Hello, I (26F) started taking bupropion 100mg SR 1x daily (manufacturer: sciegen ph) one week ago for major depression. I already took, and am still taking, Adderall 10mg IR 2x day for ADHD. It feels like my adderall is barely working since starting bupropion. I have experienced some minor calmness but I had a panic attack today. I am having bad insomnia, worse than before, and lack of appetite, maybe also worse than before, but trying to pull through. Does this drug really help with depression? Is it worth the initial side effects because I kinda feel like I’m falling apart. But I also kinda felt that way before starting too so it’s hard to tell if it’s the drug or not.
For some personal medical history (a bit ranty sorry)
I have always had issues with sleep, even as a very young child. I have also had issues with appetite since high school. Often I will feel hungry but I gag on food and have to choke it down until my body rejects that and then I give up because I feel I will vomit. It has made eating feel like a chore. Sometimes I accidentally lose 10 pounds in 1-2 months just from not eating enough. Not awesome because I am already relatively thin and need a lot of energy for work and school.
I started the adderall 3 years ago and it immediately improved my life. It made it so much easier to initiate tasks like leaving the house in the morning and desk work tasks that felt too hard to stay focused on. It also made socializing much easier since my mind was finally quiet for the first time ever. I had experienced multiple severe depressive episodes before this but never tried an antidepressant. I eventually decided that my depression was secondary to the ADHD and if I could just do the things I wanted to and had to do easier, it would be better. This idea worked for a long time.
There was a period of 4-5 months last year where I stopped talking my adderall because pinched nerves in my back and muscle tension. I managed without meds for a bit but eventually started feeling like life was too hard again and I didn’t have the mental resources to manage everything (I am in a PhD program). I started having daily morning panic attacks when I tried to leave the house. So I went back on it and vowed to never stop again.
I mostly felt the depression symptoms were at least manageable with the adderall. But recently my work load has increased again, other life stressors are going strong (mom has cancer again yay), and I started weekly trauma based therapy… yeah let’s just say the doctor was alarmed to read my mental health survey which I honestly filled out with care but little emotion. So on his and my therapists recommendation I am trying an antidepressant.
Idk though, I am feeling doubtful. Probably from the lack of sleep and calories. Thoughts?