Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I have been on a low dose of paxil for a few years and recently got off of it. I didn't think it was necessary. Well its been about 4-5 weeks and I get the anxiety and depression feeling again, espcailly in the morning. I have the oppritunity to try wellburtin. Should I stick with paxil since it worked before or should I try wellbutrin? Any experience advice would be appreciated. thaks.
paxil versus wellbutrin
- Thread starter mrperfect
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txbondsman
New member
mrperfect said:
Wellbutrin (Bupoprion) didn't do shit for me but make me hungry, gained alot of weight, funny thing is it said it would act as a appetite suppressant. I've taken a few things for adult ADD that causes me anxiety especially in the mornings, the only thing that worked was Clonazopam, a benzodiazapine. Very addictive but works like a charm for anxiety, take .5mg ed and have for 5 years.
All of the chemicals act different on everybody, you can try others, but I always came back to what worked.
Why do you want to change, bad sides or something? The only down side of Paxil I've heard was it causes some people aggression. My SO was told my her DR. that she called it the "divorce pill", as it would allow you to say exctly what was on your mind. Married people didn't do well on it.. lol
todoveritas
New member
The two are different types of anti-depressants. Buproprion is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (similar mechanism of action as cocaine). Paxil (aka paroxetine) belongs to a class known as SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The point is that there are two different mechanisms of action and the two may not be interchangeable. Paxil, for example, has some anti-anxiety effects and is good for panic attacks and phobias. Not necessarily so with Zyban, which is better for treating addictions and sexual dysfunctions.
njmuscleguy
New member
Typically, one would change from one med to another because of the side effects. I was on Paxil for several years for severe panic attacks... it took care of them, but it also turned me into a perpetual zombie...and forget about libido! I hated it! So my options were to switch to other meds to see how I did with their side effects or just ween off the drug altogether and deal without medicating. I chose the latter and have been doing well ever since. So if Paxil was working for you and the side effects weren't bad, stick with it... if they were bad, try the welbutrin (or any other similar med for that matter).
solidspine
New member
I find paxil to do nothing
Wellbutrin about the same
For anxiety---Xanax
Depression- prozac
Wellbutrin about the same
For anxiety---Xanax
Depression- prozac
i was on effexor it worked, i was going through a very stressful time. I crashed while racing and broke some bones in my foot. I was unable to workout for 5 months or ride and was depressed, I didn't like it because i had no sex drive so the doc switched to wellbutrin about that time i started a cycle of test, i was training and horny as hell all the time so i quit taking the anti depressant. I do know one thing for sure , deppression is real and is nothing to take lightly! It's not something that you just get over on your own something causes it. I know that exercise helps, i hear you guys saying anxiety and its worse in the mornings, i didn't want to get out of bed or face the world, i felt like everything i did was wrong!
txbondsman
New member
motodawg said:
yes, I don't know the clinical reason, I always thought that it could be attributed to the hormonal changes that the brain goes through from sleep to awake, somethong like that, but I had the feeling of "impending doom" and I also, for lack of better words "obsessed" on things of the past that I did that were "less than stellar".... fucked up way to live.
The medication has done wonders, the ADD was a MF'er, I had no explanation for why I felt the way I did, but was diagnosed at age 37, things started to change for the better after that. For many years I self medicated with coke and many other things, alcohol... but those have their own consequences when doing them at the level and frequency as I was.
Could have missed many years of hell had I known at an earlier age....
omega529
New member
mrperfect said:
If paxil worked, i would stick with it......i known 1 person who killed them selfs on wellbutrin.......when i was on it it made my whole body feel like i was being stabbed and made me pannicky all the time.....but it made me want to stop smoking!.....Im off all anti depressents now though, i dont feel awsome, but i can deal with it and am usually in a descent mood.....accept lately.
todoveritas said:
So if I am correct a drug like Wellbrutin would be more of a anti-depressant drug and paxil would be a anti-anxiety drug. By the sounds of it if Wellbutrin is like cocaine then it would actaully make anxiety worse. I would say I have more of a anxiety issue than depression. I think it is just the anxiety that makes me feel a little depressed.
omega529
New member
Anxiety sucks.....why not try buspar then? Its is strictly anti-anxiety,,,,,,,ive found that anti-axiety meds usually cause a bit of depresson though, mostly benzos like xanax, clonazapan, expecially valium.....Buspar isnt in that family of meds, its been a while since i was on it, but i think i was ok with it though, i dont recall getting depressed on it.
navigatorrs
New member
txbondsman said:
Bro that Avatar is so sweettttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you have a name so i can google it? LOL
BigCracker
New member
Anyone try dealing with life straight? And dealing with your problems head on??? In the long run you'll be much better off.
I wouldn't say this if I didn't see how overprescribed these happy meds are. It seems like the 20 somethings on this board were raised to take a pill for every problem-anti biotics for colds, happy pills for everyday life struggles. Many defend their ADHD med use or anti depressant use with the furor of a juicing athlete defending their AS use to schieve pro status.
From what I've seen, many of these anti anxiety drugs cause more harm than good. And using them so you can deal with day to day life bullshit only prevents you from growing a pair and improving your quality of life on your own.
Also with the big $$$ govt and Rx cos huge ad campaigns, nobody should be surprised when they've fallen into this trap. Ya know, I drove past Walgreens in the nice part of town the other day. The 2 drive through Rx lines were backed up 6 cars each. I immediately thought of the drive through liquor stores in the ghetto. The only difference were that the Walgreens drive through's cars were nicer and not rolling on 24's.
I wouldn't say this if I didn't see how overprescribed these happy meds are. It seems like the 20 somethings on this board were raised to take a pill for every problem-anti biotics for colds, happy pills for everyday life struggles. Many defend their ADHD med use or anti depressant use with the furor of a juicing athlete defending their AS use to schieve pro status.
From what I've seen, many of these anti anxiety drugs cause more harm than good. And using them so you can deal with day to day life bullshit only prevents you from growing a pair and improving your quality of life on your own.
Also with the big $$$ govt and Rx cos huge ad campaigns, nobody should be surprised when they've fallen into this trap. Ya know, I drove past Walgreens in the nice part of town the other day. The 2 drive through Rx lines were backed up 6 cars each. I immediately thought of the drive through liquor stores in the ghetto. The only difference were that the Walgreens drive through's cars were nicer and not rolling on 24's.
Ya, I had no issue cumming on Paxil. I was only on 10 or 20mg/day which I have been told is a small dose. I do agree with bigcracker's point of view. I am an old school thinker like that. I do not believe on putting kids on drugs and mine will never be. However, I just want to feel better and lately I have had anxiety pretty bad. They say that paxil can take 4 weeks to work so I assume it can take 4 weeks to get out of your system and I stoped taking it 4 weeks ago and bam, I feel anxiety coming on again.
txbondsman
New member
BigCracker said:
LOL, Big Crack... I did try living life straight, but that meant I took every street drug known to man, and some that weren't, to try and live life straight for the first 37 years. Anything to make me feel different than I do now, that was my motto. Organic anxiety/ depression isn't something that one can "just deal with". Now having money, female, job problems and not dealing with them head on, yeah, your right.
Anxiety from ADD like I have, without the meds, is like trying to listen to 2 phone calls in each ear, read a crawl on the TV and have someone else talking to you and your supposed to keep up with each of the conversations while your mind is trying to wonder to another place. Meds were a welcome thing to find...
Stick with the paxil did you work your way off or you just stop??
BigCracker
New member
txbondsman said:
I agree, and you likely are one that could benefit from the use of these drugs. However, I believe you are the exception as opposed to the rule. Many use these drugs to mask their everyday life issues-shitty relationships, money probs, the inability to get laid in a morgue, etc. Keeping the blinders on when it comes to these issues is not beneficial long term. I also understand that there are chemical imbalances in the brain that prevent peopl from functioning normally. All I wanna know is why there are more depressed people now than there were 50 yrs ago??? If these drugs were such a medical breakthrough, why is everyone still so unhappy??? And how did people get by w/o these drugs before they were on the market? Booze? Weed? Hell, some of the most fucked up people I know take these Rx meds and party like rock stars w/ recreational drugs as well. Add steroids to the mix and you're nothing more than a walking shell of your former self/Rx garbage can.
txbondsman
New member
BigCracker said:
OL Big Crack! Let's just go get a zone from some Colombians I know and head to the beach, you and me, we'll eventually come back.....maybe.
todoveritas
New member
mrperfect said:
Basically, yes. Brain neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, determine what is interpreted as pleasure in our CNS. What these anti-depressants try to do is restore pleasure with everyday living. Meth addicts have their "pleasure receptors" stoked with norepinephrine all the time bc the reuptake mechanism is shut down. Zyban has been found usedful in these situations bc by using the same mechanism, it competes with the meth, thus limiting the "high" and decreasing the cravings.
blueta2
New member
BigCracker said:
You're right in certain respects.....Many ppl just want a quick fix for their problems. Some med use is justified and some are not.
Meds save ppl's lives and help them get over the hump. If someone relies strictly on meds to get them through anxiety/depression, then they will be always in need of the drug-crutch. It's nice to depend on oneself also.
Last edited:
There is a 'discontinuation reaction' to SSRIs. Symptoms may increase for a short period and then resolve. Discuss it with your psychiatrist before doing anything.mrperfect said:
Different anti-depressants work differently in different people.
Main advantage of Wellbutrin is that it practically causes no sexual side effects.
Don't drink alcohol with any SSRIs.
Personally stick with the paxil.. I have heard and seen first hand bad reactions to both meds.
I was on paxil many years back as a teen. I had to get off of it as I slept all day and all night long on it.
recently seen someone begin takin wellbutrin and had terrible sides.He became pretty much crazy ans his paranoia went through the roof. He is now on zoloft(not sure of spelling) and doing great.
May I ask how long were you on Paxil before gettin off???
I have seen that side in many meds..You feel like crap so you take meds, but you cannot cut cold turkey due to sides coming back 10 times worse.Your body was used to the medication and by stopping all at once you ended up having a chemical imbalance that is far worse than you began.
My advice to u is that if Paxil worked than you should stay with it. Many people are having rough times trying to find a med that works with them.No sense in messing about and ending up having terrible sides to the wellbutrin.
I was on paxil many years back as a teen. I had to get off of it as I slept all day and all night long on it.
recently seen someone begin takin wellbutrin and had terrible sides.He became pretty much crazy ans his paranoia went through the roof. He is now on zoloft(not sure of spelling) and doing great.
May I ask how long were you on Paxil before gettin off???
I have seen that side in many meds..You feel like crap so you take meds, but you cannot cut cold turkey due to sides coming back 10 times worse.Your body was used to the medication and by stopping all at once you ended up having a chemical imbalance that is far worse than you began.
My advice to u is that if Paxil worked than you should stay with it. Many people are having rough times trying to find a med that works with them.No sense in messing about and ending up having terrible sides to the wellbutrin.
A
ALIN
Guest
mrperfect said:
Paxil gave me side effects I didnt like diazepam and alprolozam are best IMO.
benzos are best for anxiety (potentiators of GABA, inhibitory NT....blocks effects of glutamate...the major stim NT, abundant in anxiety). Librium is a good drug, long halflife for anxiety or withdrawl.
Welbutrin (higher in dose than Zyban, but same exact drug marketed differently to keep profits coming in) is lower in the side effect profile than SSRIs, but they all have their place.
Agree they are overprescribed, but in most cases by general practitioners who have no biz giving them out....someone walks in saying they are feeling down (lost job)....Paxil for you......SSRIs dont treat situational depression, only chemical depression...something that should be diagnosed by a psych after a few visits and history, not 5 minutes with your gen pract.
Todo, you know your stuff....medical field?
Welbutrin (higher in dose than Zyban, but same exact drug marketed differently to keep profits coming in) is lower in the side effect profile than SSRIs, but they all have their place.
Agree they are overprescribed, but in most cases by general practitioners who have no biz giving them out....someone walks in saying they are feeling down (lost job)....Paxil for you......SSRIs dont treat situational depression, only chemical depression...something that should be diagnosed by a psych after a few visits and history, not 5 minutes with your gen pract.
Todo, you know your stuff....medical field?
todoveritas
New member
Former med researcher at major med center near Venice Beach.
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