Bearded: coming off Wellbutrin

[Bearded]

Hey all, 

I wanted to introduce myself, and with this comes my background:

 

For the sake of privacy, I will begin by saying someone close to me family wise is a psychiatrist, and when I was just a young boy noticed I had "ADD." (a.k.a. a boy being a boy)

So at a very young age, 4th grade, I was given Ritalin and Strattera, which should be illegal. In the 5th grade I got off them myself after realizing the negative effects it had on my appetite and mood. Around the same time, there was a couple days where I didn't want to get out of bed. So what do you think was the remedy? An anti-depressant.

 

I have taken an anti-depressant in one form or another for 13/14 years. I am 24 now, and am doing okay all things considered. Getting my masters degree, I live a good life, but one thing I have had repeatedly has been less than satisfactory sexual function. 

 

Probably about, say, 9 months ago I began to treat my body correctly. I only eat organic, drink organic, work out, iodine supplementation, herb cycle, and no fluoride intake. Still however, less than satisfactory sexual function. What I mean by this is I require stimulation almost all the time.

 

When I was about 17, I had gone to a psychiatrist with this same problem, and was told that Wellbutrin could in no way cause sexual problems, to which I said I don't care what you think, I'm going off. To his recommendation, I switched to Viibrid, and for the most part my sexual function did improve, but after a couple years it began to cause the same problems wellbutrin had initially.  

To clarify, I have had a hormonal profile done and I am in stellar shape. I don't have a problem with energy, I don't have a problem with cognitive processes. So to me this indicates there is an external factor to these difficulties.

 

9 months ago I switched to Wellbutrin again from Viibrid more as an experiment to see how I reacted. It was a gradual taper-switch and I experienced no side effects at all, but sexual function has not improved. So I brought this up to my doctor and he says it's possible that I just react that way to both SSRI's and SNRI's, and that there really aren't any other medicinal alternatives that I could try, and he asked what I thought about slowly getting off to see how I fared. 

 

My current intake: 150mgs Wellbutrin SR, once a day (night).

I tapered from 225mgs to 150mgs last week, and began to have a sluggish feeling that lasted 3 days. Fast forward to now, I'm doing fine.

 

I will be continuing with this taper. I have read a bit of the forum and have seen the 10% taper recommendation and I don't have a problem with this. I have a scale and should be fine. I just wanted to touch base with everyone.

 

 

I'm interested in seeing how I do - whether or not I am actually depressed deep down, or if the past decade has just been a large scale cover up of a ADD medication induced mini-depression.

I do get sluggish during the winter months or when it rains typically, but only time will tell.

 

Thanks!

[Gridley]

Bearded, hello and welcome to SA.  It is shameful that you were drugged so young.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Below are links explaining the importance of a slow taper.

  

Before you begin tapering what you need to know

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Brain Remodelling

 

The following link gives specific tips and information about tapering Wellbutrutrin.

Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin, SR, XR, XL (buproprion)

 

 

[Bearded]

Thanks for the response!

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by ChessieCat
removed quote

[Marmot]

Hey Bearded,

 

Welcome to SA. Sorry to hear that you've been put through all of that. I'm another member coming off of wellbutrin after years of being medicated in all kinds of ways for diagnoses that were likely all nonsense. Unfortunately I don't have any answers regarding sexual side effects / withdrawal effects except that it sucks and you're not alone. I'm hoping that time is the answer. See you around.

 

Cheers,

Marmot

[Bearded]

Thanks! It's not gonna be easy, but if life was easy it wouldn't be very interesting (in my opinion).

 

I think a lot of people are diagnosed incorrectly. I once went to a school where we found out the board was given grant money for reaching quota on ADHT referrals. Sounds like a gimmick to me

[Marmot]

Quota?? Oh what a mess!!

Ya, it's tough but we'll get through it 😎