I just started wellbutrin 2 weeks ago and I havnt felt anything yet. I hope it will do for me what its doing for you.

Hooray for Wellbutrin. I've been on it for three years. Every time I think I'm better and try to stop taking it, it's obvious I need to stay on it.

I just took my very first dose of wellbutrin xl a few hours ago with fingers crossed. I figure it is time to do something about my depression. I'm sick of being a prisoner in my own mind. How long does this stuff take to kick in?

I too am having great results. Have been on it for a while. I have this incredible "clear" feeling. I finally feel like me again!

I just started taking Wellbutrin XL 150mg once daily. I am also on Prozac 40 mg a day. I have been on Prozac for several years and it seem to quit working. I hope the Wellbutrin will kick in soon. How long does it take? Please email me if you have depression and are on medication.

I have been on Wellbutrin for 4 years and XL since it became available in the US.

It has completely changed my life. I take 300mg daily. I have started my own business, competed in a bodybuilding contest, and finally have control of my life. I don't know where I would be without it.

In my experience XL gives you a much more "level" feel throughout the day instead of having up's and downs on regular WB.

Thank you. Glaxo Smith Kline.

i just started taking welbutrin xl 150 mg 2 times daily. i started it 3 days ago and i already feel better. i am also taking xanax 1 mg 3 times daily' i think this is a wonderful combination seeing as i am bipolar. is welbutrin addictive?

I've been on XL 150mg for exactly a month. My doc recommended 300mg after the first week, but I decided to stay on the 150mg because I've read a lot people doing fine on that amount. But as well as everyone one here, I felt a solid boost in drive, energy etc. I was on lexapro and was considering taking the two at the same time, which I did do, but I felt the the sleepy part of lexapro.. So I quit all SSRI and stayed on wellbutrin SNRI, and I'm really feeling like me again, life I've been living in a cloud for the past few years. Gym went up, enrolled in college, and I feel a tad crazy if I'm not keep busy. I've been on ADD meds in the past but truly hate the side effects of not eating, feeling like hell from the come down etc. With that in mind, wellbutrin gave me a similar kick without the side effects. Although I'm doing fine, I'm thinking to bumpin up to the 300mg and see if it can clear my head even more. I'm currently going through relationship junk that has my head down for short periods of time, no tears, but I'm wondering if the 300mg will keep me solid as a rock. I guess 'one' could consider SSRI's and SNRI's a cheater way out of personal problems like relationships, but hell if I get way ahead in life, then maybe I'll consider a drop back to 150mg xl if it happens to boost me for a while, or if i backfires and I need to drop to the 150xl anyway. But today is the day I'm switching to 300mg. I get the script in a few hours.

I started taking welbutrin xl 150 mg on Thursday and also take 20 mg of lexapro, but I am feeling no good changes. The welbutrin or maybe the combination of both, is making me feel moody, one minute I am in a bad mood for no reason, then the next minute I am happy. Not sure how long it takes to your system to get adjusted to it, but I wish I was having the good affects as everyone else.

It will probably take more than a few days for the effects to kick in. I hope it will start to get better for you Lisa. I know that medicines work differently for everyone. So far I've got all good things to say about Wellbutrin XL. I am up to 300 mg now and its will working well for me. I really hope it works well for you too!

My Dr prescribed me Wellbutrin SR, 150 mg 2x day, but I've been afraid to take it. I had such a bad experience with 20 mg of prozac. Does anyone know the difference between the Wellbutrin SR and XL?

I accidently took two welbutrin XL 150mg today. Should I consult my doctor?

I just started 150mg of Wellbutrin XL to help me deal with severe PMS/PMDD. I also suffer from endometriosis so the chronic pain each month makes me depressed.

I feel groggy and tired and my Dr. said that should subside in a few days. I have noticed that my craving for sugar has went away.

I hope this feeling does subside soon.

I am so scared to take my 1st dose of 150mg Wellbutrin xl..I have read so many scary stories about it I am ready to just stay on Zoloft..any advice??

I noticed some questions about Wellbutrin that I can answer:

The difference between SR and XL is SR stands for suspended release and XL stands for extended release. SR is the predecessor to XL and would distribute the Wellbutrin (bupropion) into your system at a steady rate. XL does the same thing but lasts much longer and releases the bupropion at a nice rate throughout the whole day, rather than of the day like SR. Thats why you're not supposed to break the pills in half and take them in the morning. Its actually a rubbery type of coating that secretes the medication slowly as it digests in your stomach.

The other question I saw was regarding taking 2 150mg XL at once. This is fine because its the same as 300mg a day. Doctors will always start you off on 150mg and then to 300mg, and if needed they'll bump you up to a MAX of 450mg. Studies have shown that if you take more than 450mg of bupropion a day you will have a higher risk of seizures.

This is also why SR and XL release the bupropion throughout the day slowly. If you were to take an instant release bupropion tablet it would have to be in small doses throughout the day. If you were to absorb say 300mg of bupropion immediately it might cause a seizure. I hope this helps.

I have been on Wellbutrin for three weeks. I feel short tempered and my joints and muscles really hurt. Has any one noticed their joints and muscles hurt?

I was a little edgy early on but have, overall, see mainly positive effects - more energy and focus. I have had some hair loss and some joint pain but I can't tell if that is just me or the Lipitor that I also take. Since I went from 150 to 300 I also notice that my periods were much lighter and further between, but it may just be my age (mid 40's) as I haven't heard of anyone else having that as a side effect.

I have been on Wellbutrin for 12 days and I feel so motivated and have so much energy! I work all day and come home and clean, take care of my family,and still have energy to work out. It's not like I'm super hyper or anything, I can easily go to sleep at night. So far I love it!!

I have beenn on Wellbutrin XL 450mg's for 3 months and I am doing great! All of the edgy side effects went away within 2 weeks.

I was taking Wellbutrin for two weeks, coming off of Paxil (because of the weight gain). At the beginning of the third week, I broke out in hives with my eyes, lips and hands swelling, having a severe allergic reaction. I have never been allergic to anything except for spironolactone(taken for PCOS). I am sad because the Wellbutrin was working so well. My anxiety and edgyness was gone and I was very calm and rational. I have been off of the Wellbutrin for a week and still having a small reaction of itching, because it takes a little while for the Wellbutrin to leave your system. Good luck to everyone on Wellbutrin!!!

I started taking Wellbutin XL 150mg(didn't work) Now am on 300mg. Coming off of zoloft, I wanted to switch to WB to lose weight. Has anyone lost a good bit of weight on WB? My main worry is, is, that I like to drink beer a good bit. Does anyone no someone or Drink yourself on WBXL.???

When am i supposed to take wellbutrin.....i feel sleepy all the time and i have bad headaches....my neck is stiff....anyways do i take it in the morning or at bedtime

Terry,
WB reduced by appetite at first, but I do not have any of that nice side effect now. It might would help if I really tried.

Kristi,
WB is known for having the opposite affect and causing people to not be able to sleep. Your sleepiness sounds a little unusual. My Dr recommended taking the WB in the morning because of it causing wakefulness. But, if you are sleepy from it, I guess taking it at bedtime would be the best. But for safety and ensuring that the WB does the most for you, ask your Dr for his/her recommendation.

I have been on Wellbutrin SR for a few years. When the pharmacy called my doctor to refill an expired Rx, there was a mix up and I was Rxed the plain Wellbutrin. In one day the increase in anxiety and depression was overwhelming. Is the difference between Wellbutrin and Wellbutrin SR really that great?????

I started taking the Paxil 25mg CR in March then started taking wellbutrin 100mg SR six weeks ago in addition to the paxil, I felt a huge positive change and only had one little anxiety episode (I don't do well with dead lines and freak out) I had a six week check up and he switched me to wellbutrin 150mg XL ... I started it Friday and just feel funny, should I give it time or call the doctor?

Melissa,
What do you mean by feel "funny". That could mean different things to different people.

A little lightheadness is something that goes away for most people. Not being hungry is a good thing. When I first took it, I felt like I was very energetic and like on a diet pill that speeds up the body and thinking. All that subsided, too.

You should ask your Dr and/or pharmacist, and read the side effects of XL on the web or w/accompanying literature from pharmacy to see if your symptoms are there.

Cheryl

I started on Wellbutrin XL on June 15 @ 150 mg for 7 days and them bumped to 300 mg a day after that, so I've only been on the 300 mg for 5 days now. So far the only effect I've felt has been that my depression seems worse. I'm an emotional wreck. The is the first time I've ever taken anything like this and I'm 42 years old. Should I call my doctor or give the meds a chance to work?

I was on Lexapro and was doing okay with the exception of weight gain. My doctor started me on Wellbutrin XL 20 mg. due to the high percentage of weight loss with this medication. I did great with both medicaitons. However, my insurance would not approve the XL until I was tried on the SR. I am now itching and have hives. I assume it's due to the SR. It seemed to start about that time. To see if it was the medication, I was off it for four days and I continued to itch. We assumed it wasn't the medication since I was still itching. I am now wondering if it was because it hadn't worked out of my system yet. I am back on the SR because we assumed it was something other than the medication. Since I've stopped it and started the SR again, I don't feel as well as I had before the itching began. I am having panic attacks again, itching and have jaw pain. Has anyone else had any of these symptoms?

I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION I READ SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS ON OTHER ANTIDEPRESSENTS WITH WEIGHT GAIN. I READ WELLBUTRIN XL DOES NOT HAVE THAT SIDE EFFECT BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SEZIURS AND POSSIBLY MAKING ME MORE ANXIOUS.

I have been on Wellbutrin XL since April this year. Taking the medicine has not helped my weight but it has helped in my quest to quit smoking. However, I have been on XL for 4 and a half months and this smoking thing just started about a month ago. Seems like it took a while to kick in and start working. Another thing that confuses me is that I seem to be losing my temper a lot, making a mountain out of a mole hill and crying for absolutly nothing esp. things on TV. To me things should be getting better because the medicine should have had enough time to work. Do I need to give it more time or increase my dose to 450 mg? I really am scared of having a seizure so increasing my dose isn't my favorite option. I need to know what to do so please give me your opinion.
Thanks

Hi,
I will preface what I am about to say with the statement that you need to discuss your issues with your Dr since you are unique and your medical issues and drugs taking are all unique and require the evaluation of a physician as to whether any drug will work for you, esp Wellbutrin XL at 450mg. So, please do NOT increase your dose without talking to your Dr about you and your medical history.

Now, I will share my experience. I, too, felt like I was losing my temper more and crying at TV and anything that was nice that I was told about, even if it didn't happen to me. And, I had an appetite that wouldn't quit (started post hysterectomy in Dec... gained 44 lbs in 7 months). I used to be able to control my appetite when I had my mind set, but I could not control it at all no matter how I tried.

When the Dr (psychiatrist) suggested I take my dose of WXL up to 450mg, I was concerned about seizures, too. He said that there are NO studies of the 450mg dosage, but his profession has seen that only people who have a tendency or something that would cause seizures experience them on the 450mg dose of WXL.

My Dr also said that when phen-fen combo was the diet pill of choice that Duke Univ Hosp did a study comparing weight loss on phen-fen versus 450mg of W XL. The study results indicated that people lost more weight on 450mg of W XL than on phen-fen. Apparently the appetite suppressant factor kicks in with the 450mg dose.

I have seen some changes. Started 450mg on July 16th, which means I've been on it for 4 weeks. My appetite is not suppressed like taking an amphetamine type diet pill, but it is where I can control it and feel full with a lot less food. It's not a magic pill to lose weight, just it helps with personal control because the depression improves. This did not start til wk 2 on the 450mg. I still crave simple carbs, but more days on the diet with fewer simple carbs will probably help with that.

Crying is better when watching TV and talking to people.

I have mostly good days now, but there are still depressed days. Dr says that will continue to happen for a while until all days are fairly good other than what would spoil most anyone's day (disagreement with spouse, children or boss).

The only problems I am still having are a hard time with self esteem and believing in myself and procrastination as well as wanting to get out of the house. I am hoping that the longer I am on the 450mg WXL, then those issues, will improve.

I have had the energy and desire to start exercising again, too. And, we have all read that exercise works on depression. So, just having the mindset again to exercise is a good thing. We all know that depression makes us so tired that we don't feel we have the energy to exercise.

I developed headaches when I went up to 450mg dose, but I also had sinus problems. Dr said the symptoms should have gone away in 2 wks, but we'd see if things changed. I can report that overall, the headaches and dry eyes are better and what is left over is definitely sinus issues of the heat and AC.

I hope my story on 450mg will help some of you.

But, I implore you to work with your doctor before increasing your dose to 450mg.

If you do not have a psychiatrist, please see one. The psychiatrist is trained and has more experience with depression and what drugs are available to help than your internist/family Dr. I was hesitant to go to a psychiatrist, but my internist said he just didn't know what else to try and that the Dr who he was referring me specialized in exploring the right drugs for patients. This psychiatrist worked with my heart Dr to discuss meds that would work with my anti-arrhythmic med and my afib condition. And, it has been nice to understand from him that what I am feeling are all typical signs of depression. That is a big thing to just understand that what we feel is all part of the depression and that we are not just strange. :-)

I have been on Wellbutrin for 5 days now. I am concerned about the nausiaand the loss of appetite. I am already a thin man and this scares me a bit. I was on Prozac for 8 years after having Panic attacks. The prozac worked, but about a year ago I started feeling more social and anticipatory anxiety.Will the Wellbutrin XL help? Any advice would be great. Take care

Linzie,
I was reading about side effects of Wellbutrin XL last night. It did mention nausea, but as I stated above, my Dr said that 450mg is usually the dose where appetite suppression is an issue. I did, when first taking 150mg experience some decrease in appetite, but it did not last.

I was having headaches with the new 450mg dose, and my Dr suggested giving it a while longer to see if the headaches would subside. They did during the 4th or 5th week on the increased dose.

So, my advice is to let your Dr know of the side effects you are experiencing, but perhaps the Dr will suggest that you increase dose of med more slowly or give it a few weeks to see if the symptoms will dissipate.

I had to start with 1/4 of 150mg tablet and increase the dose by 1/4 of a tablet every week until I reached 450mg. We stopped at 150mg and 300mg to see if they would work after a few weeks at those doses.

Just some thoughts to ask your Dr about.

It is hard to say if the med will work for you. Only time will tell. Some have an allergy to the med, some cannot tolerate the side effects, and for some, Wellbutrin XL does not work.

All we can do is try different meds until we find the one that works with our unique body chemistry.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheryl

Is anyone on Wellbutrin XL experiencing peripheral edema (PE)?

I had to read the entire pharmacology report to find PE as a rarely reported side effect.

I am having very bad PE (no other issues other than being overweight causing the PE, so was searching to find out if Wellbutrin XL could be the cause. Still cannot determine since it is such a rare side effect.

Cheryl

I started Wellbutrin XL - 150 mg a week and a half ago. I seemed to do ok with that (I'm trying to quit smoking). But I switched to 300 mg on week 2 and I have had a terrible temper. I have children and don't like this side effect. I also have noticed head pressure and my ears popping (saw on-line where others had experienced this as well) and I cannot sleep at all!! I have been taking Ambien since day 1. I'm thinking about asking my Dr. to switch me back to 150 mg. Has anyone done this and had success?

Beth,
I remember a period of time while increasing my dose of wellbutrin (not sure what dose I was on since I increased 1/4 tablet at the time) when my temper was a little out of control. I lashed out at several people (neighbors) on things I would usually just let pass and was a little short with family. It did eventually pass for me, but I don't remember the timeframe. I know I didn't like the regression to my old self during that time and felt out of control.

You should talk to your Dr about all of the side effects. You might want to either ride it out, expecting improvement, or change back to 150mg if you were having success at that dose.

My Dr kept me at 150mg for several weeks (maybe a month) to give the med time to take effect at that dose before we decided to increase. Might consider that possibility in your discussion with your Dr.

I do not have trouble sleeping...only trouble with the times that I sleep (more daytime sleep than night sleep), but my Dr says that is all part of depression and being unemployed at the moment.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

Thanks Cheryl! I have a call into my Dr. now. I'll keep you posted!

My doctor put me on Lexapro for depression in July. I felt better, but had no energy. And I could sleep all day (even did). So 2 weeks ago WB xl 150 was added, taken a.m. and Lexapro in the evening. Now I get up in the morning and more ambitious, tho not real focused. The first couple of days I felt panicky/anxious, but it passed or maybe that changed into positive energy? I regained interest in things and have found myself even laughing. It is a pretty amazing drug, and really kicked in fast. Also I am dreaming again, or anyway remembering that I dream. Before taking WB I didn't sleep so much as just become unconscious.

I KNOW I'VE HAD DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ALL OF MY LIFE. IT
IS MILD SOMETIMES. I GO UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I
HAVE BEEN ON WB XL FOR A MONTH
NOW. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS 150MG AND THE SECOND 300MG. I
HAVE SOME MORE ENERGY AND MY THOUGHTS ARE MORE LEVELED OUT,BUT I BECOME VERY AGITATED. I AM NOT AS PATIENT
AS I ONCE WAS. MAYBE I SHOULD
GIVE 300MG AT LEAST 2 MORE WEEKS TO WORK. PLEASE RESPOND
WITH ADVICE
THANKS
LINDA

Linda,
At some dose of wellbutrin xl, I also became agitated quite easily and short with people. I was concerned, but it did pass after a couple of weeks.

I'd say give the 300mg a little longer to work (6-8 wks), but also tell your Dr, esp if it gets worse and not better..

In response to Linzie,
Maybe you should be on Lexapro if you are worried about losing weight...I gained 20 pounds on it...which was not needed. IT's a shame, too, because I thought Lexapro really worked well. Good luck

OK - my latest update - I had to come off of the 300 mg - just couldn't tolerate the moodiness(anger) and sleeplessness. Today I started on 75 mg to see if it works any better! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I recently tried 150 SR and found it easier to tolerate than the 150 XL, has anyone else shared that experience?

I would be interested to know in how it(150 SR) was easier to tolerate, Gabe. I just started the XL and all i've noticed in the last week that I've been on it is once in awhile dry mouth and I don't feel tired at night when I really should...I still feel pretty tired during the day ...and definitely sleeplessness....no effect really on my depression. I heard it can take two or even more weeks, so I am going to try and be patient, but I need my sleep. I hate taking Ambien because I don't want to rely on it, but you know the story....

Hi. Anyone else like this? I was put on 150mg/day SR for "chronic depresssion" four weeks ago. Until yesterday, I had incredible energy, doing so many things, but now I can barely move.

Also going through a very bad breakup, so my mental state is rock bottom anyway, but still the change back to complete vegetable is disappointing. Has anyone else had this happen, but then improve again?

I'm not upping the dosage without talking to my doctor, but just wanted to know if this is normal, and if things can get better.

Hi Don,

Take a look at June 8, 2006 post by Janet on the difference between SR and XL.
It could be that you need to talk to your Dr about why SR versus XL. That could be part of the issue in that SR might not work all day as XL does.

But, it could be that you need an increase in dosage, which needs to be discussed with your Dr before increasing.

When I first started on 150mg XL, I had the extra energy you are describing. Next time I started on W 150XL, I didn't get that energy.

I've had to keep increasing dose (at Dr's orders) to the max safe dose of 450mg. Now, I have a steady feeling of almost normal again, no extra energy or euphoria, but a return to almost normal, having mostly good days.

But, everyone who is normal (and I hesitate to use that word, but all of us with depression know our sad and worthless feelings are not normal for how we should feel) has bad days when something goes wrong during the day. It's just they don't stay 'down' about it.

So, best advice is to talk to your Dr. Please do not increase your dose on your own. W XL is a med that should not be self prescribed.

Thanks so much for the reply. It's so nice to know others are out there. When I first heard about SR and XL, I thought I must have gotten XL, since I got it only once a day. But then, after awhile, I actually looked and saw SR, and didn't know why.

And now, maybe that incredible energy was just in the beginning, and my body is just getting used to it. I'm a little sad - I thought that's how other people must be, and I saw my life improving. I'm not saying it won't, just that if that's the energy I would have, I would do a lot!

I'm abroad and must find another doctor here where I live - hopefully next week.

One last thing - are there on-line support groups, not discussing Wellbutrin necessarily, but everything people are going through?

Sara, the one thing for sure is we all tolerate drugs differently. For me, I re-act to medication fairly quickly. Having tried WB XL and SR and many other anti-depressants,

I’m finding SR is working better then the first week and half of the XL (My emotional state was quickly a wreck, crying, etc.)

My sibling is also on SR. Her doctor had her try XL for a while instead of SR and after a few days she went right back to SR – She is however on a higher dosage and has a higher tolerance to WB than I.

Yet for the XL fans, according to a good friend of mine, who’s been on Wellbutrin XL for years, swears it has changed his life, after severe bouts of depression.

Changes will not happen over-night and it may take a number of weeks to see improvement, but things should improve either on XL or SR. One would wish WB would make us feel like Mary Poppin’s after one dosage, but no luck, maybe the next version.... :)

I have been on Wellbutrin SR for exactly 4 weeks to treat anxiety.

I started on 100mg, went up to 150mg after 10 days, and had to drop back to 100mg. The reason was that I started to have major downward mood swings which took the form of racing thoughts, bad memories resurfacing from years ago, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, self-destructive thoughts...in short, anxiety way worse than I had before.

I also started to itch all over.

Dropping back down to 100mg hasn't helped though. Two days ago I felt so panicky that I couldn't eat. I keep expecting things to improve, since, as I said, it has been 4 weeks now...but I feel terrible. Should I keep trying or is this drug clashing with my body chemistry?

Aster,
I would think that this should have leveled out by now. Maybe Wellbutrin isn't for you, who knows? It reacts differently for different people. See your doc and maybe he can try something else. Good luck.

For all you out there concerned about mood swings, anger and emotional volatility.

Keep in mind that depression=supression of emotion(in most cases)! The meds kicking in are loosening that repression. Since you are not used to experiencing emotions, you will have an awkward period of adjustment where you will be much more volatile until you get used to experiencing emotions.

It's part of the healing process, give it some time and explain to your SO's and friends that you are learning a new skill- appropriate emotional expression- and that like all new skills it gets better with familiarity and practice. Non-critical feedback can be helpful in teaching you to recognize your new feelings and help you learn to express feelings in a more integrated fashion.

I've been on and off various meds for the past 15 years, but there's always something new to learn. Try not to judge yourself, talk with your doctor, research the internet.

Thank you, Anita, for that info.

Another perspective on what is happening to us... Wonder why my Dr hasn't told me that I'm experiencing emotions all over again that I haven't dealt with for a while? Will have to ask him.

I think I realized I had to go through the guilt feelings again of not being there enough for parents before they died because I was so depressed, and mostly can let the feelings go, now. But, didn't think about the crying and anger being a part of "feeling" again.

Thanks again.

Yes, thanks Anita. I was wondering about myself. I had a breakup a little before the medication (but not FOR the breakup), and I was feeling OK about it, but then after 2 weeks or so I REALLY hit bottom. I even told my ex that it felt like I was waking up 6 months earlier, when I had deep feelings for her. Guess now that I had been suppressing my emotions for her during the end of the relationship, and after the breakup as well, and then they started coming out after I started the meds. Makes all sense now. Too bad my doctor didn't say anything either. Thanks again.

I just started taking Welbutrin about a week ago. My body started to itch and my hands and feet are swollen. My joints ache. Lastly my lip has swollen. I did go to the hospital and they think it may be an allergic reaction but are not positive. Anybody have this experience?

Thomas,

Please see the post by
Tamara on June 22, 2006. She had the same symptoms and was diagnosed with severe allergic reaction to WXL.

Call your Dr immediately and ask your pharmacist. If your lip is swelling, then your tongue and throat can start swelling and you can die.

The symptoms of allergic reaction listed in the paperwork that comes with WXL say to stop taking it immediately if you have the symptoms you are having.

I can't tell you that. Call your Dr immediately. Cannot believe the hospital sending you home w/o a diagnosis.

Good Luck

I am starting Wellbutrin today and I'm scared to death. After finally having an answer to my lifetime of ups and downs (clinical depression) and researching depression, it now makes sense. I'm a naturalist and a Christian so there is a real stigma involved with taking depression meds. (You know, stuff like...you're not trusting Christ enough, you have a mental disease, blah, blah, blah, don't put that stuff in your body) I am entering the periomenapausal stages and this is making depression symptoms worse. I'm starting with 150mgs a day and I'm usually hypersensitive to drugs. That's part of the reason I really like holistic medical care. There is just nothing out there holistically that I am interested in taking for depression. Most of the people I know taking the holistic methods to ease depression are like zombies. So, here I go, popping my first Wellbutrin. I'll report back to let you know how it goes. I'm glad this board is here. It really helped me decide to start it. The drug has been sitting on my counter in the kitchen unopened! I keep looking at it as if it's a loaded gun.
This board has helped me to make the decision!
Taya

Hi Taya,

I am a Christian and find nothing whatsoever wrong with taking an anti-depressant. I have in the past felt that I wasn't believing in Christ enough to help me. No more.

God gives us insulin and all sorts of other meds and surgeries to correct physical problems, why not a drug to provide the needed synopsis of information flow in the brain? So, I believe the anti-depressants are from God.

I hope the Wellbutrin XL will help you. Nothing to be afraid of unless you have a physical condition that makes you susceptible to seizures. Also, be careful in that some other meds do not mix well with wellbutrin (according to my Dr).

The holistic meds are much, much more scarey to me than WXL. Herbals and such are NOT tested with clinical studies to ensure they are ok to be taking and do not cause harm. A lot of meds are made of plants, but they have been through extensive clinical trials and adverse events documented and approved by the FDA based on the positive results while considering the risks. Herbals and holistic meds have not had the studies done on them.

Please consult your Dr before taking any new meds, esp of the herbal kind.

I am back on Wellbutrin XL after an unsuccessful experiment in quitting (sanctioned by the psychiatrist) about 7 weeks ago. I had been on it since last fall, after first attempting Prozac and finding out that it was making things worse. Wellbutrin XL has worked for me, but as Lys commented near the top of this page, only when you try to stop do you realize that you still need to continue taking it.

The standard procedure applies in my case as well, starting off with 150mg and increasing to 300mg after a week or so. I am somewhat comforted by the thought that it has worked before, but I find myself in the bumpy zone again (the period of adjustment). I am 20 years old and I attend college, and I've been cutting class for over a week because the anxiety is overwhelming. I would label that as "social anxiety," because although it hits me at other times of the day as well, it is most powerful in class.

I am pretty sure this will pass again, but for now I am quite miserable, a situation made worse by the fact that I do not really have someone to talk to, other than the psychiatrist who is gone for a couple weeks and with whom I speak once a week anyway. I am also worried about my class skipping habit, because my grades are on the line.

I do not experience insomnia, and as a matter of fact I, like another poster above, get more sleepy. However, I take my 300mg in the morning and only towards the evening I start getting sleepy. During the day I experience various common side effects associated with Wellbutrin XL, such as dry mouth, mood swings, headaches, tremor, depression, suicidal thoughts, and the aforementioned anxiety.

I have had some very unpleasant experiences before and this is not something I cannot handle. But this is definitely a (temporary I assume) burden on my life. I am 20 years old and I want to LIVE, not merely pass through life.

Also, in response to Anita's comment about researching on the internet, you have to be careful. You can find a lot of useful information on the internet, but you can find false information as well.

Adrian,
Wishing you the best of luck in having the WXL start to work for you again.

Yes, you need to stop skipping classes if you want to do well in them. Just ignore the others and go to class, even if you don't participate. You can set that as a daily goal.

I am so glad that you are recognizing your depression and anxiety issues at the early age of 20 so that you can "live" instead of exist. I missed way too much, and still do a lot of the time cause of the depression and staying at home away from people.

Best of luck... come talk to us while your psychiatrist is away, esp if you are having suicidal thoughts. Then, you need to talk to us and some other professional, even if it is not your regular psychiatrist. Or maybe you are just having feelings of hopelessness and thinking things will not improve and it might be better if you didn't have to face them anymore. If that is it, then talking with someone, even a stranger will help. But, if you are planning a suicide, please see a Dr immediately.

Best of luck... keep us posted.

Cheryl

Thanks for your speedy response Cheryl, it was unexpected but well-received. Tomorrow, if I go, will be my first time attending class in a week. Well, I have been absent for almost 2, but I managed to muster up some courage and attend a course last Tuesday. I must say, I had never seen this coming, I have always been able to go to class just fine without giving it second thought. I am not the most social person but I am not antisocial either. This is an unwelcome surprise to me too.

I just applied for a blog on this site. If approved, I will share some of my experiences with depression and things that I have done that helped, things that did not work so well, and so on. I agree with Pilgrim's stance on speaking your mind, but I have largely kept it silenced for years. I guess I can think of this as an experiment in breaking the silence.

All the best,

Adrian

Hello,
I have been using wbXL off and on for a few years,, never really taking it more then a week or two 1. I did not believe i was really depressed. 2. I did not care for the constapation and sweating. Anyway last month was the worse month of my life. I finally reliesed that yes I have depression and have actully had it for many years now....I went and saw my dr and she said to start taking 450mg ( she thinks I have been taking 300mg for 4 months and 150 prior to that)I know that is bad, and I was embarressed to tell her the truth, for the fear of looking stuping... any way I have been taking 150 daily for about 2 weeks now, I am not depressed, but the last few day I have been just totally wiped out tired, I wake up feeling okay, take my WB first thing, but with in a hour I feel wiped out tired.. I do take ambien cr to help sleep. I did try taking 300mg but my heart POUNDS in my chest that it feels like it is going to EXPLOXED,esp at night,( what a relief when I saw today on the message board that is a side effect, it really freaked me out....) anyway I am not sure what I am asking here,, I guess I would like to know how long the side effects linger, I.E constapition or the heart pounding, and if I went to 300mg would the "energy" part of the pill kick in,, I am terrified to go to 450MG becouse of all the side effects that "may" happen... but I have to say, not feeling depressed is nice, but not having any energy makes the feeling a mute point..course maybe the tiredness is part of depression and maybe the WBXL is not working....
thanks for reading..
Ken :-)
PS sorry about the all the misspellings

Ken,
I highly recommend talking to your Dr and being honest about the dosing of the med.

Heart arrhythmia is a side effect that possibly you may not want to mess with since there are other anti-depressants to try.

I do think the tiredness is part of the depression. But, your Dr can better access when you open up to her and tell her what you've been doing and how you've been feeling.

You may have to increase to 300mg more slowly like I had to do. I took 150 + 1/4 of a 150 for a week, then upped the dose 1/4 tablet every week til I could take the 300mg. That gave my heart a chance to adjust rather than the whole 300mg at once. I also had to do that in moving up to 450mg.

HOWEVER, do not follow what my Dr told me to do... ask your Dr if that might help.

I have not had constipation w/WBXL... in fact the opposite and after a long while things settled into normal.

Let us know if you talk to your Dr..

Cheryl,
Thank you for your reply, I called and made a appointment with my dr for tomorrow. I will tell her about the med. I think it would be best.
I will let you know what she says.
THANKS AGAIN :-)
Ken

I am on my sixth day of taking Wellbutrin XL. I feel very, very sad and on the verge of tears a lot during the day. I feel anxious at night. I feel afraid a lot. But the Wellbutrin takes 4 weeks or so to work, right? I mean, I can get through this if I know it'll get better in a few weeks. Or if I know that these feelings are common for people just starting the Wellbutrin.

Day 9
So I am still taking 150 mgs of Wellbutrin XL. My moods are better and I've been sleeping so much better at night. Most importantly the fog has lifted from my brain which is wonderful! I can think again. The directions on the prescription bottle say to up my dose to 300mgs after a week by taking it twice a day instead of all at the same time. I haven't started that higher dose yet though.
*(This may be a better idea for you Ken).
So far the only side effects are anxiety and not all of the time - only on some days. That's really it. I guess I'm very lucky. I'm wondering though when the weight loss will kick in! I have managed to cut back my calories but I do not feel like my appetite is suppresed in anyway. Bummer. That is the one side effect I was looking forward to. I'm not sure I need to up my dose since I feel better. Do you think I should? That is what the Dr. said but I don't want unwanted side effects.

HI ALL :-)
well I told my dr. the truth about not taking WBXL like she thought, she was happy that i told her, as she was thinking about changing meds, I told her when i went to 300 that my heart was pounding like crazy with chest pain, all the time, but i am not sure if it is "soreness" from the pounding workout or if it is chest pain, that she did not like, did a ekg on me, it was normal, so it must be a side effect and then suggested that i stay on the 150mg for at least 3 weeks more, then try and go up to 300mg.. if the heart pounding and chest pain comes back, then we will try going up slowly,but i dont think we will have to, as my mood has picked up very nicely, i am still tired, actully worn out, but she thinks it maybe due to stress..very bad time at work the last few weeks,,and i dont see a improvement for a few months anyway,, but HEY I still have a GOOD paying job and it is secure.
ken

I just started taking Weelbrutin XL 150mg yesterday and I was told by the DR that since I have mitral valve prolapse I would have a harder time getting over the side effects. Has anybody else been told this or heard of it before? He put me on it as a diet aid and I was Wellbutrin back in 1992 and I don't remember losing any weight so I am not sure about any of this.

Patti,
See my comments on June 13, 2006 about getting my dosage of WXL up slowly to let my heart adjust.

I saw a bit of an effect on appetite at 150mg and then it went away. On 450mg now and can see very little affect on appetite unless I am really trying to not eat. Then, it seems to wear off by evenings. (see Aug 16 post about what my Dr said about clinical studies on 450mg as the dose for appetite suppression).

But, again, all of us are so different and react so differently to WXL (as noted in all the posts).

If you have trouble with the side effects, then talk to your Dr about increasing the dose like my Dr recommended. But, do not take this as advice to change your dosing.

Hope the 150mg helps and that the side effects will be few.

Pilgrim and I talked and we decided to move the Wellbutrin comments to another post.

To post your comments about Wellbutrin side effects, visit the following link:

Wellbutrin Side Effects