london Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Right now, I'm on 240mg verapamil XR and 5mg midodrine. For the last year or so, I've gotten pretty bad fatigue, fibromyalgia, mild anxiety and mild depression. My grades for this year have dropped because I have no energy or motivation. I'm hesitant to go on SSRI's because of side effects but I've heard Wellbutrin can help lower nor-epinepherine levels as well as counteract the symptoms I listed. Has anyone tried wellbutrin with NO ssri's? Did it lower/ raise BP or help tachycardia at all? How can I bring this up with my doctor without sounding like "telling the doctor what to do?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jknh9 Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Wish I could help, but I'm on it in conjunction with Zoloft (an SSRI). I can tell you that it has helped a little bit with my fatigue, whereas the Zoloft alone does nothing for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margiebee Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I am curious about this too! I have failed miserably with taking SSRI drugs alone, they make me go from fatigued to completely hyperactive in one dose, but I am curious if Wellbutrin would be different. I have heard that it can have the same "hyper" effect on some people without POTS, but I'm thinking with POTS maybe its different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I am on just wellburtrin 150mg 2 x a day I take one in the morning and early afternoon. I am not on an SSRI and only take BB and Midodrine as needed. For me wellburtrin has helped with the fatigue it seemed to help give me a boost and I can tell on the days I forget to take it either in the morning or afternoon as I am a little more worn out. I have not noticed it lower/raising BP or a difference in my heart rate just a little more energy and maybe a little more help with concentration.. Does your doctor now about PoTS I know I have brought up things by saying I belong to s support group and have seen that (insert medication) may help with symptoms, what do you think about it? The first trial run I did for it my internist put me on for a month he gave me the option of wellbutrin or Ritalin (gave it too me for CFS he knew nothing about PoTS) I chose wellburtrin as I thought Ritalin might make my HR jump too high. But then after my month ran out I called the internist asking if I needed to see him again, or if he would call in another script, etc and I never heard back. Well then the cardiologist asked what I have been trying with the other doctor and he agreed if I noticed a difference on it then he would refill the script, so I have a 6 month supply called in now. I had tried celexa a SSRI while having symptoms and prior to getting diagnosed as I kept being told I was depressed so I gave in and tried a medication I was on it for a year and did not see any changes with my symptoms and continued getting worse, but I do think for some people SSRI work good both alone or in combination with another medication like Wellbutrin. : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I am on just wellburtrin 150mg 2 x a day I take one in the morning and early afternoon. I am not on an SSRI and only take BB and Midodrine as needed. For me wellburtrin has helped with the fatigue it seemed to help give me a boost and I can tell on the days I forget to take it either in the morning or afternoon as I am a little more worn out. I have not noticed it lower/raising BP or a difference in my heart rate just a little more energy and maybe a little more help with concentration.. Does your doctor now about PoTS I know I have brought up things by saying I belong to s support group and have seen that (insert medication) may help with symptoms, what do you think about it? The first trial run I did for it my internist put me on for a month he gave me the option of wellbutrin or Ritalin (gave it too me for CFS he knew nothing about PoTS) I chose wellburtrin as I thought Ritalin might make my HR jump too high. But then after my month ran out I called the internist asking if I needed to see him again, or if he would call in another script, etc and I never heard back. Well then the cardiologist asked what I have been trying with the other doctor and he agreed if I noticed a difference on it then he would refill the script, so I have a 6 month supply called in now. I had tried celexa a SSRI while having symptoms and prior to getting diagnosed as I kept being told I was depressed so I gave in and tried a medication I was on it for a year and did not see any changes with my symptoms and continued getting worse, but I do think for some people SSRI work good both alone or in combination with another medication like Wellbutrin. : )What type of POTS do you have? I've never been officially tested for a specific type, but hyperpots fits me the closest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellgirl Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I've been on Wellbutrin XL 150mg. in the morning for about 6 weeks now for libido, actually, but it has helped in so many ways. There is another posting on this topic on this site, so you may want to check that out, as well. It has not changed my HR or B/P at all. She said I could increase my dose to 300mg, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I thought the lower dose was enough for me. I only weigh about 103 pounds, though.I have so much more energy, so I feel more like I used to be before dysautonomia. It's great for me. One of it's contraindications is if you are prone to having seizures. It slows the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, which is supposed to help POTS patients. I find I am able to do more, and think more clearly, too, plus it is helping my desire for my husband's sake. It's a real positive for me.My ANS doctor suggested it, but I've asked to try certain meds before, and my Primary Care Physician is very open to suggestions, but I am also a retired nurse, so that helps. I even had my GYN prescribe Zofran for motion sickness, so I could travel without having flares. I asked her if she knew of a medication that didn't cause drowsiness for motion sickness, and she said it is usually used for chemotherapy patients. I was even able to go on a boat!!My Nurse Practioner for my Fibromyalgia told me that he could reorder the Zofran, if I needed more. It also helps with nausea, but can cause constipation, if you are prone to it. It's good to have several doctor's who are willing to reorder as needed meds, so that you are not left without them. My PCP will order mine as well. Usually, if you have been on them before, they will reorder over the phone, unless they are a controlled substance (narcotic).One time I had a bloody urinary tract infection, and was ordered medication over the phone at 2am from my GYN. (I was doubled over in pain) We have a 24 hour CVS downtown!! I have great doctors . You should feel comfortable enough with your physician to say that you heard about this medication from some friends with this disorder and she what he/she says. I ask my doctors everything. I go into the office with a list of questions on a pad, if I have a lot of them. Sometimes they say that it's a chemistry question, and she would have to look it up....lol. So I guess I'll ask my pharmacist!! I ask some hard questions. I can't help it; I've always wanted to be a doctor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I've been on Wellbutrin XL 150mg. in the morning for about 6 weeks now for libido, actually, but it has helped in so many ways. There is another posting on this topic on this site, so you may want to check that out, as well. It has not changed my HR or B/P at all. She said I could increase my dose to 300mg, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I thought the lower dose was enough for me. I only weigh about 103 pounds, though.I have so much more energy, so I feel more like I used to be before dysautonomia. It's great for me. One of it's contraindications is if you are prone to having seizures. It slows the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, which is supposed to help POTS patients. I find I am able to do more, and think more clearly, too, plus it is helping my desire for my husband's sake. It's a real positive for me.My ANS doctor suggested it, but I've asked to try certain meds before, and my Primary Care Physician is very open to suggestions, but I am also a retired nurse, so that helps. I even had my GYN prescribe Zofran for motion sickness, so I could travel without having flares. I asked her if she knew of a medication that didn't cause drowsiness for motion sickness, and she said it is usually used for chemotherapy patients. I was even able to go on a boat!!My Nurse Practioner for my Fibromyalgia told me that he could reorder the Zofran, if I needed more. It also helps with nausea, but can cause constipation, if you are prone to it. It's good to have several doctor's who are willing to reorder as needed meds, so that you are not left without them. My PCP will order mine as well. Usually, if you have been on them before, they will reorder over the phone, unless they are a controlled substance (narcotic).One time I had a bloody urinary tract infection, and was ordered medication over the phone at 2am from my GYN. (I was doubled over in pain) We have a 24 hour CVS downtown!! I have great doctors . You should feel comfortable enough with your physician to say that you heard about this medication from some friends with this disorder and she what he/she says. I ask my doctors everything. I go into the office with a list of questions on a pad, if I have a lot of them. Sometimes they say that it's a chemistry question, and she would have to look it up....lol. So I guess I'll ask my pharmacist!! I ask some hard questions. I can't help it; I've always wanted to be a doctor I'm pre-med, so I'll be a doctor soon My doctors know this and always "teach" me about my condition and talk about the mechanisms about how the medicines work and I ask hard questions as well. I'm afraid though that since I'm pre-med my doctors will think I'm trying to play doctor and speak for them when I have no training I shadow doctors between semesters and "internet diagnoses" are a common pet peeve so I try to avoid that. I'm glad Wellbutrin helped you. I'll bring it up at my next appointment then. I can always stop it if it doesn't help or makes things worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert elrod Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I was given this before I was even aware of my symptoms. It had a real bouncing off the wall effect for me. I will say however that any of the ssri's and snri's can affect normal people differently and for all of us with autonomic disruption the effects can really vary, not just person to person but something I've experienced day to day as my symptoms vary wildly. With good advice from your doctor and trial and error and tracking hopefully we find something that helps. As cymbalta helps a lot of fibro patients I had an adverse reaction within two weeks of starting. It is always good to suggest to your doctor any medicines that might help and remind them there is no defined course of treatment its all supportive and if a medicine doesn't help you assert yourself and demand a change. I have talked to so many people that just takes the medicine without any effective change to their symptom. Good luck and I hope this helps you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I was given this before I was even aware of my symptoms. It had a real bouncing off the wall effect for me. I will say however that any of the ssri's and snri's can affect normal people differently and for all of us with autonomic disruption the effects can really vary, not just person to person but something I've experienced day to day as my symptoms vary wildly. With good advice from your doctor and trial and error and tracking hopefully we find something that helps. As cymbalta helps a lot of fibro patients I had an adverse reaction within two weeks of starting. It is always good to suggest to your doctor any medicines that might help and remind them there is no defined course of treatment its all supportive and if a medicine doesn't help you assert yourself and demand a change. I have talked to so many people that just takes the medicine without any effective change to their symptom. Good luck and I hope this helps you.What do you mean by "bouncing off the wall" exactly? Jittery, energetic, tachycardic, ect. My fibro isn't bad, but it's the fact that all the "mild" things like depression, almost-fully-controlled-but-not-quite POTS, fibro, and anxiety combined with moderately severe fatigue both mental and physical all adds up to a crap-fest. If I can lessen all or most of these even a little bit the overall effect will be great. I'm mostly worried about sexual side effects because the birth control pills killed my already low libido and took its toll on my relationship (sex and intimacy is very important to us) and weight gain. I have PCOS that has gotten worlds better after losing 60lbs and I worked very, very hard to achieve that. It's not for vanity reasons, but for health reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert elrod Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I was unfocused and distractions would keep me up late at night. For the short time I had it I can't say for sure it got my heart rate up but as I remember it felt like my chest was going to explode . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I was unfocused and distractions would keep me up late at night. For the short time I had it I can't say for sure it got my heart rate up but as I remember it felt like my chest was going to explode .Were you on the extended release? I've heard multiple people say the extended release version affected them this way but not the short acting one. Those side effects are definitely not what I want, but I still want to give it a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert elrod Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 It was the extended release. This was before I knew what was wrong I might have overcome the initial effects if I kept with it. I just didn't like the way I felt with it. But every body is different. It may help. I am still trying to find something that helps. I've even taken as much as 200mg of metroprolal and still have bad svt. I still hope that the next combination of medicine will be the one that helps. I figure none of it will kill me so why not try whatever the doc gives me. I guess its just the desperation but so tired of hurting. Would give anything to have a break from this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Can't tolerate SSRIs at all but I love Wellbutrin. Had no significant side effects when I started it and felt more like "myself"' than I had in a long time. My POTS doc thought it might be contributing to what he considers a "hyperadrenergic component" to my neuropathic POTS so he had me wean off and it was obvious how much it was helping a lot of my POTS symptoms. Before I weaned off I was taking the 150 mg SR- sustained release (different from extended release which I couldn't tolerate, go figure), 1-2 a day. After I started it up again, I am on 75 mg BID and that seems to be adequate.Hope it helps if you try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Can't tolerate SSRIs at all but I love Wellbutrin. Had no significant side effects when I started it and felt more like "myself"' than I had in a long time. My POTS doc thought it might be contributing to what he considers a "hyperadrenergic component" to my neuropathic POTS so he had me wean off and it was obvious how much it was helping a lot of my POTS symptoms. Before I weaned off I was taking the 150 mg SR- sustained release (different from extended release which I couldn't tolerate, go figure), 1-2 a day. After I started it up again, I am on 75 mg BID and that seems to be adequate.Hope it helps if you try it. How did it help? What was the biggest improvement? Did it give you more energy, slow tachycardia...? I'm glad it helped you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfreem02 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I was on the generic form of Wellbutrin XL for a little over a month to help with fatigue and weight gain due to medication, but had an unexpected period two weeks in (I am on birth control pills that only allow for periods once every three months), and then started spotting heavily daily. Since I wasn't seeing any major benefits other than losing seven pounds, I stopped taking it. The nice thing for me was that Wellbutrin didn’t cause any other major side effects, and it was easy to stop taking. I have Dysautonomia that causes too much adrenaline to be produced, and am currently taking Lexapro, Atenolol, and Klonopin. I have seen improvement with all of my symptoms except for fatigue. I am trying different supplements, and diets to see if something will finally help. Hopefully the Wellbutrin will work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Hello London, sorry I just saw your question. I have never been tested for my type but the cardiologist and I both believe I have the Hypo type of PoTS. I also saw your concerns with taking it and low libido. I had no sex drive before wellbutrin now my husband is pushing me off of him because despite how tried or PoTSy I am I want to have sex. Not sure if it is 100% due to the medication or if baby fever has something to do with it.... But I would recommend trying it, you can always stop taking it if you don't feel like it is benefitting you or you are getting bad side effects.. I know I was skeptical when I first started on it and now I am so happy I did as it has helped give me some of my life back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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