Getting Back On Wellbutrin After Aprn Said To Stop

[cheeseriver]

Hello. New here. I went to a city clinic for the first time in my life to seek help for what I thought was depression and ADHD. While I haven't been able to get an assessment test for the latter, the behavioral specialist diagnosed me with depression and PTSD. April 4th this year, I started 100mg daily doses of Wellbutrin XL/bupropion. May 7th, my doctor suggested a dose increase to 300mg. Two weeks later, I started having arrythmias and she said to stop the dosage to see if my symptoms improve. Unfortunately, I had to go to the ER last Monday because I was about to black out(this is four days after stopping Wellbutrin). After seeing a cardiologist this past Friday, the cardiologist said it was okay to be back on my medication. So, in my monthly clinic visit yesterday, I started my dosage again. For the past two weeks without my medication, I've been very low, fatigued and lacking motivation to do anything. I also have no appetite which may have comtributed to my low blood pressure and low white blood cell&neutrophil count.

Will it still take a month for Wellbutrin to kick back in? I was doing so well with it and I really hope it doesn't take that long. I actually feel worse than what I did before starting it..

 

[EveHarrington]

Hi, and welcome. :)

Do your doctors not attribute the heart arrhythmia and other blood issues to the Wellbutrin?

 

[cheeseriver]

Hi, and welcome. :)

Do your doctors not attribute the heart arrhythmia and other blood issues to...

They don't. Because I was off Wellbutrin for nearly two weeks and my symptoms got slightly worse, my doctor and the cardiologist both believed it was unrelated to mt medication. However, the nurses at the ER I was taken to said that suddenly stopping the Wellbutrin maynjave contributed to the worsening of my symptoms. My doctor isn't fully sure due to all the factors, but she believes I either had a viral or bacterial infection at some point in the last 30 days, which was why my WBC and neutrophil count was low. However, the only symptoms I've had are constant fatigue every single day since I saw her about the arrythmias. I've beem asked to see her again in a month for another blood lab to see if there are any changes.

 

[EveHarrington]

I don't have an answer for you regarding the Welbutrin as I've never taken it.

I'm concerned about your other symptoms though and I want to encourage you to call your doc if you notice anything get worse. Sometimes these meds can have rare negative side effects that even doctors don't really know about.

Hopefully someone else will see your post and will be able to answer your question.

 

[cheeseriver]

I don't have an answer for you regarding the Welbutrin as I've never taken it.

I'm concerned ab...

I'm aware of the side effects and potential withdrawal symptoms, and calling her is my first option if I get worse. (: Thanks though. Will be seeing the cardiologist again for an echo thingy and portable EKG I'll be wearing for 24hours.

 

[joeylittle]

Wellbutrin usually will re-up faster than a month, but it would really depend on how long you were at the 300mg dosage, and the half-life calculation.

If you are taking generic (bupropion) keep track of which company is making it, and do a little googling to see if one generic is considered more reliable. The generics for Wellbutrin are notoriously inconsistent.

And if you are a caffeine person, adjust your caffeine down if you can. Even if the arrhythmia was unrelated, Wellbutrin does have a stimulant effect.

 

[cheeseriver]

Wellbutrin usually will re-up faster than a month, but it would really depend on how long you were a...

Hm well, I was only taking 300mg for a month and a half before I was told to stop. However, I had been taking a daily 150mg dose from April 4-May 7. She increased the dose partly because I.. had a sort of breakdown when I saw her in the first follow up while explaining another episode a mere week after I first started bupropion 150mg.

 

[cheeseriver]

I don't have an answer for you regarding the Welbutrin as I've never taken it.

I'm concerned ab...

Yesterday was my first echocardiogram. I also was given a Holter monitor/portable EKG for 24 hours. I take the monitor back early this afternoon. My cardiologist called about 20 minutes ago saying my heart looked great in the echo. While wearing this monitor, I have still been experiencing symptoms such as light-headedness, a flushed feeling in my face, palpitations, mild nausea, and mild shortness of breath while both exerting myself AND sitting down. Luckily, this monitor will help determine what exactly my heart and/or brain are doing while these symtpoms are present.

 

[cheeseriver]

Yesterday was my first echocardiogram. I also was given a Holter monitor/portable EKG for 24 hours....

So, I finally was given the Holter Mintor for my heart to wear for 24 hours. I turned it in the following afternoon with hopes of gaining answers. Ten days later(today, when I finally called my cardiologist myself), he said the Holter Monitor results came back fine and that the cause for my near-fainting is low blood pressure caused by miscommunications between my brain and heart. So... he told me the only thing I can do about that is keep hydrated and sit down when I feel light-headed. I somehow feel dissatisfied that it's not something that can be remedied with medication.. ) : I still feel the head rushes frequently when I change positions and the palpitations with them. I see my APRN in a couple weeks to check my white blood cell count again.. Time moves way too slowly..