The horror that is wellbutrin | ADHD Information

[QUOTE=barb]

I've taken Wellbutrin for years and the only side effect I've had is that horrid weight gain. I take that back. The side effect is that I want to eat almost constantly, even when I'm not hungry. Until I realized that, I was packing on the pounds and now I have to struggle to get them off again.

It sounds to me like you have an allergy or sensitivity to it. What did your dr say about it when you told him?[/QUOTE]

I'll see him again in a week. For now I stopped taking it and am just dealing with myself however I can. I'm worried because he seeemd really against the "abusive" properties of stimlants, and was very sure that this wellbutrin was better for me. I am thinking that I may need to rethink my choice in psycotherapist if he wants to try another anti-depressant... I am DONE with that. I would much rather have the minor side effect of insomnia on a typical stimulant than these major side effects of this kind of thing.

It sounds to me like you have an allergy or sensitivity to it. What did your dr say about it when you told him?

So, I was self medicating for about 6 months when I arrived in a new city where I hadn't found a good shrink using Didrex. I figured since it metabolizes into an amphetamine it would work roughly as well as adderall or desoxyn, etc... and I was right. But it's not really "proper" for ADHD so I wanted to go see a doctor and get something safer. I finally found somone in the area and he was prescribing Wellbutrin.

I'd never tried anti-depressants for ADHD, so I thought, ok, let's giv eit a try...

Oh my god, it was absolutley horrible. I thought I was going to die. In three days, I feel incredibly depressed, I gained nearly ten pounds, I was feeling chills constantly, yet my toes and palms were sweating. I couldn't sleep easily, and when I did I had dreams that were so horrible they would wake me up. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I'd look at something I JUST WROTE and it would look like an alien language to me for a few minutes until I could force myself to focus and clear the cobwebs, which was mentally painful. My arms and legs felt like I had just run a marathon and were painful, tired and weak. In short, I felt like I was in hell, and was afraid I might drop dead.

Is this even close to a normal response to this drug for ADHD people? I dropped that horrible drug after the fourth day of this hell and am comletely recovered a day later, so it's fairly clear it was the Wellbutrin that did it and not some coincidental disease that struck at the same time. I have had a bad response to Ritalin in the past (incredibly painful back ache, and inability to think clearly, fuzzy, sticky brain), which sort of felt slightly like this. Are they from the same chemical family? I am thinking I may be allergic to something in this class of drugs.

Didrex didn't cause any problems, and I was previously on Desoxyn (In Japan, you'd never be able to get that here!) which was just fine as well. I am thinking those are different families of drugs to Wellbutrin and Ritaline, is that about right?

Wellbutrin is commonly used as a 3rd line drug for ADHD. it is an antidepressant, although one of the more stimulating ones, and weight gain is very common.

Have you tried Strattera? Thats a non stimulant and its an actual ADHD med, first line. It will probably take a while to get the right dose but it may be what you need. If you know you react well with stims, it might not hurt to look for a psych who isn't afraid of them.

Hi, Gnovos,

I'm 45, have ADD and am also taking wellbutrin for depression - have been for about 10 years now. I also take adderall 20-30 mgs/day, only about 3 days a week. I have never, ever had any of the problems that you described with the Wellbutrin. Nor have I gained any weight on it whatsoever. And that's even after being pregnant twice (2001 & 2003) while on it.

It definitely sounds like you have an allergy to one or more of the chemicals involved with these medications. Wow, a very good example of how different everyone's body reacts to meds!

I'm glad you are going back to that doc . If he balks or makes you feel uncomfortable for ANY reason, definitely try someone else!!

You had an extreme reaction that, if I remember correctly (or maybe not) may not even be listed with the side affects in the patient info that accompanies the medication. Probably should read it again to be sure.

Good luck, I really hope you find something AND someone (not necessarily in that order) that works for you.