Wellbutrin and the Jitters
Question:
Have taken max. dosage of 450 to 500 mg daily of Welbutrin for more than 4 or 5 years. Cant remember exactly when I started. I am paranoid Schizophrenic doing well on Risperdal, and the Welbutrin for clinical depression. The depression now seems to be the harder to control. To the Welbutrin; it is rather mild mannered; little side affect for me. It dos not diminish Libido, but tends to enhance it. There is some rather mild tingling from time to time, but really rather nice. When standing leaning against counter, wall I will often get the sensation my feet are slipping from under me. At first I would grab for counter top, or brace my hands against wall, but as I found it was just the sensation and nothing to do with actually slipping, so it happens but don’t pay it much attention now. In my case I have found I had an allergic reaction to some of the more common, newer antidepressants, so could not take them. Welbutrin is one I can take and at max. dosage I get pretty good relief, not as good as I might wish for, but all considered It works for me. At high dosage one has to watch for indications of seizures, as it can trigger them in some people, so start slow and build up if needed. That is the way it has worked for me. HAd to slowly build up on Risperdal to as started out with it on a allergic reaction, but the good out weighed the side affect, now after a year I have very little side affect from it. medications seem to be a very personal experience. Good luck. T – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have started taking Wellbutrin SR and am getting the ‘jitters.’ Difficulty sleeping. Started taking it a week ago, side effects started only when I increased my dose two days ago. Some background first. I was on regular non-SR Wellbutrin a few years ago. Wish I could remember, think it was 300mg/day. When I upped my dose then I had one horrible night of jitters and insomnia. Foolishly I had had a lot of caffeine the previous day. I was terrified I was going to have a seizure or something, but I was OK. My doc said to keep taking it. I did and – wish I could remember more clearly – side effects went away entirely soon after. A week later the drug kicked in and worked marvelously for five months then stopped working, eventually I stopped taking it. A few months back I decided to go back on it. My doc recommended the newer Sustained Release (SR) – fewer side effects, need to take it only twice/day. Started with 150mg each morning for three days – basically no side effects. Fourth day took 150mg at night. Slept fine, but next day started getting the jitters in the morning. Also started getting ‘anxiety’ (difficult to describe). Heart felt like it was racing. After lunch – had a pop, forgot about the caffeine!! – it got even worse. Felt like a ‘bad trip’ or what I imagine that would be like. 
Took my two doses of 150mg that day, one morning, one evening. Did not sleep that night. Decided to stop next day. This time I got 100mg SR tablets and decided to go more slowly. Took leftover 150mg tabs for four days in mornings to start, then started taking 100mg in the evening, 100mg mornings so 200mg/day total – not very much for this drug. Night after I took first dual dose, I woke up 4am unable to sleep (but not jittery). Took my next 100mg in the morning, a little jittery and ‘twitchy’ but seemed to get better in a few hours. Took my evening dose, then got jittery again. Did not get to sleep until 4am this morning. Fortunately even with the jitters I do not seem at my current 200mg/day dose to have the ‘anxiety’ I had last time. I have read many past posts about Wellbutrin on this group with Dejanews. Seems the ‘jitters’ is a common side effect. Does it go away in a few days for most people? My doc seemed to think so, but I do not remember it being this bad a few years ago when I was on it. Could the SR I am taking now have something to do with that? Could my body chemistry have changed in the last few years and I can no longer handle it? Hoping I can stay on 200mg/day til I get over the ‘jitters’ then up the dose to 300mg/day, the recommended ‘therapeutic’ dose. Not sure I can put up with too many more jittery sleepless nights though. Tonight I will take my evening dose earlier, see if that will help. Can I take some sort of over-the-counter sedative with Wellbutrin? Tylenol? Nyquil? I am afraid to take the wrong thing due to the risk of seizures. Yes I can call my doc and ask but not til Mon, this being Sat. This is hardly an emergency. I welcome other experiences with these kinds of side effects with Wellbutrin. Did they go away for you in a few days? Post or email, but if email remember to wade through my spam filter, see below. Thanks. BBJ — To email me, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address above or email me at "bobbillyjoe" -at- "hotmail" -dot- "com"
Response:
BBJ, I have had similar, though not as prominent, side effects with Wellbutrin. I too was on the old Wellbutrin, went off for a year, and recently started back taking the SR at 300 mg per day. I take one 150 in a.m. and one at night. I must say that I don’t sleep as long, and tend to feel a bit tired, but I kind of wonder if it’s not because I do so much more during the day when I take it. ). Forgive me for saying so, but it’s just like doing cocaine for me (which many years ago I used to self-medicate). Only sustained. So yes, I’m kind of jittery, I have tons of energy and determination, and I have no appetite. I remembered from before that I had the sleep problem. Oddly enough, when I take it just before I go to sleep, this seems to work out better (guess I get a chance to get really into my sleep before it kicks in). Also have taken (while not on SR) Tylenol nighttime and that helped a bit every now and then. I do remember that the side effects calmed down, but it seems to me like it was quite a few weeks. I always check with my doc before I take anything though, even OTC, because you just never know. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to ride the wave. My basement’s the cleanest it’s been in years. ;D. Karin
Response:
I have started taking Wellbutrin SR and am getting the ‘jitters.’ Difficulty sleeping. Started taking it a week ago, side effects started only when I increased my dose two days ago. Some background first. I was on regular non-SR Wellbutrin a few years ago. Wish I could remember, think it was 300mg/day. When I upped my dose then I had one horrible night of jitters and insomnia. Foolishly I had had a lot of caffeine the previous day. I was terrified I was going to have a seizure or something, but I was OK. My doc said to keep taking it. I did and – wish I could remember more clearly – side effects went away entirely soon after. A week later the drug kicked in and worked marvelously for five months then stopped working, eventually I stopped taking it. A few months back I decided to go back on it. My doc recommended the newer Sustained Release (SR) – fewer side effects, need to take it only twice/day. Started with 150mg each morning for three days – basically no side effects. Fourth day took 150mg at night. Slept fine, but next day started getting the jitters in the morning. Also started getting ‘anxiety’ (difficult to describe). Heart felt like it was racing. After lunch – had a pop, forgot about the caffeine!! – it got even worse. Felt like a ‘bad trip’ or what I imagine that would be like. Took my two doses of 150mg that day, one morning, one evening. Did not sleep that night. Decided to stop next day. This time I got 100mg SR tablets and decided to go more slowly. Took leftover 150mg tabs for four days in mornings to start, then started taking 100mg in the evening, 100mg mornings so 200mg/day total – not very much for this drug. Night after I took first dual dose, I woke up 4am unable to sleep (but not jittery). Took my next 100mg in the morning, a little jittery and ‘twitchy’ but seemed to get better in a few hours. Took my evening dose, then got jittery again. Did not get to sleep until 4am this morning. Fortunately even with the jitters I do not seem at my current 200mg/day dose to have the ‘anxiety’ I had last time. I have read many past posts about Wellbutrin on this group with Dejanews. Seems the ‘jitters’ is a common side effect. Does it go away in a few days for most people? My doc seemed to think so, but I do not remember it being this bad a few years ago when I was on it. Could the SR I am taking now have something to do with that? Could my body chemistry have changed in the last few years and I can no longer handle it? Hoping I can stay on 200mg/day til I get over the ‘jitters’ then up the dose to 300mg/day, the recommended ‘therapeutic’ dose. Not sure I can put up with too many more jittery sleepless nights though. Tonight I will take my evening dose earlier, see if that will help. Can I take some sort of over-the-counter sedative with Wellbutrin? Tylenol? Nyquil? I am afraid to take the wrong thing due to the risk of seizures. Yes I can call my doc and ask but not til Mon, this being Sat. This is hardly an emergency. I welcome other experiences with these kinds of side effects with Wellbutrin. Did they go away for you in a few days? Post or email, but if email remember to wade through my spam filter, see below. Thanks. BBJ — To email me, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address above or email me at "bobbillyjoe" -at- "hotmail" -dot- "com"
