Wellbutrin weight loss?

amberhughes750
amberhughes750 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. So here is my story and question:
I am 23 years old and weigh in at 199. I am only 4 foot 11 inches. (Short I know..lol). I recently gone to the doctor because my whole life, since I was 14, have never had normal menstrual cycles. I asked to be checked for PCOS, since I thought I had a lot of the signs and symptoms of it. I have gone, maximum of 2 years with out a cycle. So I got all the blood work done and everything came back great. So, she said it was my weight that was causing this. Now, I am on a Low Carb, High Protein diet. Which is very hard, I think!
Question: I am a smoker, and have been for 4-5 years. I smoke a pack a day. I want to quit so I can exercise better and for my health. I head about Wellbutrin and read all the forms that people have also lost weight on it as well as it being a aid in stop smoking. I have not been diagnosed with Depression but I have times where I feel down and I think that is due to family since my family (most) deal with depression or anger problems. Does the medicine really help?

Replies

  • ruthejp13
    ruthejp13 Posts: 213 Member
    Most antidepressants cause weight gain. Plus, once you get on it, you will have more side effects trying to get off of it. Don't do it!

    Yes, try to quit smoking. Use food as medicine. I just heard on Dr. Oz that red pepper flakes give you more of a serotonin boost than pasta or other carb foods. Exercise absolutely boosts your serotonin, dopamine and other antidepressant chemicals better than drugs. If you want to read more about how beneficial exercise is to the brain, read Spark by Dr. Ratey.
  • amberhughes750
    amberhughes750 Posts: 6
    So red pepper flakes help with trying to quit smoking? I also heard about the cinnamon candy helps. I was on Chantix and it really worked but family issues came up and i forgot to take meds for 2 weeks and now i have to wait a year before i can get back on it due to my insurance company. :(
  • LaneB89
    LaneB89 Posts: 93 Member
    Actually, Wellbutrin is one of the only antidepressants that is known to NOT cause weight gain, and can actually aid in weight loss via appetite suppression. That said, I don't know whether a doctor would prescribe it to you in the absence of depression, and even if they would, I wouldn't recommend it. I've taken it personally (for depression) and it made me feel absolutely awful. I felt strung out, wired, and just generally out of it. I gave it 2 weeks and couldn't handle it anymore and had to stop. If you want to quit smoking and lose weight, I'd recommend a healthy dose of willpower.
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
    try getting an ecig or vape pen to quit smoking rather then the drugs

    numerous people have quit smoking thanks to the vaping
    also cant hurt to try it cheap vape pens are around $30 if that and there are stores everywhere

    good luck
  • agrafina
    agrafina Posts: 128 Member
    I have taken wellbutrin for depression. It didn't impact my weight one way or another. I'f you have other mental health issues that surround your eating (emotional eating, binging, compulsive eating) it probably won't affect your weight. I think it affects appetite. However, if you just sort of garden variety eat too much, it might help curb your appetite (emphasis on might).
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    Brupropion,the generic name for Wellbutrin, is also marketed at a lower dose for smoking cessation under the name Zyban. Tell your physician that you want to quit smoking and ask if that, or another product, would help you to achieve that goal.

    BTW, some women just don't have regular cycles.
  • PicoBoulevard
    PicoBoulevard Posts: 24 Member
    I take Wellbutrin and lost a lot of weight. But there are side effects: my hair thinned and I developed a slight tremor in my fingers. Two psychiatrists also told me that many people who go off Wellbutrin eventually gain all their weight back.
  • justformel
    justformel Posts: 193 Member
    When I first went on wellbutrin it did help supress my appetite, but of course my mind overrode that. But I do know drs also give it out for those who want to quit smoking too. I used chantix for a few weeks one time. That worked good but gave me crazy night mares.
  • amykay9377
    amykay9377 Posts: 98 Member
    I took Welbutrin to quit smoking, and it did help, but you have to WANT to quit (which it sounds like you do). I didn't notice any weight gain (but I wasn't healthy at that time, in terms of exercise/eating right). I also had good side effects (I was very 'affectionate', according to hubby). I honestly didn't even finish the entire bottle of pills!

    In the absence of drugs, go cold turkey. The first few days after you quit will be HELL. I won't lie. Here is what I did for the first week that helped a lot.

    Add 1ts Cream of Tartar to 8 oz OJ - the acid helps flush out all the nicotine in your system faster, which can shorten your withdrawal symptoms (which is the HELL I'm speaking of). Drink a few of these a day, if needed to flush your system.

    Keep Dum-Dums in all the places I used to stash smokes - I found that the white stick of the lollipop visually 'looked' like a cigarette when it was in my mouth. I went through probably a whole bag in a few weeks.

    Stay away from places you would normally smoke - I was a car smoker, so I didn't drive anywhere for the first few days. I didn't go out on my porch (another smoke area).

    Treat yourself - when I was one-day smoke free, I treated myself to dinner. When I was 2 days smoke-free, I went to a movie. Once a week, for probably 3 months, I would buy myself flowers (I love the roses at The Fresh Market). One day I came home and could SMELL them! Other treats I got were clothes, shoes, and kitchen tools (spoons, etc).

    Know this - it is harder to quit smoking than it is to quit heroin. If you treat smoking as the addiction it is, it makes it easier to overcome and deal with it. I've been a recovering addict for 7 years, and I see no reason to go back.

    Good luck - you can do this! And, in the long run, if you gain 5 pounds from quitting, you also gain years of LIFE from no longer smoking. Weight is easier to deal with than death.
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
    Yeah honestly I would just quit. If you need a crutch, get an electronic cigarette or some nicotine patches / gum / lozenges. The single greatest determinant of whether you will quit or not is if you really want to quit or not.

    You don't need any magical pills or potions. Your body is used to nicotine so it'll be uncomfortable when you stop getting it. If you switch over to a nicotine replacement you can start enjoying the benefits of not smoking while you wean yourself off the drug.

    For me, the biggest motivator to NOT smoke is to do things that are more difficult while smoking. Running, biking, swimming and that sort of stuff.

    Anyway, best of luck!
  • 1974lynnette
    1974lynnette Posts: 27 Member
    I take Paxil & it really has effected my weight. I'm eating a calorie deficit & I've lost 2.5 lbs. in 2 1/2 weeks. I just have to accept that it's going to take longer for me to get to my goal weight.

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