# Wellbutrin - Any Opinions?



## bigfoot

Wondering if anyone has experience with Wellbutrin? Not sure if I will wind up taking it, but I wanted to gather a little information in advance. I think I've seen it mentioned here on the forums as a better alternative to some of the other anti-depressant/anxiety meds, especially as far as thyroid interaction goes and fewer side-effects.

Thanks! :anim_32:


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## I DClaire

I missed seeing this question earlier. I was prescribed Wellbutrin earlier this year. My endocrinologist referred me to a psychiatrist she knew personally thinking I was suffering with depression. The very first dose I took made me feel gloriously better, I had a wonderful day and thought I'd been cured from my demons...but it was all a flash in the pan, from then on I almost think I felt worse with the medication.

My doctor convinced me to not give up and I didn't. I was initially given the generic form and I took it for a month with absolutely no improvement. I read online that there is a lot of controversy concerning generic Wellbutrin so I got another prescription for the name brand and took it for another month with the same disappointing outcome. I didn't refill the prescription again.

I've been seeing doctors for over 40 years and at least 90% of the time I've complained of chronic fatigue, lethargy and anxiety...and 100% of those visits I've been diagnosed as depressed, prescribed every antidepressant known to modern man and the only one that ever made any difference whatsoever, Cymbalta, caused me to have unbearable night sweats and nightmares.

I was just reading Webster2's thread about looking back on years of health problems. I can't help believing if depression really was behind my history of the same symptoms year in and year out, surely I'd have found an antidepressant that worked. Whether anybody believes me or not, I'm convinced antidepressant drugs make me feel noticeably worse, not better.


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## Andros

I DClaire said:


> I missed seeing this question earlier. I was prescribed Wellbutrin earlier this year. My endocrinologist referred me to a psychiatrist she knew personally thinking I was suffering with depression. The very first dose I took made me feel gloriously better, I had a wonderful day and thought I'd been cured from my demons...but it was all a flash in the pan, from then on I almost think I felt worse with the medication.
> 
> My doctor convinced me to not give up and I didn't. I was initially given the generic form and I took it for a month with absolutely no improvement. I read online that there is a lot of controversy concerning generic Wellbutrin so I got another prescription for the name brand and took it for another month with the same disappointing outcome. I didn't refill the prescription again.
> 
> I've been seeing doctors for over 40 years and at least 90% of the time I've complained of chronic fatigue, lethargy and anxiety...and 100% of those visits I've been diagnosed as depressed, prescribed every antidepressant known to modern man and the only one that ever made any difference whatsoever, Cymbalta, caused me to have unbearable night sweats and nightmares.
> 
> I was just reading Webster2's thread about looking back on years of health problems. I can't help believing if depression really was behind my history of the same symptoms year in and year out, surely I'd have found an antidepressant that worked. Whether anybody believes me or not, I'm convinced antidepressant drugs make me feel noticeably worse, not better.


And do you know why that might be? Chances are very very strong that you did not need them.

If you really had what they are Rx'd for (the "real" reason); most likely, they would have worked.

It's like eating jelly beans to cure a headache! Huh???


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## bigfoot

Late checking back into this thread myself -- appreciate the info!

I'm still on the fence about taking Wellbutrin. Not for so much as a long-term solution, but for something in the short-term while dealing with the roller coaster of Hashi's until my labs and Levoxyl get dialed in.


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## bigfoot

Well, I made the call. Left a message for the doc asking about a low dose to start with. I'm still not 100% on board just yet, as I'm still waiting to see how the Cytomel plays out. But it's nice to have another feather in the cap.

Honestly, I don't doubt that I'm slightly depressed. After being sick for 3 1/2 years, going through chemo for another illness, losing my job, selling our house, moving in with relatives, and looking for work in this economy, on top of being diagnosed with Hashi's recently... well, I think that would tax anybody. (Geez, when I say it aloud it sounds awful!)

One thing I still have, no prescription needed -- my sense of humor. :tongue0013:

So nice to have a sounding board here full of excellent, friendly, and knowledgable folks. Okay, everyone give themselves a pat on the back!


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Well, I made the call. Left a message for the doc asking about a low dose to start with. I'm still not 100% on board just yet, as I'm still waiting to see how the Cytomel plays out. But it's nice to have another feather in the cap.
> 
> Honestly, I don't doubt that I'm slightly depressed. After being sick for 3 1/2 years, going through chemo for another illness, losing my job, selling our house, moving in with relatives, and looking for work in this economy, on top of being diagnosed with Hashi's recently... well, I think that would tax anybody. (Geez, when I say it aloud it sounds awful!)
> 
> One thing I still have, no prescription needed -- my sense of humor. :tongue0013:
> 
> So nice to have a sounding board here full of excellent, friendly, and knowledgable folks. Okay, everyone give themselves a pat on the back!


THAT would land anybody on their rump. I could not agree more. Good grief! Thank you for sharing and I am going to keep you and your family in my prayers.

There "is" a light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime; do what you have to do.

We support you in all your endeavors.


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## bigfoot

Thanks Andros -- I appreciate all of the support! If it helps, great, if not, back to the ol' drawing board. Just glad my endo is of the mind to drive the TSH down and work on the 800-pound gorilla in the room.


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Thanks Andros -- I appreciate all of the support! If it helps, great, if not, back to the ol' drawing board. Just glad my endo is of the mind to drive the TSH down and work on the 800-pound gorilla in the room.


Yep; getting that TSH down is integral to your well-being and most of us here would agree w/that.


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## struggling

Wellbutrin has a super low side effect profile so if it works for you, great! Sometimes we just need "a little something" to get us over the bump in the road so-to-speak. I took it for about 3 weeks in the late 90's to kick my smoking habit, and it made me feel pretty great, and was able to stop it with no ill effects. (Back then it was also prescribed as Zyban to reduce nicotine cravings)

This health stuff is wearing, especially when doctors just seem to not listen (or care). I hope you get your Hashi's under control. I am just starting out on this road myself, so I can sympathize!


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## bigfoot

Thanks for the kind words! Yes, it is a road filled with speedbumps, detours, toll booths, construction, fast lanes, and slow lanes. 

Glad to hear the Wellbutrin worked out for you -- nice to hear you didn't have any wild side-effects, too.

If/when I start in on it, I'll have to jump back in here and let everyone know how it goes. Sounds like the pharmacy just filled the script. I'm still holding in there with the Cytomel at the moment...

:anim_32:


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## HeidiBR

I took it two years ago when I quit smoking, pre-hypo thyroid issues. The 300 mg dose made me feel like I was on some sort of upper. I had to lower it. For me, it was most definitely a med that speeded everything up. It was a little like (now that I know) being hyper.

I don't think it effects everyone like that.

If you are taking Cytomel, maybe start with a low dose of Wellbutrin?

Best of luck on your journey!


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## bigfoot

Thanks! Funny, that's what my endo mentioned this morning, too. He said it can be kinda stimulating and to watch it. I'm stopping the Cytomel for that very reason and we're going to try 100 MCG Levoxyl. This morning the anxiety level was pretty high, even though I had only been taking 2.5 MCG this last week or so. It reminded me of being hyper, too -- that's exactly what I was trying to think of for a comparison.

I'm going to ask my PCP (who RX'd the Wellbutrin XL) about the dosage next week...


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## HeidiBR

I felt like I was so anxious. And everything was speeded up. It was not the drug for me, but it helped me get through a few weeks when I stopped smoking. I does wonders for some folks; I know several people on it who do not have the speeded up issue.


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## bigfoot

I guess it all comes down to each individual. Glad to hear there are some folks out there it works well for! Starting the 100 MCG Levoxyl tonight... should be a little less stimulating.


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## bigfoot

Well, I started the Wellbutrin XL yesterday. This emotional roller-coaster that the thyroid (and dose adjustments) can give you is a little much some days. It's time for a little assistance. The 300mg seems to be too much for me -- it seemed to work, I wasn't quite as anxious/depressed, but boy it sure felt like I was on speed this morning. Pulse of 120 in the doc's office and jittery. We are going to try the 150mg and see if that helps... bummer, I was hoping it wouldn't hit me like that.

Who needs coffee? LOL


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Well, I started the Wellbutrin XL yesterday. This emotional roller-coaster that the thyroid (and dose adjustments) can give you is a little much some days. It's time for a little assistance. The 300mg seems to be too much for me -- it seemed to work, I wasn't quite as anxious/depressed, but boy it sure felt like I was on speed this morning. Pulse of 120 in the doc's office and jittery. We are going to try the 150mg and see if that helps... bummer, I was hoping it wouldn't hit me like that.
> 
> Who needs coffee? LOL


Yikes!! Keep us abreast!! Good to hear from you!


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## bigfoot

Wow, this stuff is potent. I think I got about 2-3 hours of sleep last night and the night before. Plenty of just laying there, staring at the wall, counting sheep.

One interesting tidbit gleaned from the depths of the 'net is that Wellbutrin (bupropion) potentially has some anti-inflammatory properties:
"A new chapter opens in anti-inflammatory treatments: the antidepressant bupropion lowers production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in mice."
Link


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## nodakmom

I've been on generic wellbutrin for about 2 years now. I have a history of depression all the way back to childhood, so I've come to accept it's something I need. Back in April I increased my dosage to 300mg as I knew I was going to have a stressful summer. I noticed the new dose was a different manufacturer. Over the summer I increasingly became more depressed to the point I questioned my sanity. My dr. suggested I wait it out another month once school began and I agreed, and I also had him renew my Rx except sent it to a different pharmacy. I recognized the pills were back to the same manufacturer that made the 150mg I was on. Within a week I was starting to feel better. I think those pills all summer were crap or placebo. So yes, generics are a crapshot, and learning from that experience I will ask for DAW for my Synthroid to make sure I know what I'm getting.


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## bigfoot

Thank you for the input! It's been about 3 1/2 weeks now on the Wellbutrin. I definitely notice that is has leveled things out somewhat. Unfortunately, I am still getting pretty anxious at times. But I also attribute that to briefly being hyper due to thyroid meds. I am now taking the Wellbutrin XL 150 (generic) in the morning when I get up, then Androgel an hour or two later, and finally Levoxyl 88 mcg at night around 10 p.m.

Downside is that each medication I am taking can be stimulating. (That is probably not the best approach for anxiety.) Waiting it out to see if, as the thyroid hormones fall within range and stabilize, I start to feel better. I believe I have noticed this somewhat already.

I posted this elsewhere, but I am going to re-post a link to this excellent article here in case someone is interested:

Anxiety and Endocrine Disease


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Wow, this stuff is potent. I think I got about 2-3 hours of sleep last night and the night before. Plenty of just laying there, staring at the wall, counting sheep.
> 
> One interesting tidbit gleaned from the depths of the 'net is that Wellbutrin (bupropion) potentially has some anti-inflammatory properties:
> "A new chapter opens in anti-inflammatory treatments: the antidepressant bupropion lowers production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in mice."
> Link


Is this an expected side-effect of the med? You cannot go very long w/ sleep deprivation. Goodness!

Worried here!


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## bigfoot

Thankfully the insomnia has cleared up! I think that's partly due to the lower dose of Levoxyl, too. I am, more or less, sleeping like a rock at night.


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## bigfoot

Curious if anyone's experience with Wellbutrin has been similar:

The last few days have been interesting. I have been taking my Wellbutrin XL in the mornings right when I get up, around 7 or 8 AM. It's been a little over a month now. Lately it seems as though I have been feeling downright awful about an hour after taking it. Dunno if there is a connection there. Still having persistent anxiety, but I chalk some of that up to being hyper due to med increases last month. Depression has faded somewhat, but it still creeps up.

The feeling is one of nausea (but no vomiting), brain fog/stupor, being tired, weak, wanting to sit or lie down, and just generally feeling sick. As the day goes on it wanes away.

So today I am doing a little experiment. Woke up, put on Androgel for low testosterone around 8 AM, had something to eat, and went out. Had some anxiety (but that could be stress, thyroid, or Androgel). Now I'm back, it's 10:30 PM, and I'm going to take the Wellbutrin and have a little more to eat. We'll see what develops in the next hour or two...


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Curious if anyone's experience with Wellbutrin has been similar:
> 
> The last few days have been interesting. I have been taking my Wellbutrin XL in the mornings right when I get up, around 7 or 8 AM. It's been a little over a month now. Lately it seems as though I have been feeling downright awful about an hour after taking it. Dunno if there is a connection there. Still having persistent anxiety, but I chalk some of that up to being hyper due to med increases last month. Depression has faded somewhat, but it still creeps up.
> 
> The feeling is one of nausea (but no vomiting), brain fog/stupor, being tired, weak, wanting to sit or lie down, and just generally feeling sick. As the day goes on it wanes away.
> 
> So today I am doing a little experiment. Woke up, put on Androgel for low testosterone around 8 AM, had something to eat, and went out. Had some anxiety (but that could be stress, thyroid, or Androgel). Now I'm back, it's 10:30 PM, and I'm going to take the Wellbutrin and have a little more to eat. We'll see what develops in the next hour or two...


Interesting experiment. I do hope you nailed it. If you have been using the Androgel and the Wellbutrin in the morning, there may possibly be an interaction.

Let us know what you come up with and how you feel!


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## bigfoot

Ok-dokey, it's been two hours now since taking the Wellbutrin with a big snack. Granted, I've been seated most of the time cruising the forums here and elsewhere, but no real sick feeling or nausea. My usual M.O. is taking the Wellbutrin first thing with a bit of water in the AM. Maybe it needs a little food to go with it?

Interesting point about the Androgel -- I wondered about that, too. Except yesterday I hadn't used it until well after I had taken the Wellbutrin and started feeling sick.

Only other thing I can think of is the men's natural multivitamin I am taking in the morning. There are a few supplements & extracts in there: Schizandra berry, Maca root, Chamomile, Grapeseed extract, Hawthorne berry, Elderberry extract, Eleuthero root, Astragalus root, Ginger extract, and Tumeric extract.

Perhaps I took the multivitamin too closely to the Wellbutrin (about an hour later) and they didn't play nice together? I have yet to take the multivitamin today, so I will with lunch and see what happens there.

What fun!


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Ok-dokey, it's been two hours now since taking the Wellbutrin with a big snack. Granted, I've been seated most of the time cruising the forums here and elsewhere, but no real sick feeling or nausea. My usual M.O. is taking the Wellbutrin first thing with a bit of water in the AM. Maybe it needs a little food to go with it?
> 
> Interesting point about the Androgel -- I wondered about that, too. Except yesterday I hadn't used it until well after I had taken the Wellbutrin and started feeling sick.
> 
> Only other thing I can think of is the men's natural multivitamin I am taking in the morning. There are a few supplements & extracts in there: Schizandra berry, Maca root, Chamomile, Grapeseed extract, Hawthorne berry, Elderberry extract, Eleuthero root, Astragalus root, Ginger extract, and Tumeric extract.
> 
> Perhaps I took the multivitamin too closely to the Wellbutrin (about an hour later) and they didn't play nice together? I have yet to take the multivitamin today, so I will with lunch and see what happens there.
> 
> What fun!


You "do" have to make sure everybody plays nice together; that is a given. LOL!! Too funny!


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## CDarlyn

Hi,
If one antidepressant doesn't work, you may need a combination or another, just don't give UP, find the right dose for YOU, if the doctor doesn't work with you, FIND a doctor who will. Real depression is Messed up Brain chemicals, not YOU so it needs meds, but not all people are the same so meds are not the same for everyone.. I am bipolar and know it has taken me years to find a doctor who will work with my meds to keep me stable, it was a pharmacist that had posted one time about medications and how not to give up about finding the right medication for you, for depression or bipolar, she was bipolar who gave me the strength to find the right doctor (I changed) and to push to get on the right combination, I have had more changes than I would like and just am now going through another, to help with pain management, and it is working... never thought a antidepressant could help with that too... live and learn. Hang in there and read about the drug online ask questions and ask about drug combinations and about older drugs, some of those work just as good as the new ones.
Take care and hang in there:hugs:


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## bigfoot

Thanks for the support and tips! You may be right, this might not be the drug for me. Totally agree on finding the right doc. Had a great one and then we moved, LOL. hugs3


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## Enigma

bigfoot said:


> Curious if anyone's experience with Wellbutrin has been similar:
> 
> The last few days have been interesting. I have been taking my Wellbutrin XL in the mornings right when I get up, around 7 or 8 AM. It's been a little over a month now. Lately it seems as though I have been feeling downright awful about an hour after taking it. Dunno if there is a connection there. Still having persistent anxiety, but I chalk some of that up to being hyper due to med increases last month. Depression has faded somewhat, but it still creeps up.
> 
> The feeling is one of nausea (but no vomiting), brain fog/stupor, being tired, weak, wanting to sit or lie down, and just generally feeling sick. As the day goes on it wanes away.
> 
> So today I am doing a little experiment. Woke up, put on Androgel for low testosterone around 8 AM, had something to eat, and went out. Had some anxiety (but that could be stress, thyroid, or Androgel). Now I'm back, it's 10:30 PM, and I'm going to take the Wellbutrin and have a little more to eat. We'll see what develops in the next hour or two...


Yes, similar, and it all went seriously down hill from there. This is how it started (and started losing my hair at the same time) and then emotionally screwed me up. I'd be careful if I were you. The first couple of weeks were good for me to ok, then the last two weeks were pure hell. I thought I'd stick it out cause I thought it was just me, but it wasn't. I had to go off of it then back to Effexor. Effexor never did anything to me like Wellbutrin did, nor did Lexapro or Celexa. Wellbutrin just emotionally tore me up. Of course, this was before my thyroid Dx, but so were the other anti-D's and I never had a reaction like Wellbutrin's. In fact, I think it pushed my thyroid/adrenal issues over the edge. I never really recovered fully from the Wellbutrin episode, and started seeing all the related issues become worse. I never had hair loss until I started Wellbutrin, for example, then it just wouldn't let up.

Just be careful. Don't push yourself if it doesn't seem to be working or if you are getting early warning signs. You don't want to keep taking it until it is too hard to stop or puts you in a horrible place, like me. Just listen to your body!! I can't emphasize that enough with this drug!!


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## nodakmom

Enigma said:


> Yes, similar, and it all went seriously down hill from there. This is how it started (and started losing my hair at the same time) and then emotionally screwed me up. I'd be careful if I were you. The first couple of weeks were good for me to ok, then the last two weeks were pure hell. I thought I'd stick it out cause I thought it was just me, but it wasn't. I had to go off of it then back to Effexor. Effexor never did anything to me like Wellbutrin did, nor did Lexapro or Celexa. Wellbutrin just emotionally tore me up. Of course, this was before my thyroid Dx, but so were the other anti-D's and I never had a reaction like Wellbutrin's. In fact, I think it pushed my thyroid/adrenal issues over the edge. I never really recovered fully from the Wellbutrin episode, and started seeing all the related issues become worse. I never had hair loss until I started Wellbutrin, for example, then it just wouldn't let up.
> 
> Just be careful. Don't push yourself if it doesn't seem to be working or if you are getting early warning signs. You don't want to keep taking it until it is too hard to stop or puts you in a horrible place, like me. Just listen to your body!! I can't emphasize that enough with this drug!!


Wellbutrin is a whole different class of drug than Effexor, Lexapro or Celexa. Actually it's in a class by itself. I was on Effexor for a couple years and it turned me into an absolute zombie. I was on Prozac too back in the 90s and that worked well for me. What works for one person obviously does not work everyone.


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## bigfoot

I debated calling the doctor last Friday and asking to switch to something else. My pulse was okay, but my internal feeling was one of awful anxiety and jitteriness -- almost like I drank a whole pot of coffee. Plenty of mood swings and jumpy, too. Instead I changed things up a bit for a couple of days and have tried taking the Wellbutrin at night with my Levoxyl, around 11pm. That has calmed the sick feelings and nausea somewhat, but the anxiety is still pretty strong. I have to say I've gotten pretty irritable, too.

I do have an appointment with my endo, and then my PCP this Wednesday. I have to say my endo, while he doesn't prescribe these sorts of drugs, warned me that Wellbutrin could be pretty stimulating. I am contemplating asking for something like Effexor XR, but will wait to see my latest labs this week and get his opinion. Seems like strong stuff, though. If my thyroid levels are still hyper from taking 88 MCG Levoxyl, I would hope that dropping down a notch would help. My big concern is the potential thyroid problem interaction they list with Effexor, along with often-cited horrible discontinuation problems down the road. Any other helpful advice on Effexor or other A/D's? Thanks in advance!

From what I've been able to gather...
Effexor: better for short-term use, fast acting (week or so), stronger, awful withdrawal effects.
Celexa: longer acting (couple weeks), fewer withdrawal effects, milder, possible weight gain.

All of this has me wondering if perhaps I should try taking Celexa/Citalopram again, but starting at a very low dose (say, 5 MG) for a while and going from there. What scares me was my brief weeklong bout with it that was awful, after having previously taken it for 2.5 years. But at that point nobody had discovered the Hashi's and adjusted my Levothyroxine dose. Also, I wonder if it's worth it to take Wellbutrin combined with something like Celexa?

Found a couple of interesting articles about med choices:
http://www.askdrjones.com/medication-best-meds/best-antidepressants/
http://www.cushings-help.com/articles/dori-psychiatric.htm


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## HeidiBR

What was the Wellbutrin prescribed for - depression or anxiety?

I took it to quit smoking and the first dosage of the 300 time release about sent me through the roof -like being on speed. If you are hyper, Wellbutrin would not be the drug of choice if it is speeding you up. I love feeling speeded up but the Wellbutrin was just too much.

My endo does not recommend any SSRIs (Prozac, etc) to be taken with thyroid meds, because he finds it more difficult to regulate the thyroid.


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## nodakmom

bigfoot said:


> I debated calling the doctor last Friday and asking to switch to something else. My pulse was okay, but my internal feeling was one of awful anxiety and jitteriness -- almost like I drank a whole pot of coffee. Plenty of mood swings and jumpy, too. Instead I changed things up a bit for a couple of days and have tried taking the Wellbutrin at night with my Levoxyl, around 11pm. That has calmed the sick feelings and nausea somewhat, but the anxiety is still pretty strong. I have to say I've gotten pretty irritable, too.
> 
> I do have an appointment with my endo, and then my PCP this Wednesday. I have to say my endo, while he doesn't prescribe these sorts of drugs, warned me that Wellbutrin could be pretty stimulating. I am contemplating asking for something like Effexor XR, but will wait to see my latest labs this week and get his opinion. Seems like strong stuff, though. If my thyroid levels are still hyper from taking 88 MCG Levoxyl, I would hope that dropping down a notch would help. My big concern is the potential thyroid problem interaction they list with Effexor, along with often-cited horrible discontinuation problems down the road. Any other helpful advice on Effexor or other A/D's? Thanks in advance!
> 
> From what I've been able to gather...
> Effexor: better for short-term use, fast acting (week or so), stronger, awful withdrawal effects.
> Celexa: longer acting (couple weeks), fewer withdrawal effects, milder, possible weight gain.
> 
> All of this has me wondering if perhaps I should try taking Celexa/Citalopram again, but starting at a very low dose (say, 5 MG) for a while and going from there. What scares me was my brief weeklong bout with it that was awful, after having previously taken it for 2.5 years. But at that point nobody had discovered the Hashi's and adjusted my Levothyroxine dose. Also, I wonder if it's worth it to take Wellbutrin combined with something like Celexa?
> 
> Found a couple of interesting articles about med choices:
> http://www.askdrjones.com/medication-best-meds/best-antidepressants/
> http://www.cushings-help.com/articles/dori-psychiatric.htm


The anxiety & jitteriness is most likely a side effect of the Wellbutrin. I take mine at bedtime, and as far as I've found there isn't a drug interaction problem with synthroid but the pharmacist told me not to take them together. So I have to figure out if I want to move my Wellbutrin to the a.m., or just set an early alarm to take my synthroid (I'll finally start it Friday).

As far as Effexor, been on that too. For me, it was awful. It turned me into a zombie to the point my husband almost left me. I gained 40 pounds on it. And yes, the withdrawl from it is completely nightmarish.

I sure hope you find some answer and relief. Hugs!!


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## Enigma

bigfoot said:


> Any other helpful advice on Effexor or other A/D's? Thanks in advance!
> 
> From what I've been able to gather...
> Effexor: better for short-term use, fast acting (week or so), stronger, awful withdrawal effects.
> Celexa: longer acting (couple weeks), fewer withdrawal effects, milder, possible weight gain.
> 
> All of this has me wondering if perhaps I should try taking Celexa/Citalopram again, but starting at a very low dose (say, 5 MG) for a while and going from there. What scares me was my brief weeklong bout with it that was awful, after having previously taken it for 2.5 years. But at that point nobody had discovered the Hashi's and adjusted my Levothyroxine dose. Also, I wonder if it's worth it to take Wellbutrin combined with something like Celexa?


I am half asleep now... but will write more later. I was on effexor for about 5 years and just got off of it this summer. Thyroid def. get worse in those 5 years, but effexor was not the cuase of it. I tried to get off of it twice (and on to wellbutrin) and it was h*ll. But being ON it was 100% better than wellbutrin. night and day. Lexapro didn't do much for me. My ADD meds have helped the most and I think were the real answer to the anxiety problems I was having.

have you thought of cymbalta? i've heard of good things, and it's similar to effexor, i think, but not as bad. or sertraline (zoloft)? heard ok things about that too.

what about rhodiola rosea? it's been helping me tons, especially since being off of effexor. check out the book "rhodiola revolution" on amazon.


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## bigfoot

Thanks again for all of the info! Well, saw the PCP yesterday. We're going to try 10mg of Celexa (citalopram) and I head back in after a week to make sure it's going okay. I'm willing to try it again, since it seemed to work well for me over a couple of years' time.

Honestly, the Wellbutrin does seem to be helping somewhat, especially with the depression. The anxiety has diminished slightly, as I started taking it at night with my Levoxyl. But now I see your post that taking the two together isn't recommended. Oops!

I will have to look into the Rhodiola rosea. Appreciate the heads up! I will ask the doc next week about this, too. Been doing the fish oil three times a day as well. Also, it turns out my Vitamin D level was low at 25 (32-100 range). Endo has me starting on 50,000 iu of prescription Vitamin D for twelve weeks, followed by 2,000 iu a day for maintenance. He said that might help my feeling of well-being.

Either way, I'll be avoiding that Effexor if I can help it. Sounds like nasty stuff!


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## katbid23

I tried taking Wellbutrin about 4 years ago (pre-thyroid problems) and it really messed me up. I became suicidal and couldn't figure out why until a close friend asked me if I had started any new medications. When I told her that I was taking Wellbutrin she told me to stop because that could be a side effect. So I quit taking it and felt better (at least not suicidal any more). It was an awefull feeling because I didn't have any reason to feel suicidal. But anyway I started Celexa after that and I have had great experience with it. I am curious to know that since I had my thyroid removed maybe I don't need to take the celexia any longer. I'm just afraid to stop because of the withdrawel would be awefull.


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## bigfoot

Yikes, that's not good about your experience with Wellbutrin! As far as stopping your use of Celexa, I'll leave that up to you and your doctor. Mine was comfortable with me stopping it, as it had been a temporary measure while I went through chemo. I tapered off it, switching from 20 mg down to 10 mg for a few months, at which point I stopped taking it. Withdrawal didn't seem too bad; in fact, I'd say starting the Celexa in the beginning was worse.


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## bigfoot

Oh man, stopped the Wellbutrin XL 150 a few days ago and started the Celexa at 5mg figuring I'd be okay on that and work my way up to the full 10mg. I have been a friggin' zombie, totally spaced out, joints ache, constipated, exhausted, no appetite, awful brain fog, no energy. (On the plus side, not much anxiety if you're wanting to crawl in bed and sleep all day!) LOL

Just called the PCP doc and left a message about going back on the Wellbutrin, at least for now. Perhaps I need something a little more tailored to anti-anxiety. Anyway, follow-up appointment this week with the PCP in a few days, too.

Okay, back to the couch! :tongue0013:


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## bigfoot

Switched back to Wellbutrin XL 150 and saw the PCP doc the other morning. It's now been a few days after stopping the Celexa and things feel better overall. My joints don't hurt as much, better appetite, more energy, less sick feeling, less brain fog, etc. Doc also prescribed Xanax 0.25mg as needed for anxiety. I've split that in half and taken it a couple of times. Seems to help somewhat, but not 100% sure. In the back of my mind I know it is my other issues (Hashi's, low testosterone, autoimmune hepatitis) affecting me, just hard to swallow your pride and be willing to try something to help from another angle.

I do notice the Wellbutrin can cause both insomnia as well as tiredness. When I would take it before bed some nights I would be zonked out, other nights wide awake after a few hours. Now that I've been taking it in the morning the last few days, it seems to be making me pretty drowsy and sleepy during the day.

The irony is that there was a "window" while adjusting my thyroid meds that darn near completely removed any anxiety, depression, moodiness, etc. I'm guessing that was my euthyroid state. It seems as though on 100mcg of Levoxyl I was over-medicated, and on 88mcg of Levoxyl I am under-medicated. (Too bad there's no in-between.) Regardless, my docs are hesitant to make any changes and want to leave things as-is for now. In some ways I agree -- it would be nice for things to stabilize a bit.


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## Andros

bigfoot said:


> Switched back to Wellbutrin XL 150 and saw the PCP doc the other morning. It's now been a few days after stopping the Celexa and things feel better overall. My joints don't hurt as much, better appetite, more energy, less sick feeling, less brain fog, etc. Doc also prescribed Xanax 0.25mg as needed for anxiety. I've split that in half and taken it a couple of times. Seems to help somewhat, but not 100% sure. In the back of my mind I know it is my other issues (Hashi's, low testosterone, autoimmune hepatitis) affecting me, just hard to swallow your pride and be willing to try something to help from another angle.
> 
> I do notice the Wellbutrin can cause both insomnia as well as tiredness. When I would take it before bed some nights I would be zonked out, other nights wide awake after a few hours. Now that I've been taking it in the morning the last few days, it seems to be making me pretty drowsy and sleepy during the day.
> 
> The irony is that there was a "window" while adjusting my thyroid meds that darn near completely removed any anxiety, depression, moodiness, etc. I'm guessing that was my euthyroid state. It seems as though on 100mcg of Levoxyl I was over-medicated, and on 88mcg of Levoxyl I am under-medicated. (Too bad there's no in-between.) Regardless, my docs are hesitant to make any changes and want to leave things as-is for now. In some ways I agree -- it would be nice for things to stabilize a bit.


Since T4 builds up in the system, you might want to ask your doc if you could take 1/2 of an 88 mcg. (44 mcg) once a week or even once every 2 weeks.

If your doctor concurs, I would suggest that you take the 44 mcg. later in the day if you usually take your normal dose in the morning. Just a "little" fine tuning.

Glad you are responding better to the Wellbutrin XL150. That is very good news.


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## bigfoot

Thanks Andros! Unfortunately, it seems as though my docs have had enough of the thyroid issue. My endo gave me a follow-up appointment for three months from now. (I do see my PCP sooner, although I imagine he'll be reluctant to consider changing anything.)

Honestly, I do think the Wellbutrin is helping my mood somewhat, but I think the bigger help was backing down from 100mcg to 88mcg, causing my TSH to retreat from 0.15 to 2.31, and my FT4 to reduce from 1.85 to 0.97.

I've found some additional postings from folks with things like Crohn's disease that take Wellbutrin to act as a cheap TNF-a inhibitor and anti-inflammatory, especially compared to the $6,000 drug cocktails usually prescribed. There are a few docs who are apparently aware of this use as well. No wonder my joints feel better! LOL


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## I DClaire

I've taken more antidepressants than I care to remember but your mention of aching joints reminded me of Cymbalta. Cymbalta is an antidepressant but is now being marketed as an arthritis drug. While it didn't do anything to help my depression-type symptoms, it was an incredible pain medication. A month or so after starting it I got to where I was having rather serious nightmares and had to give it up but I really hated to.


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## bigfoot

It really is amazing all the "off label" uses they find for various drugs!

On a somewhat related note, in case anyone else is reading this: Celexa (citalopram) is no longer being recommended at anything over 40mg / day. Apparently it can cause heart problems at higher dosages. WebMD Article


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## Enigma

Please keep us posted on how things are going....

... I think I'm going to "give in" and try Cymbalta... seemed to do better on Effexor than nothing, but don't want to take that awful stuff again. Hoping Cymbalta won't mess me up like Wellbutrin and Lexapro did.


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## bigfoot

Will do... I hope that trying the new medicine works out for you! So much of this stuff is hit-and-miss. At least they have an idea of how thyroid meds work, as compared to many of these other ones. I like when they have a phrase like "this drug acts on". Wow, science at its best! (Ok, sarcasm off, LOL)

hugs3


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## minli

Hopefully it will work for you, as we are all different, but it had no affect of me whatsoever.

Good luck!!


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