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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NikkiT2 on July 27, 2003, at 16:59:19
Just a question on behalf of my brother again!!
He's bee prescribed Zyban for smoking ceassation, and has been told to take 150mg am, and 150mg pm.. and these doses MUST be 8 hours apart?? Why would this be?? he suffers from insomnia veyr badly, and I would have thought an evening dose of wellbrutin would be terrible for that..
Thanks
Nikki
Posted by jlo820 on July 27, 2003, at 17:22:59
In reply to Dosage question for Wellbrutin / Zyban, posted by NikkiT2 on July 27, 2003, at 16:59:19
Buproprion (Wellbutrin & Zyban) can cause seizures if too high an amount is in the blood at one time. That is why they MUST be taken 8 hours apart.
I was on 400mg of Wellbutrin (200 AM and 200 PM). I developed insomnia and eventually had to stop taking it alltogether.
Posted by midwest38 on July 27, 2003, at 17:23:36
In reply to Dosage question for Wellbrutin / Zyban, posted by NikkiT2 on July 27, 2003, at 16:59:19
My pdoc's experience with patients on Wellbutrin is that if they take the whole day's dose at one time, he says he gets calls that they're very jittery and climbing the walls like they drank 50 cups of coffee. And if the second dose is too close to bedtime, as you guessed, it can cause insomnia.
I've been taking the first dose at 6 a.m., and the second about 1 or 2 p.m. That's spread out and quite a while before bed. Can your brother do something like that? (I suppose he could go back to sleep after taking the morning pill.)
BUT: everybody's different. Wellbutrin doesn't make me jittery. Some people have posted that Wellbutrin makes them sleepy. Also, side effects may go away over weeks.
Wellbutrin also had a reputation 10 years ago for producing seizures if the dose was increased too quickly. This is actually quite rare, and going by what my pdoc said, it's not the main reason for the divided dose practice now.
Posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 18:04:14
In reply to Dosage question for Wellbrutin / Zyban, posted by NikkiT2 on July 27, 2003, at 16:59:19
My pdoc never told me anything regarding the span of time in which I should take Wellbutrin. She simply said take one dosage in the morning and the other at lunchtime.
Am I ever so glad I read this post!
Posted by jlo820 on July 27, 2003, at 18:22:11
In reply to I need a new pdoc, posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 18:04:14
Go to the Wellbutrin web site and you can read the prescribing information. It has the reason for the time seperation for the dosage - which IS the seizure risk.
Posted by jlo820 on July 27, 2003, at 19:23:13
In reply to Re: Dosage question for Wellbrutin / Zyban, posted by midwest38 on July 27, 2003, at 17:23:36
Your doc is incorrect if this is what he told you. Read the prescribing information. Wellbutrin is associated with a dose-related risk of seuzire. Although it is rare (between 1/1000 and 4/1000), it is due to high concentrations in the blood and this rate is higher than other ADs . It is recommended that:
1. Total daily dose of Wellbutrin not exceed 400 mg.
2. Daily dose is administered twice daily (at least 8 hrs. apart).
3. The rate if incrementation of dose is gradual.
4. No single dose should exceed 200 mg.
> Wellbutrin also had a reputation 10 years ago for producing seizures if the dose was increased too quickly. This is actually quite rare, and going by what my pdoc said, it's not the main reason for the divided dose practice now.
Posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 21:17:56
In reply to Re: I need a new pdoc, posted by jlo820 on July 27, 2003, at 18:22:11
Do you know if the seizures are prone to people who have a history of seizures or if it doesn't matter?
Posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 21:39:33
In reply to Re: I need a new pdoc » jlo820, posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 21:17:56
I found a lot of info on the topic of seizures with Wellbutrin. Anything you can add would surely be welcomed.
Thanks,
Lainy
Posted by jlo820 on July 27, 2003, at 22:02:45
In reply to I found info )) jlo820, posted by Lainy on July 27, 2003, at 21:39:33
Wellbutrin should be given with extreme caution to patients with a history of seizures. Go to wellbutrin.com and read the prescribing information - there is a whole section on it.
This is the end of the thread.
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