Thoughts on Wellbutrin while tapering

Anyone have success with Wellbutrin for depression? I'm currently taking .25Mg Xanax once a day but the depression has me on lockdown. Just interested in trying something that's not another SSRI

No answer but wondering the same thing. I have treatment resistant depression & also hate the side effects withdrawal etc of psych Meds, but I havnt even started to taper & thought Wellbutrin is easiest to get off of I think, but have never taken it alone only with Siri’s. Could backfire, not work, make me worse, cause insomnia, or anxiety, oh & it has a seizure risk, so that doesn’t mix well with benzo tapering. Read elsewhere someone did fine taking it while tapering.

 

Have you taken it by itself for depression & had it work before?

 

Best wishes

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't try it.  Wellbutrin works best as an AD; it's a first line AD for those who just suffer depression and not anxiety.  I was on this for years due to depression, and it worked really well without causing weight gain.  However, when anxiety became my issue, it was not helpful.  Wellbutrin is meant to "rev you up," which it does.  Because anxiety is one of the most difficult symptoms of tapering/withdrawal, taking a pill that might exacerbate anxiety is probably not a good idea.  Also, Wellbutrin is known to lower a person's seizure threshold.  This is also a concern coming off benzos, so you're essentially getting a double wammy on this front. 

Thanks gogaba,

I’m med resistant have never tried Wellbutrin as a stand alone antidepressant. So sorta desperate. When it worked for you were you on brand? XL or SR

Have heard others have tapered fine on it but I hear & have the same concerns.

My nuero wants me to try provigil for ms fatigue. You know anything about that & how that would effect tapering?

FYI I’m holding right now not gotten started on taper, just unstable from .25 cut & trying to crossover to a new generic clonazapam. My generic, teva has been discontinued. Anyone who has taken teva k pin & has imput please share. I know we’re all different.

Thanks, SC

I can't remember if I was on XL or SL, but I was on generic Bupropion. If depression is what ails you, it's actually a very good drug.  No weight gain, no sexual dysfunction.  In fact, it actually helps control cravings, making it easier to LOSE weight. 

I don't recommend it.

 

I started taking it as an antidepressant, which was unwise considering my primary issue is anxiety (from PTSD and otherwise). The Wellbutrin caused and exacerbated anxiety that Valium was masking, until I tapered the Valium down low enough that I noticed it (about 5 mg). The huge wave of anxiety that hit me was debilitating and intolerable, easily the worst part of my taper so far.

 

I had to hold my V dose and do a 2 week Wellbutrin taper just to get the anxiety spike back under control before resuming my V taper - the WB was so problematic that it was actually worth the risks of multiple tapers just to get off of it! I'm very lucky that I didn't have more difficulty stopping the Wellbutrin, or I'd really be in trouble right now.

 

I get why people take Wellbutrin. I've tried Zoloft a few times in my life, but never stay on it for long because it doesn't work for me and has unpleasant side effects. Wellbutrin was prescribed to me as a safer alternative, and it helped me pick myself up a little, but the effectiveness didn't last and WOW did my anxiety go through the roof while I was on it. I definitely don't recommend the medication for anyone who is anxious or in benzo withdrawal. (Edit to add: As with all psych meds, every person is different.)

 

I wouldn't be surprised if my depression was actually caused by long-term benzo use...I'd been on Valium for many years before starting the Wellbutrin and my health was starting to decline, I just hadn't connected the dots yet that I was treating a symptom/side effect instead of the actual problem. I'm sorry you're feeling depressed - is that something you dealt with before starting Xanax? Have you been on Xanax for very long?

 

Gwinna

Gwinna,

Hi. Hope your well. If your talksing to me, I don’t take Xanax, but clonazapam.

Yes I had depression before clonazapam, that I’ve been taking daily for 8 years. Wish I could just quit cold turkey, but know I can’t. I’m sure it’s adding to or causing my current depression.

 

Did Wellbutrin make you anxious the whole time you were on it? We’re you on brand or generic?

 

How many attempts did it take you to taper Wellbutrin? Total time? How long was it effective for you?

We’re you on Sr or xl? What dose?

 

If it was only that two weeks & it helped you before that, it sounds worth it. I’ve a long taper ahead, so reguarless of what has caused my depression, I’ve alrea been suffering a long time & will be until off the poison if it’s the cause.

 

Im taking all everyone has to say into consideration

Much thanks, SC

Gwinna,

Hi. Hope your well. If your talksing to me, I don’t take Xanax, but clonazapam.

Yes I had depression before clonazapam, that I’ve been taking daily for 8 years. Wish I could just quit cold turkey, but know I can’t. I’m sure it’s adding to or causing my current depression.

 

Did Wellbutrin make you anxious the whole time you were on it? We’re you on brand or generic?

 

How many attempts did it take you to taper Wellbutrin? Total time? How long was it effective for you?

We’re you on Sr or xl? What dose?

 

If it was only that two weeks & it helped you before that, it sounds worth it. I’ve a long taper ahead, so reguarless of what has caused my depression, I’ve alrea been suffering a long time & will be until off the poison if it’s the cause.

 

Im taking all everyone has to say into consideration

Much thanks, SC

 

Hi Scaredie,

 

I was replying to the OP, sorry I didn't make that clear. I'm happy to hear from you though! I'm sorry to hear you are also feeling depressed. I think to some extent that's hard to avoid during this process, and I certainly hope you feel better. Let me see if I can answer your questions...it might get long...

 

Wellbutrin history:

I was on generic Buproprion, I forget if it was SR or XL. I started at 200 mg, then increased the dose a year later to 400 mg. I don't really remember how long it was effective for, but it wasn't long. I'm not convinced I was depressed to begin with, I think it was the long-term Valium use slowing me down and making me lose interest in things. It can feel pretty similar. Chances are, Wellbutrin was causing anxiety from the beginning and I didn't notice because I was on Valium - it explains why I felt such a dramatic increase in anxiety when my V dose got too low to mask it anymore.

 

Wellbutrin taper (during Valium taper):

When I first started my taper (before I consulted with my NP), I cut my Wellbutrin dose in half at the same time that I cut the Valium. I am so fortunate that didn't come back to bite me. Needless to say once I got to meet with my NP and explore this site a little more, I held both doses (but did not updose either). Then I held my WB dose while tapering V until the V got low enough for me to really notice the anxiety spike. Thankfully my NP predicted that would happen. I held my V dose while I did a 2 week taper off of WB, held for another week, then resumed my V taper. So really it only took me the one taper attempt, or I guess one and a half if you count my original reduction. I did not have any trouble with it, for which I am very grateful. The anxiety did ease up quite a bit, only further proving what my NP suspected - that the Wellbutrin was doing very little for depression and exacerbating my anxiety.

 

Conclusions in hindsight:

It was easy for me to get off of Wellbutrin because it wasn't doing very much for me to begin with. It didn't make me less depressed, just a little more "with it" when I was mistaking the cognitive decline from long-term Valium use for depression. Gogogaba hit the nail on the head in my opinion: the two drugs competed for a bit and the Wellbutrin didn't keep up, but it did make me unbearably, inconsolably, unsustainably anxious. If it was helping me I might have considered staying on it rather than discontinuing it mid V taper, but instead I felt much better once I stopped taking it.

 

Final thought - I didn't find Wellbutrin very helpful for depression, and probably never needed to take it to begin with. It made me so anxious that I had to stop taking it in the middle of my Valium taper. That said, if I was as depressed now as I was anxious then, I would be looking for relief too. People need to do what they need to do to feel better.

 

Hopefully this makes sense, I'm having trouble concentrating today but I'm trying.

 

Gwinna

See, I found Wellbutrin to be a fairly good drug for my depression, but when I started having anxiety attacks, it was part of the problem.  In fact, one of the things I wish my GP did instead of putting me on benzos was trying lifestyle changes and tapering

the Wellbutrin. Instead, he put me on a benzo, which led to an almost year-long nightmare taper/withdrawal, and an SSRI. 

Thanks Gwinna, & go gaba!

Gogaba, are you still on sertaline? Do you feel you had to start it due to benzo taper?

Be well, SC

Saredie,

 

Yes, I'm still on 50mg Sertraline daily.  The Pysch who designed my benzo taper essentially told me she would not work with me unless I went on an SSRI, so, yes, I suppose I didn't have much choice!  Actually, I had a Psych appointment this morning and we discussed a

taper for Sertraline and crossing back over to Wellbutrin.  This doesn't make much sense to me, though, and I suspect it's just her way

of keeping the gravy train running.

Wow, so you didn’t even ask for an antidepressant & they asked you take one if you wanted their help tapering? We’re you depressed? Man switching back to what made you anxious...sounds like gravy train to me.

 

Are you wanting to taper off?

Are you feeling good on it?

Good luck, SC

No, I wasn't depressed, she was prescribing Sertraline as an anti-anxiety medication. I don't know if Wellbutrin made me anxious, but it wasn't helping (I had a HUGE year at work, was eating like shit, drank four pots of coffee per day, etc.).  Yes, I definitely want to taper off because I'm gaining weight on it, and I've suffered from weight-related depression for my entire life.  I guess I'm fine on Sertraline,

but, again, the side effects aren't great.

Oh I see so sett made you want to drink more coffee & eat junk food?

No, that was when I was on Wellbutrin, but when I was on Wellbutrin, I was able to control my weight.  Weight gain isn't a side of effect of Wellbutrin--it actually has the opposite effect.  Wellbutrin was originally designed as a drug to help people quit smoking.

So it curbs cravings, on top of "revving you up," which actually helped me lose weight.  Sertraline, on the other hand, makes you

gain weight (as do all SSRIs).  I don't know why they make you gain weight (nor does anyone, I think), but it is what it is.

Oh, ok. Thanks, so while on Wellbutrin you drank 4 pots coffee per day & ate like shit? Now you want off Zoloft & doc wants you on Wellbutrin?

You’ll looose the weight. It sucks to be too skinny too, & is unattractive for me personally. I hope you get things figured out. Doesn’t seem like it would be easy to cross from ssri to w.b. But what do I know. Maybe you should just taper off the Zoloft if you want off & tell doc you want a med vacation. Just a thought. Best wishes

Exactly (med vacation)--that's what I'm going to advocate for.  Honestly, I think given all that I've learned from the benzo experience, I can control anxiety without medication.  I'm just concerned about another nightmarish tapering.  It was hard enough keeping my life

without getting of benzos!  Good luck to you too, and let me know if you have any other questions about Wellbutrin.   

Exactly (med vacation)--that's what I'm going to advocate for.

 

I am doing this for sure, gogogaba. My NP wanted me to start new medications during this taper so that my PTSD would not go untreated. Thankfully, she didn't push at all and completely accepted when I told her that I need to be med-free for a while so I can learn what my "baseline" even is. Is it possible I'll require further treatment, to include medication? Sure, it's possible, but I am insisting on going med-free first to gain perspective. How else could I weigh risks to benefits or otherwise make an informed decision? Part of me hopes I'll be able to manage it all without medication forever with what I'm learning throughout this process, and I suppose that's possible too. I just don't want to get ahead of myself right now when things are still so uncertain.

 

Gwinna

Absolutely, advocate for what you want. It’s reasonable, since you never know where you stand if you just never endingly switch from med to med, thus the med holiday, especially since it seems you have a short phsych med history, you deserve freedom before you get too sucked in.

You can always re evaluate taking one.

I wish you luck on your taper, you’ll be fine, even if it sorta sucks, it will end & you’ll be ok. Take care

A woman on you tube is on it. Said she thinks it is causing her horrible morning depression.she said she researched it and found its used for people getting off smoking. It supposedly shuts down the pleasure centers of the brain.

You should research it first..