# Adding wellbutrin to ssri



## a ibrahim (Oct 29, 2004)

Anyone tried this, does it help for anxiety?


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

I'm sure it could. The Wellbutrin would work as a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, whereas the SSRI would work on serotonin. So, add a benzo into the package, and you'd pretty much be hitting all 4 of the main neurotransmitters (dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin). Which SSRI are you looking at?


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## a ibrahim (Oct 29, 2004)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Speak Easy said:


> I'm sure it could. The Wellbutrin would work as a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, whereas the SSRI would work on serotonin. So, add a benzo into the package, and you'd pretty much be hitting all 4 of the main neurotransmitters (dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin). Which SSRI are you looking at?


I am on celexa.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

You'll be fine. My only concern was if you were adding the Wellbutrin to a very stimulating SSRI (like Prozac). Celexa is minimally sedating, but I'm pretty sure that it's not activating in most patients. Good luck


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Speak Easy said:


> I'm sure it could. The Wellbutrin would work as a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, whereas the SSRI would work on serotonin. So, add a benzo into the package, and you'd pretty much be hitting all 4 of the main neurotransmitters (dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin). Which SSRI are you looking at?


thats what im doing :b


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

Yeah this can be effective. Keeping the dose low might help reduce unwanted anxiety associated with Wellbutrin. I recently was on the combination of Parnate (MAOI) and Wellbutrin, and it was a decent combo.


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Caedmon said:


> Keeping the dose low might help reduce unwanted anxiety associated with Wellbutrin.


thats interesting. my doc started me on 150mg and told me to go to 300mg on the second week


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## a ibrahim (Oct 29, 2004)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Caedmon said:


> Yeah this can be effective. Keeping the dose low might help reduce unwanted anxiety associated with Wellbutrin. I recently was on the combination of Parnate (MAOI) and Wellbutrin, and it was a decent combo.


I heard about this combo for TRD, hope it will help you much,parnate works on dopamine well,and adding it to wellbutrin means you are on dopamenergic treatment more than other neurotransmitters;
Really I am interested in wellbutrin for its effect on dopamine not norepinephrine as I have tried the combination of reboxetine (NRI) with celexa without success,and I have good experience with nardil which works on dopamine like parnate.


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Gumaro said:


> Caedmon said:
> 
> 
> > Keeping the dose low might help reduce unwanted anxiety associated with Wellbutrin.
> ...


Wellbutrin and Wellbutrin SR (Slow release) are different meds and have different administration indications. Wellbutrin says to start at 100mg bid (twice daily) and then after about 5 days, you move to 100mg tid (thrice daily). Wellbutrin SR says to begin with 100-150mg qd (once daily) for three days, and increasing to 150mg bid over 4-7 days.

Wellbutrin XL usually starts at 150mg (it only comes in 100mg and 300mg tablets) and then, increasing to around 300mg over 1-2 weeks, I think.


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## seattleguy35 (Dec 14, 2005)

I am on Effexor 300 mg.....a SNRI.... would adding Wellburtin help kill depression? Effexor stabilizes the anxiety part, but not the depression....

I prefer the lowest dosage of Wellburtin so I wouldn't get agitated (I have anxiety disorders)

Think it's a good combo?


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



seattleguy35 said:


> I am on Effexor 300 mg.....a SNRI.... would adding Wellburtin help kill depression? Effexor stabilizes the anxiety part, but not the depression....
> 
> I prefer the lowest dosage of Wellburtin so I wouldn't get agitated (I have anxiety disorders)
> 
> Think it's a good combo?


There's no evidence that an SSRI + Wellbutrin actually delivers better effects than simply the SSRI alone, but I think that personally, it can work well. You'd have two meds both hitting norepinephrine, which I'm not sure what results would bring. I suppose you'd feel extra calmed (especially physically/cardiovascularly). Adding Wellbutrin could, indeed, kill the depression, but so could switching to a different AD. IMO, polypharmacy should be reserved until all monotherapy has been ruled out. Not sure how many SSRIS/ADs you've tried, but if Effexor is your first, you should definitely give some others a try before you start adding on meds.

"It's difficult to prove that two drugs are better than one, but it's known that they are twice as toxic and twice as expensive"


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



seattleguy35 said:


> I am on Effexor 300 mg.....a SNRI.... would adding Wellburtin help kill depression? Effexor stabilizes the anxiety part, but not the depression....
> 
> I prefer the lowest dosage of Wellburtin so I wouldn't get agitated (I have anxiety disorders)
> 
> Think it's a good combo?


Michael I don't remember if we talked about fish oil or not. I know you were interested in a dopaminergic drug. Could you try taking high doses of fish oil? I'm thinking of 2-4 grams/day (equall, usually, to 7-15 pills / day of most brands of fish oil). In some people, that is just the ticket, and at any rate it is a low-risk strategy. I have taken as much as _8_ grams/ day during finals week. I find it stimulating and antidepressant (though unfortunately, at these higher doses, my tremors worsen. This is likely due to _excess _dopamine). This table might also have some ideas for you.


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

how long before my libido goes up? ive been on 150mg of wellbutrin since last thrus i beleive and its still down


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## lboy68001 (Jul 21, 2006)

I'm taking lexapro 10mg and wellbutrin XL 300mg. when i first started taking 150mg of XL i did notice a positive difference. After a week or two the dosage did nothing for me so i asked the doctor to up my dosage to 300 mg. That positive feeling has returned again. My mind feels very stimulated like i drank a venti starbucks and I don't get the gitters. Possibly the lexapro counteracts that particular side effect of the wellbutrin. I'm very satisfied with my med coctail. I also take valium when needed. I feel so confident when i'm on my meds. It's piece of mind.


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## jenna22 (Jan 14, 2007)

Its my second day on wellbutrin.I take 300mg and cymbalta 60mg

I hope wellbutrin helps both of us.let me know about your progress with wellbutrin


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## Speak Easy (Jun 27, 2006)

*Re: re: Adding wellbutrin to ssri*



Gumaro said:


> how long before my libido goes up? ive been on 150mg of wellbutrin since last thrus i beleive and its still down


Wait till you reach 300mg


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