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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 17:54:28
my husband refilled my wellbutrin sr script today and came home with a pharmacy sub.....bupropion 75mg....take 2 twice a day....instead of my SR at 150mg 2/day (which i've taken for a little less than a month now. i called the pharmacy and they couldn't tell me how it would affect me if i switched to the immediate release. has anyone taken the immediate release?....know differences? i wasn't really happy about the subsitution.
any help would be appreciated.
amie
Posted by terra miller on August 2, 2001, at 18:41:52
In reply to help....script for bupropion NOT wellburtrin sr, posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 17:54:28
> my husband refilled my wellbutrin sr script today and came home with a pharmacy sub.....bupropion 75mg....take 2 twice a day....instead of my SR at 150mg 2/day (which i've taken for a little less than a month now. i called the pharmacy and they couldn't tell me how it would affect me if i switched to the immediate release. has anyone taken the immediate release?....know differences? i wasn't really happy about the subsitution.
>
> any help would be appreciated.
>
> amiehi, and you have good reason to be unhappy. either your pdoc wrote it wrong or somebody read it wrong. i have taken both the s.r. and am currently taking the i.r. they are not the same and do not act the same.... that is- one is sustained release and the other is not. from what i have read, however, about side-effects and the like from the rx-list the two are very similar.
so the difference is that if you take the immediate release, you will need to take it more often. that is why you will read that you can take it after 4 hours. that is not the case with the sustained release. i do believe that it is true that 300mg immediate release is the same as 300mg sustained release. you might take 150mg 2x/dy s.r. for a total of 300mg/day -or- you might take 75mg4x/day i.r. for a total of 300mg/day.
what you might feel different: you might feel light-headed or have a headache; you might feel nausea; or just not quite the same for a couple days. if you switch over to the immediate release you will need to be diligent to spread the doses out over the day and take your final dose so that it is not too late in the evening, because it will make it difficult for you to get off to sleep. i have previously taken 75mg 4 times a day and i had to take my first dose at 6am in order to not take my fourth dose too late in the evening.
i don't know if i read what you said correctly, but if you were told to take 2 of the 75mg tabs at a time and do that twice a day, i just don't understand how that will be beneficial. i would think (and i am in no ways a healthcare professional) that you would experience significant highs and lows and irritability if you did it that way. it just doesn't make sense to me, but maybe there's something that i don't know.
put in a call to your pdoc or somebody who will listen to your story. i don't understand why the pharmacist would not help you either. i've found my pharmacist to be very helpful. don't stop until you find somebody who will listen to you and hear you out. please post how you are doing.
if you want to switch over to the i.r. it's one thing, but that should be something that you choose. i'm currently taking bupropion 75mg i.r. 3 times a day and am very happy with that. but that is something i chose to do because the s.r. was not working for me and i needed to change to avoid some bothersome side-effects. this works for me.
-terra
Posted by paxvox on August 2, 2001, at 19:37:37
In reply to Re: help....script for bupropion NOT wellburtrin sr » akrake, posted by terra miller on August 2, 2001, at 18:41:52
I concur with Terra's observations. There is a BIG differnce between immediate release and SR formulations. Check with "the man".
Posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 20:07:10
In reply to Re: help....script for bupropion NOT wellburtrin sr » akrake, posted by terra miller on August 2, 2001, at 18:41:52
>
> so the difference is that if you take the immediate release, you will need to take it more often. that is why you will read that you can take it after 4 hours. that is not the case with the sustained release. i do believe that it is true that 300mg immediate release is the same as 300mg sustained release. you might take 150mg 2x/dy s.r. for a total of 300mg/day -or- you might take 75mg4x/day i.r. for a total of 300mg/day.
>i thought that i would have to take it spread apart....but the stupid pharm girl had no clue....the hospital where he filled the script doesn't carry the sr on it formulary....great, huh?
i'm going to call another pharm person....i've got a few more days of the sr and one more script on that bottle....but the lure of free meds is really appealing.....but i don't want to freak out again. if only i could figure out how to use it!
thanks.
amie
>
>
. but that is something i chose to do because the s.r. was not working for me and i needed to change to avoid some bothersome side-effects. >
what side effects? i'm irritable alot of the time anyway!
Posted by terra miller on August 2, 2001, at 23:01:50
In reply to that's what i thought » terra miller, posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 20:07:10
>the stupid pharm girl had no clue....the hospital where he filled the script doesn't carry the sr on it formulary....great, huh?
grrrrr.
>
> i'm going to call another pharm person....good.
>i've got a few more days of the sr and one more script on that bottle....but the lure of free meds is really appealing.....but i don't want to freak out again. if only i could figure out how to use it!
whew. i'm glad to read that you have some more pills on hand. i do not understand about the free meds.... is it not possible to get the s.r. version?
about figuring out how to use it: did anybody walk you through it? (ie: psychiatrist or pharmacist? somebody should have told/should instruct you so that they are sure that you understand how to use it, why you are using, and what you should expect while using it both pos/negs and what goal you can expect to reach while taking it.) you can do some reading here... there's lots of good information.
> what side effects? i'm irritable alot of the time anyway!i find it doubtful that you will get what i got, which is very rare. but while i was taking the s.r. version my body temperature got reset so that i was constantly running way below 98.6. i was extremely cold. after some trial and error i settled on taking 75mg tabs. my temp. still runs low, but not nearly as low as it was.
i also did not feel that the s.r. version stayed in my system long enough. i began to chart my feelings. i notice clearly that after taking a dose, i would feel it almost right away and feel good for 2 hours, and then i would slowly feel the med. going out of me. i became tired and irritable and confused after 5 hours. i had terrible highs and lows (s.r. is supposed to make that not happen, but it doesn't work in my body that way.) my pdoc says my body uses it up really fast. so i switched to the i.r. version and at first i was taking 4 of the 75mg tabs a day because i had to take them every 5 hours. now i don't have to take as much and can take just 3, but that is a little bit of a stretch. taking 4 of the 75mg a day is tricky because if you take the last dose too late in the day you just can't sleep. (that's why dosing the s.r. version at 6am and 2pm is good so you can still sleep at night.) i also tend to swell up when i get too much of a med in me, i have learned. i also was tremendously irritable for the first 5-6 weeks. it was very hard to be a good mom and that hurt my heart. but that isn't so bad anymore. i used ativan when i was too crabby and that helped a lot.hope you get good news from somebody who knows what they are doing. -terra
Posted by akrake on August 3, 2001, at 9:14:39
In reply to whew! » akrake, posted by terra miller on August 2, 2001, at 23:01:50
> >
> whew. i'm glad to read that you have some more pills on hand. i do not understand about the free meds.... is it not possible to get the s.r. version?my husband works at a hosptial & part of the benefits is getting free meds.....but they neglected to tell me that they didn't have the sr AND that i'd have to get a new script every month....and what ticks me off is that the script i used had 6 refills and they won't honor that!
> > what side effects? i'm irritable alot of the time anyway!
> i also did not feel that the s.r. version stayed in my system long enough. i began to chart my feelings. i notice clearly that after taking a dose, i would feel it almost right away and feel good for 2 hours, and then i would slowly feel the med. going out of me. i became tired and irritable and confused after 5 hours.
i've started to chart my pms cycle to prove that there is a coorelation....my husband doesn't believe.....today is day 3 of my cycle and i'm calm....not like the past 10 days.....but anyway, i'm going to call glaxo today and get the scoop...thank you thank you thank you.
amie
Posted by DebbieLynn on August 3, 2001, at 11:04:11
In reply to help....script for bupropion NOT wellburtrin sr, posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 17:54:28
> my husband refilled my wellbutrin sr script today and came home with a pharmacy sub.....bupropion 75mg....take 2 twice a day....instead of my SR at 150mg 2/day (which i've taken for a little less than a month now. i called the pharmacy and they couldn't tell me how it would affect me if i switched to the immediate release. has anyone taken the immediate release?....know differences? i wasn't really happy about the subsitution.
>
> any help would be appreciated.
>
> amie
Hello,
Do you have prescription coverage? I do know that bupropion (generic) is cheaper than Wellbutrin SR (which is not available in generic yet!) I have taken both, and I am currently taking 100 mg SR with 225 mg of Effexor XR. I have less side effect with the SR.Debbie
Posted by terra miller on August 3, 2001, at 12:37:02
In reply to thank you. » terra miller, posted by akrake on August 3, 2001, at 9:14:39
> my husband works at a hosptial & part of the benefits is getting free meds.....but they neglected to tell me that they didn't have the sr AND that i'd have to get a new script every month....and what ticks me off is that the script i used had 6 refills and they won't honor that!sometimes docs don't put refills on because they want to monitor you and your symptoms, so if you have to see them to get another script it guarantees they can give you the right stuff and not the wrong stuff. sometimes. don't know in your case obviously.
somebody should write you the correct script.
i'm assuming you do not have prescription insurance????> i've started to chart my pms cycle to prove that there is a coorelation....
i have noticed there is one day before my cycle when the irritability becomes extreme irrationality. i never seem to catch on, though. i should pay more attention. it's always after the fact and then i know, oh, that was actually pms and not the wellbutrin. on that day it would be beneficial to take an ativan just to calm myself because it's a hormone thing and it only lasts one day usually. other days of the month i know it's not a pms thing. charting is a very good idea. it's also a good idea so that you can tell what the wellbutrin is doing.
-terra
Posted by akrake on August 3, 2001, at 13:47:51
In reply to Re: help....script for bupropion NOT wellburtrin sr, posted by DebbieLynn on August 3, 2001, at 11:04:11
>
> Hello,
> Do you have prescription coverage?yes, we have coverage....but it's a high copay ($40) but the lure of getting generic free was to good to pass up....until this afternoon when i got into a fight with the pharm girl and told her to shove the pills you know where and that i'd buy my own....i don't know WHY she even cared.
i finallly got the supervisor to acknowlege that if i took 2 75mg tabs twice a day that i would yoyo. the other girl thought i should just take the tabs around the clock. go figure. i'm go to go back to the sr.
amie
>
Posted by akrake on August 3, 2001, at 14:02:46
In reply to pms » akrake, posted by terra miller on August 3, 2001, at 12:37:02
>
>
> sometimes docs don't put refills on because they want to monitor you and your symptoms, so if you have to see them to get another script it guarantees they can give you the right stuff and not the wrong stuff. sometimes. don't know in your case obviously.
> my history is that i don't have a medical degree and i think i should. i was sick of my husband and mother telling me that i was so negative and i was sick of screaming at my kids (4 & 2)....and i stumbled upon the sarafem ad in o magaizine....went to the website and the rest is history. i visited my internist because i had such bad tension, irritability and couldn't sleep for 5 months or move my neck. i discovered it was from the pmdd.....he suggested prozac because it was cheaper than sarafem per script.....$20 for a 3 month supply of prozac or $20 for 7 pills of sarafem. i took the prozac for a month and it was wonderful....no pms....but sex was the pits....meanwhile, my internist dropped my insurance plan....so when i visited my gyn doc i told him everything .....he mentioned wellbutrin but didn't prescribe it because he said it might keep me up....he wanted me to go on the pill to control the pmdd.....my family has a history of breast cancer so i didn't want to go on the pill....a month later i decided to try the wellbutrin so i had a doc friend call it in for me with 1 refill....so that's where i am now.....trying to get free meds without screwing up the progress i've made (or believe i've made). whew.
> somebody should write you the correct script.> i'm going to call my gyn doc when i'm half way finished the second script. he told me to call him after being on the pill 3 months....it's been 2 so far (and no pill....but he doesn't know that yet).
>
> whew.
Posted by terra miller on August 3, 2001, at 18:03:38
In reply to long involved story » terra miller, posted by akrake on August 3, 2001, at 14:02:46
oh, brother. like you need all this with a 4 & 2 year old. :-(
here's what i want to suggest, with the obvious disclaimer that i am not a healthcare professional in the slightest. you have to give whatever you are taking time to work. at the same time, you don't want to keep taking something that's obviously not working/side-effects (for example, i recently tried a med called buspar and lasted only 3 days because i couldn't use the bathroom; so it was obvious to stop taking it.)
it sounds like the prozac helped, but that the sexual side-effects were bothersome. often what medical professionals will do is ADD wellbutrin to the prozac if the prozac seems to be otherwise helping. wellbutrin can cause irritability on its own, but combined with a med like prozac, its supposedly not as activating. it sounds like the combination might be great for you. wondering if you can find a psychiatrist to listen to you and get you the meds you need????
it sounds like you are on the right track, but that people are obviously getting in your way. you need to talk to someone who can work with you. there are other meds that have less sexual sideeffects, and other options. but it seems the prozac was working, and adding wellbutrin often helps. but it's important to be consistent, which doesn't sound to be your fault.
you can switch to the i.r. wellbutrin if money is an issue, but that co-pay stinks (i pay $9.00 generic, but i have insurance) but that needs to be your choice. a consistent combination of the prozac and wellbutrin could be a great combination for you but you have to give it time. don't be afraid to go outside your typical medical team to find someone who can help you. wondering about social service programs?? this shouldn't be that hard and i'm frustrated for you, since the answer seems right there in front of you and others are botching the information. can you get the courage to call your gyn and shoot straight (i know it's easy to get tongue-tied); tell yourself you can have a big chocolate-raspberry cheesecake after you succeed in telling your doc what you need so that you will go through with it; reward yourself. tell your doc so you can get what you need. -terra
Posted by akrake on August 4, 2001, at 7:27:44
In reply to suggestion » akrake, posted by terra miller on August 3, 2001, at 18:03:38
what's amazing is that in yesterday's mail a booklet called "a practical guide to treatment of depression in women" was sent to my husband....he'always getting stuff from the drug compaines. so now i have the practice guidelines for pmdd. i thought about doing the prozac/wellbutrin combo since wellbutrin/klonpion wasn't working....mostly because i wouldn't take the klonopoin. so now i have something to talk to my doc about.
thanks for the suggestions. i really appreciate it.
amie
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