# Wellbutrin increasing anxiety



## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

Last week my doc put me on 75mg Wellbutrin 2x/day. I also upped my Lexapro dosage from 20 to 30mg as it was losing its effectiveness. The Lexapro increase has made me very tired. On 150mg it seems like the Lexapro overpowers the Wellbutrin. I upped the dosage to 300mg and it seemed like the Wellbutrin overpowered the Lexapro.

Does the anxiety side effect go away with time? I'm just jittery all the time and have a strange sense of fear looming over me. I tell myself to calm down and it's just the drug that's causing this but I am still in a state of pure panic. Even with Lexapro I'm still getting the anxiety side effect. It SUCKS.


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

perhaps try 225 wellbutrin


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

So...One and a half tabs? That's actually what I'm trying at this moment. But then I just read that it screws with the release time of the med if you cut it in half. Have you taken halves of Wellbutrin SR?


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

you could see if that works for ya. I've done that before with SR and it made me more agitated and anxious because it all hits you faster, but I also wasn't taking anything else to counter it.

Looks like these are the options.



> *PREPARATIONS:*
> Standard Tablets: 75, 100, and 150 mg.
> Sustained Release tablets: 100, 150, and 200 mg.
> Extended Release tablets: 150 and 300 mg.


Could maybe go for a 200mg SR. Or a 150 in the morning and a 100 in the afternoon may be better. The SR I remember at least for me had a bad crash on the 12 hour mark. Although your high dose lexapro probably takes care of that.

I'd give it a try though, it seems to me then the split pills would just act more like the standard pills. And 75 standard at once especially having an SSRI to balance it should be fine.


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## Banana Cream (Aug 22, 2010)

Yes, I had to discontinue mine from side effects moving to main effects.

I now take Desoxyn (5-20mg day) and Xanax (3 mg day), and just hoping that I continue to feel "mostly" okay, and don't go back to where I was before. 

Good luck.


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

Banana Cream said:


> I now take Desoxyn (5-20mg day)
> 
> Good luck.


Hey where do you get this? if you don't mind.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

As for Wellbutrin, the tale of how it's supposed to increase anxiety is a common. Personally, it did nothing for me even at 450 mg other than act as a mild appetite suppressant. I didn't notice that effect till after I stopped my trial of it and gained weight. The effect isn't so powerful as to be blatantly obvious. I take dextroamphetamine and its effect on appetite is very clear, killing any desire to eat totally dead.



Banana Cream said:


> I now take Desoxyn (5-20mg day)


Desoxyn = methamphetamine for anyone who doesn't know. I too am wondering what it took to get a script for that. It would be hard to find any prescription drug with a greater stigma attached.

Someone told me a few months back that generic meth is back on the market again (she knew as her husband takes it). I never looked into that. I know the brand name version was the only kind available for years because there was almost no demand for this drug. After all, hardly any doctor wants to touch this stuff since you couldn't find a more stigmatized legal pill if you tried.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

My general rule for anyone with an anxiety disorder: don't take anything that targets norepinephrine more than dopamine. Wellbutrin is horrible.


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## robtyl (Sep 2, 2010)

Edwin said:


> My general rule for anyone with an anxiety disorder: don't take anything that targets norepinephrine more than dopamine. Wellbutrin is horrible.


What else can you take for fatigue and lethargy? I'm on Lexapro 10MG and have been so for about 5 weeks now... the drop in energy levels is killing me. I sleep around 8 hours a night and fall asleep constantly during the day. I desperately need something to pep me up, because I don't want to give up the Lexapro (I feel like it's actually helping with the anxiety).

Any suggestions? From a lot of reading I was under the impression that Wellbutrin (bupropion) augments the effects of Lexapro nicely. I want to be stimulated, at least at the levels I was prior to taking Lexapro - but not agitated.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

robtyl said:


> What else can you take for fatigue and lethargy? I'm on Lexapro 10MG and have been so for about 5 weeks now... the drop in energy levels is killing me. I sleep around 8 hours a night and fall asleep constantly during the day. I desperately need something to pep me up, because I don't want to give up the Lexapro (I feel like it's actually helping with the anxiety).
> 
> Any suggestions? From a lot of reading I was under the impression that Wellbutrin (bupropion) augments the effects of Lexapro nicely. I want to be stimulated, at least at the levels I was prior to taking Lexapro - but not agitated.


The only good thing I've found, except for classic stimulant medication (for ADHD treatment), is Rhodiola Rosea. It also works on serotonin, so I'd suggest lowering your Lexapro dose after a while on it. If you want to be really creative, use nicotine patches.


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

alex999 said:


> Last week my doc put me on 75mg Wellbutrin 2x/day. I also upped my Lexapro dosage from 20 to 30mg as it was losing its effectiveness. The Lexapro increase has made me very tired. On 150mg it seems like the Lexapro overpowers the Wellbutrin. I upped the dosage to 300mg and it seemed like the Wellbutrin overpowered the Lexapro.
> 
> Does the anxiety side effect go away with time? I'm just jittery all the time and have a strange sense of fear looming over me. I tell myself to calm down and it's just the drug that's causing this but I am still in a state of pure panic. Even with Lexapro I'm still getting the anxiety side effect. It SUCKS.


Yup

It goes away after about 10 days.

I couldn't stand that anxiety feeling the first 5 days or so. Now, about 2 weeks in, i don't feel much after taking the pill in the morning. It feels like a sugar pill pretty much. Which is grrrrrrrrrreat!!!

Cheers


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

alex999 said:


> I upped the dosage to 300mg and it seemed like the Wellbutrin overpowered the Lexapro.


Are you still at 300mg now?

I am at 150mg XL and it is a good dose for me. A lot of people have anxiety and sides at 300mg per day. I would suggest you lower the dose back to 150mg per day and it would resolve you of all the bad symptoms.

Cheers


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Did you have some anxiety before taking Wellbutrin? If so, it will just magnify it. That was my experience with taking it. That stuff is terrible for SA. My dad took it to quit smoking for F sakes!

infectedcalf.blogspot.com (my blog)


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## Banana Cream (Aug 22, 2010)

Just so you know, Desoxyn is not crystal ("crystallized") methamphetamine. To me, it is very mild in comparison to Adderall or Dexedrine CR, and without the side effects. And feels way more pure, not synthetic wacky head med. However, because of the association, my insurance has not covered it. I got it prescribed from my local primary health professional. 

I brought in wikipedia articles about amphetamines. It said Desoxyn was a much greater agonist of serotonin, which at the time, Adderall had me feeling completely drained of. So we opted to give it a try, rather than add an anti- depressant, which I have a long history of adverse reactions to.

Later, I read that methamphetamine actually reverses the direction of many of the common transmitters, including serotonin. (Check the new research area).

I do have more energy & memory in the day. I still get anxiety at times, nothing compared to caffeine or wellbutrin. I can drive, go to school, I am just hoping it keeps going well. It has helped a little at times with SA, but also hindered at others.


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

Well I'm still on 300mg and it seems like the jitteryness is completely gone. I no longer get that "high" or energy rush after taking it either. 

It seems however that the Lexapro is kicking in. This is good and bad. I am starting to feel emotionally dull and apathetic again. Maybe I'll try 25mg. Or just say f*** it and work on overcoming SA on my own without having to sacrifice my emotions on mind numbing SSRI's. I honestly hate being on Lexapro these past 7 months, but the sad thing is I'm an anxious trainwreck without it.


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

I don't know about you, but I feel a lot of positive benefits from Wellbutrin in just 2.5 weeks at 150mg dose! So far the biggest benefit I feel is that I have a "cleaner" internal thought process. I sort of felt this with 5 htp, but now that i've added Wellbutrin, it is awesome!

I am less self consious in public, like when I'm at a restaurant I don't feel like everyone is looking at me which I always used to feel. I used to feel like people were aware of my every move- like how I was sitting and how I was standing and my facial expressions, everything.

Now I don't care as much, and i'm in the moment.

I am also less sensitive and irritable (it's funny because people say Wellbutrin makes them more irritable, I would say it makes me more *assertive* but not more irritable) I used to be super sensitive to things, like I would take things way too personally, but now i dont feel like that as much, and I can respond to things in a more light hearted way! I am able to deal with conflict in a calm and rationale way. I don't have conflict with my girlfriend anymore. I made her cry a few of times this past summer (over nonsense really), and I feel like such a douche about that. Now I feel like I can actually enjoy my time with her, and the last time we hungout, I really enjoyed our time together- i didnt want it to end. I haven't felt like that in MONTHS. Almost a year really.

Overall I just feel better about myself, and I feel like I have better self esteem and a better self image. This might sound funny, but for the first time in my life I have "confidence" and I don't second guess myself as much. It's like for the past 8 years of my life, I have had to tell myself "i love myself" and "i am a good person" and "i am great because..." but now I don't need a because!!!!! I can't explain to you how amazing that feels because i have been wrestling with my self image for YEARS, and i had no reason to be down about it because I am decently handsome, and fit, and smart. But I could never "find" the confidence and the self image that has eluded me for years.

Finally, after 8-9 years of trying everything, it seems like this little pill called Wellbutrin is making me feel good about who I am, and bringing back my self esteem. It sounds crazy, but I have literally tried everything over the years from self help books, to seminars, to getting in super good shape, to dating lots of attractive women, and nothing has worked.

I feel like right now my brain is finally "at rest" and I *CAN *have an amazing life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,



alex999 said:


> Well I'm still on 300mg and it seems like the jitteryness is completely gone. I no longer get that "high" or energy rush after taking it either.
> 
> It seems however that the Lexapro is kicking in. This is good and bad. I am starting to feel emotionally dull and apathetic again. Maybe I'll try 25mg. Or just say f*** it and work on overcoming SA on my own without having to sacrifice my emotions on mind numbing SSRI's. I honestly hate being on Lexapro these past 7 months, but the sad thing is I'm an anxious trainwreck without it.


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

Hmmm.....I'm thinking about maybe trying to lower the Lexapro and see what happens now, since it appears the Wellbutrin is fully kicking in. The anxiety side effect is gone, so maybe I'll feel calmer now. I will be on cloud 9 if I can be on 20mg Lex and not feel anxiety.

But then again in all likelihood the Lexapro is probably preventing the anxiety. But I still think that my dosage is too high. My doc was pretty reluctant putting me on 30mg. In fact he said he has no patients who are on that high dosage and it's extremely rare that one is. He said I'll likely feel like a vegetable. It figures, even the Wellbutrin can't offset this numb feeling I have right now. I have a lot of serotonin flowing in the brain and my dopamine activity is probably very low.

I'm HOPING that the anxiety side effect of Wellbutrin was just transient, and I will be more comfortable on it with a lower Lex dosage. Crossing my fingers.

Oh, and when I was on Wellbutrin before I increased my Lex dosage, and I was going through the anxiety SE, I noticed my libido shot through the ROOF one day....I haven't had that high sex drive since I was 14. I kind of miss that feeling, lol.


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

alex999 said:


> Oh, and when I was on Wellbutrin before I increased my Lex dosage, and I was going through the anxiety SE, I noticed my libido shot through the ROOF one day....I haven't had that high sex drive since I was 14. I kind of miss that feeling, lol.


I still haven't experienced any sort of libido increase. But here's hoping! 

Cheers


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## Knowla (Feb 23, 2010)

Wellbutrin took me at least 30 days to get used to.

I had shakes, anxiety, and nausea. 

I had to have 300 mg to keep me awake enough to function. 

If I switched manufacturers or went from brand to generic I had to wait another 30 days to get used to it.


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## robtyl (Sep 2, 2010)

Good to hear of the positive effect Eric69! 

I'll be asking my doctor for some Wellbutrin in the next few days to counter the lethargy and apathy I have on Lexapro (although only 10MG, haha - but the fatigue and apathy is very real, even on this low dose).

Here's hoping I have the same success you're having! Congrats on the positive outcome 


x


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Eric69 said:


> I still haven't experienced any sort of libido increase. But here's hoping!
> 
> Cheers


That was a great story in the above post. Just wondering - have you been eating better or exercising when before you didn't? Did u start taking any supplements or herbs?

www.infectedcalf.blogspot.com (my blog)


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## peaceandlove09 (Aug 10, 2010)

User5 said:


> That was a great story in the above post. Just wondering - have you been eating better or exercising when before you didn't? Did u start taking any supplements or herbs?
> 
> www.infectedcalf.blogspot.com (my blog)


Actually i've been eating MORE to offset any weight loss from Wellbutrin. Unlike some people, I don't want to lose weight.

I always exercised before (and still do) .... supplements... I take fish oil, multi vitamin, and occasionally 5 htp for sleep.

Cheers,


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

WOW I feel freaking AMPED today...I have been on 300 for about 3 days, but I just lowered my Lexapro dosage to 20 last night. My hunch tells me I need to lower the WB dosage back to 150. 

I guess it's been 1 and a half weeks, but I still don't really feel an "antidepressant" effect...I just have a ****load of energy and I feel kind of nerveous for no reason and it's hard to enjoy myself. Not depressed, but just a little on edge and speedy. This also might be due to the fact I lowered my Lexapro dosage. I know from experience when you lower SSRI dosages your anxiety and depression spikes for a little while. The Wellbutrin is keeping me from being depressed, thankfully. 

Raising Lexapro or going to another SSRI is out of the question. I am sick of those mind numbing poison pills. Anxiety I can deal with and work through in time. But depression is hard to get out of.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Edwin said:


> My general rule for anyone with an anxiety disorder: don't take anything that targets norepinephrine more than dopamine. Wellbutrin is horrible.


Good advice!


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## Echonnector (Sep 12, 2010)

I felt the anxiety/irritability that became increased aggression and in my case it helped a bit but became a nuisance eventually. If wellbutrin is inscreasing you're anxiety but you still find it therapeutically valuable perhaps you either can get a lower/higher dose, but put on extended or immediate release, or opt for adding an anxiety med. See if perhaps Hydroxyzine or Buspar would be possible to add. Both are for anxiety, I get Hydroxyzine and it is useful but it doesn't kill my anxiety but mines not from wellbutrin, so it may help you for yours. I never found Buspar useful but some people have. Aside from that, adding an ssri or a benzo seems to be the next likely choice, that or a change in meds.


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