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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ash on May 3, 1999, at 11:48:15
Hello everyone,
I have been of literally dozens of A/D's since I was diagnosed with Major Depression 15+ years ago to no effect. Three years ago I was on a combination of Wellbutrin 450mg, Cylert 112mg and Nortryptilene 100mg. The last one was prescribed by my plain clinic doctor for chronic pain.
This combination ended up causing a grand mal seizure. An EEG showed no brain abnormalities and the conclusion was that the seizure was a result of the medications. Needless to I say I stopped taking these meds.
Curerntly I am taking 450mg Serzone,150 mg Wellbutrin SR and cytomes with perhaps 10-20% improvement. The pdoc wants to increase the WB SR to 300mg, since I have a lot of lethargy and fatigue. She says that the WB SR has a much lower seizure risk than the previous WB.
Does anyone know of the relative seizure risks of the two kinds of Wellbutrins, especially in combination with Serzone. Are there any other potentiators that I
might try?Thanks in advance.
Ash
Posted by stjames on May 4, 1999, at 20:14:27
In reply to Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR, posted by Ash on May 3, 1999, at 11:48:15
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have been of literally dozens of A/D's since I was diagnosed with Major Depression 15+ years ago to no effect. Three years ago I was on a combination of Wellbutrin 450mg, Cylert 112mg and Nortryptilene 100mg. The last one was prescribed by my plain clinic doctor for chronic pain.
>
James here...The seizure warning for wellby is because it was studied with women w/ eating disorders and a small # had seizures. In reality all or most AD's
have ~ the same risk (very low) and I would suspect it was the combo that did it. I had a seizure on very high dose TCA's, the dose was what caused it probably, though it is not that uncommon for men 20-30 to have a seizure on no meds or other conditions. Those on combos, like myself, need to be aware of on med causing a higher level of the other...i.e. use the smalllest dose possible.james
Posted by jwill on May 25, 1999, at 20:50:57
In reply to Re: Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR, posted by stjames on May 4, 1999, at 20:14:27
Watch out with this one. I had the first (and only) siezure of my life, due to wellbutrin. As with yourself, tests showed no other chemical or physiognomical predispossessors for the siezure. Subsequent psychiatirists have tried to pin me down, to see if there might be another cause, but there really wasn't. High doses of other antidepressants have never caused me to have a siezure.
Posted by spacecase on October 3, 2003, at 9:07:22
In reply to Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR, posted by Ash on May 3, 1999, at 11:48:15
My psychiatrist wants me to take Wellbutrin SR to quit smoking because I have smoked for 10 years. But, I am on so many mental medications Topomax, Abilify, Adderall Xr, Effexor Xr, Xanax Xr. But, I am scared to take it because I used to be anorexic, and I am deaing with bulimia now(both lower your thresthold for a seizure). So, do my stimulant, antidepressant, any my antipsychotic for my bipolar.
Posted by horridmonster on October 4, 2003, at 11:44:50
In reply to Re: Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR » Ash, posted by spacecase on October 3, 2003, at 9:07:22
> My psychiatrist wants me to take Wellbutrin SR to quit smoking because I have smoked for 10 years. But, I am on so many mental medications Topomax, Abilify, Adderall Xr, Effexor Xr, Xanax Xr. But, I am scared to take it because I used to be anorexic, and I am deaing with bulimia now(both lower your thresthold for a seizure). So, do my stimulant, antidepressant, any my antipsychotic for my bipolar.
There is a clear warning with the medication saying that anorexics should NOT take this medication and i assume it is because of the sezure danger. Good for you for quitting smoking but please oh please get another opinion (or two or three) before trying the wellbutrin. -horrid monster
Posted by lillylovelilly on February 23, 2006, at 19:03:03
In reply to Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR, posted by Ash on May 3, 1999, at 11:48:15
Hello. I am about to start taking generic Welbutrin, but I read that if you have been taking sedatives a lot and drinking then you should not take Welbutrin. Well I just stopped taking Unisom two days ago, but I am worried that I will have a seizure if I start taking my Genric Welbutrin right away. Could someone tell me if I'm likely to have a seizure?
Posted by kodi on February 25, 2006, at 15:17:42
In reply to Seizure risk with Wellbutrin SR, posted by Ash on May 3, 1999, at 11:48:15
Hi All,
I currently take 120 mgs Celexa, 50 mg trazodone, 400 mg Seroquel, 40 mg Serax, and 450 mg of Budeprion SR (generic wellbutrin).
My pdoc told me that the risk of seizures was minimal as long as I didn't exceed 450 mg's of the Wellbutrin at once. I currently take 300 mg in the morning and 150 mg in the late afternoon.
Posted by kodi on February 25, 2006, at 15:25:22
In reply to Cam and Psychopharmacology, posted by kodi on February 25, 2006, at 15:17:42
Same message as in "cam and psychopharmocology". I don't know why when I responded to the post that it put that subject in instead of the Wellbutrin post.
Posted by tessellated on February 28, 2006, at 12:23:18
In reply to Seizure Risk of Wellbutrin, posted by kodi on February 25, 2006, at 15:25:22
Seizure risks jump up drammatically after 300 mg/day.
Though it depends on wether it is not time released or SR, or XR, etc.
I did have a diasaster as a result of generic non time released version after 300mg/day. Though I was also tapering a xanax prescription.Many sedatives including alcohol increase your seizure threshold. they act to inhibit seizures. (alcohol is a bit more complex) Alcholics, Benzo addicts, and long term users of Barbituates, can suffer life threatening seizures as a result of cold turkey withdrawl-it is a dangerous thing to do. Though this is a serious form of high quantity addiction, not 2-3 drinks/day etc...
When you STOP using these meds/alco which raise your seizure threshold (inhibit seizures) the likelyhood of having a seizure increased (due to the lack of inhibition). If you are concurrently using wellbutrin the likely hood of a seizure is also increased. It does not mean it will give you a seizure, just that the potential is raised.
I think wellbutrin is a great AD.
Just caution yourself about mixing and matching meds which can contribute to this horrible experience. In the US, the minute you have a seizure your drivers license is suspended. Not cool....I believe the rate of seizures at over 300mg/day is 1 in 1000.
This is the end of the thread.
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