Wellbutrin XL and dose????

I've been on Wellbutrin XL for a week now at 150mg. I can already feel a difference and can tell that it's working. Next week I'm suppose to have my dose upped to 300mg and normal dose. My question is does anyone just take a 150mg dose? I've had really bad side effects on other antidepressants and I'm just scared I guess that it will happen again. My side effects are tremors to the point I couldn't even hold a pen. I went 6 months on Zoloft like that on the smallest dose, which didn't help the depression because it was to low. K, another question. Could I just be feeling better from the Xanax I've been taking at night? I've been under extreme stress with learn of my brothers cancer so the Xanax is helping me in the short term right now. Should I cut out the Xanax right now so that I can get a good idea if the Wellbutrin is truely working well? Ok that's enough questions. Thanks, Monty

Monty:

I took both Wellbutrin XL 150 mg. and Xanax together with no problems. Yes, the Xanax is immediate but it could be the combination of both. I took the " half dose" of 150 mg. daily and I felt alot better. My doc said as long as it worked, there would be no need to increase. I was happy with that, I only wanted to take enough to help, not make the situation worse by over medicating. My only problem with it was (embarrassingly enough) sexual side effects. I had the same with Zoloft which was HORRIBLE.

Alot of people are scared of Xanax (rightly so in some cases) but I think as long as you take it as prescribed, it should be fine. I've been taking it over a year now.

Take care and good luck!
Kimberly~

I took 150 mg for 3 days and then was upped to the usual 300mg. I usually don't have any side affects but on the other hand most doses of meds that are below normal usually have NO affect on me. I think you should try it out. You can always switch back....right?

I take 450 mg of wellbutrin. I have noticed that if I drink much caffeine in the morning (especially if I dont eat) that my hands will shake. It can be annoying but it is well worth it for me. The shaking can be minimized if i make sure to eat breakfast.

I took Wellbutrin SR 150, and it made me shaky. When I upped to 300, I was a disaster. I was constantly dizzy and had a difficult time with depth perception. I also shook like a leaf and had little or no attention span.

I am and have been on 100 mg of Wellbutrin sr since the beginning of the year or so. It works with just a tiny bit of tremor. So I think it depends on the person. Zoloft was horrible for me. Paxil is fine. People react differently.

I take 300 mg of Wellbutrin XL. I have only been taking it a couple months but so far it is working well. I took 150 for a week then my pdoc upped it to 300 mg. 150 didn't seem to be doing anything but then maybe it was because i hadn't taken it that long.

I have not had tremors from it at all. It has really been an unproblematic med for me and it seems to work well.

I wouldn't stop taking any med without the knowledge of your doc. There can be some strange side effects if you stop any med cold turkey.

Good luck with the Wellbutrin. I hope it works well for you.

Kimberly,
Yeah I think that's one of my fears is that I'll become over medicated. I've been fighting my T for a few months when he said something about the meds. He knew I wanted to go thru this without the help of medication. I've been to some T's that medicated you on the first visit. I didn't want to go thru that again. But I've been with this T for over 3 years and I trust his judgement. Understand about the sexual side effects, Another fear. I'm lucky to be in a happy marriage and I don't want that side effect again. Guess I'll get T's take on the dose. I haven't seen him in 3 weeks and so he hasn't seen me since I've started the medications. Maybe see if he even see's a change?
Monty

Monty:

I think it's a wonderful idea. He would be able to gauge if there is a difference, probably just as well or better than someone who is extremely close to you. How about your husband? Does he have an opinion on it? Has he noticed any changes? He's with you everyday, though and sometimes the changes are very subtle. You and I have something in common then, I'm happily married ( 11 years past July) and it does a number on a marriage that has a usual very healthy sex life. So if you need someone to talk to, pm me anytime. Keep us posted on how things are going. =)

Good luck!
Take care,
Kimberly.

My pdoc just upped my dosage to 450 miiligrams since he thinks I am going through a major depression at the moment. I did not notice much of a difference when I went from 150 to 300. Wellbrutrin seems to have a more subtle affect than other meds that I have been on.

Good luck with your new dosage.

I take 300mg and have had no side affects.

(((((((Monty_Girl))))))Good to see you back on the forums.

Here's my take on Wellbutrin; of all antidepressants, it is the one with the least nasty side effects. I liked it b/c I didn't feel like my head was in the fog all the time; it works subtly; lots of caffeine of course, will make anyone shake, (and that also includes caffeinated sodas & teas)

My soul mate is just starting Wellbutrin right now; the change in his mood has been smooth & positive; it has a decrease in his appetite & sometimes he drinks too much coffee when on it & then he gets wired and "snippy", but it's been a smooth transition w/o nasty side effects. The
Xanax may be good at the beginning & then slowly taper it off & then d/c it.....

As a informed warning to all, stay away from Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Effexor & other SSRI's; they are very dangerous to your mental health. Check out www.SSRI-Research@yahoo.com

After taking myself off Effexor, I am still affected by the chemical screw-up caused by SSRI's. (DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR; only a nurse...You should ALWAYS consult w/ your primary physician about any medications that you are taking)

Peace, DAYZEE

Hey (((((((((((((((( Dayzee ))))))))))))))))))))))))

Prozac and my house did not get along. After being on it for something like 2 weeks I went crazy and trashed my house. That was the end of that med. OK

I'm kind of tapering off the Xanax. The last I had was tuesday night. I kind of wanted T to be able to tell if there are any effects yet from the Wellbutrin. I need to cut out the caffeine. Got BP's last week at the doc's 158/110 one day and then 154/100 a couple of days later. I'm hoping that those #'s were just from the shock I've been in. Things aren't normal, don't think they will be for some time yet. But the reality of him being sick with cancer. I guess I've accepted the fact now. I find out tuesday when my brother starts his chemo. Feels like someone's ripped my heart apart.

Dayzee: I agree with you on the Zoloft and Prozac. Prozac made me crazy anxious and extremely irritable. It worked for a couple of months, then it only made it worse. There are times when I was on Zoloft (next med) that I didn't even know where I was. I was walking around in a daze and couldn't remember crap. Those meds are dangerous

((((((Monty))))))) so many prayers and good thoughts going your way. Hope the meds do work for you soon. Take care of yourself.

Kimberly.

I saw my doc yesterday. She's going to keep me on the 150mg of Wellbutrin XL for another 3 weeks. She wants to see what my blood pressure does. It's come down some, but still high.

Hey Monty!! It is almost three weeks and wondering how you're doing on the 150 mg?

we were at 300 mg of the XL for a long time (close to a year) and four weeks back the pdoc suggests taking it up to 450 mg. well with the XL there isn't any other increment to go in so it is a large increase.

wretched!! it isn't as bad as all the previous versions of bupriorion HCl we've tried (been on some version of past five years) but still interrupts daily life with the SE's at this dose.

the pdoc yesterday said to try an addition four weeks if possible. sure. we didn't plan on functioning in life anyway..........what need for eating, sleeping or motor coordination would we have?!

so..........we've vented about our cranky med increase and how much we're not liking it.

where are you at?

fondly,
__zh

Hey _zh, I go in the morning at 11. Still been on the 150mg and I can tell a difference. So I'm hoping that she will leave me on it. Also going to get a referral to a gastroenterolist so I can have some test done. Scared to death with this. But I'll update you when I get back and see what's going on.
Monty

About two months ago I decided that I needed more therapy and was really feeling stuck in a rut. I went to see my phychiatrist and we decided that I would try taking Wellbutrin XL 150mg. At first I liked the feeling; it kind of made me feel speedy and energetic. About 6 weeks into taking the drug I suddenly became very depressed and hopeless. If I hadn't been depressed all my life and been used to deep low moods, I might have comitted suicide. I didn't realize until I was sobbing, sitting in my Drs office begging for relief, that it was the wellbutrin that was causing me to freak out. At that meeting my Dr., he demanded I stop taking the Wellbutrin immediatley. It has now been 3wks and I'm feeling a lot more in control. I dont know if I would have realized that the Wellbutrin was having such an effect on me if I wasn't aware of the possible side effects or how to read my body and thoughts. Who knows what would have happened. Just be aware of the side effects of any med you take. Good luck.

She took me off of the Wellbutrin today. My blood pressure is still pretty high. She started me on Lexapro 10mg's today. I have to keep track of my blood pressure daily and keep a log. I have to go back in a month to see if she's going to keep me on this medication or not. We did blood work today. I had a good nurse for that. She got it on the first try.
Monty