Wellbutrin - where im at, and what to expect?

[DrewTheSlig]

Hello;

I am on an SSRI and, given the episode it was prescribed for and how serious it was, Im not coming off. I ended up in a sort of agitated depression, completely unlike anything Ive been through before. Sertraline put a stop to the agitation, and 4 months later I was functional again.

Well, anyway, I am considering adding Wellbutrin. I am nervous about it. The fact it has no withdrawals (allegedly) is very attractive.

I would like to know exactly what I should expect when starting. Will I feel like ive had 10 coffees? Will I feel worse or is that plausible?

The big questions I have concerns two symptoms which I hope it can help with:
- Low libido
- Anhedonia / very muted feelings and emotions. Numbness.

It stands to reason to me that because it does some stuff the SSRI doesnt, and hits different spots, that it can offset some of the SSRI effects. Is that right?

Im basically nervous about starting it but Ive had enough of having no sexual interest and feeling a bit...empty / hollow / numb all the time.

If anyone has any shouts on a medicine that might "get me in the mood" that isnt Wellbutrin I am open minded, too.

Thanks so much

 

[DrewTheSlig]

So, my wishes from it are that I want to have sex again and that maybe I feel a bit more "alive". I feel SSRIs can stop endless panic but thats about all they do in my opinion. They have not taken me all the way back to myself. In my opinion.

 

[arrall]

I was on Wellbutrin for over 2 years and went off of it a few months ago. The withdrawals were indeed very mild.

It does seem to work very well for many people experiencing low libido and anhedonia; Particularly those on SSRIs. The first few weeks on it can be bad (insomnia, weird physical side effects, etc.) I find XL to have the mildest side effects and studies seem to confirm this + find it to not significantly increase the seizure threshold, unlike IR and (to a much lesser extent) SR formulations.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

My only encounter with it was when I had been on dextro-Amphetamin and methylPhenidate before that. And a psychiater though it would work better for ADHD.

It did absolutely nothing for me. I sleep on stimulants but this was not even near one. Worthless for my condition, but it apparently can be useful for quitting smoking. For which my preference would be Cytisine or Varenicline.

 

[DrewTheSlig]

Thank you for the replies to date; if you say it helps those on SSRIs I will give it a shot.

In a way, Id rather hear that it did nothing than did too much; if its some mad powerful thing it scares us off

 

[puddle_down]

It seems to be one of those ‘love it or hate it‘ substances. Works outstanding for some, not at all for others. Wellbutrin/bupropion has been a lifesaver for detoxing from methamphetamines. It helps control the severe depression while adding a little boost, due to its mild amphetamine-like effects, which helps with the fatigue. It’s also the only AD that I’m aware of that has no sexual side effects. It can actually boost libido, which is a huge plus for most people. When I first took it around eight years ago (300mg XL once daily) I was scratching tasks off my to-do list that I had been putting off for years. This lasted for about a month and as I built a tolerance to it, the increased energy subsided to a reasonable level, but still kept me moderately motivated. My only gripe was its stimulant effect was causing insomnia, but my doctor helped me sort that out with a very low dose of quetiapine, which worked beautifully.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

 

[DrewTheSlig]

Hello I will be starting today at half a tablet of 150mg; I will report in.
My chief complaints are that I feel like a zombie or like Im hollow or made of glass - no interest in anything really. I can only presume its from the SSRI which did save me from a terrible agitated state.

I am hoping for an improvement in my "zest" for life. I'll give it a month lets say.

Im basically a pussy about these medicines so Ill be tirtating up and down.

Things have been reasonably steady lately so if there's some catastrophe we'll know it was from Wellbutin. Wish me luck.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Hey @DrewTheSlig

Welcome to the community man. We are happy to have you!

Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI)'s are pretty well-known for their effects upon libido. As one would expect, some have a more significant effect in this regard than other drugs in the same class, for instance, Escitalopram (Lexapro) seems to cause less of these symptoms. It's also just going to vary from person to person. I can say from personal experience that Fluoxetine (Prozac) was like chemical castration. I could have had sex, not had it... whatever. Escitalopram seemed to be much better but I only tovein ok that for a month or two so I don't feel comfortable reporting on it. I have also taken Fluvoxamine (Luvox) and I would say that this SSRI is ~25% as potent as Fluoxetine in the context of libido. My main point is that there is some pretty significant variation among drugs in the class. Don't be afraid about playing the field a little bit.

Yes, Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is completely unrelated to SSRI medications. The only commonality is that they are both referred to as "antidepressant" drugs. Bupropion is a hop, skip and a jump away from being a straight stimulant in the same vein as Amphetamine. It is a substituted Cathinone, Cathinone itself being similar to Amphetamines. Methcathinone is a serious drug of abuse in places like South Africa, for instance. So you're going to be taking a stimulant.

When you first start taking it, I would recommend limiting your caffeine intake until you know the basics about Bupropion and how it works for you. Aside from that, you've just gotta do some experimenting. I will say that while finding the right medication is a tedious process, it's worth it to put in the time. See if it works and if not move on. You shouldn't have to worry about side-effects aside from mild palpitations and perhaps some anxiety, but nothing crazy.

 

[DrewTheSlig]

Hello, I'm back to do an update, for anyone who Googles this - Wellbutrin does increase libido. It has (in my view) reduced the number of days with anhedonia.The most noticeable thing seems to be that in aggregate I have begun doing a lot more things I had let slide. Taking an interest in my work again (giving a fuck) has been the big one. This is not really perceptible day by day but the results speak for themselves a bit.

The down side is that it does make you feel edgy all day. My view. Also dry mouth at first.

If you don't quite feel right on an SSRI in terms of engaging with life I would recommend exploring Wellbutrin or the like (XR). It is not a panacea but it has had some positive benefits. That becomes especially noticeable when I think about it in terms of weeks or months - I've done more with myself than I have done in a long time.

 

[puddle_down]

Well said, Drew. I can vouch for everything you stated, as my past experiences with Bupropion are very much aligned with yours. I hope more people reading these testimonials give the medication a shot to see if it works just as well for them. When positive results are achieved, it really is life changing. I’m now at a place in my life where depression and fatigue are a thing of the past, so I no longer require it. But I can thank bupropion for being a major contributor in reaching this point in my life, free of drug use, depression, being jobless and feeling hopeless. With that being said, don‘t approach it as a medication you will require for the rest of your life, but a tool to help you reach a point of contentment where you no longer need it.

 

[thegreenhand]

The down side is that it does make you feel edgy all day.

I had this same experience, and that’s why I only lasted two months on it

I think it added to my suicidality as well, which felt linked to the agitation imo

I’ve found success with mirtazipine, luckily. It tends to be sort of opposite to bupropion, somewhat sedating actually

 

[DrewTheSlig]

Hello;
I'm back with an update.

UNFORTUNATELY, I had to stop the Wellbutrin. I ended up with urination issues. I have no idea if they are related to the wellbutrin but Ive found myself with a condition where Im urinating around 20 times a day. It has persisted beyond stopping the medicine. It may be a UTI or something else, but antibiotics have not fixed it. I'm now working with a urologist. Thats the end of my wellbutirn experiment at least.

I had a cytoscopy but everything was normal so who knows whats going.

 

[Xorkoth]

One of the nice things about wellbutrin is that it begins working immediately, unlike SSRIs. So if it's not doing it for you, you can stop pretty quickly (though I would give it a little time as you stabilize on it regardless), and as you say, it doesn't produce withdrawals, so it won't be hard to stop.

I picked some up, not via prescription, because I was curious whether it would help me with reduces libido and anhedonia from opiate dependence. The results were inconclusive. I kinda liked it, but it also sometimes gave me a headache and made me feel a bit jittery, It definitely was not really a full on stimulant, though it was somewhat stimulating. I may give it a try again, honestly I got the XR formulation but crushed them so it would be IR, for some reason. I think I was hoping it would be more stimulating because I like stimulants, but many people say the XR works better as a medication.

 

[arrall]

One of the nice things about wellbutrin is that it begins working immediately, unlike SSRIs. So if it's not doing it for you, you can stop pretty quickly (though I would give it a little time as you stabilize on it regardless), and as you say, it doesn't produce withdrawals, so it won't be hard to stop.

I picked some up, not via prescription, because I was curious whether it would help me with reduces libido and anhedonia from opiate dependence. The results were inconclusive. I kinda liked it, but it also sometimes gave me a headache and made me feel a bit jittery, It definitely was not really a full on stimulant, though it was somewhat stimulating. I may give it a try again, honestly I got the XR formulation but crushed them so it would be IR, for some reason. I think I was hoping it would be more stimulating because I like stimulants, but many people say the XR works better as a medication.

As someone who was on SR for months and then XL for nearly 2 years, XL/XR is so much smoother.

One of the few medications where extended release is preferred.

 

[WellTram]

Brintellix is great instead od SSRi. Its Serotonin modulator

 

[willreadit]

Hello;
I'm back with an update.

UNFORTUNATELY, I had to stop the Wellbutrin. I ended up with urination issues. I have no idea if they are related to the wellbutrin but Ive found myself with a condition where Im urinating around 20 times a day. It has persisted beyond stopping the medicine. It may be a UTI or something else, but antibiotics have not fixed it. I'm now working with a urologist. Thats the end of my wellbutirn experiment at least.

I had a cytoscopy but everything was normal so who knows whats going.

Drew the Slig - re: urinary issues -Had bladder issues, thot it was multiple possibilities after arm surgery: Flexeril, too much tylenol, other supplements. A- year later - Took steroids for a autoimmune disorder (Eosinophilic Esophagitis). Steroids & new job stress brought on a UTI (took meds to kill that) and realized I probably had a decades-old biofilm over the bacteria that had build up in my bladder & that was causing "urgency', "not emptying" etc, etc! Google led me to d-Mannose to physically bind to bacteria and rinse out with pee. Look it up. For 2 months -treated myself with multiple biofilm dissolvers, and take this d-Mannose 2x/d. Honestly feel like I have a new set of kidneys and bladder. Folks just don't understand the silent misery so many ppl live with. I work at a huge Family Practice desk and see at least 20 patients per week doing the massive Urology panels to find help. Wishing you success! from Minnesota

p.s. In my experience: Wellbutrin ftw
Serotonin is completely evil (see Ray Peat forums)

 

[Endopharm]

I lasted a week or two on this med. Just my experience, and I don't like Stims, but this was like time released cocaine.

I quit it after missing 3 or 4 days at work having crazy panic attacks and a heart rate in the 140s resting.

God bless anyone that can handle this medicine and I hope it works out well for you!