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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
Hi all-
it's been almost a whole week on 150mg of wellbutrin xl, and although I've been having a pretty good antidepressant response I've also been experiencing some pretty bad anxiety and irritability later in the day. I was wondering if this effect is transient and if I can expect it to get better. And if so, how long does this take to occur?
At this point, I don't think I'm going to stay on it for much longer because I think this anxiousness is not worth it.
Posted by HappyGirl on May 2, 2004, at 22:07:05
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
Hi:
I've been on Wellbutrin SR for almost three years and fairly happy about its effectiveness/efficacy, as giving me 'energy' 'concentration' along with 'good efficacy' of AD. However as you quote, agitation, irritability and sleeplessness/insomnia is pretty 'nasty' S.E.s. For this, I've been on one more AD, Serzone/Nefadone to make things 'mellow out,' not feeling any S.E.s from taking W.B.
I was on 300 mg. for the past years, but currently just 100 mg.(feeling pretty well, recently) along with other meds., due to my dx., Bipolar. Also, one of other meds. is 5 mg. Zyprexa that seems also 'counteract' on S.E. from W.B.s. due to its 'sedating and calming' effects.
H.G.
Posted by Escher Dementian on May 3, 2004, at 3:25:38
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
It never got better for me. It continued to get worse, until my diagnosis and individual chemestry was figured out. What else have you/your pdoc tried?
We tried many different combos. i know, i know, it's almost "crazy making" that we are given so many different chemicals in a practical "experiment" to find the best fits and learn more about our own particular makeup... And, as we work through our treatment and therapy, our brain chemistry can change also.
My own personal best formula turned out to be Adderall and Luvox(fluvoxamine) -which is one of the older SSRIs.Keep a journal of when and what the anxiety effects are, for your pdoc and you to more quickly get to the best fit med combo., would be my advice. i went through it, and i know it's terribly frustrating and disturbing for you. i wish someone'd advised me to do the med journal from the beginning.
Best Luck,
Escher
Posted by Viridis on May 3, 2004, at 3:55:36
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
Wellbutrin works very well for some people, and the usual recommendation is to try it for a few weeks to see if the side effects wear off. I took it for about two months and continued to have severe anxiety, plus some other very strange side effects (like extreme dizziness), so I finally quit it.
I absolutely could not tolerate more than 150 mg of WB SR/day (even 75 mg/day was awful for me), and found it the most unpleasant med I've ever taken. But again, others respond positively. I'd certainly be cautious with the dose if you're having problems with it, and don't let your doctor increase the dose unless you feel comfortable with this.
My GP actually wanted to start me at 450 mg/day, and insisted that Wellbutrin "couldn't" have side effects. When I told him about the problems I was having, he said it was just my imagination. But when I started seeing a psychiatrist, he told me that Wellbutrin is well known for causing anxiety in some people, and almost never prescribes it for anxiety-prone patients. Of course, everyone responds differently, and I know people who have done very well with WB.
You may want to see if you can try a benzo like Klonopin with it, at least at first.
Good luck!
Posted by rainyday on May 3, 2004, at 7:37:37
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
I have been on wellbutrin for 7 weeks now and the anxiety is getting better. I had been taking xanax .5mg for that 3pm heeby jeeby feeling, and the last 5 days or so it hasn't happened. I am happy on this med (300mg once a day) and I also take effexor xr 75mg. My dx is Bipolar2, generalized anxiety, and panic attacks. I think and hope this is the right combo for me. Stick with it, but ask about something for the anxiety.
Posted by allisonm on May 3, 2004, at 8:47:33
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
I have been on Wellbutrin SR and now XL (300mg) for about five years. Every time the dose was increased I got irritable and jittery. Cutting down on things like caffeine help during this period.
After jitteryness, I would find that I felt a lot of energy to do things. This made me pretty happy because I got a lot done around the house and at work. But this also is a side effect. Once the jitteryness and the wonderful feeling of energy wear off, the AD really begins to work.
Good luck.
Posted by psychosage on May 4, 2004, at 3:04:40
In reply to Re: Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by allisonm on May 3, 2004, at 8:47:33
check out this link which has a reprint of an article from the nytimes.com {a direct link to nytimes.com would send you to the archive which requires a fee to read old articles}.
It is about a psychiatrist who took wellbutrin.
Posted by jrbecker on May 4, 2004, at 10:17:28
In reply to Re: Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by psychosage on May 4, 2004, at 3:04:40
> check out this link which has a reprint of an article from the nytimes.com {a direct link to nytimes.com would send you to the archive which requires a fee to read old articles}.
>
> It is about a psychiatrist who took wellbutrin.
>
> http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/04/01/05.htmlthat's a great point that Dr Cohen makes about the fact that most AD drugs' starting dosage
are too high. It seems that the drug companies are even aware of this but tend to overshoot the recommended starting dosage range to assure maximum efficacy. News like this only makes me further stick to my axiom in starting any new drug: "start low and go slow."
Posted by greywolf on May 6, 2004, at 22:56:47
In reply to Anxiety from Wellbutrin - does it get better?, posted by hok on May 2, 2004, at 18:04:33
Yes. I never experienced severe anxiety in relation to starting a new med before, but when I started on even a low dose of Wb, boy did it hit me. Got some Xanax, used it for about 3 days. Anxiety gone, hasn't come back to any significant degree even when I got to 400mg/day.
This is the end of the thread.
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