Effexor and Wellbutrin possible side effects

[ZJ]

My roomie is on a combination of 300mg of Wellbutrin and 150mg of Effexor. For the most part he takes them daily as prescribed. However, there are times he will go a day or two with out taking them. Over the last 2-3 weeks I have noticed a major change in his behavior. First of all he has had a lot of stress in his life, challenges at home, coming out, and changing jobs. What I have noticed is that things can be going great then all of a sudden he just snaps. He is like a completely different person, he becomes verbally abusive and most recently he has also become some what physically abusive as well. These  episodes usually end with him storming out of the house crying for which he then returns later crying even more that I didnt follow or try to stop him. At that point he just breaks down and cries..He will curl up into a ball and become unresponsive and just cry. Thhis will last 30-40 minutes, after which he will come and apologize to me. It is so weird, he is such a nice guy, but when this happens he is like a different person. He is 18 and has been taking these drugs for a couple of years..I have also noticed he wakes up in the middle of the night for sugar fixes, like 4-6 candy bars. He also has to have candy when he first wakes up, he is skinny and doesnt put on weight. He admits something is wrong and is afraid to go to his doctor at the risk of having to be put on a different drug.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated....

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Your room mate is not  being covered properly for his depression and anxiety and should definetly see a psychiatrist for medical management, and possibly therapy. YOu should strongly advise him to do so, and tell him that he has many choices about medication, will not be forced to take anything he does not agree to take.

[JeffG10]

I'm no doctor, but from having issues with anxiety and ocd my whole life i've done some research on mental illness' and it sounds completely like your roomate is bipolar, those are classic symptoms, it sounds like he's does one thing, and then a few minutes later will do a complete 180 of that. , i think i read something about Craving sweets is another  sign of bipolar i'm not completey sure on that though.He should go and talk to a doctor asap. I doubt these are side effects from the effexor considering i myself have been on that, and my mother is on wellbutrin. It deff sounds like bipolar to me...

[cannie]

hi,im cannie.i was reading some of the stories on effexor,i have one for you to really think about.my heart doc.gave me effexor,he didnt tell me why but i was starting my heart med too so i was under the impression that it was for my heart.after two weeks i started to feel sad i called him and he said to keep taking the med.as the days went byit got worse.i called him backand told him i was real sick he told me that he could not take me off it.i tried to stop but i just got sicker.so i started it back up, mind you i could only stop for four days.ihad zapping though my hole body,anxiety, sweating,and more.i then went to another doc,and another and anotherand none of them would help.by this time its now been two mounths,despertly trying to get someone to help.knowone would.i then started having nightmares,horrible nightmares,i was histaricle,i wouldnt sleepbecause i was affraid of having more dreams.i had got to the point of running in circles and oulling my hair out,along with non stop crying.i have a thirteen yr.old and she was scaredfor me and went to her councler at school they called children services they came and took all four of my babies, and put them in a foster home.that really put me over the edge.i went to a mental hospital and they wouldnt help either,i was ready to end it all by this time,now it has been three in a half months.i had to go to the hospital in order for someone to help me and see that i was real sick.this has been the longest,and worst few mounths of my life.the o.r.doc wrote me a med that would make me sleep though the first five days of going cold turkey.every time i moved i was zapped i could not walk and the dreams still have not stopped.i now take xanaxto sleep though the nightmares,i stopped the med in jan.26,06 its now oct.06 and i still have muscle weakness,i also have been diagnosted with nerve damage though out my body,i have blurred vision.i still have the feeling that im still going crazy.the state had to give my babies back,six mounths later.i have been to hell and back all because i listend to someone who i trusted.i still remember like it was yesterday them driving off with my babies.they sent my oldest son to his dads instead of a home,i no longer have costedy of him.

[imcrazy2]

Cannie, did you have symptoms of mental issues/ anxiety, depression, OCD or anything like that before the effexor?  I'm trying to figure out why a cardiologist would prescribe an anti-depressant, much less without explaining anything to you?!?!?

[canuckmom]

Hi there!  I am so happy to come across this site.  I have been on effexor 150mg for about 18months for anxiety.  It really seemed to help, though I always still worried about my health because I still have this one "crutch"  that I can not seem to break - quitting smoking.  I have 2 children and worry all the time that I will not be here for them.  So my doctor prescribed Wellbutrin for the Zyban part of it.  I have been off effexor for abut 5 days and on the Wellburtin.  My dr told me nothing about the withdrawals  at all!  I figured I was just going from one to the other.  I have been having the "zapped" feeling constantly, nausea, etc.  The upside is that I do not feel the urge to have a cigarette as much and when I do give in to the craving it tastes so much like **** that I never finish a whole one - that is the part that amazes me.  I have an appt with my dr tomorrow morning to "blast" him for not telling me this, and to make sure that this is all it is - withdrawal symptoms.  If this gets any worse, I don't know what I'll do.  I still have a life to live, 2 active busy kids to raise.  Thank goodness my husband is very supportive, though he is less than impressed with dr because of this, and may come with me tomorrow.  I guess I am just writing here to thank you for all this information and so happy I am to know that I am not alone and this is normal withdrawal symptoms.

[Abby_920]

I have been on Wellbutrin XL 300 & Effexor XR 150 for about 3 1/2 years.  I also go through the withdrawal symptoms of 'zapping' and nausea if I miss for more than 48 hours.  I will need to be on antidepressants my whole life and I feel comfortable with the combination of meds now, but it does concern me that in such a short period of time I can start having physical effects from missing the meds.  In trying to explain the symptoms in the past, the Occupational Health Nurse at work has given me very strange looks and has recommended evaluation of my mental health before I could return to work based on my descriptions ... zapping is a great word and perfectly explains what I feel.  I'm glad to know others out there experience the same thing, although the cardiologist that prescribed Effexor needs to have his license removed ... one wonders if the man has a heart himself!