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Mental Health How to deal with the first week on bupropion (zyban, Wellbutrin, etc)?

A

AnythingEverything

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Oct 17, 2014
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Hi all

So as soon as I can reduce my other anti depressant enough I am starting on zyban prescribed via a private script at full price to quit smoking and as an anti depressant (it is not prescribed as one in Australia.)

My concern is....the one other time I was on it, the first week was hell. I had major psychotic outbursts (at work) and awful panic attacks which resulted in hospital visits. I only have 20mg of Valium a day which is extremely low and nobody will prescribe me any other benzos as I'm blacklisted like everywhere :(. I do have propanolol which helped somewhat last time but am really scared.

After the first week I felt great and also quit smoking. I found the anti depressant effects awesome and it also helped my eating disorder so it's a great drug for me, it's just that first week or so that was out of control.

I work 60 hours a week in my own business and have five children so life never stops to allow me a little break to be psychotic for awhile.

I have even been searching online pharmacies to get hold of some Xanax for that period as I can't get it prescribed anymore and living in the sticks only have contacts for heroin, ice and weed. Me taking Xanax again is a major risk for yet the beggining of yet another habit. I've been weanjng off the benzos for a year now after a horrific rapid detox last year so I can't really afford to go backwards and 140mg of Valium a week does zilcho.

Any ideas for coping during this period??

Thanks in advance :)
 
First of all,if some panicky thoughts happen,remember and convince your self ,that is just for a week you got it under CONTROL.(no real issues like sudden halucinations or seizures). You dont really need all that extra stuff like xanax. I got over my panic attacks with not fighting them,but easy logical thinking and letting all the emotions slide(cutting on fear of fear),because they are just that,emotions,be rational. Thats the first things to consider. Then yoga,walks with music,hot showers(they get muscles relaxed) another words have some time every day,to unwind your self from daily worries,and think of things that you have accomplished ,for instance 5 kids,whoa thats hell of a reason to pat your self on shoulder lol,also owning a business is great aaand you getting better in life general,like stopping smoking,you have bright days ahead and it is motivating isnt it? But heroin,wtf....dude,yes it can make easier for you to relax,which is crucial,but believe me it can be your lifestyle,dont really let things to bother you,people usualy tend to overthink and overreact, you dont really have to be like buddhist ,just see your work and kids as something positive,be hyped
 
Thanks. Yep, my kids are all positive to me, one thing I've never struggled with in life is being a mum, that's why we have five. Everything I do is for them, work is great too and I am blessed to have a job that I love. From the outside my life looks picture perfect but inside is a mess!

No I'm not going to use heroin again, god forbidding. I've been on 28mg of subs for a year now.

Thanks for the tips. That first week on the zyban just really messed with me last time :(. I did get through a panic attack yesterday (not started on the zyban yet but had lots happen all at once plus I'm trying to reduce my anti depressant) by going for a walk to work with all the kids and doing my breathing then luckily I had to jump straight in the pool and teach lessons which redirected my focus and I felt good.

Thanks again.
 
Interesting info, I'm probably going on Zyban soon for depression, also in Australia, where it is not approved, so I will have to pay. It depends if the docs agree it's a good idea. I have anxiety and some mild schizophrenia (it has become much better over time), I hope I don't lose my shit.
 
I find it a really great anti depressant, it gives me energy and I don't feel as bogged down by it as I do by the prosit and the suboxone. It should be available on the PBS for depression in Australia and for more than three months a year for smoking cessation!

I really did lose my shit, particularly one night at work (j run a pool) I just lost it and started yelling at all the swimming club mums saying they all suck and worse and crying and freaking out. Then the major panic attack while I was working on the school tuckshop and ending up in hospital being treated like nothing but a stupid junkie :((. After the first week it turned around and I felt better than I had in years.

Look into it (I'm sure you have) as much as you can, I'm sure it doesn't affect everyone the same but I do have several mental health conditions too.

The hospital wouldn't give me any benzos but gave me propanolol (beta blocker) which actually helped immediately. Within 20 minutes I was chilled after being a mess all day. At least I have that now to use if I need it. I try not to use it much so my body doesn't get used to it and it still works when it really counts.

Good luck to you. It's going to cost me $160 a box (each month) but that's how much I spend on smokes in a week plus I won't be buying as much of my other anti depressant so for me it's going to be worth it:)
 
Yeah. You can only get it on pbs here for three months out of every twelve months because it is not prescribed in Australia as an anti depressant which is a shame because it works really well for that . So if I get it on a private script which I have here ready to go , I have to pay full price.

That's only $40 a week and I spend that or more on smokes a day so it's a good investment for me. Sunoxone here is the same price no matter what dose you are on (pharmacies set their own prices)...I just got put up to. 32mg today so it's still only $20 a week, plus I won't be buying as much pristiq so it's worth it to me:)

Used to spend a loooootttt more than that on drugs too!
 
Found that dopaminergic drugs weren't for me. Anxiety skyrocketed, sweating increased.. generally just sucked balls for my anxious state. Somehow I didn't see things getting markedly better after a week of attempted vehicular homicide.

Has wellbutrin worked for anyone with high anxiety?
 
Started today, cost me $60 for a 30-day pack. Can do 90-days for $150 or so, but also if I take it regularly and it's helping they can put it on another government fund of some kind and I get it free that way.

And this is strange, but it seems to be working straight away? I feel better already. Just one 150mg tablet about 6 hours ago. Feel a lot of energy, I wouldn't say 'happy' but there is more energy, less lethargy, and a mild stimulation. Seems a bit stronger than a placebo would be possible of doing.
 
PS. I have moderate anxiety. Used to be extreme, then became high, is now moderate.

PPS. Also on Lexapro 20mg for 6 weeks now.
 
Yes, I jave high anxiety and as I said, the first week was hell, basically psychotic and many major panic attacks. After that I was great and it worked so well for me!

Last time I got it it only cost me $36.90 but it's only covered for 3 months in Australia as it's not prescribed here for depression , only for smoking cessation. So I have to get it on private script. I don't mind paying $160 a month as that is what I go through a week in smokes plus the pristiq which I'm weaning off. We are a double income family so don't get an benefits or concessions or anything which is fair enough:)

I also felt it work straight away. Definitely had some high points in that first week but the low points were bad. Once it evened out I was great and I had quit smoking. It was kind of like having bipolar in that first week or maybe even 10 days.
 
Excellent, glad it is working! May have to give another run sometime.. It also killed my appetite, though.
Had good luck with lexapro and have almost constantly taken remeron the past few years. Those two combined were awesome for a while.
 
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