Anyone here on Welbutrin???

[moosmom]

I'm going to ask my Dr. about Lexapro. I've been on Paxil for a long time and I really think that I've built up an immunity to it. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks everybody. You guys are the BEST!!!!

[Edwina's Secretary]

I took Zyban to quit smoking. I only took it for four weeks because of the side-effects....sleeplessness in my case, but it was VERY effective for my smoking. Haven't had a cigarette since (over five years.)

Here in California a doctor will lose his/her license to practice medicine if they prescribe anti-depressants or sleeping pills without an office visit with the patient.

You may be cussing the wrong party!

[moosmom]

Here in California a doctor will lose his/her license to practice medicine if they prescribe anti-depressants or sleeping pills without an office visit with the patient.

Hmmm, I never thought of that. I'm going to discuss other options with him. If I'm not satisfied, I'll get another opinion.

[JenBKR]

I'm going to ask my Dr. about Lexapro. I've been on Paxil for a long time and I really think that I've built up an immunity to it. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks everybody. You guys are the BEST!!!!

Lexapro could be good for you - my only caution there is that it is very similar to Effexor, so if you had a bad experience with Effexor before you might have the same problem with Lexapro. Then again, it might be perfect for you. Either way, don't get discouraged if it doesn't work for you, you'll find the right medication! I know how frustrating it can be, but there are lots out there so just keep trying!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Be carefull with Effexor . It is wellknown that it is VERY difficult to stop taking it!!
I used to take Prozac 10 years ago. The worst side-effect was that it made me hyper nervous; was terrible!!

Now I am taking SERLAIN. I don't know if you have this in the USA too, but it is very effective, and no side-effects for me

[moosmom]

WOW! So many choices!! I've been on Effexor and I will never take it again. The withdrawal vertigo is awful and it's very difficult to wean yourself off of it.

[MomOf7]

I was on a mass amount of welburtin for a few months. I hated it. They coupled it with a upper I dont remember the name but it starts with a R I think?
I was a basket case.
I went back to Zoloft which works great for me. Now I cannot afford it so I have been out since this winter...Well I could afford it if I didnt keep putting it off. LOL Ill be honest!

So yeah any drug they have to weekly draw your blood to check liver function cannot be good for you!

[Donnaj4962]

Donna, I am sorry that you have been going through such a hard time.

I have taken Effexor for about 5 years now, and it really helps me. But I also know several people that have had bad side effects, such as what have been described in these posts by you and others.

I am fortunate, because my MD was a pharmacist before she became an MD! She is so up on all of the meds and how thy can affect people. Have you thought about talking with a pharmacist? He/she may have some suggestions that you could research and then suggest to your doc. Just a thought.

I hope things go well with the MRI and you find out the cause of your hearing loss issues.

(((hugs))) from one Donna to another!

[Catty1]

Here's a good link...I found it on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selecti...take_inhibitor

Sertraline, listed at the bottom of the list, is what Serlain is called in North America. It's marketed over here as Zoloft and a few others.

If you can get the generic form or any of these, it will save a few $$.

Wikipedia I find to be clear and understandable. Hope this helps you, Donna, and a few other folks.

Different SSRI's affect different receptors in the brain. I do best with Paxil cousins. NOT the Hellbutrin Family! lol

hugs
Catty1

[CultureJunky]

Donna, sorry to see you've been going through a rough time, but remember these things come in peaks and troughs and you will feel better.
I am on Effexor 75mg, I am supposed to take one in the morning and one in the evening, however I have been getting along with just one in the morning fine for a good while. I've been on anti-depressants since I was around 17 years old (I'm 27 now) I started off on Seroxat but then was switched to Prozac, which just completely destroyed me for about 5 years, i was very ill, was a self harmer quite badly (which I haven't done for about 4 years now) the switch from Seroxat to Prozac was a killer, and how I survived it I don't know looking back, I guess having Doris saved me (doris is my retired cat now if you remember my othe posts) because I loved her so much. This was before I met my boyfriend Kevin who I met at about the age of 21 on the internet believe it or not!
I've been on effexor for about 5 years now and I've been okay with it, I seem to be improving though still have an off day every now and then, probably about once a week where I feel very depressed. Though changes in my life have contributed to my being better, having a great man to take care of me, living with him and Jack & sunny who I adore and enrich my life so much.
Luckily over here (in the UK, I'm welsh and we have a national assembly which has some power) we have the National Health Service so there is no charge to see a doctor, I recently changed my doctors though as the other ones were useless concerning my problems. The new ones are okay though.
I have to pay for Prescriptions cause my boyfriend works and as we live together I count as having an income aswell (even though I dont work) under him so I have to pay. It's £3.00 in Wales (which was set by the welsh assembly recently) per prescription, which I think is about $5.50ish is it?
Do you pay for prescriptions as well as your consultation fee? or do you have medical insurance that covers going back and forth to the doctors?

Well donna, hope you feel better soon and I'm sure you will, every time you feel sad cuddle your cats, that's what I always do and it makes me feel so safe and much better knowing I love them and they love me.
You can always PM me or email me if you wanna chat at [email protected]'d be nice to get to know people with similar interests, problems, personalities etc from Pet Talk, as I really only have one best friend and that's my boyfriend, no internet buddies or anything.

[moosmom]

I'm doing much better today since I stopped the Welbutrin. My MRI went well but boy is that stupid machine LOUD!!!! If I didn't have a hearing problem then, I sure do after being in that thing!! I'll find out the results probably sometime next week.

[K9soul]

WOW! So many choices!! I've been on Effexor and I will never take it again. The withdrawal vertigo is awful and it's very difficult to wean yourself off of it.

I certainly will never forget the hell of trying to get off of Effexor. I weaned down over several months and was just taking a tiny portion, but when I stopped I still had 4 weeks of "brain zaps" and vertigo. I was on it for a long time as well. I still get those sensations if I am really worn out or not feeling well, although never as bad as they used to be.

I'm on Celexa now and have had no real problems with it as far as side effects except for some nausea the first week or so. If I forget a dose I'm not reeling and sick the next morning like I was with Effexor. I hope you're able to find something that helps you without the terrible side effects or the withdrawal.

I signed the Effexor petition that is out there when I was trying to get off of it. http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/ There are over 10,000 signatures now.

[moosmom]

I signed it. I never knew there were so many people who had the same problems with this nasty drug as I did. The dreams are scary!! I always thought they were caused by something I ate before I went to sleep!!

[K9soul]

I had horrible dreams and night sweats as well, and no energy at all as well as many other side effects. I started it when I was in college around 1993 I think. At first I had improvement of my depression and didn't notice any really bad side effects, but after a few months on it things started going downhill. I went to doctors for all kinds of evaluations who told me it couldn't be the med, that it wasn't addictive, and that it was all in my head etc. Since I had a history of depression and anxiety they latched onto that and sent me home with benzodiazepines to take with it. I was young and at the time really believed that doctors must know what they were talking about. Then I went through all these tests and even an overnight hospital stay with a lumbar puncture, tilt table test and other hellish tests trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Not one doctor out of the 10 or so I saw even possibly attributed it to Effexor. I was finally blown off as a hypochondriac or nutcase and referred to shrinks. It wasn't until I got access to the internet years later and stumbled across something about it that I learned it had all been the drug. I couldn't get off of it though. It really destroyed many years of my life.