Wellbutrin and Ciprolex

[WendyLou]

Hi, I'm totally new to this forum. I was hoping someone could help me out here. I have suffered anxiety on and off for almost 30 years. Usually quite fine for long periods (mild to moderate anxiety), and then mid to high anxiety for a period of time.

I just switched meds to wellbutrin (about 7 weeks ago). This helped with depression but not so much the anxiety. Then I added in ciprolex about 3 weeks ago, and have had heightened anxiety ever since. I can't tell if I'm doing this to myself (some of it I am I'm sure) because I'm afraid the meds won't work, or if they are in fact not working. I really want to keep on the wellbutrin, because I'm losing a bit of weight on it and have more energy, but I can't stand the anxiety I feel, so I need to do whatever it takes to make that better.

Has anyone had experience with these two drugs together? I think I'm obsessing a bit over the fear of the medication not working, and what will help me if it doesn't work, etc. I've been taking 1/2 a clonazepam once in a while to keep it under control, especially when I'm at work.

How can I help my brain not work itself up about these meds, so that I can give them a fair shot? Or, is it in fact the meds that are keeping my body stimulated and creating the anxiety themselves?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful.

I'm on a cancellation list to see my doc, but hard to say when that will happen.

Thanks!

[homebird]

I don't have experience with those particular meds, but I'd say being anxious about the medication probably isn't helping. I know exactly how you feel though (being anxious/worked up wondering if the meds will work or not).

Sounds like therapy or counseling might be good for you. It's scary, I know. I finally took the first step and went to my first session last week. I think it would help you deal with some of your worried/anxious thoughts. You might not need to change your meds after all (and eventually may not need meds at all) if you can learn healthy ways of dealing with stress and anxiety.

I keep posting about this (I promise I'm not making money off of it, lol) but I highly suggest the book "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Claire Weekes. It gave some great practical advice on how to deal with anxiety/stress/panic. If nothing else, it might help you get by until you can get in to see your doctor.

Best of luck. I hope you find some relief soon!

[WendyLou]

Hi Homebird, Thanks for your post. I LOVE Hope and Help for your Nerves...it used to be my "nerve bible" for many years. I am telling myself positive thoughts and accepting the anxiety to the best I am able. I am in some counselling now which is helpful, but it's a slow process and doesn't show immediate change, which is what you want when you're anxious. You know the feeling...get me out of this hell now! so to speak.

Thanks,

[alankay]

Wendy, could be you are just experiencing some anxiety that's from the the initiation of an ssri. I'm on escitalopram as well and when I first started it made my anxiety a little worse but over time(a couple weeks) I know it will work to lessen it. I have been on prozac, zoloft, celexa and now escitalopram and some of those bumped up my anxiety level before working to lower it. It's the irony of it all I think and it happens to only nice people:)LOL. But it doesn't always happen. When I start on ssri and feel way more anxious, I take 1/2 the dose for a week or two to get my system used to it then go to the full dose. If the doc will not OK that you could try taking 1/2 the tablet in the AM and the other half at Dinner. Theory being the peak blood level from the full dose will not be achieved and side effects lowered for many. If you have capsules that makes it harder to take 1/2 but I just separate the capsule half and use a small piece of tissue(Kleenex) to plug the halves so the powder doesn't spill out and take them that way. Just estimate half the powder in each half. Don't laugh, it worked for me.:) I don't believe wellbutrin(works on dopamine and norepinephrine)will cause that same side effect as often. Message me any time.

[WendyLou]

Thanks alankay. I've given it three weeks, and it's still bad, but I am seriously thinking the wellbutrin is the cause. When I took just the wellbutrin it didn't work on my anxiety. I know that wellbutrin is not used for anxiety, and lots of people can't use it because it increases anxiety. So maybe adding on the ciprolex is ramping that up too high. I have been on many ssri's in the past and they've always worked too, the exception being celexa, which caused me panic after the first dose. So the only thing I can think of is the wellbutrin that's different. I just really wanted wellbutrin to work, because finally I'm losing a few of those MANY pounds that the other ssri's packed on me.

[alankay]

You may be right. I have found escitalopram didn't cause me to get hungry:) It's known for that. Zoloft made me always want to snack. Talk to the doc and he might agree since 3 weeks is long enough as a trial(as far as side effects going away goes)!!

[WendyLou]

I have heard people gained weight on cipralex too. You haven't found that? I have been reading tonight online about Pristiq, which is an SNRI, and I've heard some good things about it, such as helps with anxiety and depression, no weight gain, etc. But I'll let my doctor be the doctor, I just wish I could get in to see him so I could make the adjustments needed to get on the road to being better.

[alankay]

Sure, some have gained weight on escitalopram as well as placebo. SNRI's are not known for that so go for it. It's worth a try for sure. Is that book by Weekes that good? In your opinion. Thinking of getting it as I've gotten allot of self help books.

[WendyLou]

Hi Alankay,

Well I talked to my doctor's secretary yesterday and asked if I could get off the wellbutrin and increase the cipralex to 10mg from the 5 I was taking. He agreed. I don't know if it's the meds, but this morning I woke up without the same level of anxiety. So I guess I'll cross my fingers I don't gain weight (not just being vain here, I seriously gained SO much on meds that it's now a health risk).

In my opinion, hope and help for your nerves is a very very good book. Now that being said, it was written many years ago, and the basic principles of it have been reworded and written about in other books. However, Dr. Claire Weekes is like a gentle old friend in her book, and the book gives you courage and hope. I would definitely buy it, if you're wondering.

[alankay]

Thanks I'll look for the book and happy your doing better thus far.

[WendyLou]

Yes, today was a much better day, I really think the wellbutrin was revving me up and making me agitated. Although today was spent with my extended family for Christmas, and sometimes family time isn't the easiest place to be, sadly.