Wellbutrin and medication

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.

During the three weeks I was using 150 mg. Wellbutrin, ringing in the ears gradually increased, mild headaches on top of my head, occasional light spasms around my mouth, constipation, and bladder problems. My sleep was unaffected, and my depression did not lift. My dose was increased to 300 mg, and by the fourth day, I was having serious facial spasms, intense headaches, louder and constant ringing in the ears, almost 'round-the-clock wakefulness, anxiety, difficulty thinking and completing sentences, pounding heart, amplification of sounds, jitters and quaking. I felt like a car, perpetually idling so roughly that all my parts were about to rattle right off the chassis. On the fifth day I took nothing. I've had some chills, a little nausea, headache, neck-ache (Isn't that weird?!) and some ringing, but at a lower volume that's hardly noticeable. This is the fourth day with no Wellbutrin, and I haven't had facial spasms at all in the past couple of days, have less nausea, and the very funky smell produced in my urine from the second week I was on the meds has calmed down. If I'm still in a depression it's been overshadowed by the most awful side effects I could have imagined. It felt like the spector of death was overtaking my body by day four of that 300 mg. dose. I had been on a hefty dose of Zoloft daily for almost ten years and never experienced anything unpleasant other than weight gain, my reason for trying to switch meds because I couldn't quit putting on weight no matter what. I am going to try SAM-e, and suggest that anyone looking for a natural alternative, with the prospect of few and insignificant side effects, do an online search. Whether I find success with the SAM-e, or if it falls short of what I need, I'll post here to let you know what happens. A month ago I thought the depression was the end of the world; I think the cure was worse than the disease.

I had already posted the horrible side effects of this medication, but I recently stopped taking it and I'm wondering if there is anyone out there that has stopped taking it and is experiencing any withdrawals like extremely tired all the time? Trying to research it is a joke. I just want to know if this goes away anytime soon? Has anyone had withdrawal symptoms and if so what are they? Its gets so bad that I have to miss work and I don't feel like doing anything or going anywhere because of how bad I feel.

I've been on Welbutrin for about six months, along with Zoloft. I had tried it because of the lack of motivation and the lithergy I was feeling (I suspect) as a result of the Zoloft. I came across this site after a search for memory loss connected with Welbutrin. I believe I'm having that problem. I don't seem to have the quick grasp of words I did. In a phone conversation today, I could not remember a certain medical term that I have been using rather frequently over the past six months. There are some other cases, but that incident put me on the trail of memory loss research. I actually suspected that it was the Ambien I had been taking for sleep (I have not completely ruled that drug out). But all the posts here seem to indicate that the welbutrin could be at fault.

I'm on 150mg, twice daily. However, in the morning, I will actually take one and a half pills (225mg) to get me going. I have noticed CONSIDERABLE jitters, hand tremors, enough that if I'm doing delicate work of some type, I have difficulty continuing ti complete the task. At the 225mg, I do seem to become over amped a bit, but it improves my motivation. A St. Johns Wart capsule will usually calm that, but you see the problem of one drug, helping one problem, but causing another, so you take a third! I have tried numerous other antidepressants and they all caused more side effects than they were worth.
Celexa cause an eventual complete lack of ANY motivation! Plus SERIOUS sexual side effects. Zoloft has been the best with the least side effects and I have always returned to it. But the sleepiness can just be extreme with me.

I have run out of Welbutrin and the result is return of the lithergy. I also believe that the Welbutrin may be causing my occasional up tick in anger. Possibly spreading the dosage will help. Not mixing it with caffiene may also help because caffiene can make me explosive if I don't limit my intake to about a cup of coffee. Most of you know that Zoloft, Prozac and the like increase the available seritonin in your brain, a calming neurotransmitter. Welbutrin increases the available norepinephrine, a stimulating neurotransmitter, akin to adrenalin. (Research for yourselves those facts, remember, I posting this because of a problem with MEMORY! :) So it makes perfect sense that people can become overstimulated with Welbutrin. The memory aspects of it, I don't yet understand. I'm going to experiment with dosage reduction and possibly replacing the Welbutrin with the amino acid L-phenylalanine. I hope this little post can help some of you as much as the other posts here have helped me!

Burt

I've been taking Wellbutrin XL for almost a year the highest dose you can take which is 450 mg. When I first started taking it, the side effects were horrible, first with the memory loss, nausea etc. A few months into the perscription I could notice a change, but as time went on I began to feel not so good anymore. I started getting bad twitches right before I was almost asleep. They became so bad that I would wake myself up because my body would jerk so bad. The ringing of the ears had occurred along with an appetite increase. I felt that it stopped working within the last couple months. There is no point to be on a medication that is not working. Also suffering hair loss and my hair is blond and fine to begin with. I just find it alarming that so many people who are taking this have horrible side effects from it. Side effects are suppose to subside overtime, but not in this case. Besides I was also taking Yasmin which is a whole different story because it could of been causing the anxiety that led to me to have to take this medication. So I'm stopping everything because I feel my body is telling me to let be it free of meds. I strongly believe in medications, but not when one med causes a sympton that leads to another med that causes other problems. Like everyone has been saying listen to your body and don't ignore it. I'm tired of being sick and tired! A medicine that is suppose to make you feel better is only making me feel worse. I'm just going to start from scratch again and see what happens perhaps I never really needed anything at all which upsets me. Since the time I began Yasmin up until The Wellbutrin Xl, I've been living quite the miserable life. I don't want anyone to have to go through this ever. I lost out on alot of time with my daughter and I can't get that back. A lesson to be learned perhaps, study up on meds before taking them or combining them with others, we are fortunate enough to have the technology to do so. So think about how you're feeling and whats going on with your bodies. GOD BLESS!

Took Wellbutrin XL 150's for 7 days and the dizziness and vertigo was only getting worse day after day. Been off it for 4 days and STILL have dizzy and vertigo feelings. I was doing 100 times better with no meds!! I just wish I knew how long before I can expect this to get out of my system. It cannot be good for you at all.

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 am a 34 year old female and have been on wellbutrin for 3 yrs. taking 300mg a day. I have lost a bunch of hair. Half of my hair is gone and that is no exaggeration!!!!!! But the worst part of it is that I had no clue that my medication could be causing it. My mom is a hairdresser and she has been really concerned about my hair loss. We thought maybe we were just frying it with all of the chemicals we put on it---BUT after talking about it we ruled that out because we have ALWAYS done it. It wasn't until after LUCK of stumbling across this info on the net that we put 2 and 2 together. UUHHGG!!! I am sooo mad at my Dr. I even discussed my hair loss with her a YEAR AGO. She had bloodwork done for my thyroid and it came back normal. I have a check-up today concerning my meds. I'm going off it ASAP. Dont want to just stop completely because i heard it can be dangerous. But i recommend to anyone taking wellbutrin that likes having a full head of hair to stop taking it!!! The Dr.'s will tell you that it is not a side effect but believe me---IT IS!!! I can only hope now that mine will grow back.!!!!!

I was on SSRI's for a while (lexapro, zoloft) when I finally couldn't take the tiredness, weight consistency, and NO sex drive. So I tried Wellbutrin SR 150 2x a day. Started off at 150 for a few days and felt like I was given a new life! I had never felt so good. Then it was time to increase my does to the 300mg. I started getting headaches, dizziness, my ears are ringing so bad I can't hear very well anymore. So I went back down to 150mg per day. I don't feel as tired, but it's still there. The ringing won't go away and I am still dizzy. The funny thing is, is that I can almost guarantee it's the same time everyday. I get the dizziness and headaches around 3pm, they go away(most of the time I have to lay down) and by about 5pm they're gone, but by about 10pm they're back. And it happens every day like clockwork. I like the way I feel (minus the headaches and dizziness, and ringing) my brain doesn't feel "numb" like I did on the Zoloft or Lexapro, and I have lost a few pounds which doesn't hurt, but I don't think I should feel like this everyday. I want a medication that I can feel good on without headaches and dizziness. And PLEASE no ringing in the ears. It's good to know that other people are experiencing these side effects, I really thought I was the only one.

i have been taking wellbutrin to help me deal with anxiety for a little more than a week. i thought it would take more time to have an effect, but i feel very calm. i even stopped smoking right off, which i didn't intend to do. The side effects are worse that i thought they would be. i have lost the ability to spell, my short-term memory is noticeably impaired, and i have trouble paying attention in class/at work. i feel very foggy and disconnected. i've also been having headaches, night sweats, and stomach pains, but they are mild.

I began taking Wellbutrin 2 weeks ago and started on a 150mg dosage. I was on 150mg for one week. The second week, I went up to 300mg per the psychiatrist's instructions. I was feeling really angry some of the time and decided to stop the medication. Prior to the last 2 weeks I was taking 40mg of Paxil, which I stopped after the first week of being on Wellbutrin.
The anger was uncomfortable, I stopped taking the Wellbutrin and within 36-48 hours of being off this drug, my feet began to itch mildly at first. Within about 30 minutes of this "mild" itching, the sensations got worse. My feet felt like they were on fire. The only relief was putting them in hot water in the tub. I was screaming with frustration and pain. I attributed this to the cold turkey stopping of wellbutrin. But since I had been on it only 2 weeks, I didn't think anything would happen. Big mistake. After 2 hours of having feet in tub, on the phone with a 24-hour nurse advice line and pharmacist, I went ahead and took 300 mg. The itching stopped within 2 hours. This was a freaking nightmare ! So I am weaning myself off. The doctor who prescribed this, who I spoke with the following day, said...well..stop taking it. Doesn't make sense because when I stopped that's when the extreme itching happened. It's crazy. I'm weaning myself off and taking Benadryl. I also got some hydrocortisone cream. There are scabs on the top of my foot from scratching. No more. I've been on anti-depressants for over 10 years now and I want to stop ALL OF THEM. Within 2 weeks, I should be "clean". Just know that this itching...was so intense I was crying and screaming because there was no relief.

The only side effect I have is ear ringing at times. should I be concerned?

Shortly after I began taking Wellbutrin XR my left eye bagen to twitch. I discontinued the medication and the flinching stopped. Three years later my eye is twitching again. I am not sure if there is a correlation or not. I had an eye exam and have no problems with my vision.

Feb 2005 I was given Wellbutrin to ease with the stop smoking. I don't go to doctors and I don't take any medication-NONE. But I had to do something I couldn't stop smoking. May 10th I had a seizure, have never had one prior or have not had one since. Family took me to emergency room, then I had brain tests, sleep tests, MRI, CAT scans, over $10,000. later in medical bills, well they couldn't find anything wrong.
Not one Dr. would say it was because of the 3wk supply of the crap I took.
I refuse another Dr. and over my dead body will I put a prescription in my body.

Has anyone had long term side effects after taking Wellbutrin. I was on ot for two years it helped with my anxiety and energy levels a lot. When the doctor put my dose to 300 mg I had severe muscle pain and swelling in hands, feet, ankles, legs it went down after I went back to 150mg. I tried to up my dose but the same thing happened. After two years of wellbutrin I developed severe headaches feels more like head pressure so I went off wellbutrin. would still have muscle pain and swelling from time to time. started developing severe pain in legs and now everywhere along with muscle twitches and muscle loss. I now am 32 and have severe memory problems and no doctor knows what is going on with me. Has anyone had anything like this or heard of anyone with these problems.

I have been on Wellbutrin for a couple of years & it has been a life saver. But it is very possible my hair loss is due to it. I have always had a full head of hair & no hair loss in my family at all. I'm also experiencing hearing loss but don't know if this is due to the Wellbutrin as my Father & sister have had hearing loss. My doctor intends to lower my dosage next month & I am going to ask him if air loss is a side effect.

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.

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! :)

This is the 3rd time I have been on Wellbutrin. Once in 1999, then in 2004, and just started taking it again 3 months ago. The first two times I took it I had joint pain and a lot of muscle inflammation. This go around is different... Just recently, within the past few weeks, I started breaking out with hives, after taking it with no problems for three months! Started on my head and progressively got worse. I break out all over my body, head, legs, back, hands, etc. For some reason it seems to happen more frequently when I lay down in my bed to go to sleep (weird!) One other scary side affect is, I frequently stop breathing when I start to fall asleep, and wake up gasping for air. Has anyone else experienced this?
Since I had never experienced problems with hives the first few times I was on Wellbutrin, I didn't think it was the medication causing the hives. So, I cut my dose in half (50mg/day). The hives didn't go away, so I stopped taking it all together 3 days ago, but still continue to get hives. Does anyone know how long it takes to get it out of your system?

I have been on Bupropion SR 300mg. since May 2007. Within the last 4-6 weeks may hair has been coming out by the hand full when I wash it. Alot of it is in my hair brush, vacuum cleaner, and on my clothes. I have used special shampoos and vitamins with no luck. I called the pharmacy and was told this was not a side effect of the medication. Funny they haven't heard, according to all the post I have read on the internet. My question is has anyone else experienced this type of loss after being on the medication for 6 months or longer? And if you stayed on it, or any other antidepressant, did the hair loss stop and grow back. I was also told that if it were to be a side effect of the medication it would have happened before now, and maybe I should have other test performed. I have already had blood work for thyroid and it came back normal. Love the medication!
Helps with more energy! Hate the hair loss! HELP!!!

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.

Right now I am a total mess from taking Wellbutrin, sr. I started at 150 mgs last summer. I am now up to 450mgs a day, plus 80 mgs of Prozac a day. The doc cut my Prozac dosage in half, without telling me, and for the last week, I feel like I'm going out of mind. I am going to the doc tomorrow to have a PET scan, just to make sure I don't have a brain tumor, but I am pretty sure I know what is causing all these symptoms. I don't know if dropping the Prozac dose set me off or what, but some of the symptoms I have are; the worst headache I have ever had, dry mouth, ears ringing, heart palpitations, stumbling (I fell down 5 times in the last 2 weeks, enough to send me to the ER) I feel like I have no co-ordination, I tremble and jerk uncontrollably, and I am totally brain dead. I can't remember from one day to the next what I did, or was doing. Heck, in the last few days, I can't even remeber what I did 15 minutes ago. I start something, and walk away from it, and then I think about it later, although so far I have let the sink over flow a couple of times, and let food burn. I have been married and taking care of my family for 33 years, and now I can't even get my kids', my grandkids', and the dogs' name straight! I forget a word I know that I know, and it makes me so frustrated. I have outbursts of crying, the other day I had a meltdown because I couldn't find the leftover ham bone to make soup. I talk real fast, and sometimes get the words all mixed up. I do impulsive stuff, like I maxed out the credit card during Christmas. My husband is going nuts, too, because he says it's like living with another person. Today I have felt like I could barf at any minute, my head is pounding, my heart is pounding, and I could stay awake forever, and then in an hour I'm so tired I have to take naps every day! I never took naps, since I was 5!! I had a similar experience when I was on Paxil. Prozac has worked for me since it first came on the market, but since my doc added the Wellbutrin, I just don't know. It was working fine until she cut the Prozac dose in half, so maybe that set it off, I don't know. I wish I could get off all the crap, but due to PTSD, I have to take at least the Prozac. I hope I get some answers tomorrow!

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've been taking Wellbutrin for about a year and have switched to the generic Bupropion XL for the last 6 months due to my insurance. After reading all the reviews here I finally realize what is happening to me. I am more depressed than I have ever been. I feel like a zombie, very tired, INCREASED appetite, forgetful, cant think and basically don't feel like talking or being around anyone. I can go a whole day at work without saying a word to anyone (except when I have to of course) I don't want to go out or socialize at all. I started taking only 1/2 a pill to wean myself off slowly. I had tried Lexapro but didn't feel any different. I also took Paxil a few years ago & I think I felt a bit better & also felt more social but it did make me feel like a zombie as well. I kept tripping & running into things as well. Ugh. Is there any medication thats works?

INCREASED APPETITE!! My doctor took me off anxiety medicine and put me on Wellbutrin XL. I've been on it for two days and I have a constant headache, can't get out of bed because I'm so tired, and my appetite was so big that I ate enough calories for 3 adults. I weigh 120 lbs and don't plan on gaining anymore weight. I called my doctor regarding the side effects and he said "stop taking it". Of course I'm not a doctor, but this is the first "depression" medication I've been on and don't feel I am a depressed person. Maybe my doctor is a quack.

I posted a while back about some terrible hives I had. I continued to take the medication and the hives stopped. I love the way this helps with my anxiety. I do feel a bit forgetful and dreams are odd sometimes. I mentally feel better than I have in 36 years....Didn't realize how full of compulsive behaviors I was. If you get the hives take benedryl. Mine cleared up after a few days.

Oh yeah, the weight loss is subtle. I have been on it about 2 months and have lost a bit of weight but it is the complusions to eat I am free from.

I miss me...WB has turned me into a zombie and I'm more depressed than before. I've only been on it for 5 days, but I don't think I want to see if it works out after reading these posts. One of my major complaints about WB are the constant hallucinations. While mild they make me anxious, agitated and a little paranoid. I don't have much in the way of visual hallucinations, mostly hearing sounds and perceiving them to be threats and smelling odd smells that don't exist. I'm also emotionally "flat", have no interest in anything and I'm shaky and feel very cold most of the time. And I've never had anger issues before, but now I don't trust myself around anyone. I just want to be alone. I was told this medication would work for Seasonal Depression and help me to quit smoking, but right now I miss how I normally feel. Has anyone else had hallucinations? Do they go away or should I quit taking WB right away? It doesn't make sense to suffer for a full month when my seasonal depression only lasts for 4 months anyway - does it make sense to hang in there and see what happens? After reading these postings, if WB doesn't work for me, I'll go back to being un-medicated. It doesn't seem so bad now.

I'm taking generic 100mg SR twice a day. After only 5 days, do I have to worry about withdrawals if I quit?

I have been on wellbutrin for 3 weeks (to quit smoking) broke out with horrible hives went to ER he said it was NOT from wellbutrin. I need to follow up with Doctor but I am afraid they will take me off wellbutrin. Hives are mostly gone. Continue to have some itching. I like the way I have been feeling and starting to smoke less and less.

I have been on 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL for a little more than 3 weeks. I am also taking 100 mg of Lamictal a day just upped that dose yesterday from 50 mg both to treat bipolar disorder (which I am not thoroughly convinced I have!) I can't tell which drug is causing which side effect, they both cause a lot of the same things. I have experienced strange dreams and horrible nightmares, itchy skin, hair loss (which I believe is from the Lamictal), acne on my face, back and shoulders, extreme mood swings and irritability, extreme fatigue, difficulty with hand-eye coordination, difficulty with words (speaking and writing), generally fuzzy headed, dizziness, waking at night with a pounding heart, joint and muscle soreness, heavy period that has lasted a lot longer than normal, stuffy nose, hacking cough and that about does it.

Basically, it sucks and I want to go off at least the Lamictal and see if the Wellbutrin is kinder on it's own. I just don't think this is going to work for me. It's been pretty rough the last few weeks, I hope I can come up with something I can tolerate.

good luck all!
~A

Please Help! I can't sleep . I started generic wellbutrin sr 3 days ago and now I haven't slept in about 36 hours!

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!

I am trying to wean myself off of Wellbutrin. Was taking 300mg (150 2x day) for about 2 years. After my sister had a seisure, I immediately cut my dosage in half and did that for about 3 weeks. Felt fine. Cut that in half for about 2 weeks and felf fine. Today (Sept 3, 07) is my first full week off the medication. I've had the text book withdrawal symptoms; lack of sleep, light headed, tingling in arms and legs, headaches, and occassional shaking.
Any idea how long symptoms will last, and is there any thing to do, naturally, that will help.

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 for two weeks. About four days ago I began having joint pain and swelling in just my left hand, middle and ring finger knuckles. It is swollen and getting worse, not better. Has anyone experienced joint pain in just a specific area and not all over with Wellbutrin?

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.

I have been taking wellbutrin XL 150mg for two months. I have had a small improvement in that shaky feeling and anxiety. However I had the experience of missing one tablet and that day I felt really weird. I felt like soulless, with no feelings at all, I even told things to my mother I felt guilty about. I know it had to do with the medication. I kept taking it. Right now, I plan to take it one addition al month then stop taking it. My doctor recommended me to start taking it one day in-between for the last month in order to wash it out properly. Let's hope that that soulless feeling doesn't take over...

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 have been taking this Welbutrin XL for 2 months. After 4 - 5 days of it, I get nauseus, dizzy and begin dehydration. After being off the medication a couple of days, I feel fine. This last episode, I was in the bed for 4 days napping several times a day and sleeping all night, no appetite, urine became thick and dark. All the while I was forcing fluids, drank Pedialyte to replace electrolytes, and stopped the Welbutrin XL. Didn't whether to go to the ER or try to get to the doctor. Finally gor enough strength to make it to the doctor. Blood tests showed I had come UP to being mildly dehydrated. I'm not taking any more Welbutrin XL.

took welbutrin for a few weeks.. i couldnt breathe at all, and i didnt notice any weight loss (part of the reason i chose this meds). i was on it for situational depression and so maybe this is why it didnt work as well. im not sure what would have happened if i'd given it anuther chance but hallucinations from anuther medication following that has scared me away from all meds. ive been off any meds for over 6 months now and things are styll good so far.

Hi I have expierienced Post traumatic depression for the first time almost a year ago. I ended up in hospital and progressively got better. I am now on Wellbutrin, azor and molipaxin. My psychiatrist also traced that I was suffering from panic disorders from childhood and now when i think of it there were many instances i can relate to as a panic attack. However it is 8 months since I am on medication and
4 months on Wellbutrin, I am fine except there are times my heart feels racy, i have a constant cough, and loss of weight. is this normal and how long must I take this medication?

I have been telling my doctor about my weight gain for the last two years and he keeps telling me that weight gain is not a side effect, I have loss of memory and lack of concentration, overall I feel ok, but I wonder if taking the medication in the morning may be better, I have been taking it at night for two years, any thoughts on that?

Ivan.

Been on Wellbutrin for 3 weeks. Have DREAMS all the time. Lots of gas. No weight loss, but weight gain with an increasing appetite. Stopped smoking using this medication with the patch. Works wonders. A lot of energy. Insomnia really bad. The medication and side effects are not so bad, I'm dealing.

I have been taking Welbutrin for nearly 3 weeks and feel like I am seriously losing my mind. I feel like a walking zombie, numb to everything and my mind feels foggy. I can't remember things and am having a hard time diffrentiating dreams from reality. No appetite, extreme feelings of up and down, inability to concentrate, no sex drive, no ambition, crying all the time uncontrolably. I don't think I felt remotely close to this before I started taking this medication. Does this get better at 4 weeks or stays the same? I can't even remember what I was like before this. Anyone else having same symptoms?

I have been on Wellbutrin (generic) for over a year now, and I have also been being treated for severe hot flashes and it has been determined that I am not menopausal. I stopped taking the med yesterday and today and the hot flashes have greatly diminished. Can anyone tell me if they have had similar experiences or is it just a coincidence that I am feeling different?

Please email me if anyone has had the same thing happen and what medication did you take after stopping the Wellbutrin?

Jacquie

My mental state is tremendously better. Side effects, though, are jitters, sweating, stomach pain, low appetite, headaches, and some constipation. Also, I get very tired at night, but I can't seem to slow my body down until 1 or 2 am then have to get up with my toddlers at 7. I generally practice alternative healing methods and rarely ever take medication, so the side effects scare me. However, I'm also afraid of going back to feeling "out of control". I'll stick with it and see if things subside; if not, I will see my doc. Hope this helps!

I have two side effects that are very disconcerting. Constipation and gas seem to be much worse since I started the Welbutrin about a month and a half ago. I started on 150 then went up to 300. I've never had this problem before, so I know it's the medication.

Another thing that has really bothered me is dryness in my eyes. I had Lasik surgery in January and had some trouble with dryness that was corrected by punctal plugs. Since starting on this medication, I've been back to the eye doctor several times. Because I work on the computer all day, my eyes are killing me by the end of the day, no matter how many drops I instill. Restasis doesn't seem to help either. If this goes on for much longer, I may have to rethink the whole Welbutrin thing and go back on the Zoloft.

please help Ive been expeirecing alot of weird reactions to this medication. Im paranoid all the time. I feel like im going to die. I got rashes when i drank. I also had head aches all over my head and i had joint pains. I get scared alot now. The slightest thing on my skin will make me paranoid and I will loose my mind. when will this go away?

I have only been on Wellbutin for about a week. I am new to this. My main side effect is that I am tired all the time. I read how it gives many of you energy. Well not me. I am tired all the time and I to have feeling of just not caring. It's like I fell nothing. No emotions at all. My co-workers asked me what was wrong, because I am normally outgoing, the social butterfly of our office. The past week, I have not felt like being around people. Like it takes up too much of my energy to be social. I have also had a severe lack of concentration and some memory loss. I am ADD but it seems like it is making me worse. I also suffer from insomnia, not due to the medication. But I have found that even when I take my medication for sleep, I can't fall asleep.
If anyone has experienced loss of emotion, you can email me at ******. I am interested in knowing how you dealt with it.