Anyone on Wellbutrin?

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  • Mystical64
    Mystical64 Posts: 108 Member
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    I've been on Wellbutrin and Lexapro for quite some time and I am at my lowest weight since I was 20 years old.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    Wellbutrin has three different releases - SR, XL, and a faster release tablet. That one was too speedy for me. I take SR, which is just a little speedy, which is the boost I need to overcome depression lethargy. I tried XL but didn't like it.

    It also has different strengths.

    For those of you who find it too speedy, you can talk to your doctor about trying a different form or lower dose.

    Wellbutrin is generally associated decreased appetite rather than increased. For those who gain, check your logging.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    edited April 2016
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    brhollifield wrote: »
    I was on Wellbutrin and blew up like a balloon! HATED IT! I had NO energy and it certainly didn't help my mood any. I switched to Fluoxatine and it seems to be the right med for me.

    Regarding one of your statements about " weaning " off - I wouldn't suggest you do it unless you are following doctors orders... I tried getting off Wellbutrin on my own at one point and it was a disaster. Good luck.

    How'd you come off it? I frequently stop taking Welbutrin late Spring - early Fall and taper off by taking a pill every other day for a few weeks.

    I do agree that weaning is best done under a doctor's supervision.
  • ECTexan
    ECTexan Posts: 195 Member
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    I took Wellbutrin for about 5 weeks when I started to break out in hives all over my body. I thought it had started to help for the short time I was on it, but unfortunately I was allergic. I've never found anything else as good.
  • PlantBasedRnr
    PlantBasedRnr Posts: 129 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    brhollifield wrote: »
    I was on Wellbutrin and blew up like a balloon! HATED IT! I had NO energy and it certainly didn't help my mood any. I switched to Fluoxatine and it seems to be the right med for me.

    Regarding one of your statements about " weaning " off - I wouldn't suggest you do it unless you are following doctors orders... I tried getting off Wellbutrin on my own at one point and it was a disaster. Good luck.

    How'd you come off it? I frequently stop taking Welbutrin late Spring - early Fall and taper off by taking a pill every other day for a few weeks.

    I do agree that weaning is best done under a doctor's supervision.


    When I decided I had enough of the weight and other side effects that I contributed I tried " taper " off by gradually reducing the dose... evidently it is a little more scientific than I thought and evidently my body was a little more dependent on it than I thought... I talked to my doc and we devised a plan to come off it and it worked just fine.



  • drummondk
    drummondk Posts: 79 Member
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    UPDATE:

    They drew blood to test my thyroid and hormones. She gave me a shot to help with the itchy hives that Wellbutrin caused. She wants me to stop taking it immediately. She also gave me a new medication that i should start tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I want to.

    It's called Fetzima and apparently it's new. I've looked it up but there isn't a ton on there about it. Most things I read weren't great, but then again it's easier to find the bad.

    I'm considering not taking anything. I originally started taking AD's because of PPD. It's been two years, so I'm hoping I'll do fine.

    Regardless, she definitely thinks that the Wellbutrin reacted with my body chemistry in such a way that stopped my weight loss. Hopefully my efforts will start paying off again once the Wellbutrin is out of my system.

    Thanks for the help everyone!
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    I took Wellbutrin a long time ago after the birth of my second child - bad PPD. I took it a few months and it seemed to help but then I started getting the side effects. When I almost drove off the road due to dizziness and tunnel vision, I quit cold turkey and I never had withdrawals. It took a while for all these little side effects to make me take notice. That road thing was the final straw because I had my baby in the car!

    You may want to see how well you cope without medication before you start a new drug. I think you mentioned earlier that you may not need it any more. Of course, I am not a doctor and shouldn't say that ... so it is just an opinion. I wish you luck!
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
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    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
    Yes, the same doctor is prescribing them. I am an emotional eater, and I imagine the risk is low enough where she didn't see any danger.
    I've been taking them together since January.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
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    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
    Yes, the same doctor is prescribing them. I am an emotional eater, and I imagine the risk is low enough where she didn't see any danger.
    I've been taking them together since January.
    Thanks for the follow-up. As long as your doctor is aware and is comfortable with the drug interaction. Just wanted to be sure.

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Wellbutrin prevented me from sleeping. Celexa destroyed my metabolism and made me fat. Lexapro has been working great for the past 15 years though so I am staying on it. It took a year to lose the Celexa weight with the help of a nutritionist as well as MFP!
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
    Yes, the same doctor is prescribing them. I am an emotional eater, and I imagine the risk is low enough where she didn't see any danger.
    I've been taking them together since January.
    Thanks for the follow-up. As long as your doctor is aware and is comfortable with the drug interaction. Just wanted to be sure.
    I appreciate that you care! :) I don't plan on staying on Phentermine when I reach my doctors pre-determined weight goal, though. I know it's got of possible side-effects and risks and I am thankful that 99% of medication I have ever taken has worked the way it is supposed and that nothing super adverse has happened.
  • leannraya
    leannraya Posts: 95 Member
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    I had the same experience with wellbutrin so I told my doctor and he switched me to Effexor, now I can lose weight as long as I stick to my healthy eating
  • leannraya
    leannraya Posts: 95 Member
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    ChristinaOrr65 wrote: »
    My experience with anything like this is that I always lose weight the first few weeks and then gain it back - and then some after that. Lexapro was the worst for me, I finally had to stop because the weight gain. I would see what your Dr says, maybe there is a medication that will be a better fit.

    Lexapro was also the worst for me, I gained so much weight that I'm still trying to lose. No matter what I did, gym or weight watchers, I gained and gained.
  • CrazyMermaid1
    CrazyMermaid1 Posts: 339 Member
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    My psychiatrist put me on Wellbutrin to counteract the weight gain of some of my other meds. It keeps me from binges and I'm not as hungry so it works for me.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
    Yes, the same doctor is prescribing them. I am an emotional eater, and I imagine the risk is low enough where she didn't see any danger.
    I've been taking them together since January.

    Eh, my other half's mother is in a rehab and her doctor there didn't see anything wrong with her taking three different benzos per day - my OH had to repeatedly point out that she seemed over-medicated. I think he started objecting more strongly after seeing me freak when I learned she was getting two Valiums, a Xanax, and a Triazolam per day. Then they were going to take her off everything at once. Fortunately, they are still giving her Xanax so the poor women wasn't in complete benzo cold turkey. I'm a layperson and I've known about benzo withdrawal for years and am flabbergasted that her doctor didn't consider this.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    ketorach wrote: »
    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I haven't experienced any horrible physical side effects or allergic reactions. I have a little agitation, but that could be because I'm currently taking Phentermine (yes, yes, I know) and I also have a mental disorder that causes very fast mood swings. Constipation and dry mouth are side effects of both medications, but I'm not worried about that.
    Are both meds prescribed by the same doctor?

    I'm not a doctor but there is a risk of seizures with both medications and it's dangerous to take them together.

    Is it possible that your PCP and psychiatrist do not know what the other is prescribing?
    Yes, the same doctor is prescribing them. I am an emotional eater, and I imagine the risk is low enough where she didn't see any danger.
    I've been taking them together since January.

    Eh, my other half's mother is in a rehab and her doctor there didn't see anything wrong with her taking three different benzos per day - my OH had to repeatedly point out that she seemed over-medicated. I think he started objecting more strongly after seeing me freak when I learned she was getting two Valiums, a Xanax, and a Triazolam per day. Then they were going to take her off everything at once. Fortunately, they are still giving her Xanax so the poor women wasn't in complete benzo cold turkey. I'm a layperson and I've known about benzo withdrawal for years and am flabbergasted that her doctor didn't consider this.

    I appreciate you sharing your experience with doctors, pain pills and medication for mental health issues can really get out of hand if not controlled carefully. I do trust my doctor in her decision, she said she frequently prescribes them in tandem to help emotional eaters. My mom went through something similar but not as severe, her doctors never shared with each other her prescribed medication and she is mentally impaired so she didn't think to bring a list of her medication or advocate for herself.
  • Jazzykatt
    Jazzykatt Posts: 38 Member
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    I am on Welbutrin. I got off of it a few months ago and started to gain weight because my hunger was out of control. I got back on it and it's falling off now. It curbs my hunger. I do have some anxiety issues but can deal with them. I get more anxious when I gain weightso it's better for me to stay on it.
  • wrknonmedaily
    wrknonmedaily Posts: 203 Member
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    I am on 20 mg of Fluoxatine and it has helped me greatly with my binging which in turn has helped me to lose weight. I was on 40 mg and lost a lot of weight when I first started it a few years ago but I started having crazy, scary nightmares. I stopped it without talking to my doctor, yes they freaked me out that bad, for about six months and picked the weight back up plus a little more because I was so depressed and anxious and would binge like crazy. I started it again in January 2016 but she dropped me to 20 mg a day. One really good plus is that it curbs my hunger and helps me to think clearly and not have panic attacks. It keeps me calm when people start acting stupid.

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