wellbutrin question | ADHD Information

I'm on WB, too. At higher doses I did feel overdosed on speed (b/c I'm on RitLA 60 mg, too). So I split up my WB to two doses daily, instead of 150 in one dose concurrent with the RitLA. Much better. On the other hand, losing weight has been good for me (8 lbs in 6 weeks), b/c Effexor put 40 lbs on my minimalist frame. heheh. I resist the term manic, but yeah, in retro, that's what it must have been. Your body should adjust. Give it time. If not, go back to what worked. Prozac and WB both have ADHD mitigative effects, but are primarily anti-D's. Good luck

My doc put me on Wellbutrin after a month of being on Adderall.  Wellbutrin is a med that can either work great or be trouble.  How long have you been on the Wellbutrin?  The appetite issues can be normal w/any anti-depressant and the issue with you parents many be normal also.

If you have a mood disorder, which 75% of people diagnosed w/ADHD do, then if the ADHD is being treated affectivley with the Strattera, the mood disorder will become more prominent.  Unfortunatly with Wellbutrin it can take anywhere from 2-6weeks, on average, to hit a theraputic level in your system.  This means you can take the med and still see no affect.  It is frustrating but Wellbutrin is supposed to be one of the better anti-depressants for ADHD.

What you need to look for is any severe manic thoughts or feelings.  Being moody is ok, so is being frustrated and even angry.  If you start having severe depressive feelings such as any thoughts of harming yourself, that is when you need to speak to your doc.

Keep in mind, every one hits a theraputic level at a different rate.  Yours will come and if it doesn't, there are many more meds out there to try.  It will eventually work itself out.  Just remember you are worth it!!!

I was diagnosed with ADD about 3 months ago. I have been on Strattera and after some urging from my counsler I asked my doc for an anti-depressant. (was still feeling anxious and teary)when i was younger I was on Prozac which worked great.  My doc wanted to put me on Wellbutrin in case my body was "immune" to the prozac. Since being on it I have a severe loss of appetite and have been feeling more annoyed with my parents. One of the main reasons I went on the meds was to fix the fractured relationship with my parents. I heard that some people experience manic episodes with wellbutrin-any advice?My advice would be to give the drug some more time.
The drug is  often given to bipolar patients, due to the fact it rarely causes cycling, meaning that it normally does not throw one into a manic phase.
As far as the appetite loss, if it is "severe" and you lose a significant amount of weight, let your Dr. know at once.  Studies have shown the the drug is weight neutral.  Most patients gain or lose slightly in a year's time.  Ethical pharmaceuticals can accomplish great things, but not immediately.

When I started on Wellbutrin 300mg XL, I had a dull headache for several weeks and at times I felt "brain buzzed"  The SEs eventually disappeared. 

Keep us posted.  Good Luck
How long ago were you on the prozac and how high was the dose. Seems strange that the doctor wouldn't try giving you the medication that had worked in the past.

Also kind of strange that he didn't try something that was very similar to prozac (like paxil or zoloft) instead of trying welbutrin. I say this because Prozac focuses on Serotonin while Welbutrin focuses on Dopamine. Also Welbutrin is usually not given to someone with anxiety because it can make it worse since the med has stimulent qualities.

All meds take some time to adjust in your system so you might just need to give it time but if you've already been on it for awhile or the side effects are causing a major problem then definately call your doctor.
[QUOTE=MommyMedic]If you have a mood disorder, which 75% of people diagnosed w/ADHD do . . .[/QUOTE]
I had no idea the percentage was that high. Where can I find this information?
I found this on the Additude Magazine site at  http://www.additudemag.com/medical.asp?DEPT_NO=506&SUB_N O=6
 
"In adults the two disorders commonly occur together. Recent estimates find that 15-17 % of persons with BMD also have ADHD. Conversely, 6-7% of people with ADHD also have BMD (10 times the prevalence found in the general population). Unless care is taken during the diagnostic assessment there is a substantial risk of either misdiagnosis or of a missed diagnosis."

I'm not sure how accurate the statistics are, but they are a lot less than 75%.

  Wellbutrin XL is fine if you have generalized anxiety associated with depression.  If you have panic attacks, social phobia, or primary anxiety, a SSRI(eg Zoloft, Paxil) is the drug class of choice.  In fact a recent Wellbutrin study showed that anxiety symptoms decreased to the same extent as Zoloft in patients who were depressed and had anxiety associated with depression.

Wellbutrin XL affects systemic Dopamine and Norepinephrine which increase alertness,motivation and energy  level, hence its usefullness in ADD.

All drugs and patient responses to these drugs, are very complicated.  There is no easy therapeutic formula to follow.  You have to give these drugs a try and not give up with the first sign of a side effect.



 
[QUOTE=haert]
  Wellbutrin XL is fine if you have generalized anxiety associated with depression.  If you have panic attacks, social phobia, or primary anxiety, a SSRI(eg Zoloft, Paxil) is the drug class of choice.  In fact a recent Wellbutrin study showed that anxiety symptoms decreased to the same extent as Zoloft in patients who were depressed and had anxiety associated with depression.

Wellbutrin XL affects systemic Dopamine and Norepinephrine which increase alertness,motivation and energy  level, hence its usefullness in ADD.

All drugs and patient responses to these drugs, are very complicated.  There is no easy therapeutic formula to follow.  You have to give these drugs a try and not give up with the first sign of a side effect.



 
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