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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 17:28:22
Greetings All,
I have recently started WB XL. 150 mg for the past 2 weeks and now 300 mg for the past 5 days. I am feeling really weird and wired and not in any good or productive kind of way. More like a stare at the ceiling unable to blink way. I had been on WB 7 or 8 years ago and can't quite recall if I had the same initial response. Do any of you all know how long I ought to stick with this to see if I will get any good effects. I have been med free for a few years and have started this to help quit smoking and increase libido. Paradoxically, I am smoking more and feeling too weird to be intimate. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Nolagirl
Posted by med_empowered on June 30, 2005, at 18:56:54
In reply to How long should I give Wellbutrin XL?, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 17:28:22
hey! Wellbutrin can be a god send for some people, but for others...it can be troubling. I'd say at this point you seem to be esepcially sensitive to Wellbutrin's stimulant properties (Wellbutrin is chemically related to Tenuate, a diet drug popular in 1970s and still available as a schedule IV controlled substance; both Tenuate and Wellbutrin seem to cause some stimulation and decrease appetite). If I were you, I'd call it quits at this point. You should definitely quit smoking, but if you're over-sensitive to Wellbutrin it probably won't help any (kind of like how Adderall and Ritalin made me smoke like a fiend). Are you on any other medications? What might work to increase libido, etc. would be cutting down on/eliminating libido-killing drugs you're already taking; if that doesn't help, then re-introducing wellbutrin could be a possible solution. On reading your post, one thing I thought of that might help a bit would be Provigil--it isnt an antidepressant in and of itself, but it does seem to work well in augmenting other meds, especially the SSRIs. It tends to reduce fatigue,sharpen cognition, etc. without excessive anxiety, blood pressure elevation, "switching" (depression-to-mania in BP), etc.
Posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 20:10:51
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL?, posted by med_empowered on June 30, 2005, at 18:56:54
Thanks for the info. I haven't taken any meds for the past 2 years. Have tried most ssri's, effexor, celexa then finally lexapro. I developed anhedonia and just could take it anymore. I have since gone the alternative root...amino acids etc.. and those seemed to help. Unfortunately my libido never returned and I am still low on motivation. I tried provigil briefly when my Dad had a leftover script and loved it. Unfortunately I am at present one of the growing number of uninsured and no longer have a pdoc or prescription plan. I started the WB because I was given samples by a gp. Was hopeful because years ago it sure helped with concentration, motivation and sex drive. I am hoping to be able to afford insurance in the next 6 months. I would also like to have a work up by an endocronologist. I get such good info from this site and from what I have read am wondering if my hormones, HPA axis etc... are out of whack.
Posted by Nezirov on June 30, 2005, at 20:42:35
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL? » med_empowered, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 20:10:51
Hi,
Was provigil any good for libido? Loss of libido is by far the most common sexual side effect persisting after the discontinuation of SSRIs. Something needs to be done about this because thousands of people are being adeversely effected in this way, and the FDA and pharm companies just turn a blind eye.
Nezirov
> Thanks for the info. I haven't taken any meds for the past 2 years. Have tried most ssri's, effexor, celexa then finally lexapro. I developed anhedonia and just could take it anymore. I have since gone the alternative root...amino acids etc.. and those seemed to help. Unfortunately my libido never returned and I am still low on motivation. I tried provigil briefly when my Dad had a leftover script and loved it. Unfortunately I am at present one of the growing number of uninsured and no longer have a pdoc or prescription plan. I started the WB because I was given samples by a gp. Was hopeful because years ago it sure helped with concentration, motivation and sex drive. I am hoping to be able to afford insurance in the next 6 months. I would also like to have a work up by an endocronologist. I get such good info from this site and from what I have read am wondering if my hormones, HPA axis etc... are out of whack.
Posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 22:43:12
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL?, posted by Nezirov on June 30, 2005, at 20:42:35
I don't recall provigil boosting my libido but I wasn't really on it for very long. I began my journey on variuos psych meds 16 years ago. My libido vanished about 7 years ago and while I have been off all meds for the past 2 years, it hasn't returned. As mentioned in my previous post, I am hoping to get insurance again so I can have some endo tests done. This is really the pits! I really feel out of sync and abnormal in that I really don't have any sexual desire at all - none and feel a huge void in my life as a result. I wish that there was viagra for women as sexual identity is important to us as well.
Posted by PianoPlayer131 on July 1, 2005, at 0:28:15
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL? » Nezirov, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 22:43:12
Did you feel any better when you were at 150mg/day? For many people, Wellbutrin is a very stimulating medication and can raise anxiety levels through the roof. You might find that 150 mg may be better for you. You could always raise the dosage later. In the past I took Wellbutrin SR 150mg twice daily, and at that dosage it produced a great deal of anxiety and other side effects, such as decreased appetite, insomnia, and irritability. A year later, I'm now trying it at 150 mg/day instead of 300mg, and I find it much more tolerable.
To answer your first question, you should try to stick it out for 4-6 weeks. The side effects you describe should ease up gradually, and you will start to notice its antidepressant effects if it works for you. In the meantime, give your doctor a call (if possible). Best of luck.
Posted by Nezirov on July 1, 2005, at 2:03:28
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL? » Nezirov, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 22:43:12
That is unfortunate and all too common. If your testosterone is low, you should be able to easily increase your libido by supplementation. BTW, viagra does nothing for libido, it just facilitates erection.
Nezirov
> I don't recall provigil boosting my libido but I wasn't really on it for very long. I began my journey on variuos psych meds 16 years ago. My libido vanished about 7 years ago and while I have been off all meds for the past 2 years, it hasn't returned. As mentioned in my previous post, I am hoping to get insurance again so I can have some endo tests done. This is really the pits! I really feel out of sync and abnormal in that I really don't have any sexual desire at all - none and feel a huge void in my life as a result. I wish that there was viagra for women as sexual identity is important to us as well.
Posted by SLS on July 1, 2005, at 9:11:14
In reply to How long should I give Wellbutrin XL?, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 17:28:22
I don't think you should give up on Wellbutrin just yet. What you are experiencing is often a startup side effect that disappears with continued treatment. However, I agree that you have probably increased the dosage too quickly. I would consider remaining at 150mg for several more weeks to determine whether it will be effective at that dosage. If not, you might by then tolerate better a dosage increase. I have seen too many people experience anger, anxiety, and irritability at first, only to find that Wellbutrin later turns out to be a great drug for them.
No guarantees...
- Scott
Posted by nolagirl on July 1, 2005, at 9:42:58
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL? » nolagirl, posted by SLS on July 1, 2005, at 9:11:14
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your response. I really get alot from your postings. Unfortunately, the GP that gave me all the samples is in another state and I don't have one here where I live so I am stuck with the 300mg or nothing. I beleive that I will stick this out as long as possible. Don't think that I can cut the XL's. I am going to try niacinimide and see if that helps. Do you think that I could do the 300's every other day if that fails?
Thanks,
Nolagirl
Posted by med_empowered on July 1, 2005, at 12:06:58
In reply to Re: How long should I give Wellbutrin XL? » SLS, posted by nolagirl on July 1, 2005, at 9:42:58
hey! Unfortunately, I dont think 300mgs every other day will work...Wellbutrin in its "normal state" has a very, very short half-life; the original wellbutrin was usually dosed 3X daily, which is one reason why people had seizures (the total daily dose was too much, an individual dose was too high, so on and so forth). The Wellbutrin-SR (12 hour) was an improvement, and the XL is finally making Wellbutrin a one-a-day Antidepressant. Sorry about your insurance situation...I think its terrible that premiums are skyrocketing, companies are dropping benefits, and millions upon millions of people are being expected to pay out of pocket for overpriced meds :-( . Maybe quitting would be a bit hasty. If you can afford it, you could try seeing a doc and asking about the original, 3X daily Wellbutrin (available in generic) or the 2X daily SR (also available in generic). Its a pain to take things repeatedly over the course of a day, but, if you're sensitive to meds, doing so might help you find the best dose possible for you. In terms of supplements...all kinds of stuff works. Omega fatty acids, selenium (200mcgs/daily worked for me...and its cheap and may help prevent lung cancer), even a basic multi-vitamin can boost you a bit. Have you tried traditional stimulants? They're really NOT the best thing as monotherapy for clinical depression, and they do have side effects, but if your primary problem is anhedonia and such, a little bit of Ritalin, Adderall, or Dexedrine (all available in generic forms) could be of great help...plus, they have pretty short half-lives, so if you have problems with them, you can stop quickly with very few problems (the stimulant withdrawal syndrome is more common among the high-dose ADHD crowd and, of course, among illicit users). Speaking from personal experience, I find that antioxidants and/or a b-complex help a good bit. Good luck!
Posted by TerraJo on July 2, 2005, at 21:21:44
In reply to How long should I give Wellbutrin XL?, posted by nolagirl on June 30, 2005, at 17:28:22
give it 4-6 weeks
i'm taking the generic, immediate release (buproprion.) i'm at 350mg/day. it costs me $10/mo.
i lost weight and stopped smoking while taking it.
get off caffeine. that will mess you up.
you might be sensitive to extended release versions. personally, i cannot take any extended release versions of any psych. med. once we figured that out, it was smooth sailing.
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