Wellbutrin XL and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Pur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2015

For Depression "BRAND NAME! I have been on this medication for a little over two weeks. I started off with generic 150 mg XL to 300 mg XL after a week. My insurance covers the generic for $5, but I've heard awful stories about it and ordered the brand name via the Internet for $50. Huge difference! I don't have the anxiety I had on generic, clammy hands constantly, fear, and it really didn't do much. The brand name is energetic, calming, focused, more self-motivated, and leads away from negative behaviors. This is my first day on the brand name, and I was compelled to tell my story and the difference. You can get the brand name through the Wellbutrin guarantee prescription online. Rated 9 because I am fully alert and still awake."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2015

For Depression "I used to take 75 mg 2x a day and quit. I felt like it was not working and had terrible side effects. After 6 months of not taking medications, and situations got hard to cope, I asked to be put back on. The second time around, the 75 mg had me very nervous, anxious, dizzy, and 'dopey.' The doctors said that the immediate release is harsh on your system and switched me to 150 mg XL. And just 3 days into the new dose, I do not have such harsh side effects. The only side effects I have are no appetite, dry mouth, and vivid dreams. Overall, I am no longer having obsessive negative thoughts (which triggered my anxiety), so I'm overall not as anxious or having panic attacks. I feel more motivated and energetic, but it's only 3 days in on this dose."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2015

For Depression "I used to take 75 mg 2x a day and quit. I felt like it was not working and had terrible side effects. After 6 months of not taking medications, and situations got hard to cope, I asked to be put back on. The second time around, the 75 mg had me very nervous, anxious, dizzy, and 'dopey.' The doctors said that the immediate release is harsh on your system and switched me to 150 mg XL. And just 3 days into the new dose, I do not have such harsh side effects. The only side effects I have are no appetite, dry mouth, and vivid dreams. Overall, I am no longer having obsessive negative thoughts (which triggered my anxiety), so I'm overall not as anxious or having panic attacks. I feel more motivated and energetic, but it's only 3 days in on this dose."

• Aan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I switched from Zoloft to Wellbutrin in November 2019. When I first started, I had, of course, beginning side effects from anxiety, stomach issues, appetite loss, etc. All those symptoms slowly passed, and I noticed a change in my mood, as did others. I not only have depression but anxiety as well. When I started this, my anxiety got worse, then better, then worse again. My doctor prescribed me Buspar for my anxiety, it did end up helping for a short time until recently. I had a very awful first panic attack. I decided to get off Wellbutrin as my anxiety was at an all-time high. The withdrawal symptoms are not so great, but I’m glad I’m off of it. If you have depression, then this medication is great, but if you have anxiety, I would consider a different route. Everyone is different and experiences medication differently, so do not take what I said and apply that to yourself. Talk to your doctor and see what is right for you. Best of luck."

• imm...
• April 5, 2012

For Depression "I have been taking Wellbutrin for 6 months. It has changed my life. I have suffered with depression my whole life (I am 41) and only finally got help after being admitted to a psychiatric facility. The first two weeks on Wellbutrin were horrible. I had severe anxiety and gastrointestinal issues. I ate broth and crackers for a week! But every single side effect was gone in about 3 weeks. I sure know it doesn't work for everyone, but it certainly has for me. I know it can be scary to try new medication, but give it a go; it might be the one for you."

• 17 ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 16, 2016

For Depression "So, I'm 18, and I was prescribed this medication about a year ago, but it was the generic brand of Wellbutrin 100 mg. Now I am on Wellbutrin 150 mg. Ever since I have been on this medication, I have become so irritable with everything. I'm not sure why. But it seems like every little thing sets me off, and I can't stand anyone. It's to the point that I'm starting to get in trouble with my parents, my boss at work, and even sometimes at school... I get so aggravated with everyone and everything. It has caused me very bad anxiety. I have an appointment scheduled with my psychiatrist in 3 days, and I am going to be lowered off of this medication. It has been the worst experience with medications I've had. It's made me miserable!"

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 23, 2020

For Depression "Sadly, this drug didn't work so well for my anxiety/depression. I have been on Prozac for the past two years with fantastic results but some sexual side effects. I requested a script for Wellbutrin XL. I added this to 10 mg of Prozac. The first couple of days, I was full of energy and got a lot of cleaning done. I had extreme difficulty falling asleep the next few nights and had to resort to taking Zopiclone. Wellbutrin helped me to lose about 5 lbs in a week (with diet and exercise), and I had no desire to drink alcohol and made it very easy to diet. Ultimately, it was making me agitated, anxious, and angry. I was losing sleep, tinnitus was acting up, and I was experiencing eye pain. I may have continued to stick with it, but it made my sexual dysfunction worse to the point where it was difficult to orgasm even on my own."

• gue...
• January 22, 2014

For Depression "5th day on Bupropion XL 150. I am supposed to take this once a week and then double the dose. Right now, I am feeling I should not double up as I don't like the side effects. First few days, I felt like my heart was racing a little, jittery, clenching my teeth, trouble falling asleep. Am I still as depressed? No. Am I laying in bed and not getting my work done? No. I wouldn't say I am motivated, but I am getting done what needs to be done. Lost weight. No real appetite, but at night I get hungry. My MAIN concern is I feel anxious and self-conscious. I am in school and I have a job where I need to work with superiors and be able to listen and perform. I feel like I am just going through the motions; an out-of-body experience. Will this end soon?"

• gue...
• January 22, 2014

For Depression "5th day on Bupropion XL 150. I am supposed to take this once a week and then double the dose. Right now, I am feeling I should not double up as I don't like the side effects. First few days, I felt like my heart was racing a little, jittery, clenching my teeth, trouble falling asleep. Am I still as depressed? No. Am I laying in bed and not getting my work done? No. I wouldn't say I am motivated, but I am getting done what needs to be done. Lost weight. No real appetite, but at night I get hungry. My MAIN concern is I feel anxious and self-conscious. I am in school and I have a job where I need to work with superiors and be able to listen and perform. I feel like I am just going through the motions; an out-of-body experience. Will this end soon?"

• cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2014

For Depression "I have situational depression, never dealt with it before. Wellbutrin had definitely helped get me out of bed each day. The 'situation' is becoming better as well, but I find my emotions aren't as out of whack. I cry less and get angry less. I do feel it made me more anxious, which I'm already dealing with and taking Buspirone for. I didn't experience many side effects, but one that is hard to deal with, but because it seems to make me get through each day a little better, I deal with it. It makes my throat feel closed, which is very annoying. I feel often like I can't breathe well and that I can't swallow or that something is stuck in my throat. I've not taken any other pills on several days to determine that it was the Wellbutrin that did it, and it is."

• Ano...
• November 17, 2018

For Depression "I’ve been in a state of depression for a little over a year now. Didn’t seek help until around March 2018. Was first prescribed Zoloft at 25 mg to take in the morning. I knew that it was going to take a while to even have any noticeable effects. Noticed some jaw pain, but an ibuprofen fixed that. My doctor began increasing my dosage every month or so. Three weeks ago, I was at 100 mg Zoloft in the morning. I had never really noticed any major effects, just feeling a tiny bit less sad and whatnot. I reported this to my doctor, and he prescribed me Bupropion 150 mg XL. After three weeks, I’ve had a noticeable amount of energy, and I was able to focus and think clearer. Unfortunately, I’ve been waking up at random points in the middle of the night and having some strange dreams. I’ve also been smoking cigarettes for about a year, and the Wellbutrin helped me kick those. Overall, it has really helped with my mood and my energy, but it hasn’t really helped with my general anxiety."

• No ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2018

"On Wellbutrin XL for more than a month for ADD. Taking Escitalopram for anxiety for many years now, and it does very well. For the attention deficit, I used to use Ritalin, Vyvanse, Focalin, Concerta… which all lower levels after a few hours, causing headaches, nervousness, impatience, and general bad feeling. Using Wellbutrin XL, started at 150 mg for 4 days and raised to 300 mg. Effectiveness is amazing. I can concentrate on my work all day long, no side effects and no feeling of the medicine levels lowering in the body. General feeling is much better, more tolerance toward other people and things that happen to you during the day. Side effects occurred only at the first days and disappeared after. On the first days, I felt slight upper stomach pain and hard stool, which drinking lots of water and taking the medicine with food made better. After a few days, these side effects disappeared. Trouble falling asleep disappeared after a few days. Now I’m on 300 mg - like it very much."

• Nan...
• June 9, 2015

For Depression "Been on depression meds for many years, specifically Celexa 20 mg, Wellbutrin XL 150 mg, Lamictal (brand name) 150 mg for bipolar disorder. Lately, feeling like I cry easily, got agitated easily, and stressed out if trying to do too many things at once. If someone upset me, it would take days to come out of the dark cloud of depression/sadness. Finally, went back to my doc a week ago, and he upped my Wellbutrin XL to 300 mg. I feel great, but the only negative is that it is keeping me from sleeping through the night, only on day 5. Doc said to take it early in the morning, like 7 am, since later can keep you up. Feel less distracted, more focused, but still a little 'edgy'/anxious, and hope that will get better."

• Nan...
• June 9, 2015

For Depression "Been on depression meds for many years, specifically Celexa 20 mg, Wellbutrin XL 150 mg, Lamictal (brand name) 150 mg for bipolar disorder. Lately, feeling like I cry easily, got agitated easily, and stressed out if trying to do too many things at once. If someone upset me, it would take days to come out of the dark cloud of depression/sadness. Finally, went back to my doc a week ago, and he upped my Wellbutrin XL to 300 mg. I feel great, but the only negative is that it is keeping me from sleeping through the night, only on day 5. Doc said to take it early in the morning, like 7 am, since later can keep you up. Feel less distracted, more focused, but still a little 'edgy'/anxious, and hope that will get better."

• Kot...
• December 16, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started taking bupropion XL 150mg a day. I took that for a month, the first 3 weeks, I felt kind of cloudy/lost, had a little bit of anxiety, and had some pretty bad ups and downs with my depression. But by the end of the month, I felt a lot better and didn't even feel like I was on a medication at all. I just started my second month and was upped to a 300mg dose. I'm on my 5th day, and so far have had really bad anxiety attacks, feeling like I'm losing control/stuck in my own head most of the time and sleeping a lot. I'm hoping I can stick it out like with the 150 and start feeling normal again. I almost quit in the first 3 weeks of 150, but I stuck it out after reading positive reviews, and it got better. I'm hoping that happens with the 300mg."

• Lo...
• June 12, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "I am currently using Wellbutrin XL (150 mg) a day as an add-on to Trintellix. I have been on every medication under the sun and always seem to have negative side effects. My biggest struggle with my depression is fatigue and no energy. I've only been on Wellbutrin for 5 days, and I feel a tremendous difference. I am awake in the morning and don't feel like I am going to fall asleep at random times during the day. I also haven't taken a nap in 5 days either, which is huge considering I always nap. I am a little anxious sometimes and am also dealing with sleeping issues, so I may talk to my doctor about switching to the SR. I am also dealing with a lot of muscle spasms, but this always happens when I adjust a dose or try a new medication. Wish I had tried this sooner!"

• Anonymous
• May 27, 2010

For Depression "I'm a 19-year-old female prescribed 100 mg of Wellbutrin XL. The Good: Positive feelings about the future/self (initial), appetite loss/weight loss, increase in energy, clarity in thought (fluctuates), general feelings of optimism/excitement, increase in sex, increase in desire to be productive, makes depressive episodes manageable, stopped smoking, less desire to drink. The Bad: Insomnia, minor tremors/twitching, irritability, increased anxiety, frequent mood swings, periodic feelings of hopelessness and apathy throughout the day (but are more manageable than they had been before), decrease in desire to socially interact, loss of concentration. I've only been taking it for 3 weeks, so I'm staying optimistic. I really want this medication to work."

• Jed...
• March 2, 2019

For Depression "This medication made me extremely anxious from the moment I opened my eyes to the time I finally am able to close my eyes. Heart beating out of my chest so hard it was aching. I was so mean to my friends and had to bite my tongue many times at work for literally no reason."

• cap...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 5, 2024

For Depression "I've taken Wellbutrin on (mostly) and off for the last 20 years. 300 XL for the most part--less didn't help as much, more made me anxious and jittery. It didn't get rid of my depression, but got me to a place where I had the ability to function well enough to make it through life and consistently take other action (exercise, therapy) that would help. It was prescribed for major depressive disorder; I tried going off a few times but always ended up needing it again. I did use it only during the fall/winter for a few years that were less stressful, but in the last 5 years with recent world and life events I've started struggling again and questioning whether I may have something else as well, like ADHD. I've also been taking escitalopram for the last year or two, but it's a bit hard to tell what it's doing. Pros: fairly effective without noticeable side effects. Cons: still experienced some level of debilitating depression (~1 day/month), may have gone down in effectiveness?"

• cap...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 5, 2024

For Depression "I've taken Wellbutrin on (mostly) and off for the last 20 years. 300 XL for the most part--less didn't help as much, more made me anxious and jittery. It didn't get rid of my depression, but got me to a place where I had the ability to function well enough to make it through life and consistently take other action (exercise, therapy) that would help. It was prescribed for major depressive disorder; I tried going off a few times but always ended up needing it again. I did use it only during the fall/winter for a few years that were less stressful, but in the last 5 years with recent world and life events I've started struggling again and questioning whether I may have something else as well, like ADHD. I've also been taking escitalopram for the last year or two, but it's a bit hard to tell what it's doing. Pros: fairly effective without noticeable side effects. Cons: still experienced some level of debilitating depression (~1 day/month), may have gone down in effectiveness?"

• Roc...
• December 4, 2011

For Anxiety "This drug gave me focus and energy, however, it made my anxiety go worse, so I had to stop it. If you don't have a problem with anxiety, then this drug is definitely a must. It took around 30 days to take effect."

• NHa...
• February 17, 2021

For Depression "I’ve been on Wellbutrin XL for about 5 months. I started at 150 mg SR. The first few days, I noticed a big increase in anxiety, but only twice it was intense enough that I couldn’t function. After a few weeks and a follow-up with my GP, we switched to 150 XL, and it helped as it’s a slower release. The positive side effects definitely outnumbered the negative. I almost immediately felt more energy and couldn’t stay in bed all day if I’d wanted to (this had been an issue for me). I had more motivation and a bit more focus. I’d been on Cipralex for years previously and found it took the edge off my irritability and managing mood swings but wasn’t a significant change. My GP and I were drawn to the weight loss side effect as I’ve put on 60 pounds over 8 years and two pregnancies. I did not see any difference in weight, even with an increase in energy. All in all, I like Wellbutrin, and it has more pros than cons."

• Jen...
• July 22, 2015

For Depression "Been on 150 for 3 weeks. It's been up and down, but overall up. I'm bipolar and have rage issues, so I was very worried about that, but it has actually been less of an issue than with other antidepressants I've been on (Celexa, Lexapro) and tried unsuccessfully (Cymbalta, Prozac, Latuda). Also, I tried the generic non-XL a few years ago, and it did throw me into a blind rage. I was a little prone to 'upsetness,' like sensitivity that I would then lash out in anger, but not rage, for the first two weeks. Had some anxiety issues, but those have dispersed. Otherwise, libido is normal again after Lexapro, and now getting motivated to get out of bed to eat or go to work or shower is like picking up a 1 lb weight instead of a 20 lb weight. 25yoF"

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2011

For Depression "I wanted to rate this an 8.5. Not sure why. I have tried numerous medications for the past 15 years with many side effects or no effectiveness. Wellbutrin XL (300 mg) seems to work best for me. I have a lot more energy now where I was sleeping all weekend before. I can live with my side effects at this point. My appetite isn't very good but, on the positive side, I have lost weight and feel better about myself. I now have trouble sleeping, my heart rate has increased, usually about 7 hours after I take it, causing anxiety symptoms. Sometimes my head is a little foggy, and my memory recall is slow, but I will accept these because of the energy and ability for me to now accomplish what I wasn't able to before."

• Ess...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 28, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "This medication has changed my life, I cry just telling my story about it. I have struggled with major depression ever since I was a child, I’m in my early twenties and I can say Wellbutrin makes it so hard for me to cry or get depressed. I feel it has opened my eyes more and helped me gain more boundaries. I even get brain fog thinking about the events that have made me depressed. The only cons I have are the headaches and the rage/anxiety I get. Wellbutrin alone does not really help with my anxiety, so if you’re like me, you could definitely pair it with an SSRI."