tamagotchi Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 I've been on wellbutrin for about two weeks. In the last two days my suicide thoughts have been significantly worse than they usually are when I'm depressed. I don't feel any more depressed than "usual" but the thoughts are much more practical, detailed, and elaborate than usual. I've always read that ADs have a potential to increase suicidal thoughts, but I thought it was an extremely small chance and only for young adults and adolescents? Is there any chance the wellbutrin could be contributing to this? It doesn't seem to be helping my mood much, if any. I already increased lithium (with pdoc's permission of course) which I hope might help with the thoughts and depression. I should add that this is the first AD I've tried in over 20 years, so I don't have much experience with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosesforthedead Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 I'm 26 and I've had the same results with almost every antidepressant I've tried. I think I'm a little old to be considered a "young adult", maybe. I had the same problem with Wellbutrin and now on Pristiq. To answer your question though, I don't think wellbutrin is any more likely than any other AD to increase your suicidal thoughts, however, it IS a potential side effect for almost all ADs, I think. This was probably thoroughly unhelpful. I'm sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme04 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 it always is a possiblity. you should talk to the doctor who perscribed you this medication and talk to him/her about possibly switching to something else, if this isn't working for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 it's not usual, but not completely impossible. sometimes, it isn't a BAD thing, necessarily Some doctors look at it as the increased energy kicking in and increasing the thoughts, prior to the full Ad effect being felt.... That said, if it doesn't get better soon, it is time to talk to pdoc. wb is known as a rather activating ad, by the way. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamagotchi Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Thanks everyone, that makes sense. I'm not feeling particularly "activated," but that's subjective, it could be activating me in some ways and not others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catnapper Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 First thing, make sure you're safe by having your pdoc number with you at all times, so you can call if you need to, and also be prepared to go to the emergency room, just in case. If you have any obviously lethal means laying around the house (like a gun), then give them to someone else to keep until you're feeling better. Hopefully it's just the renewed energy, but without the mood improvement, which takes a little while longer to surface. I always assumed the 'black box' warning for younger people on ADs was due to the fact that the parents of younger people are much more likely to sue the drug company for wrongful death, since the parents are more likely to be closely involved in treatment at that age. To me it's in the same category of having universal health insurance for kids, but once you're an adult, tough luck. (at least for now) A mood chart is your friend. There are online ones, or you can make one with the date along the bottom and a scale of one to ten up the side. Then put an 'x' where your mood is every day. It's quick and easy and gives you and your pdoc a good visual of how your mood is changing over time. Good luck, and please keep posting and let us know how you're doing. P.S. The Lamictal / Wellbutrin combo has been wonderful for me and I hope it is for you, too. I see you're also using lithium, which is interesting to me as the pdoc and I have agreed that it's the next med in line if/when things start slipping for me again. So I'm especially concerned that your current cocktail works well! (edited for typos) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamagotchi Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Agree with all the preventative advice. I have pdoc's cell phone programmed into mine, and she answers it. My tdoc is part of a DBT clinic so they take calls any time also. I kind of think if it did get that serious I would not want to call anyone, but I think it's nearly impossible that it would ever get that serious, I haven't attempted since I was a kid. I think it's just escapist fantasy -- I'm only disturbed by how much detailed planning is going into these fantasies. It could be just a feeling of wanting to DO something, as you said, dianthus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crab76 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I'd say YES considering I had a suicide attempt two wks after I started on wellbutrin. I went to my pdoc begging for something because I was suicidal. He wanted me on abilify but I refused and begged for wellbutrin because I didn't want to gain wight. I should have listed to him because now I had a suicide attempt (which was awful) and guess what.... I'm on abilify. Go figure. But not feeling suicidal anymore so that is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 If you're not actively suicidal and just thinking about it I'd say try and ride it out. The effect of Wellbutrin can change pretty dramatically over the first month or so you're on it so this may not last long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamagotchi Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Agreed, VE. The thoughts went away pretty soon after I posted this last month. Thanks everyone for your comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Glad the thoughts went away! Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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