POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Mental Health & HIV => Topic started by: hjeffs on September 10, 2008, 04:10:02 pm
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Have been on wellbutrin, the anti depressant, for a little over a month now and not quite sure how to feel about it. (It is way better than Zoloft.....did not sit well!). One, I don't like taking another pill but have faith in my doctors and there recommendations so don't want to self diagnose.
I have anxiety issues and this seems to increase this feeling. I am on 300 mg a day. I am also having sleep disorder and that does not help anything. I take Lunesta to offset my sleep deprivation.....too many pills.
Anyone else been on this drug? What has your experience been and how long have you been on it? also ......do you feel a difference? Between the headaches, ear ringing and anxiety attacks I am wondering if this is worth it?
Help with your experiences????
Jeff
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Have been on wellbutrin, the anti depressant, for a little over a month now and not quite sure how to feel about it. (It is way better than Zoloft.....did not sit well!). One, I don't like taking another pill but have faith in my doctors and there recommendations so don't want to self diagnose.
I have anxiety issues and this seems to increase this feeling. I am on 300 mg a day. I am also having sleep disorder and that does not help anything. I take Lunesta to offset my sleep deprivation.....too many pills.
Anyone else been on this drug? What has your experience been and how long have you been on it? also ......do you feel a difference? Between the headaches, ear ringing and anxiety attacks I am wondering if this is worth it?
Help with your experiences????
Jeff
I've been taking Wellbutrin for the past five years for bipolar disorder. Wellbutrin is well-known for causing anxiety and insomnia. My psychiatrist advised me to take Wellbutrin no later than dinner-time in the evening. He also prescribed Lunesta for the insomnia and that helps. In addition, he prescribed Tranxene for the anxiety. I've found that all three work well together. It has definitely turned my life around in dealing with my bipolar disorder.
I wouldn't worry so much about the number of pills you have to take. Sometimes it takes several in order to offset the side effects they cause. But I'm definitely happier with the Wellbutrin than with any of the SSRIs I've ever taken (the class of drug that includes Zoloft).
Tell your doctor about the problems you're having with anxiety and see if he will prescribe anything to help with that. Good luck!
Regards,
Nick
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I've been on Welbutrin for about 3 months. I suppose it helps, not really sure.
I have no problem falling asleep (or getting enough sleep) at night. I have had anxiety issues, but that's pretty much been going on for years now, not since I started Welbutrin.
About the pills, well, we do what we gotta do to feel the best we can physically and mentally. If that means taking "one more pill," than so be it. I don't like feeling unbalanced.
Good luck.
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I've been on Wellbutrin for several years. It's really the only medication that helps with my depression. I've tried just about every SSRI in existence (Cymbalta, Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor, Paxil, blah blah blah) but all of those made me very jittery, interfered with my sleep, and had "profound" sexual side-effected (i.e. no erecttion, which itself was depressing). Interestingly, Wellbutrin gives me none of the side-effects you describe. And I generally take it before bedtime, along with HIV meds, and I sleep quite well.
I know this isn't much help for you, just another perspective. I always find it interesting how people can have markedly different experience and side-effects from the same medication.
As others have mentioned above, you should talk about this with your doctor.
Regards,
Henry
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Jeff-
Like Henry before me, I've been on them all. Paxil was the absolute worst for me--I still have TMJ from that shit--Zoloft gave me the runs and prevented me from ejaculating, which was maddening. Effexor worked for a while, but sorta petered out for me.
Wellbutrin did nothing at all for me. I tried it twice, once for depression and once for smoking cessation and it seriously didn't do a thing.
Your mileage will vary, though, and you'll never really know if it works unless/until you give it the good go.
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Anyone else been on this drug?
Jeff
Jeff,
Can't really offer any advice. My only experience was, that I was prescribed Wellbutrin many years ago, to see if it would help me to quit smoking. For me, it didn't work back then.
Good luck, hope you get some answers , and that you get things sorted out. From what I understand, it can be trial and error, with some of these medications, until you get it right.
Take care---Ray
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I was originally prescribed Welbutrin for smoking cessation. It did squat for that. I put myself back on it when I started Chantix a little over two months ago because of the possible side effects of Chantix. Now that I'm off the Chantix, I could probably stop the Welbutrin. Dunno yet.
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Thanks for the posts! The day before yesterday could not take it anymore and was told to just stop taking it and see what happens. It has been about a day and a half and I feel much more calm and less anxious. The drug was not good to me and I didn't see any positive effects from it. We will see what happens in the next weeks but have a feeling that I will be just fine. Hell I didn't think I was depressed at the time they prescribed the drugs, LOL.
I had the advice from my primary doctor, HIV specialist and my therapist. All signals to stop....so very glad I have. Last night was the first night in weeks I have not gotten up at 4AM because of the sleep disorder.
Keep well everyone.
Jeff
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I had the advice from my primary doctor, HIV specialist and my therapist. All signals to stop....so very glad I have. Last night was the first night in weeks I have not gotten up at 4AM because of the sleep disorder.
Keep well everyone.
Jeff
Glad to hear that things are better. I guess Wellbutrin wasn't the drug for you. It's good that you pressed the issue with your doctors. It's also great to have a full nights sleep, without having it interupted.
Take care--------Ray
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The wellbutrin is out of my system for a week now and the feelings inside me are like night and day. I have little anxiety, no shaking, no headaches and sleep....oh the sleep! Thank goodness I am off this medication. I have a positive outlook again and think I will go it alone without an anti deppresent. I didn't think I needed one in the first place. I sometimes believe there is a reason that they say doctors Practice Medicine.......I am glad I stopped the practice on this one. Be well everyone.
Jeff
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It is unfortunate that so many here have had negative results with Welbutrin. Like any drug used to treat mental health disorders, some work for some and not at all for others or have side effects that are certainly unwanted or terrible. I am bipolar and finding the right medications to treat it has been somewhat of a journey. Finally I am on a regime that suits me and it contains Welbutrin at a lower dose than most of you here report. For me, for now it works just fine. I was not sure how it was working until I tried to stop taking it because I believed it was no longer needed. I was wrong. The symptoms returned and I began taking it again without issue.
Good luck to you all.
Paolo
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I tried Welbutrin to quit smoking many years ago.
HATED itttt <sing song voice>
It made me feel tired and dopey.