Wellbutrin

gwen1180
gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I started taking zoloft last Jan and had the doctor ween me off in May due to gaining 15 lbs , now here we are in October and I am up a total of 20 lbs, I work out on a daily basis and I watch what I eat and I can't seem to lose anything so I went to the doctors today and he started me on welllbutrin and following that up with lab work to check thyroid, hormones etc- has anyone had luck with wellbutrin and weight loss
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Replies

  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    Following because I have a feeling the doctor is going to put me on something once my blood/hormone tests come back.
    Since weight and self perception is a big part of my "mood", I refuse to take something that will cause me to gain weight.
  • eluvscats
    eluvscats Posts: 54 Member
    Yes. I take Wellbutrin XL and have been able to lose weight. It's one of the few anti-depressants which does not have weight gain as a side effect. :)
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 403 Member
    I've taken 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL since 2008. It doesn't make me hungry like some others I've tried have, but I also take Remeron, which does make you hungry. But overall I would say that the Wellbutrin takes away the feeling of hunger that the Remeron gives.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Wellbutrin often has an appetite suppressing effect. I was on it a years ago and did experience that.
  • dldrucker
    dldrucker Posts: 90 Member
    Does anyone else get very nauseated on Wellbutrin? I find myself overeating carbs in the morning to counteract the nausea effect. It does not help that I take the train to work, as I also tend to get motion sickness.
  • ashleyx41987
    ashleyx41987 Posts: 26 Member
    dldrucker wrote: »
    Does anyone else get very nauseated on Wellbutrin? I find myself overeating carbs in the morning to counteract the nausea effect. It does not help that I take the train to work, as I also tend to get motion sickness.

    I did when I was on it. My doctor gave me a prescription of dissolvable Zofran because the nausea would come out of nowhere and was very severe. The tabs helped tremendously.


  • 5a71n
    5a71n Posts: 5 Member
    I take Zoloft and have noticed it's useful for me but has caused some weight gain, I'm interested in Wellbutrin but I don't want to lose the anxiety aiding features of Zoloft. Does anyone here take Zoloft and Wellbutrin together?
  • mysticlizard
    mysticlizard Posts: 896 Member
    Wellbutrin left me feeling jittery and anxious. But I have friends who have had great success with it.
  • ticiaelizabeth
    ticiaelizabeth Posts: 139 Member
    I'm currently taking 300mg of Wellbutrin XL. There was a pretty noticeable decrease in my appetite at the offset. This has now leveled back out to normal. I've been on it for a year, and I feel great. It doesn't make me feel numb like Cipralex did, and I've lost around 40lbs whereas I typically gain on new medications.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    I'm taking 300mg, too. It doesn't seem to be helping me with weight loss at all. My dr's are trying it because it is supposed to help energy and motivation, and I have been having problems even wanting to get out of bed, and being exhausted all the time. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any increase, but I don't want to stop because I wonder how much worse it would be without it. LOL
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you all for responding , wellbutrin is supposed to be the only one that doesn't cause weight , I am hoping this helps me lose the weight I have gained - I'm only on day two take 1-100mg and Thursday i will then start taking the other 100mg at dinner time so being a total off 200mg of wellbutrin sr- whats the difference between sr and xl? My doctor mentioned if I do well on this he can give me one pill that lasts the 24 hours instead of taking two a day? My main concern is the weight loss, I work out and eat well occasional cheat here and there
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    5a71n wrote: »
    I take Zoloft and have noticed it's useful for me but has caused some weight gain, I'm interested in Wellbutrin but I don't want to lose the anxiety aiding features of Zoloft. Does anyone here take Zoloft and Wellbutrin together?

    Just be careful and pay attention to the weight gain, I never was this heavy and never had a problem losing
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    I've lost around 90lbs while taking wellbutrin, and some meds that claim weight gain (such as lyrica and Yasmin).

    Medications don't directly cause weight gain/loss. Some medications increase/decrease appetite which causes weight gain/loss.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    Medications don't directly cause weight gain/loss. Some medications increase/decrease appetite which causes weight gain/loss.

    Not entirely true. Some medications make you retain water - which is still weight gain (but not fat gain). A few also slow metabolism which, if you're not prepared for it and don't change your eating habits, causes weight gain.

    But mostly true. The thing to remember is that the experience of "increased appetite" can vary dramatically from person to person. For some people, it can be controlled simply by counting calories and allowing themselves to be hungry. For others, the hunger can be much more severe making ignoring it extremely difficult.

  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    I've lost around 90lbs while taking wellbutrin, and some meds that claim weight gain (such as lyrica and Yasmin).

    Medications don't directly cause weight gain/loss. Some medications increase/decrease appetite which causes weight gain/loss.

    How long were you on it? When did the weight start coming off- none of my clothes fit from last winter :(
  • ticiaelizabeth
    ticiaelizabeth Posts: 139 Member
    XL is the extended release formula, so you only have to take it once a day
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    XL is the extended release formula, so you only have to take it once a day

    Is it more mg?
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    gwen1180 wrote: »
    XL is the extended release formula, so you only have to take it once a day

    Is it more mg?

    No. I'm on 300mg and it is the extended release version.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    5a71n wrote: »
    I take Zoloft and have noticed it's useful for me but has caused some weight gain, I'm interested in Wellbutrin but I don't want to lose the anxiety aiding features of Zoloft. Does anyone here take Zoloft and Wellbutrin together?

    I am currently combining Cymbalta (for anxiety) with Wellbutrin. It's pretty common to combine, so you could always ask your prescribing dr.
  • kshatriyo
    kshatriyo Posts: 134 Member
    Many doctors don't know this, but Wellbutrin can increase anxiety and cause sleep difficulty, both which indirectly can cause poor eating choices/over eating. I took Wellbutrin for a long time to quit smoking and it worked.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    kshatriyo wrote: »
    Many doctors don't know this, but Wellbutrin can increase anxiety and cause sleep difficulty, both which indirectly can cause poor eating choices/over eating. I took Wellbutrin for a long time to quit smoking and it worked.

    That was one reason I was worried about taking it. Luckily I haven't noticed a difference, but my doctor did warn me and told me that if I noticed it, I needed to let them know immediately so we could work on finding something else.

    Isn't it funny that most countries other than the US (and Canada, I think?) don't even categorize it as an anti-depressant? I think most use it for smoking cessation.
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    edited October 2016
    My doctor said take 1 100mg for the first three days then start taking the 2 100mg a day, is there a reason for this , today is day three but I don't feel anything , maybe after a week it will be in my system?
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    kuranda10 wrote: »
    Following because I have a feeling the doctor is going to put me on something once my blood/hormone tests come back.
    Since weight and self perception is a big part of my "mood", I refuse to take something that will cause me to gain weight.

    When did u have your tests?
  • MrsWW57
    MrsWW57 Posts: 35 Member
    Wellbutrin left me feeling jittery and anxious. But I have friends who have had great success with it.

    This is the problem I had when I was put on it for weight loss. I totally hated it. I also had a real hard time on focusing on things and I could not handle that. I was really afraid I would screw something up really bad at work.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    gwen1180 wrote: »
    My doctor said take 1 100mg for the first three days then start taking the 2 100mg a day, is there a reason for this , today is day three but I don't feel anything , maybe after a week it will be in my system?

    It can take up to a month for most anti-depressants to get in your system and for you to feel an effect.
  • mamacita99
    mamacita99 Posts: 66 Member
    I've been taking it (300 mg)for years. The doctor said it's an antidepressant, stop smoking, sexual enhancer drug, and weight loss was a side effect. Initially it helped me lose 20 lbs. I had more energy & no "speed" feeling. Side effects are increased libido, which can be a good thing. When I stopped For about a year (no insurance) I got depressed, gained the 20 back. I stay on it now.
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    I got my lab results back and apparently everything is ok, the only thing I can think of is the zoloft slowed down my metabolism so I'm hoping Wellbutrin helps out:(
  • gwen1180
    gwen1180 Posts: 19 Member
    mamacita99 wrote: »
    I've been taking it (300 mg)for years. The doctor said it's an antidepressant, stop smoking, sexual enhancer drug, and weight loss was a side effect. Initially it helped me lose 20 lbs. I had more energy & no "speed" feeling. Side effects are increased libido, which can be a good thing. When I stopped For about a year (no insurance) I got depressed, gained the 20 back. I stay on it now.

    I suffer from low libido too
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member

    kshatriyo wrote: »
    Many doctors don't know this, but Wellbutrin can increase anxiety and cause sleep difficulty, both which indirectly can cause poor eating choices/over eating. I took Wellbutrin for a long time to quit smoking and it worked.
    It can also cause akithisia... ask me how I know this. :/ Make sure to take it very early on in the day.



    Medications don't directly cause weight gain/loss. Some medications increase/decrease appetite which causes weight gain/loss.

    Not entirely true. Some medications make you retain water - which is still weight gain (but not fat gain). A few also slow metabolism which, if you're not prepared for it and don't change your eating habits, causes weight gain.

    But mostly true. The thing to remember is that the experience of "increased appetite" can vary dramatically from person to person. For some people, it can be controlled simply by counting calories and allowing themselves to be hungry. For others, the hunger can be much more severe making ignoring it extremely difficult.
    Of course, but fluid retention itself wouldn't be huge, and to me, 'weight loss/gain' is fat/muscle loss/gain. I see fluid retention as something different.

    If anyone has any studies that point to certain antidepressants and slowing down the metabolism, please post them.

    gwen1180 wrote: »
    I've lost around 90lbs while taking wellbutrin, and some meds that claim weight gain (such as lyrica and Yasmin).

    Medications don't directly cause weight gain/loss. Some medications increase/decrease appetite which causes weight gain/loss.

    How long were you on it? When did the weight start coming off- none of my clothes fit from last winter :(
    I was on prozac for 4 years and have been on wellbutrin for at least 2. My weight gain was due to me stuffing my face in a IDGAF phase. I lost weight with a calorie deficit on both medications, though. As for water weight, it was around 5lbs.
  • CaiL33t
    CaiL33t Posts: 6 Member
    I take 2 150 mg sr pills a day, so 300 mg total. I may be very very different here, but I suffer from depression, sever anxiety, and ADHD. I am mentioning this because my doctor was worried about me getting more anxious, but it actually had the opposite effect. It's not as good as a regular anxiety medication, but it does help me a lot! As for it helping my concentration.... not even a little bit! I'm still that kid shaking their leg in class (except I'm 23...).

    I've lost about 15 lbs on it? I went from 160 to 145, though around the same time I stopped the depo shot and switched to the pill. I hope your medication helps you out, let me know if you have any questions!
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