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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Susana M on July 17, 2006, at 21:35:54
After +1 year on Effexor which was my "magic Pill" today I told my Dr.to switch me to Wellbutin XL 150 mgs. once a week for 7 days and then start with two pills a day (300mgs).
My dx: ADHD/extreme peri- menstrual mood swings/anxiety & irritabillity for the inability to organize my life ( work/house/wife/kids,etc)Seems no big deal to some , but I can assure you my marriage was in jeopardy and my husband is the best thing I've ever known,12 years married and still both in love.After all this time I noticed that no matter how I exercized and dieted to the max. I couldn't get back to normal again ( gained 15-20 lbs. on my petite body) I did not mind the other side effects like decreased libido,blurry vision, excesive sweating at night, and having "black outs" if I drank on a party,or just consumed by myself I whole bottle of wine like it was water ( did I become an alcoholic with this drug?? remembering nothing the next day??
All these side effects did not bother me that much ,I was happy, able to cope with life, more relaxed,more organized, etc but I really want my body back ( needless to say that my husband wants that back as well as my libido back! )
Please let me know your personal experiences with Effexor or Wellbutrin. I don't believe I suffer from extreme depresed moods, however before I took any meds my life was in chaos b/c for "stupid reasons I would have huge fights/feel overwhelmed with married life and that led me to feel super sad after you realize how much you are hurting those that you love.
Hope Wellbutrin will help me out..Please tell me about your experiences ( I don't take any other meds ) Thanks for reading...Susana M
Posted by silvercoin on July 18, 2006, at 17:00:37
In reply to Effexor Vs Wellbutrin, HELP!!!, posted by Susana M on July 17, 2006, at 21:35:54
> After +1 year on Effexor which was my "magic Pill" today I told my Dr.to switch me to Wellbutin XL 150 mgs. once a week for 7 days and then start with two pills a day (300mgs).
> My dx: ADHD/extreme peri- menstrual mood swings/anxiety & irritabillity for the inability to organize my life ( work/house/wife/kids,etc)Seems no big deal to some , but I can assure you my marriage was in jeopardy and my husband is the best thing I've ever known,12 years married and still both in love.After all this time I noticed that no matter how I exercized and dieted to the max. I couldn't get back to normal again ( gained 15-20 lbs. on my petite body) I did not mind the other side effects like decreased libido,blurry vision, excesive sweating at night, and having "black outs" if I drank on a party,or just consumed by myself I whole bottle of wine like it was water ( did I become an alcoholic with this drug?? remembering nothing the next day??
> All these side effects did not bother me that much ,I was happy, able to cope with life, more relaxed,more organized, etc but I really want my body back ( needless to say that my husband wants that back as well as my libido back! )
> Please let me know your personal experiences with Effexor or Wellbutrin. I don't believe I suffer from extreme depresed moods, however before I took any meds my life was in chaos b/c for "stupid reasons I would have huge fights/feel overwhelmed with married life and that led me to feel super sad after you realize how much you are hurting those that you love.
> Hope Wellbutrin will help me out..Please tell me about your experiences ( I don't take any other meds ) Thanks for reading...Susana M
Generally, Wellbutrin causes less weight gain than Effexor, but everyone is different. In my own case, I always found Effexor to be a relatively powerful appetite suppressant and can not really say the same thing about Wellbutrin.Effexor increases serotonin transmission, which tends to be calming and anxiolytic, while Wellbutrin works on a completely different mechanism by increasing dopamine transmission and can almost be viewed as a weak or quasi-stimulant. It can be too activating for some people and can increase anxiety; although, this is certainly not true for everyone. My guess is that you would probably find Wellbutrin to cause less weight gain than Effexor but to not be as calming. Cymbalta is much more similar to Effexor, and you may find that it causes less weight gain, but I have never tried it myself. I think it might be worth considering, but my impression is that alcohol is something to be avoided while taking Cymbalta due to liver toxicity issues. In the end, Wellbutrin may be worth a try, but keep in mind that it is a rather different drug than Effexor.
Todd
Posted by bassman on July 19, 2006, at 9:21:41
In reply to Effexor Vs Wellbutrin, HELP!!!, posted by Susana M on July 17, 2006, at 21:35:54
I agree with the stimulation of Wellbutrin-for me, it also increased libido and it was easy to lose weight while using it. But don't count on it for making you feel calm. 300 mg made me very fearful...
Posted by megrapefruit on March 30, 2007, at 16:56:59
In reply to Re: Effexor Vs Wellbutrin, HELP!!!, posted by silvercoin on July 18, 2006, at 17:00:37
I actually started on Effexor 37.5 mg, stuck with that for a while and experienced the lack of sexual urges. My doctor then suggested I take Wellbutrin 300 mg in combination with Effexor, which I did for five months, which worked great. Sex drive came back and felt good. So I decide maybe I will stop taking Effexor. Six months later, I feel like wellbutrin provides NONE of the positive affects antidepressants are supposed to have. I called doc today and asked to go back on the combo.
Posted by uno_who on October 31, 2008, at 21:08:41
In reply to Re: Effexor Vs Wellbutrin, HELP!!!, posted by silvercoin on July 18, 2006, at 17:00:37
I did not mind the other side effects like decreased libido,blurry vision, excesive sweating at night, and having "black outs" if I drank on a party,or just consumed by myself I whole bottle of wine like it was water ( did I become an alcoholic with this drug?? remembering nothing the next day??
>
> ToddAs per the Alcohol comment...Effexor makes alcohol consumption a dream for some people that really can't/wan't to drink much normally...like me...I rarely drank and when I did...I couldn't drink more than two beers before my hunger kicked in...
I myself was on Effexor (75mg +/-)for 7 Years and Drank 10-12 Beer a night just about every single day for those 7 Years and felt completely reset every morning...no sickness...no nothing....just a complete reset due to the Effexor...unstoppable for those 7 short years...it was like I was living in a dream world of my own...until the Effexor stopped working suddenly (my body began to reject the Effexor and every time I took it...it gradually began to work in "REVERSE" for me...throwing me into Anxiety attacks and or feeling really really strange and shaky/foggy...Soon after I had a MAJOR ANXIETY ATTACK THAT PUT ME INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY...my Heart was pounding like crazy...blood pressure was out of sight as usual...(due to the Alcohol Craving....[not an Addiction])
I switched to Wellbutrin...and almost immediately lost my appetite for Alcohol...and the Wellbutrin seems to be working for my GAD and SAD...so far I have been on 150mg Wellbutrin and losing weight gradually...
Hope this helps...
Alcohol Craving is induced in quite a few users...I am unsure as to the percentage...but I would say...that Alcoholics...should not even begin to consider this Drug....and of course...trying to get off prematurely (before it stops working) will lead to "Brain Zaps" and a whole WORLD OF HURT...best to keep taking it until it stops working...best and easiest time to go Cold Turkey...hope this helps someone...
This is the end of the thread.
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