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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Carolyn on February 26, 2000, at 6:48:09
I am taking luvox (which seems to have pooped out). My doctor first tried adding Prozac...no luck. Now we have substituted Wellbutrin for the Prozac. All went well for the first three days of 100mg, except for slight headache. Day 4 (yesterday) I became very agitated and restless. Went from barely being able to move to not being able to sit down! At least my bathroom finally got clean. However, with the agitation came a lot of disorder and confusion. All my activity accomplished not too much because I kept forgetting what I planned to do next. This was also the day I was to increase to 200 mg/day. I did it, with much trepedation. Did not have the same agitation after the second dose, which I took at 5 p.m.
but was unable to sleep til 1 a.m. and up at 6. Also had some racing thoughts before going to sleep. Is this normal and will it go away as I adjust to the meds? Anybody?
Posted by Cam W. on February 26, 2000, at 8:59:40
In reply to Wellbutrin Side Effects...help!, posted by Carolyn on February 26, 2000, at 6:48:09
Carolyn - I had the same experiences as you with starting Wellbutrin. I was also told to increase after 3 days (from 150mg to 300mg). I couldn't do it; I was too wired. I stayed on 150mg for a week and the jitteriness and restlessness did abate. Then I moved up to 150mg twice daily with no problem. Also, I did have trouble sleeping and now I wouldn't take Wellbutrin after 4:00pm. Keep in mind that with the long acting Wellbutrin SR, doses should be at least 8 hours apart (6-7 hour intervals were never a problem - for me). Hang in there another week, maybe lower the dose, if necessary (tell your doc). Good luck - Cam W.
Posted by Brenda on February 26, 2000, at 23:37:02
In reply to Wellbutrin Side Effects...help!, posted by Carolyn on February 26, 2000, at 6:48:09
> I am taking luvox (which seems to have pooped out). My doctor first tried adding Prozac...no luck. Now we have substituted Wellbutrin for the Prozac. All went well for the first three days of 100mg, except for slight headache. Day 4 (yesterday) I became very agitated and restless. Went from barely being able to move to not being able to sit down! At least my bathroom finally got clean. However, with the agitation came a lot of disorder and confusion. All my activity accomplished not too much because I kept forgetting what I planned to do next. This was also the day I was to increase to 200 mg/day. I did it, with much trepedation. Did not have the same agitation after the second dose, which I took at 5 p.m.
> but was unable to sleep til 1 a.m. and up at 6. Also had some racing thoughts before going to sleep. Is this normal and will it go away as I adjust to the meds? Anybody?I experienced the same symptoms on Wellbutrin. Not only was I ramped up and agitated, but I had no appetite, didn't eat and blood sugar was a mess. Also had headaches and ringing in my ears. I didn't like the med and I was only on 37.5 mg. and told my psydoc I wouldn't take it. Zoloft works fine for me. No ringing, no amping. I was so agitated on it, my family got concerned.
Posted by Carolyn on February 27, 2000, at 16:00:38
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin Side Effects...help!, posted by Brenda on February 26, 2000, at 23:37:02
New side effect (I hope) When I try to go to sleep, no easy task on this med, I see strange pictures when I close my eyes. I know they are not real...this is not a hallucination, but what the heck is it? Sometimes they are people's faces, sometimes frightening images. Anybody else ever experience this, or am I truly nuts?
Posted by Renee N on February 27, 2000, at 17:48:58
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin Side Effects...help!, posted by Carolyn on February 27, 2000, at 16:00:38
> New side effect (I hope) When I try to go to sleep, no easy task on this med, I see strange pictures when I close my eyes. I know they are not real...this is not a hallucination, but what the heck is it? Sometimes they are people's faces, sometimes frightening images. Anybody else ever experience this, or am I truly nuts?
Carolyn,
I am so glad you mentioned this. If you're crazy, then so am I! I've never heard of anyone but the two of us experiencing this phenomynom with Wellbutrin. I know exactly what you are talking about, and I found it disturbing.Most of its side effects get better with time. Try benadryl, or any of its equivalents to help with sleep. Allergy meds and over the counter sleep aids that list dio...something HCL will do the trick. I go for the store brands of the allergy meds. They are exactly the same thing as the sleep aids, but usually less expensive. Mouth sores that didn't get better with time were my worst side effect from Wellbutrin. Best of luck
Posted by Noa on February 27, 2000, at 18:15:52
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin...strange pictures ..., posted by Renee N on February 27, 2000, at 17:48:58
I have something similar once in a while and I think it is the Effexor. My eyes will be closed, having just lay down to sleep, then a sudden visual image will rush at me and I will vocalize a startle and my hands will flare out. But my visual image is very vague and blurry.
Interestingly, others have talked about dreams: I have lots of vivid and bizarre dreams, but they are very benign, emotionally. Never anxious or scary or sad, which they used to be (I used to actually cry in my sleep). I think the serzone has toned down the feelings of the dreams.
Posted by Carolyn on February 27, 2000, at 21:26:36
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin...strange pictures ..., posted by Renee N on February 27, 2000, at 17:48:58
> > New side effect (I hope) When I try to go to sleep, no easy task on this med, I see strange pictures when I close my eyes. I know they are not real...this is not a hallucination, but what the heck is it? Sometimes they are people's faces, sometimes frightening images. Anybody else ever experience this, or am I truly nuts?
>
> Carolyn,
> I am so glad you mentioned this. If you're crazy, then so am I! I've never heard of anyone but the two of us experiencing this phenomynom with Wellbutrin. I know exactly what you are talking about, and I found it disturbing.
>
> Most of its side effects get better with time. Try benadryl, or any of its equivalents to help with sleep. Allergy meds and over the counter sleep aids that list dio...something HCL will do the trick. I go for the store brands of the allergy meds. They are exactly the same thing as the sleep aids, but usually less expensive. Mouth sores that didn't get better with time were my worst side effect from Wellbutrin. Best of luckBless you, bless you, bless you! I really thought I was going psycotic! This board is so great because we can share with others things we hesitate to mention to family, friends or even doctors. I'm having lots of side effects so far from the Wellbutrin, and no positive response, but it's only been six days so far...just two on 200 mg/day. So I am trying to be patient. At least when the pictures come tonight, I won't worry about them. Thanks so much!
Posted by Renee N on February 27, 2000, at 23:00:04
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin...Thanks Renee, posted by Carolyn on February 27, 2000, at 21:26:36
> > > New side effect (I hope) When I try to go to sleep, no easy task on this med, I see strange pictures when I close my eyes. I know they are not real...this is not a hallucination, but what the heck is it? Sometimes they are people's faces, sometimes frightening images. Anybody else ever experience this, or am I truly nuts?
> >
> > Carolyn,
> > I am so glad you mentioned this. If you're crazy, then so am I! I've never heard of anyone but the two of us experiencing this phenomynom with Wellbutrin. I know exactly what you are talking about, and I found it disturbing.
> >
> > Most of its side effects get better with time. Try benadryl, or any of its equivalents to help with sleep. Allergy meds and over the counter sleep aids that list dio...something HCL will do the trick. I go for the store brands of the allergy meds. They are exactly the same thing as the sleep aids, but usually less expensive. Mouth sores that didn't get better with time were my worst side effect from Wellbutrin. Best of luck
>
> Bless you, bless you, bless you! I really thought I was going psycotic! This board is so great because we can share with others things we hesitate to mention to family, friends or even doctors. I'm having lots of side effects so far from the Wellbutrin, and no positive response, but it's only been six days so far...just two on 200 mg/day. So I am trying to be patient. At least when the pictures come tonight, I won't worry about them. Thanks so much!Carolyn,
Glad to be of help. Others will probably notice the change in you before you do. Sometimes these things are very subtle. I realized after a week or so, that I was sitting in the same room as my husband much more often, with much rarer angry feelings towards him.
One more tip--when you get up to 300mg a day, it's a big change. Be sure to eat something with your second dose to tone down the nausia. Maybe you'll be lucky, and you won't even have any nausia!
Posted by peter on March 3, 2000, at 10:51:09
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin...Thanks Renee, posted by Carolyn on February 27, 2000, at 21:26:36
Carolyn, Renee -- you're not alone. I saw those same "pictures," "flashes" or whatever when I started out on wellbutrin. I compared them to the "pink elepants" I've occasionally seen after driving too long and too hard at night -- you know -- those almost perifieral creatures that slow you down even though you know they're not there. My pdoc pointed out that with increased neurochemicals I might essentially just be seeing more and compensating for the new experience (?). Anyway they dissappeared after about two weeks.
Posted by jim on March 3, 2000, at 11:53:40
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin...Thanks Renee, posted by peter on March 3, 2000, at 10:51:09
>
> Carolyn, Renee -- you're not alone. I saw those same "pictures," "flashes" or whatever when I started out on wellbutrin. I compared them to the "pink elepants" I've occasionally seen after driving too long and too hard at night -- you know -- those almost perifieral creatures that slow you down even though you know they're not there. My pdoc pointed out that with increased neurochemicals I might essentially just be seeing more and compensating for the new experience (?). Anyway they dissappeared after about two weeks.I was on Wellbutrin (150 mg/day) for about 8 months last year. It worked fine, but I discontinued it without any trouble. After a 7 month layoff, I started back on it last week at 300 mg/day without starting out at a lower dose, as recommended. Now, 6 days after being back on it, I have experienced a couple nights of pretty bad insomnia and a moderate panic attack during my insomnia with racing thoughts. I have only had one panic attack in my life and it was a couple of years ago under extreme stress. This one happened simply because I couldn't sleep. I want to believe that the instant high amount of Wellbutrin caused this insomnia, panic, and racing thoughts and that I'm not developing a panic disorder. I have discontinued Wellbutrin as a result. Has anyone experienced this or had thier physician comment about it? Please help.
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