Has anyone had experience with taking Prozac and Wellbutrin together? I have been taking Prozac for a couple of months now. The depression seems to be less intrusive to my everyday life but I still have trouble getting motivated when not at work. I really want to rejoin life at home and I have been told that Wellbutrin can help give you a boost when taken with Prozac.
I also have started having strange dreams in the last couple of weeks. Is this a side effect of the Prozac? I also take Adderall XR 20mg for attention deficit disorder. I don't think it would cause the dreams as it should be out of my system by the time I sleep. The dreams are not bothersome just more frequent and off the wall than I am used to. Thanks to any who can provide some feedback.
I didn't know you could take them together. I had a problem with lethargy and low motivation on Prozac. It's better on Wellbutrin, but not nearly what it was before I started taking meds. (My house is a mess, and I'm working far fewer hours than I used to. If I didn't have deadlines, I might not accomplish much at all.)
I do remember a change with dreaming (it's been 10 years since I took Prozac). But I also think depression alone causes changes in dreaming. I think I had fewer memorable dreams when I was at my low.
Thanks. I have been depressed for years. I just recently started trying to do something about it. The change in dreams is new. Maybe it is due to the effect the Prozac is having on the depression. Hard to tell. I am getting the Wellbutrin sript filled tofay. So I guess I will see how it works. I hope it picks me up some.
I can relate to the messy house. It is hard to clean when all you want to do is pull the covers over your head and forget about everything. Let's hope for continued improvement.
I 've taken Prozac and Welbutrin together about 8 years ago. I guess they did OK together. The Welbutrin seemed to perk me up, so that was a good thing. But I also remember being really depressed and the doc kept raising the Prozac, all the way up to 80mg. It's been a while.
Right now I take Welbutrin alone. I just switched to it from Prozac due to sexual side effects.
Thanks! How soon did you notice the effects of the Wellbutrin?It seems that I already have more energy and less aches and pains. Maybe it is a mental thing.I hope it is already giving results and will get better. I am on 150mg of the Wellbutrin per day and will go to 300mg in a week. I too have had sexual side effects with the prozac. I hear adding Wellbutrin to the mix can help. You comments are greatly appreciated. It is good to have some type of outlet to tak to others about this problem of depression. I am not getting any professional help other than my Family Doc giving me scripts for the meds. I am not sure what type of coverage I have with my health insurance for mental health issues. I am looking into that now.
I noticed a difference in about 3 weeks. I notice I'm a bit more irritable, though. I'm also bipolar, so that could be why it affects me differently. I take other meds as well.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to check out your coverage for mental health. When I was really depressed 2 years ago, I decided to see a therapist. It really helped. I still go. I am much better now, but she helps with all my other issues that come up.
Good luck.
I have been taking Prozac for moderate depression and anxiety for about 2 years now. At one point I was up to 60mg, but I started getting this weird twitching sensation in my ear canal and my hands were tingly, so my doc brought me down to 40mg about 8 months ago and it works well for the anxiety. I've never had any strange dreams with the prozac, but I did have that when I took Effexor XR (which I STRONGLY, VEHEMENTLY do not suggest). The dreams were bizarre and often horrifying and always seemed so real, that I would wake up in a panic.
About 2 months ago, I started going through a rough patch and went to see my shrink about it. She put me on the Wellbutrin (300mg) and I noticed a change within 3 days, and almost felt "normal" after about 3 weeks. I'm still continuing to feel better and my mood is drastically lifted. I do have some sexual side affects that started with the Wellbutrin. The desire is still there, but when it comes time for the fireworks... there aren't any, if you catch my drift.
Personally, I think the two work well together and I don't notice a lot of side effects. The Wellbutrin causes me to need a little less sleep, and my apetite is slightly decreased. I guess I just forget to eat, sometimes. Then, there are the sexual side effects, but nothing like side effects from other meds I've tried.
Miss Chris,
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I am not new to depression. Just new to actually trying to deal with it in a healthy manner. So, I am doing all the research I can to learn how to cope. This forum has been good therapy for me. It is good to have somewhere to ask questions and learn from others' questions.
The dreams have not bad, just really strange. To tell you the truth I kind of like them. I might start keeping a pad by my bed so that I can write them down. It has been years since I have dreams that could be remembered. The few that I had before were very disturbing.
For my own selfish reasons I am glad that you felt a difference with Wellbutrin as quickly as I have. It leads me to believe that the change I am feeling is for real. The Wellbutrin has already relieved my symptons greatly. I am on schedule to up the dosage wednesday. As far as the sexual side effects. I hope it helps with that. I hear that it does and is sometimes prescribed for people with sexual dysfunction that are not depressed. Everything is still functional on my end but is not nearly as enjoyable as before. I am willing to make that trade off if I have to. I am not sure how much longer I could have fought this without some relief. It had gotten to the point to where I had to remind myself why life was worth living. It if was not for my kids I think I would given up long ago. Now I am starting wake back up. I had lost interest in everything. I can't even recall much of what I liked to do before. I starting to take interest in more things again. I hope this will make for a better life fo my family. That is all that matters anyway.
I completely understand what you were going through. I felt hopeless, worthless, and wondered what the point of getting out of bed, or even living, was each day.
Another thing that is helping me tremendously is that I have finally found a therapist that "gets" me (after going through 3 others through the years that didn't fit). She has great insight and gives me weekly goals to accomplish, like positive self talk, journaling about what I am grateful for and reading it often. Have you thought of trying some kind of cognitive behavioral therapy? Sometimes it helps just to talk to someone that isn't a part of your life and can look at things objectively. I know that every day I leave her office, I feel so much better and I see hope in my life again.
I'm so glad that the Wellbutrin is helping you. I had taken it before, with another drug, and it was not at all helpful, but the mixture I am taking right now seems to be just right and I do feel better. I still have down days, but that's because I'm in crisis right now and have a lot to deal with.
As far as the sexual side effects, I agree. I'm willing to trade those fireworks to get my life back. I also know that every person reacts differently to the meds. Wellbutrin has those side effects for me, whereas Prozac alone never did. I tried Celexa for a while and I just felt dead walking around. I didn't care about anything and nothing excited me anymore... I didn't even have the desire then.
Keep your chin up and let me know how you are doing with it. There's a guy that goes to my clinic that is on both of them, as well, and he has had great success with it. He says that for the first time in his adult life, he no longer feels like he's walking around in a fog.
Wellbutrin helped a lot with the sexual side effects issue. Prozac almost destroyed my sex life and marriage. I swear it's much better now with Wellbutrin (alone), than it was before I took any meds at all. But I'm also older, and I know that it's common for women's sexual response to improve with age.
I'll be curious to see if you notice a big change with the combination.
those of you that are on Wellbutrin/Prozac combo ...when do you take them? At the same time ? Or 1-in the morning and 1- at night ? My Dr. told me most people take the Wellbutrin at night and Prozac in the morning..Thanks..................
james0906 just wondering how you are doing on the prozac wellbutrin combo?
Janart,
I am doing better since combining the two. I feel like getting up everyday and look for things to do. I still have my moments of sadness and anxiety at times. I don't think I have been taking the Wellbutrin long enough to get the full effect. I expect to see continued improvement. Also plan on getting into some kind of therapy. I am ADHD as well and I am trying to figure out which issue to address first.
those of you that are on Wellbutrin/Prozac combo ...when do you take them? At the same time ? Or 1-in the morning and 1- at night ? My Dr. told me most people take the Wellbutrin at night and Prozac in the morning..Thanks..................
I have been taking the Prozac along with my first dose of Wellbutrin when I get up. I take my second dose of Wellbutrin about 6 hours later. I am taking 150mg twice daily. Seems to be working. Having less of the morbid dreams and bad thoughts.
Wellbutrin helped a lot with the sexual side effects issue. Prozac almost destroyed my sex life and marriage. I swear it's much better now with Wellbutrin (alone), than it was before I took any meds at all. But I'm also older, and I know that it's common for women's sexual response to improve with age.
I'll be curious to see if you notice a big change with the combination.
lucylucy,
I have noticed an improvement in sensation during sex. Before the only one getting anything out of it was my wife. It made it impossible to reach climax. That is no longer a problem. We are both able to enjoy it now. I don't think it is back to normal but it may be too early to tell. I hear it takes 4-5 weeks to get the full benefit of the WELLBUTRIN.
james I have been diagnosed with ADD but not the hyperactivity part. It has gotten really bad but to be honest I don't know if its all ADD meaning I have had depression so long I think it has really affected my memory and concentration. With these things combined with GAD there is too many thoughts and worrys going on in my brain. As far as wellbutrin, I tried it alone a few years ago and I loved how it increased my sex drive but man I was so irritable on it and it increased my headaches. So I would need to be on something with it. I'm going to post a thread to that affect also. Good luck!!
james I have been diagnosed with ADD but not the hyperactivity part. It has gotten really bad but to be honest I don't know if its all ADD meaning I have had depression so long I think it has really affected my memory and concentration. With these things combined with GAD there is too many thoughts and worrys going on in my brain. As far as wellbutrin, I tried it alone a few years ago and I loved how it increased my sex drive but man I was so irritable on it and it increased my headaches. So I would need to be on something with it. I'm going to post a thread to that affect also. Good luck!!
Janart,
Sometimes the depression is triggered from years of trying to compensate for the undiagnosed ADD. I know all too well the struggle of spending most of your energy keeping yourself from self-sabotage. The feelings of self doubt and anxiety can really take its toll. I used to put 90% of my availble energy into not lashing out at others and making sure I had not forgotten to do a task. Now I spend 90% of my energy actually working life's problems and the rest managing my ADD symptoms.The meds prescribed for ADD have really helped. I am still learning how to deal with the ADD and am looking into getting some coaching or therapy for that. I think that ADD is what triggered my depression. Once I learn to tame the ADD beast the depression should be much easier to deal with. At least that is my hope.
Maybe if were to combine the Wellbutrin and another AD it would help. Talk to your doc. I hope you find what works for you.
Thanks for your response back. This forum is the closest thing to therapy I have right now. It is good to have someone to talk to. Good luck to you as well.
I started the combo on the 6th of OCT.Maybe I haven't giving the Wellbutrin (I've been on Prozac for yrs) a chance to "kick in" yet. But I noticed if I take the Wellbutrin at bedtime my heart races a little bit MUCH to be able to go to sleep. AND there has been a slight bit of nervessness through the day which I never had on Prozac alone...Thank you......
I started the combo on the 6th of OCT.Maybe I haven't giving the Wellbutrin (I've been on Prozac for yrs) a chance to "kick in" yet. But I noticed if I take the Wellbutrin at bedtime my heart races a little bit MUCH to be able to go to sleep. AND there has been a slight bit of nervessness through the day which I never had on Prozac alone...Thank you......
Give it 3-4 weeks. I hear it takes that long before you get the full the effect of Wellbutrin. It takes a while to build up in your system. The racing heart is a concern though. You might just need time to adjust to the new medication. It would be worth asking your doctor about it.Insomnia can be a problem for some using Wellbutrin.
I hope you start seeing positive results with the Wellbutrin. If not, I hope you find something else that works.
I still have bad days but it does not seem to feel as hopeless before. I am learning to tell myself that my problem is an illness. Before I just questioned my self worth. I had to constantly take inventory of the people around me that made life worth living. Life is a struggle. Ours is harder due to messed up chemistry in our brains. It is struggle worth fighting.
Keep fighting. Keep trying different treatments until you find what works for you. We all respond to treatments in different ways.
Thanks again to all who take the time to read and respond. It does a body good to have someone that can relate to this illness we are fighting.
Wellbutrin was way to stimulating for me.I stopped it quick.Im thinking of making a Doctor's appointment and maybe getting a prescription for a low dose 20mg's of Prozac because I get the winter blues around this time.
Wellbutrin And Prozac 
Re: Wellbutrin And Prozac 
