Wellbutrin is often used off-label for ADHD because it's a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, and norepinephrine is basically the neurotransmitter responsible for vigilance and arousal (not sexual arousal, but arousal in the sense of "I'm awake! I'm WIDE GODDAMN AWAKE AND AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE CREEPING THROUGH THE WINDOW TO KILL ME!").

I have just watched Up, and I read this as saying "norepinephrine is basically the neurotransmitter responsible for SQUIRREL!!"

Oh my god IT TOTALLY IS!!!!!

Seriously. That is brilliant.

In other words, it's no fucking surprise that it can give people (and by people, I mean me) insomnia and JACK UP THEIR ANXIETY.

That is interesting. I'm still pissed at the doctor that was experimenting with meds and tried Wellbutrin with me. I never want that feeling again. I won't have that feeling again. I promised myself that.

Also find it interesting. It sounds like D might be a good candidate for trying Wellbutrin for stopping smoking with his ADHD, but I would definitely NOT, with my anxiety and insomnia.

I ALREADY have problems getting Le Brain to switch off.

Huh. My doc told my up front that the Wellbutrin could amp up my anxiety but would help my ADHD, and for the first 18 months or so, it worked really well on the ADD without affecting the anxiety too much. Then? BAM! Panic. I just wonder why it took so long to change its mind.

Anyway, that's when I switched to Pristiq. Which, ftr, likes carrots.

My theory, which I have just now pulled out of my ass, is that neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors can work well for a while - while the brain is building up a little stockpile of neurotransmitters it didn't have enough of before - and then a magic tipping point is reached at which the brain has enough NTs now but the drug is still giving it more, so suddenly it seems the drug has stopped working because now there are side effects that weren't there before, side effects that come from having too much of said NTs.

I think this is why serotonin reuptake inhibitors worked for me for a few months and then plunged me into a black misery. Because suddenly I had too much of something that's essentially a downer. Welbutrin worked for a while, and then, bam, worse anxiety, nightmares, and a fucked-up sleep cycle.

Well, actually we spend a lot of time drawing staves back after having just erased them.

Liese, please tell me you have a five-line chalk holder.

Much insurance~ma for Teppy and askye. Blood-draw and MRI-calmness~ma for sj. And plenty of it's-nothing~ma for Fay's sister. P.S. Fay, we love you all the time no matter what - you don't have to earn love (or ~ma) by showing yourself in thread at required intervals.

That's (1) super interesting from a nerdy POV, and (2) makes me even more sure that going off it is the right decision. Holy moly.

It's interesting to me, as well - especially since I am taking Wellbutrin together with Concerta. On paper, the Wellbutrin is for depression and the Concerta is for AD/HD (inattentive type) - but in reality, there is no telling where the increased energy of treated depression leaves off, and the increased motivation/focus of treated AD/HD begins for me.

It's interesting to me, as well - especially since I am taking Wellbutrin together with Concerta. On paper, the Wellbutrin is for depression and the Concerta is for AD/HD (inattentive type)

Tim takes Ritalin for his ADD and Wellbutrin for depression. I imagine it works really well as a combo for some people.

Liese, please tell me you have a five-line chalk holder.

I did, back when it was actually a chalkboard. But my classroom is a whiteboard, and I don't know of one that does it for dry erase markers. There probably is one, though, isn't there? I thought about doing it with electrical tape so I could just erase the notes. But it's not my building, so I don't want to damage the board.

eta: Also, you should see my speed treble clef.

Liese: [link]