put on wellbutrin for anxiety

[meg321]

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas  !!

Also, i just to hear about others who are being treated for anxiety and how it works for you...my primary put me on wellbutrin today.  For perhaps his sanity as well as mine...

I have not really addressed  anxiety  but I am such a wreck..

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!

meg

[meg321]

You know i dont normally do stressful things and I dio the breathing excercises, I started before I was diagnosed to help my labored breathing.  But i have always felt anxiety but it didnt bother me or so I thought and didnt even realize it was anxiety, i turned dow anxiety meds.

It just got worse gradually until I could no longer hide it.

Maybe the new year will be good to ALL OF US....

HUGS, MEG

[Sumanadevii]

You sure you don't have some Buddhist in you?  lol

[Sumanadevii]

I am so happy your neuro stepped up to the plate and has another game plan.  Stick with her.  She sounds like a wise woman!!!!  I have anxiety when my breathing is labored.  I take Xanax but it is only used for those periods when necessary.  I keep a script on hand...in case.  I sure hope I don't need it anytime soon.  I just wanted to say that anxiety is not something I had ever experienced in all my sixty years.  The truth is anxiety can make our symptoms worse ...so much worse!!!!!!!  I am a believer today!!

I highly recommend Lulu's exercise.  She describes it PERFECT!!!  There is an example of the wonderful mods on this board.  Thank you, Lulu.

[meg321]

Well, it seems like my MS specialist appears to agree with most of you, she said "welbutrin is notorious for worsening anxiety" and she gave me choices she would have made would have been, paxil, lexapro or effexor.

So i will take care of this next year..i am a bit concerned about staying on wellbutrin too long,,or do i need to ...

nope won't go there nopw

hugs, meg

[sadie405]

Hey Meg--

I've been on Welbutrin for 10 years and it's been a wonder-drug for me. However, I'm surprised it was prescribed for anxiety since that's one of its known side-effects-- insofar as antidepressants go it has more stimulative properties(one of the reasons I think it's really helped me considering all the fatigue, and also one of the reasons they won't prescribe it for persons with eating disorders since it's known for causing weight loss as well). So keep an eye out for that, and I would make sure you take it in the morning so as to avoid trouble sleeping.

Good luck!
Sadie

[jensequitur]

Wellbutrin made my mom spacey, too.  She's always had a problem with depression.  Whatever she's taking right now is working pretty well, though.

[Guitar_grrrl]

Good luck, my lady of the lake friend.  I have no personal experience with this med, but I've heard good things about it.  

I deal more with stress in the same style as Lulu and Alex.

Merry Christmas to you!

[jumpinjiminy]

I can't tolerate Wellbutrin, it made me have emotional swings, big time. But I've tried Cymbalta for anxiety and it worked for me right away. The first day I could tell a difference.

[Lulu54]

It will take longer than Christmas to be fully effective - in the meantime learn to do some stress relief on your own.

Just read this good relaxation exercise that everyone can do-this was in MS Perspectives from Dr. Klich of Atlanta's Shepherd Center:

recline or lay on your back
put your hand on your belly

"Close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply in and out through the nose. Your belly should rise and fall as you take in and then release the breath.  If your chest rises instead of your belly, you're taking shallow breaths - a sure sign of stress!

Repeat for 2 to 5 minutes."


She says that once you understand this technique you can also do it standing up or sitting.  This really is something all of us can do, regardless of our physical condition.

Good luck, Meg.  You can do the holidays!
Lulu

[meg321]

oops, another question, how long might this take to work..its Christmas !!

meg

[meg321]

Thanks,  thats what i don't like is having to come off meds so I will pay attention and make sure it is really helping or not.

I guess i have been doing this for a long time, I really had no idea what anxiety was but I was getting worse and worse.  I felt like I was a bomb about to explode.

My Dr caught it, i know now why he keeps asking me questions and he showed me what he meant, he is careful about handing out drugs.  I just pray it helps.

hugs meg

[Lulu54]

Meg, I've been on wellbutrin for about 18 months.  It was rxd for depression for me and not anxiety.  I am in the process of going off it - want to see if it is really making a difference.  It is a slow weaning process- whatever you do, if you want to stop be sure to do it with the guidance of your doctor.

Lulu

[HVAC]

It takes some time to work. With these sorts of meds it is purely individual.  I for example can't drive on Wellbutrin it makes me too spacy. Then I can't take it late in the day because it keeps me up.

There is no one size fits all. Some people find something that works right away others like me have to try over fifty drugs or combinations over a thirty year period.

I have also found counseling and hypnosis to helps me. Mostly for me it has been about learning to retrain myself  and understand the anxiety is not about what is happening at the moment. This takes years of practice. In my case I have severe PTSD so no amount of medication will help. I can wake up from a night mare and say that is not real you are safe right now. Or when I am anxious examine it and say to myself it really is not the reality of the moment.

I hope you find relief and have a stress free Xmas.

Alex