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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 PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 10:41:09
I use wellbutrin, and it's okay but not without some irritability sometimes.
Here is an article about one psychiatrist's experience with it:
http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/04/01/05.html
The article is copied from nytimes.com, so it's not an article from researchprotection.org whatever that is.
I think you need to pay for archived articles, so that is why I posted the above link, but here is the original:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/04/magazine/04LIVES.html
New York Times Lives: A Doctor's Toxic Shock
January 4, 2004
By NANETTE GARTRELL
Posted by florence on March 25, 2004, at 12:25:54
In reply to Wellbutrin caution, posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 10:41:09
Thank you SO MUCH for your post and link. I had EXACTLY the same reaction to Wellbutrin 6 yrs ago. I called my pdoc after 5 weeks of hell and she said "hang in there" So glad I didn't follow her advice even though it had been REPEATEDLY stated that it takes weeks to know if an AD will be effective. I went with my gut feeling! I think the internet has done wonders for patients; we felt like wimps for not sucking it up and hated to tell the dr that the medicine had horrible side effects. I am SO GRATEFUL to you for alerting us to this article. THANKS AGAIN!!!!
Posted by jaby on March 25, 2004, at 13:08:39
In reply to Wellbutrin caution, posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 10:41:09
Wellbutrin is a life saver for me both energy and mood-wise. Any Dr. that tells you to just hang in there is questionable. It's your body and you need to find a flexible doc that allows you to say when enough is enough.
Posted by KathrynLex on March 25, 2004, at 14:15:44
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution, posted by jaby on March 25, 2004, at 13:08:39
Hi Jaby,
It's great to hear from someone who has had a positive experience on Wellbutrin. Tomorrow I'm adding it to my daily dose of Lexapro. I'm a little nervous. Can you tell me what side effects you experienced, how much you're taking etc...Is there any advice you can offer a first time Wellbutrin user? What other meds have worked for you in the past? Thanks, any info is greatly appreciated.
K.
Posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 16:09:42
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution » jaby, posted by KathrynLex on March 25, 2004, at 14:15:44
> Hi Jaby,
>
> It's great to hear from someone who has had a positive experience on Wellbutrin. Tomorrow I'm adding it to my daily dose of Lexapro. I'm a little nervous. Can you tell me what side effects you experienced, how much you're taking etc...Is there any advice you can offer a first time Wellbutrin user? What other meds have worked for you in the past? Thanks, any info is greatly appreciated.
>
> K.
>the board has a zillion wellbutrin posts and users. use the search function to get a wide variety of respones.
the general side effects are CNS overstimulation ones.
personally, I had mild insomnia or just needed a little less sleep in the beginning. you might have an amphetamine type activation in the beginning [euphoria, edginess, jittery}. more tolerant people have less of one. curbed appetite and irritability are common. a lot of these go away in a couple of weeks. over time the side effects get better, and in about 2 months after a certain doseage you should figure that it will be as good as it gets. that's just a general idea though. the timeline may be different for you. however, certain side effects are immediate at first, so if you find them bothersome, you have to give your body some more time to see if the degree remains the same or if things get better gradually which is what happens for many.
If it is agitating over the long term, then it's probably not for you. start at 150 and keep it there for a good month or two. don't jump up to 300 immediately. many doctors will let you do 150mg for 4 days or a week then you shoot str8 up to 300mg. some people don't need that or can not handle leaping that quick.
unless your doctor thinks you are in serious need, start at 150. my current pdoc likes the low dose approach and then add on.
you may find you need to go to 300, and after being on 300 a while you may find you need to drop back to 150.
xl version is more more smooth than SR i think. it's far more convenient than twice a day dosing.
I have no trouble with dosing at morning and night, but some people need to dose right after the 8 hour minimum after the first dose, so they don't have trouble sleeping.
Never take too much wellbutrin at once or your pills too close together in time in order to make up for a dose.
Posted by KathrynLex on March 25, 2004, at 16:29:30
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution, posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 16:09:42
Hi Psychosage,
Thank you for your response. It's just so nice to get advice from someone who has been there. I appreciate it.
K.
Posted by terrics on March 26, 2004, at 14:37:58
In reply to Wellbutrin caution, posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 10:41:09
Guess I am lucky. I take wellbutrin in the A.M. with klonopin and inderal. It works great and keeps me from becoming lethargic. terrics
Posted by vjw on March 26, 2004, at 20:39:50
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution » jaby, posted by KathrynLex on March 25, 2004, at 14:15:44
> Hi Jaby,
>
> It's great to hear from someone who has had a positive experience on Wellbutrin. Tomorrow I'm adding it to my daily dose of Lexapro. I'm a little nervous. Can you tell me what side effects you experienced, how much you're taking etc...Is there any advice you can offer a first time Wellbutrin user? What other meds have worked for you in the past? Thanks, any info is greatly appreciated.
>
> K.
>I'm back on it again after a year off. The only side effect I've experienced is mild jitteriness. Also, I cannot tolerate ANY caffeine, especially meds with caffeine like Excedrin Migraine(read the labels!), or I get crazy(feel REALLY hopped-up). I take Ambien for sleep.
For me, the benefit(being able to get through the day without thinking about how much I want to go home and go to bed) far outweighs any se.Hope it works as well for you! Good luck.
Posted by Vera on March 27, 2004, at 11:47:46
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution » jaby, posted by KathrynLex on March 25, 2004, at 14:15:44
Thought I'd add my experience w/Wellbutrin - started w/SR 150mgs, then went to XL 150mgs, and neither did a thing for depression...in fact, it seemed I was more depressed than ever. And, it increased my anxiety, too, so, I was taken off it. The other thing to watch is your blood pressure - mine went from a normal of 114/76, to 144/90. Wellbutrin is known for increasing BP.
Vera
Posted by Viridis on March 27, 2004, at 23:32:13
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution, posted by Vera on March 27, 2004, at 11:47:46
WB can be a great drug, but can also be very scary for some. Be cautious with it, especially if you have anxiety problems. Just go slowly with dosage until you know how you react.
Posted by shadows721 on March 28, 2004, at 23:29:07
In reply to Wellbutrin caution, posted by PsychoSage on March 25, 2004, at 10:41:09
I took wellbutrin to help with Lexapro sexual side effects. I got the itchs and violent shakes on it. It's defiantly not for everyone. I would have had to take Klonopin to handle the shakes. That's not for me.
But, one thing does tick me off. Why does it take a physician's experience to be valid and not the patients experience? We out number the physicians. So, why aren't our voices more powerful?
Posted by Vera on March 29, 2004, at 12:28:49
In reply to Re: Wellbutrin caution, posted by shadows721 on March 28, 2004, at 23:29:07
Some thoughts - could have been the combo effect of WB and Lex causing your se's. "...a physician's experience to be valid..." - are you saying your Doc disbelieved you? And/or determined that, despite these se's, insisted you should continue with the combo, anyway? There are an array of ADs out there to try - no one should have to suffer intolerable se's. If one should have a major problem with any drug, especially if it's not listed as a potential se, then it should also be reported directly to the drug mfr. I have no idea if Docs do this, and I wouldn't give them the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes we have to be our own health advocates - I have found this to be true on countless occasions. Docs are not infallible - and sometimes we have to speak loudly enough to be heard.
This is the end of the thread.
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