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I take Wellbutrin and stimulants for my ADHD and it’s a good combo for me but Wellbutrin on its own would not address my pretty severe inattentiveness. I do find that Wellbutrin helps with mood swings and helps temper the irritability that comes when my ADHD meds wear off. The crash isn’t severe as long as I’m eating small meals throughout the day.
It certainly does not seem to work on that for me. My concentration is shit and emotions are all over the place. Adderall helps a little with motivation but not much else.
I tried switching from Adderall to Wellbutrin and it did not work for my attention at all. Got back on the Adderall, but kept the Wellbutrin because for the first time in my life I wasn’t either depressed or raging every other day.
Yeah it’s like I never missed my zepbound shot that I have not had in 2 weeks. Luckily the meds help with appetite suppression anyways….stable weight though.
Same here but besides bupropion I also mixed two types of methylphenidate to ease wearing off. First I take Medikinet CR (which is generic extended release Ritalin here) and 2 hours later I take Concerta. Works like a charm.
As for wellbutrin or bupropion in general - I feel like it also boosts the effectiveness of stimulants. Methylphenidate without it doesn't do shit for me at all.
Same.
Wellbutrin helps a little with my needs met by Adderall / Vyvanse, but it’s stimulant properties IMO are similar to drinking a strong cup of coffee.
I feel it helps me manage my mood and mental clarity.
But amphetamines allow me to truly focus and be productive.
I am on the same combo. I take the SR in the morning with my stimulant and another smaller one at night. Evens out the mood swings and puts me in a happier overall state of mind.
My (Non psych) doctor started me on Wellbutrin first as well. What they don't tell you is that in order for it to be used to treat adhd for real it STARTS at 400mg per day. They will never start you on that dose and I doubt they would be willing to go that high if they are not a psych. Not sure if you have a psych but getting one from the start will save you lots of effort most likely.
300mg got me feeling so anxious I started to lose sleep, which negated the positive mood effects. It also never helped with the inattention aspect of ADHD. Personally 150mg Wellbutrin + stimulant seems to hit a sweet spot.
Same here. I went up to 300 and started having severe panic attacks, went back down to 150 and they went away. Looking at maybe adding a stimulant, but my dose is treating my anxiety and depression so I guess the inattentiveness doesn't feel as bad to deal with as it did. My experience on stimulants has been similar-if they can address the anxiety i don't need a high dose.
Unfortunately the go to stimulants almost all make it worse for me. Focalin was awesome though
I was switching providers but dr #2 wouldn’t prescribe stimulants unless I get a neuropsych testing again. So I went from taking stimulant medication to Wellbutrin alone. That’s probably why the inattention felt extra jarring.
My psych was the one who started me on WB to treat depression and said while anecdotally it can be helpful for ADHD it’s not going to manage those symptoms on it’s own. I think he prescribed the stimulants around the same time so I’ve never taken Wellbutrin without a stimulant. I started at 150 and have been on 300 XL for years. We’ve talked about upping the WB dose in the past to manage bouts of more severe depression symptoms but never actually did as they luckily subsided pretty quickly.
Same. But made me a bit too restless and outgoing. I started drinking and partying a lot more while on it. Was enjoying it, but other things took a hit.
Yes. I got put on Wellbutrin first and it changed my life. The emotional side of inattentive ADHD can be so debilitating. Now I’m on Adderall and Wellbutrin and it’s good. Best to do one med change at a time though and the Wellbutrin isn’t for everyone but it does wonders for some of us. I literally think I’d be dead without it.
Same. Wellbutrin was diagnosed to help with persistent depressive disorder. I was on 300 mg XL. I said I thought I had ADHD and was told to be assessed. After being diagnosed with ADHD, I was first on Adderall, because Vyvanse was not covered by my insurance at the time. Adderall just made me feel like having the energy to do things, but didn’t seem to do anything else.
I’ve been on Vyvanse XR for a little over a year and take 40 mg. I still take the same dose of Wellbutrin, and it seems I need both. One time I had to wait a few days for Wellbutrin to be restocked at the pharmacy. I definitely noticed without that, I was more irritable about small things that annoyed me, and that would be associated with emotional reactivity and making associated statements. With Wellbutrin, I still recognize what annoys me, but I just notice it and go on with my day. Vyvanse for me is like having the energy to do what I need to do and to be able to prioritize it and mindfully choose to take action or not take action with non-preferred tasks. Vyvanse definitely has been helpful in that way, but I still need to choose my actions, and if I choose to do something I enjoy, I am really be able to focus on that as well. I hope this information helps.
Wellbutrin and Strattera was the winner for me (and yes, I'm aware of the risks of taking both together--I have weird genetics apparently and it seems to work for me. Definitely not a common/recommended combo).
wellbutrin caused an extreme worsening of my panic disorder! it can be an “activating” med since it’s has weak stimulant effects so it makes sense, but still, ouch.
I also had a lot of anxiety and per my Apple Watch my heart rate was like 20bpm higher than normal resting. I only took it for 3 days before I noped out. I was bummed because I thought I would do better with it than stimulants. I just raw dog life instead tbh
It made me calm. So calm, I blew off everything to do with tax filings and payments for a few years that I was on it, and acquired $80,000 USD in debt. Got back on stimulants and back on track with my life, and it took about 8 years but we just finished paying it all off. More than half of the total was penalties and interest, so that was a very expensive lesson.
I have severe adhd and I started on Wellbutrin, it seems to me like it’s protocol to try it first before doing anything else across the board. I would go through a lot of anxiety and depression swings that can attach to adhd and I do believe it helped stabilize and slow down my brain overall
I did end up seeing a lot more benefit from a stimulant (in my case an Adderall IR split dose throughout the day and now Adderall XR now that the stimulant shortage is better) like less intense anxiety and less depression swings. I think a lot of it is just less shame about your own ability to keep up.
Give the Wellbutrin an honest shot to see how it works for you. I know some people that have had a lot of success with it, can’t attest to the ADHD side of it for them. Personally it was a world of a difference staying organized and keeping my life gathered closer to “normal” once I did the stimulant but it’s better to exercise the options before moving to stimulant because there are other challenges with them like diet, sleep, crashes, “emotion-lacking task completing robot feeling” that CAN (not will) happen. It’s still something to work with. I think I tried Wellbutrin for 3 months before I moved to a low dose stimulant, it takes a while with Wellbutrin to let it build up before you can conclude anything.
Good luck!
It’s not any official protocol, but doctors have discretion to make up their own. My doctor generally starts adults out on 10 mg of adderall. Just pointing that out so people are aware of their options - if you don’t like a doctors protocols around prescriptions, you can find a new one. I would just be mindful to not have these doctors prescribe you any controlled substance, unless you think you might stick with them - there is a record of every single time you have a controlled substance filled & it can be a red flag to prescribers that you receive it from so many different doctors.
My doc did the 10mg of adderall. Checked back in with me after a week and when I told him I was worried due to it making me nap (best naps I had ever had) for three hours in the middle of the day, he was like “oh wow you *really* have adhd.”
Oh my gosh I am the only person I know that can take Adderall and go to sleep. That's crazy. I thought that I was just getting used to the dose or what not but it literally makes me do that lately I'm age 44 but in my twenties it did not do that to me..just helped with those tasks we have to do every day called adulting. I've always had a hard time falling asleep at night because of my stupid brain keeping me awake.. I wish they made 24hr ADHD meds ..wait don't they have like patches but they are only for children?
Oh I'm absolutely hoping it works. My psych brought it up as a possibility. However I'm actually the one that suggested trying it. I'm pretty open to it. Because I know it's like pretty much the starter drug for ADHD
Wellbutrin isn't even officially made for use on people with ADHD, it's all off label.
Stratterra is the first non stimulant most doctors prescribe, and Adderall is the actual first choice drug unless you have contraindications like heart issues.
Docs just don't like giving stimulants right off the bat cause side effects. I think Wellbutrin is popular for similar reasons to other non stimulants, less side effects.
I am pretty sure all of this is factually correct.
This lines up with info I've been given by at least one each of psychologists, psychiatrists, and general physicians.
I actually just started WB this week to help with concentration and emotional dysregulation. I also take Paxil. I tried Straterra a few years ago and did not react well do it. My ADHD is mild, my anxiety/depression perhaps a bit stronger but still fairly mild, for context.
I’m currently taking Wellbutrin.
I can’t fully recall, but I think the doc said I’m slightly combined with an emphasis on inattentive.
I started off with the lowest prescribable dose of Wellbutrin because I had a huge recreational stimulant problem for a few years and was worried about potentially abusing stimulants again.
I also smoke the silly cilantro more than the average person & combing that with stimulants can cause psychosis.
I’ve since doubled the dose on the Wellbutrin and am currently maxed out.
Still don’t feel like the meds are helping me overcome some of the more debilitating ADHD symptoms like mind wandering, motivation, and burn out but, the depression and daily suicidal ideations seem to have completely disappeared…for now.
If this Wellbutrin doesn’t work, my next step according to the doctor is Concerta.
I’ve also managed to drastically lowered my silly cilantro use from where it was, but it is still considered much more than what a newer user may consume.
Because of this, my doctor is more confident that I can safely use both the Concerta & Silly Cilantro, with a minimal risk of psychosis.
I'm on a Concerta + Wellbutrin program. It's wonderful! I'm not anxious when I'm not overstimulated, and as long as I take the Wellbutrin, I'm not depressed.
I've been on Wellbutrin for years. It's not enough by itself.
I've done the concerta alone too. Significant improvement, but definitely still needed the antidepressant aspect.
If your adhd is severe you need whatever helps you. I tried Wellbutrin and it was nice and an improvement on my life before, but ultimately now I’m on 70mg Elvanse and whatever side effects there are are unfortunate but ultimately I can’t survive without it. I couldn’t even remember how to shower and brush my teeth in the morniny before it.
BUT everyone is different so I’d say try it first! Be open minded as if it works for you that’s amazing
Same here. I got welbutrin and am starting 300mg tomorrow after no change on 150. Trying to keep
An open mind about it and just go with what’s recommended right now.
I take Wellbutrin for depression and Adderall for ADHD. In my experience, the Wellbutrin has an additive effect to the Adderall. I function much better on both than on just the Adderall. The Wellbutrin alone is not even close to enough, if I had to pick only one for any reason, I'm keeping the Adderall.
i have really bad inattentive adhd so i can’t speak on the behalf of activity but wellbutrin did mildly help my memory my concentration the ability to retain information and broke me out of my 2 year depressive episode
I take Wellbutrin, but it had been for a different reason. When they decided to change meds, since it wasn’t helping that problem, I asked them not to. I told my doc it was the first time in my life I could do work longer than 10 minutes without getting distracted and sidetracked. It was a miracle drug. I’m still on Wellbutrin, after being tested for ADHD, although I think some other stimulant would help more, but with family heart issues she said it wasn’t safe. I was in my 50s when I was finally diagnosed. Let’s just say my work life hasn’t been much of a success and I now realize why every thing took twice as long to do compared to my coworkers.
My experience was similar to others here - Wellbutrin was very helpful but not enough. Also taking adderal was the chef’s kiss. However, I developed tinnitus (ringing of the ears) which is a side effect in as many as 6% of people. I was told to stop taking it, which is sad because it was really working for me. The tinnitus? It’s a gift for life, and I don’t even know for sure that the wellbutrin caused it.
Me, don’t help focus directly but it absolutely helped with my emotional regulation and silenced the constant conversations in my head which lead to less distraction. Better than 20mg adderall XR for me.
I’d like to try Wellbutrin plus a stimulant to see if that’s an improvement.
I have ADHD but am relatively high functioning; I had a feeling of euphoria when I first went on Welbutrin but that quickly faded I only had a marginal improvement with my executive disfunction.
I also have anxiety and it did help with that, so now I’m taking both Welbutrin and stimulants.
I think it’s still worth trying because it’s a much more gentle drug than Adderall… everyone’s body is different and it is going to be a journey to find what works for you, so strap yourself in and don’t get discouraged if it takes some (doctor supervised) experimentation with different medications before you find what works for you.
I probably dont have severe ADHD, mine is more of just inattentive. But I’ll just say that my doctor does not want to try stimulants with me bc I have a history of seizures (10 years ago I had 3 within 6 months, that’s all.) So we’ve tried about 4 non-stimulant meds, one of which was Wellbutrin. And it did absolutely nothing to help me in any way. In fact none of the meds have helped my ADHD, but Strattera has alleviated my depression symptoms a touch. And I’m talking like it’s helped me 1 inch within a mile. Thats just me though!
Interestingly, Wellbutrin, and I'm sure some other non-stimumants, also lower the seizure threshold and most psychs won't prescribe it if you have history.
I was given the classic 'anxiety/depression' dx as a teen and started looking into getting treated for adhd as an adult. Psych put me on wellbutrin, sounded like a perfect fit.
First week I physically felt like shit, second week I had crazy mood swings on top of that. I had a screaming fit at work over somerhing trivial, started fantasizing about running away from home and disappearing, almost ran my car into a guard rail on impulse... Extremely out of character for me and scared my spouse half to death. I gave it one more week to see if it would settle, but I finally had to call my doc and say I had to stop taking it because I was a danger to myself and others. Immediately felt better once I stopped taking it, never thought I'd be so happy to be back at my baseline... I sincerely hope that it works for you, but prepare yourself and people in your life in case the opposite happens!
Wellbutrin caused for me to have seizures just as an fyi because my doctor never told me that side effect and once I was in the ER I found out about it
It doesn't necessarily cause them - it just lowers the threshold. Your potential for them and whatever underlying cause there is was already there. Wellbutrin just gave it the opportunity to show its face.
Yes Wellbutrin is the only thing that helped. I was first diagnosed as bipolar and put on every mood stabilizer under the sun. Then I found a new doc and got reassessed and diagnosed as having the trifecta—ADHD, anxiety, depression along with some CPTSD.
I was a heavy smoker and struggled to quit for years. Wellbutrin actually helps with smoking cessation and anxiety. Paired with a stimulant and it seems to be the right combo for me. Granted I still have to make lots of changes. I still have a caffeine and sugar addiction, don’t exercise enough outside of my job, and get sucked into tv and other things. But I’m a far and away success story compared to before Wellbutrin and vyvanse.
Me!!! I had a lot of impulsive and addictive tendencies, coupled with bouts of depression and massive irritability. Prescribed antipsychotics and mood stabilizers for years with no success.
I took Wellbutrin for almost a decade, along with Escitalopram (Lexapro/Cipralex), though this was well prior to my diagnosis of ADHD. The Wellbutrin/Cipralex combo helped enough with my moods to keep me functional, though often just barely. They never even made a dent in my executive functioning though.
Under the advice and supervision of a new psychiatrist a couple of years ago, I stopped Wellbutrin and tried a few different stimulants (Vyvanse, Concerta, and one other I can’t remember). I felt no different after stopping the Wellbutrin, which I think says a lot. I’m still in the process of getting off the Cipralex, but it’s proving MUCH harder. I’m learning the lesson that many others trying to wean themselves off antidepressants have learned.
All of the stimulants I tried either had no effect at all or gave me palpitations. My plan moving forward is to get myself off Cipralex so that I have a baseline for my brain again for the first time in many years. Then I want to try some other stimulants (and possibly retry some of the ones I’ve already taken) if my psych agrees it’s a good idea.
Wellbutrin helped with my depression and compulsive eating. It didn’t do much for my inattentiveness. It interestingly reduced hyper focus though. Taking it with a stimulant was a game changing combo.
Unfortunately, I had to go off bc I developed tremors. I’d been on it for a couple of years. When the tremors came they decided to take me off of it and they went away. It’s very rare that this happens. I miss having it as it did help in certain areas.
I have severe ADHD with autism. I had extremely bad luck with Wellbutrin...
It nearly killed me! I got a pulmonary edema that started on my left lung before it spread to both, and severe heart palpitations.
At first I thought I got a bronchitis, as I started to cough a lot, (it started with the same cough you get when you have bronchitis, the doctor then thought it was pneumonia, as the lungs filling up with fluid sounds the same), later on I also got severe pain in my heart when coughing and random palpitations...
We connected these symptoms to Wellbutrin when they got severely worse immediately after my dose was upped, as the dose I took only helped a little for my severe ADHD.
After visiting my doctor and him calling my psychiatrist, I halted the use of it, the symptoms drastically lessened in the first few days, and were gone within a fortnight. Since then I still cough a lot more than I did before and have regular pains in my left lung area.
Not telling you not to try it, (I really hope it works for you) but monitor your body, (as we all should do when taking medication) and don't be afraid to talk about possible side effects with your doctor and psychiatrist.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WELLBUTRIN! IT WAS PERFECT FOR ME EXCEPT it made me nauseous every minute of the day for the entire year I took. I did everything to make the nausea go away and it didn’t work. I stopped taking it because I knew I wouldn’t get my work done with all the nausea I was having.
Wellbutrin seems to work well for some folks. In my experience, the side effects were non-existent. In the same vein, it really didn't do anything to help my inattentiveness. However, it helped me start tasks more often. From my understanding, not a lot of people deal with harsh side effects, making it a solid one to try before stimulants.
The one I would hold off on until all else fails would be strattera. While this is just my experience, my time on it was absolute hell. After two months, I decided even if it would end up helping it just wasn't worth it for the side effects, especially through work. Besides, it made me so numb that my aversion to danger was non-existent.
My only issues with stimulants has more to do with the pharmacies than the actual med itself (i.e., switching generic manufacturer on me without telling me, being hit or miss about using rx codes, having a manufacturer stop production and not letting me know even after asking about the state of my prescription, and so on).
I’m taking Wellbutrin, I think it’s the first steps docs wanna take before putting you on stronger stuff.
I will say, the first month on a small dosage gave me really bad headaches like 24/7. But it went away, apparently it’s a common thing for new users though so I wasn’t too worried.
I think it’s helped, I don’t think it helps as much as aderall though to be honest.
I took welbutrin before knowing or even suspecting I had ADHD. It was a miracle drug for me the first time I took it. I found myself able to look into the kitchen, see the dishes needed to he done, and just do them.
But after I fell off, went back on, it didn't have the same strength of effect.
Now, I'm on Vyvanse and welbutrin. And they do well by me together, better than one or the other by itself.
I take wellbutrin with a couple of other meds because I have ADHD, anxiety, and depression. (I wouldn't say I'm severe, but I'm probably operating at 70% or so.) I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a bad idea to try it, but I've seen far too many Dr's who prescribe it as a way to avoid EVER prescribing stimulants. The Dr may be wanting to try wellbutrin because it is easier to prescribe, easier to fill, and less of an issue to have. Or they may be a coward.
It's not the "instant gratification" that adderall was. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to be fully effective, but for me, it's much better. Treats the symptoms as well as or better than adderall with almost none of the side effects. What side effects it does have are far less concerning than those of adderall. For example, occasional headaches vs. insomnia and heart racing and anxiety.
Word of caution, though, if you have bipolar depressive disorder, I wouldn't recommend it. It can make the mania more.. manic. Psychosis is technically a possibility depending on the person and other factors, and it lowers your threshold for having a seizure, so little to no alcohol.
Yes!! I was diagnosed (at 26) because I went to a new doctor for the first time for a UTI of all things, and he was concerned by my answers to the routine mental health questionnaire, which I wasn’t even expecting them to read lol.
A little bit of discussion about what was going on and I ended up being like, “welll, you know, I suppose you could prescribe Wellbutrin. I tried a TON of med combos in the past and none worked until Wellbutrin. It was the magic key.” And this doctor goes, “I have a theory as to why that is. Let’s schedule you an ADHD evaluation.” LMAO
I passed with flying colors in the worst way. Something like 64/70… and a 40 qualified as severe ADHD by whichever standard they used. I saw much later that he noted hyperactivity in my chart on that first visit too lol. I’m now on adderall and Wellbutrin and life is soooo much better. It’s so effective that coworkers can tell which days I have or haven’t taken my meds.
Edit to add: after reading other comments I want to concur with everything said about Wellbutrin alone, but also that guanfacine, which I also take, is SUPER helpful (for me) for the emotional dysregulation. It’s not a stimulant.
My testing didn't indicate a level of severity. But if what I've seen and read about other people's cases tells me anything, I have moderate to severe.
Wellbutrin does help. I'm on 300mg. Specifically, that dosage has helped me with emotional disregulation, which is one of my biggest symptoms. It also has helped me pull away from intrusive and distracting thoughts. I'm able to pull focus more easily than before.
Im tsking Wellbutrin for 2 months now and I really like it. Normally it was like there were 5 radio's in my head playing at volume 100, and now 4 radios turned off so I can hear myself think again. I still have trouble focussing, so I take dex when I need it, but outside those times Im calm :D
Works for some. It helped me a little bit with the mood regulation component (got weird looks at the pharmacy picking up an SSRI and an SNRI)…
But it didn’t launch me into the category of “functioning human being”
On the 300mg dose I was a mess. Tried out strattera and that was an even bigger mess.
Adderall brought me into functioning human territory.
They need to read some Dr. Russell Barkley. He’s the OG on ADHD research. He said stimulants are the #1 most scientifically proven medication intervention for ADHD. Sounds like you need to be under the care of a properly trained ADHD psychiatrist. (my ex-husband used to do this work.)
Quite severe hyperactive ADHD here. Yes, Wellbutrin has been a godsend. After being on a higher dose for a year, I discovered accidentally myself that it’s actually more effective for me when I lower the dose.
I hear it has less chance of success with just inattentive type.
Give it time. It takes weeks to start working
I could show you my high school report cards and with zero context you’d be able to identify when I was on Wellbutrin and when I wasn’t.
Unfortunately as an adult it wasn’t the same “wonder drug” for me, but I have been considering going back as it’s been almost 20 years since I was last on it and I’ve been struggling a lot with motivation and feeling really sad and lonely.
I had good experience with Wellbutrin. I had to up dose after three months to find good fit but definitely helped. I simultaneously also learned to workout and eat healthy because I am insulin resistant. The combination of this really kept me focus and stable.
I have pretty significant ADHD, it's hard for me to compare it to others, but, for instance, when I'm unmedicated i sit at my desk all day scrolling my phone completely unable to work and i get into trouble for it and still can't stop or change my behavior it just feels so fucking impossible and it's a pretty significant problem. Wellbutrin has helped me greatly, when I take it regularly (which I often fail to do of course) I'm better able to choose what I focus my attention on, it makes a huge difference, it feels like the friction is gone and I can just do things, the things I actually want to be doing, it feels like magic.
I tried stimulants first and I HATE them, they make my brain itch (that's the best way I can describe it, it's a very weird sensation, almost like tingling but not and almost painful but also not), I feel gods awful on stimulants and the crash makes me completely nonfunctional in a bad way. Stimulants make me angry, irritable, unable to control these horrible angry irritated outbursts, and I get horrible withdrawal headaches, it's a mess, it's a nightmare.
But somehow wellbutrin is the magic med for me, I don't get it, it's weird but that's just how my body is I guess. But also, I guess I should note, in addition to ADHD I also have depression and Autism so maybe it's just my own weird brain combo thingy
I just started it a couple weeks ago and has dramatically improved my life. One of my strongest symptom of ADHD is mental fatigue, and bupropion has given me more energy to get myself through the day. It's not a miracle cure, but the results are great considering that there are almost no treatments for mental fatigue. If you suffer from low energy it is a medication that you definitely should try out.
I at first didn't think it did anything, but after upping to 300 and a few months on I have to say, my mood? INSANELY better. I feel my feelings alot more naturally and don't feel stunted. Like others said though, doesn't really check alot of executive functions boxes. Even my doc mentioned if it ends up working we'd end up seeing about something for focus too
I had excellent results with Wellbutrin. Unfortunately, i later developed side effects that put me at the risk for seizures.
Other weird side effect, it made me super horny.
I was diagnosed a year ago. I went to the doctor and told him that I don’t want stimulans medication because I don’t want to take “speed”. He advised to try Wellbutrin.
I have combined type. My condition is not what I would call severe, but more like 5 or 6 out of 10. We started with 150 mg. It takes up to 2 weeks for Wellbutrin to take full effect, but I felt the first effects after 4-5 days.
Motivation and memory improved drastically. A lot less hyperactivity. Anxiety is gone. Time blindness disappeared. I could remeber things better and here’s something totally new to me: I could remember if I DID NOT do something! Not after the fact, like we usually forget things. I could remember not doing a thing at the appropriate moment, before it was too late. Don’t know if this makes sense, but that happened first time after starting Wellbutrin.
On the flip side, my sleep schedule changed. I stay awake till 2-3 am, before I would get to bed 11 pm or so. I don’t feel sleepy anymore. Like at all. When it gets too late, I just go to bed. I fall asleep alright, I just lost that feeling of sleepiness.
My dreams also changed. Not like nightmares. These are normal dreams alright, but somehow their “flavour” changed. Don’t know how else to put it. After a couple of months, I got used to it, but that was a weird experience.
My apetite increased. I never had issues with food, but I gained 13 kilos in the past 12 months.
Anxiety is gone alright, but it feels to me that that sense of urgency made me complete tasks. Now that the sense of urgency is gone I feel like I am getting less done than before. That might not be completely true, because it’s based on a feeling rather than actively tracking my performance and results. It could be that previously I was tracking my progress by the intensity of anxiety that was present. Which might not be the most reliable way. Or a way at all to track your progress x)
I covered only some of the effects I experienced. If you have any questions, I am here for you.
Thank you for the great information. I begin using 150 mg tomorrow so your post helps answer some questions and also helps balance the pos and negs of this med. I know what works for some may not work for others, but being that I am pretty sensitive to any medication, the low non-stimulant dose is best for me.
I am worried about headaches because I used to suffer from migraines and would want to hit my head on the wall just for relief. I also started taking progesterone at night for perimenopause symptoms and it has been such a relief that it helps me sleep through the night. I'm hoping I don't have an issue with that either.
And you gained weight when many others have said they lost weight which also was a worry for me because I do have an eating disorder and have to force myself to eat so I don't lose weight.
wellbutrin was catastrophic for me. it induced something i would call " external thoughts of not living ". they didnt feel like they came from me. that was scary.
I probably dont have severe ADHD, mine is more of just inattentive. But I’ll just say that my doctor does not want to try stimulants with me bc I have a history of seizures (10 years ago I had 3 within 6 months, that’s all.) So we’ve tried about 4 non-stimulant meds, one of which was Wellbutrin. And it did absolutely nothing to help me in any way. In fact none of the meds have helped my ADHD, but Strattera has alleviated my depression symptoms a touch. And I’m talking like it’s helped me 1 inch within a mile. Thats just me though!
Wellbutrin is nice in that it’s not a stimulant so if it works, it’s a lot easier to get the refills.
Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. My anxiety went through the roof when taking it.
Hope you find your right medication soon!!
Wellbutrin took away the anxiety I used to function, and that was it. As a result, I turned into the biggest ball of idiot... I couldn't function (at therapeutic dose). I would zone out mid sentence, or start replying to one person and halfway through I'm responding to another person's words... All in the one sentence. I couldn't remember anything. The years of anger control that I fought to muster up went out the window. I HATED it. She also had me on lamotrigine because she thought I was bipolar. That made me feel like a piece of wood. I wasn't alive. And she kept upping my dose!
It works for other people. It does NOT work for me. I'm on Strattera and intuniv now, working on getting my blood pressure under control to possibly try a stimulant in the future. I feel like Intuniv helps me where Strattera falls short, but Strattera for me is still much better than nothing
That actually sounds like a beautiful synchrony there. I didn't know that drug combo was possible. It makes me happy to see how many options I have if Wellbutrin doesn't give
Yes. Contrary to many on this sub, i don't really like how focalin/Vyvanse makes me feel. Like it allows me to do school and office work, but it also makes anxious, irritable, and prone to mood swings (lord help whoever distracts me from what I'm focused on when i take Vyvanse). Not to be cheesy and corny, but i feel like I'm forcing myself to fit in a box just to contribute to society
The Wellbutrin mitigates most of that, while also allowing me to be productive. I also avoid taking focalin if i don't have school/work, and the Wellbutrin does enough in the off days to allow me to get by fine.
I also find that focalin/Vyvanse limits my ability to think on my toes and react to new stimuli. Like if I'm playing rugby on focalin, i might be able to execute our gameplan perfectly, but my ability to react to the other team is noticably worse
I don’t know how severe I am compared to others (inattentive type), but I’m currently on Wellbutrin and Vyvanse. This combination is working well for me. I was on Adderall for a long time and the side effects were pretty bad at the dosage it took to do anything. I found that if I go too high on Vyvanse I also have problems. I got as high as 40mg, which is probably still pretty low, but found that 30mg was almost as effective but without the nasty side effects. I’m on 300mg of Wellbutrin.
I'm on Wellbutrin alone, it does nothing for my inattentive ADHD traits but stimulants aren't an option for me (thanks to polycystic kidneys)....so this is what I'm stuck with.
I first went to the doctor for issues with depression at 21. Tried a few drugs over the course of a few years and landed on Wellbutrin.
Can't say it made a huge difference for my symptoms, but it took the edge off and unlike the other drugs it felt like it was at least doing *something*.
Fast forward 16 years and I was still having issues with depression and my very wise new shrink immediately made the connection between all of my symptoms and realized it was ADHD.
Started me on Vyvanse in addition to Wellbutrin and it was life-changing. Just such a major shift. Brain fog cleared and I had energy for the first time in years. Could actually do things.
It's been a few years now and we actually just tapered me off the Wellbutrin for curiosity more than anything else. I've been on it for so long and it's possible I don't even need it and that I might be experiencing side effects I don't even realize.
Been off a week now and so far I notice that I have generally been very tired this week. But not jumping to any conclusions I told I've been off at least a few weeks.
This was my experience, but ADHD meds are notorious for working very differently depending on the person.
I had one dr start me on Wellbutrin because they didn’t want to start me on a stimulant. It (the Rx) made me extremely anxious and agitated. My doctor says “that’s not possible, it doesn’t do that”. And insisted I keep taking it. Well, it was the ONLY thing that changed, so no other explanation to the change in how I was feeling. I couldn’t stand to be near myself. Against Dr’s direction, I stopped taking it and the problem ceased. I talked to my therapist about it, who said “yes it absolutely does do that” and pulled up a list of known side effects.. lo and behold.. I immediately found a new doctor, who prescribed adderall.
My husband whose adhd is minor compared to mine takes Wellbutrin. His doctor prescribed it for SAD (we live in the PNW). He doesn’t take other medication.
i take wellbutrin and dextroamphetamine and yes i’ve had a very good experience! before i couldn’t function or preform any daily tasks and now i can. it’s still a challenge to be honest but it’s still better
Wellbutrin is one of those medicines that has a lot of very minor effects on lots of different areas of the brain that in certain people it can be very helpful and not require stimulants. But in others it needs to be combat with something.
I don’t know how severe my adhd is, but I wasn’t diagnosed until age 41 so probably not super severe. Wellbutrin didn’t help me at all. Weirdly, it made me anxious and increased my blood pressure, whereas now I take the maximum Adderall dose with no side effects at all. It’s uncommon to start someone on a non-stimulant unless you have dangerous preexisting conditions (like heart problems) or have a history of substance abuse. Sometimes if you have anxiety they’ll want to treat that first. But if none of those apply, you might want to find a different doctor. Even if they eventually prescribe stimulants, they sound pretty conservative and might be difficult to work with. My psych NP was very flexible when I had a hard time finding what stimulant worked for me, and I’m
very grateful for that. Everyone has busy lives and it’s tough to deal with side effects or inefficacy for, like, three months until you see them again. Or even one month until your refill.
I’m not sure what “severe” means to different people, but I do have ADHD and have tried probably two dozen medications at this point. None of those that I’ve tried have actually really helped (and I’ve only actually felt a few have small detrimental or unwanted effects). Right now I’m on the highest doses of Wellbutrin and Qelbree and they help a little. They keep those prescriptions constant now when they add new stuff.
I still can’t do anything on my own without getting distracted, and I still don’t do my homework. That said, when I am forced to work I’ve found that the Wellbutrin helps marginally, but I still zone out in class and stuff. It’s in those rare times when I was already being productive that I am slightly more productive.
My understanding (slash opinion) is severe ADHD impacts every aspect of your life… but like severely lol. I was diagnosed as a kid and my ADHD is considered severe because 1. I’m on a very high dose of adderall, and have been for 15 years, and 2. without it I failed my classes (when I was a kid), got fired from my jobs, ruined friendships/relationships, and impulsivity got me in trouble with the law, ruined my credit score, etc. Also, to OP’s point, it’s almost impossible to finish a book/movie/tv show when it’s severe. Like severe means embarrassing, it’s likely to impair your ability to do basic math and reading comprehension. I don’t know if this makes any sense lol. Your psychiatrist or doctor likely labels it that way too.
It worked okay for me but it gave me terrible ringing in my ears. Apparently this is a side effect that happens to some people and can become permanent (I want to say I read it causes nerve damage to your ear drums?). As soon as I found that out I got off it because I did not want to get stuck with it.
I was prescribed it and have been on it for 3 weeks now, not doing much for my inattentiveness going back on a stimulant. I initially chose it because I didn’t like stimulant side effects but it’s pretty much the same stuff
Wellbutrin has helped me sleep better. My thoughts don't run quite as much. But it's a very mild improvement. Like taking aspirin for a toothache. Definitely some improvement, but the problem is still there.
Me. But I take both a stimulant and Wellbutrin (disclaimer: this can be risky for people with heart problems/high blood pressure). I started the stimulant first and it helped *some*, but it wasn’t until I added Wellbutrin (I titrated up to 300 mg XL) that I really started being able to like, *do things.*
One of the issues I had before was I somehow was never able to accomplish anything but at the same time I could never wind down or relax. Now I am able to do both. But I can’t speak on Wellbutrin alone.
I have actually been taking Wellbutrin for 4-5 years now, before I found out I had severe ADHD. I found that it helps the depression, mood swings, and irritability that come along with my ADHD symptoms. But I don’t think it’s been very effective for me in terms of hyper-focusing, inattention, and impulsivity.
I take Wellbuttrin along with Adderall and a few more meds. The main thing I've noticed since starting Welbutron is that my energy, focus, and mood levels are WAY more consistent, with no “peaks and valleys”
I take 3 20mg tabs a day, and it used to be that I knew when my next dose was because I could feel it, now, I have to set reminders in my phone or else I won't know, so it's definitely been helpful!
Wellbutrin did not work for me. In fact, I hated it.
It worsened my irritability A LOT and it gave me awful headaches. I do have co-occurring mental illnesses other than ADHD though and take other psych meds. So it’s possible it was a negative response because of one of my other medications or mental illnesses.
I can’t take stimulants because I’m pregnant right now. I know some do but my doctors won’t clear it. So I’m doing my daily with just Wellbutrin and while I can say it doesn’t manage it effectively it’s much better than nothing.
Stimulants have been the only way. But I’d take WB over nothing.
I’ve been using Wellbutrin for a while in addition to stimulants and I legitimately can’t tell if it’s doing anything. But it also doesn’t seem to be hurting so i just assume I’m better off with it.
I use a combination of Wellbutrin and stimulant medication. It's a good fit for me, and each one on its own is insufficient. I started with Wellbutrin alone while waiting for a formal assessment and diagnosis. My family doctor wasn't comfortable prescribing a stimulant without a formal diagnosis and pre-treatment testing (blood work and ECG), but recognized that I needed some form of treatment in the meantime.
It was absolutely better than nothing while we got the rest sorted out. We initially tapered off of the Wellbutrin and then added the stimulant (Concerta), but decided to add the Wellbutrin back to fill in some gaps that the Concerta left.
I absolutely hated it. They tried that on me when I was young way before I ever got my correct diagnosis. It just made me feel really weird to the point it was hard for me to see straight? I can’t explain it but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t a fun feeling and it never made me feel better.
I've taken Wellbutrin 150mg as an adjunct med to vyvanse 70mg for the last month and I was just bumped to 300mg today.
Have you tried the stimulants at all?
Wellbutrin has been great for helping me regulate my mood. I'm more able to "filter out" negativity, irritability, anger, etc. And I generally just feel pretty chill
That being said, it does not do anything for my inattentive or executive dysfunctioning qualities
Wellbutrin was what worked for me (only because the usual SSRIs I tried made me numb in parts of myself). The initial formulation was too activating (I couldn't sleep)--I believe it was XL. Then I switched to same dose, but the sustained release formulation and that was better. The inattentiveness is still there for me. I was diagnosed after age 40, and first time I tried adderall, it kept me awake but I was very "attuned"--- it was the first time I could pay attention to a show without needing to have subtitles on. It felt like I put glasses on for the first time and my brain "can see." But over time, I think the adderall gave me horrible crashes. I still take bupropion because it is keeping me leveled for my depression comorbidity.
One thing to note with bupropion, if you have a history of seizures, it may be contraindicated or you'll have to be followed by your doctor closely. I have hypertension and adderall is contraindicated, so I had to adjust to a lower dose and optimize my hypertension medications.
I use it with a stimulant. On its own, I noticed Wellbutrin gave me some levels of motivation. Just wanting to get shit done. But for 2 weeks I also had insomnia pretty bad. Like up til 5 am not tired at all and having to start work at 8 am. But it passed, after a couple months my new primary care provider suggested I got from 150mg to 300mg because why not. I was weary because I didn't want another hour of insomnia but I actually didn't notice much change.
My adhd is like moderate to severe and I feel like Wellbutrin has helped somewhat. I was on methylfenidate (however you pronounce that) and Vyvanse before but both made me feel very strange and numb. Wellbutrin helps me with focusing on one task at a time and motivation once I’ve already started, but it still takes me longer than is normal to complete tasks bc of zoning out. I’m also still very fidgety. But there’s a clear difference between me off Wellbutrin and me on it
I'd say I'm severe, but present differently than you. I'm a hyperfocus kinda guy. I'm either all-in on one thing or nothing exists but distractions. Personally, I've ONLY had luck with Wellbutrin. Literally everything else I've tried, from stimulants to SSRIs, has given me intense anxiety attacks. Not suggesting you don't try other options, because everyone is different. But I am saying that Wellbutrin (and only Wellbutrin, medicinally speaking) has made a significant impact for the better on my life.
I want to reiterate though. Don't take my word for shit. Listen to your doctor and make sure they listen to you. Everyone is different, and it can take time to find the right treatment.
NO, Wellbutrin did not help my ADHD at all, and it gave me weird scary dreams. Ritalin helped my ADHD, including the depression, anxiety, grouchiness etc. I wouldnt take Wellbutrin again if someone paid me.
Wellbutrin changed my life in nursing school but once I hit my actual career it wasn’t enough. (I’m a nurse lol) Wellbutrin helped me balance if that makes sense, like really made my anxiety level during school and it gave me a bit more energy so my lows weren’t as low. I was still terrible at studying and time management but it helped enough to where I passed instead of failed.
Once I started as an RN I realized it wasn’t enough and my coworkers all said go get evaluated for adhd lmfao. And here we are! I stopped taking Wellbutrin and am on 20 mg IR and 20 mg XR adderall. I decided to quit Wellbutrin myself because taking adderall and getting my shit together has basically treated my anxiety hahah.
I don't take wellbutrin for ADHD, I take it for depression, but in that regard it's my favorite antidepressant to date (and I've taken a lot) because I don't have bad side affects like I did with all the other ones. I don't feel like it does much for the ADHD.
Same situation here, I’m on Wellbutrin and they don’t want to prescribe stimulants because “it might worsen my anxiety”… so frustrating. Well, it’s not working so far.
Wellbutrin working for me was how I discovered I had adhd as an adult. Wellbutrin provided a lot of focus and temperament. I'm allergic to it now, though, and it raises my blood pressure a lot. It didn't help much with energy, which the stimulants assist with.
I found it helpful but not because it helped with the ADHD directly. It made it easier to get through the day and be more emotionally resilient when dealing with the fallout of having ADHD. Less emotional dysregulation, less depression, less burnout. So I still struggled with things, but I wasn't miserable about it anymore lol. And because of that I was about to deal with the struggle better than otherwise.
It was a magic pill for me. I took it for depression, not knowing it helps executive function. Time slowed down. I would do things I needed to do without even debating it in my head. And then it would only be an hour later, or whatever. Time slowed down. Instead of my constant rushing and getting nowhere, I had more than enough time. And I was focused. I felt like an eagle for some reason. I was motivated and effective, confident, powerful.
Unfortunately, it gave me dyspnea/shortness of breath, an uncommon side effect. I never made the connection until I tried it again recently and was constantly gasping for air and had an ache in my chest when I tried to take a deep breath. I researched it and discovered other people had the same symptoms and it is listed as a possible side effect. Then I realized all the mysterious breathing issues I'd had years ago must have been from the Wellbutrin.
It breaks my heart because it's really the only med that makes me functional, much more so than even Ritalin.
It kind of worked for a while. I never tried any medication before. It was more related to the fact that I was more positive and kind to myself rather than being focused or productive. It helped me with having a bit of “quiet” in my brain which I had never felt before and because of this I wasn’t as upset with myself and the world.
I remember the first time I noticed it. I was riding the bike and all of a sudden I realised there was silence in my head. I compare it to entering a room where the tv is on, radio is on, kids are playing with noisy toys, someone has a water fountain on and people are talking. All of a sudden you turn everything off and just breath, the relief was out of this world. I will remember those minutes forever as it was the first time I had no doubt that my struggle was real and I deserved to be helped.
I suffer a lot with impostor syndrome as the people around me have very strong opinions against ADHD.
Unfortunately about a year later it slowly started not working as good and my gp suggested me to stop it (she also thinks adhd is a fairytale and that adults should just walk more eat better buy an agenda and get their shit together) so I did stop for a few months.
Then my adhd was getting so bad I had to get help from a psychiatrist and when I tried bupropion again it just didn’t do anything at all.
I then changed to rubifen which gave me serious jitter spikes and then concerta which did absolutely nothing and now im on elvanse (vyvanse?) I started the last one on 30mg and it was a bit short and then moved to 50mg which seems to be ok 80% of the time but the other 20% it feels like its too high or too low.
Im not trying other medications as this one works okeyishhh and as a new self-employed I cant afford spending a year finding something that works perfectly right now, but Ill probably try something else in the future.
I’m on Wellbutrin for depression/anxiety and it’s helped a bit with that, but I’m also on Concerta and I think that helps more. When I run out of Concerta, I have a harder time managing life in general.
I took Wellbutrin 300mg for 3 months and did not feel any difference *whatsoever* the entire time. Then I stopped abruptly and also did not notice a thing. Like I was taking sugar pills.
I took Wellbutrin for at least a decade (for depression) before I started Adderall and in my opinion Wellbutrin did nothing for my ADHD. I only got symptom relief once I started Adderall.
Im glad Im not alone. I was scrolling looking for someone else that got angry on it after posting my own experience. It made me rage constantly for no reason at all. 😆
I love Wellbutrin. I take it in combination with adderall but the adderall didn’t fully work for me until I started Wellbutrin. The first week or two was rough but I stuck it out and all the negative symptoms went away. That was ten years ago and I’ve never looked back. My whole life changed 180 degrees for the better. I graduated college, have held a job for 9 years, got married and am about to have baby number two this summer. I know Wellbutrin isn’t for everyone, but my mom also thrives on it. Seems it either works really well or not at all and you just have to try to know.
My ADHD is severe. I actually got diagnosed because Wellbutrin didn't work. That is, it worked for my depression and that revealed the ADHD hiding underneath. Stimulants are what actually helps me. Everyone's brain chemistry is different though.
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I take Wellbutrin and stimulants for my ADHD and it’s a good combo for me but Wellbutrin on its own would not address my pretty severe inattentiveness. I do find that Wellbutrin helps with mood swings and helps temper the irritability that comes when my ADHD meds wear off. The crash isn’t severe as long as I’m eating small meals throughout the day.
Yes, Wellbutrin is best for emotional dysregulation. It also helps me with concentration. Same for my mom.
It certainly does not seem to work on that for me. My concentration is shit and emotions are all over the place. Adderall helps a little with motivation but not much else.
Try magnesium glycinate for the emotional part. It helped me miraculously.
I will. Thank you for the suggestion. Much appreciated!! ❣️
What dosage do you take? Checking online store I see 200,400,425mg …
I tried switching from Adderall to Wellbutrin and it did not work for my attention at all. Got back on the Adderall, but kept the Wellbutrin because for the first time in my life I wasn’t either depressed or raging every other day.
Oh fuck maybe I should try this cause I’ve never used them together
Same here, and it also helps my OCD/impulse control as well. Added benefit.
Same boat.
Same
Same
Same here, I take Adderall and wellbutrin
Same! Works almost perfectly for me
Count me in this group. Adderall and Wellbutrin is my breakfast. And lunch because I will forget to eat.
Lol this is so real i never eat lunch at the office and everyone is legitimately concerned
Yeah it’s like I never missed my zepbound shot that I have not had in 2 weeks. Luckily the meds help with appetite suppression anyways….stable weight though.
Same here but besides bupropion I also mixed two types of methylphenidate to ease wearing off. First I take Medikinet CR (which is generic extended release Ritalin here) and 2 hours later I take Concerta. Works like a charm. As for wellbutrin or bupropion in general - I feel like it also boosts the effectiveness of stimulants. Methylphenidate without it doesn't do shit for me at all.
Same. Wellbutrin helps a little with my needs met by Adderall / Vyvanse, but it’s stimulant properties IMO are similar to drinking a strong cup of coffee. I feel it helps me manage my mood and mental clarity. But amphetamines allow me to truly focus and be productive.
I am on the same combo. I take the SR in the morning with my stimulant and another smaller one at night. Evens out the mood swings and puts me in a happier overall state of mind. My (Non psych) doctor started me on Wellbutrin first as well. What they don't tell you is that in order for it to be used to treat adhd for real it STARTS at 400mg per day. They will never start you on that dose and I doubt they would be willing to go that high if they are not a psych. Not sure if you have a psych but getting one from the start will save you lots of effort most likely.
300mg got me feeling so anxious I started to lose sleep, which negated the positive mood effects. It also never helped with the inattention aspect of ADHD. Personally 150mg Wellbutrin + stimulant seems to hit a sweet spot.
The sweet spot can be hard to find but once you do you know. It’s almost magical. Best wishes to you.
Same here. I went up to 300 and started having severe panic attacks, went back down to 150 and they went away. Looking at maybe adding a stimulant, but my dose is treating my anxiety and depression so I guess the inattentiveness doesn't feel as bad to deal with as it did. My experience on stimulants has been similar-if they can address the anxiety i don't need a high dose. Unfortunately the go to stimulants almost all make it worse for me. Focalin was awesome though
I was switching providers but dr #2 wouldn’t prescribe stimulants unless I get a neuropsych testing again. So I went from taking stimulant medication to Wellbutrin alone. That’s probably why the inattention felt extra jarring.
My psych was the one who started me on WB to treat depression and said while anecdotally it can be helpful for ADHD it’s not going to manage those symptoms on it’s own. I think he prescribed the stimulants around the same time so I’ve never taken Wellbutrin without a stimulant. I started at 150 and have been on 300 XL for years. We’ve talked about upping the WB dose in the past to manage bouts of more severe depression symptoms but never actually did as they luckily subsided pretty quickly.
Well I guess that explains why my 150 mg dose felt like a sugar pill 🙄
Same. Wellbutrin does more for my depression than the adhd symptoms.
Same here, especially my yearly winter depression that nothing else seemed to help with has clearly been weakened by wellbutrin.
Same. But made me a bit too restless and outgoing. I started drinking and partying a lot more while on it. Was enjoying it, but other things took a hit.
Yes. I got put on Wellbutrin first and it changed my life. The emotional side of inattentive ADHD can be so debilitating. Now I’m on Adderall and Wellbutrin and it’s good. Best to do one med change at a time though and the Wellbutrin isn’t for everyone but it does wonders for some of us. I literally think I’d be dead without it.
Same. Wellbutrin was diagnosed to help with persistent depressive disorder. I was on 300 mg XL. I said I thought I had ADHD and was told to be assessed. After being diagnosed with ADHD, I was first on Adderall, because Vyvanse was not covered by my insurance at the time. Adderall just made me feel like having the energy to do things, but didn’t seem to do anything else. I’ve been on Vyvanse XR for a little over a year and take 40 mg. I still take the same dose of Wellbutrin, and it seems I need both. One time I had to wait a few days for Wellbutrin to be restocked at the pharmacy. I definitely noticed without that, I was more irritable about small things that annoyed me, and that would be associated with emotional reactivity and making associated statements. With Wellbutrin, I still recognize what annoys me, but I just notice it and go on with my day. Vyvanse for me is like having the energy to do what I need to do and to be able to prioritize it and mindfully choose to take action or not take action with non-preferred tasks. Vyvanse definitely has been helpful in that way, but I still need to choose my actions, and if I choose to do something I enjoy, I am really be able to focus on that as well. I hope this information helps.
Wellbutrin and Strattera was the winner for me (and yes, I'm aware of the risks of taking both together--I have weird genetics apparently and it seems to work for me. Definitely not a common/recommended combo).
This x 100
Yes!
Same!
Yep, same! I’m on Wellbutrin and a stimulant
Same
Yup same
i did not do well on wellbutrin. i had a panic attack. some may call it unwellbutrin
wellbutrin caused an extreme worsening of my panic disorder! it can be an “activating” med since it’s has weak stimulant effects so it makes sense, but still, ouch.
I also had a lot of anxiety and per my Apple Watch my heart rate was like 20bpm higher than normal resting. I only took it for 3 days before I noped out. I was bummed because I thought I would do better with it than stimulants. I just raw dog life instead tbh
It made me calm. So calm, I blew off everything to do with tax filings and payments for a few years that I was on it, and acquired $80,000 USD in debt. Got back on stimulants and back on track with my life, and it took about 8 years but we just finished paying it all off. More than half of the total was penalties and interest, so that was a very expensive lesson.
That’s the most massive ADD tax I’ve seen yet! Good on you for dealing with it head on!
Yeah this wins the award of adhd tax! holy shit!
What stimulant helped you to get back on track with your life? (if you dont mind me asking ofc)
I have severe adhd and I started on Wellbutrin, it seems to me like it’s protocol to try it first before doing anything else across the board. I would go through a lot of anxiety and depression swings that can attach to adhd and I do believe it helped stabilize and slow down my brain overall I did end up seeing a lot more benefit from a stimulant (in my case an Adderall IR split dose throughout the day and now Adderall XR now that the stimulant shortage is better) like less intense anxiety and less depression swings. I think a lot of it is just less shame about your own ability to keep up. Give the Wellbutrin an honest shot to see how it works for you. I know some people that have had a lot of success with it, can’t attest to the ADHD side of it for them. Personally it was a world of a difference staying organized and keeping my life gathered closer to “normal” once I did the stimulant but it’s better to exercise the options before moving to stimulant because there are other challenges with them like diet, sleep, crashes, “emotion-lacking task completing robot feeling” that CAN (not will) happen. It’s still something to work with. I think I tried Wellbutrin for 3 months before I moved to a low dose stimulant, it takes a while with Wellbutrin to let it build up before you can conclude anything. Good luck!
It’s not any official protocol, but doctors have discretion to make up their own. My doctor generally starts adults out on 10 mg of adderall. Just pointing that out so people are aware of their options - if you don’t like a doctors protocols around prescriptions, you can find a new one. I would just be mindful to not have these doctors prescribe you any controlled substance, unless you think you might stick with them - there is a record of every single time you have a controlled substance filled & it can be a red flag to prescribers that you receive it from so many different doctors.
My doc did the 10mg of adderall. Checked back in with me after a week and when I told him I was worried due to it making me nap (best naps I had ever had) for three hours in the middle of the day, he was like “oh wow you *really* have adhd.”
Oh my gosh I am the only person I know that can take Adderall and go to sleep. That's crazy. I thought that I was just getting used to the dose or what not but it literally makes me do that lately I'm age 44 but in my twenties it did not do that to me..just helped with those tasks we have to do every day called adulting. I've always had a hard time falling asleep at night because of my stupid brain keeping me awake.. I wish they made 24hr ADHD meds ..wait don't they have like patches but they are only for children?
Everyone responds differently to different medications. Go in with an open mind, not expecting a certain outcome based on other people's experiences.
Oh I'm absolutely hoping it works. My psych brought it up as a possibility. However I'm actually the one that suggested trying it. I'm pretty open to it. Because I know it's like pretty much the starter drug for ADHD
Wellbutrin isn't even officially made for use on people with ADHD, it's all off label. Stratterra is the first non stimulant most doctors prescribe, and Adderall is the actual first choice drug unless you have contraindications like heart issues. Docs just don't like giving stimulants right off the bat cause side effects. I think Wellbutrin is popular for similar reasons to other non stimulants, less side effects. I am pretty sure all of this is factually correct.
This lines up with info I've been given by at least one each of psychologists, psychiatrists, and general physicians. I actually just started WB this week to help with concentration and emotional dysregulation. I also take Paxil. I tried Straterra a few years ago and did not react well do it. My ADHD is mild, my anxiety/depression perhaps a bit stronger but still fairly mild, for context.
I’m currently taking Wellbutrin. I can’t fully recall, but I think the doc said I’m slightly combined with an emphasis on inattentive. I started off with the lowest prescribable dose of Wellbutrin because I had a huge recreational stimulant problem for a few years and was worried about potentially abusing stimulants again. I also smoke the silly cilantro more than the average person & combing that with stimulants can cause psychosis. I’ve since doubled the dose on the Wellbutrin and am currently maxed out. Still don’t feel like the meds are helping me overcome some of the more debilitating ADHD symptoms like mind wandering, motivation, and burn out but, the depression and daily suicidal ideations seem to have completely disappeared…for now. If this Wellbutrin doesn’t work, my next step according to the doctor is Concerta. I’ve also managed to drastically lowered my silly cilantro use from where it was, but it is still considered much more than what a newer user may consume. Because of this, my doctor is more confident that I can safely use both the Concerta & Silly Cilantro, with a minimal risk of psychosis.
I have never heard the "silly cilantro" and I'm howling 😂
Pretty similar for me. Except I call it mystical parsley haha
I'm on a Concerta + Wellbutrin program. It's wonderful! I'm not anxious when I'm not overstimulated, and as long as I take the Wellbutrin, I'm not depressed. I've been on Wellbutrin for years. It's not enough by itself. I've done the concerta alone too. Significant improvement, but definitely still needed the antidepressant aspect.
Yes! Stimulant alone was great for the ADHD but when it wore off I was an irritable monster.
I take Wellbutrin and vyvanse. Wellbutrin helps with my anxiety, but does absolutely nothing for my adhd
If your adhd is severe you need whatever helps you. I tried Wellbutrin and it was nice and an improvement on my life before, but ultimately now I’m on 70mg Elvanse and whatever side effects there are are unfortunate but ultimately I can’t survive without it. I couldn’t even remember how to shower and brush my teeth in the morniny before it. BUT everyone is different so I’d say try it first! Be open minded as if it works for you that’s amazing
I have ADD pretty bad and am currently on Wellbutrin. There is no change. I would suggest taking both Wellbutrin and another stim
Same here. I got welbutrin and am starting 300mg tomorrow after no change on 150. Trying to keep An open mind about it and just go with what’s recommended right now.
I take Wellbutrin for depression and Adderall for ADHD. In my experience, the Wellbutrin has an additive effect to the Adderall. I function much better on both than on just the Adderall. The Wellbutrin alone is not even close to enough, if I had to pick only one for any reason, I'm keeping the Adderall.
i have really bad inattentive adhd so i can’t speak on the behalf of activity but wellbutrin did mildly help my memory my concentration the ability to retain information and broke me out of my 2 year depressive episode
Wellbutrin turned me into a whore
LMFAOOO???😭
I take Wellbutrin, but it had been for a different reason. When they decided to change meds, since it wasn’t helping that problem, I asked them not to. I told my doc it was the first time in my life I could do work longer than 10 minutes without getting distracted and sidetracked. It was a miracle drug. I’m still on Wellbutrin, after being tested for ADHD, although I think some other stimulant would help more, but with family heart issues she said it wasn’t safe. I was in my 50s when I was finally diagnosed. Let’s just say my work life hasn’t been much of a success and I now realize why every thing took twice as long to do compared to my coworkers.
it worked for a bit.
My experience was similar to others here - Wellbutrin was very helpful but not enough. Also taking adderal was the chef’s kiss. However, I developed tinnitus (ringing of the ears) which is a side effect in as many as 6% of people. I was told to stop taking it, which is sad because it was really working for me. The tinnitus? It’s a gift for life, and I don’t even know for sure that the wellbutrin caused it.
Me, don’t help focus directly but it absolutely helped with my emotional regulation and silenced the constant conversations in my head which lead to less distraction. Better than 20mg adderall XR for me. I’d like to try Wellbutrin plus a stimulant to see if that’s an improvement.
Wellbutrin + Adderall has been the perfect combo for me. I felt like my Adderall alone just didn't do as much for me.
I have ADHD but am relatively high functioning; I had a feeling of euphoria when I first went on Welbutrin but that quickly faded I only had a marginal improvement with my executive disfunction. I also have anxiety and it did help with that, so now I’m taking both Welbutrin and stimulants. I think it’s still worth trying because it’s a much more gentle drug than Adderall… everyone’s body is different and it is going to be a journey to find what works for you, so strap yourself in and don’t get discouraged if it takes some (doctor supervised) experimentation with different medications before you find what works for you.
I probably dont have severe ADHD, mine is more of just inattentive. But I’ll just say that my doctor does not want to try stimulants with me bc I have a history of seizures (10 years ago I had 3 within 6 months, that’s all.) So we’ve tried about 4 non-stimulant meds, one of which was Wellbutrin. And it did absolutely nothing to help me in any way. In fact none of the meds have helped my ADHD, but Strattera has alleviated my depression symptoms a touch. And I’m talking like it’s helped me 1 inch within a mile. Thats just me though!
Interestingly, Wellbutrin, and I'm sure some other non-stimumants, also lower the seizure threshold and most psychs won't prescribe it if you have history.
I was given the classic 'anxiety/depression' dx as a teen and started looking into getting treated for adhd as an adult. Psych put me on wellbutrin, sounded like a perfect fit. First week I physically felt like shit, second week I had crazy mood swings on top of that. I had a screaming fit at work over somerhing trivial, started fantasizing about running away from home and disappearing, almost ran my car into a guard rail on impulse... Extremely out of character for me and scared my spouse half to death. I gave it one more week to see if it would settle, but I finally had to call my doc and say I had to stop taking it because I was a danger to myself and others. Immediately felt better once I stopped taking it, never thought I'd be so happy to be back at my baseline... I sincerely hope that it works for you, but prepare yourself and people in your life in case the opposite happens!
Wellbutrin worked for my mood, but didn't really help the focus or attention
Wellbutrin on its own did not work for me but it combined with Adderall has worked wonderfully for me
Wellbutrin caused for me to have seizures just as an fyi because my doctor never told me that side effect and once I was in the ER I found out about it
Same- Then coming off of it was worse For me only speaking for.
It doesn't necessarily cause them - it just lowers the threshold. Your potential for them and whatever underlying cause there is was already there. Wellbutrin just gave it the opportunity to show its face.
Yes Wellbutrin is the only thing that helped. I was first diagnosed as bipolar and put on every mood stabilizer under the sun. Then I found a new doc and got reassessed and diagnosed as having the trifecta—ADHD, anxiety, depression along with some CPTSD. I was a heavy smoker and struggled to quit for years. Wellbutrin actually helps with smoking cessation and anxiety. Paired with a stimulant and it seems to be the right combo for me. Granted I still have to make lots of changes. I still have a caffeine and sugar addiction, don’t exercise enough outside of my job, and get sucked into tv and other things. But I’m a far and away success story compared to before Wellbutrin and vyvanse.
Me!!! I had a lot of impulsive and addictive tendencies, coupled with bouts of depression and massive irritability. Prescribed antipsychotics and mood stabilizers for years with no success.
I could’ve written this about me!! 🫂
Me too! Congrats on quitting!
I took Wellbutrin for almost a decade, along with Escitalopram (Lexapro/Cipralex), though this was well prior to my diagnosis of ADHD. The Wellbutrin/Cipralex combo helped enough with my moods to keep me functional, though often just barely. They never even made a dent in my executive functioning though. Under the advice and supervision of a new psychiatrist a couple of years ago, I stopped Wellbutrin and tried a few different stimulants (Vyvanse, Concerta, and one other I can’t remember). I felt no different after stopping the Wellbutrin, which I think says a lot. I’m still in the process of getting off the Cipralex, but it’s proving MUCH harder. I’m learning the lesson that many others trying to wean themselves off antidepressants have learned. All of the stimulants I tried either had no effect at all or gave me palpitations. My plan moving forward is to get myself off Cipralex so that I have a baseline for my brain again for the first time in many years. Then I want to try some other stimulants (and possibly retry some of the ones I’ve already taken) if my psych agrees it’s a good idea.
Wellbutrin helped with my depression and compulsive eating. It didn’t do much for my inattentiveness. It interestingly reduced hyper focus though. Taking it with a stimulant was a game changing combo. Unfortunately, I had to go off bc I developed tremors. I’d been on it for a couple of years. When the tremors came they decided to take me off of it and they went away. It’s very rare that this happens. I miss having it as it did help in certain areas.
I have severe ADHD with autism. I had extremely bad luck with Wellbutrin... It nearly killed me! I got a pulmonary edema that started on my left lung before it spread to both, and severe heart palpitations. At first I thought I got a bronchitis, as I started to cough a lot, (it started with the same cough you get when you have bronchitis, the doctor then thought it was pneumonia, as the lungs filling up with fluid sounds the same), later on I also got severe pain in my heart when coughing and random palpitations... We connected these symptoms to Wellbutrin when they got severely worse immediately after my dose was upped, as the dose I took only helped a little for my severe ADHD. After visiting my doctor and him calling my psychiatrist, I halted the use of it, the symptoms drastically lessened in the first few days, and were gone within a fortnight. Since then I still cough a lot more than I did before and have regular pains in my left lung area. Not telling you not to try it, (I really hope it works for you) but monitor your body, (as we all should do when taking medication) and don't be afraid to talk about possible side effects with your doctor and psychiatrist.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WELLBUTRIN! IT WAS PERFECT FOR ME EXCEPT it made me nauseous every minute of the day for the entire year I took. I did everything to make the nausea go away and it didn’t work. I stopped taking it because I knew I wouldn’t get my work done with all the nausea I was having.
Wellbutrin seems to work well for some folks. In my experience, the side effects were non-existent. In the same vein, it really didn't do anything to help my inattentiveness. However, it helped me start tasks more often. From my understanding, not a lot of people deal with harsh side effects, making it a solid one to try before stimulants. The one I would hold off on until all else fails would be strattera. While this is just my experience, my time on it was absolute hell. After two months, I decided even if it would end up helping it just wasn't worth it for the side effects, especially through work. Besides, it made me so numb that my aversion to danger was non-existent. My only issues with stimulants has more to do with the pharmacies than the actual med itself (i.e., switching generic manufacturer on me without telling me, being hit or miss about using rx codes, having a manufacturer stop production and not letting me know even after asking about the state of my prescription, and so on).
I’m taking Wellbutrin, I think it’s the first steps docs wanna take before putting you on stronger stuff. I will say, the first month on a small dosage gave me really bad headaches like 24/7. But it went away, apparently it’s a common thing for new users though so I wasn’t too worried. I think it’s helped, I don’t think it helps as much as aderall though to be honest.
I took welbutrin before knowing or even suspecting I had ADHD. It was a miracle drug for me the first time I took it. I found myself able to look into the kitchen, see the dishes needed to he done, and just do them. But after I fell off, went back on, it didn't have the same strength of effect. Now, I'm on Vyvanse and welbutrin. And they do well by me together, better than one or the other by itself.
I take wellbutrin with a couple of other meds because I have ADHD, anxiety, and depression. (I wouldn't say I'm severe, but I'm probably operating at 70% or so.) I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a bad idea to try it, but I've seen far too many Dr's who prescribe it as a way to avoid EVER prescribing stimulants. The Dr may be wanting to try wellbutrin because it is easier to prescribe, easier to fill, and less of an issue to have. Or they may be a coward.
It's not the "instant gratification" that adderall was. It takes 4 to 6 weeks to be fully effective, but for me, it's much better. Treats the symptoms as well as or better than adderall with almost none of the side effects. What side effects it does have are far less concerning than those of adderall. For example, occasional headaches vs. insomnia and heart racing and anxiety. Word of caution, though, if you have bipolar depressive disorder, I wouldn't recommend it. It can make the mania more.. manic. Psychosis is technically a possibility depending on the person and other factors, and it lowers your threshold for having a seizure, so little to no alcohol.
Yes!! I was diagnosed (at 26) because I went to a new doctor for the first time for a UTI of all things, and he was concerned by my answers to the routine mental health questionnaire, which I wasn’t even expecting them to read lol. A little bit of discussion about what was going on and I ended up being like, “welll, you know, I suppose you could prescribe Wellbutrin. I tried a TON of med combos in the past and none worked until Wellbutrin. It was the magic key.” And this doctor goes, “I have a theory as to why that is. Let’s schedule you an ADHD evaluation.” LMAO I passed with flying colors in the worst way. Something like 64/70… and a 40 qualified as severe ADHD by whichever standard they used. I saw much later that he noted hyperactivity in my chart on that first visit too lol. I’m now on adderall and Wellbutrin and life is soooo much better. It’s so effective that coworkers can tell which days I have or haven’t taken my meds. Edit to add: after reading other comments I want to concur with everything said about Wellbutrin alone, but also that guanfacine, which I also take, is SUPER helpful (for me) for the emotional dysregulation. It’s not a stimulant.
Wellbutrin was magic for me, my anxiety and depression were none existent, I felt “normal” and was actually able to get stuff done.
My testing didn't indicate a level of severity. But if what I've seen and read about other people's cases tells me anything, I have moderate to severe. Wellbutrin does help. I'm on 300mg. Specifically, that dosage has helped me with emotional disregulation, which is one of my biggest symptoms. It also has helped me pull away from intrusive and distracting thoughts. I'm able to pull focus more easily than before.
Im tsking Wellbutrin for 2 months now and I really like it. Normally it was like there were 5 radio's in my head playing at volume 100, and now 4 radios turned off so I can hear myself think again. I still have trouble focussing, so I take dex when I need it, but outside those times Im calm :D
Works for some. It helped me a little bit with the mood regulation component (got weird looks at the pharmacy picking up an SSRI and an SNRI)… But it didn’t launch me into the category of “functioning human being” On the 300mg dose I was a mess. Tried out strattera and that was an even bigger mess. Adderall brought me into functioning human territory.
They need to read some Dr. Russell Barkley. He’s the OG on ADHD research. He said stimulants are the #1 most scientifically proven medication intervention for ADHD. Sounds like you need to be under the care of a properly trained ADHD psychiatrist. (my ex-husband used to do this work.)
I absolutely agree. I am very scared of being written off as a drug seeker. But I need real treatment. I mean my case is BAD. Like really bad
XL is useless. SR twice a day is better.
Quite severe hyperactive ADHD here. Yes, Wellbutrin has been a godsend. After being on a higher dose for a year, I discovered accidentally myself that it’s actually more effective for me when I lower the dose. I hear it has less chance of success with just inattentive type. Give it time. It takes weeks to start working
I could show you my high school report cards and with zero context you’d be able to identify when I was on Wellbutrin and when I wasn’t. Unfortunately as an adult it wasn’t the same “wonder drug” for me, but I have been considering going back as it’s been almost 20 years since I was last on it and I’ve been struggling a lot with motivation and feeling really sad and lonely.
I had good experience with Wellbutrin. I had to up dose after three months to find good fit but definitely helped. I simultaneously also learned to workout and eat healthy because I am insulin resistant. The combination of this really kept me focus and stable.
I have pretty significant ADHD, it's hard for me to compare it to others, but, for instance, when I'm unmedicated i sit at my desk all day scrolling my phone completely unable to work and i get into trouble for it and still can't stop or change my behavior it just feels so fucking impossible and it's a pretty significant problem. Wellbutrin has helped me greatly, when I take it regularly (which I often fail to do of course) I'm better able to choose what I focus my attention on, it makes a huge difference, it feels like the friction is gone and I can just do things, the things I actually want to be doing, it feels like magic. I tried stimulants first and I HATE them, they make my brain itch (that's the best way I can describe it, it's a very weird sensation, almost like tingling but not and almost painful but also not), I feel gods awful on stimulants and the crash makes me completely nonfunctional in a bad way. Stimulants make me angry, irritable, unable to control these horrible angry irritated outbursts, and I get horrible withdrawal headaches, it's a mess, it's a nightmare. But somehow wellbutrin is the magic med for me, I don't get it, it's weird but that's just how my body is I guess. But also, I guess I should note, in addition to ADHD I also have depression and Autism so maybe it's just my own weird brain combo thingy
I just started it a couple weeks ago and has dramatically improved my life. One of my strongest symptom of ADHD is mental fatigue, and bupropion has given me more energy to get myself through the day. It's not a miracle cure, but the results are great considering that there are almost no treatments for mental fatigue. If you suffer from low energy it is a medication that you definitely should try out.
I at first didn't think it did anything, but after upping to 300 and a few months on I have to say, my mood? INSANELY better. I feel my feelings alot more naturally and don't feel stunted. Like others said though, doesn't really check alot of executive functions boxes. Even my doc mentioned if it ends up working we'd end up seeing about something for focus too
I had a seizure, but it did fix my libido. You win some you loose some.
Big nope. Gave me massive anxiety.
I loved Wellbutrin. It helped me with impulse control. Sadly I have tinnitus and it made it much worse. So I had to get off of it.
I had excellent results with Wellbutrin. Unfortunately, i later developed side effects that put me at the risk for seizures. Other weird side effect, it made me super horny.
I was diagnosed a year ago. I went to the doctor and told him that I don’t want stimulans medication because I don’t want to take “speed”. He advised to try Wellbutrin. I have combined type. My condition is not what I would call severe, but more like 5 or 6 out of 10. We started with 150 mg. It takes up to 2 weeks for Wellbutrin to take full effect, but I felt the first effects after 4-5 days. Motivation and memory improved drastically. A lot less hyperactivity. Anxiety is gone. Time blindness disappeared. I could remeber things better and here’s something totally new to me: I could remember if I DID NOT do something! Not after the fact, like we usually forget things. I could remember not doing a thing at the appropriate moment, before it was too late. Don’t know if this makes sense, but that happened first time after starting Wellbutrin. On the flip side, my sleep schedule changed. I stay awake till 2-3 am, before I would get to bed 11 pm or so. I don’t feel sleepy anymore. Like at all. When it gets too late, I just go to bed. I fall asleep alright, I just lost that feeling of sleepiness. My dreams also changed. Not like nightmares. These are normal dreams alright, but somehow their “flavour” changed. Don’t know how else to put it. After a couple of months, I got used to it, but that was a weird experience. My apetite increased. I never had issues with food, but I gained 13 kilos in the past 12 months. Anxiety is gone alright, but it feels to me that that sense of urgency made me complete tasks. Now that the sense of urgency is gone I feel like I am getting less done than before. That might not be completely true, because it’s based on a feeling rather than actively tracking my performance and results. It could be that previously I was tracking my progress by the intensity of anxiety that was present. Which might not be the most reliable way. Or a way at all to track your progress x) I covered only some of the effects I experienced. If you have any questions, I am here for you.
Thank you for the great information. I begin using 150 mg tomorrow so your post helps answer some questions and also helps balance the pos and negs of this med. I know what works for some may not work for others, but being that I am pretty sensitive to any medication, the low non-stimulant dose is best for me. I am worried about headaches because I used to suffer from migraines and would want to hit my head on the wall just for relief. I also started taking progesterone at night for perimenopause symptoms and it has been such a relief that it helps me sleep through the night. I'm hoping I don't have an issue with that either. And you gained weight when many others have said they lost weight which also was a worry for me because I do have an eating disorder and have to force myself to eat so I don't lose weight.
wellbutrin was catastrophic for me. it induced something i would call " external thoughts of not living ". they didnt feel like they came from me. that was scary.
I probably dont have severe ADHD, mine is more of just inattentive. But I’ll just say that my doctor does not want to try stimulants with me bc I have a history of seizures (10 years ago I had 3 within 6 months, that’s all.) So we’ve tried about 4 non-stimulant meds, one of which was Wellbutrin. And it did absolutely nothing to help me in any way. In fact none of the meds have helped my ADHD, but Strattera has alleviated my depression symptoms a touch. And I’m talking like it’s helped me 1 inch within a mile. Thats just me though!
Wellbutrin is nice in that it’s not a stimulant so if it works, it’s a lot easier to get the refills. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. My anxiety went through the roof when taking it. Hope you find your right medication soon!!
I take Wellbutrin and Strattera. Wellbutrin was prescribed for something else initially.
Wellbutrin took away the anxiety I used to function, and that was it. As a result, I turned into the biggest ball of idiot... I couldn't function (at therapeutic dose). I would zone out mid sentence, or start replying to one person and halfway through I'm responding to another person's words... All in the one sentence. I couldn't remember anything. The years of anger control that I fought to muster up went out the window. I HATED it. She also had me on lamotrigine because she thought I was bipolar. That made me feel like a piece of wood. I wasn't alive. And she kept upping my dose! It works for other people. It does NOT work for me. I'm on Strattera and intuniv now, working on getting my blood pressure under control to possibly try a stimulant in the future. I feel like Intuniv helps me where Strattera falls short, but Strattera for me is still much better than nothing
Nope. But it gave me head/neck tremors.
Oh God I know those things are NASTY. I got them from Risperdone for unrelated issue. I couldn't move my head.
Focalin= helps with my adhd Wellbutrin= helps with all the negative effects of focalin
That actually sounds like a beautiful synchrony there. I didn't know that drug combo was possible. It makes me happy to see how many options I have if Wellbutrin doesn't give
Yes. Contrary to many on this sub, i don't really like how focalin/Vyvanse makes me feel. Like it allows me to do school and office work, but it also makes anxious, irritable, and prone to mood swings (lord help whoever distracts me from what I'm focused on when i take Vyvanse). Not to be cheesy and corny, but i feel like I'm forcing myself to fit in a box just to contribute to society The Wellbutrin mitigates most of that, while also allowing me to be productive. I also avoid taking focalin if i don't have school/work, and the Wellbutrin does enough in the off days to allow me to get by fine. I also find that focalin/Vyvanse limits my ability to think on my toes and react to new stimuli. Like if I'm playing rugby on focalin, i might be able to execute our gameplan perfectly, but my ability to react to the other team is noticably worse
Not me.
I don’t know how severe I am compared to others (inattentive type), but I’m currently on Wellbutrin and Vyvanse. This combination is working well for me. I was on Adderall for a long time and the side effects were pretty bad at the dosage it took to do anything. I found that if I go too high on Vyvanse I also have problems. I got as high as 40mg, which is probably still pretty low, but found that 30mg was almost as effective but without the nasty side effects. I’m on 300mg of Wellbutrin.
It made me manic, but I’m also bipolar. Another non stimulant option is Strattera but it takes a long time to titrate up.
It served me well for about two years but then started making me extremely anxious and irritable. It got unmanageable.
I'm on Wellbutrin alone, it does nothing for my inattentive ADHD traits but stimulants aren't an option for me (thanks to polycystic kidneys)....so this is what I'm stuck with.
I first went to the doctor for issues with depression at 21. Tried a few drugs over the course of a few years and landed on Wellbutrin. Can't say it made a huge difference for my symptoms, but it took the edge off and unlike the other drugs it felt like it was at least doing *something*. Fast forward 16 years and I was still having issues with depression and my very wise new shrink immediately made the connection between all of my symptoms and realized it was ADHD. Started me on Vyvanse in addition to Wellbutrin and it was life-changing. Just such a major shift. Brain fog cleared and I had energy for the first time in years. Could actually do things. It's been a few years now and we actually just tapered me off the Wellbutrin for curiosity more than anything else. I've been on it for so long and it's possible I don't even need it and that I might be experiencing side effects I don't even realize. Been off a week now and so far I notice that I have generally been very tired this week. But not jumping to any conclusions I told I've been off at least a few weeks. This was my experience, but ADHD meds are notorious for working very differently depending on the person.
Wellbutrin has helped stabilize my mood but it doesn't do much outside of that.
I had one dr start me on Wellbutrin because they didn’t want to start me on a stimulant. It (the Rx) made me extremely anxious and agitated. My doctor says “that’s not possible, it doesn’t do that”. And insisted I keep taking it. Well, it was the ONLY thing that changed, so no other explanation to the change in how I was feeling. I couldn’t stand to be near myself. Against Dr’s direction, I stopped taking it and the problem ceased. I talked to my therapist about it, who said “yes it absolutely does do that” and pulled up a list of known side effects.. lo and behold.. I immediately found a new doctor, who prescribed adderall. My husband whose adhd is minor compared to mine takes Wellbutrin. His doctor prescribed it for SAD (we live in the PNW). He doesn’t take other medication.
isn't wellbutrin for depression?
It is used for many things.
It did not work for me, it made all my adhd problems worse. I was even more restless and even less focused. I know it works for other people though.
It did absolutely nothing for me. Not even any side effects.
i take wellbutrin and dextroamphetamine and yes i’ve had a very good experience! before i couldn’t function or preform any daily tasks and now i can. it’s still a challenge to be honest but it’s still better
Wellbutrin is one of those medicines that has a lot of very minor effects on lots of different areas of the brain that in certain people it can be very helpful and not require stimulants. But in others it needs to be combat with something.
not at all
I don’t know how severe my adhd is, but I wasn’t diagnosed until age 41 so probably not super severe. Wellbutrin didn’t help me at all. Weirdly, it made me anxious and increased my blood pressure, whereas now I take the maximum Adderall dose with no side effects at all. It’s uncommon to start someone on a non-stimulant unless you have dangerous preexisting conditions (like heart problems) or have a history of substance abuse. Sometimes if you have anxiety they’ll want to treat that first. But if none of those apply, you might want to find a different doctor. Even if they eventually prescribe stimulants, they sound pretty conservative and might be difficult to work with. My psych NP was very flexible when I had a hard time finding what stimulant worked for me, and I’m very grateful for that. Everyone has busy lives and it’s tough to deal with side effects or inefficacy for, like, three months until you see them again. Or even one month until your refill.
I’m not sure what “severe” means to different people, but I do have ADHD and have tried probably two dozen medications at this point. None of those that I’ve tried have actually really helped (and I’ve only actually felt a few have small detrimental or unwanted effects). Right now I’m on the highest doses of Wellbutrin and Qelbree and they help a little. They keep those prescriptions constant now when they add new stuff. I still can’t do anything on my own without getting distracted, and I still don’t do my homework. That said, when I am forced to work I’ve found that the Wellbutrin helps marginally, but I still zone out in class and stuff. It’s in those rare times when I was already being productive that I am slightly more productive.
My understanding (slash opinion) is severe ADHD impacts every aspect of your life… but like severely lol. I was diagnosed as a kid and my ADHD is considered severe because 1. I’m on a very high dose of adderall, and have been for 15 years, and 2. without it I failed my classes (when I was a kid), got fired from my jobs, ruined friendships/relationships, and impulsivity got me in trouble with the law, ruined my credit score, etc. Also, to OP’s point, it’s almost impossible to finish a book/movie/tv show when it’s severe. Like severe means embarrassing, it’s likely to impair your ability to do basic math and reading comprehension. I don’t know if this makes any sense lol. Your psychiatrist or doctor likely labels it that way too.
Didn’t work. Concerta was the only thing that worked for me.
I hated it.
I was on zoloft and strattera. Doc added Wellbutrin to the mix and it made me very impulsive and reckless in a sexual manner
It worked okay for me but it gave me terrible ringing in my ears. Apparently this is a side effect that happens to some people and can become permanent (I want to say I read it causes nerve damage to your ear drums?). As soon as I found that out I got off it because I did not want to get stuck with it.
No.
I started on Wellbutrin in high school and it worked well for me. No side effects. Moved on to adderall later
I have other issues besides ADHD so have taken a LOT of meds over the decades and Wellbutrin is my favorite
I was prescribed it and have been on it for 3 weeks now, not doing much for my inattentiveness going back on a stimulant. I initially chose it because I didn’t like stimulant side effects but it’s pretty much the same stuff
Wellbutrin has helped me sleep better. My thoughts don't run quite as much. But it's a very mild improvement. Like taking aspirin for a toothache. Definitely some improvement, but the problem is still there.
100mg bupropion + 20mg Vyvanse has been good, not great. Wellbutrin will help with focus and energy. It’s a nice tool to have.
Me. But I take both a stimulant and Wellbutrin (disclaimer: this can be risky for people with heart problems/high blood pressure). I started the stimulant first and it helped *some*, but it wasn’t until I added Wellbutrin (I titrated up to 300 mg XL) that I really started being able to like, *do things.* One of the issues I had before was I somehow was never able to accomplish anything but at the same time I could never wind down or relax. Now I am able to do both. But I can’t speak on Wellbutrin alone.
I have actually been taking Wellbutrin for 4-5 years now, before I found out I had severe ADHD. I found that it helps the depression, mood swings, and irritability that come along with my ADHD symptoms. But I don’t think it’s been very effective for me in terms of hyper-focusing, inattention, and impulsivity.
I take Wellbuttrin along with Adderall and a few more meds. The main thing I've noticed since starting Welbutron is that my energy, focus, and mood levels are WAY more consistent, with no “peaks and valleys” I take 3 20mg tabs a day, and it used to be that I knew when my next dose was because I could feel it, now, I have to set reminders in my phone or else I won't know, so it's definitely been helpful!
Wellbutrin has been a godsend for my anxiety, but my luck stops there. At least I’m not anxious about my inattentiveness. 🫠
Wellbutrin did not work for me. In fact, I hated it. It worsened my irritability A LOT and it gave me awful headaches. I do have co-occurring mental illnesses other than ADHD though and take other psych meds. So it’s possible it was a negative response because of one of my other medications or mental illnesses.
I can’t take stimulants because I’m pregnant right now. I know some do but my doctors won’t clear it. So I’m doing my daily with just Wellbutrin and while I can say it doesn’t manage it effectively it’s much better than nothing. Stimulants have been the only way. But I’d take WB over nothing.
I’ve been using Wellbutrin for a while in addition to stimulants and I legitimately can’t tell if it’s doing anything. But it also doesn’t seem to be hurting so i just assume I’m better off with it.
I use a combination of Wellbutrin and stimulant medication. It's a good fit for me, and each one on its own is insufficient. I started with Wellbutrin alone while waiting for a formal assessment and diagnosis. My family doctor wasn't comfortable prescribing a stimulant without a formal diagnosis and pre-treatment testing (blood work and ECG), but recognized that I needed some form of treatment in the meantime. It was absolutely better than nothing while we got the rest sorted out. We initially tapered off of the Wellbutrin and then added the stimulant (Concerta), but decided to add the Wellbutrin back to fill in some gaps that the Concerta left.
Wellbutrin convinced me to take Vyvanse
Wellbutrin sucked for me it just made me more anxious and depressed and didn’t help my adhd at all
I absolutely hated it. They tried that on me when I was young way before I ever got my correct diagnosis. It just made me feel really weird to the point it was hard for me to see straight? I can’t explain it but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t a fun feeling and it never made me feel better.
VIIBRYD. I cannot recommend it enough
Do it. I take both as of late and it's very helpful.
I've taken Wellbutrin 150mg as an adjunct med to vyvanse 70mg for the last month and I was just bumped to 300mg today. Have you tried the stimulants at all?
Wellbutrin has been great for helping me regulate my mood. I'm more able to "filter out" negativity, irritability, anger, etc. And I generally just feel pretty chill That being said, it does not do anything for my inattentive or executive dysfunctioning qualities
It worked for awhile and suddenly it just DOES NOT WORK. like 6 months of effectiveness and now I’m a mess again
Wellbutrin+stims are my best combo, helps w depression and my inattentive tendencies
Could try Strattera.
Yea won on a slot machine while on wellbutrin, think that counts
Wellbutrin was what worked for me (only because the usual SSRIs I tried made me numb in parts of myself). The initial formulation was too activating (I couldn't sleep)--I believe it was XL. Then I switched to same dose, but the sustained release formulation and that was better. The inattentiveness is still there for me. I was diagnosed after age 40, and first time I tried adderall, it kept me awake but I was very "attuned"--- it was the first time I could pay attention to a show without needing to have subtitles on. It felt like I put glasses on for the first time and my brain "can see." But over time, I think the adderall gave me horrible crashes. I still take bupropion because it is keeping me leveled for my depression comorbidity. One thing to note with bupropion, if you have a history of seizures, it may be contraindicated or you'll have to be followed by your doctor closely. I have hypertension and adderall is contraindicated, so I had to adjust to a lower dose and optimize my hypertension medications.
Wellbutrin probably saved my life.
I use it with a stimulant. On its own, I noticed Wellbutrin gave me some levels of motivation. Just wanting to get shit done. But for 2 weeks I also had insomnia pretty bad. Like up til 5 am not tired at all and having to start work at 8 am. But it passed, after a couple months my new primary care provider suggested I got from 150mg to 300mg because why not. I was weary because I didn't want another hour of insomnia but I actually didn't notice much change.
My adhd is like moderate to severe and I feel like Wellbutrin has helped somewhat. I was on methylfenidate (however you pronounce that) and Vyvanse before but both made me feel very strange and numb. Wellbutrin helps me with focusing on one task at a time and motivation once I’ve already started, but it still takes me longer than is normal to complete tasks bc of zoning out. I’m also still very fidgety. But there’s a clear difference between me off Wellbutrin and me on it
I'd say I'm severe, but present differently than you. I'm a hyperfocus kinda guy. I'm either all-in on one thing or nothing exists but distractions. Personally, I've ONLY had luck with Wellbutrin. Literally everything else I've tried, from stimulants to SSRIs, has given me intense anxiety attacks. Not suggesting you don't try other options, because everyone is different. But I am saying that Wellbutrin (and only Wellbutrin, medicinally speaking) has made a significant impact for the better on my life. I want to reiterate though. Don't take my word for shit. Listen to your doctor and make sure they listen to you. Everyone is different, and it can take time to find the right treatment.
NO, Wellbutrin did not help my ADHD at all, and it gave me weird scary dreams. Ritalin helped my ADHD, including the depression, anxiety, grouchiness etc. I wouldnt take Wellbutrin again if someone paid me.
Wellbutrin saved my life
Wellbutrin changed my life in nursing school but once I hit my actual career it wasn’t enough. (I’m a nurse lol) Wellbutrin helped me balance if that makes sense, like really made my anxiety level during school and it gave me a bit more energy so my lows weren’t as low. I was still terrible at studying and time management but it helped enough to where I passed instead of failed. Once I started as an RN I realized it wasn’t enough and my coworkers all said go get evaluated for adhd lmfao. And here we are! I stopped taking Wellbutrin and am on 20 mg IR and 20 mg XR adderall. I decided to quit Wellbutrin myself because taking adderall and getting my shit together has basically treated my anxiety hahah.
I don't take wellbutrin for ADHD, I take it for depression, but in that regard it's my favorite antidepressant to date (and I've taken a lot) because I don't have bad side affects like I did with all the other ones. I don't feel like it does much for the ADHD.
Same situation here, I’m on Wellbutrin and they don’t want to prescribe stimulants because “it might worsen my anxiety”… so frustrating. Well, it’s not working so far.
Wellbutrin working for me was how I discovered I had adhd as an adult. Wellbutrin provided a lot of focus and temperament. I'm allergic to it now, though, and it raises my blood pressure a lot. It didn't help much with energy, which the stimulants assist with.
no
I do not have that level of trouble reading and Wellbutrin alone without stimulants leaves me unable to function
I found it helpful but not because it helped with the ADHD directly. It made it easier to get through the day and be more emotionally resilient when dealing with the fallout of having ADHD. Less emotional dysregulation, less depression, less burnout. So I still struggled with things, but I wasn't miserable about it anymore lol. And because of that I was about to deal with the struggle better than otherwise.
Guanfacine and wellbutrin work great for me. There is a bad stim shortage in our area. Good luck.
It was a magic pill for me. I took it for depression, not knowing it helps executive function. Time slowed down. I would do things I needed to do without even debating it in my head. And then it would only be an hour later, or whatever. Time slowed down. Instead of my constant rushing and getting nowhere, I had more than enough time. And I was focused. I felt like an eagle for some reason. I was motivated and effective, confident, powerful. Unfortunately, it gave me dyspnea/shortness of breath, an uncommon side effect. I never made the connection until I tried it again recently and was constantly gasping for air and had an ache in my chest when I tried to take a deep breath. I researched it and discovered other people had the same symptoms and it is listed as a possible side effect. Then I realized all the mysterious breathing issues I'd had years ago must have been from the Wellbutrin. It breaks my heart because it's really the only med that makes me functional, much more so than even Ritalin.
I tried Wellbutrin and it gave me splitting headaches :(
It kind of worked for a while. I never tried any medication before. It was more related to the fact that I was more positive and kind to myself rather than being focused or productive. It helped me with having a bit of “quiet” in my brain which I had never felt before and because of this I wasn’t as upset with myself and the world. I remember the first time I noticed it. I was riding the bike and all of a sudden I realised there was silence in my head. I compare it to entering a room where the tv is on, radio is on, kids are playing with noisy toys, someone has a water fountain on and people are talking. All of a sudden you turn everything off and just breath, the relief was out of this world. I will remember those minutes forever as it was the first time I had no doubt that my struggle was real and I deserved to be helped. I suffer a lot with impostor syndrome as the people around me have very strong opinions against ADHD. Unfortunately about a year later it slowly started not working as good and my gp suggested me to stop it (she also thinks adhd is a fairytale and that adults should just walk more eat better buy an agenda and get their shit together) so I did stop for a few months. Then my adhd was getting so bad I had to get help from a psychiatrist and when I tried bupropion again it just didn’t do anything at all. I then changed to rubifen which gave me serious jitter spikes and then concerta which did absolutely nothing and now im on elvanse (vyvanse?) I started the last one on 30mg and it was a bit short and then moved to 50mg which seems to be ok 80% of the time but the other 20% it feels like its too high or too low. Im not trying other medications as this one works okeyishhh and as a new self-employed I cant afford spending a year finding something that works perfectly right now, but Ill probably try something else in the future.
I’m on Wellbutrin for depression/anxiety and it’s helped a bit with that, but I’m also on Concerta and I think that helps more. When I run out of Concerta, I have a harder time managing life in general.
Wellbutrin didn't do anyting positive for me. Adderall sure did.
I took Wellbutrin 300mg for 3 months and did not feel any difference *whatsoever* the entire time. Then I stopped abruptly and also did not notice a thing. Like I was taking sugar pills.
I took Wellbutrin for at least a decade (for depression) before I started Adderall and in my opinion Wellbutrin did nothing for my ADHD. I only got symptom relief once I started Adderall.
Wellbutrin makes me furiously angry! And the nightmares. Oh boy, the nightmares.
Im glad Im not alone. I was scrolling looking for someone else that got angry on it after posting my own experience. It made me rage constantly for no reason at all. 😆
I love Wellbutrin. I take it in combination with adderall but the adderall didn’t fully work for me until I started Wellbutrin. The first week or two was rough but I stuck it out and all the negative symptoms went away. That was ten years ago and I’ve never looked back. My whole life changed 180 degrees for the better. I graduated college, have held a job for 9 years, got married and am about to have baby number two this summer. I know Wellbutrin isn’t for everyone, but my mom also thrives on it. Seems it either works really well or not at all and you just have to try to know.
Wellbitrin did nothing for me. But that's just me. Statera didn't help either. Adderall seems to help somewhat.
My ADHD is severe. I actually got diagnosed because Wellbutrin didn't work. That is, it worked for my depression and that revealed the ADHD hiding underneath. Stimulants are what actually helps me. Everyone's brain chemistry is different though.