Wellbutrin XL -First time ever resorting to meds-Request for bluelighter advice too?

[jamesmartin]

Age - 22
Thought id make an ongoing trip report or experience with my wellbutrin.

I was going to write it on a word document for myself to see if it actually worked and to watch my progress. but hey might as well share it for those looking to use meds to treat your depression.

To start i was always against meds. so so so so so against them and pharmaceutical companies.

However at the same time i fucking hated my life every day and envisioned shooting my self, dying, etc in my head almost once every half an hour. maybe for hours on end or more. I have a girl i really love and a caring family. Both of whom make me so happy so i really can't resort to that aka suicide by all means possible.

I was suicidal since age 13 (which was before i dabbled with cannabis which is my doc) and now i was 22 and still feeling the same if not worse. Im not going to go into why as that is personal and not something to post on the web where everyone can see lol.
I don't know whats wrong with me but id always since a kid see everything as so pointless. Like whats the point if were just gonna end up dead. Why not just end it now and not put up with all this shit life throws at us.
Anyways instead of depressing you guys ..

I honestly couldn't take it anymore. I went to the emergency room. It was sort of embarrassing because i hate people knowing that i feel this way. I kinda wear a mask in life making people think I'm not sad at all but really i am. I just don't like to make others sad and why should they care its my problem. Im sure they have problems just as bad if not worse ..
Anyways Got to talk to a psychologist at the ER who was very nice. I am now on the waiting list to see a non ER psychologist. In the mean time i am going to free counselling at my university.
After going to the emergency room and explaining my situation. I was prescribed wellbutrin XL.

I was prescribed effexor XR but i really didn't want an SSRI or SNRI as all i hear is bad news about those. I already feel fatigued, lazy and kinda apathetic and i heard they just make that worse. Not to mention sexual effects.
HOWEVER i didn't actually try the effexor and just explained to my doctor about how the side effects were too much and how i don't want to risk getting them. I suggested wellbutrin as its one of the few antidepressants that supposedly doesn't have nearly as many side effects as SSRI's.

Its not fully clear on how wellbutrin works but it has something to do with your dopamine, norepinephrine and nicotine receptors. It just seemed to be the safest antidepressant right now. Cannabis works like a charm but if only it didn't make one so goddamn lazy and content lol! Plus i can't smoke it in class or while studying. Its for after those things or when I'm not doing those sort of things.

Week 1
Was told to take 150mg for a week. Ive done that. then when week two comes double the dose to 300mg in the morning.
At the end of week one i can say theres no real super noticeable effect like there is with things like cannabis, or amphetamines. Some people online claim to feel speedy but from 150mg not at all. I barley felt anything.

Apparently insomnia is one of the most common side effects with wellbutrin
For some reason i did notice me having semi-insomnia this week compared to usual. No idea why. I couldn't turn my mind off even though i was tired i found. So i went to a walk in clinic complained and they threw trazadone at me -_- i don't use it unless i really have to though. (it works but i don't like taking a serotonin agonist and reuptake inhibitor every night. No thanks)

As for relief of depression - There was an effect but subtle so it could be confused with a placebo feeling. I still feel depressed and would still pick the best way out over living BUT this week i find myself more often not being as sad or bummed out by my thoughts. i just kinda accept them and not feel so emotional about it. Its nice but a very weird feeling.
I live in kind of a shitty neighbourhood too. Weather is also pretty grim right now with doesn't help . Usually i look around, looking at people etc thinking wow is this life for me and many other people in this world.
Now i kinda just don't really think that and just have a i don't like to say it but a non humane attitude to it. But in a way i like it because i don't feel negative over this (the example) and many other things occurring in my day to day life.

In terms of motivation increase and energy increase i don't know what people talk about that this drug increases energy. Well not straight away anyways.

I haven't really noticed any increase in energy yet but I'm being patient and don't want to say anything yet. After all some anti depressants take a while to take effect. However my foot tends to keep moving I've noticed. Restless leg syndrome lol ? id never do it before.
Note - I have done dex and adderall a few times in my life so maybe I'm a non responder to this because its so weak compared to those drugs and the effects felt from them in terms of energy, motivation etc.

Week 2

First day today of taking 300mg . I was kinda scared of doubling my dose as i have a midterm tmrw which is very important. A lot of reports online report tremors, anxiety etc. I take it anyways but feel nothing like this. I just don't really feel anything and if i do it has to be quite subtle lol. Don't really feel any different from the 150mg.
Nothing new to add but ill add more when i feel necessary.

So far i have noticed some mild relief from my depression. It seems to prevent me from having as many negative thoughts you could say. Like stops them . But thats it. no other effects. So weird. that or I'm feeling this from myself and its a placebo.

Please feel free to give me any warnings about wellbutrin any of you have. If you've tried it before id love to hear or speak with you .
Any warnings about brain damage you've experienced, negative effects, positive. Anything.
It would really help me out. Maybe help me from screwing up my brain lol before its too late. After all i guess this is a harm reduction forum.


Hopefully you enjoy reading my experience with wellbutrin (theres more to come) . Ill keep y'all up to date.

 

[cj]

Cool report. I have been giving Ssri drugs a lot of thought lately myself. I still don't know what I am going to do.

 

[jamesmartin]

I guess it is now week 3 of wellbutrin.
I now feel kind of what id describe as an amphetamine buzz when i take the wellbutrin.
This feeling lasts for about 8-9hours (Energy, talkative, interested in things and i have that general get up and go feeling.)

Then i experience a crash . A crash very similar to an amphetamine crash. So basically the total opposite of Energy, talkative, interested in things and i have that general get up and go feeling lol.

This made me wonder if the pharmaceutical companies are lying. Am I'm taking a stimulant like Adderall or Ritalin or an NDRI like the pharmaceutical companies tell me?!?
I shouldn't be crashing off this stuff ... right ? or am i wrong ? People don't crash on SSRI's do they ?
Honestly wellbutrin doesn't seem like an NDRI but rather just a stimulant.

Aside from the fact that i really think this is just a weak stimulant rather than an NDRI or whatever the pharmaceutical companies tell us...

- Feeling less need for sleep. I don't feel as physically drained if i don't get any sleep.

- I enjoy my marijuana. its my drug of choice. Ive smoked it for 6 years now with no problems and it has bettered my life if anything. I can usually smoke a couple of joints of high grade marijuana and be decently stoned. However, now on wellbutrin i can smoke maybe one j and I'm flying. Not in a good way. I find my heart races more and I'm generally more anxious.
I was never an anxious person when smoking weed before. But all of a sudden i am . I think its the wellbutrin that is causing this feeling.
So every time i smoke marijuana now i try and pop a clonazepam (most of the time) which i obtained from a friend even though the doc would probably give me some lol. This tends to help the anxiety brought on by wellbutrin.
*Obviously this isn't a sustainable way of smoking weed. Benzodiazipines fuck up your brain and are also addictive.

- Constipation and bloatedness - Its not too bad at all but definitely there.

- I have not experienced the increase in sex drive others seem to speak about a lot.

Ill add more when i can ! Thanks.

 

[AbusedTampon]

Honestly antidepressants are NOT worth it, mainly due to them rewiring your thoughts in a horrible way. Have you ever tried MDMA? Ive seen people go through a lot of depression and actually show a lot of improvement with just one MDMA trip. Also, have you tried any opioids/opiates, Im not saying you should take any but most people have close to no depression on opioids/opiates. Anyways, hope the wellburtin works out, oh and depression only comes if you accept it, and same with happiness. Good luck ;-)

 

[s0rsha]

Honestly antidepressants are NOT worth it, mainly due to them rewiring your thoughts in a horrible way. Have you ever tried MDMA? Ive seen people go through a lot of depression and actually show a lot of improvement with just one MDMA trip. Also, have you tried any opioids/opiates, Im not saying you should take any but most people have close to no depression on opioids/opiates. Anyways, hope the wellburtin works out, oh and depression only comes if you accept it, and same with happiness. Good luck ;-)

Your mileage may vary. Antidepressants come in so many different forms that saying that they are not worth it because you are not fond of the ones you have tried or of the concept of antidepressants at all is, well, folly.

I was put on a few different SSRI's when I was younger and they did not make things any better, on the contrary. After some seven years without medication I had a major slump and my therapist sent me to a psychiatrist who suggested I try bupropion (Wellbutrin). After a month on 150 mg daily I noticed some improvement and I have been on 300 mg daily for about a year now. It increased my quality of life by 1000 %. The bottomless pits of despair I would find myself in before now seem rather curious in hindsight. I don't feel blunted or "flat" - I am capable of feeling a full range of emotions, even sadness, but never without a legitimate cause. I feel normal, like myself, and it is the greatest thing.

Opioids when depressed are a slippery slope that one does not generally want to go down. A highway to addiction if anything. I wouldn't recommend.

 

[AbusedTampon]

Well Im glad they actually worked for you Ive just had many encounters and seen what SOME antidepressants do. Again this was just a desperation suggestion, not a fact. If antidepressants work for you, I have no want to ruin it for you.

 

[Dresden]

Wellbutrin is a stimulant. It's a cathinone. N-t-butyl-3-chlorocathinone to be precise. However, it is extremely weak, and taking more will not help. On the contrary, taking more will give you a seizure. Zero abuse liability. Avoid this one.

If you're depressed, trying getting some sunlight or exercise. Swimming is a good exercise, for example. SSRIs and SNRIs etc. are pharmacrap. They make depression worse, not better.

 

[jamesmartin]

Wellbutrin is a stimulant. It's a cathinone. N-t-butyl-3-chlorocathinone to be precise. However, it is extremely weak, and taking more will not help. On the contrary, taking more will give you a seizure. Zero abuse liability. Avoid this one.

If you're depressed, trying getting some sunlight or exercise. Swimming is a good exercise, for example. SSRIs and SNRIs etc. are pharmacrap. They make depression worse, not better.

This .
I report back to you with more info on wellbutrin and info i have just learned . Info i wish i knew before even starting this crap.
Wellbutrin is essentially just a stimulant not an antidepressant ! A cathinone to be exact .

I can't believe doctors make you take this shit everyday and tell you to double your dose. They act like its an NDRI or SSRI where you take them everyday when it isn't.
Its very misleading . And i have a feeling there are many unintelligent people out there who will carry on taking this crap because they don't know this about Wellbutrin.

So i will be stopping Wellbutrin slowly. At first it was great. but since then to be honest it hasn't helped me in any way apart from feeling a little more awake during the day. And thats physically not even mentally where i need it.

I firmly believe wellbutrin should only be taken when you need it . There is NO NEED to be taking it everyday like they tell you too. I took it everyday and killed the good effects of the drug as I've built a tolerance now (because its a stimulant even though pharma companies have you believe its not).

so if i ever do do it again or if you choose to make sure your not taking it every day and just use it when needed.
The first few times i took it it really helped until tolerance set in. To avoid tolerance (and brain damage) i suggest not taking it everyday. This way the good effects are much more pronounced.

To be honest the Trazadone i was prescribed with the wellbutrin has helped much more than the wellbutrin itself lol.
I now can sleep at a reasonable time. Fixed my sleeping pattern and I'm feeling better because of it . Not 100% but its a start. .. A good sleep is very important.

I guess ill be sticking to marijuana as my anti depressant for now even though i hate it for that as it makes me lazy as fuck. But i will hell never go near SSRI's or anything else on the market today to be completely honest.

Wellbutrin was the only med i considered until i realized it doesn't even do what the company tells you it does. And it shouldn't be taken how the company recommends you do. From now on fuck anti depressants until the human race understands the brain much deeper .

 

[s0rsha]

Well Im glad they actually worked for you Ive just had many encounters and seen what SOME antidepressants do. Again this was just a desperation suggestion, not a fact. If antidepressants work for you, I have no want to ruin it for you.

Everyone is different. I had a friend who had been depressed since the age of 15 and tried every type of antidepressant and antipsychotic under the sun over the course of five years or so, finally getting last-resort measures such as ECT and whatnot... opioids were the only thing that worked and of course he eventually found himself in the claws of addiction, hit rock bottom after a while, admitted he needed help, went into rehab and turned his life around. He moved six hours away to start over fresh and last I heard from him he was still doing well. I think the reason why rehab worked so well was that he got social interaction, everyday routines, proper nutrition, an exercise habit and therapy. Quite the stark contrast from blocking all of the sunlight out of the apartment, being a recluse without a job or studies, being sedentary and living off crap.

Wellbutrin is a stimulant. It's a cathinone. N-t-butyl-3-chlorocathinone to be precise. However, it is extremely weak, and taking more will not help. On the contrary, taking more will give you a seizure. Zero abuse liability. Avoid this one.

If you're depressed, trying getting some sunlight or exercise. Swimming is a good exercise, for example. SSRIs and SNRIs etc. are pharmacrap. They make depression worse, not better.

If anything the lack of abuse liability is a good thing for a medication. Is it worthless recreationally? Yes, but if you have an (atypical) depression, it might just be life-changing. "Sunlight and exercise", while beneficial and sometimes enough on their own (see the example above), don't cut it for everyone. Suggesting otherwise might even be seen as offensive. Hearing that you don't need medication but just need to improve your lifestyle or "think positive" in spite of having a proper diet, regular exercise, a meaningful occupation, proper social interaction etc. and STILL feeling like shit on a regular basis gets tiresome.

This .
I report back to you with more info on wellbutrin and info i have just learned . Info i wish i knew before even starting this crap.
Wellbutrin is essentially just a stimulant not an antidepressant ! A cathinone to be exact .

I can't believe doctors make you take this shit everyday and tell you to double your dose. They act like its an NDRI or SSRI where you take them everyday when it isn't.
Its very misleading . And i have a feeling there are many unintelligent people out there who will carry on taking this crap because they don't know this about Wellbutrin.

So i will be stopping Wellbutrin slowly. At first it was great. but since then to be honest it hasn't helped me in any way apart from feeling a little more awake during the day. And thats physically not even mentally where i need it.

I firmly believe wellbutrin should only be taken when you need it . There is NO NEED to be taking it everyday like they tell you too. I took it everyday and killed the good effects of the drug as I've built a tolerance now (because its a stimulant even though pharma companies have you believe its not).

so if i ever do do it again or if you choose to make sure your not taking it every day and just use it when needed.
The first few times i took it it really helped until tolerance set in. To avoid tolerance (and brain damage) i suggest not taking it everyday. This way the good effects are much more pronounced.

To be honest the Trazadone i was prescribed with the wellbutrin has helped much more than the wellbutrin itself lol.
I now can sleep at a reasonable time. Fixed my sleeping pattern and I'm feeling better because of it . Not 100% but its a start. .. A good sleep is very important.

I guess ill be sticking to marijuana as my anti depressant for now even though i hate it for that as it makes me lazy as fuck. But i will hell never go near SSRI's or anything else on the market today to be completely honest.

Wellbutrin was the only med i considered until i realized it doesn't even do what the company tells you it does. And it shouldn't be taken how the company recommends you do. From now on fuck anti depressants until the human race understands the brain much deeper .

It is a weak stimulant with proven antidepressant properties. No need to pigeonhole it into just one category, it can be and is both. If you are prone to insomnia before or during treatment with bupropion then it is probably not for you.

Bupropion has several active metabolites with half-lives that are far greater (20-37 hours) than that of the substance itself. Thus, if used "only when needed", it is going to stay in the system far longer than you might assume anyway. Are you basing your rant on anything other than the fact that it also happens to be a weak stimulant? Where does your out-of-the-blue claim of "brain damage" come from?

 

[jamesmartin]

It is a weak stimulant with proven antidepressant properties. No need to pigeonhole it into just one category, it can be and is both. If you are prone to insomnia before or during treatment with bupropion then it is probably not for you.

Bupropion has several active metabolites with half-lives that are far greater (20-37 hours) than that of the substance itself. Thus, if used "only when needed", it is going to stay in the system far longer than you might assume anyway. Are you basing your rant on anything other than the fact that it also happens to be a weak stimulant? Where does your out-of-the-blue claim of "brain damage" come from?

1) I was never prone to insomnia .I could still sleep on the wellbutrin whilst on it .the Trazadone was just prescribed with it and personally I found it more useful than the wellbutrin.

2) Meth Is a stimulant as well and I'm sure u could prove it has anti depressant properties too . Same with a lot of drugs . Does it mean they're all good for you ? No

Which brings me to my next point. Correct me if wrong but....
Being a weak stimulant and taking it as prescribed aka every day will mean your receptors are constantly being stimulated or altered in some way . In wellbutrins case apparent according to pharma companies it works by affecting the reuptake of dopamine and npherine .

Any intelligent blue lighter (perhaps one from the advanced discussion board) can tell you that constantly doing this to your brain isn't good for it and can have countless implications on you and therefore future.
Not to mention the stress it puts on your liver, I and others found myself feeling quite dry and sweating alot . my mouth was dry (over a while this would result in poor oral health if I'm not mistaken) , the constipation it causes can't be good for you either . among more. Oh and clasiscal stimulant tolerance (honeymoon phase)

In my opinion and using what I've learnt about drugs over the years I believe this shouldnt be marketed as an antidepressant as that can be quite misleading to many people who don't really know much about drugs and how they really affect your brain and body . .


Maybe label it an antidepressant/stimulant . or if I had my way with it a straight up stimulant .

 

[Enquandriant]

I was writing up a rather long response to this, though I realize this post is rather old, but it is quite late, so I will save that for if you respond.

Bullet point response:
1. You seemed to be effected positively before the well was poisoned by responses about anti depressants in general.

2. Ritalin IS an NDRI, amphetamine (adderal) works by similar mechanisms to NDRIs (blocking DAT and NET), so yes, it was given to you AS a stimulant

3. There are many mechanisms for anti depressants, how they work shouldn't really matter so long as they are efficacious in treating your condition, and without major side effects. (ketamine/nmda antagonists, psychedelics, ssris, snris, these all work differently, but the general idea behind typical anti depressants is: Dopamine GOOD, Seratonin GOOD, defficiencies bad. As this is an NDRI it increases levels of Dopamine, so it fits the general idea)

4. Meth is COMPLETELY different, and so saying bupropion (wellbutrin) is bad because it is also a stimulant is fallacious reasoning.

4.b. Meth is actually outright toxic to dopamine axons, this is not. Also that toxicity is something that is normal even without stimulants, as dopamine creates oxidative free radicals upon its breakdown/metabolism

5. Your liver is fine, wellbutrin does not NORMALLY cause problems for people otherwise healthy livers.

6. Stimulants are actually prescribed for treatment resistant depression. AND an increase of energy might just be the abatement of depression, as depression can make you tired. (especially since you did NOT note increased energy/amphetamine like effects when you INITIALLY started taking this medication)

And a final note, as I am shaking from sleep deprivation and malnutrition.. ha. You were having good effects, at least, somewhat positive effects before you took to hating the drug. Your doctor must have put you on it because either you or he decided it would help you, so, if it was helping you, why stop? If you're going to stop simply from the side effects I totally understand, but stopping something that might be helpful to you for a.. new found? ideological problem with it seems odd.

As was stated, exercise, sunlight, and other general health tips. Yes, these are good for depression, but sometimes making the change to healthier living is hard without things like Wellbutrin. Perhaps taking it could get you into better habits that will allow you to not need it at all. Rather than drinking from this poisoned well, discuss your concerns with your doctor.

Thanks for reading, hope bumping a 8 day old thread doesn't upset anyone.

Peace

Edit: also before I sleep, just wanted to say: You might want to consider ixnaying the Weed entirely, until you're in a better place and not on other medications. not because it doesn't have potential to treat problems, like depression, it might, but because interactions are a bitch.

Specifically:
"Marijuana - when used with Wellbutrin has been known to induce psychotic behavior"
"Alcohol - risk of seizures may be increased"

 

[Dresden]

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is garbage. It will NOT get you high and belongs in the nearest trash can.

 

[sailor bugg]

I came to this thread hoping for a report from someone trying to get high on wellbutrin not just taking it as scripted.

 

[Dresden]

Well, sailor bugg, I took a bunch of Wellbutrin last winter trying to get high, and all I got was my first ever seizure.

 

[sailor bugg]

Well, sailor bugg, I took a bunch of Wellbutrin last winter trying to get high, and all I got was my first ever seizure.

Yea, I've read it can lower the seizure threshold significantly in not even huge amounts. Were you hospitalized?

 

[Dresden]

I was seated in among the concrete bleachers of a college gymnastics meet. When I stood up to leave, I immediately passed out. Witnesses told my sister, who had been sitting with her husband in another section, that I was out for about 35 seconds I think. I also puked. When I awoke, a paramedic was in my face but I kept swearing that I didn't want to go the hospital, so he just had me sign a waiver saying that I didn't want medical treatment. At the same time, I didn't tell anyone about the bupropion I had taken earlier. I was already embarrassed enough about seizing up, passing out, and throwing up in front of all those gymnastics fans. Surprisinly, Wellbutrin--even a handful--caused me ZERO stimulant and/or euphoric effects. I will never touch or be prescribed that crap again!

 

[Whosajiggawaaa]

Well, sailor bugg, I took a bunch of Wellbutrin last winter trying to get high, and all I got was my first ever seizure.

Funny you should say this. All I did was break the Wellbutrin Xl in 2 pieces when I took it and it caused 2 severe seizures (2nd could have been prevented by hospital but fk em, might sue.)