I recently got on Wellbutrin, an atypical anti-depressant, for my bipolar depression. It usually works within the first one or two weeks, and - right around the start of week two - I started to notice effects fitting of Wellbutrin. Apparently, Wellbutrin can cause hypersomnia (lengthier nighttime sleeping, more daytime sleepiness and/or sleeping, and such), and one study I read said that it was most prevalent within the first month of use. Well, guess what! I started sleeping for 12 hours a day rather uncontrollably. And then, when I wake, before I know it, my mouth is flapping uncontrollably, exhausting mom just from having to listen to me talk! Hmm... think the hypomania's acting up! Wellbutrin is supposed to have a decreased incidence of this in bipolar patience in comparison to other anti-depressants, but I'm always the exception to the rule, it seems. It's also supposed to have a decreased incidence of '(hypo)manic switching,' switching being a term that refers to suddenly and quickly switching from one mood (e.g. depression) to another (e.g. mania.) In some people, the switching can seem almost instantaneous. Well, I've noticed a little of that, too - from sudden bouts of depression and loneliness to equally sudden bouts of hypomania.
Now, Wellbutrin is supposed to also be able to help with ADHD. To what extent, I'm not completely certain. If it has helped, I'd probably need a pair of outside eyes to weigh in, as the hypomanic moods and quick shifts of lethargy and depression have somewhat occupied all of my cranial space. I did just recently score an 86 on a scale that ends at '70 and above' for ADHD, but that was apparently given lifelong experiences, especially in adulthood (since I really just reached that, I included all of my teen years in the considerations.) I have noticed that I can keep on a topic when talking a little better - spewing out words a hundred at a time, but usually still on topic. It's hard to tell anything else, though, when manic symptoms and ADHD symptoms overlap so much and are so similar, so obviously during a manic episode, what's causing what will appear a bit vague and ambiguous. I have, however, stated to my NP on more than one occasion that I want to maintain my mood somewhere around hypomanic and level, though that might take much more of a toll on those around me than on myself.
On the plus side, I have been getting that extra energy boost I've been wanting, but then again, at what cost? Sleeping for an average of 12 hours - effectively taking half of my day away - makes there a lot less time to utilise that energy. While I have gotten some more things done in that time - even though my current tasks have been relatively irrelevant to life - perhaps just balancing it out. I have had less pain in the time the Wellbutrin seemed to have started to kick in, which could incidentally be a result of the hypomania and increased dopamine from the Wellbutrin. I've actually been able to get little workouts in for almost every day in the past week, which is definitely a plus, and might allow me to eventually work back to the point of being able to climb a single flight of stairs without feeling out of breath! Or to walk around Walmart for a little while without feeling like killing myself just to make the pain go away - especially in my joints. My NP actually asked if I had osteoporosis from how inactive I've been! I'm quite certain that would be some ways down the way, though.
So to list the pros and cons of Wellbutrin as of week three (week two since it kicked in)....
Pros: Overall elevated mood, shorter episodes of depression, increased energy, possible decrease of ADHD symptoms (though that's yet to really be confirmed), hypomania
Cons: More mood 'switching,' sleeping for 12 hours at a time, possibility of worse panicking (yet to be seen, though), hypomania
And yes, hypomania went into both categories.
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