Tell me about Wellbutrin

[proud2BlibKansan]

Anyone out there take it?

Pros?

Cons?

[wtmusic]

1. Yep

not a lot of (known) cons. Some diminution of libido. If you are clinically depressed, it will probably help.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Not depressed

Just want to quit smoking.

[BootinUp]

24. I recently quit smoking

I was using wellbutrin to help. I was taking it for a month before I stopped smoking and now I've been off smokes for a month and stopped taking the wellbutrin a week ago. No bad side effects for me anyways.

I smoked a pack a day for the last 15 years with several attempts at quitting over that period, none of them lasted longer than a month or two.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. Good for you

I think I am going to try to stop next week. I am going on a vacation. Long car trip with a non-smoker. Hopefully, the Wellbutrin will have me nice and calm by then.

[Madrone]

2. Best thing EVER for quitting smoking.

It's like the magic pill.

Pros - almost everything.

Cons - for the first 2 weeks a very subtle "weird" feeling, and severe dry mouth. Both went away after a couple of weeks.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. That's why I am taking it

Glad to hear it helps.

[masshole]

12. couldn't agree less about smoking

I tried Zyban and it gave me insomnia, tachycardia, and generally felt as if I downed a couple gallons of expresso. Didn't matter the dose, and I'm generally very tolerant of most all OTC's and any prescribed medications.

On the other hand Wellbutrin helped my wife A LOT. It certainly didn't decrease her sex drive, nor really increase it, but being less stressed helped everything.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Did you quit smoking?

[masshole]

41. many times in fact

But currently they still control me.

I quit for five years, then for some stupid reason started up again about 10 years ago.
When I quit for the 5 years it was just plain old cold-turkey, with some other unmentionable smokeable substance and red-hot cinnamin toothpicks to fill the smoke/oral fixation void.

Quit smoking the unmentionable stuff, can't find cinnamin toothpicks anywhere anymore.

[WCGreen]

3. It effects the sex drive......

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. BFD

I'm too old to care about that.

But it will come back after I go off of the Wellbutrin, won't it? :scared:

[WCGreen]

9. I believe so....

The dosage took a while to settle out with my friend...

But ask you doctor, you GP not you shrink,

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Why not my shrink?

[WCGreen]

39. Because it's good to get a second opinion

From another source....

BEside that, it is your GP who should be checking you vitals and such to see if there is any ill effect....

[proud2BlibKansan]

46. I called both my shrink and my GP

and my shrink could get me an appointment faster than my GP. So I went to the shrink for the Wellbutrin.

[WCGreen]

48. But just talk with your GP about how the drug can effect you

That's what I meant

[proud2BlibKansan]

52. I will - thanks

I have an appointment in a few weeks.

[WCGreen]

53. That is good amount of time to put between your

appointment and the start of your drug regime

[tavalon]

75. If it effects your sex drive

yes, it will come back. But just like every other side effect with antidepressants, one person may have low sex drive, another increased sex drive, yet another will have no change. Some will feel wired on Wellbutrin, some will feel overly sleepy, some neither and so on. Pick your symptom and someone else will have the opposite one.

Brain chemistry is one inexact science and the mucking with said brain chemistry even less exact.

[Lorien]

6. Yep; increases it for most people

unlike like most other antidepressants, which do the opposite.

Cons; just takes the edge off (of depression) and is expensive as hell. I use this instead:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=276&topic_id=1649&mesg_id=1649

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. So it enhances the sex drive?

I was thinking the opposite. LOL

I am not depressed. Just want to quit smoking.

I used to have depression - for years. I took lots of different meds but I don't remember ever taking Wellbutrin. I have been 'cured' and off meds for several years now. So I really hesitated to go back on them. But I really really want to quit smoking and I have tried to quit too many times in the past. I want it to work this time.

As for the expense, my doctor gave me samples. They will last me a month. He didn't think I would need to stay on it for more than three months.

[Lorien]

35. Seems to for quite a few:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=276x2298

[Deja Q]

8. It helped my ADD...

I developed a problem with it that may have ultimately been a more physilogical problem rather than neurochemical...

But it was good stuff. :smoke:

Sex drive dropped a bit, but then if you go buy that new product "Steel Libido with Bioperine" you might get that back too. :evilgrin:

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I am ADD too

but haven't taken meds for it for years now.

I told my doctor I don't know if I am able to manage my ADD or if I just don't care anymore. I have grown used to myself. LOL

[Napoleon Dynamite]

10. I loved it!!

I was on it for a while. Worked great for my depression, and side effects of dropping a few pounds and increase in sex drive. Those are the type of side effects I can handle. Plus, worked for what it was supposed to. I recommend it. It is however not for those who have had problems with seizures in the past or with anorexia. For those with a history of seizures, it can set them off. Anorexia is a problem because of the weight loss the drug can cause.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Sounds great

I can certainly afford to lose some weight.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[Napoleon Dynamite]

20. thanks!.. I've been lurking about a month

kind of afraid to jump in, but I guess there is no time like the present.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. I love this place

Where else can you post a thread asking a question about medication and get all this helpful advice? And you can pretty much trust what most people tell you here.

This is the best website ever, IMO.

[xmas74]

70. It didn't work for me.

But it doesn't work for everyone. It didn't help w/ depression (lexapro was better for me) or smoking.
The positive was that I noticed an 8 lb weight loss. They have been researching Wellbutrin for weight loss in the past few years and have found that it can help w/ mild to moderate weight loss.

[tavalon]

76. Don't get too happy just yet

Since you're using it to quit smoking, you won't likely get to see that little perk. Most people who quit smoking gain a bit of weight so it's likely to just come out even. And, I can find you a few people who've gained weight on it (as I mentioned in another post, brain meds are inexact in their side effects).

[Lindsay]

13. If cost is a concern, there is a generic version available.

I was taking it for a while for depression for that reason. I didn't take it long enough to give you any further info, though.

[matcom]

18. I am on it NOW

JUST went to 2 a day

no real side effects. smoking is starting to get wierd

will keep you updated.

oh, btw...

can't WAIT for the dreams tonight ( they have been doosies)

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. So are you trying to quit smoking?

Thanks for the updates.

[matcom]

22. yup

at least cut back. taken one every day for 5 days and now have taken 2 today. will repeat for about a week.

i'll let you know. its taken the edge off

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. I think I am going to get some of those

Committ (sp?) lozenges too. I talked to a friend who said they did the trick for him.

I have done the patch. It really works. But at my age, it is not recommended along with Wellbutrin. And last time I quit smoking with the patch, I started up again as soon as I quit the patch. :grr:

[matcom]

28. am on nothing else but have considered lozenges

with me its more HABITUAL where i don't NEED to smoke but do so 'cause its time' :crazy:

i'm working on it

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. The patch really works.

It's amazing.

[bigwillq]

31. Hang in there matcom.

How is smoking getting weird?

[matcom]

33. day one of 'wiered' smoking

its just funny somehow

[Scout1071]

42. That's how it starts Matcom.

I took Wellbutrin once and smoking did just start to get "weird" until I stopped all together. I just stopped thinking about smoking and then when I did try to smoke it just didn't taste right. It even felt weird to hold. Dunno....just weird.

On the downside, I experienced several very negative side effects from Wellbutrin. I had never experienced depression or anxiety....until I took Wellbutrin. I became intolerable to be around and felt like I was full of rage and depression. Also had a very serious panic attack. I had never experienced any of those symptoms before in my life. When I described the symptoms to my doc, she took me off ASAP and I haven't been able to take it again because it is only available in one dosage. Apparently, Wellbutrin was used to treat both depression and anxiety and it was discovered that people quit smoking as a side effect. However, it had the opposite effect on me...in a bad, bad way.

Proud, you may give it a go. Both Proud and Matcom should monitor your behavior/feelings closely while on it. You should also let your friends/family know that you are taking it so they can keep an eye out. If a family member of mine had not insisted I call my doctor, I'm not sure I would have even had my head about me to recognize that it was Wellbutrin that was making me feel that way. I sank very low, very quickly on it. However, I did quit smoking entirely after less than one week on it (another sign that I was sensitive to that type of antidepressant - it's supposed to take at least 2 weeks to build up in your system.)

Good luck!

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. Thanks Scout

I have taken many anti-depressants before and know it can be hard to find just the right fit of chemicals. But boy when you do, it is awesome. Depression is horrible. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy (unless they were a freeper LOL)

[progressive_realist]

72. I have not taken it personally, but. . .

Your description sounds exactly like what my friends who have taken it said. One of them also developed uncontrollable rage feelings and outbursts, and would not have connected the problem with the Wellbutrin if a worried family member had not called her doctor to inquire.

But it does seem to work quite well for quitting smoking.

[no name no slogan]

23. i was on it, had a serious major depression

it did NOT work for me. i was on it for a couple months about nine years ago, after being on paxil for a couple years. it made me even more depressed, and i had another major episode and couldn't work for a couple months. i then went on effexor, and was on that for seven years, up until this past may, when i had another episode and spent a week in the hospital. now i'm on cymbalta, the latest "wonder drug". :)

however it works wonders for some people. it did not work for me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. Oh man - effexor

I took that for a couple years. It really worked but the side effects were horrendous. And coming off of it was horrid. I wouldn't take it again unless I was really really sick.

[no name no slogan]

34. that was me-- maxed out at 375mg/day

I was taking 300mg/day for seven years. my depression is pretty major and recurring, and i've had it since i was an early teen. I'm on major med #4 right now. i also take lithium (to curb some minor manic tendencies) as well as trazodone and ambien for sleep. i hope to kick the ambien soon because i've heard it's addictive.

ah, the joys of modern pharmacology :P

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. I finally kicked my depression

(knock on wood) I had struggled with it since I was a teen. I had a really bad 'episode' 6 years ago and ended up on a ton of meds. I was in a fog for about a year. Not depressed but not okay either. Then slowly but surely the depression lifted. I have been off all meds for almost three years now.

My doctor thinks my depression was affected if not controlled by hormones. I had a hysterectomy 7 years ago and was on HRT afterwards. Then I went off HRT mainly because I was taking so many other meds. And my depression went away. Today I feel better than I have felt in 40 years.

So my advice to women with depression is to have a hysterectomy and don't take HRT. :)

[latebloomer]

36. What were your side effects?

My mother just started Effexor.

[no name no slogan]

38. mine were sexual, constipation, profuse sweating

your typical SSRI-type reactions. they were mostly annoying as hell (except for the sexual-- i usually wore myself out before i, uh *ahem*. my ex-wife didn't seem to mind though). however, they were totally worth it at the time, as the effexor basically saved my life.

of course different people react in different ways, too. some people tolerate the side effects well, others, not so well. your (or your mothers') mileage may vary ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. Horrible dry mouth

and if I delayed my daily dose by even an hour, I had horrible anxiety. I could feel my heart race. I used to get this feeling like my head was inside of a metal barrel and someone was banging on the barrel. And the headaches are the worst ever.

Tell your mom to take it at exactly the same time every day - without fail. And don't go off of it suddenly.

Oh and it worked really well for depression. One of the best of many meds I took for many years.

[latebloomer]

45. Thanks!!

"Horrible anxiety" is the one thing she doesn't need. She lives there, without the drug.

[brentspeak]

40. I call it "Side-Effexor" (n/t)

[xmas74]

71. Effexor is pretty serious.

When I worked in mental health the staff would get so upset when we received new admits that were previously given Effexor like candy.
I was one of the staff would had to help w/ the med holidays-no meds for 72 hours to find out how that person reacts to a lack of meds in their system.
Lots of violent cases and profound depression when they came off of Effexor. It's very potent and a nasty little pill that seems to have a horribly demanding effect on your body (almost addiction like).
I was offered it once as a prescription and I refused. I'd rather deal w/ the stigma of lithium than take that.

[miss_kitty]

27. yes

I ended up in the hospital behind a side effect and Burroughs Wellcome was really unhelpful. Assholes.

[unsavedtrash]

30. sucks for treating depression but you will quit smoking. Say bye to your

libido as well.

[latebloomer]

37. It can have some serious side effects

My mother took it and hallucinated, fell on the floor and couldn't get up for hours, went off it and stayed dizzy for days.

Another woman I know was on it-- got very agitated, no appetite, couldn't sleep.

Other people seem to have no side effects to speak of.

[brentspeak]

43. Well, for one, it's very inexpensive (generic brand)

Less than $15 per month supply, even without insurance.

[SoCalDem]

49. It made me sleepless and aphasic

walked into doors slurred speech.. The doctor took me off it quickly

[lizzieforkerry]

50. It makes me very dizzy!

I have to be very careful when I stand up. I have almost passed out 3 times. It decreased my sex drive and I have gained 7 pounds. It did help with what I needed it for though.

[tjdee]

54. Um, am I the only one freaked that depression meds are given out to quit

smoking?

That seems very, very weird to me. I have never smoked, though.

[BiggJawn]

55. Yes you are.

It was an unintended side effect.

Now, if they found that Prozac cured AIDS, would you be "freaked out" by people taking it only for THAT? No, I imagine you might not be.

Sometimes "side effects" are good. Welbutrin helped me quit smoking 2-1/2 years ago without killing anyone or losing a job or otherwise having diffculties with nicotine withdrawl. I think that is a Good Thing.

[tjdee]

61. That was more of a rhetorical question, LOL.

I don't equate smoking with AIDS at all.

If Prozac cured AIDS, obviously I'd think that was great. But as far as I know, there aren't other ways to cure AIDS. As I say above, the reason I'm freaked is because I've heard a lot of horror stories about depression meds....what if you take the wrong one, etc. There are some in this thread.

I'm just concerned that Wellbutrin as 'the smoking cure' isn't totally safe for everyone, and that people going 'I'll just stop smoking with Wellbutrin' might get themselves in another fix that may be worse than having their pack a day or whatever. I mean, what if crystal meth cured smoking?

But as I said, I'm not a smoker--totally admit I don't have all the facts, I realize quitting smoking is very difficult, I'm glad it's working well for some people.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

67. Um. Anti-depressants aren't addictive.

:eyes:

Quite the opposite. After awhile, sometimes people think they don't need them anymore, so they stop taking them.

[BiggJawn]

78. Well, now look who's making unfair comparisons...

Probably wasn't fair of me to use AIDS as an example, but neither is it fair to equate Welbutrin with Meth.

For 2 things, Welbutrin isn't addictive, and neither are people burning down their neighbourhoods cooking up the stuff in their kitchens.

And you're right, not everybody can take one medication. Thats partly why there's other meds available.

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. The first time I quit smoking

I was so depressed. I felt like I had lost a good friend. I guess if you have never smoked, you would have a hard time understanding. It's a bitch.

[tjdee]

60. It's not that I don't think it's hard....

it's less about the smoking and more about the fact that depression meds, from what I hear, can be hellish if you're not given the right one, can have bad side effects--so I guess the reason I'm a bit freaked is that smokers are now turning to what may end up being a worse habit than smoking.

I admit to not having all the facts.

[proud2BlibKansan]

62. Nothing is as bad as smoking

Quitting is incredibly hard.

[Heddi]

69. That's why people on Wellbutrin -- for smoking or depression

are carefully monitored over the course of the medication to ensure that they're not experiencing adverse effects.

As it stands, you cannot get Wellbutrin over the counter for any reason.

Antidepressants aren't like other 'drugs'. I mean, they are, and people suffer horribly and recover wonderfully from the same drugs. It's all in the person, and how their body reacts to it.

My husband has high blood pressure. He's had to go through about 4 or 5 different categories of medications (Alpha blockers, beta blockers, diuretics, calcium-channel blockers) to find the right medication to control his high blood pressure. THe other meds he was on didn't even affect his BP, that's why he quit taking them.

It's the same with depression. THere are several different mechanisms that cause depression, different receptors, different neurotransmitters. That's why there are so many different medications for depression. If one doesn't work for you, it DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU period. If you're not depressed, taking an anti-depressant will be like taking a sugar pill. When I had a herniated disk, I was given nortrypteline, an anti-depressant. But it wasn't for depression, it was because nortrypteline blocks nerve impulses and decreases nerve pain. While taking it (and I was taking the same doseage that someone would take if they were depressed), I didn't feel 'undepressed' or 'happier' or anything. IT didn't affect me in that way.

Antidepressants, unlike other drugs, do not have addictive qualities. If you see a warning that says "Do not stop taking this medicine at once" it's because the body will go through withdrawl, but not in a psychological sense (there won't be a craving for the drug like with heroin or cocaine). Instead, the body has to readjust to enzyme levels, to things like that--internal readjustment. That's why people on antidepressant therapy usually do a step-down method of stopping the medication rather than quitting all at once. It can throw your body out of whack by just stopping, but you don't become addicted to anti-depressants.

Also, once you've been successful on Wellbutrin for X period of time to successfully quit smoking, then you stop the Wellbutrin. It's not a lifetime therapy. You use it to decrease the urge to smoke. You then stop smoking. You then stop the Wellbutrin.

[Heddi]

68. plenty of meds have alternate effects

Minoxodil, the hair remedy, was originally used (and still is in some cases) to treat high blood pressure. One of the side effects that was noted was an increase in hair growth. That's why it's prescribed for hair growth, because it does it.

Benadryl, an antihistamine, is often prescribed as a non-habit-forming sleep aid. Its main use is for allergic reactions, but it can induce sleep. My husband takes it occasionally if he's having a string of fitful-sleep nights. Works like a charm without any addictive habits forming or odd side effects.

Those are just the two that come off the top of my mind, but there are MANY many more (Which makes it frustrating for a student nurse like me to find out why certain patients are taking certain drugs because their diagnosis doesn't match up with the main reason for the drugs. It's for their side effects that they're being taken)

MANY medications are used for multiple things. That's the way medicine works. They often do two things at once. If it works, it works.

And alot of people (not necessarily you) have a misconception about side effects and adverse effects.

A side effect is something that occurs that isn't expected when taking a medication -- like being sleepy, or hyper, or not having the desire to smoke. Not all side effects are bad, and not all are good.

An Adverse Effect is something dangerous or life threatning that occurs when taking a medication, like developing irregular heart beats or intestional bleeding. Generally, all adverse reactions are bad.

Also, just because we don't know what a drug does today doesn't mean we won't find out it does something different in the future. That's how it was with minoxodil. It was used for YEARS to treat blood pressure, and nothing else. Suddenly, we realize it promotes hair growth. Voila. It's now got a different use than originally intended.

Same with Wellbutrin. It was noted that patients who smoked and took wellbutrin for depression were able to quit smoking easier than those who were depressed smokers who took other anti-depressants. They tried it on non-depressed smokers and got the same result--ease of quitting.

Medicine evolves every day. I would not be surprised if common medications you currently take were originally intended for different symptoms or problems.

[BeTheChange]

56. Im on week 4 of hypnosis..

Ive previously tried welbutrin and did not enjoy the odd way it made me feel. Im ADHD and I just dont think it worked well with my brain chemistry.

One on one hypnosis has worked very well for me. Good luck, whichever you choose.

[proud2BlibKansan]

59. Good for you!

I did the hypnosis too. I have a lifetime guarantee so I can be hypnotized again anytime for free. But it didn't do a thing for me.

[BeTheChange]

65. Thanks!

It was deceptively easy after smoking for almost 15 years and never managing to quit for more then 24 hours previously. I have zero will power.

Somehow the individual sessions (2 total) worked for me. Obviously not for everybody, but Im glad I was lucky enough to find a manageable path.

I got past my biggest trigger.. a meal.. about 2 weeks in. Its so amazing to me to be smoke free and having virtually 9 cravings throughout the day.

[Pryderi]

58. I quit smoking by using it. It took me about 3 weeks, and now

I don't take any Wellbutrin.

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. Hooray!!

Thank you for giving me hope.

[Pryderi]

73. You're welcome. :) I've been smoke free for over a month and have no

cravings.

[Wapsie B]

64. I'm on it.

For depression and it's worked well for me. I feel much calmer inside and there are no side effects for me. When I first started it I felt like I was OD'ng on No Doze. But that lasted only a few days. After that it's been smooth sailing.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

66. I've heard some strange stories about Wellbutrin

Mainly it's used in treating people for depression, but sometimes it makes that depression worse. If you're using it to quit smoking... I'm not sure if it would have the same effect.

[tavalon]

74. I'm a lifer on antidepressants

Three strikes and you're out doesn't just apply in baseball and in prison.

I had been on Celexa/Lexapro (almost the same med) for about 5 years. It worked/works great for me except for a little side effect that I didn't want around anymore. So, about 4 months ago, I started Wellbutrin. About three months ago, I figured out I was headed down the rabbit hole again, so I went back to Celexa and am getting better now.

The problem, though, with asking about others experience with Wellbutrin is that all of the SSRI/other antidepressants is that brain chemistry and the way these drugs affect it is so very different among people. Even the side effects can be 180 degrees from one to another.

[bicentennial_baby]

77. Gave me panic attacks and landed me in the ER

but everyone's different..

[Misunderestimator]

79. I had an anxiety attack the night after I quit Wellbutrin...

First in YEARS... was up all night, and slept only an hour. Awful, awful night, but in the end, I'm still glad I took it to quit smoking.

Funny... I was thinking of you that night... thinking how odd it was we had just talked about anxiety attacks, and how I had said I hadn't had one in many years. :crazy: