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Has anyone else had sleep issues when decreasing bupropion dosage?
Two months ago, I decreased my dose of bupropion XL to 300 from 450 (went 300 -> 450 about 5 years ago).
The first couple weeks I was sleeping longer and felt more refreshed. That tapered off back to my normal sleep pattern (which is usually not getting enough, but that's on me).
Since 5/23, I've started waking up between 5:15 and 6:15 in the morning (my alarm is set for 7:30). This has been going on every day since except for one. Some days I have no issues with less sleep. Others, I can barely stay awake in the mid-afternoon.
I've always had an issue for as long as I can remember of not being able to fall asleep if I wake up after 4:30 am. Well, almost always. That had not been happening as much until this early waking started.
Has anyone else seen this with a dose reduction?
The almost two-month gap has me thinking it is something else, but at the moment I can't think what.
Still, when I originally started on bupropion about 8 years ago, it took about a month before I started to lose a lot of weight (not why I started with it). So, a delayed reaction wouldn't completely surprise me.
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I don't have any personal experience with bupropion, but I've seen several places, mention of most anti-depressants taking several weeks to work up to full effectiveness, so I agree with you that this is what could be happening, albeit in reverse.
I went from 300 XL to 300mg (not extended release). I experience early waking also. I also experience waking with the 'down in the dumps' feeling--like a mild depression but feels like doom. That feeling wears off after I have been up for a short period of time and I get active. Sometimes I can stay awake and active all day on only 4 hours of sleep and then other times, after 9 hours of sleep I am sleepy in the afternoon. Siesta time! I am retired or I would not be able to function at a job if I were still working. I think I am mildly depressed. I do not have a therapist anymore.
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2 ReactionsI'm sorry you're feeling mildly depressed.
When I was on 450mg I definitely could run on 4 hours or less for extended periods of time without getting afternoon sleepiness.
I'm also feeling mildly depressed as well, but I don't know if it is lack of sleep or actual depression.
I have actually had no early wake-ups two days in a row, so maybe I'm over the hump (or depressed feelings are making staying asleep easier).
If I can't shake the depressed feelings and am getting more sleep, I'll probably go back up and see if that resolves things.
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3 ReactionsI take Welbutrin XL. I take 150 dosages and also find that I am waking up early in the morning 4:00 am or 5:00 am and can not return to sleep. Retired so I have not been extremely upset, but during the day find that I am tired. Needing a nap.
When I started, I was on Wellbutrin SR and was extremely depressed at a low dose (100, I think). I don't recall early waking, though.
I have been someone who can stay up till 6:00 am if I do not have anywhere to go. I thought it was and attributed it to being a writer and the quietness of those hours. But it is not completely so. I do not think I get six hours of sleep and this has been the case for many years now. I am for four weeks going to by way of video group sessions going to learn ways to lengthen my ability to sleep. It is worth trying since I am on so many other meds for different ailments by pharmacist specialist (V.A.) suggested not giving me another prescription in order for me to get more sleep.
I completely agree that another prescription is not something to seek out.
I've gone days without sleeping, I have to admit. I was always a short-sleeper, but the Wellbutrin has enhanced that.
Now that I've gone a couple of days waking up around 7 instead, I'm feeling less depressed.
One "trick" to get me to drop off quickly that I discovered by accident is to just let my mind wander and throw any images at me that it wants to. Once the images start flowing, I'm out very quickly. If I can't get any images, then I'm going to be up for a while and fall back to reading until I'm sleepier.
Coffee is unpredictable for me. Sometimes, it keeps me up, sometimes it doesn't, and sometimes it keeps me up two nights later. I guess I'd try to eliminate any and everything that *could* keep you awake (even if you don't think it would).
Good luck to you.
Great idea. I tend to be up wee hours of the morning routinely if I am already up writing at about 1:00 am to 6:00 am when daylight happens. Or routinely, I have to get up to urinate near 4ish in the morning and since I know that I won't be able to get back to sleep, I am up for the morning. But like just now, I can be laying down watching something and fall asleep, but not for long though. Like naps during the day. I never get to what is called REM sleep, deep sleep that is restful. I have a sound machine near my bed, I can if I make a solid effort at times turn it on to say rain falling or the ocean and manage at some point to doze off. I think I am so afraid of the before sleep that trying to get some more sleep seems like a daunting effort.
I had been on Welbutrin in the morning and lexapro at night. I stopped the lexapro because it can cause sleep issues. I have had sleep issues for years waking up every hour to two hours. My Dr out me on a mild sleep aid (rozerem) and I call asleep within ten minutes and sleep around 3 hours at a time. I can call back asleep quickly so am feeling more refreshed. I do do to bed at 10:30 and am up around six. Don't really know how I ever worked everyday Hope you all get some relief as chronic sleep problems can cause health issues. Also my Dr tested me for sleep apnea which I have. I have obstructive as well as central which is the brain not getting the signal telling you to breath. According to him all of these often go hand in hand. Seems like a chicken egg thing which comes first sleep, apnea, depression. We are such a complex bunch of symptoms so no easy answers.
I guess I spoke too soon… back to being up at between 5 and 5:30 in the morning the last two days after getting to bed at 1. I did catch an hour nap yesterday, so that helped a little… and this morning may have been self-inflicted as I drank coffee later in the day yesterday so I’d be more awake for a social engagement. I did get a blood pressure monitor and see that my pressure is fine when I wake up, so that’s one concern that seems to be less of a reality.