Wellbutrin Xl Dosage Increase (Page 2) (Top voted first)

I started taking 150 mg of Wellbutrin xl for anxiety. My first two days were tough with increased symptoms, which the pharmacist had already warned me of. The horrible side effects got less and less as the days progressed. By day 8 I was feeling great, anxiety was still lingering, not as bad. On day 13, I started the 300 mg, that was 7 days ago. I take it every morning at 8am. I am feeling good in the morning and every day around 1pm I start feeling horrible. Suddenly I am feeling drugged, dizzy, nauseous and disoriented. I continued to take it hoping these side effects would taper off like they did with the 150 mg, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I am still feeling as horrible now as I did when I first started the dosage increase. Do I just need to give it some more time? Any advice would be appreciated.

REPLY

REPORT

I was on Buproprion 150 xl for years and doing fine. A few weeks ago the panic and anxiety got bad. My doctor increased my dosage to 300 mg. In a few days I was having terrible anxiety, even went to the er, couldn't breathe, nausea, dizziness, and sweating. All tests they did showed nothing wrong. Called my doctor and she prescribed Klonopin 0.5 mg. It helped me tremendously and I feel great. I am taking 2 150 mg.now until I finish those pills and will start the 300 mg pill. I shouldn't have any issues with that should I.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have been feeling really good lately. My body has adjusted to the increase of Buproprion. Klonopin helped me to get through the bad days. I rarely, if ever need the Klonopin now. I can't say that I never have any anxiety, but by far, it is very much improved. Is therapy recommended? Don't know what kind of therapist I would see. Anyone have an opinion on therapy? Yes or no?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am going through the Exact same thing- dr says it's not working with the increased dose and I should go back down to 150mh

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am on 150 generic buproon hcl. I been on this dosage for a few years and I have anxiety the first thing in the morning. I am wondering if I need to increase my dosage.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Did you go directly from taking Pristiq to taking Wellbutrin? It could be that your side effects were more from coming off the Pristiq rather than the Wellbutrin. I took Pristiq for several years and had to wean myself off of it to quit and the withdrawals were terrible.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

The posts I am reading have old dates so my post will probably just drift in cyber space, but I have never had such a hard time trying to figure out my meds. I have been on wellbutrin 300 for a long time along with celexa. I have felt I needed a change. I heard of Buspar and wanted to try it so that is where I am now. I immediately lost weight once I got off Celexa. I was trying to reduce my wellbutrin from 300 to 150, then came the big problem; in trying to adjust my wellbutrin I accidentally totally went off it after taking the 150 for just one week. I have never had so many problems... very, very dark thoughts. extreme anger. nausea, sweats, dizziness and terrible feelings that life was no good at all. I got back on the 150 wellbutrin and am taking 10mg of burpar in the AM and 10mg at night. I am better so I'm totally afraid to try and adjust any of the meds now. I don't know which was making me so bad and don't know what to increase or stay the same on. Which direction?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am doing well with the increase in dosage. Sine I last posted, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Had a mastectomy end of April, I got through it all but did have some not so good days. Clonazepam really helped. So far, I am feeling pretty good, with only minor anxiety.
Hope everyone is doing well. It all does get better.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Lisa I take Wellbutrion 150mg and I have water weight gain and I have high blood pressure and heart trouble when my feetlegs,hands and face swell up from water weight my chest hurts so bad I have to take a xanaxx or use my nitro spray to get rid of chest pain then lay down and put my feet above my heart and that takes days I feel so bad when all the water weight comes and it is because of wellbutrion I really do not think that the drs know the side affects that.I hope you feel betterIhave stopped them on my own and had no bad side affects and since I have ttken them so long seems like they don't wrk as well as before.But ask your dr befate you quit.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

I've been taking this for several years on various doses and very interested in each of your entries about the side effects. I used to take a 100 or 150mg around noon or 1:00 and finally found out this is also something that kept me awake. I did experience a fog when I was driving into work and sometimes my concentration wasn't as good at work, as well as I really didn't care about things as I usually did. My empathy decreased so much that I felt I was hard and cold. This of course caused my depression to worsen. I've also experienced the anger and the irritability, my patience lessens with family and pets. I'm actually having a hard time convincing myself to go back to that afternoon dose. Can anyone relate? I am 50 years old and going through menopause as well which I'm sure doesn't help.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

It took about 3 or so weeks after the increase to 300XL but I stuck with it and those horrible afternoon crashes subsided. Once the Dizziness, nausea and disoriented feeling started going away, in came exhaustion in the afternoon. I was told this drug is a stimulant and i am ready for a 2 hour nap at exactly 2pm every day, but I didn't give in, I kept busy and guess what? That too went away.

This is the first time I have taken anything for my anxiety issues. If I have learned anything at all about this drug it is that you have to be patient and persistent. Of course everyone is different but after the horrible side effects starting the drug @150 Xl and the even worse side effects with the dosage increase to 300 there was no way after 5 and a half weeks of suffering, so to speak, that I was giving up before the suggested 8 week break in period and I'm really happy I stuck with it. Through all the side effects, I could feel what the drug was supposed to potentially be doing for me and just hoped it would do what I thought it would.

One of my original symptoms before I started taking Wellbutrine was dizziness, a sinking feeling in the floor, nausea and trouble breathing, very aware of every breath I took. I am now in my approx 12th week and I just noticed that the only original symptom I still have, is that sometimes, not all the time like it was, I become aware of my breathing and get a little anxious. I am guessing this tiny bit will maybe go away after being on the drug a little longer. Maybe I need a slight dosage increase to get rid of it, I don't know, will figure that out later. Not worried about it right now as I feel good enough.

Like I said, I don't have any experience with these types of drugs except for Wellbutrine and it has only been 12 weeks. I didn't realize that two 150XL is not really equivalent to one 300XL in terms of time release, if I read what Kristen said correctly.

I guess there's no guarantee Kristen as to whether or not these side effects will go away like they did for me. If the two 150XL is more expensive that the 300XL (another way the two are not equivalent that I wouldn't have though) and it's going to be tough, I would try the 300 just a little longer to see if the side effects at least start going away even a little, then maybe there's hope for the 300. On the other hand, if the side effects are too unbearable, I would just pay the extra cash for the two 150's.

David, I appreciate your response. I found out what a half life is but the way I read it, it suggested that the Wellbutrine would be at its strongest at that time, especially by the 2nd or 3rd day, which is when my problems started with the 300XL. You're probably right though about it being the weakest part of the day, I was never much of a mathematician.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only person who has experienced anger and irrability with family and pets. I started taking wellbutrin sr 100mg/a day a couple months ago and recently increased my dose to 200mg/a day each morning. I was actually Debating splitting my dose to one in the am and one in the early afternoon. Has anybody else been weary about taking a dose in the afternoon?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Seeing as these side effects are not subsiding, I guess the 350 mg is too big of a jump.
I didn't quite understand what what you were saying though, at 1pm would the drug be at it's weakest or strongest point?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I started Wellbutrin 150xl about 23 days ago to accompany my Lexapro for depression. I've had racing thoughts and ov...

2 REPLIES

I have a few questions regarding a medication I recently started. I was prescribed Wellbutrin, and the medication I rece...

2 REPLIES

HI MY DOCTOR INCREASED ME FORM 50MG IN MORNING TO 50MG IN MORNING AND AN ADDITIONAL 25MG AT NIGHT FOR 2 WEEKS AND THEN U...

2 REPLIES

I've been taking 50mg for 4 days now with little improvement for a kidney infection. I intend upping my dosage to 10...

2 REPLIES

I have been taking Lexapro for a month now and while my anxiety is less (but not totally gone ) I am suffering side effe...

2 REPLIES

Is it possible 4 patient who's has been taking 60mg (every morning) of Buspirone regularly for 6+months then, after ...

2 REPLIES

Father's dosage was increased by doctor. I suspect that the nursing home may just want to keep Dad in his wheelchair...

3 REPLIES

I have been on topamax for almost 3 years to prevent migraine. I am in my 50's, and on other medications, including ...

1 REPLY

I've been on 20 mg for about 2 months now and was doing somewhat okay, but now have a lot of stress at work and i fe...

1 REPLY

Hi, is it safe to go from 50 to 100 mg of Metoprolol? ## Yes, such an increase is commonly done, when a patient hasn'...

1 REPLY