Wellbutrin users?

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jmessina205
jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
At my doctors appointment yesterday, my doctor mentioned Wellbutrin as an option for me to try and help control my anxiety/stress as well as increase my energy and possibly help me loose weight.

I'm doing my research, but also was just looking to see if anyone has/is using this and your thoughts. Do you feel more energized and have you lost any weight. Or any bad experiences.
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  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    We looked at Wellbutrin last time I was in for depression/anxiety. My doctor opted to go with effexor instead. Otherwise I'd be able to give you my experience on that specifically.

    However, I've been on a couple of different medications. Some of them have effects on appetite and/or energy. But I think the effects of them vary by person. I can tell you, though, that for me, dealing with the depression and anxiety can definitely help increase energy levels and curtail extra eating (if you eat your emotions and now have other ways of dealing with it). They can also increase your appetite, though, so make sure you're still tracking -- and weighing or measuring.

    IME, dealing with the depression is the important thing! Just know that you are not alone in this.
  • corinne1977
    corinne1977 Posts: 144 Member
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    I was on Zoloft and gained 20-25 lbs in less than a year. My doctor switched me to the generic Wellbutrin last year and I've been able to lose those extra lbs and keep it off. I found that it did give me extra energy to exercise and suppressed my appetite so I wasn't as hungry. I still have 5-7 lbs I want to lose but I think the Wellbutrin did help in the beginning to kick start it. I agree with manthjulz though, you still have to watch what and how much you eat.
  • jmessina205
    jmessina205 Posts: 190 Member
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    Thanks!!! I did take Zoloft for a few years for depression/anxiety, and other then making my mood fairly stable I didn't see any other differences.

    At this point I wouldn't really say I'm depressed....been there, but I don't feel that way now and don't really want to ever again lol. But, I do still deal with my anxiety, it's not as bad as it has been in the past but due to some unavoidable stress it's been worse lately. That's why he recommended a low dose of Wellbutrin, apparently it's supposed to be more mild?

    I really don't know that I want to take anything else. At this point it's just research and weighing my options :)
  • Itchula
    Itchula Posts: 40 Member
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    I just learned that if you have bulimia, you shouldn't be on Wellbutrin. It can trigger seizures.
    I was on Lexipro (which helped with the depression) and Wellbutrin (which gave me energy), but just had my Lexipro switched for Prozac. I was told it will stop my urge to binge.
  • bkerr30
    bkerr30 Posts: 131 Member
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    I have been on wellbutrin for over a year and while I wasn't actively trying to lose weight I did maintain my weight versus gaining which has been my experience with other meds. The key thing I found to be helpful with my anxiety and depression is exercise. It has truly changed my life, and I can't imagine going back to a life without it
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i have heard that wellbutrin suppresses the appetite and can be used to help lose weight while being treated for depression. as opposed to the many that make you hungry alllll the time

    me, it gave me vertigo, so i cannot take it :disappointed:
  • ashleesaid
    ashleesaid Posts: 50 Member
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    I've been on Wellbutrin two times in my life (for depression) and both times I lost 5-10 lbs in the first few weeks. It definitely kills your appetite.
  • Itchula
    Itchula Posts: 40 Member
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    bkerr30 wrote: »
    I have been on wellbutrin for over a year and while I wasn't actively trying to lose weight I did maintain my weight versus gaining which has been my experience with other meds. The key thing I found to be helpful with my anxiety and depression is exercise. It has truly changed my life, and I can't imagine going back to a life without it

    Yeah, I need to get on an exercise program. It does help with my anxiety and energy level.
  • tarheelntx
    tarheelntx Posts: 3 Member
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    I just started taking Wellbutrin a few weeks ago and have noticed a definite decrease in appetite. My doctor said it can take 5-6 weeks to see any therapeutic benefit, but I think I feel a little bit better. I have experienced the other fun side effects-- insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth, but those have abated a bit.

    Lexapro blunted my emotions so much that I felt like a robot.
  • Itchula
    Itchula Posts: 40 Member
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    tarheelntx wrote: »
    I just started taking Wellbutrin a few weeks ago and have noticed a definite decrease in appetite. My doctor said it can take 5-6 weeks to see any therapeutic benefit, but I think I feel a little bit better. I have experienced the other fun side effects-- insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth, but those have abated a bit.

    Lexapro blunted my emotions so much that I felt like a robot.

    Yeah, I wasn't depressed anymore, but I felt like sludge. Zero energy. That's why they added the Wellbutrin. Coming off Lexipro was NOTHING compared to the nightmare of coming off Effexor.
  • fish2find
    fish2find Posts: 221 Member
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    (Side Note)
    They package Wellbutrin under the name "Zyban" as a stop smoking aid. I used Zyban to quit smoking with good result. So if your a smoker (probably not on this board) it may help you stop even if that's not why your taking it.
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
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    I took Wellbutrin a long time ago for mood issues. I didn't take it for very long because it made me feel jittery and sweaty and speedy. I think I took it for a couple of months. I was a smoker at the time, and it completely changed the taste of my cigarettes. They tasted awful. I still wanted to smoke, but I felt punished every time I did. I didn't quit, but I also had no intentions of quitting at that time. No one told me it helped with weight loss, but perhaps that is why they put me on that first before any other meds given my weight history. I was at my lowest weight ever around that time after intentional weight loss efforts, and oddly enough, I was both the skinniest and unhappiest I had ever been!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,940 Member
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    Here's a recent Wellbutrin thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10212949/anyone-on-wellbutrin/p1
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    ashleesaid wrote: »
    I've been on Wellbutrin two times in my life (for depression) and both times I lost 5-10 lbs in the first few weeks. It definitely kills your appetite.

    For some people. OP, I have been on it for about 5 months now. I haven't noticed any change in my appetite. You may or may not get that side effect.
  • bug1114
    bug1114 Posts: 268 Member
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    KimAqui20 wrote: »
    tarheelntx wrote: »
    I just started taking Wellbutrin a few weeks ago and have noticed a definite decrease in appetite. My doctor said it can take 5-6 weeks to see any therapeutic benefit, but I think I feel a little bit better. I have experienced the other fun side effects-- insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth, but those have abated a bit.

    Lexapro blunted my emotions so much that I felt like a robot.

    Yeah, I wasn't depressed anymore, but I felt like sludge. Zero energy. That's why they added the Wellbutrin. Coming off Lexipro was NOTHING compared to the nightmare of coming off Effexor.

    ^^ This for Effexor. What a nightmarish drug to come off of. Talk about withdrawal symptoms!

    I was on Wellbutrin for about eight months. I actually had INCREASED anxiety while taking it, and had to take another drug to combat the anxiety. I didn't have any issues losing weight while taking it though, and my appetite stayed about the same.

  • SharonCMach
    SharonCMach Posts: 305 Member
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    I've been on Wellbutrin for over 2yrs now. I don't think it's effected my appetite either way. Iv lost & gained while on it, but I don't think the meds had anything to do with it. Overall I've been happy with it.
  • QAPmom
    QAPmom Posts: 458 Member
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    They put me on that years ago to help with quitting smoking (a generic of zyban) and it basically mimicked a stroke for me...body when numb, gibberish speech, massive headaches to where they had to give me Demerol to knock me out...not good. I did take Zoloft for anxiety and it helped tremendously. No weight gain either but everyones body chemistry Is different. Good luck with it!
  • cerealist
    cerealist Posts: 1 Member
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    I've been on it for ~7 years. I stated taking it after trying just about everything else. I was actually in the depths of my eating disorder and depression at the time. I was pretty underweight so it was a risky move. Thankfully, it ended up working wonders and gave me the motivation to get my *kitten* together. I gained up to a healthy weight and have maintained for years. I thus don't have any objective anecdata about its effect on appetite, but it made a world of difference for me and is definitely not compelling me to eat too much or too little at this point. Good luck :)
  • EzRemake
    EzRemake Posts: 128 Member
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    I've never noticed any of these drugs affecting my hunger or weight. Effexor is pure poison though, there's nothing like getting gigantic "brain shocks" just by missing a dose by an hour.
  • thatredheadedBAMF
    thatredheadedBAMF Posts: 25 Member
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    I was on it for five weeks and ate my way out of my entire wardrobe within two weeks because it turned off my satiety signals and I was always hungry. I'm still not down to my pre-Wellbutrin weight. I wish I had never taken it.

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