Depression and Weight IssuesHave you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!
I've been on Welbutrin since September (or was it August?) Anyhow, I've lost almost 30lbs since then, and I'm still losing. It really helps with the food addiction aspect of obesity, at least for me. I think it's working like it works to help smokers quit. I usually gain 10+lbs over the holidays, and this year (without trying to diet at ALL), I lost 2 lbs between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I love Wellbutrin-- started fall 2008, stopped may 2009. During that period I lost about 15 pounds without working out at all.
I just started it again 6 days ago. With that I began a hardcore new regimen of counting calories and getting at least 100 minutes of physical activity per day. I've lost 15 pounds in 6 days. 10 of those pounds were in the first two days.
For sure it's a first week boost, but last week I was watching what I ate and working out some. My appetite was disturbingly low one day-- so much so that I felt sick the next morning. Otherwise, though, it's been high energy and happy times, except for one odd side effect: my pupils are a little dilated! I'm sure it will go away soon as I didn't have that side effect before. Regardless, I've been MUCH less inclined to watch TV (watched 1 hour this week as opposed to 10+ hours usually) so it has a silver lining. I also find myself fidgeting a lot and standing up at work (I teach small seminars where it's ok to sit or stand). Loooove Wellbutrin. I think I'm starting to understand how the time of day affects how the Wellbutrin works, or how long it takes for me to get an energy rush from it. Also, it seems to interact well with caffeine.
So I started taking my Wellbutrin about 10 days ago. The changes have been interesting:
- I am jittery, but not weirdly so. I just noticed that when I sit in class, I now do a slight nervous leg tapping fidgety thing... A lot of people do the same thing, so it's not weird, just new for me.
- I don't know if it's related, but I haven't been as hungry this past week, or I just kinda forget I was eating something. Which is weird and new for me.
- Still having some anxiety issues. Started freaking out over stuff i can't control and woke up very suddenly at 3am with a case of the frets. Hopefully it's just a side-effect of switching meds.
30and300 - if the sleep problems persist, your doc may recommend you take your evening dose a little earlier in the day. As for the jittery-ness, I know when I took a higher dose, I developed a hand tremor, which was freaky. I've cut the dose and the tremor is gone.
The "wellbutrin effect" (whether it is appetite suppression, hyperness, or just generally happier so not emotionally eating all day) is still working for me. I've lost 16lbs since Jan1. I can actually see a difference now!
Wellbutrin is a fantastic medication for depression, but it is not indicated for anxiety disorders (many people find that it worsens their anxiety). If your anxiety persists, I'd recommend talking to your doctor about adding a second agent for anxiety (either a second antidepressant like an SSRI or an SNRI or maybe even a benzodiazepine).
Yes, my doctor told me to watch my anxiety levels, because I do have a history of social anxiety and panic attacks. Wellbutrin actually seems to have helped with the anxiety to an extent - for example, making phone calls is hard for me, but is much easier now that I'm taking Wellbutrin. It does not work as well for anxiety as Paxil did for me, but Paxil had other unacceptable side effects (like massive weight gain and the disapearance of my libido and the near inability to have an orgasm). So definitely keep an eye on anxiety - as Jen mentioned, sometimes wellbutrin and a low dose SSRI are used together to help both depression and anxiety, and to help counteract each other's side effects.
Yeah I think I'm going to switch from a GP to a therapist instead, because it feels like my GP is just throwing stuff at me sometimes, hoping something works. =/
I don't know whether Wellbutrin will help or hinder my own weight loss, but in my experience with Celexa, I felt that it really did hinder me (partly from the fatigue, no doubt) so I'm just looking for an improvement on that.
Celexa made me gain weight as well(10lbs in 2 months). For some reason physicians seems to disregard how much weight gain contributes to depression(and vice versa).
I have been on wellbutrin for a long time. It hasn't helped me lose weight but it keeps me active and happy and that is good enough for me. It certainly doesn't prevent weightloss like celexa did.
Thanks guys. So far the jittery feeling is ok if I take it early in the day and eat food with it. I might look into a companion SSRI if my anxiety continues to be a problem though. I have a follow-up appointment in a week or two, so hopefully my sleeping problems will go away by then.
I've been on Wellbutrin for 4 days now and I feel very different already. I feel like it has put me back in the "driver's seat" on sticking to my eating plan and I am not giving into cravings I went out to eat twice with family this weekend and passed up the bread basket both times!
All I know is: I was on WeightWatchers FOREVER (like over a year) and never lost more than a couple pounds, then regained and lost it over and over. I wanted to succeed, but just couldn't. Maybe it was depression, food addiction or just inability to do anything difficult. I started Wellbutrin for New Years & since then have lost 17 lbs. I definitely eat healthier and eat less. I think I've been able to stick to it because of the medication and haven't had any negative side effects. I'd stay on it forever, but really want to get pregnant once I get the weight off, so I know I'll have to give it up at that point. Good luck to everyone!
Sorry to hear it, Ginger. I have found the success stories here to be SO inspirational. They help me to believe that I really CAN do it. Good luck & keep at it!
Aliquot - Good luck with the meds! I hope they help you to feel better & make your weight loss journey a little easier. I just celebrated losing my 1st 20 lbs, which I think would have been impossible without the Wellbutrin (for many reasons). I know my family is also much happier since I started taking it!
I can't have it unless it is a generic-- thanks to the sucky insurance situation in the USA (home of millions of un-insured and under-insured).
Really late reply here, but I take the generic version of Wellbutrin (SR not XL) and it works just as well as the brand label for me. I was skeptical, but it has worked out well.
and they're really hard to take off; I exercise and watch what I eat, but it goes down real slow 
