Help! Anti-depressants & dizziness...

 :\\\'(

I need some kind of help.  I have to take Zoloft/Sertraline , Wellbutrin/Buprioprion, and Lamotrigine (a bi-polar medicine -tho am not bi-polar) every day for various reasons.  It's a lot of medicine and I make sure to take them at the same time and on a full stomach, etc.

But lately, I have been getting so dizzzy and shaky about 4 hours after I take them that it really is affecting my life.  It doesn't go away!!  It's a bit like vertigo (which I've had before) and I have a tendancy to get motion-sick really easily (like when watching a movie!!).  I've tried staggering the medicines throughout the day but it doesn't seem to have helped. 

I am so sick of this.  I have an appointment with a GP for another reason in May, but I want to know if anyone  has had vertigo, what you use or do to treat it, similar experience, etc.  I do NOT want to have to take any more pills but right now I am a bit desperate.  I have a lot of studying to do!!!

Please help!  Hope it wasn't TMI.  thanks 

I had vertigo for several months. The only thing that helped at all was Dramamine. I've heard whether or not it will work depends on the underlying cause of the vertigo. For me, it was due to an auto accident. It might be worth giving it a try though. I mean, it can't hurt to try it unless, of course, it can't be taken with your meds.

I hope it gets better. I know how much it can interfere with your daily life.

If you're having side effects, maybe your doc just needs to adjust your dosages instead of adding any new meds. Maybe you're taking more than you need of something? Can you move up your May appt and see if you can get this sorted sooner rather than later? Poor you. It must suck. Hang in there!

When I was on Zoloft I had a bit of dizzyness, although the main side effect was it knocked me out. I don't think I was ever fully awake for a month. After that I was switched to Citralopram (I forgot the US brand name) which works about the same but did not have the ill effects on me.

My wife was on Wellbutrin/Buproprion in the US, but when she saw the GP here she was told that it was not approved in the UK and so she was switched to something else (which does not work quite as well, but is passible...). You might have to change that one if you are in the UK anyway. (If anyone knows different we'd love to hear it.)

My initial reaction to your story is thats a lot of medications, each of which can have side effects like that. Together, I don't want to even speculate. I'd be hesitant to add anything else - interaction side effects are quite poorly studied. Did you start taking anything else recently, like OTC sinus meds or something? Or any other changes in your health that could be changing how the drugs are affecting you?

I'd suggest calling doctor and try to move the appointment up. Tell them you are having side effect and I imagine they will try to do something. This doesn't sound good and should be examined. Good luck wit it, I hope you get better.

I would def go back to the Dr. early....and don't take anything else with your meds cause there is a warning on alot of that stuff you can't take with depression and bi-polar medicine...


been there done it!!!

go back to the Dr. !

I am a "special" case and went to the Priory to get cleared for the Wellbutrin... it was okay once I went over my GP's head so-to-speak (at his request, I'm not a jerk!).  I've since signed up with regular NHS mental health thingies, I just had to get my meds okayed by a specialist first.

My doc in the states always told me to listen to my body and we adjusted the meds accordingly.  My gut reaction is like what belindaloo said:  I think the doses need to be adjusted.  Actually, my body is saying GET OFF THE MEDS but I know better than that.   

Nothing else has changed, as far as I know...

thanks for the advice so far!!

Have you been on the medicine for a good length of time??

Oh, yeah, sorry!  I've been on them for about or over two years.

I am a "special" case and went to the Priory to get cleared for the Wellbutrin...

Forgive my ignorance, and hijacking of your thread, but what is the Priory.

My wife was interested that you got permission for Welbutrin. It worked better for her and had less side effects than what they have her on now, and she is having to decide if she is going to continue this medication or try something else soon. One potential problem for her is that she is not on it for mental health, she has it for something else, so she may not fit into their categories. But she would be glad to go back to Welbutrin if that was a possibility.

I hope you get your problem sorted out soon.

Oh, yeah, sorry!  I've been on them for about or over two years.

Hmm, seems your dosage needs to adjusted.  I asked, since it Wellbutrins main side effect is dizziness.

I would go see your GP right away.

:\\\'(

I need some kind of help.  I have to take Zoloft/Sertraline , Wellbutrin/Buprioprion, and Lamotrigine (a bi-polar medicine -tho am not bi-polar) every day for various reasons.  It's a lot of medicine and I make sure to take them at the same time and on a full stomach, etc.

But lately, I have been getting so dizzzy and shaky about 4 hours after I take them that it really is affecting my life.  It doesn't go away!!  It's a bit like vertigo (which I've had before) and I have a tendancy to get motion-sick really easily (like when watching a movie!!).  I've tried staggering the medicines throughout the day but it doesn't seem to have helped. 

I am so sick of this.  I have an appointment with a GP for another reason in May, but I want to know if anyone  has had vertigo, what you use or do to treat it, similar experience, etc.  I do NOT want to have to take any more pills but right now I am a bit desperate.  I have a lot of studying to do!!!

Please help!  Hope it wasn't TMI.  thanks 

Its the wellbutrin.  Its one of the side effects.  My mother had it really bad when she was on it.  Good luck

I had to stop taking Wellbutrin because it made me so shaky I could barely function. It only happened after they raised my dosage though.

Thanks for the input everyone!  My appt is at the beginning of May so i am just going to wait until then but I'm going to split up the Wellbutrin throughout the day and see if that helps.

David:  I will send you a PM.

Just a follow-up in case anyone else has the same problem.  I halved my Wellbutrin doseage and have been fine ever since.  I also split up my other meds - 1/2 at night 1/2 in the morning and I haven't had any problems with dizzyness!!

thanks to everyone for the support & advice.

I'm glad you've solved the dizziness issues! Do you think you're taking enough Wellbutrin now? I'm sure your doc will straighten you out, but it's good that you're feeling better now!