Jitters/Shakes/ while taking Wellbutrin?

[AcroJack]

I've been taking Bupropion for about three weeks now and it makes me shaky, sometimes more than others. I've been prescribed Alprazolam, twice a day as needed, to help get through this. Anyone else have this issue, and, if so, does it ever seem to settle?  Also, I know it has stimulant-like qualities, but I'm wondering if I'll get used to them. 

Edited August 13, 2015 by AcroJack

[melissaw72]

Wellbutrin can be stimulatiing, so I'm not surprised you are having jitters and shakes while on it.  How much are you taking?  Maybe your pdoc could lower the dose?

I am on 300 mg/day (IR), but once in awhile I take a fourth (oops), and I get tremors and shakes, I get a little too hyper (the uncomfortable kind), so it has happened with me.  But on 300 mg I don't have the shakes, etc.  If someone was on a lower dose, and increased, I wouldn't be surprised if they had similar symptoms as you described.

[jt07]

Moving to the side effects forum.

[AcroJack]

Wellbutrin can be stimulatiing, so I'm not surprised you are having jitters and shakes while on it.  How much are you taking?  Maybe your pdoc could lower the dose?

I am on 300 mg/day (IR), but once in awhile I take a fourth (oops), and I get tremors and shakes, I get a little too hyper (the uncomfortable kind), so it has happened with me.  But on 300 mg I don't have the shakes, etc.  If someone was on a lower dose, and increased, I wouldn't be surprised if they had similar symptoms as you described.

I'm only on 200 mg now- just starting. Well, it's my third, almost fourth, week. I'll be increasing again soon probably. I suppose I may just get used to it. It's sure a lot better than not being able to get out of bed in the morning! Congratulations (it's the best word that came to mind) on your recovery. Thanks for the feedback.

Moving to the side effects forum.

Thanks. Sorry- I need to navigate this website thoroughly. I feel like a novice. 

[melissaw72]

Wellbutrin can be stimulatiing, so I'm not surprised you are having jitters and shakes while on it.  How much are you taking?  Maybe your pdoc could lower the dose?

I am on 300 mg/day (IR), but once in awhile I take a fourth (oops), and I get tremors and shakes, I get a little too hyper (the uncomfortable kind), so it has happened with me.  But on 300 mg I don't have the shakes, etc.  If someone was on a lower dose, and increased, I wouldn't be surprised if they had similar symptoms as you described.

I'm only on 200 mg now- just starting. Well, it's my third, almost fourth, week. I'll be increasing again soon probably. I suppose I may just get used to it. It's sure a lot better than not being able to get out of bed in the morning! Congratulations (it's the best word that came to mind) on your recovery. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Maybe you should not increase the dose ... I'm not a DR but if you increase the dose, the jitters/shakes/etc will most likely become worse, IMO.

[AcroJack]

Wellbutrin can be stimulatiing, so I'm not surprised you are having jitters and shakes while on it.  How much are you taking?  Maybe your pdoc could lower the dose?

I am on 300 mg/day (IR), but once in awhile I take a fourth (oops), and I get tremors and shakes, I get a little too hyper (the uncomfortable kind), so it has happened with me.  But on 300 mg I don't have the shakes, etc.  If someone was on a lower dose, and increased, I wouldn't be surprised if they had similar symptoms as you described.

I'm only on 200 mg now- just starting. Well, it's my third, almost fourth, week. I'll be increasing again soon probably. I suppose I may just get used to it. It's sure a lot better than not being able to get out of bed in the morning! Congratulations (it's the best word that came to mind) on your recovery. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Maybe you should not increase the dose ... I'm not a DR but if you increase the dose, the jitters/shakes/etc will most likely become worse, IMO.

 

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

[melissaw72]

Wellbutrin can be stimulatiing, so I'm not surprised you are having jitters and shakes while on it.  How much are you taking?  Maybe your pdoc could lower the dose?

I am on 300 mg/day (IR), but once in awhile I take a fourth (oops), and I get tremors and shakes, I get a little too hyper (the uncomfortable kind), so it has happened with me.  But on 300 mg I don't have the shakes, etc.  If someone was on a lower dose, and increased, I wouldn't be surprised if they had similar symptoms as you described.

I'm only on 200 mg now- just starting. Well, it's my third, almost fourth, week. I'll be increasing again soon probably. I suppose I may just get used to it. It's sure a lot better than not being able to get out of bed in the morning! Congratulations (it's the best word that came to mind) on your recovery. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Maybe you should not increase the dose ... I'm not a DR but if you increase the dose, the jitters/shakes/etc will most likely become worse, IMO.

 

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

I think the therapeutic dose depends on the person.  I don't think everyone has the same dose. I'm good with 300 mg/day, but others might only need 100 mg or something. Everyone's body is different, and react to meds differently.

[crtclms]

Technically, the therapeutic dose is considered 300mg, but as Melissaw said, it varies from person to person.

What you are going through is somewhat normal while starting Wellbutrin. I felt very racy and jittery the first couple of weeks I was on it, and then again when I raised it to 300mg. It didn't take 4 weeks to pass, but 4 weeks is well within the range for start-up side effects.

Make sure to bring this up with your pdoc.

[Flash]

I had this problem with Effexor. Wellbutrin just made it impossible to sleep. But I tried the XR version many years later and it didn't have any side effects that I know of. Didn't work either, though.

[Ryan M]

Welbutrin gives me the jitters/shakes if I have too much in my system as well.  I start off every day with 200mg, and I take between 0 and another 200 mg as needed in the very early afternoon.  My pdoc cut my dosages down because I mentioned the jitters.

Also, it happens pretty rarely now, and I don't know what triggers it (pretty sure it has something to do with welbutrin), but I have some inexplicably vivid night terrors.  I'm not going to lie... as terrifying as the terrors can be sometimes, I kind of like them.  It takes a couple of hours for me to simmer down before I dare close my eyes again, though, lol

[melissaw72]

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

How did the appt go?

[AcroJack]

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

How did the appt go?

Hi! Thanks for asking. It was an interesting appointment. I'm used to the Wellbutrin now, and assumed she'd want to raise the dose, but instead (due to several issues) she's keeping the same dose, I'm going off lamotrigine slowly, while adding abilify as a replacement of sorts. I hope that makes sense. So, I'll be taking bupropion still, abilify, and xanax as needed. Going off lamotrigine slowly, starting in about a week (after I've been on abilify for that amount of time). I'm a bit nervous because I've been on it for seven years! It is time for a change, though. On a side note, I've been collecting medical records from the beginning of my treatment (20 years ago), and just found out the other day that my very first dx was Schizoaffective Disorder. I'm still in the middle of dx confusion, but will be staying with this pdoc and feel confident we'll figure things out. Thanks again for asking.

[melissaw72]

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

How did the appt go?

Hi! Thanks for asking. It was an interesting appointment. I'm used to the Wellbutrin now, and assumed she'd want to raise the dose, but instead (due to several issues) she's keeping the same dose, I'm going off lamotrigine slowly, while adding abilify as a replacement of sorts. I hope that makes sense. So, I'll be taking bupropion still, abilify, and xanax as needed. Going off lamotrigine slowly, starting in about a week (after I've been on abilify for that amount of time). I'm a bit nervous because I've been on it for seven years! It is time for a change, though. On a side note, I've been collecting medical records from the beginning of my treatment (20 years ago), and just found out the other day that my very first dx was Schizoaffective Disorder. I'm still in the middle of dx confusion, but will be staying with this pdoc and feel confident we'll figure things out. Thanks again for asking.

Glad the appt went well!  Yes, it all makes sense.  Keep in mind that adding the abilify might take a long time to take effect.  It took me about 7 weeks to the day for me to feel something (for me it calmed my mind down.  It is different for everyone (how long it takes to work), but it could take up to 7/8 weeks with some people.  Are you going to show the medical records to your current pdoc?  ... not to diagnose you, just kind of an FYI as to what was going on with you 20 years ago.  She might get some helpful information out of it all.  Just a thought.

[AcroJack]

Seems like that would make sense. I'm meeting with her in a few days. We'll see. I'm not sure what's supposed to be therapeutic. 

How did the appt go?

Hi! Thanks for asking. It was an interesting appointment. I'm used to the Wellbutrin now, and assumed she'd want to raise the dose, but instead (due to several issues) she's keeping the same dose, I'm going off lamotrigine slowly, while adding abilify as a replacement of sorts. I hope that makes sense. So, I'll be taking bupropion still, abilify, and xanax as needed. Going off lamotrigine slowly, starting in about a week (after I've been on abilify for that amount of time). I'm a bit nervous because I've been on it for seven years! It is time for a change, though. On a side note, I've been collecting medical records from the beginning of my treatment (20 years ago), and just found out the other day that my very first dx was Schizoaffective Disorder. I'm still in the middle of dx confusion, but will be staying with this pdoc and feel confident we'll figure things out. Thanks again for asking.

Glad the appt went well!  Yes, it all makes sense.  Keep in mind that adding the abilify might take a long time to take effect.  It took me about 7 weeks to the day for me to feel something (for me it calmed my mind down.  It is different for everyone (how long it takes to work), but it could take up to 7/8 weeks with some people.  Are you going to show the medical records to your current pdoc?  ... not to diagnose you, just kind of an FYI as to what was going on with you 20 years ago.  She might get some helpful information out of it all.  Just a thought.

Thanks - it's good to know it might take a while! I'm in great need of a clearing of the head. I've already shown her the medical records. I'm requesting more from different hospitals. She didn't seem surprised, and I'm not either. But she also didn't declare that as a dx.  What did surprise me was that I didn't know and don't remember being told about that dx. We had an interesting talk about it, and she's taking her time and also keeps reminding me about psychiatry not being an exact science. I believe the records might have contributed a bit to her decision to try something else, but I could be wrong, and it's probably better that I ask her instead of assuming.