about Wellbutin and Clonazepam

[mejeba]

I take Wellbutin 300 mg, Epival (Depakote) 750 mg and Clonazepam 2 mg. Lamictal discontinued for lack of funding.

I went on the Wellbutrin to target my anxiety, said my pdoc, as well as to help with the ongoing depression which was not the major problem at the time. It was great- I got nicely energized and rather euphoric for a few months. Then that ended. Splat. I've just heard that Wellbutrin is known to CAUSE anxiety- according to someones's pdoc. So it's used to target anxiety and causes anxiety. hmmm

As for the Clonazepam, I've been on that for 2 yrs, and Ativan before that. They both control my sleep problem (waking up with remorse and self-hatred etc. and not getting back to sleep for hours). I take the Clonazepam in the am as well as pm (no sedation effect) for Anxiety, says pdoc. Now I hear that long term use of Clonazepam is known to cause depression. I hear that obsessive thinking, anxiety causing ruminations can be helped by Serequel or other AP better than by Clonazepam, and work for sleep problems too.

So I'm seeing my pdoc next week and I want to ask intelligent questions. I frequently bring up my concern for the dependence thing with the benzo, but he says that the anti-anxiety benefit outweighs that issue, especially at the low dose I take.

any brains I can pick here?

[celestia]

any brains I can pick here?

When I was on Wellbutrin, I was anxious as hell. At that time, I was not on Klonopin yet. I got off Wellbutrin, and onto Effexor XR and later Ativan then Klonopin, and my depression and anxiety were manageable for a long time.

All benzodiazapines can exacerbate depression under certain conditions.But taken properly they are wonderful adjunct therapies for MI.

It's hard not to listen to the reports of everyone else without examining whether they are a fit for you. But, as much as you can focus on how you respond to the meds, and not how you think you should be responding, do so. And be more peaceful!

The more knowledgeable will be weighing in today.

Good luck,

S9

[goldfinch]

I take Wellbutrin and I have to say it doesn't work very well for anxiety - for me. Lexapro and Zoloft worked much better for my anxiety, however I didn't like the side effects. Wellbutrin does control my depression pretty well though. But it has different effects on different people, as is true of most other drugs.

I also take clonazepam at night to help me sleep and it works pretty well for that. But it does nothing for obsessive thinking and ruminating for me. I don't think I've ever taken a drug that helped with those issues, but therapy did a fairly good job with that. I believe your doctor's advice that the anti-anxiety effect of the benzo outweighs the risk of dependence.

It sounds like you asked very intelligent questions in your post. Maybe you should bring it with you when you see him.

Good luck.

[null0trooper]

I take Wellbutin 300 mg, Epival (Depakote) 750 mg and Clonazepam 2 mg. Lamictal discontinued for lack of funding.

Among reported nervous system side effects of Wellbutrin that exceeded the frequency seen from placebo: Insomnia, dizziness, agitation, anxiety, tremor, nervousness, and irritability. Only dizziness, insomnia, and tremor were reported in more than 5% of the cases with Wellbutrin 300mg XL. (BTW, this is from the manufacturer's PI sheet, not the WWW)

Clonazepam should be good for all of those except maybe the dizziness.

As for the Clonazepam, I've been on that for 2 yrs, and Ativan before that. They both control my sleep problem (waking up with remorse and self-hatred etc. and not getting back to sleep for hours).

Those sound like better reasons to take the benzo. So many people have so much trouble with sleep, that if you've been on a stable dosage for a year or two, and it's working for you ... I would have to suggest sticking to what works.

[mejeba]

thanks, guys. I just saw my tdoc on Fri and whithout my bringing it up, she suggested I/she (she comes to my mtgs with pdoc) ask him about an AP for the obsessive distorted thinking. I see the pdoc this Thurs.

Well, maybe the ruminations are a catalyst for anxiety. They sure are upsetting.

[lysergia]

thanks, guys. I just saw my tdoc on Fri and whithout my bringing it up, she suggested I/she (she comes to my mtgs with pdoc) ask him about an AP for the obsessive distorted thinking. I see the pdoc this Thurs.

Well, maybe the ruminations are a catalyst for anxiety. They sure are upsetting.

sorry to come late to the party... sounds like you got some good responses.

i'd just like to add that since starting wellbutrin a few years back, my anxiety has at least been cut in half. when i started it (i asked for it because it's good at getting people out of bed), i was warned i'd probably be pulled right back off it since i was so constantly anxious. paradoxically, i became less anxious than i had been for years and years.

i'm a rare case but NOT an only one. so if the WB isn't actually making you more anxious than you started out feeling, and you're getting some kind of benefit, i wouldn't worry too much.

the clonazepam for sleep, hey if it's working go for it. for me, after a few months straight of taking a few mgs a day, the ruminations get worse (whether in the middle of the night or daytime). as the drug wears off each day, i find myself ruminating more, and it comes to a point of anxiety that my brain thinks it NEEDS clonazepam to stop it. a long term side effect of clonazepam is depression, and since i already have that going on, the ruminations are all about all the reasons i suck and why the world is terrible. these thoughts stop me from sleeping, too.

anyhooo....

i was just trying to say if the doc has a different opinion re: either of those meds and anxiety, it might spring from some folks experiences like mine (like if she's had patients who got less anxious on WB). sorry it's not coming out all that well, i'm still caffeine deprived this morning...