Help with Wellbutrin SR

[Tp1234]

I was on Lexapro 10mg for 3 months. I was irratiable and depressed, so I had it changed to Wellbutrin SR 150 mg twice a day.  This changed happened 6 days ago. I stopped taking the Lexapro and started taking the Wellbutrin- there was no tappering off. The Wellbutrin makes me feel to bad that I have been scared to take the second dose everyday- therefore I haven't.
When I take the Wellbutrin I become very nervous and sick to my stomach.  I feel almost drugged..
I'm not sleeping very well, my memory is awful, I'm having hot flashes, my heart feels like it's tight...
What should I do?
Thanks,
Tp1234

[NatesMom31]

I am new here, but I was taking Wellbutrin SR, and I have only taken it for eight days.  It gave me feelings of being so tired, I could hardly walk on my treadmill...really fatigued.  On the eighth day, my blood pressure shot way up. I felt terrible.  I became frightened to take this med.  I seem to be sensitive to most ADs.  It sounds to me as if you cannot take this drug, either.  You need to call the dr. and discuss what to do next.  You shouldn't live with those symptoms.  I totally understand.  

NatesMom31

[Siamese123]

each antidepressant affects your brain in its own personal way - its possible your brain is going through withdrawel from the other pill and needs time to adjust to the new one. Talk to your doctor but I suggest taking both - and taper off your old one or ride it out and remember it is not you but the pills.

[Siamese123]

each antidepressant affects your brain in its own personal way - its possible your brain is going through withdrawel from the other pill and needs time to adjust to the new one. Talk to your doctor but I suggest taking both - and taper off your old one or ride it out and remember it is not you but the pills.

[Siamese123]

sorry about that i am having problems with my computer

[woozy]

I know no one who does well on Wellbutrin, myself included. I was on Wellbutrin and Lexapro..I was a jabbering idiot..couldn't sleep, always had crazy nervous energy but dark circles under my eyes betrayed my alertness. My mom took Wellbutrin and Paxil for a year and then had her first manic episode that she had ever had in her life coming off of the drug.

[jules5]

What is the difference between Wellbutrin SR and XL? I've been on 150 mg. of XL for 2 weeks now and other than feeling a bit jittery throughtout the day, I feel fine.  (Even losing some weight).  After reading all the blogs on this medicine, I'm scared of what may happen. Thanks

[woozy]

SR is sustained release/XL is extended release..XL lasts longer.Some people take SR twice a day.
Glad you are feeling ok.. if insomnia does hit though you may want to switch to SR or back off the dose. or take something else. I know I said that no one I know does well on it..but I obviously don't know everyone! I lasted almost 6 months on it. But the insomnia started after 2 months. I would take a benzo to helpl me sleep but I was basically just adding another pill to counter the effects that Wellbutrin was having on me. It seems lots of people end up taking something for sleep on Wellbutrin, but that's just my observation. Becoming really irritable is another potential side effect, so watch out for that too.

[Sarahzilla]

I started on Wellbutrin XL.  For the first two weeks I was very sick to my stomach, however the doctor said a lot of his patients reacted that way to it and if I could to try and ride it out.  I'm really glad I did.  After a couple of months I was taking the max does of 400 mg daily.  My depression was undetectable and I was able focus (he was using it to treat my ADD as well).  I even finished seven projects I had been working on for several years in just a few weeks!  I lost 40 pounds as I was able to motivate myself to work out.  Personally I love Wellbutrin, I've been on other meds like effexor, paxil, prozac, and had more side effects with those than with the Wellbutrin.  The effexor nearly killed me and the paxil had me believing an evil gnome lived in my closet that was going to kill me if I took my eyes off the door.  

I've been on it for four years now, been able to decrease my dose, I'm getting straight A's in college (up from my semester of all D's).  Everyone reacts differently to this drug, I know I don't have problems sleeping or any other issues with it.  I've even stopped taking it for a month and even though I was a little more emotional than I normally am I didn't go through any physical withdrawl.  I know my sister (who has some slightly different issues than I) can't take it, it makes her very anxious.  I would take it regularly for a couple weeks, the jitteryness went away for me after a few days, the sick feeling in my stomach took a while and was the worst part.  But I feel it was worth it.