI which is known for a lower side effect profile. Celexa and Luvox come to mind but there is *no* guarantee as far as sexual dysfunction is concerned. 2. Try a TCA. These are older antidepressants but research has proven that they are as efficient and as well tolerated as the SSRI’s (it’s an individual matter): imipramine, desipramine etc. Consult your pdoc. Clomipramine (Anafranil), maybe the best TCA if you are not too sensitive to anticholinergic side effects, may cause *anorgasmia* for a few months but this is often temporary (it was with me for instance but I have read much more, mostly anecdotal, evidence to the same effect). I am on imipramine which doesn’t cause me any sexual dysfunction at all but then I didn;’t experience any on the SSRI’s Prozac and Luvox either. 3. The benzos. These do not cause sexual dysfunction (but tend to cause dependence, like some other meds including Paxil, which may pose difficulties in tapering off). Examples: Xanax or Klonopin. They can be combined, mostly with Klonopin as a maintenance med and Xanax *as needed* for breakthrough attacks. Philip
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celexa doesnt have the sex side effect for me. i took paxil also. its close to being as good as paxil but not quite. but at least i can ejaculate donny
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Everyone: I have been suffering with panic disorder for several years now. About 3 years ago I was prescribed Paxil and I found it to be very effective, but the weight gain and libido problems were too much, so after about a year I was prescribed Wellbutrin, which alleviated the weight and libido problem, but is much less effective in controlling the panic. I’m facing a dilemma here. Has anyone found a medication which can alleviate the panic without the strong libido lowering effects ? Regards, Ken
tca’s trazadone maoi’s benzos serzone remeron all have little sexual extinguishing side effects and have variable effects with anxiety-the tca’s are the drugs of choice with benzos in this grouping-but as always ask your doc what he thinks and follow his instructions LM
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Hi Everyone: I have been suffering with panic disorder for several years now. About 3 years ago I was prescribed Paxil and I found it to be very effective, but the weight gain and libido problems were too much, so after about a year I was prescribed Wellbutrin, which alleviated the weight and libido problem, but is much less effective in controlling the panic. I’m facing a dilemma here. Has anyone found a medication which can alleviate the panic without the strong libido lowering effects ? Regards, Ken
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Does anyone have any experience using Wellbutrin? I was taking Prozac for PA, anxiety, and depression but because of side effects got switched to Wellbutrin. I felt pretty good for the first 3 days, but now I’m feeling more nervous and fatigued. Also, it is next to impossible to get to sleep at night now. What can I expect from this medication? Has anyone found it helpful for PA, anxiety, or fatigue? Also, how long does it take to restore sex drive and functioning usually?
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Give it time, it is a wonderful drug (at least for me). After a week or two the side effects will pass and you should feel better. I couldn’t take the SSRI’s either; they all made me feel worse even after giving them plenty of time to work. AND WELLBUTRIN CAUSES MANY PEOPLE TO LOSE WEIGHT!! Which is something I needed 
Oh and the other good thing about Wellbutrin is that it doesn’t kill your sex life the way the SSRI’s do. Allegra
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I’ve tried Wellbutrin as well as many other antidepressants and have found that my nervousness was the same with all of them. My doctor now has me on a combination of Prolixin and Valium which seems to be helping but only time will tell on whether I’ll be able to go back to work soon
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I just started taking Wellbutrin about a week ago and it is working exceptionally good. I am coming off of 3mg of Klonopin since August and am down to 1mg as of last week. I started to feel the w/d getting too harsh and new i needed something to give my brain some energy and all i can say is Wellbutrin is working for me. I don’t feel 100% but it is helping to mask the w/d and that’s exactly what i need at this point. It is time released pills which I like. Other benefits it is not an ssri (which i cannot tolerate) and it doesn’t make me feel dopey liek the trycyclics. The first couple days i felt really wired and considered not taking it anymore but that completely went away over the past couple days and it’s very clean now, cannot even feel it like most meds. Pete fo1.aol.com, Is there anyone else here that takes
Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee Hi Cortnee, Are you being prescribed Wellbutrin for
anxiety? Wellbutrin is not a medication used to treat anxiety disorders. It is a
stimulating anti-depressant and can exacerbate your anxiety. However, there are a few posters here that are
doing well on this med, so there are always exceptions the rule. Take care Jackie
Before you buy.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just started taking Wellbutrin about a week ago and it is working exceptionally good. I am coming off of 3mg of Klonopin since August and am down to 1mg as of last week. I started to feel the w/d getting too harsh and new i needed something to give my brain some energy and all i can say is Wellbutrin is working for me. I don’t feel 100% but it is helping to mask the w/d and that’s exactly what i need at this point. It is time released pills which I like. Other benefits it is not an ssri (which i cannot tolerate) and it doesn’t make me feel dopey liek the trycyclics. The first couple days i felt really wired and considered not taking it anymore but that completely went away over the past couple days and it’s very clean now, cannot even feel it like most meds. Pete
Wow! That’s *great*. This seems typical for our lovely disorders: there is no way of telling how we will react to meds. If somebody would ask me if it would be a good idea to taper off of Klonopin and wean on to Wellbutrin at the same time I might have wondered if he were out of his mind….and here you are and it actually *works*…..well, *if it works, it works*. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – fo1.aol.com, Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee Hi Cortnee, Are you being prescribed Wellbutrin for anxiety? Wellbutrin is not a medication used to treat anxiety disorders. It is a stimulating anti-depressant and can exacerbate your anxiety. However, there are a few posters here that are doing well on this med, so there are always exceptions the rule. Take care Jackie Before you buy.
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Hey i heard that welbutrin is a stop smoking med as well.I don’t think it’s available up here in Canda we comonly use Zyban for help in quitting smoking. Love Ziggy
Hehe, here is a surprise for you: Wellbutrin & Zyban are exactly the same drug….as an AD it is marketed as Wellbutrin and as an aid to stop smoking it is marketed as Zyban….. Philip (questioning the sense of taking Zyban when all you want is to stop smoking: other AD’s help with depression as well and depression may well be the reason for smoking in the first place…) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
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Thanks for all of the responses on Wellbutrin! It doesn’t seem to speed me up too much. I have tried Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor as well. They all made me extremely tired and depressed. I work full-time with my disorder and I have to be able to concentrate at work. The only problem I have had with Wellbutrin is sleeping at night. I take Trazodone to sleep and it works great. That took a couple of weeks until I didn’t feel hungover everyday, but now I think it is the greatest. Maybe the Xanax is evening out the "up" that I get from Wellbutrin. I do sometimes realize that I can talk someone’s ear off. But I think overall it seems to be working. Warm Wishes, Cortnee
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Thanks for all of the responses on Wellbutrin! It doesn’t seem to speed me up too much. I have tried Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor as well. They all made me extremely tired and depressed. I work full-time with my disorder and I have to be able to concentrate at work. The only problem I have had with Wellbutrin is sleeping at night. I take Trazodone to sleep and it works great. That took a couple of weeks until I didn’t feel hungover everyday, but now I think it is the greatest. Maybe the Xanax is evening out the "up" that I get from Wellbutrin. I do sometimes realize that I can talk someone’s ear off. But I think overall it seems to be working.
Hi, Cortnee…… Your meds regimen sounds identical to mine….. I take Wellbutrin SR twice a day, Trazodone at night to sleep, and Xanax three times a day to help keep the panic attacks at bay…… It seems to be working for me….. Good luck….. MikeH
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Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
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Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
Hi Cortnee, Are you being prescribed Wellbutrin for anxiety? Wellbutrin is not a medication used to treat anxiety disorders. It is a stimulating anti-depressant and can exacerbate your anxiety. However, there are a few posters here that are doing well on this med, so there are always exceptions the rule. Take care Jackie
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Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
I have no personal experience with Wellbutrin. I know a few people for whom it does work, albeit in a combo with Xanax or another sedative med. Generally speaking Wellbutrin is not suited as an only med for PAD because it is very stimulating and more often than not exacerbates anxiety. Philip
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Hey i heard that welbutrin is a stop smoking med as well.I don’t think it’s available up here in Canda we comonly use Zyban for help in quitting smoking. Love Ziggy
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
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Is there anyone else here that takes Wellbutrin? I would like get feedback from others that have experience with it. Cortnee
I take Wellbutrin (non-sustained release) 300mg. I’ve done surprisingly good on it. My anxiety and PD are in check which is the most pleasant surprise because WB is not indicated to be a great AD for it. Then again, I know of alot of people where WB helps their anxiety/PD so I wouldn’t go by the book with this med. My depression has been Ok for the most part although I’ve gone through some rocky times the last several months so I’m not sure if I can really say that the little depression I’ve had is because of the WB not working up to snuff, but rather just what’s been happening to me. I don’t take any benzo or sedative with it. The only drawbacks for me have been some weight loss, not as much appetite as with other meds, and ocassionally not going to sleep until very late in the night due to just having alot of night time energy. JR Before you buy.
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I haven’t seen a lot of posts on here regarding this med. I’m currently on 20 mg of Prozac after a short layoff, and it’s not working as well as I’d like. So, to kill two birds with one stone, I asked my primary care doc to switch me to Wellbutrin so I can hopefully quit smoking as well. I’ve read that Wellbutrin is also good for treating distractability in anxious patients, and that would be a godsend for me. Any opinions or experiences with this med? Pros/Cons? Should I continue with the Prozac while starting the Wellbutrin? I haven’t gotten much in the way of experienced feedback from my doc because she IS a general prac as opposed to a Pdoc. Any help appreciated.
Hi Simeon, Wellbutrin is not a good med to treat anxiety disorders. There have been a handful of people here that have done well on it, so there are always exceptions to the rules. Wellbutrin is a stimulating anti-depressant, and a common side-effect is anxiety, irritability and being restless. Why not increase the Prozac to 30 or 40mgs to see if you have a improvement? Another option could be a switch over to another SSRI AD. You should be the one that decides what to do, and if you really want to try Wellbutrin then do it. I would suggest you ask your doctor for a script for a benzo to get you through the weaning process with the Wellbutrin. Start at a low dose and wean slowly, and it is normal for all anti-depressants to cause a increase in anxiety at the beginning. If you find that this anxiety is not coming down after being on Wellbutrin for a few weeks, it could be too stimulating for you. I think weaning on Wellbutrin while weaning off Prozac if fine. I know someone that took Wellbutrin to counteract the fatigue he felt while on Prozac, so the two can be taken at the same time. Prozac doesn`t need to be weaned off slowly like Paxil, so you shouldn`t be on both these meds at the same time for more than a few days. It might be in your best interest to see a psych doctor about your meds. I find for the most part MD`s just don`t have the knowledge when it comes to anxiety disorders and the meds used for them, like a pdoc does. Take care. Jackie
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I haven’t seen a lot of posts on here regarding this med. I’m currently on 20 mg of Prozac after a short layoff, and it’s not working as well as I’d like. So, to kill two birds with one stone, I asked my primary care doc to switch me to Wellbutrin so I can hopefully quit smoking as well. I’ve read that Wellbutrin is also good for treating distractability in anxious patients, and that would be a godsend for me. Any opinions or experiences with this med? Pros/Cons? Should I continue with the Prozac while starting the Wellbutrin? I haven’t gotten much in the way of experienced feedback from my doc because she IS a general prac as opposed to a Pdoc. Any help appreciated. -Simeon
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My pdoc added Wellbutrin to my 20mg Celexa. It does not seem to help my anxiety but WOW — it really does the job on my depression. I feel great, I just can’t do anything LOL. Has anyone had experience with it? I am supposed to up my dose in a week. — Mason Barge "People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like." — Abraham Lincoln
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It does not seem to help my anxiety
it can have this paradoxical effect on helping anxiety in some cases where the anxiety is secondary to depression, this takes about 8 weeks to observe once the targeted dose is hit-if you use benzos you may need an upward adjustement to smooth out any roughness the wellbutrin causes- LM
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I have been taking Wellbutrin for about 3 weeks now, and tapering off Remeron (which I found to be useless). I have noticed a remarkable improvement in my depression and energy level. I take it along with 8 mg Xanax for PD.
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Astro, just wondering, are you finding the Wellbutrin causing any positive or negative effects on your sleep quality? (especially in light of coming off Remeron which is so good for sleep). –Frel. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been taking Wellbutrin for about 3 weeks now, and tapering off Remeron (which I found to be useless). I have noticed a remarkable improvement in my depression and energy level. I take it along with 8 mg Xanax for PD.
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The stimulating effect of Wellbutrin is not temporary, it’s an integral part of its total effect. For that reason it often worsens anxiety and is not a good med for it (there *are* exceptions to every rule of course).
I don’t know if I buy into this. For the longest I thought the same way as you, but after being on it for the better part of the last 3 months I can say that Wellbutrin is effective for GAD and especially PD in it’s own strange way. I kind of equate it to the person who is on stimulants or drinks a lot of coffee yet can fall asleep right after consumation. One of the reasons why I also thought that it was not a good med for anxiety/panic is that a couple of years ago when I first took it, the first few days were a nightmare. I had a lot of anxiety and PD. I discontinued it after about 4 days. I returned to it a few months back while I was weaning/discontinuing Effexor and that greatly helped to get over the initial hump that it presents. My feeling is that once you’ve gotten past a good week or two on it, the initial anxiety pretty much disappears. Then again, this can be said of nearly all AD’s, so this is not anything abnormal. One thing to do is start the Wellbutrin while your anxiety is in remission (perhaps like me when you’re still on another AD) or ask for a short term benzo for about a week. JR
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Has anyone tried Wellbutrin for GAD? I know it’s mainly used for depression because it can be activating, but if a person could make through the first couple of weeks, I wonder if that side effect would subside. The reason I ask is because I’ve been taking Paxil (20mg) and I think it’s starting to lose it’s effectiveness (after only 8 months). Plus, Wellbutrin doesn’t have quite the sexual side effects. Anyone? Al
Hi Al, While so called SSRI "poop-out" does occur, I suspect its a lot more uncommon than most think. It may be that you’ve been in a period of remission lately and now your anxiety is starting to flare up again. In which case you may only need to increase the Paxil for a while. 20mg is at the low end of the therapeutic dose range. Wellbutrin isn’t much used to treat anxiety disorders because of the enervating effects you’ve mentioned. I’m not sure that this is an effect that diminishes much over time. However, a few seem to do okay on it. Wellbutrin has been used as an adjuvant to other antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, to relieve the sexual dysfunction these often cause. 75mg/day is usually enough to counter/reduce SSRI induced dysfunction. I would suggest you try it as a supplement first, and if it doesn’t increase your anxiety levels you and your doctor might then consider a slow change over. good luck Ian
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Has anyone tried Wellbutrin for GAD? I know it’s mainly used for depression because it can be activating, but if a person could make through the first couple of weeks, I wonder if that side effect would subside.
The stimulating effect of Wellbutrin is not temporary, it’s an integral part of its total effect. For that reason it often worsens anxiety and is not a good med for it (there *are* exceptions to every rule of course). The reason I ask is because I’ve been taking Paxil (20mg) and I think it’s starting to lose it’s effectiveness (after only 8 months). Plus, Wellbutrin doesn’t have quite the sexual side effects.
That is true but if it doesn’t do what it is meant to do that’s not a big consolation, is it? Paxil, like all SSRI’s, may stop working (after 8 months is rather quick though). You can switch to another SSRI (which can be done overnight) and when it works *add* low dose Wellbutrin which is sometimes succesfull to counteract SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. Al
Philip
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Hi Al, << Has anyone tried Wellbutrin for GAD? I’m taking wellbutrin for GAD and depression. I also take Busapr and klonopin as needed. It seems to be working ok. Any questions, email me. Good luck, Lori
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Hi Al, << Has anyone tried Wellbutrin for GAD? I’m taking wellbutrin for GAD and depression. I also take Busapr and klonopin as needed. It seems to be working ok. Any questions, email me.
Hi, Al….. Same here…… I’m taking Wellbutrin for PD and depression. I take Xanax 0.5mg three times a day. So far, it seems to be working okay for *me*, too……. MikeH
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Has anyone tried Wellbutrin for GAD? I know it’s mainly used for depression because it can be activating, but if a person could make through the first couple of weeks, I wonder if that side effect would subside. The reason I ask is because I’ve been taking Paxil (20mg) and I think it’s starting to lose it’s effectiveness (after only 8 months). Plus, Wellbutrin doesn’t have quite the sexual side effects. Anyone? Al
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Anyone have any experience with this drug. My wife has had it prescribed at a dose of 300 mg per day along with 1mg ativan at night. She has suffered from both depression, and to a lesser extent anxiety. Your input is appreciated.
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I am now taking it and it seems to be working fairly well. I also have the anxiety/depression combo. It really gets me going, and feels a bit like speed, but it works. I am also losing a couple of pounds, but nothing alarming. It can make me a bit hyper, but I have cut way down on the coffee and am getting more exercise, so its not so bad. Good luck. Mary – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone have any experience with this drug. My wife has had it prescribed at a dose of 300 mg per day along with 1mg ativan at night. She has suffered from both depression, and to a lesser extent anxiety. Your input is appreciated.
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Anyone have any experience with this drug. My wife has had it prescribed at a dose of 300 mg per day along with 1mg ativan at night. She has suffered from both depression, and to a lesser extent anxiety. Your input is appreciated.
HI, You didn’t mention your wife’s age, but I know Wellbutrin is favored in older adults as it has no cardiac side effects. It is not a good medicine for Panic disorder,but we don’t know that she has PD. The proof is in the pudding, right? How does she feel? I have seen some people respond miraculously and for others no response at all. Let us know-We care,
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Hello, If your wife has a problem with anxiety I can’t imagine anything worse than Wellbutrin. I was prescribed Wellbutrin three years ago (I don’t recall the dosage) for depression. I had some side effects such as dry mouth and a slight difficulty concentrating, but that seemed tolerable. Then I went into a meeting one day and had a horrible panic attack, I barely kept myself in the seat, I couldn’t think or speak, it was horrible. I complained to my doctor who advised me to stay on it, but the anxiety became nearly constant, so bad that I couldn’t even carry on a conversation. I stopped taking the drug without my doctor’s approval. I know this sounds dramatic, but I’ve never been the same since. I never had an anxiety problem before, but now it is with me every day. Perhaps I had a predisposition for it, who knows? But I did have to quit my job because I couldn’t function in meetings anymore. I used to manage software development projects, and now I can’t imagine ever doing that again. I don’t know what kind of doctor she uses, in my case I had an HMO and was literally in and out of the guy’s office with a perscription in about 10 minutes. A strong indicator that he wasn’t Joe Neuroscience. I’d check with her doctor about it. My experience is that Wellbutrin facilitated/caused/enabled? a panic attack and set a precedent that is still with me long after having stopped the drug. If it was my wife, I’d flush the crap down the toilet right away.
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