mirage tapering from Wellbutrin 150XL

[mirage]

@j1290Thank you for answering my questions. It really helps to talk with someone who is walking through the same journey. 

 

I have heard that the generics are all different and my pharmacy told me that they just fill generic scripts with whatever one they have at the time. So, I may get one brand one month, and something else the next month. 

 

My new dr set up a meeting with the compound pharmacist. She spent 5 hours with me. It was wonderful and she gave me so much information. She said that the problems people have with the generics are the fillers and each brand, puts in different things and a lot of those fillers are not good, rather toxic. She explained that the key to the compound form is sticking mainly with the main ingredient, bupropion and not adding in all of those other things. Because it will be compounded with the same pharmacist, it will always be the exact same and made in the exact dosages I need. She did suggest that when we get down to lower dosages, switching to a liquid is usually better. 

 

The pharmacist was telling me that just the shell of the extended release is packed full of terrible chemicals. Those are needed in order to make it an extended release. She also said that while taking one pill, once a day seems like a good and convenient way to do it, the amount of other things in that one, small pill, is awful. 

 

I really want to be off of this med but I know I have to go slow and steady. Did you cut at 10%?

[j1290]

3 hours ago, mirage said:

Thank you for answering my questions. It really helps to talk with someone who is walking through the same journey. 

Same to you, there's not a ton of Bupropion Buddies around here, so now and then I look around to see if I have missed anyone.  😄

 

3 hours ago, mirage said:

I have heard that the generics are all different and my pharmacy told me that they just fill generic scripts with whatever one they have at the time. So, I may get one brand one month, and something else the next month. 

That was my experience.  I wound up paying out of pocket to a pharmacy that would send me the same brand every month.  It was inexpensive and really worth it. 

 

3 hours ago, mirage said:

She spent 5 hours with me. It was wonderful and she gave me so much information.

Wow that sounds like an incredible pharmacist.  Congratulations on finding them!   

3 hours ago, mirage said:

the amount of other things in that one, small pill, is awful. 

I had heard that the fillers and things could be an issue, but I never heard that about the coating on the XL.  It makes sense, though, come think of it.  I used to take 450mg of those for years without thinking twice  🙄

 

Liquid was a little weird to get used to at first.  Once I got it down, though, I could make up the next day's doses in under 5 minutes.  I'm still kinda surprised at how smoothly it worked.  

 

3 hours ago, mirage said:

I really want to be off of this med but I know I have to go slow and steady. Did you cut at 10%?

I had to experiment to find out what was right for me.   I read that Bupropion is one of the easier pills to get off of, but that wasn't my personal experience, I suspect because I took it so long.   I followed the Bupropion thread,  After experimentation I found very small cuts(2.5%) to be no easier than larger cuts, so I went with as large as I dared, it's in my sig.  It's smart to be prepared and make sure that you're ready to do this.  I found that once I started tapering, the med didn't work right again so I was always getting heavy symptoms.  

I wish I began this half as well prepared as you.  I think you're going to do great.  I used the Glenmullen checklist, and read that Bupropion thread a million times, plus many others.   I'm excited to hear how things go, when you're ready.   

[mirage]

@j1290Oh gosh, friend. It is great to talk to you. There are two other people that are on Wellbutrin as well that I have met through the site. I have become pretty good friends with one of them and we actually talk on the phone often. She is a blessing! 

 

Yes, I too have heard that Wellbutrin is one of the easiest to get off of because of the long half life. I, like you and the other 2 women I met through SA, all had a really awful experience and it did not go well for the 4 of us. 

 

I agree with you that being on it for so long is a part of why we all had a bad journey getting off. I also think that each persons chemistry and metabolism, plays a roll. I know several people who go on and off of these drugs with no issues at all. 

 

I, like you, never thought about, nor knew about, the chemicals that make up the outer shell of the Wellbutrin XL. When the pharmacist explained that to me, it made so much sense. She also said that it takes quite a bit for the body to break that shell down so the actual drug can get into the system and for a lot of people, that is another complication. She showed me the list of what is in the outer shell and it was a mile long. Neither or us attempted to read it and even if I did, I would have zero idea what it all is, and, quite frankly, it is all stuff we probably, should never be ingesting. 
 

I am having to pay out of pocket as well. I had the choice to have my insurance cover a generic immediate release. But, I decided not to go that route because of never being able to get the same one and I would have to cut them. My dr really thinks that getting the med compounded in the exact dosage each time and having it be the exact same pill, would be better balance. 

 

Here is her plan:

I will take 4, 35.7mg of immediate release for a month to 6 weeks depends on how I do. I may need to go longer. We shall see. Once I do okay on that, then we will reduce the last dose I take each day. I will do that for about a month, then I will hold on that last dose. We will then cut the third dose of the day. Remain there for about 4 weeks, and hold. Then cut the 2nd dose and repeat the plan. Once I have made cuts to all 4, daily doses, then we will go back to the last dose and start over with another cut. Each time having the compound pharmacist making the exact dose of what ever cut we decide on. I feel comfortable with this plan. I just need to find the right time to begin. Ugh! 

 

Again, I have to thank you for reaching out. I truly appreciate you! There are only a few of us and to have the discussions about what each person is doing and what is working or not working, ect, really helps. 

 

 

[j1290]

1 hour ago, mirage said:

I know several people who go on and off of these drugs with no issues at all. 

 I've read it enough times to believe that some people must surely be able to do it.  I'm a bit envious 😄

 

1 hour ago, mirage said:

it is all stuff we probably, should never be ingesting. 

Another plus for the IR.  Glad I'm not taking the XL anymore.   That's fascinating information, if you ever have time the Bupropion tapering thread would be a good place to pass it on.   There are so many pieces to this puzzle!

 

1 hour ago, mirage said:

because of never being able to get the same one and I would have to cut them. My dr really thinks that getting the med compounded in the exact dosage each time and having it be the exact same pill, would be better balance. 

I think you're so smart to get off the generic merry go round.  Tapering is hard enough without all that.  I'm so impressed with the advice you're getting, you've done your homework so much better than I ever did!  

 

1 hour ago, mirage said:

I feel comfortable with this plan. I just need to find the right time to begin. Ugh! 

This is more or less how I did it, except I took 3 doses a day instead of 4.   I probably should have done 4, come think of it.  Couldn't hurt.  

 

I'm glad I waited for the "right" time.  I never would have dreamed that first reduction would cause me so much distress and for so long.   Not a clue.   

 

I love your plan, it's probably the best preparation I've ever heard about.  Starting at 150mg is a real asset too, it's not so far to the bottom as it might seem.    

 

1 hour ago, mirage said:

Again, I have to thank you for reaching out. I truly appreciate you! There are only a few of us and to have the discussions about what each person is doing and what is working or not working, ect, really helps. 

I appreciate you too!   Thanks for getting back to me and letting us all know how you're doing.   I read that a burden shared is a burden halved, and I've found that to be very accurate when it comes to tapering.   I couldn't have made it this far without so many good people I've met on this site!