Wellbutrin making depression worse?

I started taking taking Wellbutrin back in March kind of due to “worries about getting depressed,” rather than definite depression. I was treated with chemo for breast cancer (at age 33) last winter, ending in Jan this year. I was having fatigue, low energy, and low motivation, which I thought could either be residual side effects from chemo or depression. (I have Hx of mental Hx issues including PTSD with BPD traits and depression triggered by PTSD). I was treated with multiple meds and cocktails (including ADs, mood stabilizers, AAPs) in my 20s. Then I tapered off everything (except trazodone ) from 2014 to mid 2015 because there was never clear evidence that any of these meds worked, and they seemed in a lot of ways to make me worse in a lot of ways: increased anxiety, increased depression, emotional numbness, and mood lability at times. I have still met with my psych APRN since time bc I’m still on trazodone for sleep.

So in March, I asked if I could take Wellbutrin for the “depression” and/or chemo energy side effects. I pretty much refuse to take an SSRI or SNRI because I had so much difficulty tapering off of zoloft, despite during a year-long taper (and earlier failed attempts). And the antidepressant thing was intended to be temporarily. I had no problem getting off Wellbutrin in the past, so I asked for that. When I started in March, it was good for a week, but then it caused me severe anxiety and irritability for next couple weeks. I wanted to stop but I pushed through (in part for the wrong reasons....it make me not want to smoke, which I had picked up stress smoking after Dx with cancer, and it made me less hungry and lose a few pounds. I’m at a healthy weight;, I just sadly liked being thinner. I have Hx of ED).

After a couple more weeks, the anxiety side effects lessened but was still there a bit. Now I’m not sure if it was due to Wellbutrin or due to situational factors. I went back to work in April after medical leave, and a bunch of things were changed and my workload had almost doubled, causing increased stress. I started having panic attacks and crying spells at work on occasion. (I have felt anxious at work privately when stressed, but I’ve never had a panic attack at work or any other time in my life until Wellbutrin.) I also had marriage stressors and insurance stressors that are mostly resolved. I started therapy to cope with the whole cancer thing and the work stress. I started trauma work a couple months ago bc the cancer brought up old PTSD issues and brought on new ones. Now I’ve been doing EMDR for past month. I did end up changing jobs in the summer, so less stress, there but of course there’s still regular stress.

Anyhoo, I keep wondering if the Wellbutrin is making things worse. It could be the EMDR therapy, but I refuse to stop bc it’s aslo helping even though it’s challenging.... certain traumas are consciously bothering me less so it’s working. However, I have continued to have panic attacks still (now they happen when I go to doctor appts or medical facilities associated with the cancer), tearfulness, apathy, low motivation, moodiness, physiological anxiety, etc, which I think the Wellbutrin contributes to. I think the “low motivation” and apathy actually come from feeling too anxious to do things, such as run errands by myself, rather than depression.

I talked to my psych aprn about going off, and she didn’t have a strong opinion for or against going on. She gaveme taper guidelienes in case. Should I try going off to see if I’m less anxious? Does it sounds like Wellbutrin could be contributing? If I do go off, I am not considering trying another medication at the moment, unless of course I have a psych emergency. TIA!

hi. -any- cns drug (antidepressants, stimulants, sedatives, even the anti-seizure drugs) can cause or exacerbate psych issues. true story.

so..i dont have definite advice, but do keep that in mind, please. personally, wellbutrin is one of the few antidepressants that ive found tolerable and helpful, so when i found it causing some probs, i stopped it and havent been on an antidepressant since. everyone's decision in balancing risks: benefits is somewhat different, it seems.