Posted by JohnL on October 6, 2000, at 3:19:00
In reply to Wellbutrin Making Me Depressed. Help!, posted by JackD on October 6, 2000, at 1:00:42
> I started taking Wellbutrin SR 150 mg once a day for anxiety. When I started using it like a month ago, something just clicked. It felt like whatever was wrong with me was fixed (at least partially). The first few days of taking it I felt like I had TONS of dopamine in me... Hard to explain. I felt totally uninhibited, very good. From then I slowly leveled down to a normal feeling, and then even lower and lower and lower up to this point. I'm now more depressed than I've ever been. I feel normal, can think clearly, have little anxiety, but feel an incredible emptiness. What the f#ck is wrong with my brain?? Everything seems so depressing... I can't stand it. Is it possible the Wellbutrin frees up Dopamine in my brain but I don't have enough Seratonin to properly regulate it? Should I combine Serzone to the Wellbutrin? As always, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Boozing and smoking have been blunted by the WB, so they're of little help. BTW I have ADD and GAD.
Jack,
You ask some tough questions. Good ones though. Your situation sounds frustrating, as well as challenging from a problem-solving angle.Wellbutrin, as I remember reading, has some dopamine reuptake, but over time actually reduces dopamine output. Maybe that's what's happening. To restimulate the dopamine you might need either a stimulant like Ritalin or Adderall, or the antipsychotic Amisulpride. Those might work to restore Wellbutrin to its original effectiveness.
There's a chance too though that there is too much dopamine. If that's the case, then a small dose of an antipsychotic like Zyprexa or Risperdal might be perfect.
Either way, I think your good early response to Wellbutrin was a strong clue that you're on the right track. You are very close to the target problem. But continued use of Wellbutrin has either counteracted what it did originally or has overcompensated. Either way, the addition of something else could restore it to the way it was. Either an antipsychotic or a stimulant could do that. I could be wrong, but I don't think this is a serotonin issue at all.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:45852
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000926/msgs/45859.html