Wellbutrin and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2021

For Depression "I have found Wellbutrin to be the best for me. I've tried Zoloft, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Adderall, Vyvanse, Prozac, and Strattera. These others made me too agitated or too zombie-like. No dry mouth, no jaw clenching, no yawning, no RLS, no anxiousness, no headaches with Wellbutrin/Bupropion. Feel uplifted, more my old self, laugh and love easier, and anxiety a bit better. Less achy too! My long-term memory has even improved. I don't mind the vivid dreams, kind of fun. I do have some side effects which make me wish and plead for a lower dosage to be available. I'm taking 150 XL here in the USA. I really wish they'd make a 75 XL for sensitive types like me. I often get into a hyperfocus mode with this dosage of Wellbutrin. I can get a ton of reading done, internet research, etc., but then procrastinate things of higher priority. Please, manufacturers, please offer 75 XL as well. I think you'd be helping a ton of people."

• Los...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 24, 2016

For Depression "Started post-breakup. Happy now, don't credit meds, but still take WB and never want to stop (unlike Clonaz. and Desipr.) because of other reasons to take. Lost weight, gained energy, desire to be social. Now only anxiety and IBS; the WB counters some sexual side effects of other meds. NOT a morning person, but 450 SR (12hr) right before sleep (RIGHT before or insomnia) = hop out of bed at alarm. If I take 450 in the morning, easy to resist food. Wish I could have both, but splitting dosage or taking XL (24hr) doesn't work. 167 lbs 6 years ago at start, down to 125. 3 years of 130 lbs but built-up tolerance, so then 150 lbs 2 years ago. Took at night for months, then back to morning, and now 1 year 135 lbs. 450 mg is max. New doctor: split time night and morning. But that would defeat half its purpose."

• Rob...
• September 1, 2022

"By far the best antidepressant I've ever tried. The other two were Lexapro and Zoloft. Both left me foggy, and I always felt a bit disconnected from the flow of things, especially socially. Started Wellbutrin, and literally within a couple of days, felt amazing. The first thing I noticed was this excited feeling of wanting to jump out of bed to start the morning. Super motivated to get stuff done, following through on projects. Dancing to music while cleaning the house type of stuff. And it lasted all day. Life changing. Find the right dose for you. It works pretty quickly once dialed in. Note: Before starting Wellbutrin, I had what I would call moderate depression (of the unproductive and slow-moving kind) and a bit of social anxiety. I did have panic attacks, and sometimes I was agitated for no reason. I give Wellbutrin an A+ with gold stars. 10/10."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "Was put on this after I went to the psych ward for suicidal thoughts and general depression. Before this, I was on Prozac for 3 weeks, stopped taking it due to increased anxiety and extreme binge eating that I never had before. After that, my doc switched me to 20 mg Celexa. Took that on and off for over a year... it helped slightly with anxiety but quickly became as effective as taking sugar pills. I started on the generic SR, 2 a day, and with that, I had slight ringing in the ears, some random panicky feelings. But my mood had improved tremendously, plus my sex drive went way up after just 1 day! My appetite control is great. On 300 mg XL generic now, and side effects are subsiding. Had worries about seizures, but that's rare. 0.3% incidence."

• dpr...
• April 21, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "I’ve suffered from pretty severe major depressive disorder and anxiety since I can remember, diagnosed since I was 18 (now 25). Tried Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Lexapro, and none really helped me escape the deep hurt I felt 24/7. About 16 months ago, I started taking this drug, building up to 300 mg XL over a 2-week time span. That was a pretty horrific time if I’m being honest - manic, crawling out of my own skin, couldn’t sleep at all. But then my doctor added 100 mg of Seroquel at night for my sleep. Over the next 3 months, I felt myself lift out of the darkness a little. She also added an anti-anxiety (Klonopin). Wellbutrin didn’t solve my depression, but it definitely did help save my life. If you’re just trying it out for the first time, try to get past the bad side effects in the beginning if you can. It’s been worth it for me anyways. Long-term side effects have been anxiety, reduced appetite, memory loss, restlessness, nausea, and some confusion/disorientation."

• Cma...
• December 3, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have been taking this medication for about 2 weeks now. I got prescribed it in the hospital after a fallout. I tried Prozac while in high school and had no luck with it. Then was prescribed Zoloft a few months ago and obviously didn't work, considering landing myself in the hospital. Now trying Wellbutrin. Even though I have just started it, I'd say that I do see some positive effects in it. I have more motivation and am trying to do better for myself. But I do have some side effects including really bad headaches, ringing in ears, insomnia, dizziness at times, with nausea. I also have noticed that taking Excedrin to suppress the headaches doesn't help but makes my anxiety increase. Don't take a dose late either as that just increases mood swings."

• JC2...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was prescribed Wellbutrin 2x a day after Celexa stopped working after being on it 5 years. Within a few days of taking the Wellbutrin, my anxiety was back, and depression was worse. Had trouble staying asleep because my mind was constantly racing. Definitely did not work for me."

• Ter...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 24, 2022

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have taken Wellbutrin twice before and started it again. YOU NEED TO GIVE IT TIME TO WORK!!! People come in here after 3-4 days and have expected a miracle. Your body is getting used to it and will have some side effects at first. THEY GO AWAY!!!! For my first time, I had to get off of it due to breastfeeding, but on it, I felt happier and don’t have anxiety, etc., with it. It was easy to get on as well. My second time, I was happier, pretty much no anxiety, and lost 15 lbs. I don’t remember why I got off it. I had to beg my doctor to put me on it, and he wouldn’t, so I simply found another doctor who listened to me. It’s the best choice for me. I have depression and horrible anxiety. I quit two jobs due to the anxiety. This is my miracle med. We are all different though, but don’t give up so easily. It works! And an added bonus is some weight loss..."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2017

For Depression "This medication really blows. It is like I'm not even on anything. If anything, it makes me irritable and jumpy. I am taking 150 mg 2x a day. I switched to this from Celexa because Celexa was making me extremely forgetful, but other than that, Celexa was actually working. I have anxiety and depression, and this stuff does absolutely nothing. I'm going to my doctor Monday to switch to something else."

• Kat...
• August 20, 2021

For Depression "150 mg XR. I have low dopamine, so I thought this would be awesome for my ADHD. Wrong! The first week was AWESOME. I felt more awake, motivated, and less hungry. Cool, right? Week 2, I started getting a little irritable... maybe because I couldn’t freaking sleep! I've never had sleep issues EVER until this. By week 3, I was extremely manic. Horribly paranoid. I had racing thoughts that wouldn’t stop. I am going through a divorce, so you can imagine all I wanted to do was GO INSANE because of my hatred for this man. It was not manageable on this medication. I was so thirsty, my head felt like a balloon, extremely confused and forgetful, most awake I've ever felt, couldn’t breathe right, constipated. Went to the ER... they didn’t do ANYTHING. The medical field is an absolute joke. Also, I was BREASTFEEDING… I was told it would not affect my baby. Ha!!! As soon as I stopped the meds, she stopped crying, started sleeping again, and regular poops again."

• kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2023

For Depression "I started taking Wellbutrin because I am in a fast-paced nursing program. At first, I thought it was working well. It hit me within 30 minutes of taking it. I took it for 3 weeks, and things got worse, I felt so anxious I would cry, and I couldn’t go out because I was panicking so badly. I started to get really bad insomnia and really bad thoughts every second of every day. I stopped taking it, and I am better most days now. Everyone is different, and some things work for some, and for others, it does not."

• Jav...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2019

For Depression "I tried this “med,” and it did not have any effects at all. If any, it just started giving me anxiety attacks to the point I just had to stop taking it. Never worked for me."

• Anonymous
• September 11, 2011

For Depression "I have been on Wellbutrin for 2 weeks now. I am not sure if it just isn't working or if it is actually making things worse. Crying, sleepless, anxious, restless. Don't know whether I should quit taking it or not. Doctor is on vacation this week, will see him the following week. Was on Effexor for about 3 years. It worked great for me, but somehow I decided I didn't need it anymore, within a month, I realized I was wrong. Tried going back on it, but it caused horrible side effects."

• Mr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 8, 2022

For Depression "Started Wellbutrin XL 6 weeks ago after having depression and constant anxiety and bad side effects on SSRIs. The first 2 weeks I didn’t notice much or have any side effects. Week 3 my anxiety was the worst I ever experienced, and at points, I felt like I was having a heart attack. This side effect subsided after a week and left me feeling better than ever. No depression whatsoever, and my anxiety is at a normal and manageable level. I feel normal for the first time in years, this medication saved my life. It takes time to have a full effect, so be patient."

• Per...
• February 18, 2021

For Depression "I have mostly managed my depression/SADD/PTSD for years with exercise, light box, and talk therapy. My doctor and I recently agreed the lowest dose, 100 mg, of Wellbutrin would help me out of a particularly low winter. I tried 150 mg years ago for a few months. The jittery side effects made me look forward to getting off it then. However, now I have no side effects, sleep great, my focus on work is back, and find it easier to do my usual lifestyle routine to address my depression. I appreciate having Wellbutrin as a tool to use when I really need it. One caveat, I do find that if I have more than 2 drinks, the following days I get pretty down. Also, exercise + Wellbutrin = self-esteem × libido, just sayin."

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2023

For Depression "Made me more anxious and couldn’t sleep. Tried 150 mg and 75 mg. Guess I’ll have to try something else now."

• Edg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin after I had attempted suicide twice. It really didn't help me. For a while, I kind of just felt empty, and it didn't really help my mood. To be honest, it made me worse. My anxiety was at its worst, and I was still self-harming and thinking about suicide. This was definitely not for me."

• Anonymous
• December 29, 2023

For Depression "I started to take it. I can cook, exercise, but I feel worried all the time."

• Anonymous
• July 23, 2016

For Depression "I took bupropion for about two weeks, and I didn't like the side effects. I can't sleep, and with kids, it's a big no! It's been about two weeks since I stopped, and I wish I didn't. I get anxiety attacks, I want to cry! And dizziness. I will visit my doctor soon."

• Bea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 30, 2023

For Depression "I was on Wellbutrin for 3 days, and it gave me massive paranoia, anxiety, and felt like I was going crazy. When I was on a walk, I was seeing my brother's face in guys who were walking by. If you are on Wellbutrin and experience anything like this, please get off of it immediately. Everyone is different, this does work well for some. Medication is all about trial and error! They are switching me to Effexor 37.5 mg, and I’m scared, but we will see."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2021

For Depression "I suffer from low mood and anxiety. I had read about Wellbutrin in the past, but only recently my doctor recommended it. I'm quite fit, exercise, eat well, get as much sleep as I can, as I believe they are the three pillars to manage your physical and mental status. This Wellbutrin seems to be a magic pill. Day 1. Motivation increased immediately, and WANTED to do physical work at my parents' place. After that, I had terrible anxiety and depression for the rest of the day and was fatigued. Day 2. (Today) Totally motivated, fully social, no anxiety, I feel myself, getting numerous things done, but all in a controlled way. I'm 46 and have my libido back big time. I'm actually shocked. My doc said to take 1 tablet as soon as I wake up (150 mg SR) for 3 days, then switch to 2 tablets from day 4. I know this is ridiculously early to write on here, but give this med a go! (Insomnia only drawback)"

• Nam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "Even after 8 months of taking Wellbutrin 300 mg daily, Wellbutrin increased my anxiety from a 7 to a 9. Even though I'm not bipolar, I felt mean and irritable on it. It helped reduce physical symptoms of depression, such as sleep and body weakness problems, but it gave me way too much energy during the day. Now, the drug company is researching adding a cough suppressant to it. No thanks."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 3, 2021

For Depression "Best antidepressant I've ever taken, and the only one that balances out my brain chemicals while allowing me to feel like myself. I wasn't serious about taking it pre-COVID, but after the pandemic, I became very depressed. I went to my doctor who put me back on Wellbutrin, and within the first hour of taking it, it felt like a light switched on in my brain. I scoffed down my food, went home and cleaned up, submitted my job applications, and fell asleep early. The next three months with it were magical. But let me tell you, medication is NOT the only way to solve your problems. I began to relapse after 4 months because I had a lot going on. You have to make life changes. I finally did and got off of them, but I lost motivation in my interests. Just got back on them yesterday, and I feel a difference, although not as drastic as when I took it after the pandemic. I might want to increase the dosage. This drug may also increase anxiety."

• Har...
• September 6, 2016

"I was on 20 mg of Celexa for 2 years to treat anxiety (GAD) and OCD. With Celexa, I never had any side effects, and the only thing I noticed was my weight would fluctuate. My doctor suggested Wellbutrin because it was weight neutral and also could help with ADD. I tried it for 4 weeks, which I know you should give it the full 6-8 weeks, however, 4 weeks was enough. I had horrible headaches, no appetite, felt like I was strung out, up days, down days, depressions (which I have never had), horrible anxiety, no motivation, horrible ADD, and the list goes on. I told my doctor, but she urged me to continue. Finally, my hair started coming out, and I was done. This is a powerful drug, and I am sure it does wonders for people who need it, but not me."

• Lif...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2025

For Depression "Before I started taking Wellbutrin, I was very tired, stressed, had difficulty concentrating, sad, and unmotivated. Within a week of being on 150 mg a day, I felt such a tremendous positive change. I sleep better too. Now I am actually looking forward to the rest of my life instead of dreading it. I feel inspired, more disciplined, and my mood is stable. I hope this medication continues to support me as a method in my toolbox to improve the quality of my life."