I'm ADHD and bipolar II. My psydoc just gave me Wellbutrin for the attention problems. I'm on 100 mg of SR per day.
Any comments, pro or con, on the effects of Wellbutrin for attention problems that any of you have experienced?

thats a great question, funny im on wellbutrin, and i do have A.D.D. but i was put on it for depression, i guess i can say, it does help with the symptoms associated with this. i take wellbutrin along with celexa, and together seem to help me alot,with the combination of problems ive had for years!

Hey ,

I too am a ADDer and I'm on wellbutrin and Focalin. My Doc has me on 300mg of WellbutrinSR and 20mg of Focalin. I really believe that he has me on the Wellbutrin for depression issues and the Focalin for the ADD. One thing I do know is that the combo has worked wonders for me. I have never in my life been able to function and work and have a better quality of life than I ever thought possible. So thats my experience with that med.....

Matt

So far, after 3 weeks on Welbutrin, I feel great. My Dr. also had me on Ritalin for the attention/focus part but because of the bad side affects, I quit that. It seems the Welbutrin is now taking care of those issues. I've been very organized and able to focus.

Thanks all for the replies!!

Kyleann, what dosage of Wellbutrin are you taking? My doc has me on 100 mg per day to start, and it's kind of helping with calming me down and thinking a little clearer but the attention problems are, without a doubt, still there. What dosage did your doc start you on?

Jim1961 My Doc started me on 200 sr 2X per day. But I've only been taking it once in the AM and feel fine all day.

Thanks Kyleann, that gives me some hope. I took Ritalin also for a short time but it wired the heck out of me and made me irritable. I'm curious, were your side effects similar?

Yep, very irritable and moody. (almost more depressed) Could not sleep and when I did, I'd wake up 3-5 times through the night. Those were the worst side affects. Then there was dry mouth & constipation.
Grizzk62, What is Focalin? Never heard of that one?

Yep, very irritable and moody. (almost more depressed) Could not sleep and when I did, I'd wake up 3-5 times through the night. Those were the worst side affects. Then there was dry mouth & constipation.
Grizzk62, What is Focalin? Never heard of that one?

Kyleann,

Hey all. Focalin is a cousin of sorts to Ritalin. How ever it only contain just one part of ritalins make up the more active part. Its supposed to have less side effects and be more effective than ritalin. I have to agree so far. Both meds for me have been a life saver.

Matt

How long until the effects of wellbutrin start working?

Has anyone drank while on it, I know it says you shouldn't but has anyone?

2 - 4 weeks until effects can be noticed.

I was prescribed Wellbutrin for depression. I noticed in 3 days a BIG difference. I remember my exact words were, man i feel like my old self again. Happy, productive, focused etc.

I drank on it and it was not a desirable combination. I felt 'weirded out'. icky. Like not comfortable in my own skin..

My son has ADHD and his Dr, thinks I probably have it. Duh.

After 6 months the Wellbutrin seemed to do more harm then good. It made me feel icky mentally and just that not right feeling. My depression subsided and I went off the Wellbutrin and only take 50mg of Trazadone at night and quit drinking vodka. No depression. Duh on the alcohol.....

I occasionaly take a Xanax for anxiety.

Hope this helps.

Kristen

Well my psydoc upped my dose to 200 mg per day (100 a.m. and 100 p.m.) and I'm going on week 2. My wife says that she see's a dramatic improvement in my attitude in just one week. I feel better, not so down and negative like I can be at times, however, my focusing problem doesn't seem to be effected.

I'm curious about something else; do any of you have difficulty focusing when having a conversation with people? I find that I'm an "active listener"; nodding my head, saying "yeah", "uh hu" etc., while my attention kind of comes and goes while listening. This is one of the problem area's of focusing that I have, not to mention all the projects that I've started and having finished. I'm hoping that the Wellbutrin helps with all of this. Can anyone relate to this?

Jim - Oh my god!!! The conversation thing.. I totally know what you mean. When someone is talking to me I can seem to be listening, I will even comment one what they're saying, like "what then" "oh ya" "wow" "hmmm" "uha" but honestly half of the time I have no recolection of what they have been talking about. Its so annoying. And then people end up getting upset with me for it even when I apologize over and over. I also start tons of projects and finish few.

My treatment is helping me with both of these issues now though. I am able to remember more of what people say to me and I finish more of my projects (I also start fewer at a time and get a couple done before I start more) I hope the wellbutrin helps you.

Thanks Wild...glad to hear it's helping you! What's your dosage and length of time taking it?

Jim1961 1:00 in the morning and 1:00 in the afternoon? My directions say "2x a day" but I could never figure which times those should be. Do you have to get up special for the 1:00 AM dose and are you having any trouble sleeping?
And I totally relate about the conversation problems. OMG...Exactlly the same thing!! The good news it the Welbutrin has helped me with that. How about, say like at a party? Getting introduced to lots of new people. How many of their names do you remember? (Me? Zero!) Lots of people talking at once...Can't follow anything so I tune out. The more people, the worse it gets. Now I can zero in on one person and actually follow what they say. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Kyleann (edited 09-16-2003).]

Kyleann, what I meant is 100 mg sometime in the morning and another 100 mg in the late afternoon. Sorry, I should have made that more clear. My doc said to just experiment with the timing of the p.m. dose because people complain about the sleeping problems...so far it hasn't been a problem for me.

Oh yeah, the party thing is such a good example of the attention problems and the "active listening" thing. I am soooo hoping that the Wellbutrin starts to help me with that. Now, I'm only a couple of days into week 2 with Wellbutrin but the attention problems are just as bad as they've ever been. One of the posts here by "Palms" said that it'll take 2-4 weeks before the effects are noticed. I REALLY hope that's the case cause' it's not happening for me yet.

Jim - I'm not taking wellbutrin. I went the alternative route for treatment and am doing way better than I did on any medication. My cousin takes wellbutrin for ADD. She has now been taking it for about 2yrs. Im not sure about the dosage.

It can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to see the effects so don't worry if you havent seen any benefits yet. Just be patient! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif



------------------
~*~ Kristy ~*~

Thanks Kristy. Yeah, patients has been hard for me to master but I'm hangin' in there. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

And hey, you've got me curious about this alternative route. What is it, if you don't mind me asking? I'll keep in mind if the meds don't end up working for me.

beCalmd, Omega 3, Melatonin(only when I need help sleeping) Near the top of the page there are ads from healthboards sponsors. Theres a banner that says (ads by google) beCalmd is frequently advertized there. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
~*~ Kristy ~*~

[This message has been edited by Born2BeWild (edited 09-17-2003).]

I am on wellbutrin 200mg 2x and strattera 60mg. I no longer have depression issues (haven't dated in 5 years and anyone else would be depressed by now). But I have panic attacks more than when I was on Paxil. The strattera has a lot of side effects, most have gone away after 3 months use but I still get cold sweats which are really irritating.

Both of those medications are SNRI's. I guess that ADD is influenced by your norepiphrenine (sp?) and dopamine levels. I used to have cravings for chocolate and THC but I don't anymore. The extra benefit is weight loss. I am losing weight due to welbutrin's effect on non-hunger food cravings.

Originally posted by Apa6:
The extra benefit is weight loss. I am losing weight due to welbutrin's effect on non-hunger food cravings.

That's funny...my son is taking Wellbutrin and since he's been on it...well, he gained close to 20 pounds in the first 2 months!!!! (He was very thin, hardly ate at all when on the stimulants!) Now, my lord, the child is NEVER full! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

SERENADE: How old is your son? Did Wellbutrin help him with ADHD issues?

Originally posted by Palms:
SERENADE: How old is your son? Did Wellbutrin help him with ADHD issues?

He's 9, and I just posted this big ol' long msg about what we've gone through with this one! LOL It's under the topic : ADHD with Tic Disorder...here is the link...right now it is the last post on that thread: http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000830.html

Anyway, I'm just really looking forward to his next appt, which isn't until Oct 1st. Oh, I'm not sure if it's just his age and/or my parenting, but the Wellbutrin does not seem to do a thing about the impulsivity. It's very frustrating. I swear I don't think there is one med to cover all the 'symptoms.'
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Oh, well, we just keep trying!

My doctor's psychiatrist prescribed the Wellbutrin for her "anger" issues. He said it would take the edge off. I did not see any change, so she is not on any medication now (she use to take Prozac but that did not help either). She is just angry all the time - any suggestions?

My daughter's psychiatrist prescribed Wellbutrin for her "anger" issues. He said it would take the edge off. I did not see any change, so she is not on any medication now (she use to take Prozac but that did not help either). She is just angry all the time - any suggestions? P.S. She is 25 years old and has been this way since she was 14 years old.

After two weeks of Wellbutrin, I told my psydoc today that it hadn't really effected my focus. So it looks like Wellbutrin didn't work for focusing...with ME anyway. He suggested that I try Adderall at a very low dosage 2.5 mg to start and that maybe that would help. I've tried other stimulants in the past and I just got really wired and irritable to the MAX. I've read some other posts from folks who have been on Adderall and they're saying that it's simply another form of speed and that when it wears off, you basically crash and get irritable. My doc is great, I really trust him so I'm giving this a whirl. The Wellbutrin is helping my depression and overall mood. So now I'm hoping that this will be the icing on the cake and take care of the focusing problem so I can actually get some work done!

Anyone else on this combo? Did Adderall work when other stimulants like Ritalin, Cylert or Dexedrine didn't?