In the beginning, I was seriously skeptical of taking this medication. I mean, we’re talking about taking the same exact medication I’ve been on for 25 years – Wellbutrin. One way or another, I was taking some dosage and some form of Wellbutrin for over 2 decades – XL, XR, 150mg, 300mg, 450mg, etc… While Wellbutrin had a good run in my life, it had long since started to wane in its effectiveness. Then we’re combining it with cough medicine? C’mon, really?

My [genius and very up-to-date] psychiatrist recommended we try Auvelity. At the time, I had just come out of the mental hospital after having what I like to call a nervous breakdown where I just couldn’t handle life any longer and I was desperate for anything that could help me feel better. My anxiety was overwhelming, to the point of tachycardia (fast heart rate) and panic attacks. My depression was so bad I was drinking a liter of whiskey every day just for some sort of comfort to alleviate my symptoms. To say that I was an absolute mess is an understatement. When I met with my psychiatrist upon discharge for a followup, he prescribed Auvelity.

I was very surprised that my insurance company covered Auvelity due to the exorbitant cost of this medication. Other medications like it (new, sexy drugs), such as Rexulti, have been declined for prior authorization and other “hoops” to jump through but for some reason they decided to cover this. At the time of this writing, Auvelity is approximately $1,000 USD for a 30 day supply. My co-pay is $100 since I haven’t met my deductible yet.

For the first few days on Auvelity, I didn’t really notice a difference. In fact, a week went by without any real noticeable change other than I felt like I was just taking my normal Wellbutrin, except now I had to remember to take a pill twice a day. Annoying, but I was willing to give it a shot. I mean, I was on a leave of absence from work, out of the nut house psych ward, and had nothing better to do. Like a good little patient, I followed doctor’s orders – and I’m so glad I did.

After a few days, it was like almost overnight, my mood started to lift. It’s like my brain was starting to wake up. Colors were a smidge brighter, food tasted better, my outlook on life – more positive. In fact, I was so happy inwardly it was showing outwardly. A few more days on Auvelity, and I started going out of the house (I was a shut-in before this) just to the store. In fact, I’d make up reasons to go to the store and be among people – a huge change for someone who’s anxiety around others was so high I never left the house. I made small talk with strangers at the store. I let people go ahead of me in traffic instead of the usual, “who gives a damn,” and drive right on by. I was always thrilled and overjoyed with the smallest of things.

I am bipolar and while this seems like mania, I can promise you that Auvelity did not make me manic. It was almost like all the good parts of being manic without jumping off the cliff. There aren’t racing thoughts – in fact, my concentration is so good, I can spend hours on art projects and writing. I can read books again. Before this, my concentration sucked so bad, I’d read the same sentence multiple times and still not comprehend anything. This was with or without the booze – it didn’t matter how polluted I was, I couldn’t concentrate. Auvelity did elevate my mood like crazy but it sort of kept me inside a metaphorical “box.” I could not go any higher than the limitations of the box so I could never quite become manic – but DAMN was I in a great mood! And if something bad happened, I would take a moment, process the situation calmly, and then move on. There was no feeling of “down,” there was no feeling of dread or extreme reactions. I don’t even get anxious about anything anymore. I FEEL NORMAL FINALLY!!! BETTER THAN NORMAL!!!

If you are on the fence about taking Auvelity, I highly recommend this medication. While the cost is over the top (believe me, I understand), the drug is a God-send for someone like me. I am literally crippled without this medication by bipolar disease (I do not call it a disorder, it is a disease). Please let me know in the comments your thoughts on this medication and if you have any questions.

Thanks,

The purple alien.