[citygirl89]

Hi all! First time poster here, longtime anxiety sufferer/weight struggler. I am looking for any advice you all could give. It's going to be long so if you read it all, I truly appreciate it.

I decided to finally seek treatment for my anxiety after suffering for 10 years. I have done some research on different meds but wanted to give some background on how my anxiety manifests itself.

I have severe hyperhidrosis. Basically started at the age of 12 limited to the armpits, used Certain Dri which worked great (I have since never sweat a drop from my armpits) but have over the years developed compensatory sweating BADLY. Everywhere else. Face, neck, head, legs, feet, chest, etc. The worst really is my head and face. I don't know whether I have anxiety from the sweating or sweat from the anxiety (probably a lot of both) but let's suffice it to say my social life has become severely hindered due to the sweating.

Another issue of mine is problems with weight, which brings me to this site. I was always at a happy weight for my frame and height, then went off to college and have since ballooned 30 pounds, no matter what I do. I love exercise, but it seems my anxiety has turned me into an emotional eater, so all the time spent in the gym doesn't matter anyway. It's extremely depressing to see photos of myself as a thin and happy girl, to now avoid people who knew me then for fear they will see how much weight I've gained.

I went to my doctor for advice and she recommended 20mg of citalopram. The citalopram worked well in terms of calming some of my anxiety and actually decreased my cravings for food/appetite, but it caused serious insomnia and orgasm issues (both of which were never a problem, even at my heaviest weight I have always had a healthy sex drive and have always had normal sleeping habits) so I was on it for a month and she said it wasn't the drug for me. But I lost 10 pounds in that month and was so excited by it, I almost didn't even want to mention the sexual/sleep side effects and just learn to deal with them, as being thin again would be better than sleeping and sex.

I gave Cymbalta a shot twice, both times were weight neutral but made me sweat like craaaazy, so I stopped quickly.

This brings me to Wellbutrin XL, the drug I thought would be my miracle. Doc put me on bupropion xl 150mg, I was on that for two weeks and disappointed that I wasn't losing weight (but seemed to be retaining water and looked/felt bloated) so I had called to be bumped up to 300mg. Well the day I was supposed to up the dosage, I broke out into a severe all-over body rash and hives, and had a tight chest. I stopped immediately and am still dealing with the hives, though it's dwindling.

I am so bummed out because I really do need a med to calm my anxiety/depression (therapy has never helped much) and I was hoping Wellbutrin was my ticket to losing the 30 lbs I desperately want to lose.

Did any of you experience the same allergic reaction to bupropion? Would I be better off trying the brand name instead, or do you think this would cause the same reaction?

Thanks so much

[bargoo]

I don't have the problems you have and haven't taken the same meds, but I am allergic to ibuprofen, I get hives so bad I would actually rather have the pain then the hives, fortunately there are other pain meds that don't contain ibuprofen.
What does your doctor say about changing meds ?

[citygirl89]

It's scary, right? I never thought I'd take a drug for two weeks, break out in hives all over, and still have them four days later.

I haven't called my doctor back but I need to, my anxiety is getting bad again having nothing to combat it. I guess I'm just looking for something that will calm me down while also curbing my appetite.

[BreathingSpace]

What about Effexor?

Wellbutrin is such a gross drug (IMO and experience), maybe it's a blessing in disguise that you can't take it.

[Porthardygurl]

wow..you wrote my story for me... I suffer from severe hyperhydrosis too...mostly my face but sometimes my butt and leg..but worst of all in the face..how do we fix that?

Also im like you..in denial over anxiety issues till now..im on effexcor which works great as an anti-depressent..but im not sure that it helps a whole ton for the anxiety part..I tried wellbutrin in the past and i had some serious symptoms and side affects with that..My mom suggested i try ciprolex...as she says its one of the safest drugs and least amount of side affects..but i too am searching for a good anti anxiety drug..

[Tigerlilly6]

Hi Citygirl,

Thanks for posting. I have had problems with profuse sweating since I was about 18 (33 now) mostly in my underarms. I always bought shirts that wouldn't accentuate that fact whether they were loose, flowy, or had some kind of pattern to detract from the fact that I could start sweating like it was 105 degrees in the middle of winter at any given moment. I think the sweating was related to anxiety as well.

Over the last 2 months I finally visited my doctor to find resolution about my anxiety because I was having trouble being around too many people for my internship for school. First I tried Propranolol which worked on symptoms of anxiety and lowered my heart rate, etc., but I felt like it also affected my insulin levels and was constantly hungry.

She then switched me to Celexa/Citalopram which is the first anti-depressant (AD) I have ever taken. I am determined to lose weight whether or not I am on AD's. Anyway I have lost about 5 pounds on it, but I have been watching my calories very closely trying to stay around 1200 per day some days over, but for the most part trying to hit that as close as possible. I was so tired during the day that I had to start taking my pills at night and this has allowed me to function well. I am able to take and pick up my daughter from school, work at my internship, and attend college full time without feeling half asleep like I did when I took my pill in the morning.

Anyway best of luck to you and thanks for sharing your story.



-Tigerlilly6

[citygirl89]

@breathingspace I will have to look into Effexor, but I feel like I've heard about weight gain on it? Any insight? Thanks

@porthardygurl oh sweetie, I'm so sorry you struggle with sweating the way I do. I have no idea how to fix it, and I feel like it gets worse the more weight I gain, and the fatter and sweatier I get, the more depressed I get. It's an unending cycle. If you don't mind me asking, what side effects did you have on Wellbutrin? I will look into Ciprolex also. Best of luck to you and please keep me updated, maybe if something works for you it will work for me.

@tigerlilly6 I'm so sorry you also have the same problem as me. I started in the armpits and it has since become an all-over problem for me, even down to my feet. I can't tell you how many beautiful pairs of flats and heels I've had to throw out because they smelled like sweat.

I too liked citalopram actually a lot, it helped me lose 10 lbs instantly and seemed to curb that urge in my head saying "I feel sad, let's eat now." But I had the opposite problem, I couldn't stay asleep through the night. I may give it another shot, but the sexual side effects worry me too :[ thank you so much for your advice and input, I really appreciate it!

[Porthardygurl]

Hey Citygirl,

Well... on Wellbutrin.. i found myself really hot and sweating all the time. I found my mood to be up and down.. I saw no significant improvement in change in depression symptoms.. I had issues sleeping on it.. It just didnt work very well.. Celexa was even worse for me. I got massive headaches all the time and it also did nothing...

Effexcor is the only thing that has worked significantly well ...Its the first time in years ive been binge free.. no more nervous eating or depressive eating. I feel like a human being..normal.. I tried lots of meds before that ... I was on celexa.. i tried wellbutrine.. i tried Immopromene(this one was not too bad)

Effexcor is a different type of depressent..It is a non-epinephrine drug..Its not an SSRI...So i found that it worked way better...I needed something more than just an SSRI.