Switched From Pristiq To Wellbutrin Xl (Page 3) (Top voted first)

I'm adding a post to hopefully help someone as reading other people's posts has been very helpful/comforting to me! I have been on 50 mg of Pristiq for 5 years and I just made the transition to Wellbutrin xl at 300 mg. My doc switched me because my libido was becoming obsolete and wellbutrin is not supposed to adversely effect this. He had me start by overlapping the two meds for Week 1...Maintaining 50 mg of pristiq and adding Wellbutrin XL at 150 mg. I felt completely fine, didn't notice anything different. Week 2-I was to go up to 300 mg of Wellbutrin XL and completely stop taking the Pristiq. That didn't work. 1.5 days in I was dizzy, minor brain zap feeling (but not as intense as when i would miss a pristiq pill in the past) feeling super emotional (weepy) so much that I had to leave work so I didn't fall apart in front of everyone! I called the doc and he told me to take half a pristiq pill for the next few days. I did that and it really helped and got me thru. The only side effect was minor dizziness at times. So then after a few days, (which was this past Saturday) it was my first day to retry no pristiq and 300 mg Wellbutrin XL. I made a conscious decision that i would stay in saturday and see how it would effect me. I was dizzy, anxious/fidgety, I had muted brain zaps (again not as bad as simply missing a pristiq pill when that's all I was on) and again had crying spells that would come and go. The thing that got me thru was knowing "this will pass" and it's part of the process. I felt like my head was in the clouds Saturday and Sunday. My head also felt "full" almost like a drowning feeling in my head! Probably the worst part. I'm not sure if that was just my anxiety rearing up. I also woke up in pure sweat (yuck) which has alowly tapered off over the week. Day 3 with no pristiq (Monday)- I felt like my head was steady again! I felt super relieved. Part of it was the feeling that I made it thru the worst and I could do this. However, I have had intense anxiety all week, almost an exasperated feeling at all times. At night, I would feel my body was tired but my mind couldn't let me sleep. I think the elevates energy brought on anxiety and made my breathing labored. I would definitely recommend staying off caffeine at least in the beginning (you won't need it!!!). I looked up breathing exercises, which reminded me to EXHALE so I could get a good deep breath. Apparent when you're anxiety sometimes you forget to exhale. This past week has been manageable but tough with the restlessness, lack of sleep, anxiety. Luckily, it hasn't been to the point where anyone visibility noticed at work. If anything, I was working faster, more efficiently, being more direct (no snappy but direct--almost like that sensor that usually causes me to pause and examine what im going to say first was removed--that part has been nice. Like a remov of fear/social anxiety). It's Friday night now- day 7 complete with no pristiq and 300 mg Wellbutrin, and beginning last night, I FINALLY felt a sense of calm. That carried thru to today and I am so grateful. I will post any updates. If you're transitioning with your meds, I strongly recommend you tell loved ones bc it takes a major pressure off and you have a support team. I hope this helps!

REPLY

REPORT

I would really like to know what exactly can we as consumers do about being forced to take prescription drugs from India, and other countries when we have some of the best pharmaceutical companies in the world right here in America? Plus the fact, if I understand right, that these drugs have less percentage of the original drugs. I realize that these cost less and and therefore save us, the consumers, less to purchase them, but, to what end? I know I'm not the most educated person around, but, isn't there something we can do?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Due to weight gain and dwindle effect, my doctor switched my anti-depressant from Effexor XR. He told me to stop the Eff...

9 REPLIES

Hi - I am switching from Wellbutrin XL 300 mg/day (brand) to Contrave. I do not have the Rx yet but wanted to ask in adv...

3 REPLIES

I have been on pristique 50mg for 13 months now. The first 9 months I felt great but after that I feel that the pristiqu...

1 REPLY

I've been on Paxil 5mg tablet (I cut a 10mg tablet in half) for about 2 years. I recently had increased stress in my...

1 REPLY

was taking metoprolol er 25 mg for a year, asked the dr for something less expensive so she switched me to metoprolol ta...

1 REPLY

My mom was switched from Xarelto to Eliquis (2.5mg x 2 daily) 4 days ago. Since then, she has experienced itchy eyes, ru...

5 REPLIES

I have been on Adderall XR 20mg once a day and my dr wrote it for 10mg twice daily; yet the pharmacist filled regular ge...

4 REPLIES

i have suffered from panic attacks for about 4 years now. Dr gave me Ativan to take when I felt one coming on. Earlier t...

3 REPLIES

My Dr switched me from Norco 10/325 to 1/2 15 mg ir Morphine Sulfate... So basically 7.5. Am I going to go thru Norco wi...

1 REPLY

I am on my second week of viibryd after taking from 100 mg of zoloft for over two years. I decided to switch because of ...

1 REPLY