j1290: gets off the Wellbutrin and on with life!

[j1290]

Hey everyone, I'm John.

this is my journal of tapering off of 450mg of Wellbutrin.   

I spent several years tapering off of Effexor, which was a real struggle, quite honestly.   I've been left with just 450mg of the Wellbutrin for the last few years, and decided after a lot of intensive therapy that I wanted to try and reduce.   Going from 450 to 400 was bumpy but manageable.  Then, after doing some research on this website, I decided to switch from XR to SR, and thought I could do another 50mg drop, you know, just ride it out.   Uhhhh...not so fast!   I couldn't do it.   I know something about tapering, and a 50 mg drop turned out to be way too much.    I tried breaking up the SR pill into pieces.  I knew the medicine wasn't distributed evenly in the tablet, but thought it wouldn't be a big deal.   I was wrong about that, too.  

So I went back to my understanding doctor and asked for 75mg tablets of immediate release, and then made a liquid using instructions I found here.   

 

Now I'm on a 200SR in the morning, plus 10mg of liquid, plus a 150mg SR in the evening.   I've been doing that for around 3 days and I find myself having some slight brain zaps when I'm tired, but overall very, very mild withdrawal symptoms compared to before I started using the liquid.   I think the switch to liquid has reduced by about 5mg.   I'm excited to see what happens when I reduce by 5 mg of the liquid, precisely measured.  I'm optomistic that I will have more mild side effects that I can tolerate.   

 

Before I started the liquid wellbutrin, I was stumped.   I really thought I met my match and wasn't going to be able to reduce again due to unpleasant symptoms.   Effexor was very difficult to reduce off of, but I thought Wellbutrin would be easy in comparison, and that hasn't been the case at all.   

 

Like people say around here, slow and steady!   If I can reduce 5 or 10 mg per week, that'll work out to approximately 10% a month , which would be fantastic, if I can do it and keep my quality of life.    I want to do this and be comfortable.  Looking forward to seeing how the next reduction goes!

 

 

[Go2zero]

Hi John,

 

Welcome to this support site. Before we can answer your questions, please give us more information first. Good that you came here. There is a lot of knowledge to be found and shared here. Also the members can support each other here.

 

Can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18343-please-summarize-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

You have done a great thing in tapering Effexor. It is known as a drug that is quite difficult to taper when one gets to dosages under 35-40 mg. So, congratulations what you have acchieved!

 

When did you take your last dosage effexor? Add how small was that dose?

 

Now the next step with Wellbutrin. This is a strange drug. Lots of us can stop them quite easily. It is not known as a difficult one for most us us. But for some people it can be extremely difficult. I experience that also..... I am holding on my current dose of 33 mg for 17 months now. But in my case that has (also?) to do with the fact that I am still tapering prozac which influences the metabolism of wellbutrin.

 

It is important to know your complete drug history first, so please do your signature in most detail. Write down everything you have been using with dates, dosages. And what you may be using next to Wellbutrin right now (also supplements and any other meds).

 

Here is more info about tapering Wellbutrin. But as said it is a very strange drug. Most people can taper it easily and others take years to do it with heavy withdrawal symptoms....

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/877-tips-for-tapering-off-wellbutrin-sr-xr-xl-zyban-buproprion/

 

Main thing is: do not go to fast. Listen to your body. Hold when withdrawal symptoms start getting too much. In the end going slow, will be faster

 

[j1290]

>You have done a great thing in tapering Effexor. It is known as a drug that is quite difficult to taper when one gets to dosages under 35-40 mg. So, congratulations what you have acchieved!

OMG a fellow traveller!   Apologies for not responding to your post sooner, I didn't realize it wasn't a canned reply, you actually took your time to provide a thoughtful, considerate response and it's appreciated!

 

Yes, the final Effexor was brutal.   I can't remember exactly but I got a smaller dose from my Doctor so the little beads in it were smaller, so it was a more gradual decrease.  That helped immensely.   I didn't know about doing liquid at the time for whatever reason.   Yes, of course, nobody understood me when I told them what a difference just a teeny tiny amount made in my mood and how it affected my withdrawal symptoms.   Honestly getting off of it is one of the things I'm most proud of.  Thank you for asking!   I was taking the small beads out and removing one every few weeks or so.  It's been a few years since I had my last dose and I don't recall having any more withdrawal symptoms than normal after I took the final one.   

 

> But for some people it can be extremely difficult.

I had no idea what I was getting into.   I really thought it was going to be a breeze, but now that I'm using liquids and doing a 5mg drop, it's tolerable but not great.   My head is spinning and I'm more irritable than I would be normally.   I guess next drop I'll halve that amount and see what happens.   Since I also switched over from XR to a combination of SR and the immediate release tablets plus some liquid that I use to reduce.   

 

Actually glad I typed this all out, I had to look up my prescriptions and realized I needed to throw some away so I don't get them mixed up.   It's so tough when I'm changing pills to keep track, and it turns out I was supposed to take the immediate release in the morning and the SR in the evenings.  Good to know!

 

I'm taking your good advice, just swallowed another 2mg of liquid for a 3mg taper instead of 5.  Nobody got hurt by a taper that was slow, but when I've gone too fast I've regretted it immensely.   I'm going to stick with this and get comfortable with it.  I can't even imagine doing a 10% drop at once, no thanks.   

 

I'm frustrated that I'm not one of those people that can do a fast taper.   I think back in the day I was able to get off this pretty quick to switch to a different drug or something, I can't recall but I remember it not being very hard.   Hah!

 

Unbelievably, so far this is shaping up to be more difficult to get off than Effexor.  I really, really hope I'm wrong about that, and that with the fine tuning of using liquid to reduce that things will be smoother.   I want to be social and not irritable for years just to get off this stupid thing.   They sure as heck never told me about these being so difficult to stop!   

 

Your help has been valuable and may just have saved me from mixing up my pills by accident.   I won't bother you with questions about how your own taper is going ecause I'm sure you've answered it already and I'll just look in your post history.   Much appreciated!!!

[Go2zero]

23 hours ago, j1290 said:

They sure as heck never told me about these being so difficult to stop!   

 

Lots of people can easily stop this med.

 

Some, like you and me, are having a very hard time with Wellbutrin/bupropion. The doctor who prescribed it to me, said then that I would be able to stop it immediately whenever I wanted. It was only prescribed against a side effect of Lexapro (extreme tiredness)...  By now it is clear that this process will take many many years. The only thing I can do is accepting and go very slow....

 

Good choice that you also will be going slow. Try to keep WD symptoms as low as possible in that way. 

 

 

[j1290]

I think I had a similar discussion with my doctor.   I'm getting some of this  to see if it helps.  I think it's worth a shot.  I'm not digging these side effects at all, even at lowering just 3mg.   The irritability is low enough to get by, but I don't want to feel like this.  We'll see!

[j1290]

I'm just learning this website, looks like I can't edit a post just yet.   

Right now things are in a bit of flux, I switched from taking the instant release tablets in the afternoon to the morning. I had also reduced my liquid dosage from 10 to 5 mg for a total of 355 mg wellbutrin, and the side effects were too much, so went up to 7mg per day.   

Now I'm questioning what's going on, because I had been making the wellbutrin liquid once per week or so, and I'm reading that it may not last that long, so I threw out my solution that was around 4 days old and made a new one.   I guess I'll try making it every 3 days just to be safe.  Once I get below 350mg I can make a new solution daily, but for right now my prescription doesn't allow for any extra pills, so I'm pushing my luck that I won't run out by the end of the script renewal.  

 

I also ordered a graduated cylinder for convenience.   I read up on fish oil and MG and L-theanine, and I've been feeling at a place where I'm hopeless that I can ever get off this stuff because my WD symptoms are nearly intolerable even at a tiny 3mg drop, so I ordered those things and will give them all a try.  

 

I will say that I took a bunch of fish oil and 3 or 400 mg of MG and while I still have a bit of a headache and a funny feeling in my head, it feels much more tolerable and I'm less irritable.  I have to get along with my coworkers, and all these med changes/drops haven't made a challenging situation any easier, that's for sure!  

 

If I still feel lousy tomorrow then I'll go back up to the full 10mg of liquid welllbutrin I had been at and hopefully get stabilized because this is not working right now.   

I always get this idea that if I reduce and feel intolerably bad, that I just need to stick it out and feel better.   That only works for me when the hole that I'm in is shallow.  When it's this bad, I lose the week or so that I can barely function, and then always wind up re-instating.   

 

I think that's what I'm going to do.  I'm going to take another 5mg of liquid and get stabilized, then try a very small 2mg drop.  

[j1290]

Alright so I took another 5mg of the solution that I just made a few hours ago.  I wish I'd taken a photo of the stuff I threw away that had been in the fridge for a few days, but I swear I think this was stronger tasting and had more color.  

I didn't think of it before, but I looked it up, and wellbutrin is under $20 or so to fill a prescription locally, so I just need to see a doctor to get one so I don't have to worry about running out.   

It'll cost me something, but considering I just spent around $100 on suppliments to fight side effects, will a little bit of money to ensure a fresh daily supply of liquid wellbutrin be a waste?   I don't think so.  

[Go2zero]

1 hour ago, j1290 said:

I'm just learning this website, looks like I can't edit a post just yet.

Editting is only possible within a short while (I think 1 hour) after making a post.

 

1 hour ago, j1290 said:

Now I'm questioning what's going on, because I had been making the wellbutrin liquid once per week or so, and I'm reading that it may not last that long, so I threw out my solution that was around 4 days old and made a new one. 

We say 4-5 days maximum. Also keep it refrigerated and in dark place. Work with clean materials and best with purified water. This is all important for shelf life.

 

1 hour ago, j1290 said:

WD symptoms are nearly intolerable

Can you please describe your WD symptoms and please give them a mark each from 1-10 where 10 is the worst in symptom.

 

2 hours ago, j1290 said:

I think that's what I'm going to do.  I'm going to take another 5mg of liquid and get stabilized, then try a very small 2mg drop. 

Please update in your signature how you are dosing. (combination pills and liquid) I do not totally get what you are doing. I cannot get through your whole thread over and over again. So please put  it in your signature and update all changes you make (also with supplements).

 

8 hours ago, j1290 said:

I'm getting some of this  to see if it helps. 

Be careful with GABA and 5-HTP. They can make things worse....

[j1290]

Appreciate the advice.  I cancelled that suppliment and got just L theanine instead.   Better to just introduce one thing at a time right now.

 

My mind has been scattered so my posts helped to get some of that out in front of me with the intention of returning to fix the signature when I can focus.   Really glad I did as this forum has helped me get on the right track.  

 

I updated my sig to what I think makes sense for anyone who cares to look.  

When I type it all out, I realize that re-enstating to the dosage I was at before I dropped was a great idea.   I was heading into trouble, and I hope I have steered clear of it.  I don't feel good, but I feel more functional today.   

 

I'll have to search to find a proper list of withdrawal symptoms.  I'm in a hurry to get to work but I can see the value in having a record of where I'm at with them for the future.  

Right at this moment I'm feeling 

lightheaded? a little swooshiness LOL?  I'm not sure what the term is but something is going on in the ol' brain, almost an intoxicated feeling, but not in a fun las vegas weekend way.   

6/10 swooshy brain, at the edge of being intolerable

3/10 irritability.  We'll see when I get to work, but at this moment I don't feel particularly cranky or difficult.  

8/10 memory loss - I can't remember anything short term but it may just be me normally

6/10 headache - at the edge of being tolerable

6/10 clouded thinking - I can get by, just not great

 

I'm feeling much better(not good) today and a lot closer to who I normally am, instead of a stressed out mess.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Go2zero!

[Go2zero]

44 minutes ago, j1290 said:

6/10 swooshy brain, at the edge of being intolerable

3/10 irritability.  We'll see when I get to work, but at this moment I don't feel particularly cranky or difficult.  

8/10 memory loss - I can't remember anything short term but it may just be me normally

6/10 headache - at the edge of being tolerable

6/10 clouded thinking - I can get by, just not great

 

Thanks for your update and your signature!

 

I recognize a lot from what you wrote from my tapering of Wellbutrin (already on hold for 1 1/2 year now, because I need to get off Prozac first).

 

Wellbutrin works mainly on dopamine receptors. Tapering Wellbutrin lowers the dopamine levels, which can do a lot with memory, energy and mood. When in WD from Wellbutrin I sometimes had Alzheimer like symptoms. Luckily it all passed after some time.... Alzheimer has to do with decreasing dopamine levels, so it is not strange that symptoms look a bit the same when tapering Wellbutrin.

[j1290]

Glad to hear that about the Alzheimers, because my functioning tonight has not been great and it's scary, to be honest.   I sound like I'm slurring my words and getting irritable.   I was much better during the day.  I was able to interact with people and be under control.  

Now I'm feeling beat.  Really glad that I reversed my taper and went back to my last stable dose.   Maybe I wasn't as stable as I thought I was before I started this leg of the taper.   

 

Really looking forward to feeling normal again, hope I get there soon.  

[gigithemagiccat]

On 8/30/2021 at 2:16 PM, Go2zero said:

Thanks for your update and your signature!

 

I recognize a lot from what you wrote from my tapering of Wellbutrin (already on hold for 1 1/2 year now, because I need to get off Prozac first).

 

Wellbutrin works mainly on dopamine receptors. Tapering Wellbutrin lowers the dopamine levels, which can do a lot with memory, energy and mood. When in WD from Wellbutrin I sometimes had Alzheimer like symptoms. Luckily it all passed after some time.... Alzheimer has to do with decreasing dopamine levels, so it is not strange that symptoms look a bit the same when tapering Wellbutrin.

i was wondering if you don't mind me asking,. how long did it take to have relief from your withdrawal symptoms when stopping the wellbutrin? such as the memory loss + anhedonia and alzeihmer like symptoms. has it gone away for the most part or completely?

and how long have you been off this drug?

 

i barely stopped around 5 months ago but now taking lamictal.

 

i hope the symptoms from stopping it subside over time and that it is not permanent. 

how long did you take it for? 

thank you and i wish you all the best in your healing!

[Go2zero]

9 minutes ago, gigithemagiccat said:

i was wondering if you don't mind me asking,. how long did it take to have relief from your withdrawal symptoms when stopping the wellbutrin? such as the memory loss + anhedonia and alzeihmer like symptoms. has it gone away for the most part or completely?

and how long have you been off this drug?

 

i barely stopped around 5 months ago but now taking lamictal.

 

i hope the symptoms from stopping it subside over time and that it is not permanent. 

how long did you take it for? 

thank you and i wish you all the best in your healing!

 

I did not stop Wellbutrin yet. I have been taking 33,3 mg per day for a period of 18 months now. Every step down in dosage became more difficult for me when I came under 60mg. The last step from 35,3 to 33.3mg brought me in extreme withdrawal. It lasted for 8 month before I really started to feel better. I had severe problems with memory, concentration, bad moods (anxiety, high temper, depression) for these 8 months. Eventually it all healed again.

 

Later I learned that the use of Wellbutrin slows down the metabolism of most SSRI's. And when tapering Wellbutrin, the metabolism of these other meds speeds up. Which means that while tapering only Wellbutrin one also creates the effect of tapering SSRI (and lots of other meds).

 

So one gets then WD symptoms from all of these meds. Therefor I stopped tapering Wellbutrin, until I am completely away from Prozac.

 

[j1290]

Just a quick update, I'm still hanging in.   I really hoped I'd start feeling better than I am by now, but looking at my signature, I see its only been 4 days since I last made a change.   I can get through the day, but just barely.  I'm still more irritable and light headed than I want to be.   I guess I'll give it till next week to see if I start feeling better or I need to talk to my doctor.   

I seem to feel a little better in the mornings, maybe I can find a way to take all IR tablets or something instead of mixing the IR in the morning and SR in the evening.   We'll see what my doctor says.   I'm really, really tired of fighting these meds just to feel normal.   Maybe I need to bump up another 5mg to where I was last pretty stable, approximately.    I hate doing that but it's never worth it to try and stick it out when I feel so poorly, although it seems like I always try.    

 

One of my therapists always tries to get up in my business about how much of this stuff I'm taking, I should just take it forever and not try to get off of it, etc etc.   Who wants to live knowing that if they miss a darn pill they're going to feel way off their game?  I never know if I feel dizzy because of meds or I got up too fast, who knows.   I don't know where this taper ends, exactly, but it's worth it to me to try. 

[j1290]

Another quick update, just for the record   2 nights ago I had to take a half of a 75mg Wellbutrin because I was feeling unwell with the withdrawal.   Evidently it helped me get through the last couple days, because my symptoms have been more tolerable.  I'm so frustrated at having this much trouble getting to a baseline, this is why I hate changing my meds.   My hunch is taking IR in the morning and SR in the evening isn't helping things, that taking IR at both times would be beneficial.   

I'd really like to attribute feeling a bit better to becoming stabilized at this dose, but I don't think I can trust that for 3 more days or so to know for sure it isn't because I increased this weekend.   C'est la vie.

[Go2zero]

Are the SR and IR the same brand. Have you been switching brands somewhere this year?

[j1290]

Hi Go2zero!  Appreciate your thoughtful question.   

I'm actually in new territory with these.   I'd been on 450mg  of the XR for many years.  Then  400mg of SR in June, then 375mg of SR in July, then 350mg of IR and SR in August+10mg of solution for 360mg.  

As I'm forced to think about this, I'm realizing I'm being stubborn.  I've been 2 weeks in really unpleasant w/d, and for what?   

I'll give it two more days at this level and if I'm not improved, I'll increase my dosage again.  

For whatever reason I feel much better for around 8 hours after I take the IR, then take the SR and it's almost like I didn't take anything at all, the w/d symptoms worsen.

 

[Go2zero]

Why did you switch from XR to a combination of SR and IR? Is it the same brand as the XR you took before?

A switch in brand, but also in form can trigger symptoms....

[j1290]

Always appreciate your help, go2zero!   

 

Why did I switch?  Because that's what the doctor said was good for me, of course!  LOL

I think he switched me from XR to SR to lower the dosage, and then to IR in the morning and SR in the evening because I could halve or quarter the IR for smaller drops, since it has the medicine evenly distributed in it or whatever.   

 

Yeah I think you're right about the symptoms.   Whenever my insurance plan switched prescription coverage I'd get a new manufacturer for pills, and I always knew that meant trouble!   If logic means anything then that surely is a factor in my situation.  Too many things changed in too short a time.   The important thing is getting on stable ground, and at least at this moment, I feel like I made progress.  

 

Things are definitely on the upswing.   I did a very stressful, 14 hour day today at work, and was not nearly as irritable as I would have been just days ago.   I really like that tool you gave me, about giving levels of symptoms.  I actually started taking note of them at work (in code so my coworkers don't know) so I'm aware of the improvement.   Gotta look to the future, you know?  

Today I'm:

2/10 swooshy brain, not pleasant but completely tolerable

2/10 irritability  I've been in some unpleasant situations today and only slightly elevated frustration levels, where as previously it was more than I was comfortable with.  

6/10 memory loss - not good but not terrible

2/10 headache - didn't have to take tylenol today

3/10 clouded thinking - I'm able to complete complicated tasks successfully.  

 

Maybe it'll all change tomorrow, but for today, I'll take it.   I'm looking back at my writing and remembering how freaked out I was, I was having brain zaps, all that stuff.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Hey, at least today was pretty good!  

 

I took 10mg of liquid WB at around midnight last night when I got home from work and realized I'd rushed out the door without taking it.  Maybe that's helped or something, who knows.   

[Go2zero]

35 minutes ago, j1290 said:

Why did I switch?  Because that's what the doctor said was good for me, of course!  LOL

Of course 😂

 

Is the SR and IR the same brand as the XR?

36 minutes ago, j1290 said:

Yeah I think you're right about the symptoms.   Whenever my insurance plan switched prescription coverage I'd get a new manufacturer for pills, and I always knew that meant trouble!   If logic means anything then that surely is a factor in my situation.  Too many things changed in too short a time.   

 

Changing form and certainly brands can cause symptoms. I found out myself ones with bupropion. I was taking original Wellbutrin XR and switched to generic IR. Suddenly WD symptoms increased.... Went back the WB XR and it decreased again.

 

Is there a possibility that you can stay on one and the same brand and form? This is really important.

 

Could you go back to the Wellbutrin XR? You would be taking 2 pills of 150 mg then. And the rest (now 60mg) you could cut from a 150mg XR pill then. You can do so by weighing with a digital scale that weighs up to 1mg. The 60 mg would be IR then. Since when you cut a XR it becomes IR.

 

Just an idea. I do not know if the bupropion you are taking now , might be a part of your WD problem. I see you were on XR for 11 years. Was this always the same brand then?

 

41 minutes ago, j1290 said:

2/10 swooshy brain, not pleasant but completely tolerable

2/10 irritability  I've been in some unpleasant situations today and only slightly elevated frustration levels, where as previously it was more than I was comfortable with.  

6/10 memory loss - not good but not terrible

2/10 headache - didn't have to take tylenol today

3/10 clouded thinking - I'm able to complete complicated tasks successfully.  

 

Typical and common symptoms for WD bupropion 

[j1290]

17 hours ago, Go2zero said:

Is there a possibility that you can stay on one and the same brand and form? This is really important.

Sure is!  I'm on generics.  Just switching off XR would cause a speedbump, and then to put IR into the mix upset the applecart, and here I am!   heh  

 

17 hours ago, Go2zero said:

You would be taking 2 pills of 150 mg then. And the rest (now 60mg) you could cut from a 150mg XR pill then. You can do so by weighing with a digital scale that weighs up to 1mg. The 60 mg would be IR then. Since when you cut a XR it becomes IR.

Darn you're good!   I would not have thought of that myself.   Let me file that away and think about it.   Those 150mg pills are T I N Y, and I don't recall them as being very easy to cut accurately.  You probably have a better way than me, though.  

 

I'm starting to come out of this thing.  After way too little sleep, and a way too stressful day, I made out pretty well, by my standards at least.  Its been a few weeks and I'm adjusting to the meds.  It's just lame I have this hassle.  I've made it this far, I think it's easier to stay the course than to go try to adjust to different meds again.   Maybe I'm wrong.  

 

I'll give it another week and see where we are.  I'm doing so much better than I was before, brain is a little weird but completely tolerable, and I only got like maybe 5 hours sleep and had a stressful day.   I don't feel perfect, but that's to be expected.   

17 hours ago, Go2zero said:

I see you were on XR for 11 years. Was this always the same brand then?

 

It's been so long I don't remember.    I'm sure it changed now and then, and always caused side effects when switching.   I can't wait to be off this stuff and not have these headaches.  

 

I want to have higher class problems

 

Always appreciate your thoughtful comments, GotoZero!  

 

>Jan 2021 Prozac down to:  0,55> 0,53>0,51mg,   Feb 0,47mg ,  Mar 0,42mg,   Apr 0,37, longer hold because of WD symptoms July 0,36 and hold again

 

Oh yeah, this looks familar!  I always found that for me it was easier to make larger drops in the beginning, and the closer I got to zero, the more difficult it became.   Good on you for taking it slow and steady.   Intense W/D symptoms are nobodys friend!

[Go2zero]

6 hours ago, j1290 said:

Those 150mg pills are T I N Y, and I don't recall them as being very easy to cut accurately.  You probably have a better way than me, though

 

The XR pills you are talking about, are these original Wellbutrin or generics as well?

Do you have a scales that can weigh up to 1 mg? You will need one. A well known model is the Gemini 20. But there a more good models. You can buy them at Amazon.

 

I cut my Wellbutrin (original Glaxo SK) in 18 pieces. Crushing does not work, since the pils are quite sticky inside. But cutting with a small sharp knife works fine. They are very hard, but they can be cut quite easily with a very thin en sharp knife. My pills weigh 190mg and contain 150 mg active ingredient. But other brands may have other pill weight. 

 

When you are good in math you can make your own calculations. However it is always good to have it checked here. Reckon that pill weight is something different than active ingredient weight. This is because of coating and filling materials.

 

As soon as you start cutting XR pills the become IR. So if the cut XR pill has a quite high dosage you better want to cut in in finer pieces and divide them over the day.

 

For example, I cut my 150 mg pill in 18 pieces. I take 4 pieces divided over the day and together they give me 33,3mg bupropion. It is nearly impossible to have all pieces exact the same weight. But that evens out over the day.

 

6 hours ago, j1290 said:

I've made it this far, I think it's easier to stay the course than to go try to adjust to different meds again.   Maybe I'm wrong.  

 

I'll give it another week and see where we are.  I'm doing so much better than I was before, brain is a little weird but completely tolerable, and I only got like maybe 5 hours sleep and had a stressful day.   I don't feel perfect, but that's to be expected.   

 

Think about it. When you keep improving that might be the way to go. I do know however that changing meds in form and brands can cause problems. Tapering can be difficult enough already with the same brand and form. So you don't want to create more effects and symptoms because of changes in the meds themselves... 

 

Great to see your positive attitude around this all. That will really help you to heal!

[j1290]

Oh yeah man, you're 100% right, reducing is hard enough without changing brands and forms.   I'm fairly certain my last XR tab was generic, some little tiny deal.   If you're cutting that into 18ths, hats off to you, I don't know how you did it.  

 

I appreciate the great suggestions such as putting the math out here so it can be checked.   I didn't even realize I had 2 similar pills with different dosages in my medicine cabinet until you encouraged me to update my signature accurately as I could.   

 

I'm amazed I'm feeling as well as I am right now, considering how affected I was just a few short days ago.  If things go sideways I'll see about going back to the XR.  My doctor switched me off that for some reason or another.

 

I've dropped 20% of this Wellbutrin in the last few months.  I'm as close to med free as I've been in a very very long time, and I like it.  Onward and upward!

 

 

[j1290]

Well, today has been weird.   Around 7pm or so, the following symptoms hit me.   I'm printing them here so I don't forget, along with my current status.  

WTH is wrong with me.   I don't know if I had a window of feeling better for a few days, or if I am super sensitive to the times that I take these new meds, or what.   I haven't been taking them precisely at the same time like clockwork, maybe that's a factor.   I never had to worry about it on the XR.   

I just read a PDF by glaxco smith kline about Wellbutrin side effects, etc.   It's frightening to think I may not know who I am off of this stuff.   I was on a max dose of this plus effexor for years.   I'd just like to be able to trust that what I'm feeling is not prescription drug related for a change.     

 

7-10PM today

4/10 swooshy brain, not pleasant but tolerable

4/10 irritability I'm more intense than I want to be, though.  Just hit me this evening.  

6/10 memory loss - not good but not terrible

2/10 headache - didn't have to take tylenol today, just a feeling of pressure.  

4/10 clouded thinking - I'm able to complete complicated tasks successfully, but something is going on for sure.   I can get things done much better than I could a few weeks ago, but something is definitely wrong.

6/10 Dizziness, like a freight train.   I can walk but even lying down feel dizzy.  Glad I read that this is not unusual.  I'm almost surprised I can walk like this.  

4/10 Brain Zaps-sitting here when I get very relaxed and approaching sleep I'm getting zapped.   This is better than a few weeks ago when I got them during the daytime when I relaxed. 

4/10 strapped down brain.  Just a weird feeling in my noggin' I don't know how else to describe.

 

Now, at 11:30 PM today 

3/10 swooshy brain

3/10 irritability

1/10 headache, only slight pressure

3/10 clouded thinkng

4/10 dizzy - something is up  but not as bad. 

1/10 brain zaps-nothing right now but maybe I haven't relaxed enough

2/10 strapped down brain- wish I could remember a better description

 

 

 

[Go2zero]

It is most important that you choose a form and brand and stay on that. Switching form and brand can trigger symptoms. Also taking you drugs at same time. Especially with IR.

 

Have you  talked to your doctor yet about going back to XR? What do you think yourself about which form is best for you, looking back to your experiences with this drug?

[j1290]

Thanks, Go2Zero! 

After a couple more doctor's visits and medicine adjustments that didn't go well, I was not any better.  I'm switching to 300mg XR and 150MG of IR(450mg total) to get stable, and I'll hopefully be able to taper off the IR.  The XR tabs are different than the ones I used to take, a tablet instead of a round pill, so another change.  

Today is the first day on this combination.  I feel weird but I think I can function.   Doctor said to give it a couple days, and If I don't feel better to just take 3 x 150mg XR pills in the morning and see how that goes.  

I gotta find some way to get stable.  Been on these things forever, it's been a very long time since I've had this kind of situation.   I just need to get a few weeks of feeling normal so I can tackle the rest of my life issues.  

[j1290]

Been a minute since I've updated this.   Been reading a book called The Antidepressant Solution that has been really insightful.   

In 2022 I've been trying to get my dose of instant release, 2 x 75mg pills, 3 times per day = 450 mg total Wellbutron to work.  

I've had irritability, confusion, severe brain fog, loss of memory, very intense headaches/migraines, joint pain and flu like symptoms, intense dreams, intense brain zaps.  It just became intolerable.

The migraine medicine did very little, and neither did xanax, which I took in 1/8th of a .250 mg tablet increments.  

My GP and Psych doctor thought I must have a brain tumor, because of these symptoms.   

I went back to the XR Wellbutrin, and my symptoms began subsiding within a day or so.   Within 3 days , the migraines and flu-like symptoms were all but gone.   Now at 2 weeks later, 

I have 

3/10 head pressure on my temples

6/10 brain fog

3/10 irritability

6/10 memory loss

2/10 brain zaps-when sleepy or resting and relaxed

3/10 dizzy

I don't feel right, my career and relationships have been seriously impacted, and I'm scared as hell that I'll never feel right again.   I am more and more convinced that the Wellbutrin plays a part in my anxiety attacks, and general brain weirdness that's going on.   After re-reading the Tips for Tapering Welbutrin post, and the previously referenced book, I realize I'm not alone with these things.  

I'm seeing a good therapist weekly and talk to my psych dr monthly, and my GP and a neurologist, so I'm getting adequate medical care.  

My plan going forward:

I'm going to stick with 450mg XR Wellbutrin daily for at least a month, maybe 90 days.   I think since I've done so many changes in the last year to my meds, that I've become hypersensitive to them.  It absolutely sucks that I'm back to square one, I want to be off this roller coaster so badly, but once again I just have to get stable before I make my next move.   

I may try accupuncture and see if that can do anything for me.  

Onward and upward!

[Altostrata]

Sounds like a good plan, @j1290

[j1290]

What a pleasant surprise, thanks Altostrata!  

I'm really glad I came back here and read the Wellbutrin tapering guide again.   It made sense that I'd be sensitized to any med changes since I went through way too many in the last year, and didn't give myself sufficient time to re-adjust to the new formulation or method of release.  There's a way through this, and I'll find it.  

 

[Altostrata]

Please let us know how you're doing.

[j1290]

Just checking in.   Just feeling weird due to the wellbutrin.   Some kind of mental situation is going on with the temple pressure, the slow decision making and fuzzy thinking...it's better than I felt on the Instant Release, but very far from good.   Work is suffering, I'm getting hassles.  I have a job interview coming up and I feel like I'm at 50% brain capacity, and I'm super frustrated and just out of sorts.   I don't know why I feel so weird.  I talked to my doctor again today, I'm getting branded Wellbutrin samples to try out to see if that helps.     My other alternate is trying a different manufacturer of instant release tablets, but right now I just want to get stable and I'm far from it.  

I have xanax to help with side effects, I just don't like taking even small amounts of it.   My suspicion is I'm just going to feel like this with the dizziness and weird brain stuff until I'm 100% off of it.  

Hopefully that day will come soon.   Hopefully going on the name brand stuff will help and then I can move to whatever is next.   

I'm doing great with my therapy and EMDR, my depression symptoms and things are actually the best they've ever been.   To have such a difficult problem with the Wellbutrin is frustrating to say the least.   I'll stay the course, and be my own health advocate, and find out how to get through this.  I just wish it weren't so inconvenient LOL

4/10 head pressure on my temples

6/10 brain fog

3/10 irritability

6/10 memory loss

2/10 brain zaps-when sleepy or resting and relaxed

3/10 dizzy

[Altostrata]

What times o'clock do you take your drugs, with their dosages? Are these symptoms better or worse at any particular times of day? How's your sleep?

[j1290]

I take the 3 x 150mg =450 mg total Wellbutrin(generic) at 830am.   I haven't found the symptoms to match certain times of the day, or really any kind of predictability, which is why this is so frustrating.   Some days are easier than others, some nights better than others.   I don't sleep particularly well, and that leads to real irritability overnight, but what  causes what I don't know.  

Like right now, it's 230am, I've got this weird pressure.  It sure beats the migraines and whatnot I got on the Instant Release, but I'm still far from where I'd like to be.   

Just for my own notes I had to take about a quarter of a xanax today to get by.   My therapist told me to remember to live in today and not get obsessed with when I'll finally be done with this.   Good advice, I think.    

Appreciate the questions, altostrata.  Maybe i'll talk to my doctor again this week and see what he thinks about changing times of taking pills.  

[Altostrata]

Suggest you gradually move 150mg Wellbutrin by one hour per day to noon, see if your symptom pattern changes.

[j1290]

Fantastic idea, Altostrata!  

This last week I've been having to take xanax at a very low dose to get by.  Today I started on namebrand Wellbutrin and while I feel irritable and have some cognitive and memory issues, an elated feeling I don't like at all, it sure beats that weird head pressure I've been having on the generics.   

 

I'm going to stick with these for a month to see how things shake out, then make my next move.  Great suggestion to try changing the time of one of the pills gradually to see if that has effect.  Will give it a try as soon as I feel like I'm stable.  Trying to stay positive and take it one day at a time dealing with these.  

Wishing you the best!

 

 

[j1290]

Really glad I thought to sign in today.   Been on the name brands for 2 weeks so far and I'm not sure how much improvement there has been.  Possibly something?  I'm taking a 300 and a 150 mg XL pill, and started taking the 150  an hour and a half after the 300 to see how that goes.   Been doing that for a few days now and no clear results, as I came down with Covid and don't know what symptoms are due to what.   I'm still having bad headaches and weird head sensations, but I think its a little better in the morning than it is in the evening.   Just to be safe I'm going to stick with 90 minutes between pills for  a week to see if anything goes sideways.