Side effects of medication

[jack straw]

Does anybody know if taking 450 mg of Wellburtin XL for the past few years could have any harmful side effects? I've talked to other doctors, and they say that it is an unusually high dose, but it's what my Doctor prescribed. Also, stratera 80mg and Tenex (not sure of the dosage) I take every day. I dont like taking this shit, but when I try and stop, I get a little crazy. I think it's what caused my toureettes syndrome, because my symptoms started around the time I started Wellbutrin, and that was 4 or 5 years ago.

Does anybody know the side effects of these? My doctor is an idot, everything he tells me the opposite happens, so I cant ask him...

any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

[byee]

Ok, the basics. Wellbutrin is an SSRI antidepressant, the 'new generation' of them, often used in kids with biologically based emotional problems, like anxiety and depresion, but also inattentiveness. Strattera is an ADHD medication, also 'new', but unlike other types of meds to treat inattentiveness, is NOT stimulant based. The idea being that kids with biologically based problems as well as inattentiveness respond poorly to stimulants b/c they energize the other problems. So far, your 'idiot' MD is on the right track here, esp. if you've got Tourettes.

Dosage is determined by 1) response (taking away the symptoms that got in your way), and 2) Side effects. He probably started you on a lower dose, and when no positive effect was seen, raised you to the current level. And from what you're describing, it seems to be working.

In medicine, they always try to balance the benefits of the meds with the risks of side effects. In your case, if you can clearly see a benefit (the absence of the symptoms), then the 'risks' are seen as worth taking, because the meds allow your functoning to be improved and for you to feel better.

If you don't like your MD, you should talk with him. He's there to work with you, and if there's something personal getting in the way, it should be addressed. But, don't assume that someone's lack of interpersonal skills is a reflection on their professional abilities.

[jack straw]

Ok, the basics. Wellbutrin is an SSRI antidepressant, the 'new generation' of them, often used in kids with biologically based emotional problems, like anxiety and depresion, but also inattentiveness. Strattera is an ADHD medication, also 'new', but unlike other types of meds to treat inattentiveness, is NOT stimulant based. The idea being that kids with biologically based problems as well as inattentiveness respond poorly to stimulants b/c they energize the other problems. So far, your 'idiot' MD is on the right track here, esp. if you've got Tourettes.

Dosage is determined by 1) response (taking away the symptoms that got in your way), and 2) Side effects. He probably started you on a lower dose, and when no positive effect was seen, raised you to the current level. And from what you're describing, it seems to be working.

In medicine, they always try to balance the benefits of the meds with the risks of side effects. In your case, if you can clearly see a benefit (the absence of the symptoms), then the 'risks' are seen as worth taking, because the meds allow your functoning to be improved and for you to feel better.

If you don't like your MD, you should talk with him. He's there to work with you, and if there's something personal getting in the way, it should be addressed. But, don't assume that someone's lack of interpersonal skills is a reflection on their professional abilities.


Thank's Dr. Sam,
It may be the same things i've been hearing all along, but at least I know the MD has some creditibility. My problem with him, however is that he has prescribed me things in the past that i've had other doctors gasp in shock when they hear it. Risperdal, for example, was supposed to be extreamly toxic, which i've heard from at least 3-4 other professional MD's, and he kept increasing the dosage, after seeing no, or even negative effects. He was also talking about other meds that are also supposed to be really bad as well. The side effects the medications have has also been a problem with him, he would always say there were minnimal side effects, and there was nothing to worry about; when I started the Risperdal, I gained just over 50lbs in under 3 months, and a many other side effects we weren't supposed to worry about came up, producing problems.

I feel that the medication was the problem since the beggining. the tourrettes only started when I was starting to be treated for ADHD, and since then have only gotten worse (as the medicine increases). I've tried natural supplements from holistic doctors, but at one point I was on almost 40 vitamine pills a day, and it wasn't doing a thing.

[Φρανκομβριτ]

I'm on Welbutrin XL with Sertraline, and my doctor capped me at 300. She said that's the highest it goes. You might want to talk to your doctor about this.

[byee]

You should talk with your folks about your concerns, too. Second guessing a doctor's assessment is always a tricky call, it's unsettling to hear that other doctors criticised your docs assessment and meds. But, unless they saw you when he did, and with the same symptoms, it's easy to draw a different conclusion, and hence, a different med recommendation.

Sometimes it takes awhile to find the right med and the right dosage, and eventhough it's a very uncomfortable process, and you often feel like a guinea pig, or that your doc doesn't really know what's going on, much of this is trial and error based on an educated assessment of you and your problems, and experience at what works best. it's unfortunate that the Risperdol produced so many side effects, but you're off that now, and it sounds like the current meds are working well. That's the most important thing.

Again, talk with your folks about your concerns, and also the doc. Let them both explain themselves to you, and the doc should be able to clarify and confirm his rationale for the meds and the current dosages. If you or your folks continue to be unsettled by your care, then you could pursue another opinion.

[INFERNO]

Ok, the basics. Wellbutrin is an SSRI antidepressant, the 'new generation' of them, often used in kids with biologically based emotional problems, like anxiety and depresion, but also inattentiveness. Strattera is an ADHD medication, also 'new', but unlike other types of meds to treat inattentiveness, is NOT stimulant based. The idea being that kids with biologically based problems as well as inattentiveness respond poorly to stimulants b/c they energize the other problems. So far, your 'idiot' MD is on the right track here, esp. if you've got Tourettes.

Dosage is determined by 1) response (taking away the symptoms that got in your way), and 2) Side effects. He probably started you on a lower dose, and when no positive effect was seen, raised you to the current level. And from what you're describing, it seems to be working.

In medicine, they always try to balance the benefits of the meds with the risks of side effects. In your case, if you can clearly see a benefit (the absence of the symptoms), then the 'risks' are seen as worth taking, because the meds allow your functoning to be improved and for you to feel better.

If you don't like your MD, you should talk with him. He's there to work with you, and if there's something personal getting in the way, it should be addressed. But, don't assume that someone's lack of interpersonal skills is a reflection on their professional abilities.

I agree with all of this except the bolded part. In order to dose someone (based off of what was learnt last semester in 2nd year medical pharmacology), those 2 factors are no where near enough. You need to consider age, gender, weight, volume of distribution of the given med, %plasma protein binding, half-life & plateau effect, LD/ED/TD50, medical history, etc..., then you can look at the possible side-effects. After that, you give the meds, see the response and go again. Also, if the person has a polymorphism or has taken similar medications or various drugs before, you need to consider those. Lastly, disease states and if the person is taking more than 1 medication already.