Wellbutrin...how long did you stick with it before you decided to quit?

[ThelmaLou]

I've been on Wellbutrin for over 2 months, and it seems like my anxiety has been worse and my tremors have been worse, which triggers more anxiety. I wake up in the morning with a jolt of adrenaline, or something like it. I feel like I wake up with a panic attack. It also doesn't help me sleep, which I'm having to use medication for already. I have never been on anti-anxiety or anti-depressants before February of this last year. I had a serious turnaround in my health. Multiple issues: LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux, which is totally different from regular reflux, and difficult to diagnose and treat.) I was also told according to the large number of IgG allergies that showed up on a blood test that I had leaky gut. Then from a stool sample that I have parasites and candida. I'm taking full prescription strength prevacid twice a day with some improvement in the LPR. But I hate the thought of the suppression of all that stomach acid. I know my body needs it for the GI system. I also know that prevacid can lead to nasty side effects down the road. I also have a painful gallbladder (and have had this for years) but it showed no stones and the hidascan showed proper function.

 

Within a week of the LPR starting ( I didn't know what it was, I just started having throat closing and choking episodes), I transitioned into complete insomnia. I've always slept like a baby, but not so for the last 9 months. After about a week and a half of no measurable sleep, my doctor prescribe a benzo for sleep. It helped right away, and after being on it for a couple of weeks, I weaned off slowly, but the insomnia returned. I was going crazy without sleep. I returned to a different Benzo (Klonopin), and then she kept having to add other things because I still wasn't sleeping well, was anxious, and depressed. I've been on  Ambien, mirtazipine, buspar for daytime anxiety (didn't help at all). Then she tried a mood stabilizer. (Lamictal). That wasn't doing the trick either. So I'm currently on 2 Klonopin before bed, 2 small (25 mg) Seroquel before bed, 200 mg Wellbutrin during the day, and three half pills (forget the mg) of lamictal spread out throughout the day. I've tried to stick out the wellbutrin, but it's been over two months. I definitely feel a burst of energy, but it's like I'm way too wired. I already had shakiness before going on it, but it has intensified. I have tremors in my knees going downstairs, my arms and hands shake constantly. Hard to type correctly, shaky hands when bringing a fork or cup to my mouth, arms that tremor with any kind of movement. I'm fine when I'm sitting still, but as soon as I start moving, it gets worse. Of course I start worrying about something like essential tremor or Parkinsons. My dad has Parkinsons, so it's in the family.

 

Anyhow, back to my original question. If you've taken wellbutrin, when did the side effects stop, or if they didn't stop, how long did you give it before you quit?

[mommymilkies]

It makes my anxiety horrid.  It doesn't make me wired, so it sounds like they gave you too high a dosage.  I started at 75, then 150, now 300. They gave me Buspar to counteract that (I don't like SSRIs) and that makes me dizzy.  Wish I could help.  

[swimmermom3]

The experience you are describing with regards to the Wellbutrin is the same that my dd experienced. The symptoms increased instead of getting better; the psychiatrist (supposedly one of the best in our city for working with teens/young adults) continued to up the dosage.We finally took dd to see a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She tapered dd off of the Wellbutrin and changed her medication. Anxiety and depression are two different beasts and need to be treated as such. Many people find Wellbutrin helpful with depression, but its side-effects for anxiety can actually make the situation dangerous.

 

In your case, I am also hoping that your main doctor is not the one doing all the prescribing and that moving you around from one medication to another is done very s.l.o.w.l.y. The process of adding and subtracting medications should be a very controlled process. If this is not the case, you need a new doctor. A good internist will generally make a diagnosis for anxiety or depression and then perhaps prescribe a low dose of something like Celexa. The typical protocol is to send you to someone (psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner) who specializes in working with those medications and the symptoms they treat. Sleep aids are often prescribed for someone with anxiety or depression because the mind never seems to shut down, but the choices are usually the mildest ones possible with the least likelihood of interacting with your other medication.

 

You have a fairly potent cocktail mixture going right now along with other health concerns; I think perhaps a second opinion is called for.

 

:grouphug: I am so sorry for all of problems you are experiencing. Please be very careful about abruptly stopping something like Wellbutrin. Someone will tell you that they stopped it cold turkey, no problem. They were lucky. Your healthcare provider should be able to gradually lower the dosage while slowly introducing a new medication.

[Mommy22alyns]

I somehow managed to stick with the Wellbutrin until the symptoms subsided, but I have no idea how. The tremors were unbelievable - I'd need two hands to pick up my glass in a restaurant.  I felt like I was going to burst out of my skin at times - it seemed intolerable to even watch a movie.  After quite a while (more than 2 months), the side effects subsided a lot.  I can watch a movie, and my tremors have faded to just minor ones on occasion, and part of that is just anxiety.  It would be completely understandable to quit the Wellbutrin.

 

Anyway, I know how hard this all is - I'm on quite a few meds, I feel like I've tried everything in the book, and we're constantly tinkering with them.

[alicai]

I'm not clear on what exactly you're taking the Wellbutrin to help with - is it anxiety? If so, Wellbutrin is a poor fit. I think it took me a good 3 months or so to start seeing real effects but I tapered up very slowly and was taking it mainly for depression. I don't consider 200mg to be a therapeutic dose in an adult so I wouldn't be expecting you to see any mood benefits. Wellbutrin has an activating or almost amphetamine-like effect - this is what makes it useful for treating ADD. That works for me because I tend to be very low energy, and it has never made me have tremors or feel crazy jittery. It has also never given me insomnia, but I know it certainly can in some people. I think my main side effects were headaches in the beginning. I do also have some anxiety and took buspar to offset that.

 

It sounds to me like Wellbutrin is way too activating for you, and I would start tapering it down (working with your doctor) and moving to something that isn't activating. If you're having to take multiple other meds to offset the side effects of the first med, that's not a good thing. Many others like, say, Zoloft or Lexapro, will not be activating and will help with insomnia themselves, rather than make it worse.

 

I recommend the website crazymeds.us for getting more "real life" information on meds, good info on what things work well together and what don't, etc. 

[mommymilkies]

I love the crazymeds site!  Hilarious, yet informative.

[LLMom]

I took wellbutrin for over a year for anxiety and depression.  (along with Buspar)  I had the jitters really bad (that never went away).  I also had a lot of energy (good thing), and I was able to sleep fine.  I did lose a lot of weight on it (which for me wasn't good as I am already very thin)  I got off of it because I didn't think it was helping enough.  I have tried other anti-depressants( Lexapro and Celexa) and the others have made me so sleepy, gain a lot of weight, and really zapped my love life.  I really think I need something else, but I am afraid to try anything else because of those side effects. 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

I was on a combo of Wellbutrin and Celexa for several years, and I wouldn't think it to be unusual at all to have to tinker, and maybe even switch meds, as it is definitely NOT a one-size-fits-all.  I don't remember side effects while on it, but I did have disconcerting dizzy spells when I went off it because I did it on my own (dangerously stupid).  Then I found a psychiatrist I liked and he tapered me off correctly.

 

Having worked with a few different professionals, I would say that is the key -- find someone you trust who will work with you and adjust things.  This does not include GPs who might have had a whopping whole semester of psych back in med school.  It can be an APN or a PsyD, but get a specialist for treating your noggin.

 

As for Parkinson's -- my grandfather had that as well.  It increases your risk of melanoma, so I'd add semi-annual skin scans by a dermatologist to your list.

[SailorMom]

I've been on it for about 3 years now - anxiety and OCD (300mg per day).  It took 3 months for the side effects to really wear off (lack of appetite and trouble sleeping) and for me to start seeing the progress.  I really hope it keeps working and I can stay on it indefinitely.  I still have ringing in my ears, a mildly elevated heart rate, and mild shaking in my hands.  But my anxiety and ocd were so bad that these side affects are well worth the trouble.

 

What I have heard is that if the stuff doesn't help after about 2 months or so then your brain chemistry is not 'off' in the way Welbutrin will help.  It isn't a silver bullet.  It only works for certain brain chemistry issues.  If used improperly, it will absolutely make symptoms worse.

BTW - benzo's are very addictive and have some nasty side affects.  Ambien may not be your cuppa, but it is less addictive.  Also - 5-10 mg of Melatonin can work just as well as an Ambien for some people.  Short term, Benadryl is also a good one.

 

Also - I'll echo the "never quit cold turkey" sentiment.  Cold turkey on Welbutrin or benzo's can cause seizures.

 

I'd say somehow you need to pare down all those meds if you can.  Too many and the side affects are far worse than the problem was, lol.  I have no idea what you could do - but perhaps try to see a doc who agrees that "less is more".  Your doc just seems to be throwing meds at you hoping something will stick - but it can take a long time for them to start working, or to completely get out of your system once you stop taking them.  Could you maybe get down to nothing and start from scratch?  Use melatonin for sleep and (if it's safe) wean off everything else.

 

[MomtoCandJ]

My dh has horrible anxiety and insomnia with silent acid reflux. He takes 10 mg Celexa, 5 mg Zyprexa and 10 mg Ambien, he takes all three at bedtime so the worse of the side effects happens while he's sleeping (he gets the tremors and he can't have shaky hands making crowns and implants)

[ThelmaLou]

Mommymilkies, is your anxiety still bad? Did you have anxiety prior to taking wellbutrin?

 

swimmermom3, I was started at 350 mg, and was absolutely batty. I reduced to 200 in the SR form. I take one twice daily. No, it's not a regular md. It's a psychiatrist. My M.D. knew when things were out of her league, so she sent me to a Psychiatrist. And you're right about the second opinion. I have another appt. with my original psychiatrist next Monday. If things don't pan out the way I'd like or I don't feel comfortable about what she wants to do, I have another Dr. up my sleeve that a good family friend who's also an MD highly recommended. If only $ weren't an issue for a whole new evaluation!

 

mommy22alyns, Yes, this is very difficult. I've been on for 2 months, and there's no easing up yet. I really want this to work, but don't know when I should throw in the towel. The jitteriness increases my anxiety, which increases my depression. I just want to crawl out of my skin!

 

raisingainsley, I was prescribed the Wellbutrin for depression. I had anxiety too, but she prescribed it anyway. When I first came to her, I had a sleep Dr. prescribe me a low dose of zoloft. I was on 25 mg for a week and then increaed to 50. I was not sleeping at all during this time, and when I came to my new psychiatrist, she said I should have been able to see at least some improvement in that week and a half. She said to abandon it altogether. I was also on mirtazipine, but that was not a good fit either. Didn't really make a dent in my depression or anxiety, though it helped my sleep a little.

 

Thathomeschooldad, Yes, I need some tinkering. I'm starting to think my current Dr. is switching things too quickly, abandoning one and starting another. She wanted to take me off the wellbutrin after one month, but I wanted to stick it out to see if the side effects would lessen. No such luck. I also don't feel like she understands my physical issues very well, which is what kicked all of this off.

 

Sailormom, I want to be off the benzos more than anything. I also want to pare off everything else. Severe sleep issues that started right after sudden onset of physical problems kicked off the anxiety and depression. Melatonin didn't put a dent in it. I also tried Kavanace Ultra PM, which also has 5 htp (gave me nightmares and didn't help much.) I'm one of those who responds to benadryl in a completely opposite way. Ambien CR seemed to help quite a bit, but she didn't think that was a good solution long term. She said that if the anxiety and depression were under control, she thought the sleep would follow. Cold turkey definitely won't work for me. I'm so sensitive to all these medications. Honestly, before January, I'd never taken anything but natural thyroid medication. I hated to even take tylenol. I'm not sure how I ended up in this situation. It's been a complete snowball.

 

melissamatthews, I'll have to look into that combo for myself. I don't have reflux at night at all, in fact that's when I feel the best with regards to reflux, but it's the worst for insomnia. Oh wow, he's a dentist? Shaky hands make for a horrible problem, I imagine

 

 

[SailorMom]

Hang in there.  It can be so tough.

:grouphug:  :grouphug: :grouphug:  

[mommymilkies]

I had anxiety and OCD before the Wellbutrin (prescribed for ppd after a bad zoloft experience).  I still have anxiety.  Honestly, I'm not feeling like it does much besides take the edge off.  

[kubiac]

About 12 years ago, Wellbutrin was the medication that turned my life around and lifted years of depression. Anyway, I had to make sure I took it first thing in the morning so it wore off completely by bedtime or I could never sleep. The energy burst was very helpful for me in the state I was in (I lost 10 lbs!), but it's definitely an "activating" drug. Maybe decrease the dosage and/or take a split dosage (100mg in the morning and then 50mg at lunch?) Just wanted to let you know that it does help some people, but of course every person is different so every drug cocktail :) must be adjusted accordingly!

 

Keep talking to your doc. Finding a mix that works is hard work, but so worth it.

[MomtoCandJ]

He's not a dentist (he couldn't go to school that long without driving everyone crazy), he's a dental lab technician (working on his certification). I wish he was a dentist though, better money and my teeth wouldn't be so bad LoL.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

if it isn't working I would definately contact your doc and see about a change of some sorts.....I took it for a long time with good results....hope you find something that works better for you....

[Peaceful Isle]

My doctor gave GABA to help me with the anxiety that comes with wellbutrin. It is over the counter. I take it at night, because it makes me sleepy. :-)

Good luck trying to find what works for you. Its overwhelming I'm sure. Hugs to you.

 

Just a thought....wellbutrin in well known to cause anxiety in some people. Not sure why your doc recommended it for you since you already suffer from it . Hmmmmm

Maybe you need a more knowledgeable doctor. Some docs just switch and change meds too quickly, imho.

[ThelmaLou]

About 12 years ago, Wellbutrin was the medication that turned my life around and lifted years of depression. Anyway, I had to make sure I took it first thing in the morning so it wore off completely by bedtime or I could never sleep. The energy burst was very helpful for me in the state I was in (I lost 10 lbs!), but it's definitely an "activating" drug. Maybe decrease the dosage and/or take a split dosage (100mg in the morning and then 50mg at lunch?) Just wanted to let you know that it does help some people, but of course every person is different so every drug cocktail :) must be adjusted accordingly!

 

Keep talking to your doc. Finding a mix that works is hard work, but so worth it.

She started me at 350 mg. That was an absolute disaster. My tremors were atrocious. She stepped it down to 100 twice daily. I take the first one at breakfast and the second at lunch so it's less likely to interfere with sleep issues, which I already had before. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

I had anxiety and OCD before the Wellbutrin (prescribed for ppd after a bad zoloft experience).  I still have anxiety.  Honestly, I'm not feeling like it does much besides take the edge off.  

I'm having health related anxiety and insomnia. I'm still wondering why she thought it was a good idea to prescribe Wellbutrin when it often increases anxiety and insomnia!!!

 

My doctor gave GABA to help me with the anxiety that comes with wellbutrin. It is over the counter. I take it at night, because it makes me sleepy. :-)

Good luck trying to find what works for you. Its overwhelming I'm sure. Hugs to you.

 

Just a thought....wellbutrin in well known to cause anxiety in some people. Not sure why your doc recommended it for you since you already suffer from it . Hmmmmm

Maybe you need a more knowledgeable doctor. Some docs just switch and change meds too quickly, imho.

I might have to try the GABA, though my start up symptoms from Wellbutrin seem to be receding a little. I was having sleep problems already before the wellbutrin and that just made it worse!