I finally started my new medication, Welbutrin XL.

I. Am. Freaking. WIRED. I know it's supposed to give you more energy BUT HOLY HELL. Stuff is like legal crack. I'm starving and waiting on my food to get done cooking AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER. I'm so much more impatient than before (which I was pretty impatient to begin with.)

I know it's only been 4 days but I really, really, really hope some of the energy tapers off a bit. I've only been sleeping 6 or less hours a night since I started these and while I definitely have enough energy to get through the day, there's almost too much energy! I shouldn't be feeling so great so soon, so I'm hoping most of this is just that placebo effect, but hey, I'll take any I-Feel-GREAT days I can get.

I stayed with my mom for a few nights to make sure none of the big, bad, scary side effects hit me since I would be home alone all weekend. She was ready for me to go home this morning because I couldn't sit still. Apparently I'm too much to handle now. -fidgets relentlessly- OuO

I'm on the same medication as you, and as it's supposed to be a slow-release, you shouldn't really be feeling effects that strong only four days in... but I guess things react differently with everyone.

I, thankfully, had very few side effects, but it's made a huge difference in helping me manage my issues and feel better about life in general. Hopefully it works out for you too :)

The first day was pretty normal, although the second day I didn't feel so great. Waking up yesterday was about the same as the first, but after getting excited about being able to come home in the morning, I got super hyperactive and have been since. I guess I'm gonna clean to burn some of it off, haha.

I'm glad that they're working so well for you. I was on this before way back when in high school, but was switched after they stopped working (the doc at the time was stupid) and one of the things I liked so much about them was that the side effects are few and far between and what I do experience is sooo very tolerable. I think the worst has been the headaches, honestly.

Was your sleep really wonky at first? My sleep schedule was totally flip-flopped when I started taking these (sleeping during the day, awake at night) so I was hoping they'd straighten up my sleeping. I take them in the morning and end up going to sleep right after. I sleep GREAT, but only for 6 or less hours. I don't get tired enough the rest of the day/night, either, so taking a nap to help adjust the schedule is a no-go.

Yeah, this is the first medication I've been on and really stuck with (besides like... antibiotics or something). I didn't really notice a difference sleep-wise to be honest. I've always been kind of a night owl, so I'm usually up relatively late, and then my job lets me sleep in as well which is nice. I usually take mine right before I head out to work, or as I'm getting ready (otherwise I'll forget haha!), so I don't really have time to be tired.

Hopefully as your body gets used to it again your sleep will balance out and you'll start being able to get a couple more hours in.

I've been on a few different medications, but none of them ever worked out well for me, lol. Never was able to stick to anything, either. Welbutrin was the only one that worked well, just... Yeah, lol. I was even on a Prozac combo... WORST experience EVER. I don't remember what the other medication was in that... In fact, I don't remember much at all around that time, hahaha o-o

I'm hoping that I can take it when I wake up, instead of right before bed... Just may be a bit. I just got done doing some housework and I actually feel a bit sleepy so here's hoping I can sleep for awhile!

I so envy you. I take XL as well, for focus/sleep/energy. I am constantly exhausted. I was hoping after being prescribed for the second time that it would show some difference, and it did just a tad. Before, I had been excessively sleeping - waking up, going back to sleep, waking up and onward. Now, I'm still tired, but I don't go back to sleep. I think I'm on the highest that can be prescribed, 450mg? I notice that when I accidentally forget to take it for the day, my sleep goes completely off course and takes a week to readjust.

Christmas weekend, I had accidentally overdosed on Wellbutrin, mistaking it for two other medications I take before bed. So, I had taken 900mg. It is not fun. Luckily I made it out, after visiting the ER and being put on an Ativan IV. I was "drunk" texting (or in this case, high) my mother and finding it hilarious is a good way to recover from that experience. I was mostly sleeping through the visit, but it was immediately after Ativan dispersement because my pulse had sky-rocketed, so I had to chill. I was messed up for a good while after going home.

I do still take it, but I've got to be monitored. This is all a memory problem from an unrelated issue, so don't worry about this ever happening to you! My only side effects from the medication so far is restlessness, but not a high-energy type. Also excessive weight loss.

What time do you take it? I've been told it's best to take it in the mornings through afternoons and never before bed, so my routine is to take it first thing after waking up.

Maybe not envy me just yet. I did a little bit of housework and started to feel very exhausted so I went ahead and went to bed... Woke up in some crazy pain. All of my joints hurt and it feels like I got a rock thrown at the back of my neck. I'm also thirsty as hell. Apparently severe joint pain is one of those big and bad, scary side effects so if it doesn't ease up or gets worse I don't know what I'mma do. ;n; I really don't want to have to experiment on medications... It did really awful for me last time and frankly, I can't risk gaining another 100 pounds I can't lose. Maybe I'll get lucky and it's just the flu or something LOL

My sleep was exactly the same as yours. Always so tired. Sleep, wake up, go back to sleep, wake up... Average day, I was looking at 14-18 hours of sleep. There are many, many days, though, that I just can't sleep. (At least, before the Welbutrin so far.) Those bad days I'd get maybe, if I was lucky, no more than 4 hours every day.

That sounds horrible! D: I'm sorry you went through that. I'm glad you were able to make it to the ER, though, and get everything straightened out. Be careful! :(

Have you not considered trying another med? Have you talked to your doc? The excessive weight loss is one of those big, bad, and scary side effects. I mean, weight loss is part of the med, but it's not supposed to be excessive and fast...

I've been taking it at 9am, although my sleep was totally flip-flopped (sleeping during the day instead of at night) but after taking a nap, I think I might be able to get back on track. I guess we'll see, though. I didn't want to start taking it at night due to the off-chance that my sleep actually adjusted itself. My fiance works swing shift, though, so I'm hoping that I can stay on the same sleep schedule once I get it fixed... I don't know how in the world he does it, but I just cannot tolerate a swing shift sleep schedule lol.

I hope that it will either straighten up for you or you can get on another med soon. Sounds like you're going through a special type of hell. :(

Oh wow, joint pains?? I don't think I've had that side effect as far as I can remember. I get headaches occasionally, but I believe those are from when I sleep excessively. Dry mouth and thirstiness is something I get too, in the middle of the night. I'll wake up and just want to drink something non-stop. When that happens, I'm glad it's usually juice or water that I crave. I don't think I can count anymore how many medications I have been on in the last 4 years. Something around 12 or 13, some for different things. I did gain 100+ pounds as well. It ruined my skin more than anything. After coming off of a couple of medications known to do that, I've now lost 70 of it and more quickly after starting Wellbutrin again. It started at 10 pounds in 4 days and I felt so sick. It's slowed down, thankfully. I feel a lot better too. I hope I don't gain it back, either.

Oh yeah, definitely those hours. Sleeping over 12-14 hours a day and my family says "must be great". It's horrible. When I get on those excessive sleep streaks, my chest and lungs feel like they're on fire and makes me want to sleep even more. I don't think I've underslept ever with these symptoms.

It's totally okay! I started to panic after realizing I had swallowed the wrong meds, and it was right after I swallowed them did I realize. The thing with extended release, though, is that any overdose symptoms don't strike you very quickly or if at all, so it's not a very dangerous overdose. Unless you take a huge ton. I was freaking out about the Wellbutrin because people have been known to have seizures at the daily dose I'm at. And 900? There's no way I'm not taking my butt to the hospital. The most I felt was dizziness and light-headedness with increased heart rate.

Yes, we've talked over different medication options. I've tried different ones, didn't work. And then a lot of the medications my psych suggests are just too expensive even with insurance. Even Wellbutrin is pricey right now, but I get them in 90-day doses so the total cost would look kind of pricey. I've been on so many medications and it's just exhausting me, so I'm nearly at the point of just finding meds that make me comfortable and leave it there, like ones I take now. I had to sort of debate with my psych because she wanted to put another medication on my list. I was not having that. Not to mention said-medication is a huge weight-gaining contributor.

I sleep during the day as well. I try my best not to, because I have two furbabies to take care of. I've been thinking about finding volunteer work to keep me occupied during the day so that my sleep can kind of adjust itself.

Through hell and back, for sure. I'm glad to say I am doing so much better than I did a couple of years ago, so maybe not so hellish. 😉

I have no idea. I haven't done anything super strenuous so it shouldn't any from that. A lot of it eased up, but I'm hurting under my armpits and I'm sniffling a lot... So maybe it is just a cold/flu... I'll hope for now >_>

I was 16 when I gained 100 pounds... I'm almost 24 now and still haven't lost any of it. I'm really hoping the Welbutrin will help with that, or at least give me enough energy through the day to do some exercising. I have GOT to lose this weight. It's driving me insane and I am slowly finding less and less clothes that fit me. I'm 5'2"... Trying to find size 20/22 petite jeans is a pain in the ass.

Man. o.o Well, still, glad you made it there... And at least the experience wasn't too awful.

Do you think it necessary to be on another medication? That's pretty wild you're already on 3 and your psych wants to add on another one... Around here, that'd get one put on a list lol

Furbabies! I have 4 myself, but 3 are cats so it's not like they care when I sleep bahaha. The dog is old anyhow so he sleeps all day, too. Volunteer work would be a good idea. I've been thinking of doing that myself, too, but I think I'm just going to try to focus on housework, getting back into shape, and working on my art for now... Baby steps!!

If you ever need someone to talk to, you are welcome to message me anytime. :)

im on the same stuff but really, even months after taking it, it hasnt been very effective for me, im really envious that you have such a good reaction with it because im super terrified of changing up my medications after how many my psych pushed through me these past eight months to try and find something that worked. welbutrin was the only one that didnt give me any negative side effects or issues, but as i said it also hasnt given me any positive side effects either... u nu

I hope it clears up!

Oh wow I was 16 when I started gaining the weight. I'm 21 now and just have 30 pounds of it. The Wellbutrin may cause weight loss but also depends on if/what other medications you take. I was a size 1 when I was 15/16, and then went to a size 15 in jeans, but I'm down to 13 now. My ankles and calves used to swell when I walked, so I couldn't wear my shoes anymore, but I can now. Here's to hoping you're able to lose weight!

Antipsychotics are the meds I used to take (I have Bipolar 1), and when I came off of the one I took, that's when I started losing weight. And the last time I saw her, she wanted to put me back on a new antipsychotic for god knows what. My mood has been fairly neutral and I've had no manic episodes recently. So I denied the new medication and just told her I want to stay what I'm on.

I have my two precious girls, both dogs but puppies at heart. One will be 14 this year and the other will be 4. The four year old is the biggest puppy, you'd think she's 2 months old. I've thought about volunteer work at the local shelter but it is a kill-shelter, and I'm not sure I could handle it. I've volunteered at stables before but they abused their horses and work never gets done with all of the other volunteers being minors under 15 with no interest. I want to work so bad on my art and sell it, but I have no motivation. I was just talking about this today with my therapist and my mother mentioned it as well. Hopefully I can pick up a drive soon.

Definitely likewise. :)

Sorry! I didn't see you had responded.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I am DEFINITELY getting some ridiculous side effects now. I haven't slept in close to 30 hours, I'm nauseous as all hell, and I have a migraine that is making everything 5x worse. I feel awful.

I'm sorry that Welbutrin isn't working for you. I know having to experiment with medication can be a very scary process, but sometimes it is necessary. Are you sure you're on the correct dosage?

Nope... Nope... Has not cleared up, as stated above. ;n;

I was 135 pounds, a size 7. It was very saddening when I couldn't fit into my sexy jeans anymore. But from size 1 to 15! Keep at it! You got dis.

Ah, I see. Antipsychotics are pretty rough. Hopefully she'll let you just stay on what you are currently on if it's working out for you well... No sense in adding more medication if everything seems well!

Puppers! My kitties are 4, 3, and 2 and a half years old... The dog on the other hand is turning 9 this year, lol. He still tries to be a puppy from time to time, but he mostly lays around and sleeps wherever he pleases.

From what I understand, if you request that you don't want to be involved in any way with the... euthanization... -shudders- then they won't make you... Of course, that never helps to ease the morals, I suppose... The shelter volunteer work I used to do was at the no-kill shelter so... Never really had to get faced with that.

That's horrible! :( Those poor horses... And those dang kids need to learn some respect and discipline!

What kind of art do you do? Hoping you can find that drive soon, too! I know I need to find mine, as well xD

Ugh that sounds terrible. :( The first ever medication I started was Prozac a few years back and I had to exact same symptoms. The absolute worst headache I ever had and I was afraid to sleep because the next day after taking the first dose (the same day I got the migraine was when I started) I had woken up unbelievably dizzy and lightheaded and had no strength to stand out of bed for a few minutes.

I had lost 6 pounds before medication so I was at 114, and then I grew to 220+, and now I'm down to approximately 150 or so. I feel very great. You've got this too! 😉

Everything does seem well, but I guess to her, it could be better. Where I'm at is 200x's better than where I was, even if it's not ideal.

We do have a cat as well, but she's more my father's cat (they're inseparable). I'm not sure how old she is, but she was maybe half a year when she wondered to us, so maybe about 11 or 12 years. She's a very mellow cat and loves my father to death. She sleeps next to his head whenever he's in bed, and she's very vocal. My 14 y/o sleeps everywhere nowadays too. Both of my pups sleep in bed with me at night, but she sleeps in it most of the day. She's curled up under a blanket next to my screen as we speak.

Maybe I can try to find a no-kill shelter downtown or in a nearby town. I just know the closest one is a kill-shelter. I got my 4 y/o from there when she was 2 months (well, my friend did. I kind of adopted her from my friend). She was the only pup in her litter without an adoption pending. It broke my heart and she was the saddest looking thing. I've thought about nursing home volunteer work as well, but I was told you need to go to school for it for a couple of years. I will probably look more into it and see what the deal is.

Yes, they certainly do. I believe a couple of them were there on court orders so I could understand why.

I do a lot of acrylic painting and traditional drawing with charcoal. My sister asks for paintings often and it demotivates me to do anything else. But I love my sister and paint for her anyway. I've wanted to try watercolor and I have the paint for it, I've just never gotten around to testing it out. :P What sort of art do you do?

It is terrible. :( It's not quite the worst headache I've ever had, but it's ranking up there. Never had a migraine that contributed to nausea before, aside from hangovers... So that's a new one, lol. Ugh... Prozac... Prozac is the devil...

Wow! You've definitely made a ton of progress! c: Last I checked, I'm at 245... Soooo I got quite a ways to go. It would probably help if I didn't love friggin' coffee so much... Heheh.

Awww. She sounds like a sweetie. Our cats are super cuddly, too. They go to bed with us, sleep on our heads... Our oldest has a unicorn pillow pet he still suckles on lmao. It's the equivalent to a toddler's blanket to him. The middle cat fetches, too. The youngest one... Well, I don't really like the youngest one, to be honest LOL. She's... Kind of a bitch. o.o But, she's my fiance's cat so I guess we gooottaaa keeeppp heeerrrr... Lol. I talk bad on her but she tries, I GUESS. She can be really sweet sometimes... Sometimes.

Aw, poor sleepy pupper :o Give her a head pats for me!

Oh, it's the worst, seeing animals up for adoption and feeling your heart break for them... That's awesome you saved her, though! I'm sure she's just as pleased as you ;)

You don't have to have schooling to volunteer at a nursing home? I mean, to do CNA and other medical related stuff, yeah, but otherwise, no. I mean, volunteers can go in there and read to them, play games with them... Consider a different approach maybe?

I'd say they should know better, but kids these days, man...

Painting! That's awesome! Watercolor can be difficult, I've heard, but also that it's suuuuper fun. I'm not much of a painter... Though I wish I could be, haha. Don't have the steady hand for it, I guess.

I do clay work! Sculpting, charms, jewelry... Still learning a lot about it and currently learning how to make certain knots. It's a fairly new hobby of mine but I plan on being able to sell some of my future work soon if I can get the knot stuff down pretty well.

Ah, yeah, having people ask for stuff can get tedious and tiresome. I like Pinterest for inspiration. Even if I can't find my muse that day, I can at least get some ideas going in my head. Have you considered teaching her how to paint and draw so she can make her own art?

oh noo, that is certainly not a great situation to have hit you. :( hope that you feel better soon and that you can finally manage to get some sleep in.

i never really considered that actually, but it is possible.

Nope. :c The headache and nausea eased a bit FINALLY. I still haven't got much sleep. Slept 30 minutes in about 42 hours' time and had a rough night... Went to bed at 11pm-ish, got up at 5am, but I kept waking up.

What's ridiculous is that my body is SO exhausted but I just. Can't. Sleep.

I'm asking about the dosage thing because the first time I was ever on Welbutrin (I was 16, almost 24 now) I was put on 50mg instead of the recommended starting dose of 150mg... It worked for all of 3-ish weeks, then it felt like getting hit by a semi hauling depression and bad thoughts. I also wasn't near this hyper and didn't have ANY side effects, much like you. Might be worth asking your doc about it... Although, I have also read that Welbutrin isn't meant to treat major depressive disorder... But, I am manic depressive, so who knows?

yikes, im sorry to hear that. i know the feeling, have you considered drinking something like chamomile or a decaf nighttime tea to kind of push your body into its sleep cycle? or even melatonin if your not much of a tea or chamomile person? it might help you stay asleep long enough to hit the REM cycle. its kind of funny how the body can fight sleeping once youve been awake for so long. but i sure do hope you can find some way to help you stay asleep for longer than 30 minutes.

really? my starting (and current) dosage is 300mg, and for a while i was pretty confident it was working for me too. but then again i was coming off from a very emotional low so it was kind of convenient timing and then it got smothered by other medications at once and i couldnt be sure if it was actually doing anything at that point lol. and if its not really meant for major depressive disorders, that might factor in too. i was under the impression it was like most all other antidepressants - just milder- since thats how it was explained to me, lol so i guess that gives me a lot of places to start asking when i see my doctor again then.

Well, I finally did get some sleep... It was rough sleep, but it was sleep nonetheless. Lol. Felt a crash coming all day. I'm a little iffy on taking other meds right now since I'm only about a week into this Welbutrin. I'm on antibiotics at the moment, too, and then there's my daily vitamins so... I don't know. I'm always so afraid of messing my head up, lol. Also, hate chamomile and every time I have taken melatonin before, I don't sleep at all or it gives me nightmares and I turn into a raging asshat the next day LOL. I don't know... I don't do well on melatonin xD I'll probably be more comfortable with taking other things once this Welbutrin balances out.

Well, medications are different for every person. Like I said, I'm manic depressive, so I don't know. My manic episodes can get pretty bad and definitely scary at times. It was pretty common to have at least two breakdowns every week, lol. I haven't had once since I started this (except some really weird... low? day? I don't know what it was, but I wasn't happy... Nor did I have suicidal ideations, so... I have no idea?) I have read that some people will couple Welbutrin with other medications, though, so maybe ask your doc about that? I don't know if you'd end up getting less side effects, though...

Oh god, Prozac was just a nightmare. Thankfully I wasn't on it for too long.

You can do this!

LOL, I hear ya on keeping her. I keep telling my sister "get a beagle, your husband can't send it back". But they already have an old pup, and she's just a whole lot of love.

I might look in that direction. I was just told volunteer work involves medical care and so on.

I have a super unsteady hand so it sucks when I paint, haha. I'm hoping I can pick up watercolor fairly easily. :) My mother does a lot of bead work! She's just got loads of containers with beads and thread and wire, it's ridiculous. She makes such pretty bracelets though. I actually haven't thought about that. I know she goes to an art & wine place sometimes and she does pretty good with paintings. She doesn't have much time on her hands, so I don't know. I might consider it in the future. :)

I was on it for a month, I think. NEVER AGAIN.

I sure hope I can xD

That's pretty odd they require medical care. All of the volunteer work involving old people here, they just have you like... Read stories to them or something lol.

Good luck with the watercoloring! I'd love to get into making beads, like glass beads. I'm learning a few things with making them from clay right now, but I just know fairly simple things, like standard spheres and whatnot.

Isn't that called... Paint Nite or something? I've seen it a few times where I live, but it's so expensive to do... Or I might just be really cheap, lol.

Hey, it's worth a shot, and if anything, it can give y'all something to do together.