[MissyB0201]

I'm on lamotrigine and wellbutrin. I *believe* the wellbutrin is causing anxiety. I had tried Zoloft and Celexa prior to starting lamotrigine and they didn't help. I will be calling my psych soon for a script change. Increase in lamotrigine and I want to wean off of wellbutrin and try something else. What else is out there that doesn't cause anxiety and helps with depression? Sounds funny asking for something, but that's the sort of help we have here. That and I think he trusts my judgement. It's really odd. I would rather him recommend something, but that hasn't happened. Thanks.

[MissyB0201]

Maybe zoloft would be different while on lamotrigine??

[AnxietyGirl916]

I take both Lamotrigene and Zoloft and the combo has been a godsend for me. Maybe you need a higher dose of Zoloft. 50mg is starting. I don't know what you were on before, but maybe you need like, 100mg.

[Phoenix_1]

I don't respond well to SSRI's or SNRI's. I'm currently taking a tricyclic AD, imipramine. Tricyclics are older AD's and don't have the side effects of the newer SSRI's and SNRI's I took it in the late 80's and it worked well for me. I may have been hypomanic when I was on it. I'm not sure because I wasn't diagnosed until 2011 with BP2. Now I find that taking it with respiridone and lamictal work much better for me.

[ChaoticSymphony]

Wellbutrin was an easy one to get off of. My gp gave me Prozac because of anxiety but am pretty sure it has sent me a little hypo. Trial and error I'm afraid as everyone is different.

[BipolaRNurse]

Not being a doctor, I cannot recommend a medication for you, but I can share what I've learned from my own experience.

I'm on a sub-subtherapeutic dose of Celexa because I apparently can't do without at least a little bit of SSRI. Unfortunately, even a 10 mg dose probably contributed to mania in the past. I didn't think Celexa did anything for me until it was stopped during my last manic episode; once that had resolved, I crashed into an evil depression and was put back on an even lower dose than I'd been on before. That seems to have corrected the problem, although with this illness, who KNOWS how long one can go between mood swings.

Wellbutrin, OTOH, made me completely nuts. I wasn't anxious, I was merely a raging, psychotic bytch from Hell who threatened to kill people and thundered around my workplace shouting and slamming doors. Needless to say, that's when the WB went away and my primary care provider sent me to a psychiatrist to get me "straightened out", as he put it.

I've been on Paxil and Prozac in the past, as well. I liked Paxil for its anti-anxiety properties, but it made me hypomanic. Prozac merely put 35 pounds on me and then I was REALLY depressed.

Bottom line: it's probably best if a bipolar person can do without antidepressants entirely, but if you're like me and really have to have SOMETHING along with the Lamictal, the trade-off might mean having to go on an antipsychotic. Some of those are actually recommended for bipolar depression, such as Latuda and Abilify.

Just a few thoughts, use them as you think best.

[NWgirl2013]

Originally Posted by MissyB0201

I'm on lamotrigine and wellbutrin. I *believe* the wellbutrin is causing anxiety. I had tried Zoloft and Celexa prior to starting lamotrigine and they didn't help. I will be calling my psych soon for a script change. Increase in lamotrigine and I want to wean off of wellbutrin and try something else. What else is out there that doesn't cause anxiety and helps with depression? Sounds funny asking for something, but that's the sort of help we have here. That and I think he trusts my judgement. It's really odd. I would rather him recommend something, but that hasn't happened. Thanks.

Every single person is different, and the drugs you choose to introduce into your system will effect you differently than me, or anyone else here. Other peoples accounts here of drug interactions, effects, are the exact opposite of my experiences with the same drugs.

I think it's great that your doc trusts your judgement; who else know better how you feel and how drugs are affecting you than you. You can ask him to suggest things, based on symptoms you report to him. It sounds like he is being sensitive to you and wants to help you get it right.
Do a little homework based on his future recommendations and you may find the right combination of things that help you.
Unfortunately, it is trial and error until then.
Best of luck to you!

[IndieVisible]

I'm on Wellbutrin too and your right it does increase anxiety because it's a mild stimulant. I added Zoloft to the mix and this combo seems to work nice together for me. You can say I am more WellOft. The Wellbutrin makes me less fatigue and the Zoloft counters the anxiety Willbutrin adds and also gives an additional kick as a AD. The nice thing about Wellbutrin is you can always stop cold turkey. And start any time again and it starts working immediately.

[Eliza Jane]

How about an atypical antipsychotic with antidepressant properties? Abilify has saved my life.

Good luck,
EJ

In my experience I took effexor from Feb 07 to Sept '13 and did very well with it . In Sept I asked about meds for my adhd and was switched from the effexor to wellbutrin cause I couldnt take both at the same time. I got pushed into mania and had to go off it. Went into depression in Nov. Pdoc added a low dose tricyclic called amoxepine the first week of Jan and that has made a positive difference. The luvox I have taken since last April for my social anxiety.
I've been on at least one AD all the time along with MS.