Paradoxical reaction to Wellbutrin, anyone?

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So my doctor wrote me a scrip for Wellbutrin to help with my anxiety and to try to normalize my sleep. I have some sort of Delayed Sleep Phase going on.

He wrote it for the lowest dose - 150mg 1x a day. He assured me it would not increase my tachycardia and would help me feel more alert during the day without being stimulating and that it would help my energy, in combination with waking earlier to fix my sleep routine. He assured me it was nothing like Prozac (had a very nasty reaction to that at 19)

Well I've been on it for 3 days and I'm so groggy, I can't help but have a nap every day. I take it with breakfast like he said. By one hour I can feel it making me drowsy. By 3 hours I just couldn't fight it anymore, and even though I had slept reasonably well (set clock earlier like he said) I just had to go to sleep. I slept nearly all afternoon. It was just overwhelming. He told me 'no naps' to help fix my sleep - well I wasn't napping before, but I am now! I just can't fight it!

I feel like it is lowering my blood pressure, as when I stand up it does slightly increase my heart rate, but if I lie down it improves. (I have POTS, and when the POTS is real bad even lying down takes awhile to get my HR down.) I'm not dehydrated, as I'm drinking plenty of water to try to dilute the effects of this.

I will phone my doctor first thing Monday morning - his nurse is great, I can leave a message with her & she's usually great about getting back to me with the doc's recommendations.

I'm just wondering if I should: A) keep taking it as per instructions, B) take it at night (seems to be a great sleeping pill for me!), or C) stop taking it for now. I'm scared how dangerous it might be to stop & start it.

I found some old threads on Wellbutrin but they were too old to bring up. I did searches for others' paradoxical reactions on other forums, and keep reading stuff like "HOW CAN WELLBUTRIN MAKE YOU SLEEPY? OMG!"

I was curious if anyone here has had a *completely opposite* reaction to Wellbutrin? Or any med?

It is just so odd that he told me it would help keep me alert during the day & it's done quite the opposite! And I don't really feel any less anxious either. Just a sort of pervasive constant drowsiness. I know sometimes Aspies are truly wired differently and meds can act paradoxically with us.

Anybody at all? Am I an anomaly here?

I had the exact problem with Wellbutrin. It didn't do anything but make me tired. I was on it over a year. I tried cutting back and it was no good. Still tired. I got off of it without any problems. I don't get dt's coming down off prescription pills. Doc was surprised when I didn't when I was coming down off Prozac. I am now on Ritalin. While it is NOT a miracle drug, it seems to keep me more awake at least.

Oh good I'm not the only one!

Sorry what are dt's?

My doc replied to the message I left him - he said it should be 'energizing' and to take it as early in the morning as possible. He said to either stick with it a couple more weeks and see if the effect levels off or I could stop taking it.

I feel no better with the anxiety anyway. My 'inner tension' is a bit worse if anything.

I might give it another shot for a few more days, and if I'm still conking out for a 5 and-a-half-hour "nap" all afternoon I'll give it up.

Talk about paradoxical reactions to meds eh?

DT's are the physical effect when you come down from a substance. Mainly shakes or feeling shaky due to your body's dependence on said substance. They can manifest in many different ways. When I came down from alcohol, I was shaking so bad, I could almost thread a sewing machine while it was running.

Oh ok...

I'm doubting this stuff is for me.

Luckily, Wellbutrin isn't habit forming. If it's not working for you, I would stop taking it. My anxiety is usually a 5-6 idle. Wellbutrin also ramped up mine.

Wellbutrin can take several weeks before you notice any positive effects. Side effects generally get less noticeable (to a certain extent) as your body gets used to the medication.