HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Wellbutrin, Triptans& Muscle Spasms

Support Forums
>
Depression
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/9/2011 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I have been taking Wellbutrin for 5 weeks. For the last 5 days, I have been experiencing strong muscle twitches in my left forearm. I have had migraines this week and have taken Maxalt a couple of days. I know it isn't Seratonin Syndrome because Wellbutrin is not an SSRI. I saw my doctor day before yesterday and he checked my arm for movement, soreness, etc. and didn't seem concerned. I just put the the idea together today that the drug combo could be causing it. However, I have taken Maxalt many other days during the time I've been on Wellbutrin without this happening. Has anyone else experienced muscle spasms while on Wellbutrin?
Posted 12/9/2011 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
I never experienced muscle spasms or headaches. I am sorry that you are going though this. I did get nervous on high doses and everything tasted wierd. But a low dose, I could think clear, but I still had depression so I switched to effexor. Then to pristiq. Pristiq works good for me.

I hope that you get this straightened out.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 12/9/2011 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
no. but have had similar experiences on other meds. agree with karen, hope it gets sorted real soon for you. take care, jamie
Posted 12/9/2011 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
I hope you get better. I never experienced muscle spasms while on Wellbutrin, but I had migraines every day for 3 weeks. As soon as I discontinued Wellbutrin, they stopped. I take Maxalt for migraines, as I get them regardless of my meds (hormonal BS making my head jury). I think it might be best to talk to your doctor about an alternative. I stayed on it as long as I did because I thought they'd go away, but alas they did not. Good luck and feel better!
Posted 12/9/2011 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hurt not jury **
Posted 12/18/2011 3:35 PM (GMT 0)
Just an update. I am still on the Wellbutrin, and I have had a migraine every morning for the last week and have been taking Maxalt and Immitrex and I am not having the muscle spams. I believe it must have been caused by stress and anxiety, due to the medical condition that is causing my depression. Thanks all for your caring replies. I hope that it doesn't come back...have too much to deal with.
Posted 12/18/2011 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update.

Do you think that the wellburtin is causeing the headaches? I hope that they go away. Maybe it is just a side effect that will leave soon. Keep posting and letting us know how you are doing.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 12/19/2011 8:30 AM (GMT 0)
Cell, I really think you should talk to your doctor about the frequency of which you're taking your triptans. If you're taking them more than 3 times a week, its too much. Far too much. The headaches/migraines could most certainly be caused by the medication.
Posted 12/20/2011 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
It's not the Wellbutrin. I have had migraines since I was a kid. I have seen my doctor about the frequency of my headaches...I have tried several preventative medications that have not helped. There's not anything else to do. The triptans are the only thing that work. I know I have to take too many. It raises my blood pressure which is not good. Sometimes I can go for a week without a headache, and like last week, I woke up with a migraine every morning for 5 days. Chronic migraine I guess you could say.
Posted 12/21/2011 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
That is too bad. I couldn't imagine having migraines everyday. I get occular migraines. I see patterns, but very seldom get the headache, though I have had them. They are awful. I hope that you can find something to prevent them, or at least make them tolerable.

Best wishes to you.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 12/21/2011 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry you suffer from them. My brother has suffered from them his entire life, as well, and though he had ct scans and mris done as a child, he won't go to the doctor because he's convinced he has a brain tumor. I started having migraines about 5 years ago. Preventatives didn't work for me either. I can tell you my maxalt helps and they have something new called Cambia. It's not a triptan, its actually an nsaid. I told her it wouldn't help, but it actually did. It comes in powder form and you take it as soon as you feel the migraine coming on. Have you ever heard of it? If it does help, maybe you can alternate it with your triptans. I wish I could help you more :( I'm assuming you are a male, am I correct?
Posted 12/23/2011 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
No, I am a 58 year old female. I know my user name is confusing, lol. I have not heard of that. I have had RA for 32 years and have been on NSAIDS for that long. I wonder if it's something you can take daily instead of a usual NSAID and may turn out to be a preventative. I will have to do some research on that. Thanks!
Posted 12/23/2011 12:03 PM (GMT 0)
Did they ever check your hormone levels? There's something wrong with mine, which is why mine developed when they did. But you've had them your whole life.. have they gotten worse,recently? The NSAID used it Cambia is called Diclofenac. It's actually marketed through lotion, gel, patches, powder and pill form lol. But obviously, the first 4 are for either back pain or painful dermal issues. It's kind of funny how many different ways this drug is being used. Anywho, I hope I've helped you, even though I type how I talk, which means: think, type, think. Then no editing. I can edit in real life, plus maybe it would help anyway?

Good luck :)

PS ever had Toradol? An injection right in the butt always takes my pain away lol. It's an NSAID but you'd never take it long term because of the effects of Toradol in many things in the body. Actually, you wouldn't be able to get a script for more than 5 days worth at a time. But in a real crisis, Toradol is a life saver. Forget Demerol and Phenergan the only thing that's gonna stop it at that point is Toradol. Wow, longer than a usual PS. Sorry!
Posted 12/23/2011 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
The good thing is maxalt and Immitrex work. Nothing else, not even morphine, works. My doctor did actually give me Cambia but I just knew it by the generic name. He gave me 4 tubes of the gel. It is mostly for osteoarthritis. It is not for me, as I would have to strip down 4 times a day and apply it. lol. Also, as far as hormones, I had a hysterectomy in 1992 and that did not affect my migraines. Been on hormones and off hormones, no effect. Thanks for the input. Sometimes my chiropractor can help. If he hits my neck in the right spot, which is way up, I might go for a week or two without one. If he doesn't, I may have them everyday for a week after I see him. They always start in my neck.
Posted 12/24/2011 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry I've been persistent about this. I'm just concerned about your use of the triptans. But I do understand the pain and would rather pay the consequences later to take away the pain now. I know Morphine doesn't help. Neither does Demerol. We all have our pain to deal with, whether physical or mental, and I pray yours diminishes over time. I won't be naive enough to assume they'll go away, but a little prayer never hurts.

Keep going to the chiropractor!! For suuure

One more thing, are you absolutely sure you haven't had more several pain or frequent pain since Wellbutrin? I just asked a few friends who had already suffered from migraines and they all said it made the migraines come more often. I'm sorry to keep questioning you, I'm just really concerned. I hope I'm not annoying you or showing any disrespect.

Good luck, either way Cell
Posted 12/26/2011 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Kelsey, I appreciate your concern so much. I really don't think it is the Wellbutrin...this is just ordinary for me. I know sometimes you have to do something to break the cycle. Hopefully, my next trip to the chiropractor will do it. There is another factor, which is the cause of my depression. I was on an arthritis drug that can cause eye problems, and despite being checked like I was supposed to, my opthamologist failed to find that I had developed the condition. I complained for 16 years that I was having visual symptoms that he insisted was some kind of migraine and was definitely not the drug and they insisted I stay on it. They convinced me it wasn't the drug but I knew it wasn't vascular. My GP ruled out brain tumor, epilepsy, seizures, everything until I finally got the diagnosis. The condition is untreatable and irreversible. Even though I quit the drug 2 years ago it is still doing damage. I am losing more and more vision all the time,plus I see all these whirling rings, dots, flashes, blobs, all kinds of things in my field of vision. 24/7...eyes open or closed. Right now I can hardly see through all this stuff. I think as these worsen it causes my migraines to worsen. Can you imagine what is like to see this stuff constantly? It is almost driving me crazy. Sorry to get off on that, but having to live with this,and facing blindness, I really don't care what triptans do for me. If they relieve my migraines, that's at least one good thing..if they kill me..sometimes I just don't care.
Posted 12/26/2011 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry you're going through that. I understand a little better about the triptans not worrying you as much. My mother has temporal arteritis. If they hadn't caught it in time, she'd have had permanent damage to her eyes. She still only sees about 50% of what she used to be able to see just a year ago, even with a stronger prescription of glasses. The steroids have caused her to become diabetic. But if she doesnt take them, she'll go blind and worse things could happen as well. It is a shame when it comes to a point where you have to pick the lesser of evils. I'll be praying for you.

Bless you and I hope you have Happy Holidays.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply