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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cutiemegs on October 25, 2007, at 23:09:01
doc put me on wellbutrin. i tell my doc that i drink,... meaning that i have at least 2 drinks monday through friday. on fridays, i will drink 10- 15 drinks, i will "recover" on saturday, and go right back to 10- 15 drinks on sunday. my doctor tells me to not worry about the seizures, no matter how much i have to drink. all that matters is my liver function. the fact that i'm torn between "suddenly stop drinking", and continued drinking, causes severe anxiety and so she prescribes xanax. i stopped taking the wellbutrin 6 months ago, and haven't needed the xanax in 4 months. my question is this,...
... the whole reason i had anxiety in the first place was because i was so afraid i was going to have a seizure. does that really happen to people on wellbutrin,... no matter how much they drink/ drank?
if i decide to go back on the wellbutrin, what is better? to continue to drink or to suddenly stop? if the answer is to suddenly stop, how long should i stop drinking before i start taking the wellbutrin again? one week, one month, one year?
Posted by Zyprexa on October 25, 2007, at 23:31:18
In reply to wellbutrin/seizures/alcohal, posted by cutiemegs on October 25, 2007, at 23:09:01
Wellbutrin says its better to keep drinking than suddenly stop, while you are taking the med. I never drank as much as you, but did drink 3 a day while taking wellbutrin and no sizures. I also quit the drinking while still taking the wellbutrin, and no sizures. On the other hand drinking while taking wellbutrin raises your sizure risk. If it gives you anxiety to take wellbutrin, why not just quit? Then you wouldn't have to worry about how much you drink.
Posted by Dragon Black on October 25, 2007, at 23:43:31
In reply to wellbutrin/seizures/alcohal, posted by cutiemegs on October 25, 2007, at 23:09:01
FWIW, I used to be on Wellbutrin, and I binge drank every weekend, even when I was on 450 mg/day.
When Wellbutrin first was approved, the dosage recommendation was set at 600 mg/day. Then, literally as the trucks were delivering the pills to pharmacies (Preskorn wrote an article about Wellbutrin and describes all this - he's one of the docs that was involved throughout the clinical trials and approval process) a study came out showing a reduced seizure threshold, and they did a huge recall and not sure if they had to get a second approval or what, but anyway, they delayed sending it to market and reduced the dosage rec. to 300 mg/day, 450 max. So, long story short, while there is a dose-related risk, it is pretty small, and in my mind it didn't become significant until you got over 450/day. So use caution; I think there are lots of other reasons to watch one's drinking that are much less speculative, but for me, I drank my *ss off on it and was "fine."
Posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2007, at 11:43:22
In reply to Re: wellbutrin/seizures/alcohal, posted by Dragon Black on October 25, 2007, at 23:43:31
I don't feel this is a small problem. Think there is more than one issue to be delt with here. That is too much drinking wellbutrin or not does your doc know you drink so much on weekends? I think sitting down with your pdoc and discussing all the different components to this question is the best thing to do. Oh and in no way am I criticizing you as I used to drink a lot myself. No longer do and miss it. So I know the dilema you feel. I felt the same way myself. Good luck and stay safe as I may not know you but care about your health and wellbeing. Will you update us? Phillipa
Posted by cutiemegs on June 11, 2008, at 21:29:10
In reply to Re: wellbutrin/seizures/alcohal, posted by Phillipa on October 26, 2007, at 11:43:22
hi there, and i thank all of the responses.
i know and understand that i do need to stop drinking. i also know that i drink because i am depressed,... and am depressed because i drink so much. this was actually one of the biggest reasons i tried to seek medical help.
i did tell my doctor how much and how often i drank liquor. she told me that my liver functions were fine and it wouldn't be a problem. but i tell you what, i would rather be depressed for the rest of my life than to deal with the anxiety i felt every single day.
i thought the anxiety would go away if i could calm my fears, knowing which was worse; continuing to drink while on wellbutrin or to suddenly stop drinking.
Posted by blueboy on June 18, 2008, at 13:44:47
In reply to Re: wellbutrin/seizures/alcohal, posted by cutiemegs on June 11, 2008, at 21:29:10
> hi there, and i thank all of the responses.
>
> i know and understand that i do need to stop drinking. i also know that i drink because i am depressed,... and am depressed because i drink so much. this was actually one of the biggest reasons i tried to seek medical help.
>
> i did tell my doctor how much and how often i drank liquor. she told me that my liver functions were fine and it wouldn't be a problem. but i tell you what, i would rather be depressed for the rest of my life than to deal with the anxiety i felt every single day.
>
> i thought the anxiety would go away if i could calm my fears, knowing which was worse; continuing to drink while on wellbutrin or to suddenly stop drinking.Cutie, I hope you'll give AA a try. I've been so much better off since I stopped drinking, and actually, AA has made me a better person in a number of other ways, as well.
Problem is, I had to do a fair amount of damage to myself before I could grasp the program and stay sober.
This is the end of the thread.
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