[Secretum]

Has anyone else taken this AD? What is your general opinion of it? I recently started it, and I feel as craptastic as ever. I may be getting more done; it's hard to tell. I've heard really good things about it, however...so maybe I should give it more than 2 days to take effect.

[alwaysrejoice]

Hi Ive been on the max dose for quite awhile. I don't really know if it helps me, my doctors just never wanted to take me off of it for whatever reason. I recently had ECT. Depression had lifted tremendously but anxiety is out of control. I talked to my doctor about it yesterday and he told me to decrease the wellbutrin. He said it might be agitating me now that I'm not depressed due to the ECT. I reduced today to 300 mg as instructed. Pdoc also told me to increase ativan to 1mg. I'm still have too much anxiety today..... I do hear a lot of people swear that wellbutrin is great, but I can't say that from my experience.

[BNLsMOM]

I have a love-hate relationship with Wellbutrin. It all depends on the dose. When it is higher, it is too activating and I get anxious and angry, when it is lower, it does nothing of value that I can see. So far I have only been able to tolerate about 150mg/day without pretty serious side effects. I love the idea of what it is supposed to do for me, but I hate that it does't do it.

Well, Secretum, I can't answer just yet, but got a kick out of your timing(!) I just started it this morning. We're trying it as an add-on to my mood stabilizer. She put me on the SR version 150mg. Fingers crossed that it all go well.

Heheh, yeah, you should give it more than 2 days to take effect(!)

[Anneinside]

Just like most antidepressants, it can take weeks for it to work - 4 to 6 weeks usually. Two days is not a test of an antidepressant.

[AniManiac]

I've been on it for over 10 years and it's what kept me from falling to pieces all this time. I suspect the next pdoc will take me off it because I'm not an a mood stabilizer as well. I'm on a max dose, and I don't remember any problems other than a little dry mouth (so I chew gum) until I went from 300mg to 450mg and had two weeks of solid migraines.

I notice if I forget to take it, same day - I start feeling hyperemotional. If I skip a day, I really notice because everything makes me cry. It definitely is helping me keep that under control. I don't know about what others have said about it adding to anxiety. I think that could be true but have no good way to know what it would be like without the Wellbutrin. I think I'd be anxious regardless, so I'm not sure how much difference it might be making.

It's been a lifesaver for me, but of course with the pending bipolar dx, I'm guessing I'll have to try some other stuff for awhile.

[Capriciousness]

I was on this for awhile but it made my anxiety worse so we took me off. It did help with the depression though. My new pdoc says I was just on a bad dose and an outdated version. So who knows.

[SunAngel]

It made me feel like I was on speed. I hated that AD. I didn't sleep for 2 weeks straight. I was anxious as hell on it.

[ohlala]

I was on it for 6 months. It did nothing for me except give me a dry mouth and sweats. I've read that with Wellbutin some people say there is a considerable difference in the effect of the name brand vs.the generic but since my insurance only covered the generic I had no way to compare.

[Secretum]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! I was joking about being upset that it hadn't taken effect after 2 days; I know these things take longer, but I have a weird/obnoxious sense of humor. So, sorry about that.
Innerzone, I hope it works for both of us too. How have you been?
SunAngel, it almost sounds like it made you manic! My pdoc did mention that it can be destabilizing for people with bipolar, but since I had been taking tegretol for awhile and was quite miserable, he decided to take the risk.
I have heard a lot about the generic/brand issue...I'm on the generic, so I hope that that is all due to a nocebo effect (opposite of a placebo response; the nocebo effect occurs when a patient doesn't get better on a med that s/he was confident wouldn't work).

About the generic, I think it depends on the manufacturer. My pdoc used to require the brand name, but at some point it got switched over to generic and I haven't noticed any different so I must be on the okay manufacturer. Give it a few weeks. Like all AD's it takes time. I take 300mg.

Originally Posted by Secretum

...Innerzone, I hope it works for both of us too. How have you been?...

No worries. I knew you were joking about the time frame. And apropos to that, I don't know yet what is what, but doing pretty well. Had a few days of getting things done. Even all of one day doing computer things. Ran into a couple of problems, one minor, one substantial. The stubborn problem (still not fixed, not sure it can be), did not "send" me. (!!!!!) Very annoyed and frustrated? Yes. But no flip out. Because that has been something I've always struggled with and it being not unusual for people to have agitation/rage issues on this, I considered it a good sign. (Not that it would erase this issue for me - that's too much to ask - but that maybe it won't exacerbate it.) It's too early to really make anything of that of course, but it was a nice little signpost to note.

(Worked on 3 computer things that day. Computer just said that the other major thing didn't take. Sigh. So apparently I will be put to the test again... Might be taking a power walk today... )

[MSsMom]

I have been on 150mg for years (with trliptol, geodon and clonopin), never any bad side effects. Still have lots of depression though.

Benefits are that it is slightly activating--in a positive way for me to help me start the day with some energy and it really curbs the appetite, which is helpful to me personally.