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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tree on May 18, 2003, at 6:10:55
I took my first Wellbutrin this morning. I feel like I am just waiting for the side effects to start. I wonder if Ambien will help me sleep on this? It's the only one that has taken me through the night so far... 5htp did not do enough for me. I think it might help me when I get back to my "normal", but now I clearly need more. I am kind if excited and hopeful that this will help me feel better. I am really bad at keeping journals, but I am going to try to write down everything so I can keep track of what works and what doesn't. I will keep you posted - thanks for being here.
Posted by Snoozy on May 18, 2003, at 10:16:11
In reply to Today, Wellbutrin, posted by Tree on May 18, 2003, at 6:10:55
Hi Tree -
Can I ask what your dosage is? One of the hard things about taking AD's is that while the side effects can start early, it takes a while for any beneficial effects to kick in.
I use Benadryl (OTC antihistamine) as a sleep aid sometimes. With Ambien, I have trouble staying asleep after a few hours. If it's getting you through the whole night, that's great.
I keep a calendar of what medications I'm taking, so that I can see when I started something and when I changed doses. A journal would be even better, but at least it's something :)
I hope the Wellbutrin helps you - good luck.
> I took my first Wellbutrin this morning. I feel like I am just waiting for the side effects to start. I wonder if Ambien will help me sleep on this? It's the only one that has taken me through the night so far... 5htp did not do enough for me. I think it might help me when I get back to my "normal", but now I clearly need more. I am kind if excited and hopeful that this will help me feel better. I am really bad at keeping journals, but I am going to try to write down everything so I can keep track of what works and what doesn't. I will keep you posted - thanks for being here.
>
Posted by Edgefield on May 18, 2003, at 15:09:37
In reply to Today, Wellbutrin, posted by Tree on May 18, 2003, at 6:10:55
I'm going on my third week of Wellbutrin and it is the only AD to help me with my mood and spacey feeling. I also take 10mg. Prozac with the 100mg. of Wellbutrin. Keep me posted on your progress, and I wish you great success with this med.
God Bless
Edgefield> I took my first Wellbutrin this morning. I feel like I am just waiting for the side effects to start. I wonder if Ambien will help me sleep on this? It's the only one that has taken me through the night so far... 5htp did not do enough for me. I think it might help me when I get back to my "normal", but now I clearly need more. I am kind if excited and hopeful that this will help me feel better. I am really bad at keeping journals, but I am going to try to write down everything so I can keep track of what works and what doesn't. I will keep you posted - thanks for being here.
>
Posted by Tree on May 19, 2003, at 6:32:33
In reply to Re: Today, Wellbutrin » Tree, posted by Edgefield on May 18, 2003, at 15:09:37
I am takng 150mg, sustained release. She told me to take it twice a day, but I decided to try it once for a few days, before I add the second. Yesterday was the first day, and I can't remember when I've had as much energy. I went for a walk, did some housework(!) and took two of my kids to the park for a picnic. More than I've accomplished in a very long time. In the afternoon, and into the night, I felt tired and wired at the same time. I took an Ambien and slept well from 11 to 3, then lightly till a little after 5. Feel tired this morning. Loved the energy, need to find a way to sleep, and I'm still irritable - but only one day and I know it takes weeks. Does the insomnia get better after the body adjusts?
Edgefield, why do you take the 10mg Prozac with the Wellbutrin? Just curious.
Posted by Edgefield on May 19, 2003, at 10:52:53
In reply to Re: Today, Wellbutrin, posted by Tree on May 19, 2003, at 6:32:33
Tree, thanks for the information. I started out taking the 10mg. Fluoxetine, but I was always soooo very tired, and feeling spacey. My pdoc added the 100mg of the sustained release Wellbutrin to help. I will see my dr. next week and maybe she will increase the dosage to 150mg.
Are you taking anything else besides the Wellbutrin?
God Bless
Edgefield
> I am takng 150mg, sustained release. She told me to take it twice a day, but I decided to try it once for a few days, before I add the second. Yesterday was the first day, and I can't remember when I've had as much energy. I went for a walk, did some housework(!) and took two of my kids to the park for a picnic. More than I've accomplished in a very long time. In the afternoon, and into the night, I felt tired and wired at the same time. I took an Ambien and slept well from 11 to 3, then lightly till a little after 5. Feel tired this morning. Loved the energy, need to find a way to sleep, and I'm still irritable - but only one day and I know it takes weeks. Does the insomnia get better after the body adjusts?
>
> Edgefield, why do you take the 10mg Prozac with the Wellbutrin? Just curious.
Posted by Snoozy on May 19, 2003, at 12:16:52
In reply to Re: Today, Wellbutrin, posted by Tree on May 19, 2003, at 6:32:33
I would say it is a very good idea for you start with 150mg once a day, given that you were already struggling with insomnia. Ah yes, I have fond memories of the energy I had when I started WB. When I started it, I think I did 200 for a week and then up to 300. It took about a month for the insomnia/irritability to settle down.
This is my personal opinion, based solely on my experience with the drug, but you may want to consider staying at 150 for a week and then seeing how you feel. The SR also comes in 100mg tabs, so depending how you feel as you continue with the drug, you could get some of the 100s, and go to 200 from 150, and then go to 250, then to 300.
I don't have kids, or any experience with them really, so take this with a big grain of salt, but I think I would have had a hard time dealing with them when I first started at 300 (based on getting to the 300 pretty quickly, and not gradually working up from a lower dose). Because of the irritability I had early on, and the insomnia which made me even more irritable.
I really hope some others will share their experience and tell me if I'm wrong in my thinking. My theory is that, of course you want relief from the depression as quickly as possible. But, if you get overwhelmed with side effects and can't take the drug, obviously it's not going to help with anything. Also when you're dealing with insomnia as a major s/e, I think too much sleep deprivation can cause or contribute to depression. If anyone thinks this is hooey, please let me know.
Considering you haven't had experience with taking an AD (if my memory serves - please let me know if I'm wrong), you may want to be cautious. Again, if my memory holds, this was prescribed by a dr who is not a psychiatrist? Sometimes they don't have as much experience with what the side effects are like for the patient (I'm generalizing).
Finally, let me add something I had posted previously. When I know my irritability is due to a medication, it makes it somewhat easier for me to deal with it. Like when listening to someone chew is making me hate them - I can tell myself to calm down, you're just overly irritated by the drug, and it'll get better.
I hope this has helped somewhat.
> I am takng 150mg, sustained release. She told me to take it twice a day, but I decided to try it once for a few days, before I add the second. Yesterday was the first day, and I can't remember when I've had as much energy. I went for a walk, did some housework(!) and took two of my kids to the park for a picnic. More than I've accomplished in a very long time. In the afternoon, and into the night, I felt tired and wired at the same time. I took an Ambien and slept well from 11 to 3, then lightly till a little after 5. Feel tired this morning. Loved the energy, need to find a way to sleep, and I'm still irritable - but only one day and I know it takes weeks. Does the insomnia get better after the body adjusts?
>
> Edgefield, why do you take the 10mg Prozac with the Wellbutrin? Just curious.
Posted by Ron Hill on May 20, 2003, at 3:32:02
In reply to Re: Today, Wellbutrin, posted by Tree on May 19, 2003, at 6:32:33
Hi Tree,
Please take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt because I am not a doctor.
Based on our previous conversation in an earlier thread and based on your almost immediate response to Wellbutrin, I have this gnawing sense in the pit of my stomach that you might be bipolar II. If my hunch is correct (and I'm not saying I am) then treating with antidepressants alone is NOT in you best interest. The energy boost and insomnia might be symptoms of medication induced hypomania.
Here is a link to a site that offers a pretty good on-line diagnosis screening test. It costs ten bucks, but it might be the best ten bucks you could spend right now if it were to save you from going down the wrong treatment road. Here is the link:
http://www.mentalhealth.com/p71.html
Are you currently working with a pdoc or just a GP? If it’s the latter, find a good pdoc ASAP.
Also there is some good information regarding bipolar disorder on the following site:
http://www.psycheducation.com/
Tree, please do all you can to make sure you get the correct dx. You might be on the right track already. On the other hand, if you are bipolar II (or bipolar III), taking an antidepressant without a moodstabilizer fully in place will make the situation worse, not better. I've been there, done that.
If I didn't care, I would not spend the time to type this post. Best wishes.
-- Ron
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> I am takng 150mg, sustained release. She told me to take it twice a day, but I decided to try it once for a few days, before I add the second. Yesterday was the first day, and I can't remember when I've had as much energy. I went for a walk, did some housework(!) and took two of my kids to the park for a picnic. More than I've accomplished in a very long time. In the afternoon, and into the night, I felt tired and wired at the same time. I took an Ambien and slept well from 11 to 3, then lightly till a little after 5. Feel tired this morning. Loved the energy, need to find a way to sleep, and I'm still irritable - but only one day and I know it takes weeks. Does the insomnia get better after the body adjusts?
>
> Edgefield, why do you take the 10mg Prozac with the Wellbutrin? Just curious.
This is the end of the thread.
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