Posted by fendel on April 26, 2003, at 15:12:31
In reply to Wellbutrin, posted by Kat26 on April 25, 2003, at 14:02:09
Hi, I've been on Wellbutrin for almost 8 years. It has worked extremely well for me. I'm on 400mg/day of the SR formulation.
When I was first diagnosed, my primary doctor prescribed Paxil. For the 30 days I was on Paxil, I was exhausted (make that "more exhausted"... my depression made me tired to begin with), I had trouble concentrating, my sex drive evaporated, and I felt miserable. I did a little research, went back, and asked for Wellbutrin. Been on it ever since.
I noticed an effect within 12 hours of my first dose--it was like my world went Technicolor. (The package insert mentioned "unusual feeling of well-being" as a possible side effect. Gimme more of those side effects!) Generally I've found it energizing. The only side effects I've experienced have been occasional dry mouth and increased heart rate & blood pressure (which I take a beta blocker for).
From what I've read, Wellbutrin is thought to work on norepinephrine and dopamine, while Prozac and other SSRIs (Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa) work on serotonin. (Apologies if this info is too basic, but I don't want to assume.) My poor response to Paxil and, later, Celexa (an attempt to augment the Wellbutrin when some symptoms resurfaced) suggests to me that the serotonin drugs are not the answer for me. If the Wellbutrin stops working for me, I'll be looking
into other norepinephrine/dopamine-related drugs.A friend of mine had a similar experience--Celexa didn't help her, Wellbutrin felt like a miracle to her. I have another friend who was too irritable and anxious on Wellbutrin and feels better on Prozac. YMMV.
That's my two cents...Good luck,
fendel
poster:fendel
thread:222345
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030423/msgs/222619.html