Wellbutrin/Ants/Big John

[jmjm530]

Thanks to input from this discussion group, hopefully my days of being depressed over Jakish's HCV infected ants (can you believe he's now using RAID !)is coming to an end. Yesterday morning I popped my first Wellbutrin XL. Wellbutrin for those neuro pharmacologically healthy is an AD (antidepressant).

First time with ADs, and as mentioned in a previous thread, it's not so much I feel *depressed* as feeling a lack of motivation to get back to what is left of my former life. Actually to get back to *part* of my prior life -- because at least for now, my post tx skin conditions make it difficult to engage in the outdoor sporting activities that I used to be obsessed with, which means I might have start acting my age and doing physical things in moderation but acting my age and moderation were never my strong suits.  

Oh, yeah, let me throw my question in before I forget. LOL.
Took the first pill yesterday -- the low dose for first week -- and I had a sore throat last night. Could be coincidental but I don't believe in coincidences any more than I believe that Big John ended up in Rakish's cell by accident :)  Other than that, I slept about an hour later and feel a big groggy. Had a really good dream though, you know the GOOD kind. LOL.

So...anyone get sore throats on Wellbutrin? How long did they last? How long does it take for the AD to start working? When I tried Lexipro some months ago (for two days) I noticed a spurt of energy right away. But nothing yet. Shrink says it will take several weeks. Hope this finds everyone well.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

I took my first Wellbutrin (150 mg) Thursday morning. When I woke up Friday I had a bad sore throat and was hoarse. Also felt very congested. Took my second pill Friday morning. This morning (Saturday) the sore throat and congestion was worse but I took my third pill.

Went out for breakfast, came back and sat at the computer for a few hours. Decided to get up and go out for some more to eat when I started feeling woozy, dizzy, and very anxious. Took half a Valium and ate some comfort foods.

The valium cooled out my head but the sore throat still lingers. Not sure if I coincidently came down with a cold/sore throat of if it's the drug. Sore throat is listed among frequent sides and I haven't had a cold in over a year so it would have to be a big coincidence. I decided I'm stopping Wellbutrin for now and will discuss with my doctor next week. I'm thinking maybe giving Lexapro a shot or maybe just going a natural route.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

-- Jim

[stangshelly]

wellbutrin is pez candy compared to some other anti's and i was on 300 for bout year or so along with other ad effexor xl. worked good for that time but i was being treated for depression and anxiety vs bipolar. so watch for sides check with a shrink concerning anit meds..they are better educated than your familiy or specialist in this area.

[sfbaygirl]

You probably slept so well your mouth was hanging open!:) That happens to me sometimes. I have considered duct tape.

[jmjm530]

Tele: One of the major symptoms of depression is the lack of desire to get on with your life and do the things that you have always loved , or liked to do prior to the depression.
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Understood, but what if you CAN'T do the things "you have always loved and liked" because of a physical limitation, in my case some post treatment skin problems? I guess there is crocheting if I can figure out how to spell it. LOL.

[jmjm530]

Thanks Lori, maybe I'm just groggy from the dream (she was a hot one) and throat feels a little better now that I've been up awhile. When you say you "had the shakes bad" were they seizures or what? I was warned that seizures are an uncommon but possible side effect and I believe they yank you off the drug if that happens. So how long did you end up taking Wellbutrin/Zyban? Maybe you can describe how it made you feel more in detail? And, yeah, did it help you stop smoking?

-- Jim

[52TELE]

wow. Thats a hard one. (dont even think about it)

Jim , I'm going through something very similar in that the drive I have always had to play my instruments is all but gone since I started tx. It's very sad for me. And you , you cant even go outside to do the things you love if you wanted to!

Never act your age. When we start that , its down hill from there.(My opinion only)
Is there any hope of recovering from the post tx sx?
Any chance of a certain type of clothing helping?

[EquineLori]

I so get the unable to do the things you love issue.  With my back, my whole life changed for the worse.  I wasn't even allowed to hand graze my horses or groom them etc.  When I would break the rules and go into a horses stall, I wept like a baby with the loss.  This freaks horses and they would get agittated, they are so intuitive.  We had to hire help on the farm and that made me even sadder.  I found other diversions, tho not crocheting.  With the dx/tx/sx of hcv, good God!  Only this forum has saved me.  I so hope you may one day resume a somewhat normal, however modified, life.  Lori

[jmjm530]

Right now the major skin triggers are heat, cold, hard exercise, sun, wind, alcohol, caffeine, chlorine, and simple carbs. Clothing only helps marginally but unless I have a sex change operation and become a Muslim it looks funny if I walk around with my face covered :)

After a month or so of avoiding the above and using topical medications, my face looks pretty much normal, but I'm definitely not living the life I did before treatment.

As to the future, I'm hoping time away from the treatment drugs will make a difference although the skin doctors don't think so. Theory being that the tx drugs acclerated  the Rosacea's progress and now it has a life of its own. Still, what the f*ck do doctor's know. LOL. I may also start oral antiboitics soon and some very pricey laser treatments in the fall that potentially could make a difference.

As to your guitar thing, I'm sure your desire will come back once you get off the drugs.

-- Jim

[EquineLori]

We were, cross posting.  No, not siezures.  I'm an adrenaline junkie, among others and I just think the doubling of the Welbutrin was too much of a good thing.  Yeah, it DID work in stopping my tobacco habit - until I broke my back - picked up ciggaretts on the way home from the hospital.  Well, as you know, the very act of breathing is such an issue now days, that a good sx of this hcv tx is that I now light a cig and can hardly inhale at all.  Who'd a figured something other than svr might actually be a good thing with this nasty tx?

[52TELE]

I think what Lori says  has a lot of merrit. Modified lifestyle.
It sounds simple , especially to us , we dont have the sx issues that your experiencing.
Jim I'm sorry , I know that when I'm having a problem with no easy answer , it gets annoying when people that really dont understand the problem to start throwing out freaking obvious statements like you never thought about it.( not talking about you Lori , but myself) So all I can say Jim is good luck and I really really hope you can resolve it.

[jmjm530]

Sorry about what you're going through with your back. I guess I've just got to grow up, suck it in, recognize my limitations for now, and move on. But because I can't seem to do the aforementioned :) hopefully MS Wellbutrin will help. Just thjinking, if MS WellButrin and Mr. Brian Fog get it on, we might just have one very happy but confused baby. LOL.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

I threw all this out there because I value everyone'e input. Your statements are very helpful even if if I sound like I disagree it helps me think this thing through. A lot of folks have to deal with limitations and I just have to learn to. In as strange way it was a lot easier to deal with my limitations during tx because I knew tx had a beginning, middle and end. This is harder because the end is not very clear, if that makes any sense.

[painterlady13]

I have been on AD's off and on over the years for various rough times in my life.  after trying 4 or 5 different ones that made me have horrible dreams, gain lots of weight,  I quit them all together. Then I tried Wellbutrin about 8 or 9 years ago when I hurt my back and was going thru another major depression.  I told the Doc I was not going to take anything that was going to make me gain lots of weight again. He suggested trying the Wellbutrin.  It was a godsend.  I was able to deal with the situation and continue on with my life. I stayed on it for 2 years. Didn't gain weight and never really had any sides, but then caffine doesn't bother me (I love very dark rich coffee's too).   So this time after being diagnosed and realising that I was starting that downward slide 6 mos ago I asked my doc to put me back on it. I'm really glad he did.  I didn't have the sore throat you talk about with the AD, but since starting treatment  last week, the last few days I have noticed one.  Although I am having some other sides also.  Last night I had to leave work early from severe nausea.  I couldn't even keep water down. Better this morning and sure hope I can stay at work tonite I can't afford to lose much work.
As we all know everyone is different and handles the same medications very differently.  I hope it works for you

[bobbyullc]

i understand, i still cannot go in the sun for long and have what the peg sheet described as "malaise" or do not care disease. i have 2 atvs,2 jet skis a sail boat and pontoon boat and have not felt like using any of them. i also feel achy and feveresh most of the time. these sides where not expected and i hope only temporary as well as yours.
no depression but dissalusioned. and i do wish you the best.
bobby

[jmjm530]

Bobby: described as "malaise" or do not care disease.
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Sounds familiar. My depression is less feeling "depressed" than loss of motivation and enjoyments. Hopefully, the Wellbutrin well help.

Anyway, hadn't had blood drawn in a few months so this morning did a CBC, etc. The lady that drew the blood is quite the philosopher from past visits and today, for no apparent reason, started talking about her thoughts on arising this morning. In short, she said, hey, we're here for what 80 plus years, so, what me worry :) "
On hearing that I was thinking maybe I should drop the Wellbutrin and relabel the "do not care" disease as a higher state of being. LOL.

-- Jim

[Morgaina]

If you google "crazy meds" you'll come up with a sight put together by those who have had to deal with these meds their whole lives. More of a "there's no doctors here" sight, but these guys sure know their meds and possible sides. They definately have a sense of humor as well.

Lori, did you tell me about your back? (Brain is still under construction but progressing.)How long ago did you break it? How is it healing? Jeez, that's really crappy, just a bit more intense than cracking your noggin! Sorry if you had let everyone know, I have a problem with escaping info, cant figure out how it gets out. So how are things?

[Mister beagle bailey]

How are you doing?  My wife was on Wellbutrin a few years ago and had no sore throat.  She took it to quit smoking, it helped with the smoking part but nothing else.  She said it didn't work well on her so she stopped.  She became moody, etc.
I guess it works on some and not others.

Beagle

[jmjm530]

Nothing new here just waiting for the Wellbutin to kick in :) Sore throat may indeed be from something else or not. Felt groggy this morning so figured that was also from Wellbutrin. Then decided to do some labs since haven't done them in a couple of months. Hope this finds you well.

-- Jim

[MissMiss]

I still take the SR 150 and now I use the generic Bupropion SR 150.  I tried the two a day for awhile but was just a bit too lacadaisical so went back to one and seems to work for me.  

I was willing to shell out the $70 out of my pocket (before generic) til hubby got a job with insurance.

I will say I have one friend who didn't respond as well with the generic as the name brand.  Dunno why either.

Another week and you should know something.  You started a day ago, right?  Best of luck to you.  Smiles are on the way.  If that don't work, read the thread about how to kill HCV with Tide.  Oh never mind, you posted a good funny there!

miss

[Mister beagle bailey]

What labs did you have done?  You should be coming up on your 6 month PCR, right?

Beagle

[jmjm530]

Did everything but. Six month VL test is still a few weeks off.

[EquineLori]

Hi, darlin'!  I took Zyban a few years ago to quit smoking.  Zyban=Welbutrin as I'm sure you know.  I didn't experience ANY of your sx from it.  In fact, the second week, when I was to take two pills, I found it too much for me - had the shakes bad.  The doc who prescribed them to me said that it would take a week or so to 'kick in'.  Groggy, heck no - just the opposit!  As I may be hubric in advising ANYTHING to you, please forgive me in advance.  I would suggest you keep trying it for another day or so, of course, if sx worsen, STOP and consult shrink straight away.  Luv ya mucho, Lori

[jmjm530]

Morg,

Thanks. One crazy web site. LOL. Probably more info than I want so will check it more when I'm in the mood to scare myself :)

SF: I have considered duct tape.
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Between this and your recent "bending over" comment, I'm coming up with an interesting picture here:)


-- Jim

[sunspot]

I have a guest room set up for Mr Malaise as he visits every so often, more than I like him to. A routine helps me a lot as does a low dose of Adderall. I also carry a note pad with me to jot down things I need to do around the house and if I rhink of a fun event to do outside the home. It soes call for some motavation on my part to get back to normal life but sadly I sometimes just don't feel like doing anything at all.
I wish you the best, Dana