Which is the bigger hit ?: 300MG SR (ONCE a day) - or - 450 XL (once a day)

[minuss]

I cant seem to get a proper psychiatrist here in quebec thanks to our beloved health care system (on a waiting list). Luckily, I got enough time in just once to be diagnosed and told to go on 450 welbutrin (no prescription given). Besides that I am stuck running from Doctor to doctor hoping they will understand and prescribe me something even though it is out of their field.

Anyways.

300 mg of welbutrin SR (2 purple pills in morning) yielded low results. I was told I had to be on 450mg. So I went to my endocrinologist and he prescribed it for me.

I now have 3 pills of 150mg XL (instead of 2 SR's) per day. So, I upped the daily intake but am now on XL

(Sorry about the math, its pretty simple, the chart below may explain better)

From my understanding, the XL is spread over a longer time frame (24 hours or something) and the SR I used to take was more like 6 or 8 hours)

I was taking my old dose of SR 2 pills first thing in the morning only (one hit). This should mean that I am getting 300 Mg in the morning and by afternoon it has wore off.

With the XL, I will be getting 450 mg but spread out over a longer time frame.

This would actually mean that in the morning I will be getting less then 300mg.

Assuming that each 150 XL releases 50 mg 3 times a day, Each XL will leave one with a maximum of 50mg at any given time in their system.

I have 3 pills so I would be getting 150MG in the morning where before i was getting 300 mg in the morning. then i would get another 2 doses of 150mg

but the maximum amount given at a time has gone down from 300mg to 150mg

but i get the 150mg 3 times a day..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Any ways am i supposed to feel more of an effect or less.

is the effect of welbutrin proportionate to the DAILY dosage or is it proportionate to the amount given in ONE SINGLE dosage.

Am I upgrading or am i downgrading?

The only effect i felt from the welbutrin 300 sr once a day was my sleep pattern is better or normal. besides that nothing.


ASSUMPTION OF MG RELEASED PER DAY

Before SR now XL
Morning 300mg 150 mg


Afternoon 0mg 150 mg

night 0mg 150mg
------------------------------------------
total 300mg 450mg
daily inatake

[Abi]

You SHOULD NOT Take more than 200mg of SR at once It carries a significant risk of SEIZURES.

I'm kinda confused by this whole thing [time to take MY wellbutrin ] but with XL the entire 450mg should be taken together in the morning.

Again 300mg SR in a single dose is NOT safe, but 450mg XL in a single dose is how it should be taken. Do not break or crush the tablets.

[Abi]

Just saw you are taking 150 mg AT NIGHT?

This is why you are not sleeping.

SR should not be taken less than six [preferably eight] hours before bedtime.

For XL you don't want to take it less than nine [preferably twelve] hours before bedime

[minuss]

Thanks, i usually take it in the morning. And yes i take 300 mg in the morning and nothing after... like i said the medical system here is terrible and you kinda have to tell you doc what to do as a pych is near impossible to get.

the 300 in the am yielded no poitives reall or too little.

I have switched to 450 today ! yay I took all 3 XL pills at around 2 pm. I can honestly go for a nice nap now (5 pm)

Then again i have been only sleeping 6-7 hours a night.

I asked the pharmasist if i shoudl feel more or less of an effect on 450 XL

she said it would be more.

I said well its spread out over a longer time and there is actually Less then 300 mg in my system at a given time.

then she said it would be less of an effect .

(some how i knew she would know and woudl just end up repeating what i was pointing out)

the she said that the 300 shoudl of gave me a peak and that i will not have an effect as big as the peak but will have a bit less all day..

Makes sense but then again she was just repeating what i was saying at the start meaning she was making up stuff that sounded logical but had no medical backing.

her last comment about the peak was just the most obvious thing one would conclude.

if she had no idea to start off with i assume she has no idea to end with..

why is it that no one can answer this question?

I honestly beleive that the time you take the dose has no relevenace on how you feel that day.

Seems like it all just gets accumilated in your system and once a threshold is hit it starts to dump the overflow in your brain.

so some of the meds you took last week may still be waiting to take effect.

maybe that is why it takes 3 weeks to feel anything off it.

I have never taken a pill and said to myself wow i feel like i just poped a pill.

sorry for any incoherancies im sure there are alot. unfortunatly my spell check cant even come close to making suggestions.. (i blame my spell checker but its probably casue im way off)

[minuss]

Originally Posted by Abi

You SHOULD NOT Take more than 200mg of SR at once It carries a significant risk of SEIZURES.

I'm kinda confused by this whole thing [time to take MY wellbutrin ] but with XL the entire 450mg should be taken together in the morning.

Again 300mg SR in a single dose is NOT safe, but 450mg XL in a single dose is how it should be taken. Do not break or crush the tablets.

the fact that you say 300 sr in single dose is dangerous and 450 XL in single dose is ok makes me thing that if i didnt feel it at 300 sr single dose. i will definatley not feel it at 450 single dos XL


But is this a fact or an assumption? have you taken in to account that the med has this wierd way of taking so long to kick in ect ?

Still tierd by the way 6 pm.

but technically if it takes 3 weeks to feel the first dose it should take 3 weeks to feel the increase in dose, no?

[minuss]

For those who may have the same question I feel I am now able to answer it .

I find the meds stay in your system. there is no up or down time. I would imagine that no matter when you take you will feel the same. (Im too scared to try it at night thoght)

The 450 XL releases slower. but the slow release part does not seem to have an effect.

450 seem to be alot more powerfull.

I have had side effects when i changed similar to side effects i had switching form 1 pill to two. So I can only assume it is stronger.

Sleep is not something that comes easily and i am starting to get worried.

But yeah, i feel it is the total amount in your system over a long period of time. you don't feel any spikes.... Still no positive side effects