I've taken it for years and recently stopped. I'm wondering if that's why these symptoms are suddenly so acute. I'll check with a doctor but wanted to get opinions from here. Thank you!

i really do not know either,i just started this medication as well but i do not know either.My doctor puts me on concerta for schooling purpose only but right now im not on it but i do know that when i take the welbutrin i feel more focused.What mg are you on?Im on 150 mg a day.

Why were you taking Wellbutrin in the first place?

I started taking it a couple of months ago and it has helped reduce my ADD symptoms quite a bit. I've tried several other meds that didn't work at all.

WB is like all other meds: some work for some people and not for others.

Lipz17:
I haven't checked this in a while, sorry it took so long. (I forgot I had signed up! How ADD is THAT? Ha!) ;)

I'm on 300mg a day of the sustained release Wellbutrin. Or was, anyway. I went off it a while ago, but am seeing the doctor next week and going back on.

Hope you're doing great! Good luck with school!

FightingBoredom:
Thanks for your reply. I was on Wellbutrin and lithium for bipolar disorder. I was feeling sassy recently and went off the Wellbutrin and drastically cut back the lithium. The lithium level is fine, but after a couple months off it, am feeling the effects of not being on Wellbutrin. (My doctor knew I was doing this, by the way, before I get chastised.)

I was glad to get your feedback--I'm seeing the doctor next week and will be going back on Wellbutrin.

Take care!

BP, what happened with you and your doctor?

I'm still on WB and it still works well for me. Even during a bunch of other medical junk that just happened to me.

Fighting Boredom:

He put me back on Wellbutrin and lithium, and all is well. I don't think the Wellbutrin could have kicked in yet, but I do feel better. My focus is better, but you know what I think it might be? I recently started drinking coffee again after being off it for a year or so. Is that possible? I imagine once my body gets used to it my focus might drop, but I'm loving it in the meantime.

I'm glad the Wellbutrin is working for you. And I hope all your health woes have been resolved or are on their way to being so.

I just got put on wellbutrin for depression, and since i've started taking it (about a week now) i've noticed improvements in my attention and in my memory.

Welbutrin does help relieve ADD symptoms. Don't take too much or you will have problems with anger, and feeling overstimulated.

Me :D

Speedo,
Thank you! I tried WB for depression for a very brief time, made me ANGRY and verbally aggressive. Got off it super quickly as it just wasn't me and scared me bout out of my skin. Didn't even hang around long 'nuff to find out any ADD connection. Glad to know that it might have been a dosage issue.

Was on WB for about 5 months...had to go off for lack of insurance. Loved it and it definately gave me more clarity then Im use to. The anger side-effects werent terriffic but not tragic..just asked 'daddy' to take the kids out for a while because it seemed like they were the only ones who happened to be there on the onset of it.

If an anti-depressant improves attention and memory problems which are symptoms of depression, how do we know if the WB helps our ADHD?

If an anti-depressant improves attention and memory problems which are symptoms of depression, how do we know if the WB helps our ADHD?
Well with WB it's different because it works on the same neurotransmitters as ADHD meds.

In addition, depression only causes those issues (ADD like) while you are depressed, so if you gain skills and clarity that exceed what you were like before you got depressed, it's relieving more than 'just' the depression.

I was given Wellbutrin a couple of months ago for Adult ADD. I was able to focus more but my husband said I was extremely aggitated. At one point I was paranoid and didn't want to leave the house. I stopped taking Wellbutrin after the paranoia. I now take 5mg of Adderall XR which doesn't seem to help me focus but I haven't experienced any side effects like the Wellbutrin.

Mo, are you planning to increase your dose to see if it helps more?

As I understand it Wellbutrin is the only Anti Depressant med that works on Dopamine. It either helps with production or the receptors, I forget which one. From what I have heard it helps with about 50% of the people that try it.

When I started Wellbutrin I experienced the anger issue. My Dr. then added Lexapro to the mix which helped right away. I noticed increased pleasure in life, and more motivation from the 2 drugs. But as Imnaple stated how do you know if it is helping with ADD or just helping with Depression? For me I am not sure, it may have been either one. My guess is it helped with my depression, which helped with my motivation. <O:p></O:p>

<O:p></O:p>

I wanted improved focus and concentration. I did not achieve those results with Wellbutrin alone. I am since been on Concerta along with the Wellbutrin and the Lexapro, and this seems to work well for me.
<O:p></O:p>
I have been thinking about going off the Wellbutrin, but it is complementary to the Lexapro. Without the Lexapro the Concerta, or Wellbutrin adds to my anxiety and depression. Without the Wellbutrin the Lexapro's side effects are worse. That is the interesting thing I have found about Wellbutrin. It has been found to minimize some of the side effects of many Anti Depressants. IE sexual, weight gain etc.

Overall I think that for me it is a good med, but not on its own. Sometime you may need a little dopamine, and some serotonin. Who knows.<O:p></O:p>

Z- I have to ask...while on the Lexapro, did you suffer waves of just intense drowsiness and/or extreme vivid nightmares? I started on the Lexapro and it was OK, but I hated the nightmares and yawning plus I had heard of the perks with the Wellbutrin where the only side effects was just the high temper flares.

My big concern about combining the two is the fact that I have hypertension so any drug I come across albiet for my ADHD or depression/anxiety I have to know two things; will it counteract with my hypertension and will it allow me to enjoy sex?
Im in the process of getting back on the Wellbutrin XL but I am really interested to combine it with the Lexapro just to experience this balance you mentioned. Im also looking into the drug Cymbalta (sp?) but I have to know how it would work with my hypertension...
Thanks for your post...it was really interesting.....:)

If I were you I would deffentally ask your Dr. about the Hypertension. I know that meds work differently for everyone, but the two together do just fine for me.

Wait let me change that. While I was on just the Lexapro and the Wellbutrin I had a mind fog all of the time. (From the Lexapro)

The concerta cleared that up. But the Wellbutrin did help the Sexual side effects of the Lexapro.

Z

Hi,

I'm a smoker, and have tried to quit several times, with the patch. Somewhat sucessful, but always back to the cigarettes when I get stressed.

I also have adhd. So, I got a bottle of generic zyban (150 mg. bupropion er) from a friend. Taking 2x a day, and after a week and a half, I don't feel anything related to smoking. As a matter of fact, I bought some more patches. I think that it is helping with adhd, but not what I expected. I don't feel anything at all. It just seems that I don't get as excited as usual. In the mornings, up until about noon, it's very easy for me to get very frustrated and say things I shouldn't. That's about the only significant change i've noticed. Things don't set me off as much in the mornings.

I'm wondering if the effect on smoking is delayed? Or is it just not working in that respect? I was told that it would make cigs taste bad, which it doesn't. Should I wait a little longer?

Is this a "paradoxial drug", a stimulant to normal people, but a leveling agent to me?

I'd like some insight on this particular drug. I was on ritalin many years ago, but untreated since then.

I'm thinking about going in and getting a steady prescription to this, but I don't have a lot of experience with drugs. I just know that this one has zero side effects on me. And I'm ok with that. I also think that this might not be doing anything at all, and my mind is going through a placebo effect.

Any insight appreciated.

Fugly

Welbutrin takes effect in about an hour. It works fast and has a long half life... it literally takes 3-4 days for it to wear off when you stop taking it.

As far as relieving the craving for nicotine goes , it only works for about 30% of the people who take it.....
It reduces my urge to smoke a little but all attempts at quitting have failed for me thus far.

It ceretainly does help reduce my hyperactivity and has few side effects. I do also take neurontin and risperdal. The neurontin helps curb my hyperacusis and acts as a mood stabilizer... and the risperdal helps reduce anxiety and reduces my ocd.

Me :D

I also have adhd. So, I got a bottle of generic zyban (150 mg. bupropion er) from a friend. Taking 2x a day, and after a week and a half, I don't feel anything related to smoking.
You have used this medication illegally and not according to the instructions - no wonder it's not working! :rolleyes:

You are supposed to take it for 1-2 weeks at 150mg in the morning and then up to 150mg BID. You are supposed to continue smoking for the first month and then cut down as the effects start kicking in properly (being an antidepressant, some aspects of its effects will NOT be noticeable until a few weeks into the trial).

In many countries, you are also supposed to have counselling for quitting smoking in order to get a prescription for Zyban.

My recommendation is to stop messing with prescription drugs that you've obtained illegally, and to drag yourself to your GP and do this properly!

Thanks for your response. I do take it the way it's supposed to be done. 1 tablet twice daily. Now, one post says it takes effect in one hour, and you say it takes some weeks. Which I believe, especially with the anit-depressant.

I'll keep taking them, until the effects happen. If I'm ok with it, I will go to the DR. and get a prescription. I mainly wanted it to help with smoking, but am well aware of the effects with regard to add/depression. So, to me it's very small risk. But thanks for your concern and input. I will see a Dr. about this.

Thanks for your response. I do take it the way it's supposed to be done. 1 tablet twice daily.
That is the end dosage aimed for, yes, but no physician will just prescribe the full dose for an antidepressant right from the start. Usually it is one tablet once a day for the first 6 days (if for smoking cessation) then 2 per day, with at least 8 hours between them

As for the time until effects take place, yes the medication itself starts working relatively quickly, but like all antidepressants, it needs time to build up in your system before its full effects can be noticed.

This site has all the copies of patient leaflets and a lot of other info on WB: http://www.crazymeds.org/wellbutrin.html

Fugly, I was on Wellbutrin for a full month before I smoked my last cigarette.

Fugly,

From what I've read about wellbutrin, it seems to affect people quite differently. But here's my experience.
Two years ago, I made a major attempt to quit smoking, just went cold turkey. Was doing fine for about 2 1/2 weeks, then hit major depression. Couldn't stop crying and get off the couch. I went into psych hoping to get wellbutrin/zyban, but because of other factors, he recommended prozac, so I was doing that at 20mg and therapy for a year. It helped with the depression, but I started smoking again after 4 months. I tried quitting again a year ago, made it a couple weeks, hit depression again, started smoking. Soon after my psychiatrist retired and I was assigned a new one--I told her things were good in general, but I really wanted to try to quit smoking, so she put me on 150mg wellbutrin and I stopped the prozac. After a few weeks, I was feeling edgy, so I added back 10 mg of prozac and that was better. Then I kept waiting for the wellbutrin to work on the smoking cravings...and waiting...

I realize wellbutrin/zyban (bupropion) is not a magic bullet for smoking cessation and you've got to have support and a plan for not smoking. But I went from actively making non-smoking plans before I started taking it, to total avoidance and chain smoking since I've been taking it. If anything, I've been smoking more, and haven't managed to get it together to really try in 7 months on wellbutrin. It has done absolutely nothing for my focus, either. What it has done, I've gradually realized, is make me a little more edgy and physically tense, rasied my stress levels a little (so when I'm busy, if anything, I'm a little more scattered). In the last month, I've been 'forgetting' to take it every day, and finally stopped about a week ago. In hindsight, I think it's also been negatively affecting my libido (harder to fully relax and get in touch with my body).

For me, I tend to try to quit smoking when I feel how negatively it's affecting my body; for some reason, I feel like wellbutrin almost interfered with that. But then my smoking patterns are unusual in that my nic attacks, while there, are not nearly as bad as another symptom: the mental fogginess I get not smoking. I suspect this may be largely from self-medicating for ADD most of my adult life with nicotine and caffeine to stay alert and focused, so hoping ritalin will work for me, and allow me to quit smoking without being fuzzy headed...but wellbutrin didn't help at all.

BTW, I'm wondering if this is common with ADDers, the fuzziness? I've run into very few people who have problems with funzziness and poor concentration as a 'side effect' of quitting smoking. But it's the really terrible effect for me, it's hard sometimes to even speak, and string coherent sentences together when I'm withdrawing, and even weeks afterward....

I understand every word. I've been fuzzy also, but don't know if it's due to proprion or not smoking. One thing I've read, that worries me is not being able to sleep. If that happens, i'm done with it. So far though, nothing.

I'm a caffiene and cigarette user too. I drink coffee well into the evening. The effects of caffiene are a trade off though. It makes me edgy and more likely to percieve criticism in a magnified way.

I also have been smoking more. Go figure. Tomorrow will be two weeks. Still waiting for some definate effects. Thanks so much for your candid reply.

Fugly

two weeks for me on wellbutrin xl 300mgs and i have trouble swallowing and excellent orgasms. i also have a foggy brain and tense muscles. hopefully the negative side effects will go away and i will have better concentration. who knows. Im playing the waiting game on this one too. Hopefully I can get put on a stimulant before exams. They have helped adders for years but I got prescribed stratterra (horrible side effects) and now wellbutrin. this website has other people's medication ratings for lots of drugs including wellbutrin. I found it helpful. http://www.askapatient.com/rateyourmedicine.htm good luck

-Ihavekeys?

I believe that Wellbutrin barelly qualifies as an anti-depressant although that was its original intent. I think that it failed its clinical studies as an antidepressant.

It is NOT and SSRI like prozac and others, it is aan SNRI (Selective Norepinepherine Reuptake Inhibitor) and doe the same to a lesser extent to Dopamine. It works sometimes to help people quit smoking becuase it replaces the increased dopamine they usualy get from the nicotine in tobbacco.

I just tried Wellbutrin as a compliment to Dexedrine. The thought was that the increased Norepinepherine would help with motivational issues. Sadly, this was not the case. I found myself very quickly more foregetfully, more disorganized than before. So much so, that I have discontinued it. I asked my psychiatrist about this odd reaction and he said that to some extent these drugs are a new experiment in each person. Oh! one other nasty side effect.... greatly increased erectile dysfunction. So, you see, I have had a very unusual reaction to this drug. Its off my list permanently.

Katatak

I was prescribed Wellbutrin 150 but did not find it to be particulary usefull or helpfull. Next we added focalin---this combo was better. However, I found the combo to cause excesive dry mouth. I stopped the Wellbutrin and continued the focalin.

Currently, I am only taking 5 mg per day. This is not, by any means, a theraputic dose, yet when I attempt to go higher I once again am plagued by dry mouth. Lately, I find that I need a higher level, so I force myself, since I feel much better overall. My goal would be to get to the appropriate level over time.


My understanding regarding wellbutrin is that it is an anti depressent with some support/use for adders, as well. And off label it is prescribed for those attempting to quit smoking.

I found myself very quickly more foregetfully, more disorganized than before. So much so, that I have discontinued it. I asked my psychiatrist about this odd reaction and he said that to some extent these drugs are a new experiment in each person.
Katatak
I had the same reaction when I started wellbutrin. I didn't notice at first because I was way less forgetful than I was on Strattera. I got off strattera the same week I got on wellbutrin.

now i feel more focused and somewhat happier than I did before the meds. strange things make me laugh lately, simple things that arent even funny. I think the increased focus is from the relief of the depression symptoms, not the ADD it was perscribed for. I still can't pay attention remember concentrate control impulses or any of those add type things.

I have an appt with a psyc instead of pdoc (who perscribed the wellbutrin) next month (whoopee!) so I'm going to ask for something usually perscribed for ADD no more of this using me as an experiment crap like your talking about. I'm looking forward to it! I love trying new meds i know that sounds odd but the possibility that they will improve my life is really exciting!!

so theres my one month update on wellbutrin xl 300 mgs

My understanding regarding wellbutrin is that it is an anti depressent with some support/use for adders, as well. And off label it is prescribed for those attempting to quit smoking.
Not exactly off label, it is prescribed as Zyban (150mg tablets) for smoking cessation. Here in the UK that is the only form of it you can get, and any other use (ADD, Depression) is off-label.

The wellbutrin and patch got me to where I could quit smoking. I'm smoke free now.
It seemed to level out my moods also, but it's really hard to tell. I noticed that during the day, I get tired and it's difficult to keep my eyes open, right after I eat. It's almost like nodding off but not really that sleepy.

Wow, amazing how our experiences with the same medications can be so different at times. For me, the Wellbutrin has been the anti-depressant with the least amount of side effects (compared to Zoloft and Paxil), it DID make me quit smoking (without even trying!!) but I don't feel it helped with my Add at all. The first time I took it, my doc suggested it as a replacement to my dexedrine, as well as an anti-depr. Tried it for 2 months or so and my Add was as if I was not taking anything. Because it worked well as an anti-depressant, I continued taking it and went back to the dexedrine to take care of my Add. I'm an Inattentive Type "Adder", who also suffers from depression and so far this was the best combo for me. Here's my 2 cents!

It seemed to level out my moods also, but it's really hard to tell. I noticed that during the day, I get tired and it's difficult to keep my eyes open, right after I eat. It's almost like nodding off but not really that sleepy.
I noticed the sleepiness too, which is partly why I added a lower dose of stimulant back on. For the first few weeks it almost turned me narcoleptic :eek:

I auctully started taking Welbutrin a couple years ago w/ another medication for my anxiety. I just recently started looking up ADHD and went to a pyscologist for my anixiety, who said he also thinks I had ADHD. But I had always thought my "racing mind" was due to my anxiety. The more I read I know it was because of ADHD. But I don't have the racing mind at all any more. Which I now know is due to the welbutrin (which I didn't even know was for ADHD). So I would say Welbutrin helps w/ ADHD. Alhough it hasn't helped my memory one bit. I am still an airhead:D .
Cara

My Psych put me on 300mg of Wellbutrin for depression and assured me that it would help my ADD as well. If I take it for a long enough period it does seem to reduce the level of my depression (you know what I mean), but it does nothing for my ADD. I haven't taken it for a couple of months now, and am the same member of the Space Patrol as I was while on it. So, no, it does nothing for my ADD.

My expierence with this drug in patients and myself varies. Some people often see that wellbutrin helps in the mood or emotional challenges that ADD can bring people, like frustration and such. Some people see that it actually helps them concentrate. Wellbutrin is kind of a magical drug. We do not really know exactly what it does or how it helps. Anybody remeber Zyban the anti-smoking pill, that was actually wellbutrin under a different name. It is also perscribed as an anti-depressent with low sexual side-effects (a mood booster in itself :)). I found that in me it helped me relax better and become less frustrated with myself while taking it with my ADD medicine at that time.