Wellbutrin's not doing anything

[Hewowa]

The psychiatrist started me on Wellbutrin. I've been on 75 mg for a couple of weeks, and I don't feel anything.

This is probably the sixth antidepressant I have tried. None of them have really worked. Prozac and Zoloft came the closest, but they really just made me super tired all the time. Great if you have insomnia. PTSD and co-morbid depression? Not really.

I don't know what to do. I really want to find a medication that helps. I would think that after all the antidepressants we've tried, they would just say, "Hey, it looks like this person doesn't respond to antidepressants."

At what dose is Wellbutrin effective for most people?

 

[Isu]

Everybody's different.

I was put on all of the above at one point including Paxil from Prozac and all any of them did was help keep me awake. After much determination from doctors to have me on something I finally conceded to Effexor. After that I ended up being put on antipsychotics along with it so I could sleep and stop drinking until passing out.

End result I stopped taking anything and after going through horrendous withdrawal problems moved to Thailand away from everyone aggravating to try meditation. I haven't had a drink since and even refuse to take an aspirin now).

(Perhaps get them to consider Effexor if the seretonin reup inhibitors aren't doing much for you.

 

[Capuzi]

I was on all that stuff, nothing. Pain killers work but they are problematic. Medical MJ works for me. Though I procure it through backchannels.

 

[Hewowa]

I finally conceded to Effexor

They gave me Effexor once. I'm pretty sure it put me to sleep right away and also made me sick for two days. No thanks.

moved to Thailand away from everyone aggravating to try meditation.

Good for you. I meditate also, but it's hard to get away from "everyone aggravating." I guess my problem is I aggravate myself most of all.

Why hasn't anyone prescribed me an anti-anxiety like Xanax or Valium yet? The doctor hesitated to prescribe me Wellbutrin because of my anxiety. So why no mention of anti-anxiety meds?

 

[Ewagij]

Valium is good but it's the same as Klonopin. Benzos they are called in street lingo. It's good but incapacitating, like you can lay around watching tv and you don't care what's on. I consider it a hard drug like pain killers and long term they are stupid pills meaning they make you stupid. Especially if you increase the dose over a substantial time period.

 

[Egiki]

I was just put back on Lexapro today. Ten years ago that was a magic happy pill for me and I hope it has the same effect again. I was on a combo of Zoloft and Wellbutrin at one point I was up to 450 Wellbutrin a day. I have to say I don't really think it did a damn thing except give me HORRIBLE NIGHTMARES!!! I didn't realize this at the time but I went back on them years later and noticed the nightmares again right away. That is when I figured out it was the Wellbutrin all along. My shrink says his clients usually say Wellbutrin gets them extra jazzed and agitated so I doubt it is the best for anxiety issues. I have extreme depression which is why I was on it as it did give me a bit more pep. That was all. Good luck to you.

 

[Loka]

Valium is not the same as Klonopin.

They are in the same family but have different dosing, different half lives, etc.

I can tolerate certain benzos better than others.

Some are better for panic attacks, others are better for general anxiety, etc.

 

[Avon]

I have anxiety issues and that was initially my primary complaint. I have been on Wellbutrin for over a year and it has been really helpful for me. I started at - gosh I don't really remember - I think it was 100 mg Wellbutrin SR and I felt horrible . Then I was switched to 150 mg Wellbutrin XL and the upto 300 mg Wellbutrin XL . For what it is worth the SR didn't agree with me - I would hit a wall mid afternoon and be useless for about 1 hour - basically just wanted to stare at a wall and then go to sleep. After getting to the 300 XL I had a small adjustment of minor headaches - a bit of shaky hands- vivid dreams but that dramatically reduced after about a month. Now I don't even feel like I take anything but I am no longer serious suicidal. Wellbutrin XL has worked for me and has helped my anxiety and depression and possibly reduced the amount I dissociate. Everyone is different - regardless what you take - I think it is important to see it as a support and can help you be more stable while addressing tough issues.

 

[Efu]

wellbutrin was really really awful with me. i've heard it can be great for some people everyone is different. I think most anti depressant medications do take 2-3 months to have full therepeutic benefits

 

[Jeveg]

what dose is Wellbutrin effective for most people?

At least 150mg/day.

75mg/day is the dose for smoking cessation.

You should ask to titrate up, and you may find it exacerbates your anxiety but you may not.

 

[Vocec]

I take Wellbutrin for depression and anxiety and it helps immensely. It knocked out the depression in about, oh, three months; though not as "much" as it should have (and I didn't realize it). My doc upped the dose, and I feel better than I have my entire life (literally). It works for my anxiety as well. I'm currently on Bupropion XL, 300mg.

It took about a month to really feel the effects, after my dose was increased. At 150mg, I was not depressed or suicidal, but not anything else either, just numb. And my anxiety was increasing due to outside stressors. After 300mg, it was like a light switch for me - depression and anxiety in remission. I never knew what that felt like before.

I didn't respond well to the Prozac-type drugs (they stopped working after about two years), and Effexor worked for awhile, but also stopped working, after about four years.

Weird how we react differently to medications. Bupropion can't be used for some anxiety, but works for others.

Caveat: I do not have PTSD, just major depressive disorder and panic/social/generalized anxiety.

 

[Hewowa]

I'm currently on Bupropion XL, 300mg.

So are Bupropion and Bupropion XL really different medications? How so?