Wellbutrin and depression

I tried wellbutrin for a few weeks I had been having some bouts of depression. I had bad side affects. I was rude to people, I was very blunt. It really scared me. so I stopped taking it..in a few days I was back to normal.

I have been taking 150 mg Wellbutrin SR twice a day for about a month now. It has lifted and stabilized my mood to a lifesaving degree. I feel like I have "me" back and my life back after suffering through a very deep depression for approx. a year. My only negative side effects are a bit of cystic acne, which I haven't had since college (I am 45 now) and breast tenderness all month long rather than just before my cycle. I have started using Proactive for the acne and it is working well. I guess I'll just live with the breast tenderness if it means having my life back! I have also had a few positive side effects, namely, my libido which was completely dead has started to re-emerge, and I am eating less, although I haven't lost any weight yet. (I used to have a compulsive desire to binge and that has waned.) I have more energy but whether this is due to the Wellbutrin or just ot being in a fog of depression, I can't say. Overall, Wellbutrin has been a very positive medication for me. I have used Prozac and Zoloft in the past and they neither worked as well on my mood and also had many unbearable side effects (weight gain, loss of libido, inability to orgasm to name a few). I'm hoping once I have been stabilized for a while the doctor will allow me to lower my dose and perhaps then the breast tenderness will go away.

I have been taking a generic version of Wellbutrin SR 150mg for almost 2 months now. I also take Zoloft 50mg. Before I started the wellbutrin, I had been taking zoloft for over a year to help with depression. The zoloft was working very well for my depression, but it completely killed my libido and as a newlywed, I felt something had to be done as it was beginning to affect my relationship with my husband.
So my doctor prescribed the wellbutrin. For the first couple of weeks I experienced a lot of nervous energy, a shortness of breath, a bit of nausea, forgetfulness and confusion. I almost stopped taking it because I didn't feel it was helping my libido either. But I stuck with it and after 3 weeks, it felt like it was definitely having a positive effect on my sex life. My husband noticed it too. He mentioned how much more responsive I had become when we were intimate. After 2 months, I am absolutely convinced that it has changed our lives and our relationship.
It is not, by any means a miracle drug though. I have a few complaints about it, the main one being the CONFUSION that I experience for hours after I take it. I was taking it in the morning before I went to work and everyday I noticed that I was not as sharp and efficient as I usually am. I figured this was a temporary side effect so I kept taking it as usual, but it never went away! I kept forgetting everything, lost focus easily, had dull headaches, and generally felt as if I could not connect to what I was doing.
SO...about a week ago, I thought I would try to take it at night...when it's not as important to be sharp and focused (and more important to be turned on). And it has turned out great! I'm so glad I started to do it. It doesn't affect my sleep...in fact I think I sleep better. And when I wake up in the morning, my dull headache is gone and I feel less foggy. At work, I feel normal again. My short term memory has recovered and I don't get confused as easily.
If you suffer from a lot of memory loss and confusion from this medication, I definitely suggest taking it at night. It has really helped me! Thanks and good luck!

After taking wellbutrin xl 150 mg. for 2 weeks, my 13 year old son broke out in large red hives that over the course of the last few days have covered his body from head to toe. He has joint pain and is itching like crazy. Doctor prescribed prednisone and he's also taking benadryl. Doctor thought the hives could be a virus but doesn't seem so given all of these posts. He's stopped taking the wellbutrin today. The wellbutrin was so helpful for his depression but the hives are horrible. Any idea how long the hives will last?

I started taking wellbutrin sr 150 mg about a week ago. I did okay on it, but my depression wasn't better. My doctor increased my dosage to 300 mg a day (150 mg in am, 150 mg in pm). Since then, I have had 1 panic attack, and I feel like I can't stop moving around. My heart also started to "flutter" a little bit last night. I'm also taking xanax for anxiety, and I admit I've taken more of it the last few days to deal with the anxiety. I think I'm going to go back down to the 150 mg once a day for a while, because this anxiety is killing me.

I am taking Wellbutrin and it has helped my depression and desire for drugs every day. I have bad ringing in my ears all the time but I can deal with that compared to the good it has done.. The problem is I'm a engineer which requires a lot of concentration that I have lost since I've been on Wellbutrin. I also have memory loss. I can't remember peoples names 2 minutes after they told me. I am a support engineer so I have to tallk to many people every day as well as typing cause and solution. I find myself having to read everything I type over again because I leave out words and sometimes what I type makes no sense at all. Wellbutrin has helped me so much but I think I will have to stop or lose my job. What a choice. Before I started taking Wellbutrin I never felt like I was in tune with the world. Smoking pot worked for me but we all know what the long term effect of that is. Codine also made me feel like I fit in. So Wellbutrin has fixed all those needs and feelings but I just hate the loss of memory, concentration, and ringing in my ears.

Add me to the list! I have been on 300 mg Wellbutrin for the past few years. My hair is falling out and you can see my scalp. Just like many of you, I went the thyroid tests route, to no avail. I'm so thankful that in my desperation I did a search on hair loss and this drug. I will see my doctor and get off this stuff as soon as I can. It does help with depression, but who on earth can deal with watching your hair fall out on the sink and on the floor and down your back....I'll take the withdrawal headaches, as long as I have some hair on the outside of my head. Thanks to you all for writing about it. We are not crazy!

I have been taking the generic form of Wellbutrin (social anxiety with a touch of ADHD) for just over six months and as much as I hate to admit it, I believe that the bad is finally, convincingly, outweighing the good.
The good things that came along with 150mg of the SR every morning at 11:00: Weight loss (but only after an initial one month period of eating every form or carbohydrate I could find), it seems to brighten the whites of my otherwise cloudy eyes, helped me maintain conversations with people that I would have normally cut off early, and possibly--but only possibly--helps me focus (although the hyper focus that I used to get via the ADHD is gone. Completely. Non-existent.)
Which brings me to the bad: This goes against most of what I've read other people experience on Wellbutrin but lethargy has set in. And it feels like it's here to stay. It's not really a sedated lethargy but more of a false contentment that everything is just fine the way it is. No progression, no improvement, and looking to the future is almost impossible through the fog. I too, during the first two or three weeks, had the speedy, productive reaction to the medication. But that has subsided. Next, hair loss has become a concern. I'm in my thirties and it could be just how it goes but I truly doubt it. Mild constipation may seem bearable but I miss regularity more than I have time to describe. Ringing in the ears. Impaired memory. Confusion. Forgetfulness to a fault. Mild hives on the back. Irritability. A marked shortness of breath. After one month on Wellbutrin, I could barely run a mile on the treadmill when I've been accustomed to flying through three to five with ease. I feel weak, vulnerable even. Working out has therefore fallen to the wayside. And last, but probably the worst, this medication has seemed to cultivate a serious craving for other drugs. I can't explain it but I can't take it anymore either.
Like most people on a medication, I have read numerous posts and some people share some of my concerns but mostly, it seems that the people who report in are the speedy folks on day two or week two. That is, in my opinion, only a bit helpful, since these effects are usually short-lived. Wellbutrin started out with promise but while parts of me look into the mirror and see an improvement, underneath it all, I know that it is purely a nicely dressed form of prescribed avoidance.
I haven't posted this to discourage anyone. If it works for you--great. Really. But I also haven't read anyone's experience that matched my own so I figured it might help someone who is going through any of the same. Good luck.

I have been on Wellbutrin 300mg for about 5 months now along with Cymbalta 90 mg for postpartum depression. I have had VERY VERY bad memory loss (mostly short term), constant overheating (sweating for no reason), headaches, muscle spasms, trouble urinating, dry mouth, also I have been told by my practitioner that the generic form of Wellbutrin for some reason DOES NOT work as well as the name brand even though they are supposed to be the same thing.

Been on Wellbutrin 150XL for a while. It didn't relieve the depression so well but WOW do I want to tell everybody off!
It's the A #1 road-rage drug.And it feels so good giving everyone a piece of my mind.If it get any worse I'll have to go off it.

Thank god I found this site. I was prescribed Wellbutrin today for my depression. I was already on Lorazepam and that's all I had wanted again. But I guess since Lorazepam causes dependency, doctor's do not want to prescribe it much. My depression got deeper because I noticed hair loss in the first place and no one took me seriously. This doctor KNEW I had issues with hair loss already (i'm a woman) and I once had eating disorders and he went ahead anyway and prescribed this. If I had taken this I can honestly say I would have total bald spots on my head!
Thanks for this site!

The first time I went on Wellbutrin, I had a really bad reaction to it. I had insomnia, horrible tremors, apathy, I felt like I was walking around in a cloud. I went on to try other medications. Now I'm taking a combination of Prozac and Wellbutrin and it seems to be working. My depression is under control. I don't have the apathy or zombie feeling anymore, but I do still have the tremors, though they aren't as bad. I get some mild insomnia, but taking it in the morning helped with that, and lately I've found that a little bit of coffee in the morning (not too much, don't need to be MORE shaky) helps with a lot of my side effects. I do have the confusion and concentration issues too. It hasn't caused any severe problems, it only seems to really happen in casual conversation, where I'll completely forget what I wanted to say. It's annoying, but way better than depression, and not severe enough for me to stop.
To those people who are telling others to stay away from this drug, or any drug for that matter, don't forget that there is a reason there are so many different kinds of anti-depressants. Everybody's body chemistry is different, so their gonna react in different ways. Also, the people who don't have issues with side effects rarely go looking for sites like this....
Just something to think about.

I too have experience a late period, 11 days late so far. In addition, I am having extreme nausea. I thought maybe I was pregnant, I took 3 tests and all are negative. I have been on the Wellbutrin for 1 month now and am not really thrilled with the results. Actually, I find it's not helping at all.

I was on Celexa for about 6 months and loved it with 2 exceptions. Hair loss and a huge loss of my sex drive.

My thought is that none of these drugs are without side effects...there is no free ride.

Anyone else have similar experiences with Wellbutrin?

I stopped taking wellbutrin xl 150 mg and lamictal 200 mg 3 days ago cold turkey because there is no way to cut thewelbutrin tablet in half and take it safely. The first day wasn't bad at all. I felt better than I have felt in years and years. Then yesterday I felt okay, but not as good as I did on the first day. Today I woke up feeling like I have the flu. Every single bone, joint and muscle in my body aches. I feel fine one minute and the next minute the room feels like it's spinning and the body aches return. My psychiatrist started me on all of this poison,,, oops, I mean, medications 2 years ago. I had lost a child and had gone into a deep depression which led to severe anorrhexia. He started me out on Lamictal and Lexapro and after a year of awful side effects from the lexapro(especially sexual side effects=no desire at all) he finally switched me to the wellbutrin xl and told me that it would help better than the lexapro. At my last appointment, 1 week ago, I asked him when and if I would ever be able to go off of these meds. And he told me that I am probably a "lifer". He refused to hear anything about my stopping or weaning off of these meds. So, after my 3 minute office visit and prescription refills written out I left the office. I did not take the prescription to the pharmacy because I decided then and there that the only reason he and a lot of other psychs put people on these outrageously priced prescriptions(the lamictal is $140 a month and the wellbutrin xl is $170 and that is for the generic per moth) is because they get HUGE incentives from the pharmaceutical companies to keep us on them. I will not go back on the meds ever again. I am tired of living in a drugged up state. I want to feel alive again like I felt before I ever started taking this crap.

Well my experience with Wellbutrin has been better than that with Lexipro which i was on for a month as well . I have been taking Wellbutrin for about a month now at 150 mg's. I am 15 years old and am on it for ptsd,depression,and anxiety I've been experiencing really vivid and horrific nightmare, mostly centered around cuts on my body and hurting my loved ones, it was really concerning me so I asked my psychiatrist about it, he recommended that I switch to different med's . So if any of you are experiencing what I am you might want to concider that option. Wish me luck on my path to a long awaited relief

I have been on WB 300mg for about a month now. I have had headaches on and off, lack of energy and an upset stomach to the point of almost vomiting almost every day the past couple weeks. I have not noticed any improvements in my depression. I know it is very common to gain weight on most antidepressants (which would just bring on more depression) but less common with WB which is why Ive decided to try it. Can anyone tell me how long I should stay on WB without improvements before giving up and moving on to something new?

I've been taking Wellbutrin on and off for several years now. It works for me and my depression and doesn't cause weight gain. Unfortunately, a lot of my hair was gone before I researched it and found that this seems common with many users. I stopped taking it for several months and my hair loss pretty much stopped. Some grew back in around my hairline and my head felt better, but not a significant regrowth on my crown. It definitely stopped coming out like it was. The improvement took about 3 months. I started taking it again and within 2 months I noticed that I was again loosing hair. I use Nioxin shampoo which slows it some, but will stop taking it again. In my research I found that some vitamins, scalp massage or yoga where your head is down and you increase blood flow helps. Hair color also helps for several reasons. I found, however, that while on Wellbutrin my scalp was very sensitive and sometimes had a burning sensation. My dose if very low at 75-150 mg per day. What a shame this side effect it is because this is a very effective medication! However, I have no doubt whatsoever that it's causing my hair loss.

Well I have been on it for about 3 weeks now.. I am taking it for depression along with Citalopram. Was put on it to give me an energy boost considering i feel tired all the time. Well the first week i could not fall asleep.. I'd lay there for 3 hours wide away!!! so the pharmacist told me to take Benadryl.. well i took that still took me awhile to fall asleep but not as long.. then was completely out like a light!!!! would sleep through my alarm!!!!But now.. I ITCH!!!!!!!! Behind the ears, back of my neck, my forearms... I'll break into little bumps on my forearms.... and also itch in between my thighs!!! So hopefully this will eventually go away!!! Have not spoke to the doctor yet about this.. The first couple weeks i felt down all the time.. but now I am feeling a lot better! so for the most part I think it is help.. besides the constant itching!!!!! I found that calamine and clear aloe have been helping some!

I have been on WBXR for about three weeks now. The only side effect I'm experiencing is urinary retention--having to sit for several minutes and really concentrate on peeing before it actually happens. It's so annoying! Can anyone tell me if this side effect goes away with time?

Started 9 days ago. 150 once a day.
Haven't smoked. Insomnia teh last 2 days were AWFUL!
Horrendous nightmares when i did fall asleep for 20 minutes.
Anxiety last 2 nights were painfully scary.
Is it really worth it to take this stuff?
Tylenol pm doesn't seem to work well for me when I am on Wellbutrin.
I have had more energy and the eating goes back an forth. One day I will eat anything I can get my hands on. Next day i hardly eat at all.
Email me. ******
Thank you.
Kat

Day 21 on Welbutrin XL 150 mg. - prescribed to help stop (light) smoking habit & for depression. I loved it - smoking urges not nearly as strong, more energy, very few emotional outbursts & general sense of calm, happiness & well-being. I haven't felt this good for 4 years. Have tried other meds in past but quit due to weight gain & sexual side-effects. Yesterday I developed HIVES. Damn. Saw nurse practitioner today. She wants me to switch to Lexapro. Told me to start w/ 1/2 a tab @ bedtime tonight. AAaaarrrgh! Anyone have any experience w/ Lexapro?

Hi! I've been on Wellbutrin XL since November 2007. It's late February 2008 and I just stopped taking it two days ago. I know I shouldn't go cold turkey, but like others...I'm afraid of the side effects.

I've been having headaches since December. After having my eyes checked (prescription barely changed) and returning to the chiropractor (thinking something may have been pinched in my neck), nothing helped. I have NEVER had migraines until I started taking this medication, which a friend brought to my attention. "When did you start having these headaches? Wasn't it around the time you started Wellbutrin?" He asked because he, too, has had issues finding an anti-depressant that worked for him. On many, he's experienced headaches.

My doctor ended up prescribing a CT Scan and an MRA w/contrast of the brain because I told her that, in addition to the migraines, I also had two occasions where it felt like I was going to have a stroke (like my head was just going to explode and I almost passed out).

I have yet to have the scans due to an insurance issue, but I have stopped taking the Wellbutrin to see if that will help. I'm not looking forward to the depression, but I'm hoping I can take other positive steps (exercise, proper diet, vitamins, etc.) to avoid taking any more anti-depressants. The side effects are NOT worth it, at least at this point. I'm just going to have to find another way to get myself out of bed in the morning! :)

My husband was prescribed 600 mg of Wellbutrin xl. He went into a psychosis. He lost touch with reality, was very agitated, had mixed episodes of mania and depression at the same time, couldn't sleep, he was having hallucinations- thought people were there that were not, heard a womans voice, thought we were penniless, thought I was talking to other men- usually he is very secure, not a jealous person. His head was shaking like he had Parkinson's disease, he had no motor skills. His Dr. told me to call if he went into Mania. I did not know that mania could go into psychosis. This all happened to him during the Christmas holidays and | could not reach the Dr. My husband lost touch w/ reality and broke the law and is now in jail. Please if you take this med, educate your loved ones of these possible side affects and about bipolar. I wish I knew then, what I know now. I also know now that 600mg is twice what the normal dosage and 450mg is the max anyone should take.

I've been taking Wellbutrin 200 mg at night for migraines, along with a low dose high blood pressure med in morning, these prescribed by my neurologist to combat migraines, which I was getting 15-20- times a month. I don't suffer depression or high blood pressure, but this seemed to work well for first 4-5 months. Only a few migraines in all that time, but she just increased me to 300 mg in morning instead because migraines are back. I had dry mouth, vivid nightmares, rapid heart beat that would wake me up middle of night, startled when I woke up, urgency to pee very often, them have to force it out, and have lost 10 pounds, which I didn't need to lose. Increased energy,less anxiety, and nightmares aren"t as bad, but am afraid will get worse on increased dose. But it worked for my migraines for 4-5 months wonderfully, and I've suffered for 20 years plus. Thought this might be helpful to someone out there>

i also have experienced much hair loss. it has been about 2 years now after the death of my mom, thought it may be just stress or perimenopause (41) but now after doing some research online I do think that it did all began after starting the Wellbutrin xl. I take 300 mg but i am going to talk to my DR. about going off it and maybe taking something else. I also take Effexor too, to help with my depression. any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

I have been on Wellbutrin for about a month. I am 31 and have never dealt with depression in the past. After a year and a half of one stressful event after another I started to feel life was just not turning out the way that I thought, but really thought that this was my life. After having some serious issues with my two kids, I am a single mother, I new that I needed to see a doctor. I couldn't get out of bed, felt detached from my family and pets. I had pushed the people who were most important to me away. After doing a lot of research on the internet I decided to discuss this med with my doc. At first it was pretty rough. Sleeping schedule was crazy, I was only sleeping a couple of hours a day but when I woke up I was not tired. I was extremely emotional. Crying for six hours straight one day. These are the only side effect that I had, but I felt much worse than I did dealing with my depression, which was pretty bad. HOWEVER, I continued to tell myself that these are side effects and I was willing to stay the coarse in order to get the benefit from treatment. During this time, I did have some good days or parts of good days which really gave me hope that eventually it would work. After about 3 weeks I felt better, the long bouts of crying had stopped and my sleep schedule returned to normal. Everyday after that I have felt more and more like myself. I didn't fully understand how depression had really affected all aspect of my life even in small ways. I think that I can't feel any better and then another day goes by and I realize that I can. The greatest thing is I can still feel things, can still get upset and have a good cry without it ruining my whole day. I think that is important as I am dealing with some very serious personal issues, thus the reason I need meds, but I know the importance of learning to cope with these issues as the are never going to go away. I feel like I have been saved and didn't even know that I needed this much saving.
I say all this because in my extensive research I have read a lot of these comments on many different sights and really didn't see myself or my experience. I have only read things that are scary and would make me think that depression is better than trying this drug. Everyone is different and the way they react to drugs is different, I completely understand that, but this drug has had an amazing affect on my life and the lives of my loved ones. If you have just started taking this and you think it is making you worse I beg you, stick with it, let the drug stabilize in your body and then decided if this drug is for you. I know that it is hard but there was a light at the end of my tunnel and there could be for you. Do not let a couple weeks of side effect put you off, or others negative experiences, if I had done that I would not be where I am. I know that I am getting better everyday. Remember this is a serious disease and it can not be fixed over night, if you had been prescribed an antibiotic for an illness you would expect for it to take some time to take affect. This drug is no different.

I originally started on Prozac about four years ago but it didn't work so my doctor switched me to Lexapro. When I went for my next doctor appointment she noticed the drastic weight gain and noted it had been since I started taking the Lexapro so again, I changed medications. I'm now on Wellbutrin and have been for almost a year. I have been exercising, eating healthier, but am still gaining. Is anyone else having this problem. The doctor told me Wellbutrin did not have a reputation of causing wait gain but something is wrong. I also never thought about it until reading all the other postings. I am constantly having headaches and a very short temper. I'm ready to come off of it all together and just deal with the depression.

I've been thinking that my hair is just getting thinner and breaking because I have some vitamin deficiency - so glad it finally occurred to me to check on the side effects of Wellbutrin! I've been taking it for about a year for depression, and my hair has gotten so thin and lifeless. Wonder why there is nothing about this side effect in the packaging...
obviously it should be since so many people share the side effect.
Has anyone figured out how to stop the side effect, or have you found a suitable alternative to Wellbutrin?

I've been on Wellbutrin XL 300mg for 3 days and I've had a splitting headache for 3 days. The evening of the second day came the nausea and crying and disorientation. Maybe the crying is not a side effect as I was doing that before I started the meds. All I want to know is can I take something for the headaches while taking the Wellbutrin. Does anyone know of anything. I guess I should call my doctor.

I have been taking Wellbutrin 150mg 2x per day since 1996. It has been an absolute lifesaving experience. Yes, I do have some memory loss, but not enough to alter my life at all.

The one serious side effect, and a great one at that, is the heightened feeling of ecstasy during an orgasm. Oh my God, prior to Wellbutrin, I was a 28 year old male, who totaling lost interest in sex, and had almost no pleasure whatsoever when I orgasmed. Now, when I orgasm, the feelings of pleasure are so intense, at times, I honestly think I am going to have heart failure.

It is by far the most incredibly gratifying sensation I have ever had. I stopped Wellbutrin several times over the past 11 years, and each time I was back to my old self with 48 hours. One other positive side effect for me, it has cured my "lactose intolerance". I have been eating all the dairy I could ever want without any problems or discomfort whatsoever. However when I stopped the Wellbutrin, my lactose problem returned within 24 hours.

As I told my doctor, if he were to tell me I would live to be 90 without Wellbutrin and old to 60 with Wellbutrin, I would chose the 60 years. Thats how much more enjoyable life has become for me. I would not ever want to stop taking it. It has saved my life. One last thing, I forgot to mention, it has treated my depression incredibly well also. Again, it saved my life.

Everyone is different. I believe that if you are experienceing bad effects from the Wellbutrin therapy, then you probably don't have a chemical imbalance at all, or you may be taking too much and sending your chemicals out of balance in the otther direction. One must carefully considering perhaps reducing or increasing their dosage depending on their personal situation. Always discuss it with your doctor of course, this drug is nothing to mess around with. I think it is very powerful, and a Godsend.
Best regards to all.

I just woke up from the scariest nightmare I have ever had. I repeated the same horrible dream over and over again all night, till I just finally woke up and decided to google if Wellbutrin XL causes nightmares. I just started taking it 7 days ago... wonderful.

Wow! I'm so glad that I'm not thinking these things up in my head. I have been on Wellbutrin for about 2 1/2 months now and I have noticed hair loss but I thought it was just because of stress. However, reading this makes me very nervous about taking my 300 mg. a day. I also feel that I forget things a lot too; where I put my keys, my bag etc. I have also had ringing in my ears and sensitivity with both my eyes and ears. Has anyone else had all of these side effects? And if so, what did you and your doctor do?

I am participating in a research study for Wellbutrin helping smokers to quit. I am 25 years old. The study is a double blind study so there is a possibility that I am on placebo...but judging from my feelings - I am not. I have been on wellbutrin for 8 days now. I went from 150mg to 300mg in the course of 3 days. My symptoms/side effects include feeling "blah", not having interest in conversation, coordination problems (I have had issues with walking up and down stairs; almost to the point of falling), small episodes of memory loss, and I am thinking possible hair loss. The hair loss is the most devastating to me and I am going to stop taking wellbutrin because of it. I will find another way to quit smoking - there is no sense in taking something that is going to make me feel horrible about myself. Has anyone quit taking it and have their hair grow back?

I have been on Wellbutrin for the past 2 years for the depression and the only side effect i have had has been memory loss, occasionally at work. I start to do something and after a few minutes if a question is asked i'm not able to remember. It felt like i was getting dimentia, but i started to use Gingko Biloba and my memory loss has improved. On Wellbutrin i haven't really had any side effect. It has helped me tremendously with my depression.

I started taking Wellbutrin three weeks ago. I had been taking Zoloft for four years and it had been working fine except my insurance company tripled the cost and I was beginning to have to take more to get the same results. I thought Wellbutrin might be good alternative after doing some research and my doctor thought it would be good for me to try out. Well, since I have been taking Wellbutrin I have become emotional (wanting to cry at things I would never cry at before), more irritable, my husband says "I am not the same person", dizzy, two sips of a beer gave me a horriable headache which lasted until the next morning, I had to sit down on a bench at the mall because I felt like I was going to faint, and worse of all my brain became very "fuzzy" feeling. It was like my short term memory was damaged. I am taking a Spanish class and was doing well (A's). After I started taking Wellbutrin I could not concentrate enough in class to learn, even saying to my professor, "please skip me, I am not feeling well". It was humiliating. I have maintained a 4.0 in every class I have taken since 1999 and completed a masters degree last year. So, all in all-this was my experience. Maybe if I had taken it longer, it would have been different, but it was like torture for me. One positive note....I felt absolutely no internal depression after a week of taking it (other than being upset about the other symptoms). It worked really well in that area.....so, maybe if others do not have all the symptoms I experienced, it would be a very good drug to take for depression-just not for me!

I had been taking the brand name Wellbutrin SR (150mg) 2x per day. My doctor changed my dose to 200mg 2x a day, and the pharmacy filled it with the generic Bupropion SR. I have noticed my symptoms have been coming back (depression, etc.). I even have had lots of water retention, which makes me feel terrible. I would love to know if anyone has had the same problems with generic vs. the brand name. I know the pharmacy will tell us it is the SAME, but I wish now I would have requested the brand name, even if I had to wait until they shipped it in (they don't have it in stock).

Thanks!

Suicidal feelings... were the result of my taking Welbrutin. At first I thought it may be due to the depression that the med was for. After awhile, I stopped taking it as I was so lost. I stopped taking it. Then, I was crying nearly all of the time but I had no thoughts of suicide. So, I asked if I could change to another antidepresant.. I was given Paroxetine. My suicidal tendancies cleared up at once.

After a couple of years I had forgotten about the affects of Welbrutin and swiched back to it. Duh,,, Same thing happened. Sucidal tendancies. I immediately went back to the Paronetine. I am fine now.

Needless to say, I will not forget that again!

Karo

I've been on Wellbutrin XL 150 for a few months and I love it! The first few weeks were a bit hard because I felt constantly jumpy, nervous, and had a hard time sleeping. But there are side effects with almost everything for the first little while! Now that I've been on it for a while, I've noticed I'm losing weight, feeling energetic, and I feel hopeful about my life! Also I have a ridiculously increased sex drive. It may not be right for everyone, but for me it's been awesome so far.

I have been taking Wellbutrin SR, 150 mg., once a day for about 5 years now and I love it! I have always been very active my whole life until I had to deal with some very hard family problems. Well, I started getting to where I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning and to fix a meal was more than I could handle. I tried Prozac and just wanted to sleep, so my doctor prescribed Wellbutrin for me. I started feeling like my old self again. My doctor said depression medication should make you feel normal, not out of it or anything like that. Well, I feel normal. You have to listen to your body though. I had a hard time sleeping for the first couple of weeks but that went away. I also notice that if I am starting to feel overwhelmed, I just take an extra one. I'm supposed to take 2 a day, but I only take one in the morning. Every now and then I will take one at noon also. This helps if I'm feeling overwhelmed. You just have to pay attention to your body. If you get headaches, reduce your dose or only take it every other day. I tried the XL and didn't like it. I felt more tired. I really like the SR. It seems just right for me.

I have been on wellbutrin 75mg twice a day for about 2 weeks, the only thing I dont like is the shocks I feel little shocks sometimes for about 20 minutes after i take it, i was taking lexapro for about a year and it helped for my depression butthe side effects were horrible no sex drive and I gained about 20 pounds, so 3 weeks ago my dr switched me from lexapro to wellbutrin so hopefully this works with out all the bad side effects, my dr said wellbutrin shouldnt put weight on me....hope not

WELL I HAVE BEEN READING EVERYONES SIDE EFFECTS THAT THEY CLAIM TO HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE BEING ON WELLBUTRIN.FIRST OF ALL WELLBUTRIN IS A VERY EFFECTIVE DRUG FOR DEPRESSION AS WELL AS BEING PROVEN TO HAVE SOME OF THE FEWEST SIDE EFFECTS OF ALL ANTI-DEPRESSANTS.THIS DRUG DOES NOT CAUSE SEIZURES,WHAT IT DOES IS LOWER SEIZURE THRESHOLDS,WHICH MEANS IF YOURE PRONE TO SEIZURE(LIKE STOPPING DRINKING WHILE ON IT)YOU MAY HAVE A SEIZURE.IF YOU SEIZURE WHILE ON THIS MED ITS BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE A CONDITION THAT YO ARE EVEN UNAWARE OF THAT MAKES YOU PRONE TO SEIZURES,WHEN AN ALCOHOLIC DRYS OUT THEY ARE PRONE TO SEZIURE SO IF ON THIS MED THEY ARE ACTUALLY TOLD TO NOT STOP DRINKING.EACH PERSON IS DIFFERENT IN CHEMICAL MAKE UP,SO WHAT ONE HAS AS SIDE EFFECTS OTHERS MAY NOT.IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU ALL HAVE READ POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS AND HAVE CONVIENCED YOUR SELF YOU HAVE THEM.EVERY DRUG HAS A SIDE EFFECT BECAUSE ITS NOT NATURAL IN THE BODY.HOW DO I KNOW?? WEL I AM A PSYCH NURSE IN A PSYCH WARD AND SEE WELLBUTRIN USED AND RECORD AND OBSERVE SUCH MEDS AND THE EFFECTS THEY HAVE ON PEOPLE,AS WELL,I HAVE BEEN ON WELLBUTRIN FOR SOME TIME NOW AND HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE SIDE EFFECTS AND THE ONES I HAVE ARE ANNOYING BUT NOT SERIOUS.I BELEIVE ALOT OF YOU PEOPLE DEPEND ON YOUR MEDS TOO MUCH AND THINK THAT THEY ALONE IS WHAT WILL MAKE YOU BETTER,THEY CAN ONLY HELP YOU,NOT CURE YOU.WELLBUTRIN IS ONE OF THE BEST YOU CAN TAKE,JUST TRY TO COME OFF SOME OTHERS OUT THERE AND YOU'LL SEE.IF YOUR ON WELLBUTRIN COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY AND STOP LOOKING FOR THINGS WRONG WITH IT,WORK WITH IT.

My hair has been falling out and is noticably thin on top. Only took the wellbutrin for 3 months , but have lost lots of hair. Have also had a severe rash/hives on my arms and legs, it tingles and burns. Have went to the ER once already because of the hives. Stopped the wellbutrin and the hives and itching went away. But what concerns me the most is the hair loss. Will it grow back? Wish I had know about these side effects before taking the it. I am hoping that there is another medication I can take to go along with my effexor as the wellbutrin did help my depression. Does anyone know any other medication might possibly work with effexor, that won't make me gain weight, grow bald or be miserable with itching? Help!

I am severly depressed (no exaggeration) and my depression hasn't responded to Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Effexor or Buspar which is really very irritating. After being on so many meds I was close to giving up hope than I found Wellbutrin. I don't want to sound like an advertiser for it, but I have never been helped so incredibly much by a medication. My self confidence has returned, I am twice as productive as I used to be, I actually get out of bed and sex has been great. I am on 400 mg. , I take 200mg. SR twice a day. When it wears off I do notice I get tired, but thats not too bad I sleep well! When it kicks in it's great too, because I have trouble getting up and getting going in the morning and it really does help me get going. Ive cut way down on caffeine because my sensitivity to it has more than doubled. I've also cut down on cigarettes which is great. I do have a few negative side effects but I am willing to deal with them for the amount this med has helped depression. I have a racing pule and heartbeat, pretty bad headahches and nausea. Sometimes I feel almost too speedy, but it ok. I find that OTC sleep aid helps out when I need to calm down. I recommend this to anyone who has a depression marked by fatigue, overeating, cigarette problems etc.

I have been diagnosed with ADHD,I've been on Wellbutrin SR, for one week now and started with 150mg, This week I am to double my dose, I feel light headed all the time, a little lack of sleep and small headaches that move around, fade in and out alot.also Heart Pains now and then too. I've had alcohol and my Dr. said it would be o.k in moderation, when the instructions say not to, So i'll stop. I don't want a seizure. I'm in school and i'm not sure I should be testing this now, as i HAVE TO PASS, all i need is help with attention, not really depression, my question is should I be on this now or at all, what can i expect in the future, and are holistic alternatives good or better? Is it safe to excersize or will i get a heart attack at 23---PLEASE ANY INFO IS APPRECIATED.

I can relate to a posting that stated the patient was having trouble distinguishing dreams from reality. I was having this problem too. Had a hard time explaining to my doctor who said that he had never heard of that side effect. It doesn't last long for me, but it's very troubling whe it occurs. I am unable to take the 150mg of Wellbutrin XL. I would prefer an extended release but it is not offered in 50mg. This means that I have to break a 100mg pill, not extended release, in two. The meds then kick in faster and drop off within about 10 hours. The drop off is also unsettling. Hope this post helps someone. Hang in there, guys. Keeping praying.

My MD gave me Wellbutrin samples to try to combat my depression resulting from legal woes back in Feb 2004. I took the med for about 2 days with no side effects. But on the 3rd day, I had a shot of whiskey - which I was not aware alcohol was a no-no when you're on these drugs, so I suffered a near seizure while driving on the freeway. My bp went up to almost 200/130 and I had to take Toprol after that episode. The things I remember the most while I was on Wellbutrin was that my adrenaline seemed to always be on overdrive, dry mouth, dizziness, high alertness and irritability.

I've been taking it for a few years. It helped with my depression but I think I have had some side effects. Not sure if mine is due to it, but I've heard hair loss can be one of them. I also have increasing trouble with sleep, I wake up too early.

(MEMORY LOSS) I have been on Wellbutrin for close to a year starting with a low dosage-now at 450mg a day. I am not feeling the low dips of depression nor has it elevated me to a normal level of hapiness-minimally at best just functioning. I cannot remember certain things at work in which I should-short term and longer term. This is certainly a problem along with diminished concentration levels leading to mistakes in a job that is highly detailed.

Does every body or some also believe that there are definate side effects of memory loss? ******

I've been on Wellbutrin (switching over from Effexor) for about three weeks and have noticed dizziness. I'm glad to hear some people reporting increased energy. I've had depression since kindergarten (I'm 45) and tried many anti-d's - prozac, zoloft, and now effexor - each helped the depression, but I've never had much energy and almost always feel fatigued. I can deal with the dizziness if I finally have some energy.

I am having the same side effect as Guest, #11307 who asked about the brand vs. generic. (Wellbutrin sr vs. bupropion sr). I was perscribed 150 mg XL and was filled with generic bupropion SR 150. This is my first time taking it so I don't know if the branded one would be different.

I've been taking it for about a month and last week began to have itchy areas on the palms of my hands, my upper back and arms. Oral benadryl was providing relief. However in the last three days I've been suffering actual hives and welts, so I'm going to go off of it until I can talk to my doctor.

I have bi-polar II with ADD and have been on Lamictal and a small dose of Celexa for over a year. Depression got better but not the ADD so he added WB for that. I tried Straterra but it made me feel really wierd.

Other than the hives, I haven't noticed any other side effects from adding WB. I'd really like to find something that can help me with ADD.

Is this an allergic reaction?