[flannel_pajamas]

Tried:

1) Celexa-Made me extremely tired, caused sexual side effects
2) Zoloft-Turned me into apathetic zombie, caused sexual side effects
3) Cymbalta-Caused extreme fatigue and sexual side effects
4) Some tricyclic I can't remember the name of that made me extremely sleepy
5) St John's Wort, SAM-E, exercise, meditation, healthy eating, vitamin d, magnesium, etc, etc...all the non pharma stuff people recommend

6) Vyvanse-This was for possible ADD...made me feel great for a few days...alive, able to get stuff done, focused, optimistic, happy, more able to communicate. Thought I found the magic cure for all that was wrong with me. But, Dr made me stop taking it after three days because it elevated my heart rate to unsafe levels, so I don't know how it would've worked long term.

I haven't tried Wellbutrin. I'm wondering if it might work well for me. Doctor wants me tapering off of Cymbalta this month and then we will probably add Wellbutrin next month. Seems like it might be a good fit since it's more of a stimulating med than the SSRI's/SNRI's. I'm hoping it might give me some of the same benefits the Vyvanse seemed to be giving me.

I haven't tried Prozac or Lexapro or anything else, but I seem to respond to all the SSRI/SSNRI's in the same basic way...exhaustion and sexual side effects, so I'm hoping Wellbutrin might do the trick.

I've called my problem depression for years, but there is anxiety and likely ocd. Recently, I've realized that I am quite likely ADHD Inattentive (which would explain why the three days on Vyvanse seemed to change my life for the better almost immediately).

Unmedicated, I am sluggish, slow moving, constantly fatigued, depressed, anxious, have suicidal thoughts (though don't feel a real urge to act on them), extreme low self-esteem, hopelessness, etc, etc, etc.

Thoughts? Thanks!

[Petra5ed]

What's your issue? I'm not a psychiatrist but I'm on Vyvanse. I feel the same as you, that it is a miracle drug, but you will develop a tolerance. With Vyvanse I think you have initial euphoria, but after the tolerance somewhat less of an effect. I also take Welbutrin. It is a stimulant, so you might like it, although much less so than Vyvanse. I've been taking it for years... now they are switching me to Lexapro... too much anxiety for me with my current regime.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Wellbutrin has given me my energy back and lifted my depression, and it worked super fast. It has also helped with my concentration. Miracle drug in my opinion. Only side effect is insomnia if I take it too late in the day.

[flannel_pajamas]

Originally Posted by SingDanceRunLife

Wellbutrin has given me my energy back and lifted my depression, and it worked super fast. It has also helped with my concentration. Miracle drug in my opinion. Only side effect is insomnia if I take it too late in the day.

Thanks. Sounds like it will be the next thing I'll try. I think they initially held off on Wellbutrin since I have anxiety and it is a stimulant, but I think a stimulant is what I need to get off the couch. Just hope it doesn't raise my heart rate like Vyvanse did.

Kind of wish I could just start it right away, but my doctor is wanting me to taper Cymbalta all the way off before I start Wellbutrin for some reason.

[Nike007]

I wanted to try to go on Wellbutrin too. I have been on Zoloft and Lexapro. Lexapro is okay, but Zoloft made me exhausted too. I hope people can give me advice too.

Social anxiety disorder, GAD, OCD, and panic attacks

Lexapro, 10 mg

[SingDanceRunLife]

Originally Posted by flannel_pajamas

Thanks. Sounds like it will be the next thing I'll try. I think they initially held off on Wellbutrin since I have anxiety and it is a stimulant, but I think a stimulant is what I need to get off the couch. Just hope it doesn't raise my heart rate like Vyvanse did.

Kind of wish I could just start it right away, but my doctor is wanting me to taper Cymbalta all the way off before I start Wellbutrin for some reason.

I have horrible anxiety (at one point in time I was taking 6mg of klonopin daily -- 2mg 3x a day), so I understand. Then I started buspar which brought my anxiety down to a very tolerable threshold. I still take at least 1mg of klonopin daily at night for sleep, but most days that's all I take.

[nataliepatricia6183]

Right now I take Prozac and it doesn't make you tired..in fact it helps my energy levels. It works well if you get worried a lot or have anxiety. I just started not caring as much about that worries I had.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Originally Posted by nataliepatricia6183

Right now I take Prozac and it doesn't make you tired..in fact it helps my energy levels. It works well if you get worried a lot or have anxiety. I just started not caring as much about that worries I had.

Prozac made me tired. I had to take it at night if I wanted to be awake during the day.

Celexa also made me tired.

Zoloft and Lexapro were neutral, I could take them either morning or night, but I chose night because it's easier for me to remember.

So pretty much what I'm trying to say is that all drugs will affect not just you, but others in different ways.

[Lauliza]

Your symptoms when unmedicated sound just like mine. I've been diagnosed with ADD inattentive type and need some kind of stimulant To function at what I consider a productive level. Like you I tried all the others and none of it helped, at least not in the long term. I now take a combo of Wellbutrin and a low dose of Prozac and I really like it a lot. It helps with the motivation and energy but in a much more subtle way. I have so much anxiety that the Prozac helps offset any agitation. I can't take a high dose of SSRIs since I gain a lot of weight and often feel much more depressed. Prozac has been my best one so far.

I take adderall too but don't need as much with the Wellbutrin. Plus, taking both together sometimes makes me so fatigued it's uncomfortable. I take less Adderall (meaning less than 60mg a day) and notice the fatigue has subsided. Also, my doctor started me very slowly on the Wellbutrin since I had bad side effects with a generic version in the past (which is no longer available). I have had much better luck with it this time around. It definitely may be worth a shot.

[ccrown25]

I am also considering Wellbutrin/Klonopin/Vyvanse. I have been on 20 mg of Brintellix for six months now and I have managed to get my depression under control and bring my anxiety down to a lower level. Some days, my anxiety goes overboard and it is EXTREMELY difficult to function. In my mind I want to be up and active and physically doing things but my anxiety prevents me from doing so because I get a feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start and I sometimes I also just feel like I dont have the energy. I also have trouble staying asleep some nights. My doc gave me Ativan and it will help me fall asleep but not stay asleep. He is very reluctant to put me on any type of Benzo but I am at my wits end with this stupidass anxiety!

[flannel_pajamas]

I started Wellbutrin Monday, and have been feeling reasonably good, but I'm afraid it is making me anxious and raising my heart rate in the same way the Vyvanse did unfortunately. My resting heart rate used to always be somewhere around 80bpm or so, and for the last couple days it's been averaging around 100bpm, sometimes as high as 110bpm. I'm not going to take it tomorrow and am calling my dr Monday to tell him about my heart rate.

I wish I knew what my problem is. For years, I thought it was depression. Then I thought it was anxiety. Then I thought it was my thyroid. Then I thought it was low testosterone. Then I wondered if I was just making it all up. Then I thought it was ADD. I'm now beginning to wonder is my problem all along has been primarily anxiety...especially seeing as how both the Vyvanse and Wellbutrin have made my heart race.

I'm wondering now if something like xanax might help me. I wonder if I stress myself out so much with anxiety that I drain myself of energy and become depressed and lethargic as a result.

:/

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by flannel_pajamas

I started Wellbutrin Monday, and have been feeling reasonably good, but I'm afraid it is making me anxious and raising my heart rate in the same way the Vyvanse did unfortunately. My resting heart rate used to always be somewhere around 80bpm or so, and for the last couple days it's been averaging around 100bpm, sometimes as high as 110bpm. I'm not going to take it tomorrow and am calling my dr Monday to tell him about my heart rate.

I wish I knew what my problem is. For years, I thought it was depression. Then I thought it was anxiety. Then I thought it was my thyroid. Then I thought it was low testosterone. Then I wondered if I was just making it all up. Then I thought it was ADD. I'm now beginning to wonder is my problem all along has been primarily anxiety...especially seeing as how both the Vyvanse and Wellbutrin have made my heart race.

I'm wondering now if something like xanax might help me. I wonder if I stress myself out so much with anxiety that I drain myself of energy and become depressed and lethargic as a result.

:/

My heart rate was elevated on Wellbutrin when I took it years ago. this time my current pdoc started my dose very low - 75mg twice a day. It helped with the agitation and elevated heart rate. Did your pdoc start you on a low dose? Your body might just need to adjust.

[flannel_pajamas]

Originally Posted by Lauliza

My heart rate was elevated on Wellbutrin when I took it years ago. this time my current pdoc started my dose very low - 75mg twice a day. It helped with the agitation and elevated heart rate. Did your pdoc start you on a low dose? Your body might just need to adjust.

Thanks for the info. He started me at 150mg as a once daily pill that I take in the morning, so the same amount as you overall. I have a feeling taking 75mg 2x a day would give me sleeping problems. I usually have zero energy, but I've been feeling pretty okay on the Wellbutrin...not as good as I did on the Vyvanse, but still enough to finally get off my butt and start picking up some of the mess that started accumulating during the last several months of Cymbalta glueing me to the couch.

[jbuttz]

Wellbutrin made my heart rate go through the roof so I quit it cold turkey. It really messed me up.