Wellbutrin didn't work... now what?

[J04KlM]

7 weeks without any long-lasting effect. I experienced a slight improvement on the third week of the medicine, but it quickly disappeared. It was likely just placebo/honeymoon. Increased the dose to 300 mg two weeks ago but still feel zero effect. There's no point trying 450mg?

So now I have tried: Lexapro, Effexor, Abilify, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. Cipralex stopped working. Effexor only made me worse. Abilify had a good effect, but got the side effect akathisia so I had to cut it out. Wellbutrin gave me momentary improvement that disappeared.

So, what do I do now? Is there anything else I really can do? Been stuck with anhedonia 07/24 for 3 months now, no matter how much I try to do positive activities. I feel absolutely nothing, I do not understand why this has happened to me. In 21 years I have been enthusiastic with many interests and been active. I realize now that I'll probably never get that version of me back. If 5 different types of medications have not helped, what the heck will? The few choices i have left to try now MAOI, antiepileptics, stimulants or dopamine agonists. There are multiple medications for my problem but they are not in Norway. Approaching my end it looks like, too bad that I only turned 21 years old.                                                                                                          

Edited August 25, 2015 by J04KlM

[jt07]

I'd say you have to give the Wellbutrin at least two more weeks. I found that it helped me four weeks almost to the day from the time I increased it to 300 mg.

As far as Abilify goes, if you get good results from it, there are meds available that can treat akathisia.

[J04KlM]

I'd say you have to give the Wellbutrin at least two more weeks. I found that it helped me four weeks almost to the day from the time I increased it to 300 mg.

As far as Abilify goes, if you get good results from it, there are meds available that can treat akathisia.

There are no treatments for akathisia where i live, it really blows...

[melissaw72]

What kind of Welbutrin are you on ... IR, SR, XL?  I found that the IR works so much better than the SR did.  The SR didn't have such a great effect on me.  But when I changed to IR, it worked great.  I am on 300 mg IR (100 mg 3x/day).

[jt07]

You don't have any drugs to treat akathisia? No propanolol or other beta blockers or benzodiazepines? What about trihexyphenidyl (Artane) or benztropine (Cogentin)? There are others, but those are just a few off the top of my head.

[enduranceessential]

Something will change or shift. Your life is not over, and you are still pursuing positive approaches to feeling better. Don't give up on being your "old self" again. I learned from coming out of past depressions that "you never know", truly.

[Fluffypinkbunny]

I feel for you as I've been on the med-go-round for a year. The anhedonia was the worse for me over the past few months. Keep on trying until you find something that works!

None of the anti depressants did much for me.  Some made me more depressed, numb or agitated.

If you found the Abilify helped maybe start back with a lower dose and go up from there? It may help as an add on, to your welly.

I wish you all the best and hope that you're feeling better soon!

Edited September 5, 2015 by Fluffypinkbunny

[J04KlM]

Update from me.

Almost 4 months later, and i'm still struggling with this unbearable anhedonia.

I'm currently on 5 mg of Abilify and 300 mg of Wellbutrin, i still don't feel any better.

I've been on Wellbutrin for 10 weeks, i want to at least try 450 mg before i give up. But my doctor doesn't want me to take that dose for some stupid reason.

3 weeks on Abilify, started the first week with 2,5 mg and since then i've been on 5 mg. It seems to have helped me with calming down my instrusive thoughts process. But for the anhedonia, it hasn't done a thing. 

Why it worked on my anhedonia before but not now is beyond me, maybe because i was at a higher dose. I can't stand living like this, i don't feel any shred of joy whatsoever when i try to do any activity. Even things i once thought were GREAT. Literally the only thing that gives me pleasure and stimulation nowadays is porn, and i don't know what the cause of this is. Some has suggested i might have ADHD, others have said abstaining from porn use for too long caused this desensitization in my dopamine d2 receptors. 

I don't know what to believe anymore... :s

Edited September 19, 2015 by J04KlM

[jt07]

Abilify didn't help my anhedonia until I reached 10 mg. Also, it took me 6 or 8 weeks to get there.

Edited September 19, 2015 by jt07

[J04KlM]

Abilify didn't help my anhedonia until I reached 10 mg. Also, it took me 6 or 8 weeks to get there.

I see, i should definitely talk to my doctor about increasing my dose of Abilify. But i don't know if i should try a higher dose of Wellbutrin or Abilify first, increasing both at the same time can be troublesome.

Also, i just want to say thank you for all the replies you've given to my threads. You've really been a great help. :]

[jt07]

I definitely think you should discuss it with your doctor. My personal experience was that Abilify helped my anhedonia much more than Wellbutrin did but that could just be me. You can even go up to 7.5 mg of Abilify if your doctor doesn't want to increase it to 10 mg. Abilify was the magic pill for my anhedonia. I hope it helps you too.

[melissaw72]

What kind of Wellbutrin are you on?  IR works great for me, but the SR didn't do much.

[J04KlM]

What kind of Wellbutrin are you on?  IR works great for me, but the SR didn't do much.

I believe it's XL, i take it once a day.

[melissaw72]

Could you ask your pdoc if you could try the IR, but like maybe 2 a day or something, so your levels remain up? 

[J04KlM]

Could you ask your pdoc if you could try the IR, but like maybe 2 a day or something, so your levels remain up? 

I guess, but i might try just increasing Abilify first. 150 mg Wellbutrin made me hypomanic, so i don't know if i should increase it.

[melissaw72]

Could you ask your pdoc if you could try the IR, but like maybe 2 a day or something, so your levels remain up? 

I guess, but i might try just increasing Abilify first. 150 mg Wellbutrin made me hypomanic, so i don't know if i should increase it.

Oh ok, I didn't realize the wellbutrin made you hypo.  You'd said in OP that:

Increased the dose to 300 mg two weeks ago but still feel zero effect.

I'd ask your pdoc about increasing the abilify, like you said.  If s/he does increase it, just keep in mind that it takes about 7-8 weeks to feel the effect of the increase.

Edited September 20, 2015 by melissaw72

[J04KlM]

Could you ask your pdoc if you could try the IR, but like maybe 2 a day or something, so your levels remain up? 

I guess, but i might try just increasing Abilify first. 150 mg Wellbutrin made me hypomanic, so i don't know if i should increase it.

Oh ok, I didn't realize the wellbutrin made you hypo.  You'd said in OP that:

Increased the dose to 300 mg two weeks ago but still feel zero effect.

I'd ask your pdoc about increasing the abilify, like you said.  If s/he does increase it, just keep in mind that it takes about 7-8 weeks to feel the effect of the increase.

Yeah, it's like the positive effect of Wellbutrin just completely disappeared after the hypomania and increasing to 300 mg did nothing. I'm thinking of maybe decreasing Wellbutrin back to 150 mg and increase Abilify. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck.

[Flash]

It took me 9 or 10 ADs before I found one that works. I'm taking a TCA now, which my pdoc says can be better for treatment-resistant/atypical depression. Abilify didn't do anything for me until I hit. 15 mg. and then it just got rid of the sads. I was left with anhedonia, which only went bye bye once I hit 250mg of doxepin. I know how frustrating the med-go-round can be. I was honestly ready to give up. But I'm so glad I stuck with it, as things are so much. Better now. Good luck!

[J04KlM]

It took me 9 or 10 ADs before I found one that works. I'm taking a TCA now, which my pdoc says can be better for treatment-resistant/atypical depression. Abilify didn't do anything for me until I hit. 15 mg. and then it just got rid of the sads. I was left with anhedonia, which only went bye bye once I hit 250mg of doxepin. I know how frustrating the med-go-round can be. I was honestly ready to give up. But I'm so glad I stuck with it, as things are so much. Better now. Good luck!

I can see you've been trying out many meds, i'm glad you found one that works for you! My med-go-round has been going on for almost a whole year. I've told myself if i don't find something that works within this year before 2016 starts i might do something drastic to myself...

[melissaw72]

Could you ask your pdoc if you could try the IR, but like maybe 2 a day or something, so your levels remain up? 

I guess, but i might try just increasing Abilify first. 150 mg Wellbutrin made me hypomanic, so i don't know if i should increase it.

Oh ok, I didn't realize the wellbutrin made you hypo.  You'd said in OP that:

Increased the dose to 300 mg two weeks ago but still feel zero effect.

I'd ask your pdoc about increasing the abilify, like you said.  If s/he does increase it, just keep in mind that it takes about 7-8 weeks to feel the effect of the increase.

Yeah, it's like the positive effect of Wellbutrin just completely disappeared after the hypomania and increasing to 300 mg did nothing. I'm thinking of maybe decreasing Wellbutrin back to 150 mg and increase Abilify. We'll see what happens. Wish me luck.

I do wish you luck, and hope it gets resolved soon.

It took me 9 or 10 ADs before I found one that works. I'm taking a TCA now, which my pdoc says can be better for treatment-resistant/atypical depression. Abilify didn't do anything for me until I hit. 15 mg. and then it just got rid of the sads. I was left with anhedonia, which only went bye bye once I hit 250mg of doxepin. I know how frustrating the med-go-round can be. I was honestly ready to give up. But I'm so glad I stuck with it, as things are so much. Better now. Good luck!

I can see you've been trying out many meds, i'm glad you found one that works for you! My med-go-round has been going on for almost a whole year. I've told myself if i don't find something that works within this year before 2016 starts i might do something drastic to myself...

I didn't find the right cocktail for about 8 +/-  years, and even then med doses had to be adjusted.  It can take awhile to find what works for you.  I hope you find something a combo of meds that works sooner than later.