switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
I'm currently taking wellbutrin once a day on the lowest dosage which i believe is 100mg. This is for my situational depression and to help me concentrate (depression kind of makes it hard to concentrate, but most poeple with derpession already know this). Anywho, i've been on wellbutrin for 6 weeks now and my psych said well if it really haven't helepd my concentration when it comes to studying for my classes, i should switch over to straterra since that has a double effect to which helps fight depression and help you concentrate. Right now, i thikn the wellbutrin is just making me a little more alert, but hte concentration isn't all that better now. I still have racing thoughts or daydream a lot, etc. I'm about to switch over to straterra and am curious do i have to ween off wellbutrin and will there be any withdraws? My psych said its okay to jsut stop cold turkey with wellbutrin and swtich over to strattera, especiall since i'm just on the lowest dosage once a day only. So far i have no real side effects with wellbutrins, no dry mouth, etc, only thing it perpetuated was my racing thoughts/anxiety when i worry about my grades or something. Over all i odn't have anxiety problems nless its something major that worries me like my grades in college since i'm a senior. What should i expect when taking strattera, is this something that is better than wellbutrin and cna i stop cold turkey like wellbutrin if my body doesn't agree with it? Can it help with my concetration, since my psych said the wellbutrin should and that didnt' happen. Just kind of worried about hte whole 3-4 weeks of hte intial period of taking depression meds and all the side effects. Then finding otu it doesn't work adn going back to wellbutirn adn having to go thorugh the side effects again wiht wellbutrin.
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
Expect alot of side effects. Straterra is awful (IMO). Everyone I have known (including myself) has been made sick or had to stop taking Strattera due to side effects. Even if you don't get the "major" side effects, the "minor" ones are quite annoying. I hope you don't have any of them of course, but chances are you will.
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
These side effects are temporary thoguh right? Like insomnia, etc? What are the common side effects with strattera? I guess, overall, is straterra better than wellbutrin?
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
Orange, as far as the Strattera goes, are you male or female (if you don't mind my asking)? I ask because males quite often have certain "male-type" side effects. Strattera is a funny drug in that it may cause transient insomnia OR it could make you really sleepy. It varies.
As far as I know, 100mg of Wellbutrin is the lowest dose available so you can't wean from there unless you did an every-other-day kind of thing. But, if your doc says there is no need, I'd guess he's right.
For more info on Strattera, you might do some reading on the ADD board - it's always being discussed there. Just be warned that if you bring up depression, there are those there who will tell you that all of your inattention issues are caused by depression.
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
I know people that the side effects went on and on and on for months until they said screw it and went on another drug. As was the case with myself.
I am currently on Wellbutrin, Concerta, and Effexor (going to dump the Effexor though and possibly go to Prozac or something else due to the Effexor messing up my vision and giving me a appetite that I really don't want).
Do you have ADHD? Strattera is primarily used for that. You might try a higher dose of Wellbutrin (which has practically zero side-effects), or maybe another medication. If you have ADHD you should go with Concerta (ritalin), or AdderallXR. They are both proven medications and don't have the same level of side-effects that Strattera does. They are just a pain in the rear to get filled every month (controlled substances, triplicate forms, etc. etc. etc.)
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
I'm a male.
No, I don't believe i have ADHD. My psych brought up the option of strattera because I mentioned I'm having trouble concentrating. My psych says its due to my depresssion, depression also makes it difficult to concentrate, or plays a role on concetration (something like that he said). Which was why i was given Wellbutrin, which he believed would help my depression and maybe my concetration. It seems to be helping a bit on my depression and making me a litlte more alert, but the concetration haven't really changed. I'm really worried about my concentration since i'm currently a senior in college, afraid of screwing up my last year in college. My other option was strattera, after that he said we'll cross that bridge when it comes.
Re: switching from wellbutrin to straterra, what to expect, etc?
I personally wouldn't risk Strattera. You could try one of the other AD's also that may help. It is a big science experiment however.. what works for one person may not work for someone else. Wellbutrin is a "mild" AD.. for me it just makes me feel OK.. not bad, not great. When I started the Effexor I started feeling ALOT better... but the side effects are killing me too.. so im caught in a "screwed if I do, screwed if I don't" situation.
Which was why i was given Wellbutrin, which he believed would help my depression and maybe my concetration. It seems to be helping a bit on my depression and making me a litlte more alert, but the concetration haven't really changed. I'm really worried about my concentration since i'm currently a senior in college, afraid of screwing up my last year in college. My other option was strattera, after that he said we'll cross that bridge when it comes.
