Hi there! I started taking Wellbutrin a week ago. I finally went to my doctor after feeling depressed for years. I think the clinical term is dysthymia. Basically I'm not depressed to the point where I can't leave the house, I just feel apathetic and generally shitty all the time. I also have a bit of social anxiety but it's not that bad. I had done a lot of research on the different meds for depression, and decided Wellbutrin was the one for me. Zoloft, paxil, etc. seemed to make people sluggish/tired and gain weight. I was already sluggish enough and wanted something that would give me a boost of energy. The doctor recommended Wellbutrin before I could even bring it up, so it worked out for the best it seems. Anyways, I'm taking 150mg XL of Wellbutrin every morning. So far it's really working well, even though the "real" effects won't kick in for a few more weeks. It gives me a good boost of energy and makes me want to just move around and do stuff. Lately I've been just running around the house sliding in my socks just for fun, going out for walks just because I can, and ready books I've been wanting to read for a long time. I feel a lot better already. But I'm having a bit of a problem. It makes me even more anxious than normal, and 12 hours after my dose I get tired and really irritable. I'm just wondering if I could combine something with the Wellbutrin to make me less anxious? I've read people take zoloft or paxil for anxiety, but they both make you tired and sluggish. Same thing with benzos. Would combining the two cancel out the Wellbutrin's awesome energy boosting power? Anyone here take Wellbutrin or something else for depression/anxiety?
Yeah I took wellbutrin for a while, Try looking into a natural supplement called "Kava Kava" its around 16 dollars for a months dose. Makes me tired when I take large amounts but completey abolishes anxiety. Worth A shot? Goodluck mate! Anxiety fucks with things....
daily exercise and meditation, plus a good diet could help you a lot. Try a 1/2 hour per day of gentle, aerobic exercise, just enough to make you break a light sweat. Meditating could help a lot too. I'm told that the real benefits of meditation come after you've done deep meditation for an hour per day for three years. I think that the idea is that after this you simply learn how to relax in response to stress, a skill that you can maintain for the rest of your life and which has huge benefits. As for diet, I recommend fresh, cooked whole foods served warm. Processed foods, leftovers, and food and drinks served cold are bad!!! You can also read the book "Curing Depression with Chinese Medicine" by Bob Flaws. I hope that you get better soon!
I know this thread is really old, but Remeron is an amazing additive to Wellbutrin. It did wonders for me, for the exact reason that you stated you deal with as well. Aside from adjusting to the hardcore drowsiness for a while, it was the key combo I needed to overcome 10+ years of extreme unipolar depression and social anxiety. Just figured someone might like to know.
Hi potent, thanks for the info. I'm currently taking 300mg Wellbutrin + 20mg Cipralex (Lexapro). Looking to get off the Cipralex very soon though. I'm doing really good now, so I don't think I need it anymore (and the side effects SUCK)! I do however plan on continuing with Wellbutrin
But, you should absolutely tell your doctor about the anxiety. It may mean you have something other then what the doctor suspects. For example: If you gave someone who is bipolar (frequently confused with depression) antidepressants then they freak the hell out. Go into a manic and have horrible anxiety to go with it. I'm just saying. These drugs we are given are changing our bodies physically. Damage could be done. Our minds and the way we think and reason can change and not necessarily for the better. Just be aware of yourself and your body.
I also take Wellbutrin 200mg/day and I have anxiety as well and I am prescribed Klonopin .5 mg as needed. I get 60 of them a month because my tolerance is so high but if I'm feeling anxious during the day, I'll take Klonopin and it doesn't mess with the energetic part of Wellbutrin but it just kind of take the edge off so I can gain control of my anxious thoughts and calm myself down. When you initially started Wellbutrin, did you experience really bad dizziness and nausea? Because I'm currently experiencing that but I'm trying to stick it out.
I did have some initial dizziness but no nausea. The Wellbutrin just gave me a nice boost of energy throughout the day. I think the lightheadedness was due to the stimulating effects of Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin was a very easy drug to get used to... not like Cipralex.. that shit had me feeling spaced out and nauseas for a month. Are you only being treated for anxiety? Or are you being treated for depression as well? It seems a bit strange to use Wellbutrin for anxiety since most people will have an increase in anxiety from stimulating drugs. As much as I disliked Cipralex (Lexapro), it reduced my anxiety by a considerable amount... I didn't have a huge issue with anxiety in the first place, it was mostly depression, and all the anxiety issues I had were rooted in my depression. I would imagine an SSRI would be much more effective in treating anxiety. If you do chose to try out Cipralex I'd recommend keeping it at the low to medium doses. It definately has a numbing/dull feeling to it at the higher doses.
Day 12 of wellbutrin for me, trying it for ADD, and today for the second day in a row I am starting to feel a bit more energised, not enough to peel me away from the net, but it's getting better I think. Before today and yesterday it's been up and down, feeling lethargic and tired then feeling up. I hope today and yesterday is an indication that it's starting to work. Bupropion takes a few weeks.
I won't touch traditional antidepressants, knowing the SERIOUS effects of them (there's no such thing as a *side* effect, there are just effects). I have found that exercise works wonders, along with keeping yourself busy. I work in landscape, so I'm always busy and doing physical work. Being idle flares up my depression VERY quickly. Hopefully I can get back to school and finish up my degree soon, but I the college lifestyle is VERY idle. Eat organic if you can btw. And filter t your water with a filter that removes flouride specifically. You are what you eat, and your brain is what you eat. Don't rely on a pharma drug as a silver bullet.
I take 150 mg of wellbutrin combined with a couple other meds and I believe it makes a difference since now Im able to do stuff I normally wouldnt be able to (basic stuff that everyones supposed to do but Im to depressed to do) so 2 thumbs up.
I'm off all antidepressants now. I think they help but only if the person is in the right mindset, and even then it only helps get the ball rolling. Eating right, keeping busy, excercising, and generally living a healthy life is definately the key to success here. I actually found out I had undiagnosed ADHD that my doc thinks could be the root of my problems, so I'm now taking adderall daily and that seems to work wonders.
I tried Wellbutrin a few years ago after being diagnosed with add. I hated Ritalin. So they tried Prozac. Prozac really helped except I was never horny and when I was I could only get 3/4 hard. I had never had that issue before. So I switched to Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin for me was crazy. I would hallucinate, It caused me to have violent and crazy dreams. I couldn't handle it. So I went off all meds and went back to living with ADHD. I tried every non drug option to help my add but decided to go back to another dr and try again. This time he put me on Adderall and it was like someone turned on a light in my head. Adderall has been amazing for me so far. My add. caused many ,many social problems , money problems ,and anxieties for myself as well as the people I care for. Much of it i couldn't recognize or see until Adderall came into my life. I don't take anything else nor do I need to.
