Doctor knows best, right?

Well, I'm not overly happy with our next move.  By "our" I mean me and Dr. S.  But doctor knows best, right?  Today was the three month med check since I started on Wellbutrin. 

We chatted and I told him that I wasn't feeling any different at all in the three months since I've been taking the Wellbutrin.  I informed him that I'm taking Ativan more than I did the last time I was on meds.  He presented me with two options.  One option was to increase my Zoloft from 100 mg to 150 mg daily and leave the Wellbutrin at the same dosage of 150 mg.  Option two was to increase my Wellbutrin to 300 mg a day and leave my Zoloft at 100 mg.  He also mentioned that we could go up to 300 mg on the Zoloft and up to 450 mg on the Wellbutrin.

Out of the two options, he felt that option two was the best choice for our first step.  The problem is that Wellbutrin isn't like Zoloft in that it does nothing for the anxiety part of my illness.  In some people, it can even increase the anxiety.  I could be one of those people.  If that is the case, we will go back to 150 mg of Wellbutrin and then try upping the Zoloft.

Since the medicine is already in my system, I should notice any change within two weeks.  I'm to call Dr. S in two weeks to let him know how it is going.  If I see adverse effects from the increased dosage, I am to call as soon as I can.  If the Wellbutrin increase isn't the answer, he will then decrease the Wellbutrin back to 150 mg and increase the Zoloft to 150 mg.

I'm not happy because I really do not feel as though the Wellbutrin is working for me so I don't understand the dosage increase.  Yes, I understand that I might need a higher dosage to see a change.  But if it is doing nothing for me and then the increase either does nothing or increases the anxiety, why have me stay on it?

Dr. S said he selected this option because Wellbutrin doesn't have as many adverse side effects as Zoloft.  In fact, it can help combat the potential Zoloft side effects of sexual problems and weight gain.  However, I'm not experiencing those problems.  My sex life is fine and has improved since I started back on my meds.  And I've actually lost weight since September when I first went back to the doctor. 

If the Wellbutrin increase doesn't work and we then reduce it and increase the Zoloft, I'm back to giving it a try and then calling him two weeks after we start with that med change. (I'm mostly adding that part so I remember.)

Once we get the meds adjusted to a place that works for me, Dr. S said we could wait three to six months before my next office visit.  Just another turn and loop on my roller coaster life.