My experience (so far) with Wellbutrin / Buproprion

[DHK]

Last week, I went to see a psychiatrist instead of a family doctor for help with my ADD. I’ve previously seen a general practitioner who was helping me to get Ritalin, but you could tell she didn’t know anything about it. She didn’t use the security prescription forms, requested a refill (where there are no refills allowed) and didn’t really ask me any questions. The last time I took it, I got a little shaky. This was over 6 months ago.

But now, I went to see the psychiatrist who specializes in mental disorders. I told him of my problem and that I wanted to work with someone who understood these things and can help me manage a proper prescription. He asked me if I ever took wellbutrin and told him no. He says (his opinion of course) that Ritalin rarely works with adults.

I’ve only been taking it for the past 5 days, but after the 3rd day, I’ve really started to notice an improvement in my mood! It makes me wonder if I’ve EVER been happy and content in my life? I was a miserable student in high school. I didn’t bother with higher education because I felt I would end up wasting the money. I suppose I’ve been mildly depressed for practically the last 20 years??? I’m beginning to question nearly everything that’s happened to me in my life, and how my own internal attitudes shaped my life over the past decade or so.

As a note of disclosure: I’m not on any other prescriptions. I’ve never taken any other drugs or drink alcohol. I don’t even drink coffee. So far, I’m very pleased with this, even though it’s only been a few days.

Thought I’d share.

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[Robbo]

I take wellbutrin and I’m pretty happy with only taking it for my depression and ADHD. It doesn’t work for everyone, but I know that it will take longer than a few days. For some it can take as much as 6 weeks to fully start to work. I’ve posted on a few other threads about this medication and also about how I used to take ritalin.

Maybe just stick with it and don’t rely on the medication to do all the work. The meat of what’s helping me here is the people. It’s also very true that without the wellbutrin I would be too depressed, or just unmotivated to participate here, for many of us medication is absolutely necessary, be willing to keep trying till you find the right key to open your mind. Before I started setting my phone to remind me to take the wellbutrin, it only took a couple days of not taking it (forgot) for me to get depressed. It really works well with me. Ritalin just kinda stopped making any difference after a about 4 or 5 months.

Acceptance is a big part of learning to live with the part of our ADHD that we’re stuck with. And being patient with ourselves and using the tools we have here will help with the stuff we can change. We do make a lot of real progress here. Heck I used to be a total maniac!, now I’m just kinda spun out sometimes.

I used to take prozac along with the wellbutrin, it was the wrong medication for me. I tried remeron (sp?) for a short time to help me sleep but it just made me a grump. It sucks being a grump when ya have ADHD and yer natural state of mind is to be a clown.

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[Bill]

A couple of months ago, I attended a lecture by a Toronto psychiatrist on ADHD at the Toronto meetup. He was very critical of both the number of over-medicated and undiagnosed kids. He said that the poster child for ADHD used to be the boy who couldn’t sit still. What he has found is that it’s more likely a smart young woman who does very well in high school, but whose life falls apart in university, when she no longer has the support of a highly structured environment and clear expectations. That was exactly what I experienced. I was awarded “Best Graduating Student” in high school and then got 30% on my first mid-term exam. The psychiatrist went on to say that he had found Ritalin to be effective in only about half of his adult patients, but when he combined it with Wellbutrin, it worked for the other half. I talked to my doctor about this idea and she agreed. It has made a profound difference in my life. I hope it’s not a forever thing, but right now, it’s really helping me control my focus.

I noticed a difference after about 3 days, which surprised me, since the rule of thumb for antidepressants is at least 2 weeks. But the psychiatrist also said that when combined with Ritalin, the Wellbutrin increases impulse control, instead of acting as an anti-depressant. After being on this combination for a while now, I was back for a check up. The doctor said, “Your blood pressure is down, your weight is down and your resting pulse is down. You must be doing something right.”

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[Bill]

Has anyone else combined Wellbutrin with Ritalin?

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[wyowildflower39]

Whew! Glad to see some other positive responses on buproprion, I am on my third day, and am loving it! Amazed at such a swift result for sure. I hope it continues to do so well 🙂 I also got my diagnoses four days ago for ADD and SAD. so excited but freaked out all at the same time!!!!

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Poet, remember, ADHD often shows up with friends…like depression & anxiety.

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant, which is sometimes also useful for treating ADHD (though not officially, which is why this is an “off-label” use).

In your case, maybe the Ritalin is treating your ADHD by stimulating your brain, and the Wellbutrin is treating your depression and helping the Ritalin.

It won’t work for everyone, but if it works for you, that’s all that matters.

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Wyowildflower39, it’s great to see you here!

As you get used to your new diagnosis and your new med, you’ll find it really helpful to keep a journal, so you and your doctor can keep track of how well that med is working for you.

Just note what you took, the dose, and when.  And note the effects, good & bad.

Also note any other factors (sunny day, stressful situation at work, too much coffee, etc.) that could have been involved.

Take the journal with you to your next doctor’s appointment.  That way, you and your doctor can accurately track your progress since your last appointment, and change your med/dose if necessary.

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[Bill]

@larynxa Yes, Wellbutrin is used as an antidepressant, but we need to be clear that it’s not an SSRI. It works on the dopamine system, not serotonin. Ritalin also works on dopamine. That’s the chemical link.

Wellbutrin is used to help in smoking cessation (approved by the FDA http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC314381/ i.e. not off-label). My understanding is that it helps with impulse control, also helpful for ADHD.

I do not have comorbid depression. I know because my first diagnosis, many years ago now, was depression. I was on antidepressants for a couple of years, without success. I just have ADHD.

My experience for the past several weeks has been that the combination of Wellbutrin and Ritalin is much more effective for me than just increasing the Ritalin dosage.

Anyone else on this combination?

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[firefoxj]

Hi Bill –

I”d love to learn more about the psychiatrist who spoke to your Toronto Meetup – do you remember his name?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

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[blackdog]

I tried Welbutrin and Ritalin together and the result was 72 hours of no sleep and no real memory of what I did. I know I went to a movie that weekend, but later I had no memory of the movie at all. I wanted to rent the DVD and my boyfriend kept arguing with me that I had seen it. And I swore I hadn’t even after watching the DVD. I later put 2 and 2 together and figured out that must have been the movie we went to that weekend.

Now that I know the combo does work well, I would like to try it again, maybe just with a lower dosage. Or with Concerta. I have a friend who takes that combo and really likes it. If I could just get my doctor to prescribe it. 🙄

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[caper]

A psychologist I saw suggested wellbutrin, though my psychiatrist didn’t think it was appropriate.
I tried atomoxetine, which helped with irritability (but had some negative side effects so I didn’t continue). When I started taking atomoxetine, I had also started B12 supplements. My psychiatrist asked for a liver test before prescribing the atemoxetine, and the test results showed low B12; 229pmol/L. As B12 is sometimes referred to as the stress hormone, I decided to boost my levels. I gave myself cyanocobalmin injections (0.5ml of 1000ug/ml) every week for about 10 weeks, then 1000ug methylcobalmin pill taken once/day tapered down to 1/wk over a few months.
Now I rarely feel frustrated, and when I do the feeling is much less intense. I’m not taking any medication, aside from an occasional 20mg Ritalin SR which I take to keep me from feeling sleepy in the afternoon (instead of my usual coffee).

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[loveofmustangs]

My son has been bounced around from stimulant to stimulant for years.  We finally decided on Methylphenidate (ritalin).  He still exhibited a lot of the side effects like appetite suppression, tics GALORE, insomnia etc but it was helping with his school work.  Then this whole health care crisis came into play and his insurance put a deductible on us for his prescriptions, and stimulants are expensive.  I did a lot of research and saw Wellbutrin has been successful in treating ADHD.  I pick up the script this afternoon but I’m nervous about stopping his stimulant, I’m sure there will be withdrawals and he also takes trileptal for a mood disorder should they be mixed?  I’m waiting the doctors return call about this.  In the meantime I am excited to read the positive everyone is having with it but nervous about the negatives as well.  I hope this is the ticket so he can be as normal as possible.

 

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[blackdog]

@loveofmustangs

Definitely wait until you hear from the doctor. I would check with your pharmacist too, since they usually have more info at their finger tips about things like drug interactions.

The upside of Welbutrin is that it seems to have very few side effects and is not habit forming. It will not do as much as the Ritalin though most likely. But it’s better than nothing.

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[Robbo]

Hey @loveofmustangs it might help you to know that wellbutrin is actually a stimulant medication. It’s a good idea to ease off the methylphenidate slowly of course. But I bet you’ll find the wellbutrin can help a lot. I’m still taking it 🙂

peace

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[Robbo]

brain fart!

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[Author]

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