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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mary-Anne on March 1, 1999, at 17:42:30
My diagnosis was Dysthymia.
Prozac disturbed my sleep.
Zoloft disturbed my sex life.
Wellbutrin treated the depression without
disturbing sleep or sex life, but I
still lost my temper,
was anxious, and felt dizzy sometimes.
Wellbutrin SR reduced the dizziness.
Wellbutrin SR + very low dose Depakote
worked on the temper, but I was still anxious.
Wellbutrin SR + Effexor XR temporarily
improved the sex life, and also worked on the temper,
but seriously disturbed my sleep. Now I am
totally exhausted.
Effexor also did nothing about the anxiety.Multiple people both in and outside work say
I need to be more assertive, in a nice way.
Keep my cool but insist. Have faith in my
own abilities.
I also still tend to procrastinate,
and I take a very long time to make up my mind.
Someone said I seem "scared of everything".I think I should change to
Wellbutrin SR + something else
and I have my regular appointment
with the prescribing physician
this Thursday morning. I do not plan to change
anything until talking with him. (Don't worry.)Are there any ideas I should suggest to him
about drugs that combine well with Wellbutrin SR,
let me sleep at night without making me drowsy
the rest of the time, work on anxiety and issues
of self-esteem, are not associated with weight gain,
and (preferably) only need to be taken once a day?
(I have a harder time remembering multiple doses.)At our last appointment he also suggested
possibly adding a third drug to the
Wellbutrin + Effexor, but I am not in favor of
the idea. More risk of nasty interactions, I
feel.I understand that advice over the 'net is not
necessarily reliable, and I will not hold you
responsible if your suggestion turns out to be
a bad idea. I heard about Wellbutrin SR through
this site, before my doctor did,
and it has certain proven to be an improvement
over regular Wellbutrin, so it seems worth
checking here.Thanks.
Mary-Anne
Posted by anonymous on March 1, 1999, at 20:49:47
In reply to Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Mary-Anne on March 1, 1999, at 17:42:30
> My diagnosis was Dysthymia.
>
> Prozac disturbed my sleep.
> Zoloft disturbed my sex life.
> Wellbutrin treated the depression without
> disturbing sleep or sex life, but I
> still lost my temper,
> was anxious, and felt dizzy sometimes.
> Wellbutrin SR reduced the dizziness.
> Wellbutrin SR + very low dose Depakote
> worked on the temper, but I was still anxious.
> Wellbutrin SR + Effexor XR temporarily
> improved the sex life, and also worked on the temper,
> but seriously disturbed my sleep. Now I am
> totally exhausted.
> Effexor also did nothing about the anxiety.
>
> Multiple people both in and outside work say
> I need to be more assertive, in a nice way.
> Keep my cool but insist. Have faith in my
> own abilities.
> I also still tend to procrastinate,
> and I take a very long time to make up my mind.
> Someone said I seem "scared of everything".
>
> I think I should change to
> Wellbutrin SR + something else
> and I have my regular appointment
> with the prescribing physician
> this Thursday morning. I do not plan to change
> anything until talking with him. (Don't worry.)
>
> Are there any ideas I should suggest to him
> about drugs that combine well with Wellbutrin SR,
> let me sleep at night without making me drowsy
> the rest of the time, work on anxiety and issues
> of self-esteem, are not associated with weight gain,
> and (preferably) only need to be taken once a day?
> (I have a harder time remembering multiple doses.)
>
> At our last appointment he also suggested
> possibly adding a third drug to the
> Wellbutrin + Effexor, but I am not in favor of
> the idea. More risk of nasty interactions, I
> feel.
>
> I understand that advice over the 'net is not
> necessarily reliable, and I will not hold you
> responsible if your suggestion turns out to be
> a bad idea. I heard about Wellbutrin SR through
> this site, before my doctor did,
> and it has certain proven to be an improvement
> over regular Wellbutrin, so it seems worth
> checking here.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Mary-Anne
You could try Prozac again and take it in the morning. The Wellbutrin SR might help it. Or sometimes they add lithium or thyroid to kick things up a bit and help them work better.
Posted by dave on March 2, 1999, at 0:56:10
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by anonymous on March 1, 1999, at 20:49:47
Mary-Anne
Maybe if your doc if he things a benzo like klonopin
would help level off thing for you. That is the
only suggestion I can think of. Good Luck.
Sincerely
dave
Posted by Patty on March 2, 1999, at 8:54:00
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by dave on March 2, 1999, at 0:56:10
I know of quite a few people who have had good luck with Deseryl(antidepressant) for sleeping aid. Don't know about interaction with other two meds, so would need to check. I guess I would want to stay away from Klonopin if possible. Good luck:)
Posted by Carol on March 2, 1999, at 10:34:22
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Patty on March 2, 1999, at 8:54:00
> Mary-Anne,
I'm currently taking 500 mg Wellbutrin SR (200 mg 6AM, 200 mg noon, 100 mg 6 PM). By itself, this was OK, but my Dr. and I added Desryel at bedtime to help me sleep (started at 225 mg, now at 150 mg). About 1 yr later, my stress level got really high at work, and we started with lithium (450 mg Eskalith CR, at bedtime). You'll need to titrate the exact amount of Desyrel and the lithium to get the best effect. I had to cut back on the Desryel because I was having some trouble waking up in the morning, so the 3-way divide on the 150 mg tablet lets you adjust the dose by either 50 mg or 75 mg.
I'm not certain what category Desryel falls in, but too much of it can definitely make you groggy the next day. I don't have any carryover into the next morning with the dose that I'm now taking.
I'm taking both the Desyrel and lithium at night, so that counts as a "single dose". I don't know about taking Wellbutrin at bedtime. Some of the reports here tell about night sweats and sleep disturbances from taking Wellbutrin at bedtime.
I have experienced a little dizziness or a sensation of losing my balance, but that is strictly due to the Wellbutrin. I found this was one of my initial side effects and has continued for the 4+ years I have been taking it. It does become somewhat less annoying over time. There are some reports of older people having that side effect, but supposedly not at my age. (35-40)
I actively monitor my physical and emotional responses as my meds are changed. I've fallen out of the habit recently, as my current cocktail seems to be working well. You need to provide accurate feedback for your Dr. to make certain that you report all the side effects, and whether or not you can tolerate them. My problem has always been somewhat medication-resistant, so the dosages are higher, and everything takes a little longer to start working.
I think I've been on my current combination for 2 1/2 years. I'm clear-headed (most of the time), but the "downs" that get me now are the same ones that "normal" people get. Some skills I've learned are from cognitive therapy, and these help me to cope much better. I've learned to choose WHICH battles to fight, and what I need to stand firm on. This helps to focus my energies into things where I can change things, or for which there is a pay-off.
By the way, I'm employed full-time as a professional scientist for a major chemical company, so I'm definitely not impaired by this combination.
Good Luck
Carol
Posted by Joann on March 3, 1999, at 14:38:16
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Carol on March 2, 1999, at 10:34:22
> I take Wellbutrin and Depakote (and Risperidal) during the day. I take Trazadone to go to sleep. It works and it does not make me sleepy the next day. This would be my suggestion.
Posted by cat on April 28, 2002, at 17:22:55
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Joann on March 3, 1999, at 14:38:16
I take Wellbutrin and Depakote in the morning and afternoon, and the Risperdal at night for the sole purpose of being able to sleep.
Cat
Posted by Aurielle on June 14, 2002, at 17:44:18
In reply to Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Mary-Anne on March 1, 1999, at 17:42:30
Greetings,
I was also diagnosed with Dysthymia and General Anxiety Disorder, so I asked my doctor to prescribe something that would help me with anxiety, since Wellbutrin SR doesn't address this issue. She said we might think about Buspar or Xanax later, but for now suggested I try something I already take at night to help me with insomnia: Trazodone.
I take 100 mg of Trazodone at night, so I tried cutting a 50 mg tablet in half and taking that during the day to see if it would (a) totally mellow me out, or (b) totally knock me out. Happily, the result was (a)! I have found that a very very low dose of Trazodone works like a charm to reduce my irritability and anxiety, and the Wellbutrin SR does wonders for my depression and attention deficit symptoms. I have never been so productive at work or at doing things around the house, and I sleep like a baby at night with 100 mg of Trazodone.
I wouldn't necessarily take the Trazodone every day during the day, but it's so rewarding to know there is something mild but effective that I can take as needed to mellow me out if I need it. I think I'll keep a half-tab with me at all times for "EBM" (Emergency Bitchiness Management), LoL.
HTH,
Aurielle
Posted by paxvox on June 14, 2002, at 18:56:21
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Aurielle on June 14, 2002, at 17:44:18
Good deal! I'm glad the Traz. works for you. It is actually an antidepressant itself, though generally prescribed at sub-therapeutic levels (for depression) as a sleep aid. Unfortunately, for me, it exacerbated a urinary problem due to its anticholenergic effects.
PAXX
Posted by Aurielle on June 14, 2002, at 21:30:08
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ??? » Aurielle, posted by paxvox on June 14, 2002, at 18:56:21
Interesting...I didn't realize that Trazodone was anticholinergic, but perhaps it's because I also take Galantamine (8 mg, 3x a day) because I suffered a great deal from memory loss and because both my father and grandmother had Alzheimer's and I'm hoping to avoid it early on (I'm 49 and I didn't feel like spending my twilight years meeting new people every day, LoL).
Galantamine is an anticholinesterase inhibitor, and my pharmacist informs me that it does not have any adverse drug interactions with Wellbutrin SR or Trazodone. Sounds like it helps counteract some of Trazodone's downside, in fact. Thanks for the info, PAXX.
-- Aurielle --
Posted by thomaslee on June 2, 2003, at 23:25:34
In reply to Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Mary-Anne on March 1, 1999, at 17:42:30
i am using wellbutrin sr 200 mg for depression;
buspirone 15mg twice a day for angiexy
and trazodone 50mg prior to bed time. it really has help me. but i did notice if i drink alcohol the medicne would not perform to the best. i dont take the buspirone before i go to bed usually 4 hours before, because it will keep me from going to sleep. the only thing i found about the wellburtin sr 200 mg, it isn't lasting long enough so when i go in i am going to see about getting a bigger dose. all this together has really work for me, the angiexy still there, but doesnt last long and only occurrs when something upsets me. good luck
Posted by ZekeB on February 1, 2008, at 19:03:14
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by thomaslee on June 2, 2003, at 23:25:34
I have been taking Wellbutrin SR, 200 mg 2x/day for long-standing dysthymia (with some anger issues). It doesn't seem to do much, but it has been a while that I've been on it, so I can't accurately compare it to the laundry list of other antidepressants I've taken over the years...
Doc added Seroquel several months ago -- 200 or 300 mg at bedtime. (Doing the dose at bedtime is a must for me; Seroquel can make me *very* groggy.) I don't think Seroquel was available back when the previous posts were made.
I think the Seroquel has helped a little with the anger issues, but the difference is not always measurable. Separately, I am convinced that it also increases the incidence of my "extra systoles" (the feeling you get that your heart skips a beat -- VERY anxiety-provoking), but if I take a magnesium supplement, that seems to help with the heartbeat problems. Sometimes.
Anyway, Wellbutrin SR + Seroquel (plus magnesium) is an improvement for me over the Wellbutrin only, but the difference is pretty small...
(Everything is related to everything else, but sometimes it's hard to see how...)
Posted by Justherself54 on February 3, 2008, at 10:12:15
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by ZekeB on February 1, 2008, at 19:03:14
> I have been taking Wellbutrin SR, 200 mg 2x/day for long-standing dysthymia (with some anger issues). It doesn't seem to do much, but it has been a while that I've been on it, so I can't accurately compare it to the laundry list of other antidepressants I've taken over the years...
>
> Doc added Seroquel several months ago -- 200 or 300 mg at bedtime. (Doing the dose at bedtime is a must for me; Seroquel can make me *very* groggy.) I don't think Seroquel was available back when the previous posts were made.
>
> I think the Seroquel has helped a little with the anger issues, but the difference is not always measurable. Separately, I am convinced that it also increases the incidence of my "extra systoles" (the feeling you get that your heart skips a beat -- VERY anxiety-provoking), but if I take a magnesium supplement, that seems to help with the heartbeat problems. Sometimes.
>
> Anyway, Wellbutrin SR + Seroquel (plus magnesium) is an improvement for me over the Wellbutrin only, but the difference is pretty small...
>
> (Everything is related to everything else, but sometimes it's hard to see how...)Welcome to Babble..you'll find lots of information here!
On a personal note, I always have heart palpitations and seroquel initially made them worse, but they're back to where they were before I started. I'm not sure if systoles are the same as heart palpitations..I find if I take deep breaths through an episode it helps and this may seem strange but if I can burp (yeah I know, sounds weird) that can stop them too..
They can be very anxiety producing..I've had to pull over to the side of the road when I've had a bad one as the anxiety can make me feel dizzy..
I hope they clear up for you..they can be scary..
Posted by Phillipa on February 3, 2008, at 19:40:33
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Justherself54 on February 3, 2008, at 10:12:15
Yes welcome to babble. I'd suggest starting a new thread as this one is old and those on it may no longer active. Again welcome. Phillipa
Posted by Molybdenum on February 7, 2008, at 18:47:46
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Phillipa on February 3, 2008, at 19:40:33
Re the Wellbutrin (bupropion), curiously in Australia it's only approved on the "gov't price subsidized list" for :
"Completion of treatment as short-term adjunctive therapy for nicotine dependence to facilitate the goal of achieving abstinence in patients who have indicated that they are ready to cease smoking and who have entered a comprehensive support and counseling program."
http://pbs.gov.au/html/healthpro/home
A doctor can still prescribe it here re other uses, but the cost would go up to $170 for 90tabs vs just $31 (or $5 if you're not working).
So not everywhere is it seen as a valuable anti-depressant. Hmm....
Posted by tapiocamonk on February 17, 2008, at 16:04:54
In reply to Re: Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Molybdenum on February 7, 2008, at 18:47:46
testing
Posted by cecile on October 24, 2010, at 0:54:50
In reply to Advice?: Wellbutrin SR + ???, posted by Mary-Anne on March 1, 1999, at 17:42:30
duloxetine
This is the end of the thread.
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