[wannabsexy]

Hey guys,
I started working with a psychiatrist this week to deal with some of the overall issues and things going on in my life. He started me on Welbutrin after some discussion and my telling him that I didn't want to have to fight weight gain after losing as much as I have. I want to know what others experiences have been with Welbutrin. Most of the articles and things I have read tell me that most people lose weight on it. Can anyone tell me anything?

[shrinkingchica]

There are many threads on this one.
Long story short: average weight loss in the clinical trials was like 5lbs. And they did the clinical trails with a bulimic group. So, maybe that had an effect?

Anyways, they generally don't seem to cause weight gain like some other meds.

As for me.......I gained something like 60lbs on them and now have lost 118lbs on them.

I think that the weight loss benefits generally come from the lifting of the depression, rather than any *magic* of the pills.

And, Congrats on starting to really deal with your issues! That is a great step! It takes so much strength to do that.....so more power to you.

[train]

yep, wellbutrin gave me the 'lift' to begin my weight loss journey. i think it might have suppressed my appetite for a little bit too....but that's no scientific fact.

you'll have to wait and see what it does for you....

[Beach Patrol]

Wellbutrin DID NOT WORK for me. It made me crazy-er, I swear. My depression got much worse, and I didn't lose any weight on it, but I didn't really gain either.

I'm on Celexa now. I feel much better, but the pounds are NOT budging.

[Lottajunkinmytrunk]

Wellbutrin has helped me focus wonderfully. In fact I didn't even realize that I struggled with that until taking this medication. I can actually finish tasks! It's lovely. But I have very rapidly gained 10 pounds since taking this med. I suspect it's because it seems to increase my anxiety. I have a feeling my pdoc will add Lexapro to the mix as he gave me some samples. But I fear the whole weight gain issue with that too. Ugh. It's a tossup. Stay crazy and gain weight from stress. Get well and gain weight from meds. I'm realizing that to be on meds you need to be really concious about what you eat. And this is why I just joined 3fatchicks.

[wannabsexy]

Thanks for all the replies. I've been on it now for just a week but I was still down 3 lbs on Monday. I've had some chocolate this week which I had been able to avoid, but at the same time it is quickly coming up for that time of the month and I always crave chocolate then.

Glad to know lotta that you found you are able to focus on it. I need to do that badly right now.

[Grey]

I have recently started on wellbutrin after having been on celexa for a couple years. I was a little nervous because I have panic disorder and wellbutrin can cause a spike in anxiety for some people, and that is the last thing I need...but we are starting slowly and its been a week and I havent noticed anything getting worse. Soooooo Im going to hang in there for 6 weeks and see where it takes me. Good luck!!

[wannabsexy]

Good luck Grey. I moved up to the higher dose this week. I've been on it almost 2 weeks. I am finding I can focus better. We will see where I am in 6 weeks too.

[BlessedBe]

I just started Wellbutrin about a week ago. I'm starting to wonder if it's making me worse. I've been so irritable and really dizzy. Not so dizzy that i'm about to fall over or things are spinning, but my head feel dizzy and it's hard to concentrate on anything. Course this might also be because of my period, which I started about 3 days ago, and I was on Cymbalta before this. I read that some people had bad withdrawl symptoms from Cymbalta. I'm not sure, I just feel so out of it since I started Wellbutrin. Unless it's not that since I haven't been taking it not even a week yet. Not sure. I'll have to see I guess. Any suggestions on how to get rid of this dizziness?

[wannabsexy]

I don't know what to tell you about the dizziness. I haven't experienced any of that. I would call your doctor and find out.

[jourdain]

I was on Wellbutrin for about 3 weeks and it made me so dizzy I lost my balance almost every time I walked. I know it was the Wellbutrin b/c I had my Dr take me off it and a few days later, no problems. After talking to her and a few of my nursing instructors, we kinda figured out that the way it was changing the chemicals in my mind coupled with my hypertension, it just affected me really badly.

Are you taking it for an anti-depressant or a quit smoking aid?

[BlessedBe]

Anti-depressant. It's my third one so far. Can't seem to find one that works. I guess I'll have to talk to my doc again. I'm getting a little tired of feeling like a lab rat.

[jourdain]

When I was on anti-depressants (a while ago), the only one that came close to working for me was Effexor. I stopped taking any anti-depressants because I really didn't like the "fake-happy" feeling I got. My doc hates it, but now I just monitor my feelings and try to keep my stress levels manageable. I was taking the Wellbutrin for a stop-smoking aid, so maybe it was messing with my mind too much

[BlessedBe]

Effexor stopped working for me. Which is why I was put on Cymbalta, and now Welbutrin. I told my doctor I think it's a thyroid problem, but he said my tests are all normal. I'm going to get copies of them and get another opinion.