anxiety, paxil, and wellbutrin

I'd been having high and lows the past year. More lows than highs and normals.

Doctor put me on paxil, stuck in low, then bam I was in a high that wasn't quite out of control, manageable. My anxiety was gone, agoraphobia: I started going to new places, hang out with friends again, talk to family!

then bam after a month of awesomeness, cycling between high, normals, and lows..I got stuck in lows.

My depression was back, started wellbutrin and I don't feel depressed anymore, but my anxiety is still here? I don't want to leave the house but at the same time I want to leave the house? The agoraphobia is still here!?!?!?!? had a panic attack while driving...ugh

I used to be on that combination. The anxiety is likely from the wellbutrin. It should only be taken when waking up. The paxil is an SSRI. They are not safe. Why? Discontinuation syndrome. Possibly brain zaps. Sexual side effects. Suppresses human emotion. When you stop or miss a dose of paxil you are a danger. Suicidal mania, rage, aggression which you had not before. Welcome. The sexual side effects could add to your agoraphobic. Taper off of it and manage. Also taper to a lower dose of wellbutrin with the help of your doctor. Do not listen to me. I am not your doctor. Let your doctor decide how to screw you up. And he will. Trust me.Or you will. Use discretion.

The think you need to think about why it is exactly you are on these medications to begin with.
What do you think started it.

Did you go seeking drugs for a problem?
Did you start or stop some other common drug? Are you now trying to solve your problem with more drugs?
Is it depression caused by alcohol? Illegal drugs maybe. Smoking.
If any of this is the case it should be dealt with first. More drug wouldn't really help anyway.
You might have been told to trust your doctor. Where I am at after 20 years I would not.

Another thing I would think about regarding the agoraphobia is do you have too much adrenaline in the synapse. The wellbutrin is good for stopping smoking. But it also holds adrenaline there to I think. I'm on it to wake up and I stopped smoking with it. This is a benefit. But if you are feeling spooked or paranoid walking about the place consider lowering the dose.
Also. Having sexual feelings is very important for being able to relax when walking around town. Just consider that. If you have to stop your paxil to have sexual feelings you become a danger. This what I was trying to get across before.
You will likely pause paxil for sexual feelings. Then you have discontinuation syndrome. Danger. Not your fault though.
Along with losing social ability and a future.
Not knowing who you are permenantly.

Never mind my response I'm on medication.

There might be a little too much of a catastrophic mentality in your posts here, Charactor. What you have talked about are all items that one should be aware of, but being ruined for ever and losing your sense of personality and encouraging someone to stop their medication on a forum like this is a little much. A "I am not your doctor" disclaiming is probably not enough to cover those suggestions.

Anyhow, to the OP: Are you bipolar by any chance? This sounds like it could be a bipolar cycle and if you are bipolar it seems to be common practice to be placed on a mood stabilizer before taking anti-depressants. You could be feeling worse or more anxious if that was the case, due to the lack of mood stabilizer.

Wellbutrin is also known for increasing anxiety, or at the very least is poor at addressing anxiety. It is great that you have pulled out of this depression. For me, however, I will find a pattern of feeling less depressed, but more anxiety, that I believe plunges me back into depression. It is all about working to solve every symptoms to reach stability, because solving only one thing, the problem of another can probably make the first thing came back.

I hear you. I have agoraphobia also and I was able to go out for a while but then i hit a low and now I don't want to leave the house. I get myself to therapy but no where else. My therapist said I just have to get out there. No pill can actually cure it. It's hard, I realize this. I feel you.

am I bipolar?

Very possible, I fit the internet definitions to a T for Bipolar II/ultra rapid cycling(mood can change day to day, never during the day).

I only had one like full mania once or twice or thrice, nothing too serious: Bought 1000 dollars in lottery tickets, started looking for mansions and condos, was convinced I was going to become a millionaire, making plans what to do with my money, getting an application for a pladium credit card/black card, picking out my new car, asking people I know what they want me to buy them? Idk if that's full mania...happened a few times.

I got on paxil for 3 months, 2 months of pure suicidal depression, 1 month of euphoria/slightly manic mood. it was awesome.

I saw a pdoc for the first time 2 weeks ago, she put me on wellburtin and took me off paxil cold turkey after 3 months..

my first week was rapid cycling, normal, high, normal, high,normal, Irritated..craving alcohol...driving 90 mph...not doing any work at work....snapping on people(mania?).

this second week, 1 high day, 1 depressed day, rest good mood and normal days.

Wellburtin isn't too bad, longest I've gone without depressive episodes, only had 2.5 in the past 2 weeks opposed to like 80% of a week being depressed.

Only thing I'm worried about now is this damn anxiety, I feel great but I can't leave my room!!!! I've burned all my bridges while depressed, If I could just get past this anxiety...ife will be great. I don't think I need a mood stabilizer seeing as I rarely if ever go manic, I enjoy my hypomania.

I think that's a lie, but i'm no a doctor, lol.

Either it was a placebo effect or something but that paxil had me back to normal for a short period.

I tried ativan but that did nothing for me.

basically anyone know any bipolar II friendly anti anxiety meds that aren't benzos?

I'm gonna bring them up with my pdoc.

Hi jesusplay,
Not certain if it is "Bipolar 2 Friendly"--

Yes...not controlled; not addictive, anxiolytic===Buspirone aka Buspar.

Worked well for me.

Pax.........virago

cool, have you used it? I was reading that it's hit or miss.

JP: I would definitely ask to be screened for bipolar at your next Pdoc visit.

The thing is, I'm sure the hypomanias feel great, but by leaving them untreated you are dooming yourself to the resulting depression and anxiety. The key is stability, and the highs need to be curbed to help cure the lows.