BupropionAdverseReaction: adverse reaction to just 7 pills of Bupropion 150mg XL

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

Hello,

 

I am a 27M.

 

In January 2022 I was prescribed generic Bupropion 150mg XL off label for ADHD.

 

Before this I had no major mental health issues other than mild anxiety/depression and ADHD and had never taken any psychiatric medication, or any real prescription drug beyond cold medicine and antibiotics.

 

I did have Covid 2 months prior 11/2021. I wonder if Covid could have prompted this adverse reaction somehow.

 

While taking the medication I experienced fatigue and slight dizziness at first. On the 6th day I experienced complete euphoria that felt like some kind of psychedelic trip. Colors were brighter, things were funnier, It felt like my brain was flooded with dopamine.

On the seventh day, I continued to feel euphoric but also fell emotionally flat. I also noticed that my sexdrive was non-existent and I experienced erectile dysfunction for the first time in my life. I immediately stopped the medication. I was not made aware of problematic cold turkeying and didn't think it would be necessary after just a week of medication.

 

Since then, I have experienced all sorts of horrific symptoms that have destroyed my life including:

 

Severe brain fog

Complete emotional Anhedonia (Music, food, movies bring zero enjoyment)

Loss of inner voice

Loss of inner visualization

Sexual Anhedonia (feel little to zero sexual pleasure).

No sex drive, or feelings of attraction

POTS

feeling very hot or cold.

inner restlessness (mild akathisia?)

random "SI" thoughts

headaches that last for hours

visual snow

DP/DR

colors appear dulled and I get tunnel vision when over stimulated.

waking up many times in the night.

 

These symptoms have all remained for the last 5 months. With some minor improvements in brain fog and some days being better than others. It feels as if my dopamine system is completely broken.

 

I have somehow managed to continue working through all of this but my performance has seriously plummeted.

 

Everyday is a battle. I fear for my future, my career, and my relationship. I fear that I have irreversible brain damage at the age of 27 from simply trying to resolve my ADHD.

 

Id appreciate any advice or words of encouragement. This has by far been the worst experience of my life.

 

 

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a volunteer-run community of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  From what you said, it does sound as if you had an adverse reaction to bupropion. I'm sorry to hear that this is causing you so much difficulty.  It takes time, but eventually, this should get better, as long as you take proper care of yourself, and stay off the psychiatric drug carousel.  

 

Can you please give us specific information in your signature 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 vertical 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.  Use this format:

 

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Drug name: date, dose, date, dose, date, dose…

Etcetera

 

Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work. 

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Symptoms of adverse reaction (ADR) and withdrawal are the same, so I'll share this with you: 

 

Dr Joseph Glenmullen Withdrawal Symptom Checklists

 

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

These links discusses recovery from an adverse reaction to a psych drug. 

 

Adverse Reactions to Antidepressants

 

But I Only Took it for a Week

 

I'm glad to hear you've already had some improvement.  Please take heart, and know that healing is happening. Let us know how you are. 

 

[Ninabird]

Hi there. 
mom so sorry to hear of your suffering. You are in good hands here. This is a very supportive forum. 
Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. 
 

Ninabird. 

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

Should I be avoiding caffeine? It is the only thing that seems to give me any sort of dopamine.

[getofflex]

It depends upon what the caffeine does to you.  Does it cause you to have trouble sleeping, anxiety, restlessness, racing thoughts, agitation, etc?  

 

We generally suggest people recovering from psych meds avoid caffeine.  Our nervous systems already tend to be activated while we are recovering from psych meds, which causes many problematic symptoms, and caffeine will further activate the nervous system. 

 

Here are links about caffeine: 

 

Caffeine

 

Caffeine/Food Intolerance

 

What do you mean by saying it seems to give you a sort of dopamine?  What does it do for you specifically?  

Edited June 5, 2022 by getofflex

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

1 hour ago, getofflex said:

What do you mean by saying it seems to give you a sort of dopamine?  What does it do for you specifically?  

I had and still do have a coffee habit before this happened. If I do not drink it, I feel worse, When I do drink it I feel that my brain fog and anhedonia improve. 

[peaceandlove]

Hey I’m in my 20’s too & just suffered a adverse reaction last month. I have similar symptoms. I’m very upset about it. You’re not alone 

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

It's officially been 6 months since this happened to me. The intrusive thoughts have gone away for the most part but I am still stuck in this emotionless brain fog. My memory is extremely impaired, I feel as if I am not actively looking at something it completely disappears from my memory and subconscious. I truly feel mentally disabled.

 

I hope I can regain my emotions so that I can enjoy life again. Hugging my loved ones and feeling nothing is truly painful.

[ChessieCat]

5 hours ago, BupropionAdverseReaction said:

The intrusive thoughts have gone away for the most part

 

This is a sign that recovery is happening which is really great.  It's only been 6-7 months so still not very long, although I can imagine that it seems a lot longer for you.

 

Whenever you get down about the lack of emotions remind yourself that the intrusive thoughts have gone and that healing is happening.

 

Compare how you feel now to how you felt at your worst, not how you felt at your best or how you want to feel.

[darkstar]

About damaged visualisation, I have completely recovered my visualisation in the span of 13-16 months. Completely means from 5% to 105%. I suffer from emotional blunting and head pressure still, but visualisation healed.

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

I made this video to share my experience.

 

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

Over 7 months now since this reaction. I feel my pain symptoms continue to occur less and less however I am still stuck in this horrible derpersonalized state. I have no inner voice and no emotional response to anything.

 

The visual snow and visual symptoms have not budged. I would love to know what is happening in my brain.

[Go2zero]

Hi, sorry to read that you are suffering still. However you report slow improvement, which is a very good sign of healing. 

 

Most people seem to heal easier and faster from tapering or stopping Bupropion than with other drugs like SSRI's or benzo's. But some really have heavy difficulties with bupropion. I seem to be one of them as well. If you want to know more about my situation please take a look at my thread on SA.

 

What MAY give some relief (for me it does) when heaving heavy WD symptoms from bupropion, is taking a LOW dose of L-Theanine (like 50mg or so), combined with the double dose of caffeine (100mg). Leave your coffee than! Otherwise it may have an opposite effect. And that would be the least you need!

 

This combination increases the dopamine levels in a better way than a cup of coffee. My theory is that it helps with WD from bupropion because lowering the dose of bupropion lowers the dopamine levels.

 

Of course you body should learn to find and make the appropriate levels itself again. So therefore do not take these supplements too often. Just when REALLY needed.

 

It really helps me. But I only take it if really needed. I do not want to get hooked on something else.... Not even a so called "harmless" supplement. If you would get used to it, it is NOT harmless. But you might try it now and then. Or even start lower with 25mg L-Theanine and 50mg Caffeine.

 

It is the only 'thing' that helps me when it is getting too much with my bupropion withdrawal. Effects of this supplement combination can be felt after 1 hour approximately. So you really can try it out, without having it to take more than 1 day.

 

Most of these supplements come in capsules of 100 or 200 mg. You can open them and weigh the powder inside. And then weigh the needed amount. Less accurate, but possible for these supplements; put the powder from the capsule on a piece of clean paper and divide it in even parts of the needed amount. Never do this with medications however. It is not accurate enough.

[Go2zero]

On 6/2/2022 at 7:06 PM, BupropionAdverseReaction said:

In January 2022 I was prescribed generic Bupropion 150mg XL off label for ADHD.

Just another thought that came up by me. The combination L-Theanine and Caffeine is successfully taken by many people as an alternative for ADHD medication. So in your case maybe even an extra reason to check out if it does something good. This combination helps to raise the dopamine levels. After 1 or 2 times trying you may know if it helps you.

 

If you would want to try it, always take it in the ratio 1:2. So for example 50mg L-Theanine and 100mg Caffeine. Most people take more, but given your WD/adverse reaction I would be very careful and start at a low dosage to see what is does.

 

By the way, here is my own thread in case you are interested in my struggle with Bupropion. 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by Go2zero

[peaceandlove]

Hey how are you feeling now? I hope your good. I’m the same age as you, I also had an adverse reaction 

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

Im still struggling but have met many other young people experiencing something similar.

 

I still believe that Covid may be involved in this as many people I have met had covid shortly before having an adverse reaction to medication. Not to mention similar symptoms are found in long-covid.

[1WishToHeal]

On 11/11/2022 at 5:58 PM, BupropionAdverseReaction said:

Im still struggling but have met many other young people experiencing something similar.

 

I still believe that Covid may be involved in this as many people I have met had covid shortly before having an adverse reaction to medication. Not to mention similar symptoms are found in long-covid.

Probably in some cases, but i've seen also many with those (PSSD-like) symptoms without COVID or when COVID didn't even exist. Same with PFS (Post Finasteride Syndrome)

Pharmaceutical companies are responsible. And they know it.

[BupropionAdverseReaction]

11 months since this started.

 

I am still baffled as to what has happened to me. I feel I must seek out some sort of medical testing as this cannot just be medication "withdrawal". 7 pills has triggered some sort of severe neurological issue.

 

I have certain days that are better than others, but I still deal with most of my original symptoms.

 

The POTS symptoms have started to become troubling as I actually feel my brain doesn't get enough blood when I stand up. Upon standing I go temporarily deaf and my hearing cuts in and out as blood reaches my brain.

 

As far as improvements my inner restlessness and sleep has improved but my most troubling mental and physical symptoms still remain.