Wellbutrin making me more emotional

[Klayton10]

Started wellbutrin two weeks ago for anxiety and adhd. Most of the physical side effects have stopped,however, I am extremely emotional. Had a traumatic event happen and suicide crossed my mind and that has never happened. But works great foradhd and my anxiety. Is this an adjustment phase or should I switch?

[migrainesufferer08]

I have been on Wellbutrin for over a year and the first 2 months while I was getting adjusted to it, I was a HOT MESS. I'm really depressed and usually don't show any emotion, I hardly ever cry or am happy, if anything I just get angry, but those first couple months I was filled with rage and was so moody and unhappy it was scary. It did go away when my body was finally used to the med but now its like it does nothing for me at all, good or bad. people say its stimulating but it is not for me at all. nor does it help my sex drive as mine is completely nonexistent. and if anything ive GAINED weight, so to me it feels like a fake sugar pill. I need to get on something else. if u really feel like hurting urself u need to talk to ur doctor, this might not be the right med for u. ive actually heard from a lot of people that it can make anxiety worse. if the suicidal thoughts don't go away please tell ur doctor. good luck

[migrainesufferer08]

oh yeah and while I was first getting used to it I cried every single day which is VERY strange for me. I hardly ever cry. even when I'm truly sad

[Paxiled]

I'd say taper off any of these drugs -- they all affect brain neurotransmitters and some will get withdrawal even from the easiest drugs to stop taking.  But wellbutrin is not well suited to treating anxiety because it is the most stimulating of the antidepressants.  If it's helping, it's more likely you're also depressed, which is more often a cause of anxiety than most of us realize.  It's the stimulation that's probably helping your ADHD assuming you actually have it -- it's way overdiagnosed but that doesn't mean you don't have it.  But every drug that affects brain neurotransmitters, whether it's a weight loss drug or pain relief drug or quit smoking drug or antidepressant has a warning that it can cause suicidal and violent thoughts, and if you think it's doing that I would go to your psychiatrist and discuss it with him or her.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Doesn't the suicidal feeling pass quickly for most people? I got it just one time, fwiw.

[Paxiled]

The official line is that it's usually younger people who get the suicidal and violent feelings, but I don't believe that's actually true.  I got pretty aggressive when I was on paxil and I started in my forties.  I don't know if it passes or not -- probably depends on the person.  I stayed aggressive for several years on Paxil, so those obsessive thoughts I never had before taking the drug never did go away even after stopping it.  But that's just one person.  These drugs are so weird that everyone has their own experience.  But the problem with suicidal or violent thoughts is, you only need to act on them once and it's kinda all over, so you don't want them even for a short period of time.

[AnxiousNoMore]

It is unlikely that it is giving you mental relief before 4 weeks although it can help with sleep by then, so it may be just a placebo effect that is relaxing you. It takes 6 weeks for the full effect so if it is working now then it will get better too.
If you are resolving your anx and adhd with twhat amounts to a placebo, then it might be a good idea to stop taking it, but this would have to be discussed with your doc. The good thing about welb is you don't have to taper off it so if doc says to stop,  you can go off it immediately.
You should read the data on the manufacturer's site and decide with your doc whether to switch as no one can diagnose you from here.