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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 deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
I have been experiencing major depression, anxiety, irritability, and a sense of things just not being real. My dr has tried celexa, lexpro, prozac, zoloft, luvox and remeron. Unfortunately I could not handle the side effects of any of them. So he started me on wellbutrin. He told me I absolutely MUST continue taking this as I desperately need a medication to get me through this time.
Anyway.....I am taking 100mg once in the am. He never mentioned taking it twice. But everything I read says I should take it more often.
And, I am more anxious and irritable than ever! I am also very dizzy and having trouble focusing on things. My dr says these side effects will not last.
Anyone out there who has gone through this? How long will the side effects last? And do you think I should be taking my med two times a day, not once?
Posted by zenclearer on November 2, 2003, at 21:45:54
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
It's often better to stay at a low dose of WB for a long while, as a higher dose makes the side effects worse. Once you adapt to that dose, it makes sense to raise. The side effects you describe sound typical.
Posted by Susan J on November 3, 2003, at 8:57:47
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
Hi,
> Anyway.....I am taking 100mg once in the am. He never mentioned taking it twice. But everything I read says I should take it more often.
<<I started on one pill (150mg) in the mornings only, now I take 2 a day. I think there's a difference on dosing and number of times taken depending if you are on original WB, WB SR (slow release), and the new WB XL (extended release).The newer the version, the more expensive, so your doc might be trying you on older types...
> And, I am more anxious and irritable than ever! I am also very dizzy and having trouble focusing on things. My dr says these side effects will not last.
<<I had those! I was very angry and irritable the first 2 to 3 weeks I was on it, and I'm never angry! I've had some trouble with anxiety on WB, but that has died down. I'm still having some trouble concentrating, but overall, WB has been a godsend to me.Good luck!
Susan
>
Posted by sac on November 3, 2003, at 12:47:33
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
I can totally relate to this. I have been trying to titrate up on Wellbutrin SR for months. I can only seem to handle 50 mg (my doctor said it was ok to split the 100mg. tablet even though it is sustained release) It seems that when I jump to 100mg. I am EXTREMELY anxious and I feel very aggressive. I am frustrated becaused I am bipolar II and this is really a good choice AD for this condition. I also take prozac 20mg. just to keep the depression at bay. I really want the WB to work because alot of people think it's great. I may try again and take it at night so maybe I'll sleep through the anxious feelings?? Good luck to you I hope you are able to get past the side effects too.
Posted by Cybele on November 3, 2003, at 13:51:36
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
I started off on 100mg x 2 a month ago, and after 2 weeks pestered my PCP to increase it to 150mg x 2, which was the effective dose for me when I took it almost 10 years ago. The big advantage to ramping up slowly is you are less likely to experience the potential negative side-effects, like irritability and insomnia. If you do get insomnia, ask your doc for something for that. It goes away after a few weeks. If you think you need a higher dose, ask your doctor why you were started on 100x1. A dose of 100mg x 2 works well for many people. Oh, and some potential early side effects might make you feel better, e.g., more energy.
BTW, I also cannot take SSRIs. They make me feel progressively worse, even after a 6 week trial.
Posted by Cybele on November 3, 2003, at 17:16:32
In reply to Re: new to wellbutrin » deepdarkhole, posted by sac on November 3, 2003, at 12:47:33
> I can totally relate to this. I have been trying to titrate up on Wellbutrin SR for months. I can only seem to handle 50 mg (my doctor said it was ok to split the 100mg. tablet even though it is sustained release)
Another poster offered an explanation why it is OK to split Wellbutrin SR:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030204/msgs/140093.html
Posted by Edgefield on November 3, 2003, at 17:59:43
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
I've been taking Wellbutrin for almost 6 months.
I started by taking 75mg. Wellbutrin SR once a day and gradually worked up to 300 mg. of the SR. I took (2) 150mg. once a day.
I'm not taking Wellbutrin Xl 300mg. once a day. It's a very good med. Like so many others here I could not tolerate the SSRIs. They made my symptoms worst.
As far as side effects go, I had dry mouth, ringing in the ears, shoulder pains, sweating, and jitters. In all fairness I'm not sure if the jitters was the Wellbutrin or just anticipatory anxiety because I was already feeling jittery from the anxiety. Anyways, I don't think any of these symptoms lasted longer than two weeks. The shoulder pain lasted the longest, an I only experienced this side effect whenever I increased my dosage.
I did not have insomnia, a matter of fact I take my Wellbutrin between 4-8 p.m. an I sleep very well.
Wellbutrin has been a God sent and has helped my anxiety and depression.
Edgefield
> I have been experiencing major depression, anxiety, irritability, and a sense of things just not being real. My dr has tried celexa, lexpro, prozac, zoloft, luvox and remeron. Unfortunately I could not handle the side effects of any of them. So he started me on wellbutrin. He told me I absolutely MUST continue taking this as I desperately need a medication to get me through this time.
>
> Anyway.....I am taking 100mg once in the am. He never mentioned taking it twice. But everything I read says I should take it more often.
>
> And, I am more anxious and irritable than ever! I am also very dizzy and having trouble focusing on things. My dr says these side effects will not last.
>
> Anyone out there who has gone through this? How long will the side effects last? And do you think I should be taking my med two times a day, not once?
Posted by deepdarkhole on November 3, 2003, at 19:39:20
In reply to new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 2, 2003, at 17:04:46
Thank you so much for all your replies. I am going to stick with it.
The thing that bothers me the most is the dizziness and that I can't focus feeling?
How long did it take for those side effects to go away for you guys?
I am going on vacation in 5 days! Any chance I will be feeling less dizziness until then?
Posted by Cybele on November 3, 2003, at 19:52:10
In reply to Re: new to wellbutrin, posted by deepdarkhole on November 3, 2003, at 19:39:20
> Thank you so much for all your replies. I am going to stick with it.
>
> The thing that bothers me the most is the dizziness and that I can't focus feeling?
>
> How long did it take for those side effects to go away for you guys?
>
> I am going on vacation in 5 days! Any chance I will be feeling less dizziness until then?
I'm no help. I do know that when I took WB 9 years ago the side effects went away within a few weeks. *This* time I have almost no side effects (other than eating less, which is a good thing) and am still every bit as fatigued and depressed--and perhaps even more forgetful--than before I started WB 4 weeks ago.
This is the end of the thread.
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