I have been on Wellbutrin XL 150mg for 5 days now and have notice...

I've been on Wellbutrin 300 for 3 1/2 years, the last 1 1/2 on XL. I have bi-polar disorder with OCD tendencies on top of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and of all the drugs on the market I like this one the best. No brain shocks, no lethargy, and no impact to my sex drive. I do feel better on it and it allows me find some happiness without stressing over the inevitable depression that followed. That said, a lot of the side-effects I've read over the previous 3 pages are on par with what I've experienced. The dizziness and ear ringing are annoying. The leg pain (especially in the hips) the forgetfulness, and slight tremble in my hands I do no like a lot but I tolerate them since my previous mental state is wholly undesirable. I simply stretch a lot and no longer get upset when I forget something. I do get very hungry in the AM after taking it but otherwise I'm fine for the rest of the day. The awakeness I like If you don't, maybe try XL. When I switched from SR 2x day to XL in the AM only, my insomnia went away. That may be where any short temperament is coming from. I do get irritable sometimes too but I make a strong effort to keep it under control, recognizing it's the drug working and not because I'm loosing it. The drug does balance out emotions which for a bi-polar is essential so when people talk about not finding anything funny or unable to laugh that might be why (I still laugh and laugh hard). It takes away the lowest lows but it also takes away the highest highs. 300 - 450 mg is a very large dose. I had to work up to my current dose so maybe scaling back will help. I also recommend taking the brand name XL not the generic. There are recent studies that show the generic version does not release the drug on schedule - something I had figured out on my own some time back.

Just a quick note .. I have been on Wellbutrin for roughly 3 years as well. I was not diagnosed or treated for depression roughly 7 years before that and things got progressively worse. Main symptoms were CHRONIC lethargy and forgetfulness. Never suicidal so docs kept passing off as "working mother" issues. Eventually got diagnosed and treated with Paxil and some other meds I don't remember. Ended up being a nightmare. I did my own self research and eventually connected with a PA and asked to be put on Wellbutrin. Life will not be perfect if you need to be on medicines and I am a believer in the fact that everyone reacts differently and to different degrees with meds, but this medicine has made me functional again. Oh yeah .. and the wellbutrin did not work for me either, only the XL and for some reason (no logical sense?) the generic XL doesn't work for me either. It's as if I am not even on any meds. Luckily, my doc agrees.

Within three weeks of taking XL, I no longer had to drag myself out of bed and drag myself through the day. I am no longer "chronically" forgetful but when there are high stress times (I have three kids and a job), my forgetfulness gets worse again. I manage this problem now in two ways -- don't get too upset, and developed a system of "logging" both at work and at home. At work I review my log to make sure I remember what's going on and what needs to be done. It'll floor you how many things you COMPLETELY forget. I increased dosage once (300 to 450) and got lightheaded, nauseous slightly. Went back to 300 and found other ways to manage my "blahs" (more light! light box really does work). I rarely drink but if I decide to have a margarita with that special night out with my husband, dizziness and feeling a little "out of it" can last for nearly a full week. Obviously I don't do that very often. A lot of sweets (LOTS) also seems to have the same effect. I eventually would like to wean off Wellbutrin all together but only when my home life is much more stabilized than it is now. A life coach was a Godsend, but I could only afford her for about three months (not covered by health insurance0. She was a counselor by training but wanted to concentrate on working with folks to implement better lifestyles. She taught me logging methods, learning to stop after each major task, relax, do something enjoyable to change those brain chemicals a bit (laugh!), and MAJOR work on getting over anxieties of failing, doom etc. A lot of prayer is important in my life too.

Anyway, for Baker2771, I don't know what the right answer is for you but pray and trust that you will find the right path of healing for you. You'll be a much more compassionate person for the troubled walk you are on and therefore a better person down the road and it will be possible again to have energy and enjoy life immensely. God bless.

Oh yeah .. and I missed your main question ..sorry. I also was horrible at "lashing out" and I believe there is a chemical imbalance that causes this (maybe hormonal? ). It definitely went away 95 percent of the time for me and I have three kids and LOTS of demands. It comes back during periods of extreme stress and when other factors are not managed (winter months need light box .. if neglect use, feeling of blahs come in etc). Its a combination of things you do to manage your situation. No one answer but you can come out of this. My docs have also prescribe buspar (would need to check the dosage). This combination works for me.

My doc also told me that people who have chronically been depressed for years can take years to come out of it .. some "brain healing" is needed when your chemicals have been out of balance for so long. Some feel this is not possible but I believe it can get better .. not complete cured but better.