Posted by JohnL on February 22, 2000, at 4:51:32
In reply to Wellbutrin + Celexa = apathy exhaustion, posted by Don on February 21, 2000, at 12:52:42
> In an attempt to alleviate the mood disorders that apparently stem from a malfunctioning pituitary and non-existent thyroid, my endocrinologist and psychiatrist have collaborated and I now take 150 mg of Wellbutrin SR, 10 mg Celexa and 120 mg Armor thyroid each a.m.
>
> Two weeks into this combination I sleep 10 to 12 hours per night and feel groggy, tired and just don't care about much of anything during waking hours. When I went to 20 mg of Celexa, those symptoms worsened. And, the anxiety still rears it's ugly head without apparent cause and without warning.
>
> Anyone have similar experiences with similar combinations?Don,
The doses of both meds are very low. The fact that you haven't seen a hint of improvement in 2 weeks, and the fact that side effects at such low doses are so troubling, are clues that this approach is targeting the wrong underlying problem.I second the opinion of trying drugs from the psychostimulant class. A one week trial of each of three different ones will find a favorite (if this is the correct med class for you) in a very short time. I don't think Celexa at 10mg is much of a factor one way or the other.
Standard psychiatry would call for raising the doses and giving them more time. But in my experience disappointing results in the first two weeks more often than not predicts less than desired results with continued time. Not always, but usually. It's a hint that the underlying chemical imbalance is not being targeted directly. Give it a couple more weeks to be fair. But in your shoes I would be prepared to replace the Wellbutrin with short trials of stimulants, and possibly replace the Celexa with short trials of 2 or 3 other SSRIs to see if a better fit exists. Usually the best fit makes itself obvious within two weeks.
poster:JohnL
thread:22920
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000220/msgs/23037.html