Good Bye, Wellbutrin.....hello ??

roz5 · 12-30-2005, 04:52 PM

Well, I've been on Wellbutrin XL for 5 weeks now (past week at 450mg). I feel exactly the same, if not even worse than before I began taking it. I don't think that it is the med for me. I called the PA (who has been treating me) at my doctor's office and spoke with her. She agreed and decided to wean me off of Wellbutrin this next week. Additionally, I told her the symptoms/side effects I had been having (hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety/agitated, acne!)......we both also wonder if my hormone medications need adjusting. Trying to juggle this hormone replacement therapy (I had a hysterctomy in June) with the anti depressant meds is a nightmare in itself!
So, I am weaning off of Wellbutrin this week and will call my gynecologist next week to ask about the hormone medications and checking the hormone levels. My gyn had also mentioned earlier about a "mood stabilizing med" that she could prescribe, but never told me the name of it, as I told her I was on Wellbutrin. I shall ask her about that also.
Sure hope I don't have problems coming off the Wellbutrin.

kinsey61 · 12-30-2005, 05:57 PM

Roz,
Hey, I am so sorry I wasn't able to get back to you on the other thread, got busy all of a sudden. I am definititly going off the WB XL, every other day so far, no major effects. I am curious what mood stabalizer your gyn will put you on. years ago,
[ probably when the menopause started ] and my emotions were all over the place,
( you know, crying one minute, happy the next, etc., etc, etc. ) I started on zoloft. I did very well on that. [ my husband thought it was a miracle drug! ) Of course that doesn't neccessarily mean you will, but I thought I'd throw that in. The thing with zoloft is that you DO need more of it-over time- to keep the same effect. So when I was almost to the largest dose[ this was over a period of about 2-3 yearrs though !] my doctor switched me to another AD that also had epinephrine in it, and that's when the **** hit the fan. I would do some research, or ask aroung on the board what worked for most people. You should only need an SRI ( Sertonin re-uptake inhibitor [ I think ] ) you know, one that ups your serotonin and doesn't do anything with your epinephrine. It seems that's when I started having problems, and I found from this board a lot of people were the same. You know, Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, they are all kind of the same type. And hey do make you kind of jumpy and moody AT FIRST, but that goes away after a week or two. Let me know how you're doing, and good luck!
Kinsey

Frozen Girl · 12-30-2005, 07:00 PM

I had some problems with Welbutrin, too. I was taking it in combination with Lexapro, but I didn't feel like it was helping much, and I also felt very irritable while I was taking it. My doctor switched me to Cymbalta about 6 months ago, and that has worked well for me. The only thing I've noticed about Cymbalta is that towards the end of the day, I sometimes have more difficulty concentrating than usual, but it doesn't bother me enough to stop taking it. My doctor said this could be due to the norepinepharine wearing off at the end of the day. Hope you find some relief!

glamaz0n · 12-31-2005, 07:16 AM

If you can, try and hang in there. It took four months for Wellbutrin SR to start working for me. I was ready to quit and then gradually started feeling better. I also started acclimating to my new surroundings (moved recently) and didn't feel so displaced and abandoned. Maybe it was the WB, maybe it was the situation, who knows.

But I originally tried Abilify, which is a mood stabilizer for psychotic conditions, and it worked instantly and also, can be taken "as needed" without the daily commitment and constant remembering to medicate. Only trouble was it was way too pricey as I have minimal insurance with a large deductible. I can get Wellbutrin generic which costs way less so that helps.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

roz5 · 12-31-2005, 07:21 AM

I definitely feel more agitated, angry & depressed on Wellbutrin. My husband even said that I'm not any better on it. As I mentioned, I am calling my gyn this week to get her input on the matter. Who knows, maybe my hormone meds need adjusting, which may be magnifying my depression. I will wean myself off the WB and start from square one again. Something out there must be available to bring me back to my perky, cheerful self.....soon!!