Wellbutrin and Strattera - journal

[addinbc]

Well, here goes...

I have been on Strattera for about 6 months now, and today (Feb.7/06) my doctor prescribed me some Wellbutrin to augment it.

I've heard mixed reviews about doing this, but for the most part, those who are on both seem to have had good things to say about the combination.

I will start the Wellbutrin tomorrow - it may get a bit ugly though, because I'm going to be coming off the Zoloft at the same time. Last time I came off an SSRI (Luvox), it took me almost 8 months ( ) because of the withdrawal effects I had. I'm more optimistic about this now, though, especially considering I'm on such a low dose of Zoloft.

I thought I'd write briefly each day about my experiences so I can look back on my progress.

Cheers!

[addinbc]

Shoot -

Was unable to take the Wellbutrin today for logistical reasons.

I'm concerned about taking it for the first time tomorrow too, because I have an important meeting in the afternoon, and am driving myself and my project partner to it. I'm not sure how the Wellbutrin will affect me, so I'm thinking I may wait until Friday.

*Sigh*...but on Friday, my boyfriend has planned a nice evening out for my birthday/Valentine's Day, so perhaps I should wait until Saturday??

Darn it!

[addinbc]

Well, after my meeting today, I got home at about 3pm.

Another meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9am, and I just felt I can't keep waiting to take this medication, otherwise I'll never get started.

So, although the pharmacist told me to take it in the morning, I decided to take it at 3pm anyway.

That was about 2 hours ago.

Right now, I guess the best way to describe how I'm feeling is a little "stoned". By that I mean a bit 'zoned-out', 'chilled out', and calm. I actually feel rather sleepy which I was not expecting on this medication. I'm hoping this is transient because my wish is that the Wellbutrin can help me with motivation and such that I have such a problem with.

Also, my vision is a little blurry.

Man - I do feel strange. I only took 75mg as per my doctor's instructions, but as I am soooo sensitive to these medications, I'm not surprised I am experiencing some side effects from it. I'm feeling very "yah....whatever" too (I don't know what the medical term for that is - blase perhaps).

We'll see how things go over the next few days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[addinbc]

Well, it's now about 4 hours since I took my pill (half a pill).

I have a bit of a headache that's lingering....

A minor ringing in my ears.

I'm feeling somewhat heavy and tired and emotionless (like I do when I take too much Strattera).

And I feel somewhat cranky and very dowwwnnnnn.

I don't like feeling cranky - it's just not me. I've been feeling good the last couple of days. This is not pleasant.

I HATE this trying new meds thing!!!!

And Mike is just starting to get a minor clue about what all this has been for me over the last, oh, 13+ years, and is "needing space and time right now to let this sink in". Doesn't want to talk about it. Fine. Take your space. I really just want to be alone right now anyway.

[addinbc]

Well, this stuff just seems to be working backwards.

Today, as yesterday, it made me feel AWFUL!!

By awful I mean:

-very depressed (bordering on hopeless)
-grumpy, irritable
-frustrated (exacerbated frustration)
-exhausted (but can't sleep - basically didn't sleep last night)
-self-loathing
-lethargic
-don't want to do anything or see anyone

I know this is the meds because I guess they had worn off by this morning so I woke up (after dosing for about an hour and a half) feeling better. Also, I've felt the 'effects' wear off today (i.e.; 20 minutes after taking it this morning, I felt AWFUL and was crying and crying; but as the day wore on, I found my mind starting to clear, and started feeling somewhat better).

This doesn't bode well AT ALL - and the thought of taking this stuff again and feeling like this again tomorrow is almost unbearable. I can't see how I can go from feeling like this, to suddenly feeling energetic and happy on it. I just don't know whether to continue it or not....

Man oh man I HATE this!!!

[booger]

addinbc remember that your also coming off of your SSRI and that could be an added effect to your irritability, frustration ect. Try giving it at least a weeks ride out and see how you feel, also call your doc and let him know about the not being able to sleep and see if you can get some kind of sleep aid, I find that if I don't get a good nights sleep no matter what I always have a crappy day. Good luck, and I hope you start feeling better!

[addinbc]

Hi Booger;

Thanks for the support and suggestions!

Well today, I decided I had to do something a bit differently because I just could not bring myself to take the pill (or 1/2 pill) again. It's funny, I can deal with physical side effects to a fair degree (headaches, or nausea, even vomiting - as long as it doesn't last for months), but as soon as a drug starts messing with my emotions, I have a really hard time with it.

I noticed that by about 10pm last night, after I had eaten something (I realized at about 8pm that I had barely eaten anything all day because I just hadn't felt like it), I felt a tonne better - my mood was fairly good. I also slept pretty well last night. My hypothesis is that, since I took the pill at 6am yesterday morning, most of it had left my system by 10:00 last night, so I was feeling better.

With this in mind, I decided to take only an 1/8 of a pill this morning. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I am sooooo sensitive to these meds (maybe I'm some kind of poor metabolizer? - I've never been tested), and my thinking was that these extreme side effects (and I've experienced alot of side effects over the years, and these were extreme!) might be due to taking too much of the drug (it's happened a few times before, including with the
Strattera). So I've cut it right down, and we'll see what happens. Because I'm so sensitive to these meds, my motto with these things has become 'start low and go slow!'

I took it less than an hour ago, so I'm still waiting to see if this will have any effect on me (positive or negative). I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[addinbc]

Ay ay ay ay....

Okay, I've noticed within the last two hours or so that this stuff is now starting to make me feel somewhat aggitated.

Man...I feel like I just drank 10 cups of coffee!!

And my thoughts are all over the place. I feel totally strung out. I must be a poor metabolizer because this is off 1/8 of a 150mg pill.

It doesn't surprise me though...

I feel a bit like I want to crawl out of my skin, and I'm wringing my hands, and my leg's going a million miles an hour. It's strange, though because I don't feel like doing anything - in fact it feels like it would take more effort to do anything right now because I can't think straight enough to pull myself together to do anything. I don't know if that makes any sense. It makes sense in my mind though. I don't like having my brain swimming like this. It swims and races enough as it is, I don't need drugs to make it swim even more! I feel like I could barely put a sentence together.

At least it's not that horrible down/angry/frustrated/irritable/crying feeling I've had the last few days.

*Sigh* - The saga continues.... (man that's how it feels sometimes)...

[Scattered]

The med has already build up in your system a bit I'm guessing, so it may take a few days to back off the dose even though you cut back to 1/8 of a pill. Hope things level out and improve for you soon!

Scattered

[booger]

by the way, if your cutting up the Wellbutrin XL thats not a good idea as it needs its shell for the slow release otherwise your taking too much too soon no matter what. Wellbutrin has a very long half life as it's metabolised three times in the liver and each metabolite is then metabolized again, all in all it will probably stay in your system around 3-4 days.

[addinbc]

OK...

So the Wellbutrin did not work!

Boy, it was awful! Even on the 1/8 of a pill, it still made me feel down and headachy and impatient and grumpy! I found that a couple of hours after taking it, I couldn't stand the thought of being with, around, or in proximity to any other person. Yuck!

Well, on to the next thing!

Miracle of miracles, this afternoon my doctor prescribed me some Modafinil (Provigil in the US, Alertec in Canada)! I've been wanting to try this for some time now. I'm going to take my first dose tomorrow morning.... I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed on this one!!

[Imbizzy2]

Hey Addinbc, Just wanted to say thanks for your journal, it helped me out alot!!! I'm taking 80mg Straterra and 150mg Wellbutrin XR. I have a wierd side effect though, I feel like my body is so heavy and it takes more energy to do things. Also my abdominal muscles feel very tight, I dont know if this happened to you or not?? Well anyways, thanks for your journal! goodluck!