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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 18:04:31
In case there are those who dont know what my issues are (i say this because i am always on this site)...I take prozac, lamictal and xanax for panic disorder. What about adding some wellbutrin? Has anyone taken this combo? I would like some sex drive back and I want to be more alert during the day again..
Thanks!!
S
Posted by linkadge on August 12, 2004, at 19:14:48
In reply to Prozac Wellbutrin??? Is this a good combo?, posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 18:04:31
A word of caution, some people find that wellbutrin can exasparate some panic disorders, especially ones where flashbacks/imagry are involved. That being said, I've heard that it helps some panic, especially when it seems to be associated with concentration problems.
Linkadge
Posted by King Vultan on August 12, 2004, at 19:52:11
In reply to Prozac Wellbutrin??? Is this a good combo?, posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 18:04:31
> In case there are those who dont know what my issues are (i say this because i am always on this site)...I take prozac, lamictal and xanax for panic disorder. What about adding some wellbutrin? Has anyone taken this combo? I would like some sex drive back and I want to be more alert during the day again..
> Thanks!!
> SA word of caution: both of these drugs are powerful 2D6 inhibitors, and you have the potential for signficant elevations in blood plasma levels of the Prozac, which is a 2D6 substrate. I believe either Wellbutrin or one of its metabolites is also a 2D6 substrate and may also be increased in level. I am aware of at least three reported cases of serotonin syndrome from these two drugs being taken together. I would suggest, at the very least, to avoid high dosages of either when taking them together.
Todd
Posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 20:42:35
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? Is this a good combo?, posted by King Vultan on August 12, 2004, at 19:52:11
Thanks guys..I appreciate your input. Maybe there is nothing i can do about the unwanted side effects. I go back to my pdoc in a few weeks. If i feel like I do now. (i have good days, and i have Blah days) not bad anymore since i started prozac, but not great...anyway. I might ask her to raise me to 40mg of prozac then..Or up my lamictal dose..I dont know..and with her I seem to have to tell her what to give me..I should have been a doc myself. All as I would need is a prescription pad~~~
Sandy
Posted by Ken5440 on August 13, 2004, at 12:52:18
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? what then???, posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 20:42:35
When I started taking Wellbutrin, I felt "wired" and found that Prozac relieved that, so I took both for awhile. I had no ill effects from the combo, but I have now dropped the Prozac.
Posted by WAKI on August 13, 2004, at 14:39:47
In reply to Prozac Wellbutrin??? Is this a good combo?, posted by woolav on August 12, 2004, at 18:04:31
I was taking exactly your same 3. Prozac was supposed to have an "up" effect. I barely felt anyting from the prozac. I then went on Wellbutrin and it really lifted me. I then quit taking the prozac beacuse it was doing nothing for me.
The wellbutrin increased my anxiet substantially. Xanax will help offset the anxiety however I seldom use it.
Currently I am accepting the anxiety with the wellbutrin because the wellbutrin gave me a life back.
Regarding anxiety and depression are are2 types of p-docs. There are lumpers and splitters. Some split up the two and treat them differently. Some lump anxiety and depression and treat htem the same. Anxiety and depression are very closely related in the brain.
I've tried both and prefer the lumping the two together. I find that reducing depression gives me more energy and I do more. When I do more I reduce anxiety.
I find the lamictal boosts the effects of my other meds.It also seditates me slightly.
I spent 6 months participating in a anxiety recovery clinic. This therapy had the greatest impact on my anxiety reduction.
Posted by alesta on August 14, 2004, at 5:40:49
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? Is this a good combo?, posted by WAKI on August 13, 2004, at 14:39:47
hi, waki,
i am considering taking wellbutrin w/ prozac, but i *really* don't need any extra anxiety. i know wellbutrin causes initial anxiety, but am unsure how much of this will fade. have you been taking wellbutrin long, and how much anxiety do you still experience on it? Thank u!
amy
Posted by Green Hornet on August 14, 2004, at 14:35:58
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI » WAKI, posted by alesta on August 14, 2004, at 5:40:49
> hi, waki,
>
> i am considering taking wellbutrin w/ prozac, but i *really* don't need any extra anxiety. i know wellbutrin causes initial anxiety, but am unsure how much of this will fade. have you been taking wellbutrin long, and how much anxiety do you still experience on it? Thank u!
>
> amy
>About 0.2% of the population are missing the proper enzyme to metabolize this combination in the liver. I know because I am one of them and I found out the hard way. Two weeks after Wellbutrin was added to the Prozac I became psycotic (paranoid, delusional) and spent four days in the "rubber room" at the local university med centre. Pass this on to your doc -- maybe there are tests that can be done now. Wellbutrin worked wonders for me a year later WITHOUT the Prozac!! green hornet
PS See my newest post at the end -----GH
Posted by KaraS on August 14, 2004, at 15:29:39
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI, posted by Green Hornet on August 14, 2004, at 14:35:58
> > hi, waki,
> >
> > i am considering taking wellbutrin w/ prozac, but i *really* don't need any extra anxiety. i know wellbutrin causes initial anxiety, but am unsure how much of this will fade. have you been taking wellbutrin long, and how much anxiety do you still experience on it? Thank u!
> >
> > amy
> >
>
> About 0.2% of the population are missing the proper enzyme to metabolize this combination in the liver. I know because I am one of them and I found out the hard way. Two weeks after Wellbutrin was added to the Prozac I became psycotic (paranoid, delusional) and spent four days in the "rubber room" at the local university med centre. Pass this on to your doc -- maybe there are tests that can be done now. Wellbutrin worked wonders for me a year later WITHOUT the Prozac!! green hornet
> PS See my newest post at the end -----GH
Does that pertain to Wellbutrin with all SSRIs or just Prozac?
Posted by Green Hornet on August 14, 2004, at 15:40:37
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question » Green Hornet, posted by KaraS on August 14, 2004, at 15:29:39
> > > hi, waki,
> > >
> > > i am considering taking wellbutrin w/ prozac, but i *really* don't need any extra anxiety. i know wellbutrin causes initial anxiety, but am unsure how much of this will fade. have you been taking wellbutrin long, and how much anxiety do you still experience on it? Thank u!
> > >
> > > amy
> > >
> >
> > About 0.2% of the population are missing the proper enzyme to metabolize this combination in the liver. I know because I am one of them and I found out the hard way. Two weeks after Wellbutrin was added to the Prozac I became psycotic (paranoid, delusional) and spent four days in the "rubber room" at the local university med centre. Pass this on to your doc -- maybe there are tests that can be done now. Wellbutrin worked wonders for me a year later WITHOUT the Prozac!! green hornet
> > PS See my newest post at the end -----GH
>
>
> Does that pertain to Wellbutrin with all SSRIs or just Prozac?
>To the best of my knowledge Prozac is the most frequent offender. However caution should be exercised with other SSRI's also. GH
Posted by alesta on August 14, 2004, at 23:20:55
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI, posted by Green Hornet on August 14, 2004, at 14:35:58
hello again, green hornet!
thanks so much for the warning. this combo was a fleeting thought anyway, as i really want to take parnate. i also hate not knowing just how much chemical levels will change by combining drugs in cases such as this, where dopamine and serotonin have such a profound effect on each other. i'd rather get a drug where the neurotransmitter proportions have already been worked out. and i am so ready to get off this drug (prozac), it's not even funny.
i am so sorry you had such a horrible experience! wow, i've never heard of that before. guess you hit the lottery, huh? it's nice to have you in the forum!
-amy
Posted by Green Hornet on August 15, 2004, at 10:28:09
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI, posted by alesta on August 14, 2004, at 23:20:55
> hello again, green hornet!
>
> thanks so much for the warning. this combo was a fleeting thought anyway, as i really want to take parnate. i also hate not knowing just how much chemical levels will change by combining drugs in cases such as this, where dopamine and serotonin have such a profound effect on each other. i'd rather get a drug where the neurotransmitter proportions have already been worked out. and i am so ready to get off this drug (prozac), it's not even funny.
>
> i am so sorry you had such a horrible experience! wow, i've never heard of that before. guess you hit the lottery, huh? it's nice to have you in the forum!
>
> -amy
>Alesta (see apology below!)
The weird thing about the Wellbutrin/Prozac disaster is that each by themselves worked well. Wellbutrin turned out to be the best AD I took over the years. Prozac was very good, but it "pooped out" quickly.
I was started on the Wellbutrin initially for "ADD" and unfortunatly started off at a whopping dose 300mgm bid (twice a day) I questioned it initially just because of the size of the dose, but the physician who prescribed was a co-worker (who later acknowledged her mistake) and I generally trusted her judgement. When the Wellbutrin was begun the SECOND time the dose begun was much lower and it was built up gradually.
MORAL: If in doubt at all KEEP QUESTIONING!)
Also, I was not on any SSRI at that time.
Marge aka GH
mARGE AKA GH
Posted by Waki on August 16, 2004, at 0:47:09
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI » WAKI, posted by alesta on August 14, 2004, at 5:40:49
Amy,
Unfortunatly my experience with Wellbutrin has not had any diminishing anxiety. In other words, I have the same increased anxiety from week 1 to now week 20 of Wellbutrin.
Mind you, I have two types of anxiety. I have a cronic anxiety that I always feel anxious no matter what I am doing. I then have/had the anxiety that I preceived I could not control. The anxiety therapy I had nearly eliminated anxiety I preceived as "lack of control".
I can now relieve emense weight (anxiety) off my mind after I do the best I can, plan for contigencys and control what my body does when I stress. IE breathing, heart rate etc....
Short term I am compromising the side effect anxiety for the benifit of energy.
Although, I am also in a very fortunate person and in an extremely unique position. You see I am an "experimental rat" in a depression treatment research center program.
In a program like mine, I have at least 6 times faster response then going to a regular P-doc.
In other words, let's say i have anxiety and i share it with the center. I can try a med for a week. I can keep trying different meds every week instead of waiting 6 weeks until my next visit.
My point is, I have accepted the extra anxiety, but am working on not only anxiety but pleasure, drive, and concentration with my doctors.
You may encounter anxiety and at a rate of seeing your p-doc every 6 weeks it can take you years to medically treat it.
I think your best bet is to reestablish your priorities each time you encounter a result or side effect.
If you take wellbutrin and it increases your anxiety, then compare anxiety to the positive atributes.
If the positive attributes (results) are more important then the side effects of anxiety. You can change your priorities to work on anxiety as your next objective.
It's optimistic to think we will all be "normal" one day. However I personally believe an oxymoron phrase called "hopelessly optimistic".
I believe my future looks positive but inversly I will also suffer from some side effect the rest of my life.My task will be to keep working on my condition until I can safely accept certain side effects.
Good luck.
Posted by alesta on August 16, 2004, at 3:23:02
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? Alesta / Amy, posted by Waki on August 16, 2004, at 0:47:09
> Amy,
>
> Unfortunatly my experience with Wellbutrin has not had any diminishing anxiety. In other words, I have the same increased anxiety from week 1 to now week 20 of Wellbutrin.
>
> Mind you, I have two types of anxiety. I have a cronic anxiety that I always feel anxious no matter what I am doing. I then have/had the anxiety that I preceived I could not control. The anxiety therapy I had nearly eliminated anxiety I preceived as "lack of control".
>
> I can now relieve emense weight (anxiety) off my mind after I do the best I can, plan for contigencys and control what my body does when I stress. IE breathing, heart rate etc....
>
> Short term I am compromising the side effect anxiety for the benifit of energy.
>
> Although, I am also in a very fortunate person and in an extremely unique position. You see I am an "experimental rat" in a depression treatment research center program.
>
> In a program like mine, I have at least 6 times faster response then going to a regular P-doc.
>
> In other words, let's say i have anxiety and i share it with the center. I can try a med for a week. I can keep trying different meds every week instead of waiting 6 weeks until my next visit.
>
> My point is, I have accepted the extra anxiety, but am working on not only anxiety but pleasure, drive, and concentration with my doctors.
>
> You may encounter anxiety and at a rate of seeing your p-doc every 6 weeks it can take you years to medically treat it.
>
> I think your best bet is to reestablish your priorities each time you encounter a result or side effect.
>
> If you take wellbutrin and it increases your anxiety, then compare anxiety to the positive atributes.
>
> If the positive attributes (results) are more important then the side effects of anxiety. You can change your priorities to work on anxiety as your next objective.
>
> It's optimistic to think we will all be "normal" one day. However I personally believe an oxymoron phrase called "hopelessly optimistic".
> I believe my future looks positive but inversly I will also suffer from some side effect the rest of my life.
>
> My task will be to keep working on my condition until I can safely accept certain side effects.
>
> Good luck.thanks, waki! i wish you the best of luck in dealing with your anxiety and such. that's interesting about the wellbutrin. i responded to a post on this board of someone (kimkimshaddy) who was prescribed wellbutrin for panic disorder. i have yet to understand why. but she says it works great for her!
-amy :)
Posted by alesta on August 16, 2004, at 3:35:03
In reply to Re: Prozac Wellbutrin??? question WAKI, posted by Green Hornet on August 15, 2004, at 10:28:09
i agree, marg. when in doubt, keep questioning. :)
-amy
p.s. nothin' to apologize for, hon!
This is the end of the thread.
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