Wellbutrin/bupropion

[Anonymous]

HI there,, hope this hasnt already been put out there & I missed it.. Has anyone used Wellbutrin? Im told it will help give me energy (not that I need it) but I thought (from when my nephew was on ritalin) “sedatives” act as a stimulant in children and vice versa? Ummm why do I (adHd) need a stimulant?? Sorry I’m new at this (forums & diagnosis)…

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[Anonymous]

Sorry – My brain just caught up to my fingers – I get the kid/adult thing – (sedative/stimulant)but I’m guessing the meds do more than just calm kids/boost big kids? Man I have alot of homework to do…

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[Patte Rosebank]

Actually, Wellbutrin is an antidepressant, not a stimulant. It has also been found to be quite effective for treating ADHD in some patients…and as a stop-smoking aid. The trouble with mental and mood disorders is that you have to find the right med(s) through trial-and-error. Unlike a broken leg, where the treatment is always to re-set and brace the bones so they knit together properly.

I know it sounds like a contradiction to treat ADHD with a stimulant, the fact is that all of our hyperactive behaviours are an attempt to use physical activity to stimulate the right pre-frontal cortex of our brains (which is the part that isn’t functioning properly in people with ADHD). The meds for ADHD target that specific part of the brain and, essentially, wake it up chemically so it is functioning properly.

Stimulants can increase heart rate & blood pressure, especially when you’re just starting on them, or getting used to a higher dose of them. So check your blood pressure every couple of days—even if it’s just on the big machine at your local pharmacy. Keep a record of the readings, and of how you feel at a particular dosage of the drug.

Also note any external factors that could be affecting your mood, thoughts, and blood pressure. This journal will help you and your doctor find the right med(s) and the right dose(s) for you.

Of course, if you experience severe high blood pressure or a pounding in your chest, get to Emergency right away!

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[Anonymous]

Thanks Larynxa! You seem to really know your stuff. I have always been a little leery of stimulants, I still have dto decide if I will go on meds – If I do I have to give up commercial diving, (no meds allowed under H2O) so its not a little decision for me..(not that it is for anyone)

Thanks again

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[Patte Rosebank]

While I can understand the concern about not taking meds if you’re a diver, the more important question is, isn’t it more dangerous NOT to take the meds that can make you function properly by improving your judgement and your ability to focus? I mean, does the “no meds” rule apply to someone with a thyroid condition, who needs meds to fix it? Or to a diabetic, who needs Metformin to regulate their blood sugar?

By simply saying, “No meds allowed at all”, your employer is also encouraging a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which could, ultimately, be far more dangerous than allowing employees to take the medications which their doctors have determined are necessary in order for the employees to function properly.

By extension, that employer could also be deemed to be discriminating on the grounds of disability, since anyone who requires medication for their depression, or bipolar, or diabetes would be ineligible for employment. Unless your employer could absolutely prove that “no meds” was an essential condition of employment (very difficult to prove), they could be on very shaky legal ground.

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[Anonymous]

Its not the employer – its the guidelines for our dive medical. So its heath canada I guess. The docs have strict guidelines they have to follow. I agree with you – but it has to do with the effects underwater – many diabetics can not dive (commercially) either. Things are changing – but very slowly. Oddly enough – in my deep water testing (where everyone else sees how much worse they do at depth as opposed to sea level) I do better – its so funny my instructers (both recreational & comm.) retested me a couple times to prove it. My “at depth” speed is better than at sea level… I would love to see how I would do on meds – but am not sure I want to cut out my scuba – I really enjoy it. Somehow things work better underh2o – its both physical & mental & fluid (yaya – water is fluid ) and theres no talking – only action/reaction.I guess it is almost medatative.

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[ADDled]

I’m on Wellbutrin and it seems to work well with the Vyvanse. Of all the combinations of anti-depressants (Prozac, Paxil, Effexor and Wellbutrin) and stimulants (Ritalin, Concerta, Vyvanse) I’ve used, this combination is the best for me. The Wellbutrin does boost my energy level somewhat and seems to have less side effects.

Of course, you will need to find what works best for you. Stay away from Effexor if you can, though, it’s nasty stuff to quit. If you Google Effexor withdrawal there are a lot of people that have issues with this one.

Hope this helps…and good luck.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks ADDled! Ya I agree about the effexor – was on it years ago after my knee surgery..I love your Cartman…

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[Anonymous]

I used it with Lexapro for over a year and got off of the Wellbutrin because I didn’t think it did much at all. The Wellbutrin is helps with sexual dysfunction, and has been prescribed for it. But for ADD or ADHD I saw no results at all.

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[Anonymous]

Dianna, actually you were misinformed by Larynxa! Wellbutrin (bupropion) is the only anti-depressant on the market to date, that is classified as a stimulant! It is not a Selective Seretonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), it is one of the very few that target Seretonin and Dopamine (the feel-good chemical in brain), therefore it is a SDRI.

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[Anonymous]

is there any likelyhood that combined straterra 60 mg and wellbutrin 300 mg .. could increase or enhance anxiety?

Adhd and anxiety .. nasty combination, really hard to function some days and others no problem … frustrating at the least

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[duber]

Hi Dianna, I just signred up to this website today, April 3, 2012. I am a recreational scuba diver, and have been on Wellbutrin for a very long time. My most recent dives in Maui were only down to about 50 feet. I do not remember having any problems at all. In fact, these were the first warm water dives I have ever done. Normally I dive in the Pacific Northwest Puget Sound and other very cold waters.

Right now, my “Doctor” simply renews my perscription all the time and I don’t even see him. I would love to find a compentent doctor who really knows about ADHD and can be more proactive with treatments instead of just putting me on the latest pill.

I live in the Portland Oregon, Vancouver Washington, USA area.

Without giving names, how do most of you like the Doctor, if any, you are seeing?

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[Anonymous]

I need to weigh in on the issues of Wellbutrin. I thought it best that I just take the information directly from the product monograph produced by the company:

“The neurochemical mechanism of the antidepressant effect of bupropion is not known. Bupropion is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of norepinephrine and dopamine, and does not inhibit monoamine oxidase or the re-uptake of serotonin.”

Because of it’s effects on the catecholamine neurochemicals (noradrenaline {or norepinephrine in the US} and dopamine) it has the potential to increase heart rate and BP. Both of these factors may come into question if you dive certainly beyond 40 feet (15 meters). As an avid diver myself, I can tell you that at lower depths, there is a natural tendency for our blood pressure to go up to accommodate for the increased pressure that we feel around us. While the product monograph does not speak to any contraindication with the medication and diving, it is important to have a discussion with your doctor regarding the relative risks.

I have dived off of Hawaii but also in Australia, the Red Sea, off of Cuba and the Lesser Islands like Jamica, Turks, St. Lucia. I must admit though, I like warm water.

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