2 Wellbutrin Questions

[netsavy006]

I'll get right to the point with the questions so it doesn't turn into a blog before post:

1. The inpatient psychiatrist in the hospital said that Wellbutrin is an AD that doesn't convert people into mania? I'm not distrusting him, but is that true? Has anyone shifted the other way from Wellbutrin?

2. And, I've heard that Wellbutrin can increase anxiety levels, but is there a chance that I could possibly take Wellbutrin and not have increased anxiety or need to increase my benzo to compensate?

Those are my 2 questions.

Thanks,

Andy.

[tryp]

Both of those are completely individual.

Wellbutrin has a reputation for not sending BP folks manic. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, it's just less likely.

Anxiety is the same. It might make you anxious, it might not. I had to stop it after a week because of side effects, but other people love it.

Best thing is to give it a try. On the bright side, it's not hard to go on or off of, and it tends to work fast, so it's one of the easier ones to try.

[confused]

I don't know how it will effect you, but I haven't had any problems with mania from wellbutrin, and it hasn't increased my anxiety.

[AnneMarie]

Andy, did the inpatient doctor really speak in absolutes? Did he promise you that it would not ever cause hypo/mania? I've yet to hear a psychiatrist promise anything about a med. It's always been qualified in some way. Maybe you just missed the qualifier. Wellbutrin seems to be the least likely AD to cause a flip to mania. I'm guessing that was the inpatient doctor meant.

[saveyoursanity]

In my experience, what the inpatient psychiatrist is saying is not exactly correct. When I was on 150mg Wellbutrin XL I did fine. The first two weeks were a little speedy but then I calmed down. So, we decided to increase my dose to 300mg. For me, 300mg of Wellbutrin XL was activating. Had we just left well enough alone, I think I would have been fine at 150mg. I am currently taking 150mg Wellbutrin SR. In my case the SR formulation does not seem to be activating at all.

I had the exact same experience as sylvan. (I am not BP, take with a grain of salt.)

[The Emperor]

I don't know anything about the mania bit, but I'm an anxiety-prone person and it made my anxiety a LOT worse and much more obsessive. It helped with a mood episode though, but other than that, I don't have anything good to say about Wellbutrin.

[DannyBoy]

I kind of want to try Wellbutrin with my Lexapro.

Lexapro has been fantastic with helping my anxiety, but my depression has been a bit of an issue.

[seamonkey]

I'm bipolar. I took 150mgs of the XL wellbutrin because I wanted to quit smoking and wasn't going anywhere near chantix. It didn't make me manic or increase my anxiety, but even taking it first thing in the morning, it kept me awake at night

[conundrum]

I kind of want to try Wellbutrin with my Lexapro.

Lexapro has been fantastic with helping my anxiety, but my depression has been a bit of an issue.

This doesn't answer your question, but I'm glad your feeling better about the lexapro!