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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 SLS on March 25, 2006, at 20:37:41
Waiting really sucks.
I added Wellbutrin to my treatment regime less than two weeks ago. I have been taking 300mg for six days. In the past, Wellbutrin has made me feel somewhat worse. My doctor wants to see how I will react to it in combination with Lamictal. I figured I'd give him a shot.
I want to know NOW!
Is this stuff going to work?
Should I invest six weeks to find out?
Of course I should.
Currently:nortriptyline 100mg
Lamictal 100mg
Abilify 10mg
Keppra 1000mg
Wellbutrin 300mg
So far, I'm not feeling hideously worse. Maybe some anxiety and a bit of dysphoria. Tolerable.Waiting really sucks.
Oh, I said that already.
- Scott
Posted by MARTY on March 25, 2006, at 20:57:18
In reply to Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 25, 2006, at 20:37:41
I so much can relate to that. There is nothing more difficult to wait for than to see if well finaly be happy... or at less fell better.Anxiety seem to be a part of your health problems, just like me. And just like me, Wellbutrin was making me feel bad; anxiety was terrible. But just like you, I was put on Lamictal 150mg BID (300mg) and like your doc I'm asking myself if it you'll be different this time if I was to take Wellbutrin again.
I'm scared to try it. But hearing you saying that it isn`t so bad give me some hope and maybe the courage to go forward.
I'm very sceptical anyway.. I never had the feeling that a dopaminergic agent could be good against anxious disorders.. What your idea on this ?
Btw, I'm Social phobic, depressive and GAD..
Currently on NARDIL, but not for too long cause I don't feel well.Martin
Posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2006, at 21:32:45
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by MARTY on March 25, 2006, at 20:57:18
Scott I hear the frustration and anger in your voice. I'm praying for you. you have suffered toolong and you always have time for us. Love, hug, and kisses Jan
Posted by Declan on March 26, 2006, at 12:34:22
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2006, at 21:32:45
Hi Scott
So you stopped Parnate 80mg/d? I remember you saying it helped your core depressive symptoms not at all, but I imagine stopping it might have been a stretch. Is this right?
Declan
Posted by SLS on March 26, 2006, at 12:58:47
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by Declan on March 26, 2006, at 12:34:22
> Hi Scott
> So you stopped Parnate 80mg/d? I remember you saying it helped your core depressive symptoms not at all, but I imagine stopping it might have been a stretch. Is this right?
> DeclanYeah. Parnate seems to be a dead end for me. It does help somewhat, but with diminishing returns the longer I stay on it. I wanted to get off of Parnate so that I could try other things that would otherwise interact adversely with it. If nothing else seems promising, I would like to return to Nardil. I've never combined it with nortriptyline. I wish my doctor were more comfortable with mixing things with MAOIs. I wouldn't mind even trying Wellbutrin with Nardil.
- Scott
Posted by jay on March 26, 2006, at 15:07:17
In reply to Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 25, 2006, at 20:37:41
> Waiting really sucks.
>
> I added Wellbutrin to my treatment regime less than two weeks ago. I have been taking 300mg for six days. In the past, Wellbutrin has made me feel somewhat worse. My doctor wants to see how I will react to it in combination with Lamictal. I figured I'd give him a shot.
>
> I want to know NOW!Hi Scott....
Ya, it DOES SUCK, BIG time... I remember being on a combo similar to your current one, and having the exact same issues. I'd say you might hit a near-perfect shot right now if you added a potent benzo like Xanax...2-3mg's a day...or you could try the old standby, clonazepam...but I have to take about 9mg's of that stuff for it to work on my anxiety. Still...others get by with small doses of even 0.5mg's a day. I would say that benzos would be the only class of drugs you could add to stop your anxiety cold in-it's-path right-away.
Best wishes,
Jay
Posted by MARTY on March 26, 2006, at 15:27:45
In reply to Re: Waiting... » SLS, posted by jay on March 26, 2006, at 15:07:17
Hi Jay --
About the benzo, I king of agree partially with you about the xanax. But I got to disagree about the Clonazepam. The 'possibility' of depression with Clonazepam is more than real and trust me is an hell; just when you got one of the (THE) worst depression of your life you are forced to withdraw from benzo, which combine with this kind of depression is 95% sure to put your *ss in hospital for a long time.
Having been there, I would recommend to try EVERYTHING you possibly can and are willing to before resigning to go on Clonazepam, which is better than nothing after you failed everything.
I know that I sound very severe.. but Clonazepam almost cost me my life and even being an SP.. I think it's not worth it.. prefer a certain level of discomfort than the Clonazepam risks.
Would like to know what you think about that people ..
Hey Scott.. what's your progress now ? feel anything different ?
Marty
> > Waiting really sucks.
> >
> > I added Wellbutrin to my treatment regime less than two weeks ago. I have been taking 300mg for six days. In the past, Wellbutrin has made me feel somewhat worse. My doctor wants to see how I will react to it in combination with Lamictal. I figured I'd give him a shot.
> >
> > I want to know NOW!
>
> Hi Scott....
>
> Ya, it DOES SUCK, BIG time... I remember being on a combo similar to your current one, and having the exact same issues. I'd say you might hit a near-perfect shot right now if you added a potent benzo like Xanax...2-3mg's a day...or you could try the old standby, clonazepam...but I have to take about 9mg's of that stuff for it to work on my anxiety. Still...others get by with small doses of even 0.5mg's a day. I would say that benzos would be the only class of drugs you could add to stop your anxiety cold in-it's-path right-away.
>
> Best wishes,
> Jay
Posted by blueberry on March 27, 2006, at 18:44:20
In reply to Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 25, 2006, at 20:37:41
Scott,
A new governmental study has just been completed. It was 6 years long by the National Institute of Mental Health. In it they found that the best results for achieving total remission, not just partial improvement, were by pursuing full 12 week trials. Not the usual 4 to 8 week trials. Some patients had been depressed for 14 years.
They started with an ssri. If after 12 weeks there was not remission, then patients either switched to wellbutrin, or had wellbutrin or buspirone added to their ssri, for another 12 weeks. Total remission rates were about 47% at this point.
There are two more legs to the study that haven't been published yet. They are for further medication changes of the patients who were still not in remission.
The moral of the story of this 6 year study though is that the best results come from 12 week trials before changing course. But of course, I'm sure they didn't have a ton of patients as difficult to treat as you or me. :-)
Posted by fairywings on March 27, 2006, at 20:44:19
In reply to Re: Waiting... » SLS, posted by jay on March 26, 2006, at 15:07:17
Yeah, I had anxiety with Wellbutrin, and my pdoc had me take xanax with it. Hope things start working for you soon Scott - hope the new combo proves to be a good one. I can hear the frustration you're suffering.
fw
Posted by TylerJ on March 30, 2006, at 7:49:06
In reply to Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 25, 2006, at 20:37:41
> Waiting really sucks.
>
> I added Wellbutrin to my treatment regime less than two weeks ago. I have been taking 300mg for six days. In the past, Wellbutrin has made me feel somewhat worse. My doctor wants to see how I will react to it in combination with Lamictal. I figured I'd give him a shot.
>
> I want to know NOW!
>
> Is this stuff going to work?
>
> Should I invest six weeks to find out?
>
> Of course I should.
>
>
> Currently:
>
> nortriptyline 100mg
> Lamictal 100mg
> Abilify 10mg
> Keppra 1000mg
> Wellbutrin 300mg
>
>
> So far, I'm not feeling hideously worse. Maybe some anxiety and a bit of dysphoria. Tolerable.
>
> Waiting really sucks.
>
> Oh, I said that already.
>
>
> - Scott
I agree, waiting really does suck, especially when you are not feeling well. Try staying busy if you can Scott, go to movies, read, hang out with family and friends if possible. For me staying busy helps keep my mind off of me. Good Luck and let us know how you're doing.Tyler
Posted by MARTY on March 30, 2006, at 7:55:23
In reply to Re: Waiting... » SLS, posted by TylerJ on March 30, 2006, at 7:49:06
SLS.. give us news about your Wellbutrin.Marty
Posted by SLS on March 30, 2006, at 8:08:02
In reply to Re: Waiting... » TylerJ, posted by MARTY on March 30, 2006, at 7:55:23
>
> SLS.. give us news about your Wellbutrin.
>
> MartyI'm almost afraid to hope. Something is happening, though. I don't feel completely like myself. It is difficult for me to explain, but something is different. I do feel a little less depressed, and I swear I could "smell" a bit of an antidepressant response that reminds me of what it felt like when I responded well to treatment many years ago.
Sometimes, feeling weird early in treatment is a good thing.
Still hoping...
Still waiting...
:-)
Thanks for your concern.
This is what I am taking currently:
• Wellbutrin XL 300mg
• nortriptyline 100mg
• Lamictal 100mg
• Abilify 10mg
• Keppra 1000mg
- Scott
Posted by MARTY on March 30, 2006, at 8:10:47
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 30, 2006, at 8:08:02
Good! I agree with you; Feeling weird when starting a new AD is usually a good sign.
Sounds like it may well become a good one for you.Keep us posted.
Marty
> >
> > SLS.. give us news about your Wellbutrin.
> >
> > Marty
>
> I'm almost afraid to hope. Something is happening, though. I don't feel completely like myself. It is difficult for me to explain, but something is different. I do feel a little less depressed, and I swear I could "smell" a bit of an antidepressant response that reminds me of what it felt like when I responded well to treatment many years ago.
>
> Sometimes, feeling weird early in treatment is a good thing.
>
> Still hoping...
>
> Still waiting...
>
> :-)
>
> Thanks for your concern.
>
> This is what I am taking currently:
>
> • Wellbutrin XL 300mg
> • nortriptyline 100mg
> • Lamictal 100mg
> • Abilify 10mg
> • Keppra 1000mg
>
>
> - Scott
>
Posted by TylerJ on March 30, 2006, at 11:26:38
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by SLS on March 30, 2006, at 8:08:02
> >
> > SLS.. give us news about your Wellbutrin.
> >
> > Marty
>
> I'm almost afraid to hope. Something is happening, though. I don't feel completely like myself. It is difficult for me to explain, but something is different. I do feel a little less depressed, and I swear I could "smell" a bit of an antidepressant response that reminds me of what it felt like when I responded well to treatment many years ago.
>
> Sometimes, feeling weird early in treatment is a good thing.
>
> Still hoping...
>
> Still waiting...
>
> :-)
>
> Thanks for your concern.
>
> This is what I am taking currently:
>
> • Wellbutrin XL 300mg
> • nortriptyline 100mg
> • Lamictal 100mg
> • Abilify 10mg
> • Keppra 1000mg
>
>
> - Scott
>That's great Scott, the meds are working. Now see, that wasn't too long of a wait was it? :)
I hope you continue to improve.Tyler
Posted by Phillipa on March 30, 2006, at 19:07:22
In reply to Re: Waiting..., posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2006, at 21:32:45
How does feeling wierd mean an Ad is working for you? Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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