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Switching from paxil to wellbutrin

I have what I consider a serious dilemma. I have COPD and obviously have anxiety attacks at times. I am at present on Paxil. Started at 10mg and after a month when that didn't seem to do anything my doctor asked me, "do you want to try something else?"...at which I said, "Can't we just increase the dosage?" and he said, "I can do that." So I went on 20mg for 2 months. Lost 7-10 pounds and didn't really notice any benefits. Here's the kicker...Paxil still wasn't doing anything measurable for me. I mentioned that a buddy of mine was on Wellbutrin for two months and I noticed a significant change. The doc says to me, "Some people may not notice the benefits od Paxil until 40mg doses" and prescribes Wellbutrin for me. Wellbutrin doesn't address anxiety from what I hear. I wanted Xanax from the start with this guy, having been prescribed it twice but unable to afford a doctor's visit to get a re-fill. He still refuses to address my anxiety and quite frankly I'm not depressed. I have turned to a complete withdrawal from Paxil, and refuse to even start Wellbutrin since I have no clue about the interactions of Paxil in my system for 3 months with Wellbutrin and started taking an herb "Valerian" for insomnia and anxiety. I have lost confidence in the psychiatric profession when they don't hear you or listen when you speak and without exhausting one medication for benefit, simply swith it. This is my mind they're playing with... Back to square one and another opinion. Sad.
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Avatar universal
I like your comment about wellbutrin , yes its a great drug but you need to be prepared to adjust to it coming off first line anti depressants like any ssris.   The only problem I am facing with wellbutrin XR 150 mg 1 per day at the moment  is that I seem to feel pressure in my head like head aches ..head pain .. feel as if I have a head cold .. annoying inner head noise .., I believe it is wellbutrin that is causing it.. I have tried to take Xanax to see if it goes away by calming me down and it just lightens to issue but the light internal head pain from the front of my head seems to always be their.. even if I put ear plugs I can hear a pounding in my head during the day ...all day .. its feels like , the drug  is working in regards to making me feel alert , stay awake and a little more able to get things done but the depression issue is still their ... with the pain in my head that feels like a head ache ? not sure what to take to ease off this internal head pain  can you suggest any medication that is not harmful or addictive that will not clash with wellbutrin ????
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Hi again, I'm so glad you didn't take offense to my suggestions, and I'm glad you got a laugh at my bleeding eyes (although a bit cruel).  LOL.  :0)

You have a wonderful attitude about your COPD, way to go!  I've seen so many people with COPD and so many of them have a pretty poor quality of life.  It's hard for me to watch sometimes, I just wish I could wave a magic wand...give them their breath back...and life as they knew it.

You're an inspiration......AND your punctuation marks look awesome!  ;0)

XOXO
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Avatar universal
Hello,
    AND LAUGH AND LAUGH and I'm still laughing......THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE ADVICE. And yes, You are correct. The real funny thing here is I only typed about a fifth of what ran through my mind.
  Yes, for some it's just awful. I was one of the some. I turned gray and I could not walk 3 steps without gasping and wheezing and going from sitting to laying was a JOB. I DO KNOW. I was all but DEAD! I spent YEARS like that.
   If you need a transfusion, I am universal. Thank you again. It was 2 paragraphs and alot of dots between thoughts or to emphasize a section....LOL, LOL.
   I say this with love and it is not meant in any way, other than to help others. I might show symptoms, but it is not mine (or (your))COPD symptoms, I know it seems as a play on words, but I think that words shape our surroundings as we travel through this space of time called life. I will only talk of symptoms shown and diagnosed with, not acknowledging the   dis    ease   of the disease. I feel you are what you think, so, I am HEALED, even if the body did not catch up yet!
    Have a wonderful blessed day!!    GOD BLESS!!!!     loimmarmar
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, it really helps to have others who know what it's like.

No offense intended, but the format of your post is VERY hard to read.  I would suggest periods and paragraph breaks.  I don't want people to not get the full benefit of what you have to say...but the post above is not easy on the eyes.  (Mine are bleeding, but I forgive you!)

That last part was just a joke to make you laugh.  Again, no offense intended, just a friendly tip to make your posts more readable.

Again, thanks so much for sharing...I'm glad you have had great success with your COPD symptoms.  For some people, it's just awful.  
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Avatar universal
Hello,
  Just going through my watch list and felt COMPELLED to put in my knowledge as I live it....
   I was diagnosed with copd in the late 90s...I had several bouts of bi-polar manic over a several year period, and the sleep issue was active due to diagnosis of fibromyalgia in 92 which by the way started in 86....anyway...reading these posts and the connections you all think are there as hand in hand with the copd and anxiety.....I do not have that situation... the copd is very severe and the dr said the lungs are dissolving.....I said why......He said..."I don't know"!!!....for years I traveled with a nebulizer machine as any kind of SMELLY things would send me into an attack...I have had the oxygen concentrator for 2 1/2 years and for over a year the tubing became a permanent part of my face....Now I do recall several times where I was VERY FEARFUL that I could not get any AIR IN THE AIR I was breathing in.....At that point I just instinktively (SPELLING), SCREAMED as loud as I could for as long as I could and ....WOW...I was able to get and control breathing from there ,through using the mind to control the swiftness of breathing, and it is a very simple thing to do.....Concentrate on the very top of your stomach moving in and out as you take each breath...as you are concentrating on the stomach moving...each breath out is almost as blowing out a candle...(slow...strong..steady...force),...when you breath in....do it slow...steady and through the NOSE...In my case....Vocal cord dysfunction also contributes to the inability to breath....If you learn these simple steps by practicing them 10 times a day...when you get an attack...your body will immediately go into this "SAVING" mode
....And yes I do understand that it is VERY SCARY TO NOT BE ABLE TO BREATH....Now to me being Scared and anxiety are two seperate things....scared is a MOMENT thing caused by FRIGHT as something is happening....I almost fell of that roof...that scared me....now anxiety is the fear of something going to happening...you think it all the time...you have NO CONTROL over your mind and where it goes ( at least you think you don't) ... I can't go near the edge on the roof..I might fall...then slowly turns into ,..I can't go on the roof...which turns into...I can't go up the ladder.....Then "My anxiety"..........(YOU CLAIM IT) of heights....now you won't look out the 2nd floor window....Now I know this is LONG and the scenerio I used was not the best...but you get the point...right....That is where your mind comes into play....God gave us a good one and we use less than 10% of it's capabilities.....Another note...I have been on all those drugs as well....mine was for sleep and pain as they seem to regulate it and the zoloft was my HAPPY PILL, after about 3 weeks on it I was just so happy all the time and both of these drugs as well as others for depression help with pain so just because you are given an anti-depressant, it could have been provided for sleep or pain issues and as well wellbutrin is also used...or was until chantix....and at times still is prescribed to stop smoking...I found out remerdon is used for sleep and I found it is also an anti-depressant and used for pain and even inderal for bp is also pain control.....Now...what was your causeation for the diagnosis of copd.....Mine was an extended exposure to low levels of natural gas in my home.....Keep you head up...breath DEEP and SLOW,.doing the scare breathing thing....that will exercise your lungs and as nursegirl said your pulmonologist might be better able to help you if you WRITE all these things down...point by point...so that everything is covered cause I know how it is to leave the drs office and have a lightbulb moment....oh...I forgot to ask....and take paper and pen to write as he speaks...this will help later when you say....What did he say about this and or that....Foggy brains seem to follow me and I thought that maybe it was not only the toxic exposure but the lack of oxygen,,,what are your oxy sat rates for rest and then chores?....Another thing brought to mind when I typed oxy for oxygen....Xanax....maybe you liked it because it does fall in the catagory of barbituates and the others are not...maybe that is why you could not get refills....they do not want you to get hooked!!!! Please do stick around as nurse girl said and keep us updated...Have a wonderful Blessed day!!!!    GOD BLESS!!!!     loimmarmar
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Hello and welcome!

Sounds like you've really struggled to find something that works for you.  A few things....

One, you don't have to necessarily be depressed for these kinds of medications to be Rx'd.  SSRI meds (like Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft) are very commonly used in the treatment of anxiety with great results for a lot of people.  Many times, it is a good deal of trial and error during this process before finding something that is right for you.  I think you gave the Paxil a fair shake, and were kind of left without a lot of guidance from the doc.  My personal opinion would be that rather than the Wellbutrin, trying another SSRI may be helpful.  I personally think Zoloft is a great choice, of course, everyone is different in their experiences.

Secondly, if you had used Xanax in the past and it was helpful to you, why not just ask the doctor if you could restart on it?  Having a concurrent diagnosis of COPD makes this kind of thing rough, because a lot of anxiety you feel is directly related to the COPD and it can be just awful.  To be honest, MOST COPD patients I've cared for (especially when the disease is more advanced) has been on some kind of benzo, like Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin.  I'd say the great majority were, and it was necessary.  

Have you discussed these issues with your Pulmonologist?  That may be the best person to help you manage this whole picture.  For one, he/she can help you maximize your quality of life with the COPD, trying to reduce the COPD-related symptoms, which would in turn decrease your overall anxiety.  Also, he/she would understand thoroughly the relationship between COPD and anxiety.  The two go hand in hand.  I think that is a great place to start.  Don't rule out other meds as being a possibility either.  SSRI's along with an "as needed" anti-anxiety med really does the trick for a lot of people, and the SSRI would reduce your need for the benzo along the way.

That's my advice to you.  Take all of this up with your lung doctor.  He/she shouldn't have a problem treating the whole picture and will be able to manage both issues at the same time, and how each one is affecting the other, being able to identify any treatment changes that may be needed.  I think psychiatrists are usually the most optimal person to deal with these kinds of meds, but your situation, where the anxiety is related to your COPD, could easily be managed by the specialist overseeing your COPD.

Very best of luck to you, please stick around and keep us updated!
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1699033 tn?1514113133
Made a mistake...the "break-in" period was not 4 months but rather 4 weeks.....
Helpful - 0
1699033 tn?1514113133
I am very sorry to heard what you are going through. The relationship between a psychiatric doctor and patient has to be a good fit.  Unfortunately this is not always the case and you need to find someone that you feel more comfortable with.  So for starters, don't give up.  

I have OCD anxiety.  I took prozac for years to combat my anxiety and panic attacks.  I was off all medications for quite a few years.  About a year ago I had a relapse and I went on Wellbutrin 150 mg XR.  This worked for a year at controlling my panic attacks.  My generalized anxiety at that time was not a big issue for me.  About 2.5 months ago, I had very, very bad anxiety where I could no longer function.  I went up to 300 mg XR of Wellbutrin thinking the same thing as you that Wellbutrin is not an SSRI and how is it going to work for me.  But after getting through the "break-in" 4 months of taking it, which wasn't pleasant, I feel very, very good.  I don't have panic, I don't have anxiety.  The thoughts come and I can get rid of them.  

So I guess what I am saying is don't write off Wellbutrin as an option because it does work for anxiety, at least for me anyway.  As you know there are many medications out there and not every one is good for every person.  So you have to experiment a bit to find out what works for you.  I tried 2 other medications prior to Wellbutrin.  I was also prescribed Klonopin to get through the especially tough times while I was building up the Wellbutrin in my system.  

I went to the doctor at one point with the express idea that I wanted to go back to Prozac, something I knew had worked for me in the past, but Wellbutrin has much less side effects in the end, after about 4-6 weeks, so I changed my mind and decided to wait it out.  I am very, very thankful I did.  

So please do not give up.  I know it is hard to start back at the beginning.  But I promise you, there is something that will work and that may well be Wellbutrin.  But just know that there are some side affects when you take it that you need to get through.  If you do start taking it and experience any problems, you can send me a message and I will talk to you about my experience and we can compare.  

I hope you feel better soon.
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