Qu Re: antidepressants change

C

clareMc

Cathlete
Hi everyone:

this is a question for anyone who has taken antidepresssants for a length of time and then switched to a different antidepressant medication for whatever reason.

I am thinking of swapping my Celexa for Wellbutrin and see if I can tolerate it. Big problem is: I am extremely sensitive to antidepressant medications. I only take half the dose recommended, and have been violently ill taking Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro and Effexor.

When you switched, how did you experience the change? Did you again go through all the side effects of the new medication as if you were beginning antidepressant medication for the first time or was it a smooth transition?

The side effects of taking Celexa took a full 6 weeks for me to deal with, it took that long before I felt like me again. Do I have to go through all that again if I switch to Wellbutrin?

What was your experience? All testimonials and personal stories welcome. And if you would rather email me, please do so at [email protected].

Thanks in anticipation for your time, consideration and help,

Clare ;-)
 
Hi Clare. I was on Effexor XL 150 mg. for awhile, and though it made me feel wonderful emotionally, all I wanted to do was SLEEP!! My dr. switched me to Wellbutrin XR and I found that for me, personally, it didn't work as well. Alot of my "depression" symptoms started coming back. I did, however, got rid of the sleepies and had more energy. Other than those symptoms reappearing, I really didn't have any other physical side effects. I just recently started taking Lexapro 10 mg. at night (maybe about a week now). Can't really tell if it is helping or not.....but no side effects.

I hope you have great luck in switching. I know it is soooo hard to find the right antidepressant to fit you!!

Kim
 
Hi Clare,

I've taken Wellbutrin & Lexapro for quite a while now. Are you thinking of switching from Celexa to Wellbutrin bc the Celexa isn't working or is still giving you bad side effects?

Here are my non-scientific thoughts- If I miss a day or two of meds, I feel the change in mood immediately. I figure that whatever you are taking stays in your system for about two days. If you switch from one to another, my guess is that you will likely feel a change in mood. In a sense, you will be starting fresh. The little Celexa that will be left in your system probably won't curb any side effects you may experience with Wellbutrin. You may not have any adverse reactions to it, but I do imagine that it will take a while before you know if it's right for you.

What does your doctor think?

Gina
 
Hi Gina:

Celexa is nearly the perfect drug for me. I am very stable on it, I can get back to my life with it and feel normal. But: it kills my sex life stone dead, and that, to me, is not acceptable. I had read that Wellbutrin is the SSRI touted as causing the least degree of sexual side effects. However, the idea that taking it will be like starting afresh with antidepressants from scratch, as if I had never taken any Celexa, fills me with dread. I am too sensitive to these drugs: I know I will have horrible side effects, may even react violently as I did with Lexapro (after 6 hours), Paxil (after 3 days), Effexor (after 2 hours). Those drugs were traumatic: I can't go back through that again.

If it means possibly being postrate in bed again for another 48 hours because of a change in drugs, I prefer to taper off the Celexa and reclaim my sex life, even if perhaps somewhat emotionally unstable.

I take anything my PCP says with a pinch of salt. She has made bad decisions for me in the past. I usually do my own research, tell her what I want to do, get the referrals I need to see specialists and argue with her when necessary! Anyway, she doesn't know my thoughts yet, I see her on Thursday this week.

Does anyone else have a story to share?

Clare
 
Hi, Clare, I was on Lexapro and switched to Wellbutrin. It was a smooth transition and I experienced fewer side effects than the ones that continued to plague me after months on Lexapro. I really like it. I take it twice daily and would like to use the single dose because remembering two doses is tough and the second has to be taken early enough to circumvent sleeplessness. I am a major insomniac so that really wasn't much of a consideration. I hope, if you do switch, it works as well for you as it has for me. I am pretty much back to my old self, cheerful, happy and feeling good! :)
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
 
Hey Clare (Sweetheart!) – you didn’t reply to my e-mail :-(

Perhaps this is going to sound really silly, but … how do you know if you’ve got depression? Sleepy? Tired? Down? Miserable? I’m just wondering. I’m thinking of starting a course of anti-depressants to see if it will help calm me down and try and pin-point if stress is my trigger point for constant peeing. What causes depression? An emotional event? Body out of balance?

W x
 
Hi Clare,

I understand your feelings about the sexual side effects. Prozac & Paxil didn't agree with me in that area.

I suppose the transition will also depend on the dosage you are taking. It's too bad that Lexapro didn't work out. It's a more concentrated form of Celexa that has fewer side effects. I wonder if you could transition into Wellbutrin by beginning with maybe half of your dose of Celexa and half Wellbutrin for a week or two. As far as I know, the drugs are fine in combination. I of course wouldn't suggest you do that without asking the doctor first, even if she is a dope lol.

Best of luck,
Gina
 
Hi Clare.

I'll share my experience with Wellbutrin. I've been on it for 3 years now. When I started on it, I went extremely slow because I was scared of going on a 'happy pill' plus I was ashamed of needing one. I wanted to ward off any drastic mood changes so I started with 1/2 tablet a day for 3 days, then a whole tablet for 3 days, then 1 1/2, 2 wholes, then 3 whole. About 15 months ago I tried going off of it hoping I didn't need it anymore. Again, I went slow reversing the timing and dosage like I started with. 2 1/2 tablets 3 days; 2; 1 1/2; 1; and lastly 1/2. Even going that slowly I was a bear. I lasted a week free of the med, and went back on it again slowly. I realize now I probably didn't give myself enough time to adjust without medincine.
Some things I've learned while taking Wellbutrin are and I'm sure you probably know most, if not all, these;
1) The generic is called Bupropion( I actually take this)
2) I've been told that Bupropion 150 mg. has a time-released formula, but 100 mg doesn't(what's up with this?) Also was told that Bupropion, being generic, does not have a time-release formula.
3) My insurance would not cover Bupropion 150 mg. twice a day, but would cover 100 mg. three times a day(what's up with this?)

I hope this info can help a little.
 
Wayne:

I'm still waiting for your email!!!!!! I never got it! Send it to me again, check the address you sent it to:

[email protected]

Love to hear from you, send it soon!!!!!

After I have finished teaching commitments for today I will come back and answer your other questions on depression OK? But I have to fly now.......byeeeeeeeeee

Clare
 
Wayne!

I sent you a PM about a week ago. Did you get it??? Sorry to hear you are still having problems. Hope you find the answer REAL SOON!
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
Rhiannon,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Very weird about the time-release and insurance. Another note- generic pills are only required to have 80% potency of the non-generic drug.

Gina
 
Hi Clare,

I mostly lurk here. I definitely think it's worth a try to switch medicatons. From what you've said, all the meds you've tried are SSRIs, and Wellbutrin works on dopamine and norepinephrine moreso than serotonin. It's kind of in a classification by itself in terms of types of antidepressants. There are serotonin receptors throughtout the GI tract, so that may explain why you became violently ill on the other meds you've tried, if your symptoms were gastrointestinal.

I have had a lot of problems with SSRIs, (more mood related) but Wellbutrin has worked really well for me. I don't know this for a fact, but I think Wellbutrin is faster acting than SSRIs because it doesn't need to build up in your system.
 
Hey lurker!!!

What you say makes a lot of sense. I had no idea there were so many receptors for serotonin in the intestines. That explains a lot!! And it gives me heart, so thank you for that,

You should come out of lurkdom more often!

Clare
 
Gina:

the half and half transition routine sounds like an excellent suggestion, although I may be an air head for a while on it.... thanks for the suggestion, I am filing it in my mental archives

Clare
 
Thank you, Bobbi. My dad told me about the 80% thing, but after researching, I see that you are correct. Please ignore my post in that case everyone!

Gina
 
Hi Clare,
After a lot of trial and error, I found that a combination of Prozac and Wellbutrin works best for me. Each counter acts the side effects of the others. The wellbrutrin wasn't enough for me, I found myself still dealing with the depression and it also made me feel kind of jittery. Without it I felt like the Prozac made it tougher to keep weight off. Good Luck. :cool:
 
Thanks Chloesmom!

It certainly is an iddea. But I don't think I would be able to combine like this. The dose I take of Celexa is already so low, I can't take less than that in order to combine it with an other, it isn't medically possible: less than that is nothing! Thanks anyway for your story

Clare :)
 
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