Any Wellbutrin success stories ???

I'm on day 5 of Wellbutrin SR, prescribted by my PDC for depression. I was suppposed to take 150mg 1x a day for the first three days, then on day 4, up it to 150mg 2x a day. But the single dose was making my anxiety worse, so I'm going to wait at least another day to start the 2x.

I've been waking up very early with the 'jitters'. Last night was the worst. Woke up at 3:30am, never fell back asleep. I'm running on empty right now.

Does anybody have experience with Wellbutrin? Does the anxiety subside? Has it it treated your depression adequately?

Thank you.

Wellbutrin works great for me. I have been on prozac, celexa and for a short time topamax in combination with remeron. I never got significant results until I got on wellburtin. I am taking 150mg twice a day and 45 mg remeron once a day. My suicide ideation has gone away and I am able to pull myself out of depressive down turns much more quickly. I feel human. Of course I am not going to say that this is just because of the meds. I have worked hard during therapy. I will say when I was on the lower dosage of Wellbutrin I was a total mess. It didn't really get working for me until we kicked itup a notch or two.
Take care,
Good luck,
Zen<font color=blue>

Those who know they do not know gain wisdom. Those who pretend they know ramain ignorant. Those who acknowledge their weakness become strong. Those who flaunt their power will lose it. Wisdom and power follow truth above all. For truth is the way of Tao. --from the Tao Te Ching

I have had more success with WB than with anything. I currently take 150mg 2x a day (first thing in the morning and at 3 p.m.) I have taken up to 400mg of WB a day.

I have tried a number of drugs in the past 4 years, but have taken WB consistently for the last 3. It's the only one that seems to work. I take it with Zoloft and Serzone right now, but will be off the Serzone next week. I started taking WB with Remeron three years ago, and it made quite a difference as an augment, but was even better when we reduced the Rem and made WB my primary AD. I also have taken it alone and with Celexa and Neurontin.

I found I had a lot of irritability and hand tremor whenever my dose was upped. That would last for about 2 weeks. I would completely cut out caffeine to help control the tremors. Eventually the irritability would wear off and I'd feel a burst of energy that lasted for about a week. In that time I got all sorts of things done -- cleaning the house, doing yardwork, whatever -- I just felt like moving around and getting stuff done. Then that wore off. Some people think that when the energy burst wears off, the drug has pooped out, but the opposite is true. Cam has said in the past that that is when the drug really begins to kick in (he's right). So be patient. Also, don't try to split the pills: they have a time-release coating, and if you break it, you lose the time-release benefit.

I was a little surprised to see how quickly you are titrating up to 300mg. Maybe it would be good to go more slowly so that the side fx will be more tolerable and you'll be able to give it a fair trial. WB comes in 100mg tablets too (they're blue sted of purple). If 150 is too much, maybe you could drop to 100mg daily for awhile, and then move to 150 1x day and then 100 2x a day, and so on. The only problem with that I found is that I had to go through the side effects every time I move up in dose. But if the drug works, it's worth the discomfort and inconvenience.

Regarding sleep, take the WB early. As I mentioned, I take it upon waking, and at around 3. I don't have trouble with sleep on this schedule. I also am pretty careful to follow my doctor's advice on "sleep hygiene":
-- waking up at the same time every day;
-- no caffeine, alcohol, nicotine;
-- no daytime naps;
-- exercise early in the day;
-- avoid evening stimulation such as TV (read or listen to the radio instead);
-- 20-min hot bath soaks or showers before bed;
-- eat at regular times and avoid large meals near bedtime;
-- practice evening relaxation routines such as progressive muscle relaxation or meditation;
-- and maintain comfortable sleeping conditions.

I also have hot herbal tea before bed sometimes.

That's about all I can think of. Happy to try to answer any questions. Good luck!

Posey

"Life and death, loss and possession are one: There falls no shadow where there shines no sun."
- Shakespeare

I think it took three steps to get up the the level of WB that I am at now. Each time my PDoc gave me 6 weeks to see if it was enough. I am lucky that I didn't have any noticable sideaffects from it.
Zen<font color=blue>

Those who know they do not know gain wisdom. Those who pretend they know ramain ignorant. Those who acknowledge their weakness become strong. Those who flaunt their power will lose it. Wisdom and power follow truth above all. For truth is the way of Tao. --from the Tao Te Ching

I just got put on Wellbutrin as well
I hate my hands shaking--I feel so weird--I do have a little more energy though--
It has made it pretty hard to focus--I am also kind of worried about the whole drinking thing--I mean I don't drink much, but I am a college student for heavens sakes.
Agh well 2nd week--3rd day on 300mg hope this nervous shake goes away soon!!!

<font color=purple> Whatever you can do, or believe you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Goethe </font color=purple>

I drink on occasion with wellbutrin. I have not had any ill effects. I never drive when I do though. It is best not to drink while you are on anti-depressants because alcohol is a depressant and you are negating the usefullness of the pill. Cam may have other thoughts on the matter. Who knows maybe I am destroying my liver or something.
Zen<font color=blue>

Deal with the difficult while it is still easy. Solve large problems when they are still small. Preventing large problems by taking small steps is easier the solving them. Therefore, the Tao person anticipates and lives wisely, by small actions accomplishing great things.--From the Tao Te Ching

I've been on Prozac for at least 10 years now. it's helped my depression a lot but i'm still very unhappy with life and have no sex drive. Finally I've decided to try an additional med and Wellbutrin (bupropion) was recommended over Abilify to supplement the prozac (i take 20- 30 mg daily prozac). this is day 4 for me taking 50 -100 a day of BupropionSR.
mild side effects like headache and wakeful sleep- BUT i do feel a bitty bit better mood wise and it's such a low dose and so early so i am very hopeful and that's rare for me. i don't talk to anyone really but my doctor so this site might be good for me.
PS: is PoseyGurl from Staten Island, NY? Wright St.?

For some people, the anxiety and jitters subsides. This is often a side effect of Wellbutrin and occurs when first starting the medication or at each dose increase. I think you are wise to wait until the jitters subside before increasing your dose. Wellbutrin was very helpful to me for depression.

cool avatar wellbutrin on its own is like drinking 6 red bull