# Zoloft/Wellbutrin/Adderall



## stevenrad92 (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey guys, I'm Steven. I've been reading this forum for awhile now but finally decided to make an account :boogie. Well I wanted to start off with my story.

(scroll down for TL;DR)

I'm 19 years old, going to be 20 in January. When I try to remember when exactly I realized I had SA, it is kinda hazy. I think it might have started around the time I started high school cause I used to have girlfriends and friends in middle school. I believe my SA is depression-induced. I have had to put up with a lot of verbal and some physical abuse when I was younger and through teenage. Became very insecure and it just got worse as the years went by.

On top of all this, I have ADHD-PI as well. I've always been at least a little spacy for as long as I can remember and not being able to pay attention in school and when someone would be talking to me my mind would drift off from what they were saying: a lot of "Wait, what?"s. As far as school goes, I started to really start having problems around the time I got into middle school when now all of a sudden I have more than one teacher and class.

My problems with low-self esteem and SA continued and finally started becoming a legitimate issue around New Years of this year (2011). I went to a New Years party and felt anxious the whole time and just sat there not talking. It was terrible. I ended up losing all my old friends except for a few and it stayed that way for at least 6 months. I also became gradually more socially isolated as time went by and became more introverted. Oh, and I was also a hypochondriac and always thought I had some serious illness.

Then, a few months ago (August), I finally realized I had Adult ADHD-PI. I feel like the undiagnosed ADHD played a role in all of this as well because every school year it was the same thing. I'd be motivated for a little while but would soon start really struggling to stay organized and on task at school. I eventually believed that I was just a loser and not cut out to succeed, especially in school. 

I saw my family doctor and was diagnosed ADHD-PI and was prescribed 10mg Adderall XR and a week later a 5mg Adderall IR booster. I realized this was a small dose but figured whatever she just wants to start low. Well, the dose worked somewhat for the first week very slightly but beyond that, I might as well have been taking a side effect pill. I called her multiple times about a dosage increase and the response I always got back was "I'm not comfortable with that". Learned from that experience, if you need any psychological help, don't see a GP.

I finally saw a pdoc (wonderful woman) and she is very knowledgeable and open with things. I had stopped taking the adderall because it was causing havoc on my moods and worsening my depression/anxiety to suicidal ideation (never had that before). Well I was put on 50mg zoloft and 0.5mg xanax PRN. Been on Zoloft for 3 weeks now and I'm starting to feel better. Not perfect, but better. However, while I feel like the Zoloft is starting to help my depression, it leaves me feeling tired and not really having pep or a "get up and go" feeling.

I see my pdoc again on Tuesday and was thinking of what I could suggest trying. I was thinking of asking if she could add wellbutrin to my zoloft, and on top of that, resume treating the ADHD with the adderall. Also increase my 50mg zoloft to 75mg I've done quite a bit of research and it seems like this combo of Zoloft/Wellbutrin/Adderall might be the combination that would work for me. Zoloft for the serotonin (less edgy, anxious), Wellbutrin for the dopamine and norepinephrine (more stimulated, less tired) and adding in the Adderall for the extra stimulation and concentration, and I'm hoping in combination with "Wel-oft", the bad side effects such as anxiety and mood issues/crash will be non-existent and I can reap the benefits. I would also have the xanax PRN if I really needed it.

(TL;DR)

So my question is, does anyone have experience with this combination? How did it pan out for you? I've seen what 3 weeks of zoloft has done so far and I'm hopeful that by making these changes, things will be much better. 

I have to put it out there though, I don't believe medication is the end-all. In fact, I look at medication as a ladder to get me to where I want to be. I plan on doing some CBT in the very near future and maybe some more exposure. I don't know what the general consensus is on subliminal therapy but I've done a bit of that as well and I believe it helps somewhat.

I hope you read my (LONG) story lol. See if anyone can relate with my experience. But if not, I'd definitely like some answers about this particular combination. 

Thanks, and it's nice to have finally joined this community.


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

Here's my take on this. I've tried a decent amount of different kinds of med combos and this triple combo is the best by far that I've used yet. 

Here's some info on my behalf;

Wellbutrin for me on it's own makes me more confident, sharp, and motivated. I don't like it by itself because of the increased anxiety and insomnia it creates. If the dose is too high, on it's own it can leave you with a cracked out zombie like feeling after a while. Also by itself I found myself more serious and I didn't enjoy things as much, as if my naturally FUN personality took the back burner.

Zoloft on it's own is my favorite SSRI, I find it more activating while others are sedating. It makes a good buffer and alleviates most of any crash type feelings from the other stimulating meds. It makes me more easy going, outgoing, social, cheerful, FUN, etc.

Adderall on it's own for me makes me calm and super focused, but if anything it makes me more introverted where many people rave the opposite. I have ADHD though.

Wellbutrin on it's own makes me organized, motivated, confident, but increases general anxiety a good amount.

Adderall + Wellbutrin gave me the best of both without the negatives. I was very focused, talkative, outgoing, motivated, idealistic, creative, confident, anxiety free.

Zoloft + Wellbutrin is a great combo, you get the best of both worlds and the side effects get canceled out.

Zoloft + Adderall was good, they work very well together, also this combo got rid of any introverted social awkwardness that the Adderall gave me on it's own.

Zoloft + Wellbutrin + Adderall is amazing. I was on that combo for only a short while, maybe a few months, but they were some of the most productive months of my life. I was alert, focused, confident, idealistic, creative, SUPER TALKATIVE, outgoing, motivated. All in a very balanced cool way. It was fantastic.

The best part was I've tried each of those meds on high doses individually and they were only decent. When I combined all three I was only on low doses at the time; 50mg Zoloft, 150MG Wellbutrin, and 15mg Adderall, and the low dose triple combo blew the high dose single meds out of the water, naturally though of course.


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## stevenrad92 (Oct 31, 2011)

Thanks for the response beaches!

Your post makes me hopeful about going ahead and doing this now. I haven't tried wellbutrin before, but what you said about the anxiety and such from wellbutrin alone is what I've heard before, which is why I opted with the zoloft at first. Like I said in my OP, I've been on zoloft for 3 weeks now and what you said about how you felt with zoloft is how I'm finally starting to feel, its great.

I also tried taking my old dose of adderall today (15 mg here as well) and...wow! Adderall alone makes me very introverted and socially isolated as well and it causes mood problems for me. Oh, and don't get me started on the nightmarish crashes...lol. But I definitely know what you're saying about the zoloft + adderall mix. Much, MUCH better than adderall alone. 

However, I still feel like something is missing. Maybe it really would be the wellbutrin to even things out. 

I have to ask you though, are you still taking any meds? And if so, which ones? Also, what made you stop using this combination if it worked so well for you?


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## ntdc (Jun 29, 2011)

combining these drugs can lower the seizure threshold make sure you have no history of seizures of family history of seizures (siblings, parents).


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

My bad on the late reply man. 

When I came off that combo I was in the middle of an out of state move, switching docs and everything. I knew it worked great, but I wasn't ready to consider taking something like Adderall long term until I tried a lot of other possibilities.

A few years later and I'm now at the point where I've accepted the decision to do it if that's what it takes. Been back on the Zoloft now for a few months, I started the Adderall again today, I will be adding Wellbutrin to the mix in a couple weeks.

I'm very excited to get back on this combo, hope all goes awesome.

Hey BTW combing the two is fantastic isn't it? How's it all goin for you, are you on the 2 or 3 now or? I hear you when you say the 2 is good but something is still missing. Adding the Wellbutrin sealed the deal when I did it.


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## meedo (Oct 4, 2011)

beaches09 said:


> Here's my take on this. I've tried a decent amount of different kinds of med combos and this triple combo is the best by far that I've used yet.
> 
> Here's some info on my behalf;
> 
> ...


I like the fact that wellbutrin makes you confident?but in the same time you say it makes you anxious.. how can you combine confidence and fear in the same time?


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## beaches09 (Feb 1, 2009)

meedo said:


> I like the fact that wellbutrin makes you confident?but in the same time you say it makes you anxious.. how can you combine confidence and fear in the same time?


The anxiety is a general anxiety relating to going about my every day life. It's something I have a huge issue with normally and the Wellbutrin on it's own just intensifies it. On the other end, Wellbutrin is also one of the only things that really helps my extreme lack of motivation, sharpness, organizational skills, depression, etc, a great deal.

As for the anxiety part. Basically when there's anything I need to do or have to get done, I naturally feel extremely overwhelmed and pressured and the need to do it very quickly, even the smallest things like taking a shower or brushing my teeth or cooking food. Any task that takes me away from doing whatever "project" that makes me calm that I'm currently working on, when I go away from that project I get antsy and very anxious. And things like making schedules for things in advance, forget about it. The thought of things that i have to plan my life around drive me with intense amounts of anxiety to the bone. So I basically rarely commit to anything (unless it's something I'm very passionate about, therefore doesn't create anxiety), I still makes tons of plans, but rarely scheduled, I go about it and do everything spontaneously. Wellbutrin makes that worse, but at the same time brings in motivation/drive/confidence/clearheadedness/etc to actually make things happen.

So basically I'm either depressed completely and unmotivated to the core filled with immense anxiety, or an ultra Type A getting things done, but still filled with anxiety. It sucks bad either way, it's very unsettling even naturally without the med.

There's a couple things I've tried in the past that get rid of this Anxiety completely, even in combination with Wellbutrin. My plan is to introduce 1 at a time into my cocktail in the coming months to determine which goes better and hopefully finally get the right med combo figured out.

Basically I find Wellbutrin to be fantastic, just not by itself.


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## ntdc (Jun 29, 2011)

ive taken all 3 seperately i can only imagine all together id be sitting around sweating through my clothes and never eating or sleeping because thats pretty much what happened with all of those.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

The more confidence but more anxiety I had as well on Wellbutrin. It's probably because depression and anxiety are opposites. When I'm in deep depression I hardly have anxiety, when happier I have more. Totally sucks!


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## SeanMcAndrew (Dec 22, 2011)

stevenrad92 said:


> I've done quite a bit of research and it seems like this combo of Zoloft/Wellbutrin/Adderall might be the combination that would work for me.


Funny that I found this, I was actually going to suggest the same combo to my psych on Monday.

Zoloft is definitely the most effective SSRI I've been on, but the 6 months I was on it alone it was not effective enough. At one point i had Adderall added to it, but was hospitalized for a suspected lorazepam OD (which i was nowhere near, my stepdad was merely flipping his top), and my psych took it away suspecting I abused it. Sucks, because I wasn't and it was actually helping me, but to not seem like a druggie I figured I'd wait a couple months before suggesting he bring it back in.

And now, I'm on Wellbutrin alone as my anti-depressant (I know it seems a little backwards, but we're in a stage of trying medicines out) and it's not doing so well. I can see what you're talking about though about it making you sharp and motivated, then leaving you like a zombie.

I guess the point of this post is to acknowledge that I'm happy you've already brought this question to the table lol.

One thing I'm worried about though is the insomnia this combo might cause, I already have it pretty badly from the wellbutrin alone.


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## VPattyV (Aug 14, 2015)

Hi! I've been on 100 mg of extended release Wellbutrin, 150 mg of zoloft and as of right now I take 30 mg of adderall as needed and the ONLY complaint is I can't sleep. So I also take Lunesta. I have never in my life felt more normal and secure with who I am and I'm definitely more outgoing! I hate to say this brought me back to life but it truly did. My boyfriend and I were fighting nonstop before I was on the medicine. Now that I'm on the medicine we are getting married next September and are already looking at buying a house together and we have a beautiful baby boy  This trio is amazing, especially if you actually have adhd. Sorry for my novel! MY QUESTION is... has this trio of meds make anyone gain weight or have more difficulty losing weight? I know I have a long way to go (my son is only 9 months) but I was just curious. Thanks!


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## vdvk (Nov 11, 2017)

I know this thread is quite old, but I'm interested in this triple combo too.

Right now, I'm taking 75mg Wellbutrin and 100mg Zoloft. It's good for depression and general anxiety, but I'm still too much of an introvert, and eye-contact is sometimes still a bit difficult, but I think adding Adderall might solve this. I suppose increasing the Zoloft might do the trick as well, but I'm afraid of the sexual side effects and I think adding Adderall will probably even increase my libido.

Any thoughts on this?


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

well amphetamine can go either way with regards to eye contact but I`m sure it would help with the intoversion and libido (not sure increasing zoloft would do anything for introversion).

I`ve taken a **** load of amphetamines in my lifetime but always for recreational purposes and higher doses, and never on a daily basis but it certainly works for depression, anxiety and introversion (high doses can cause introversion as well) immediately. Whether a low dose every day is sustainable for mood etc I would have my doubts but rockyraccoon on the forum is having great success with his symptoms from amphetamine so obviously his experience has much more credibility than my doubts do, as I have never used it that way.

Maybe rocky will chime in on this at some point and give you his view.


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