BrianOCD Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 Adding Wellbutrin to Effexor. Wanted to hear from everyone since it's such a popular drug I imagine there's lots of opinions out here for it. I've slipped into a melancholy depression over the last 3 months and really hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blahblah Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 I've heard so many great things about Wellbutrin, low side effects and that it works great as an add on if you have sexual dysfunction from SSRIs. I've done 2 separate trials of it and sadly, it mainly just gave me tinnitus. It did have the cool effect of removing any food cravings for sweets or alcohol (I can see why so many people use it to quit smoking) I went up to 350mg and I don't remember it having any other effects. It works for many people here, so I wish you good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Wellbutrin could be a perfect complement to low dose Effexor. Just watch out for too much stimulation as those two would be synergistic. May require you to go up on Seroquel. But I think you'll find that you get enough stimulation out of the Wellbutrin to offset the sedation from Seroquel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Haha Turned me into a raving lunatic. My med situation was a mess tho so don't count that so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 So far I've felt a little more jittery, but oddly kinda sleepy. My mood seems better, but on the first day that's most likely placebo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 @BrianOCD the jitters are pretty normal when first starting up. I think the time to steady state for bupropion ranges from 10-14 days accounting for its metabolites. It might let up a bit once you get past that. If they don't go away, you can try brand name Aplenzin which is bupropion hydrobromide instead of bupropion hydrochloride. I felt like it didn't make me as jittery and was generally "smoother". Something else to consider is that some of the bupropion generics aren't manufactured well. When I was taking generic bupropion XL it would make me really amped in the morning and would wear off in the afternoon and I would feel like a zombie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 How long did it take for the ones it worked for to start really feeling like yourself again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Just now, BrianOCD said: How long did it take for the ones it worked for to start really feeling like yourself again? Unfortunately for me, bupropion was only marginally faster than SSRIs when it came to onset of action. I mean a lot of improvement happens in the first two weeks for some but there's enough improvement still being made 6-8 weeks out that it's worth waiting a bit to see. Normal dose for depression monotherapy would be 300-450mg but some doctor's won't go to 450mg because of the seizure risk. As an augment to an SSRI or SNRI it wouldn't be unusual to take just 150mg. How did your doctor tell you to titrate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 He just had me take the 150mg. My mood seems slightly better tonight, first night on it, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I'm in a clinical depression, total anhedonia, all the good stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 5 minutes ago, BrianOCD said: He just had me take the 150mg. My mood seems slightly better tonight, first night on it, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I'm in a clinical depression, total anhedonia, all the good stuff... Well then bupropion should hopefully work out well for you. It's particularly good for anhedonia. You might try taking it in the morning too to see how it does for you. It is stimulating after all and might be a nice morning pick-me-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 Thanks browri, ya i take it as soon as i get up along with effexor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 I can handle a few days of increased anxiety and jitters, do any of you guys know when that will subside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 For me, it literally took a month to six weeks to ease up, and it never completely went away. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 1 hour ago, jt07 said: For me, it literally took a month to six weeks to ease up, and it never completely went away. YMMV ugggh I really don't wanna add ativan to my daily routine, but it looks like I might. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 U might only need it for a week or two til u hit a steady state Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Like I said I noticed the jitters a lot on the 150mg XL generics. Didn't feel it at all on 174mg of Aplenzin. But from startup I'd say I got used to the jitters or they went away after about 2 weeks. Just watch your caffeine intake because it definitely lowers your tolerance to anything that increases adrenaline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, browri said: Like I said I noticed the jitters a lot on the 150mg XL generics. Didn't feel it at all on 174mg of Aplenzin. But from startup I'd say I got used to the jitters or they went away after about 2 weeks. Just watch your caffeine intake because it definitely lowers your tolerance to anything that increases adrenaline. Ya i'm experiencing some jitters and anxiety on second day. Frustrating cause I have been struggling otherwise as well....Today has been kinda crappy though, is this common? Kinda just hanging out hoping it gets better. Will run and use SAD light....Most people seem to think 1-2 weeks is the mark for Wellbutrin. Edited November 17, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) My doc says u can bump to 300 after a week and then it's the typical antidepressant waiting game (not that fast titration is optimal but if necessary) Edited November 17, 2017 by Iceberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 14 hours ago, BrianOCD said: Ya i'm experiencing some jitters and anxiety on second day. Frustrating cause I have been struggling otherwise as well....Today has been kinda crappy though, is this common? Kinda just hanging out hoping it gets better. Will run and use SAD light....Most people seem to think 1-2 weeks is the mark for Wellbutrin. Yeah I'd say 1-2 weeks is how long it takes to reach steady state. And in my previous experience, I had some of the jitters until I got to that point, but its effect on my depression took longer after the jitters went away. It does work more quickly then SSRIs though in my experience. Just not as quick as an AAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) 11 hours ago, browri said: Yeah I'd say 1-2 weeks is how long it takes to reach steady state. And in my previous experience, I had some of the jitters until I got to that point, but its effect on my depression took longer after the jitters went away. It does work more quickly then SSRIs though in my experience. Just not as quick as an AAP That sounds about right. It's day 3 and at least my mind is clearing a little bit. Keep me company if you can everyone . 22 hours ago, Iceberg said: My doc says u can bump to 300 after a week and then it's the typical antidepressant waiting game (not that fast titration is optimal but if necessary) I have mostly anxiety disorders, but my goal with wellbutrin is hopefully if it takes care of the depression, and the anxiety will subside. In the past I'd go in the opposite direction. Ya I'm not thinking about 300 yet, I just want to survive these first couple weeks. Edited November 18, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 One other question I have, is the therapeutic effect from Wellbutrin similar or way different from SSRIs? I mean am I going to feel amped up and jittery in a couple weeks or will I feel calm and collected? Or is that just individual based? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Amped up for me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 23 minutes ago, BrianOCD said: One other question I have, is the therapeutic effect from Wellbutrin similar or way different from SSRIs? I mean am I going to feel amped up and jittery in a couple weeks or will I feel calm and collected? Or is that just individual based? Amped up and jittery for me. Wellbutrin works mainly on norepinephrine which is a "fight or flight" neurotransmitter. It's good at giving you energy, but can increase anxiety and lower appetite. I, personally, hated Wellbutrin because of this. YMMV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) 32 minutes ago, jt07 said: Amped up and jittery for me. Wellbutrin works mainly on norepinephrine which is a "fight or flight" neurotransmitter. It's good at giving you energy, but can increase anxiety and lower appetite. I, personally, hated Wellbutrin because of this. YMMV It's a weird thing. I liked that feeling on effexor, as long as my anxiety is taken care of and I'm out at work. However at home, I don't enjoy it...I think for my current situation of clinical depression it will probably help. Would the occasional Ativan level things off? I've had PRN ativan for decade and a half but rarely take it. Edited November 18, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 1 hour ago, BrianOCD said: Would the occasional Ativan level things off? I've had PRN ativan for decade and a half but rarely take it. I don't know because I did not take any benzos when I took Wellbutrin. If you need to take your PRN then don't be afraid to take it. That's why it was prescribed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 13 hours ago, jt07 said: Amped up and jittery for me. Wellbutrin works mainly on norepinephrine which is a "fight or flight" neurotransmitter. It's good at giving you energy, but can increase anxiety and lower appetite. I, personally, hated Wellbutrin because of this. YMMV 13 hours ago, BrianOCD said: One other question I have, is the therapeutic effect from Wellbutrin similar or way different from SSRIs? I mean am I going to feel amped up and jittery in a couple weeks or will I feel calm and collected? Or is that just individual based? 13 hours ago, Iceberg said: Amped up for me I second these. Wellbutrin definitely didn't feel like your run-of-the-mill SSRI even after several weeks. The antidepressant effect was definitely different. But at the cost of my anxiety which never really got better on Wellbutrin even if my depression did. 11 hours ago, jt07 said: I don't know because I did not take any benzos when I took Wellbutrin. If you need to take your PRN then don't be afraid to take it. That's why it was prescribed. I also was not taking benzos at that point so I can't attest either as to whether or not they would work. But theoretically the anxiety you feel, especially tightness or feeling like an elephant is sitting on your chest is likely the effects on norepinephrine and the only way to block that would be something that blocks alpha or beta adrenergic receptors. Something else to consider is that Seroquel is a fairly strong norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor itself. Additionally, while 75mg of Effexor on its own likely wouldn't have much effect on norepinephrine, it may be additive when combined with Wellbutrin and Seroquel. This all being said, you should still wait 2-3 weeks to see if those adrenergic effects ease up a bit because in some people they do and Wellbutrin can become calming. Paradoxical I know, but it does happen to some people. Just not me. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 Thanks for answers guys... I'm on Day 4, I feel a bit cloudy still and I'm still having trouble deciding what to do sometimes, I suppose that's the anxiety/depression still here. Does the brain fog go away? I've had a bit since I started Wellbutrin 150, wondering if I'll just get used to it and it won't be an issue. Also, will my appetite return? I haven't been very active either, but I've noticed I'm not as hungry lately....Kinda sucks, I'm a foodie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 9 hours ago, BrianOCD said: Thanks for answers guys... I'm on Day 4, I feel a bit cloudy still and I'm still having trouble deciding what to do sometimes, I suppose that's the anxiety/depression still here. Does the brain fog go away? I've had a bit since I started Wellbutrin 150, wondering if I'll just get used to it and it won't be an issue. Also, will my appetite return? I haven't been very active either, but I've noticed I'm not as hungry lately....Kinda sucks, I'm a foodie. Yeah the brain fog goes away with time and you start to get more clarity. Some people find that they get more in touch with their emotions on Wellbutrin. One weird thing I experienced was recalling positive emotional memories more vividly on Wellbutrin. It's also like one of the only antidepressants that's good for anhedonia unless you go to the dopamine partial agonist AAPs. I do, however, find that Trintellix is fairly effective for anhedonia though unlike many serotonergic antidepressants that I've tried. Trintellix does have a Pristiq-like affinity for the norepinephrine transporter (similar to a 150mg dose of Effexor) and a bunch of the serotonin antagonist actions cause downstream dopamine release like Vyvanse does. And Pristiq was the only SNRI that I responded to without poop-out or over-stimulation like with Cymbalta. So I would consider Trintellix an effective replacement for Pristiq or Effexor from a norepinephrine standpoint. And Vyvanse and Rexulti work much better to stimulate me than Wellbutrin did and improve my anhedonia and not antagonize my anxiety. I couldn't tolerate Vyvanse completely without issues though until I started taking Depakote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 (edited) On 11/19/2017 at 8:51 AM, browri said: Yeah the brain fog goes away with time and you start to get more clarity. Some people find that they get more in touch with their emotions on Wellbutrin. One weird thing I experienced was recalling positive emotional memories more vividly on Wellbutrin. It's also like one of the only antidepressants that's good for anhedonia unless you go to the dopamine partial agonist AAPs. I do, however, find that Trintellix is fairly effective for anhedonia though unlike many serotonergic antidepressants that I've tried. Trintellix does have a Pristiq-like affinity for the norepinephrine transporter (similar to a 150mg dose of Effexor) and a bunch of the serotonin antagonist actions cause downstream dopamine release like Vyvanse does. And Pristiq was the only SNRI that I responded to without poop-out or over-stimulation like with Cymbalta. So I would consider Trintellix an effective replacement for Pristiq or Effexor from a norepinephrine standpoint. And Vyvanse and Rexulti work much better to stimulate me than Wellbutrin did and improve my anhedonia and not antagonize my anxiety. I couldn't tolerate Vyvanse completely without issues though until I started taking Depakote. Thanks for this... That's actually been the hardest part on day 5. I feel real foggy, had trouble sleeping last night too which is expected. So wellbutrin + no sleep has me in a bit of a haze. I had to come home from work since my work involves driving... I'm seeing tiny improvements in depression and anxiety areas though, but for the most part the only thing I've noticed is better concentration and focus on things... I also went and saw a therapist, something I've been reluctant to do in years...I always felt like the meds were the way to go, but having both couldn't hurt. Edited November 21, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 9 hours ago, BrianOCD said: Thanks for this... That's actually been the hardest part on day 5. I feel real foggy, had trouble sleeping last night too which is expected. So wellbutrin + no sleep has me in a bit of a haze. I had to come home from work since my work involves driving... You'll get there. And some people adjust to the sleep disturbances from Wellbutrin and they go away over time. Could still take 2 weeks though. 9 hours ago, BrianOCD said: I'm seeing tiny improvements in depression and anxiety areas though, but for the most part the only thing I've noticed is better concentration and focus on things... That's not a surprise. Bupropion can be used second-line for Adult ADHD. 9 hours ago, BrianOCD said: I also went and saw a therapist, something I've been reluctant to do in years...I always felt like the meds were the way to go, but having both couldn't hurt. Medication is one leg and therapy is another. With two legs, you can walk. You can get by without therapy hobbling around. You'll get where you're going, but it'll be inconvenient. I sometimes feel like I don't get much out of therapy but every once in a while I have an appt where I get a real moment of clarity. And it's good to have someone you can seek advice from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) Good advice. Day 6 on wellbutrin, I managed to sleep through the night last night, and a lot of the side effects have lessened. I'm still depressed unfortunately, still wanting the mcdonald's drive-thru of remissions lol Edited November 22, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 17 hours ago, BrianOCD said: Good advice. Day 6 on wellbutrin, I managed to sleep through the night last night, and a lot of the side effects have lessened. I'm still depressed unfortunately, still wanting the mcdonald's drive-thru of remissions lol Yeah you've got at least another week yet until you'll see considerable benefit. Might consider going up on Effexor as well if you don't think you'll be able to tolerate 300mg bupropion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 (edited) 7 hours ago, browri said: Yeah you've got at least another week yet until you'll see considerable benefit. Might consider going up on Effexor as well if you don't think you'll be able to tolerate 300mg bupropion. I've had some issues going back up on effexor, Effexor is really hard to get used to... But we'll see, effexor has a lot of side effects but it has been the most effective medication in my life. What are your thoughts on restarting a med once you've come down on it? Safe and effective still? I got a lot of anxieties about what the medications are doing to me ontop of everything else. The hardest part about wellbutrin is I feel like i'm in a dream so far, I hope this goes away. Edited November 23, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 (edited) I'm on Day 10, it's weird. Wellbutrin seems to be exhausting me a bit after I take it. First few days I felt a little jittery and amped up, but now it puts me into the ground tired when I take it. I find it a bit odd because I'm reacting to the medicine pretty much opposite of what I've read. I'm even sleeping better, although I guess that could be a sign of the depression backing off too...My anxiety is also less on it. I had a similar reaction when I hit the higher levels of Effexor...It made me extremeley exhausted for about a month or so. If anyone is still following, what's that a sign of? Good or Bad? Edited November 26, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 It isn't a sign of anything really. We all react differently to meds, and there is no way you can tell your ultimate reaction on only day 10. I too was sedated by Wellbutrin and could actually take a dose before bed and sleep fine. I still had terrible anxiety due to it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, jt07 said: It isn't a sign of anything really. We all react differently to meds, and there is no way you can tell your ultimate reaction on only day 10. I too was sedated by Wellbutrin and could actually take a dose before bed and sleep fine. I still had terrible anxiety due to it though. I'm considering switching it to night time as well. Not sure I like the way this is going though...It's helped a lot with intrusive thoughts, OCD issues, but I don't feel calm and collected like I did on Effexor... I take it and I just feel exhausted and lethargic for like 4 hours and then I finally come out of it and feel just ok... Thanks for following jt, btw what was your dosage? Generic or brand? Edited November 26, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blahblah Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Strangely enough, Wellbutrin didn't do anything for me. I did 2-3 trials over the years, up to 350mg. I think it was generic, not sure. Only things I noticed were increased sweating and tinnitus. Oh, and it removed any type of food cravings and made me avoid drinking alcohol (lost all taste for it). Otherwise, it did nothing for my mood and/or energy levels. Give it some time though! Many people here need to go up to the full 350mg before noticing benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I may have recommended it earlier in this thread but there's always Aplenzin as well. If you feel that your experience with it is inconsistent throughout the day, it could be the quality of the generics. Sometimes the pills "melt" too fast and you get the bupropion all at once like the SR formulation and it can make you feel tired. Aplenzin is smoother and has a lower risk of seizures than Wellbutrin, although still higher than other ADs. Most likely to your insurance Aplenzin is a non-preferred brand but there is a savings card for it where you can pay as low as $5 for a 30-day. The maximum benefit on the card is a bit strange though as it is different depending on the dosage: 174mg (150mg) $39.69/pill 348mg (300mg) $52.33/pill 522mg (450mg) $119.08/pill I'd say it's worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooster Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I've been on 300 and 450mg generic at different times. Right now I'm on 300mg + 100 mg sertraline, fwiw. If it's making you tired, taking it at night might be a nice option. Good to run it by a pharmacist if you're taking other meds, though, to make sure you aren't going to mess anything up in that direction. It's hard to not look for changes, either desired or undesired, because something in your med list changed. However, as I'm sure you know, any time we make changes to our brain soup it takes time (4-8 weeks) for things to level out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 Despite what I said @Wooster is right. You really need to give it more time. If you get to two weeks on 150mg and you're still feeling tired but your anxiety is managed well, you should probably try going up to 300mg, but it honestly is worth trying the Aplenzin brand if you can't tolerate 150mg or 300mg in the generic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 15 hours ago, browri said: Despite what I said @Wooster is right. You really need to give it more time. If you get to two weeks on 150mg and you're still feeling tired but your anxiety is managed well, you should probably try going up to 300mg, but it honestly is worth trying the Aplenzin brand if you can't tolerate 150mg or 300mg in the generic. Well i see my PDoc wednesday. It's been a rollercoaster ride, but unfortunately my depression is still intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 6 hours ago, BrianOCD said: It's been a rollercoaster ride, but unfortunately my depression is still intact. How's your anxiety though? That will determine if you can go up on Wellbutrin and 300mg is worth a shot. Unless you want to stay at the 150mg and also go up to 150mg on the Effexor which is another option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 27, 2017 Share Posted November 27, 2017 I'd just leave that one to the pdoc because it's hard to know what's doing what Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, browri said: How's your anxiety though? That will determine if you can go up on Wellbutrin and 300mg is worth a shot. Unless you want to stay at the 150mg and also go up to 150mg on the Effexor which is another option. My anxiety, outside of the jittery/agitation feelings from wellbutrin, is ok...I think Wellbutrin has been positive in that area. I do feel incredibly tense though at times. Like real tense... The big problem I'm having is the depression, I just don't feel like doing anything at all...and that is destroying other areas of my life...hence making everything else worse...The depressed feelings have slowly create chaos for me, slowly over the last 6 months. I don't do good when my routine is broken. Today I think is day 12 or 13, I still have no energy and no motivation, and I feel kind of weepy now, when I didn't feel that way before.... Went to work yesterday but not today. I'm considering going in to the clinic for a few weeks if my condition doesn't improve ...I should have never let it get this bad, but I wasn't sure it was depression...I actually haven't felt hard depression for years...and boy I sure don't miss it.... Thanks for keeping me company here guys. This is quite a lonely battle. I have people in my life but they tend to just look at me like "wtf is wrong with you, get it together" Edited November 28, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ion Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I had an increase in crying in the first month or two of Wellbutrin. It's less dramatic now, but I am still weepier than before. Since before this I sometimes didn't cry for years I'm trying to think of crying more as a change in a positive direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Ion said: I had an increase in crying in the first month or two of Wellbutrin. It's less dramatic now, but I am still weepier than before. Since before this I sometimes didn't cry for years I'm trying to think of crying more as a change in a positive direction I can second this. Got very in touch with my emotions when I started Wellbutrin. The crying and memory recall felt good. I thought it was positive as well because SSRIs can make you feel so apathetic to those things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 I'm about two weeks in, and I have to say the negatives are outweighing the positives by far here. Should I give it longer? I'm exhausted. I'm considering just making another attempt at Effexor...Going all the way back up high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 Well I saw PDoc today. I'll be upping both the wellbutrin and the effexor over the next week... I think I'm addicted to effexor....I took an additional 37.5mg of effexor today and I feel much better without as much restlessness and agitation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 So you're doing 150mg of Effexor for a few days then going up to 300mg on the Wellbutrin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 That's pretty aggressive...of course sometimes aggressive is necessary if you're pdoc is competent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, browri said: So you're doing 150mg of Effexor for a few days then going up to 300mg on the Wellbutrin? Well I told my PDoc I don't think the wellbutrin is doing anything, but he still wanted to raise it. I already started going up on Effexor and I find Effexor works better for me, so I'm kind of wondering what to do about wellbutrin...But since he told me to raise it, that's probably what I'll do once I'm comfortable on the effexor, I'm not doing both at the same... Another thing I find odd is how fast the Effexor seems to be working for me, I took it and immediately a lot of the pointless chatter in my head calmed down and I can feel the effects quickly... If you've been on a drug like this for years, do you still have to wait the "2-6 weeks" or is it possible it will just hit you like that quickly? Edited December 1, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 I would think technically you would have to wait a little...maybe not 6 weeks....but I'm not sure there's a hard and fast rule...but I wouldn't count the Wellbutrin out if only cuz it can boost the Effexor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Just now, Iceberg said: I would think technically you would have to wait a little...maybe not 6 weeks....but I'm not sure there's a hard and fast rule...but I wouldn't count the Wellbutrin out if only cuz it can boost the Effexor I actually plan to stay on 150mg no matter what for a boost in sex drive and energy if that ever comes around, it's just the side effects of wellbutrin have been awful for me. Some of the worst, I think even worse than Effexor... I got virtually every single side effect of Wellbutrin at one point or another, and I have no appetite still now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 17 hours ago, Iceberg said: That's pretty aggressive...of course sometimes aggressive is necessary if you're pdoc is competent Agreed. Might want to give the Effexor increase at least a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper29 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 19 hours ago, BrianOCD said: I actually plan to stay on 150mg no matter what for a boost in sex drive and energy if that ever comes around, it's just the side effects of wellbutrin have been awful for me. Some of the worst, I think even worse than Effexor... I got virtually every single side effect of Wellbutrin at one point or another, and I have no appetite still now. Wellbutrin was terrible for me too. No appetite (and I can't afford to lose more weight), nausea, dry mouth, headaches, and I was a zombie. I was so sick I couldn't function. That was on 75mg. I gave up because I didn't want to go through that repeatedly to get to a dose that would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Juniper29 said: Wellbutrin was terrible for me too. No appetite (and I can't afford to lose more weight), nausea, dry mouth, headaches, and I was a zombie. I was so sick I couldn't function. That was on 75mg. I gave up because I didn't want to go through that repeatedly to get to a dose that would work. Yep I agree, Wellbutrin hasn't been nice to me, but I'm staying it on it because pdoc seems to think it'll work. I think at the end of the day I'm just going to go back to Effexor though, that seems to be the one that works best, I just hope it still works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 Taking my Effexor again I feel like a million bucks....I'd have to say I disagree with anyone who says Effexor is non-addicting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 14 hours ago, BrianOCD said: Taking my Effexor again I feel like a million bucks....I'd have to say I disagree with anyone who says Effexor is non-addicting... Well I think you could argue that because any of these medications cause a withdrawal syndrome that they all have some dependency potential. But there's a difference between dependency and addiction. Someone with an addiction can't live a normal life because of their dependency on a substance. It takes dependency one step further. So you could say you are dependent on these medications because they allow you to live a normal life and you have withdrawal if you don't. Not that unusual for any antidepressant. But they aren't technically "addicting" if you think about the actual definition. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better after going back up on Effexor. When are you planning on increasing the Wellbutrin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) 14 hours ago, browri said: Well I think you could argue that because any of these medications cause a withdrawal syndrome that they all have some dependency potential. But there's a difference between dependency and addiction. Someone with an addiction can't live a normal life because of their dependency on a substance. It takes dependency one step further. So you could say you are dependent on these medications because they allow you to live a normal life and you have withdrawal if you don't. Not that unusual for any antidepressant. But they aren't technically "addicting" if you think about the actual definition. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better after going back up on Effexor. When are you planning on increasing the Wellbutrin? Idk, I've been debating that last few days whether or not I really want to... PDoc said to go up on it, but I don't feel like Wellbutrin is that great for me. I haven't seen any of that energy increase, motivation only slightly better. It has helped me sleep better and helped with some intrusive thoughts. But I guess I just don't like the way I "feel" on it overall, if that makes sense...I'm seeing if 3 weeks I'll feel more clear-headed on it. I also feel some anxiety over things I'm not normally anxious over, my OCD has increased a bit as well, but I can't tell if that's the medicine or my condition currently. I love caffeine and eating too, and Wellbutrin has pretty much ruined both for me which is real shitty. Is there a big difference in 150 to 300 mg? Or is just more of the same.... Edited December 4, 2017 by BrianOCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 On 12/4/2017 at 12:48 AM, BrianOCD said: Idk, I've been debating that last few days whether or not I really want to... PDoc said to go up on it, but I don't feel like Wellbutrin is that great for me. I haven't seen any of that energy increase, motivation only slightly better. It has helped me sleep better and helped with some intrusive thoughts. But I guess I just don't like the way I "feel" on it overall, if that makes sense...I'm seeing if 3 weeks I'll feel more clear-headed on it. I also feel some anxiety over things I'm not normally anxious over, my OCD has increased a bit as well, but I can't tell if that's the medicine or my condition currently. I love caffeine and eating too, and Wellbutrin has pretty much ruined both for me which is real shitty. Is there a big difference in 150 to 300 mg? Or is just more of the same.... Yeah 300mg is a big jump. That might be where you see the energy boost. And yes it doesn't surprise me that Wellbutrin has ruined caffeine and food for you lol. It definitely has that effect. How many days now on 150? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I would think about giving 300 a chance for a few weeks if u can stand it cuz 300 is a lifesaver for some Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 10 hours ago, browri said: Yeah 300mg is a big jump. That might be where you see the energy boost. And yes it doesn't surprise me that Wellbutrin has ruined caffeine and food for you lol. It definitely has that effect. How many days now on 150? Bout 20 days now...Depression still hasn't lifted...I've had some improvements in sleep and appetite though. I might try the 300 I just don't know. I don't feel that great on the 150mg tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 1 minute ago, BrianOCD said: Bout 20 days now...Depression still hasn't lifted...I've had some improvements in sleep and appetite though. I might try the 300 I just don't know. I don't feel that great on the 150mg tbh Most people don't feel that great on 150 mg. That's why 300 mg is the usual therapeutic dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 16, 2017 Author Share Posted December 16, 2017 On 12/5/2017 at 7:01 PM, jt07 said: Most people don't feel that great on 150 mg. That's why 300 mg is the usual therapeutic dose. Well you were right. My mood definitely went up on 300mg which I started 3 days...but so did the jitters and restlessness... I hope they subside quickly, it's been quite uncomfortable when i'm home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 Well the Wellbutrin didn't work out for me. I really wanted it to work, but the brain fog and some of the side effects, I just never had a really good day on it so me and PDoc decided to stop it and go back to Effexor. ...went from 300mg to 150mg to none today... I was on it about a month so I don't expect too many withdrawals right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Are u ok with the Effexor or do u want to keep looking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 On 12/20/2017 at 6:19 PM, Iceberg said: Are u ok with the Effexor or do u want to keep looking? I've always liked Effexor, we're going back up to 225mg...but after 8 years or so I just hope it continues working... Wellbutrin just wasn't for me. Side effects just didn't do it for me...Fogginess, appetite decrease, sore throat, etc... I felt way less side effects on Effexor if you can believe that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 4 hours ago, BrianOCD said: I've always liked Effexor, we're going back up to 225mg...but after 8 years or so I just hope it continues working... Wellbutrin just wasn't for me. Side effects just didn't do it for me...Fogginess, appetite decrease, sore throat, etc... I felt way less side effects on Effexor if you can believe that... I can. Wellbutrin made me flip the hell out and that was only on 150 for a few days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianOCD Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 On 12/22/2017 at 7:59 AM, Iceberg said: I can. Wellbutrin made me flip the hell out and that was only on 150 for a few days Indeed. The brain fog was probably what ended it for me...It really felt like it was blocking my thoughts which felt very unsettling to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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