New here...Wellbutrin advice?
 

Hi all! I've been reading all these posts like a fiend and am so happy I found this website! It seems like a great place to find support and answers to questions. Here's mine:

I've been on generic prozac for several months now. I've definitely noticed some not-so-pleasant side effects, including a lowered libido and inability to lose weight (and boy, is it way too easy to gain it!). I've been doing research, and am ready to talk to my doctor about switching to Wellbutrin, but I wanted to see if others on this site have used it, and what they thought.

Any information would be great!! Thanks everyone in advance.

I am currently on Celexa and had some weight gain from it so I asked my doctor about Welbutrin also. I tried it for about a week and couldn't sleep AT ALL!!! I was so jittery and anxious. BUT,,,,I know others who take Welbutrin and love it since there are NOT the weight gain issues. Can't hurt to try...Good luck

I took Wellbutrin for about a year and never had any problem with weight gain. Didn't lose any weight on it, but didn't gain any either. Libido has never been an issue for me ( :D ) so I can't really speak to that.

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I've been on Wellbutrin for about 5 years. I find it works quite well for my depression but I did fell very anxious when taking it. So I was put on Celexa to help that and it did.

I do feel better, although still with some bad days (but no really stay in bed with the lights out kind of days).

Having said this, I think meds., especially for depression, are very specific for whom they work. So, what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

Also, I believe that depression meds. only work for a period of time. I've been on at least 6 different ones that I thought were working only to find in a year or two they weren't. I've been on Wellbutrin longer than any other and it seems to continue to work.

Hope this helps and good luck with your decision. :hug:

Thanks everyone for your input! I guess I'll just talk to my doc and try it out for myself...you're right about every anti-depressant working differently for each person, and I've heard many different things about Wellbutrin.


I too was on Celexa for a couple years, and for some reason decided I needed to wean myself off of it and try to go it alone. Worked for awhile, but got those old feelings back, so I tried Prozac. Definitely going to try something new now...my boyfriend agrees!!! ;)

Hi there... I am on Wellbutrin and have been for nearly 15 months. I was originally put on it for anxiety but apparently it impacts depression as well. I had a bit of an upset tummy (was warned this could happen) for a few weeks and actually lost about 4 pounds, but after that the tummy issues were over. My dreams got more vivid, but not frightening or anything that caused an issue.

I was on Celexa some years ago and gained weight (14 pounds) in about 5 months despite aggressively following WW. It just really caused issues for me.

I really like the Wellbutrin. If someone had told me about it years ago, I'd have been on it much sooner! Thank goodness for my Doc who listened to my fears about weight gain.

I am new here but not so new to these medications. I work in the healthcare field. I too am on fluoxetine (generic prozac) and my doc put me on wellbutrin to help with the side effects ie "libido". They work really well together. Hope this helps.

Wellbutrin has worked miracles for me... I lost weight when I went on it but I was following WW at the time so I'm sure it was a combination of the two. In any case it has not made me anxious and my life has changed so much from this drug... I am also on mood stabilizers as I am bipolar but Wellbutrin kicked my depression to the curb. :)

Hope that helps!

I Wuv my Wellbutrin XL
 

I have been taking Wellbutrin XL for a year now. Prior to that I had tried Elavil, Celexa, Zoloft and Paxil. I changed to the Wellbutrin after many years on the Paxil. I asked for the change because I found I was "flatlined" on Paxil. I felt basically numb and I had um...no um...mojo so to speak.

I love the Wellbutrin. It has taken me a long time though to learn to deal with actually feeling anything again. I am not depressed, but I am back to normal so to speak, when it comes to the ability to become angry or sad or anxious. Paxil definitely addressed the anxiety better, but my doc gives me a limited number of Ativan to use if the anxiety gets to bad. I have used 12 since January, as I have tried to find non-medicated ways to cope with the anxiety. BTW the sex drive has returned (TMI?)

I haven't had any trouble losing weight on Wellbutrin, in fact since I changed over, the increase in energy, and lack of that feeling of just "sleepwalking" through the day, has helped me get more motivated than before.

I have never attributed my weight gain to any of the several medications I take, I have attributed it to overeating and drinking to compensate for the depression and lack of good pain management. I don't think I have ever suddenly packed on a number of pounds for no reason based on starting a new meds.

No such thing as TMI on this site!!! :carrot:

So I started the Wellbutrin a few days ago, and I swear already I feel a difference. A bit more energy, definitely. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be feeling the full effects.

I too struggled with a low libido while on fluoxetine...and that's depressing in itself!!! My poor boyfriend doesn't understand that it has nothing to do with him, and everything to do with the stupid side effects of my medication.

So we're both excited to see the outcome to this!

I've put my dieting on hold for a little bit until I see the results. It's just so hard to be motivated when you have no energy to do anything at all, much less exercise.

Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be back on plan. Wish me luck everyone!! And thanks for all the wonderful feedback :hug:

Hi !

I had an appt with a new Doc today. She took me off the prozac,40 lbs weight gain, and on wellbutrin xr 150 twice a day. I haven't had it filled yet. No matter what if this med works and I can lose some weight I'll pay the cash for it. Anyone know how much it may cost me tomorrow? LOL.

Thanks
Kelly

I also had a very difficult time sleeping on the prozac. Sigh. i hope this one isn't as bad.

Kelly

Hi Kelly,... I don't know where you are, but I'm in Canada... Cost is about $120 for 90 and I take one 300 XL per day. It's the only medication I'm on, so other than antibiotics, I can't say if that's a lot compared to other daily meds or not.

Thank you. Here, Detroit area, is 80 dollars for one month of the 150 twice a day. Ugh. But if it works I don't care.
Thanks for the input!

Kelly

I have taken both Wellbutrin and Prozac, and them in combination.

Prozac = weight gained for me. I took it for 10 years and over that 10 years gained 60 pounds. BUT, it helped my mood so I stayed on it. I could lose weight via Weight Watchers while on Prozac, but it was hard.

Wellbutrin = weight loss/no weight gain. It sped up my metabolism so I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain, and as soon as I cut down my food intake I began losing weight EASILY. However, having said that, I would never take Wellbutrin again because I was a wreck on it -- anxious, BAD skin, hair fell out. It wasn't worth the weight loss. And I can't believe I am saying that, but it really wasn't.

Prozac/Wellbutrin combo = nothing different. Just felt like I was taking Prozac alone.

It could be all different for you (and probably would be, the bad skin and hair falling out aren't that common), so it's worth a try. Depends on if your problem is depression or anxiety.

~Choirgirl~