Thinking of starting Wellbutrin to help with depression

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I quit c/t xanax 2 months ago and one of the biggest problems I am having is the depression.  Has anybody used Wellbutrin before and what is your opinion on it?  The depression is really starting to hit me pretty hard and I don't know how to get out of it.  I really need to be in a decent frame of mind because I am starting a new job and going back to school in August.  Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

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Hi Andy,

Yes, I was on the welbutrin for the awful benzo depression that started during my taper and post taper.  It definately did work for me and most antidepressants did not.  It did revv up the anxiety symptoms at first and did not really start to work until about 6 weeks which is typical for it.  If you do decide to go on welbutrin please do not get the welbutrin xl. (extended release ) tablets as they cannot be cut.  This is important for when you decide to get off of the welbutrin because as with many of these drugs they can cause withdrawl symptoms very much like benzo withdrawl.  I decided to get off the welbutrin 6 mos post taper and basically had to CT off the welbutrin which left me going thru some more withdrawl symptoms.  Hoping you feel better soon    Ginia

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Hi Ginia,

 

I met with my Dr. and he recommended Prozac to help with the depression & anxiety.  I guess I am going to give it a try because the depression is really knocking me down.  I feel like I am fighting it for the majority of the day for the last two months. 

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I hope your feeling better soon.    Ginia

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keep us updated on how its going 

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Hi Andy,

When I first got off, it felt like my brain just sort of lost it's foothold and fell apart, and I could start crying for no reason with depression.  What really helped me was to take tyrosine (an amino acid) 500 mg caps with Vitamin B6 (25 mg) on an empty stomach.  Three times a day.  It energizes the brain a bit and fixed my depression right up.

adelia

 

I quit c/t xanax 2 months ago and one of the biggest problems I am having is the depression.  Has anybody used Wellbutrin before and what is your opinion on it?  The depression is really starting to hit me pretty hard and I don't know how to get out of it.  I really need to be in a decent frame of mind because I am starting a new job and going back to school in August.  Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

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Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

I was a little bit hesitant to introduce Prozac but I can't seem to get out of this depression of almost 2 months.  I have to be able to function fairly well because I am going back to school in August.  Has anybody used prozac to help with w/d & depression and then slowly tapered off them a year or two out?

 

Thanks,

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Hi Andy,

When I first got off, it felt like my brain just sort of lost it's foothold and fell apart, and I could start crying for no reason with depression.  What really helped me was to take tyrosine (an amino acid) 500 mg caps with Vitamin B6 (25 mg) on an empty stomach.  Three times a day.  It energizes the brain a bit and fixed my depression right up.

adelia

 

I quit c/t xanax 2 months ago and one of the biggest problems I am having is the depression.  Has anybody used Wellbutrin before and what is your opinion on it?  The depression is really starting to hit me pretty hard and I don't know how to get out of it.  I really need to be in a decent frame of mind because I am starting a new job and going back to school in August.  Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Hi Adelia.  I noticed you say you took Tyrosine. Is that L-tyrosine?  I think its listed on Daniel Amen's website for a particular type of ADHD, the herbal alternative to Effexor is St John's Wort with L Tyrosine if I'm not mistaken. Have you ever had any concentration issues?  cog fog?  Did the tyrosine help with that too or just to level out depression?  Do you still take tyrosine?

 

Hey Andy. Are you still taking 40mg prozac?

 

Thanks,

 

V

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yeah still taking 40mg prozac and it has been a great thing for me:)

 

It has already started to take away the depression after just 1 1/2 weeks.  It should get much better once I reach the 4-6wk mark.  It has been a blessing for me because I was really struggling after c/t xanax 2-4mg for 6 yrs.

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Hi Vertigo,

 

I sure do still take tyrosine (L-tyrosine).  More and more I forget to take it, and that's a good sign.  But I always keep a bottle of that and B6 around, so I always have it to fall back on. 

 

Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine, so it's also very useful in opioid issues (or lack of) and i've had to go on and off opioids for nerve pain (currently off), and it really helps stabilize all that. 

 

Tyrosine also helps make thyroid hormones (thyroxin) which is where the energizing effect comes from. Thyroid hormones are pretty important in the brain/mood dept.  I see it more and more in all kinds of "energy" supplements and even energy drinks.  I'm very careful about taking things to see if they work or not, and I can say unequivocally -- tyrosine really works!!!  In less than an hour. Don't know where I'd be without out it.  I take it up to three times a day on am empty stomach, not after 3 pm -- before breakfast, before lunch and at 3 pm. 

 

If I had ongoing ADHD, depression, anxiety, or any of that -- I'd be all over amino acids!  Why not use a naturally powerful solution? Herbs are nice too, but amino acids are what our bodies already use to function, so just taking more of that really appeals to m logical side! 

 

I think amino acids are the wave of the future (that will hopefully be here soon) in treating just about everything -- simply because they have a hand in just about everything in our bodies -- from muscle strenth/contraction, to gut function, to mood.  Beautiful, isn't it?

 

Have you ever tried tyrosine?

adelia

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I forgot to say, Vertigo -- that tyrosine does help with cog fog and lack of concentration.  To me, those are both low thyroid (hormone) issues that clear up immediately with enough help in the thyroid dept.  But if thyroid hormones really are low, even just functionally where it doesn't necessarily show up on lab tests, then tyrosine will definitely help -- but it won't be able to override the lack of hormones that are crucial for overall metabolism of body and brain.  I've had cog fog and brain cotton go away immediately within an hour when I took a bit more thyroid hormones.  But let's see, how does this apply to someone who doesn't take them?  Hmmmm, well, the thyroid can really get stressed in stressful situations (like w/d's), so those things could clear up over time as the thyroid recovers, but if they don't, then....

Personally, I get tired of waiting long enough for "over time" to go by, know what I mean? 

 

What's fascinating to me through this whole process of w/d's and the vast array of s/x -- is that every s/x, or group of s/x, can be related back to stress being put on whatever system or glands are responsible for that function (the healthy function being the opposite of the s/x).  The amount I've learned this way about how the body functions is more than amazing! And it's how I've gone through systematically and helped myself recover. 

 

adelia

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Thanks for the info Adelia.  I'll look into it.  Do you take anything besides Tyrosine and B vitamin?  Anything else?  Do you have low Thyroid?  So the Tyrosine wakes you up a bit?  You mentioned not after 3PM?

 

Glad to hear Andy that your depression is lifting .

 

Vertigo

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Hi Vertigo, yeah I take a ton of supplements.  I'll see what I can remember off the top of my head.  But first, tyrosine doesn't "wake up" as much as it kind of energizes my brain.  To me, it feels like my brain cells start holding hands and staying together -- hahaha.  Yes, I have low thyroid -- lower now from w/d's, they really gave my thyroid a good whack.  Also my immune system (I got shingles too! I heard you did.)

 

I take somewhat therapeutic doses of all the basic nutrients, like the anti-oxidant Vitamins A, C, E; turmeric, rosemary, liquid fish oil, plus D, a multi-vitamin/mineral plus extra minerals, plus extra magnesium and zinc, extra B-50's, sunflower lecithin, B12, B6, niacinamide at night, candida supps (anti-fungal), aloe vera, probiotic, glutamine, immunoglobulins, thyroid glandulars, adrenal glandulars, DGL (licorice), 7-keto (DHEA), progesterone, for amino acids -- taurine, theanine, GABA sometimes, whey protein, for liver -- milk thistle and NAC; plus high protein diet, focus on foods like spinach, sulphury foods like beans and cruciferous vegs, cilantro, fresh veg/carrot juice for enzymes, plus digestive enzymes.  Well that's mostly it..  Enough, do ya think?  Well, since I studied nutrition science in college, I had the opportunity to come back full circle (thanks w/d's), do lots of research and help myself.  And I'm glad I did!  I waited a good year to launch into liver detox but had to start the candida stuff just a few months out because my benzo belly was so bad.  In summary -- I'm not entirely the "cautious" sort, but I do add things in one at a time to see if they work or not.  I like to feel like I have options for helping myself, and so I do (help myself).

 

What do you take? 

adelia

 

Thanks for the info Adelia.  I'll look into it.  Do you take anything besides Tyrosine and B vitamin?  Anything else?  Do you have low Thyroid?   So the Tyrosine wakes you up a bit?  You mentioned not after 3PM?

 

Glad to hear Andy that your depression is lifting .

 

Vertigo

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Thanks Adelia.  It sounds like your background has helped you with your personal recovery and thyroid issues.  I don't take quite as many supplements as you mentioned but I do take the following:

 

Multivitamin

vitamin C

magnesium with calcium and D (combo)

coQ10

Chromium

probiotic

Probably a lot of stuff in the green smoothies

May try L-tyrosine and possibly other amino acids

 

Thata about it. Thanks again for responding to my query and for the PM which I will try to answer by the weekend.

 

Best,

 

V

 

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Hey V,

 

Was reading this and noticed you take a multi and chromium. I was doing this as well but my doctor told me to be careful because its like iron, If you take slightly too much it can be bad. multivitamins usually have hundred percent RDA already. It actually was causing me to feel weird slightly when taking both, so after hearing this from my doc, I quit the chronium supp and actually had some anxiety lessen and felt bit better. Just letting you know to be careful

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Thanks Adelia.  It sounds like your background has helped you with your personal recovery and thyroid issues.  I don't take quite as many supplements as you mentioned but I do take the following:

 

Multivitamin

vitamin C

magnesium with calcium and D (combo)

coQ10

Chromium

probiotic

Probably a lot of stuff in the green smoothies

May try L-tyrosine and possibly other amino acids

 

Thata about it. Thanks again for responding to my query and for the PM which I will try to answer by the weekend.

 

Best,

 

V

 

 

Good to know V, looks good to me.  I really should be taking COQ10, but with everything else I take, it's a bit pricey.  So I just eat fresh spinach everyday, put it in smoothies, make pesto, whatever.  It's the highest source of it -- think POPEYE, yeahoo! 

 

Just curious, why do you take chromium -- for blood sugar/appetite issues? 

 

BFN,

adelia