Is Wellbutrin an Anti Depressant?

[mizfiesta]

Can anyone tell me anything about Wellbutrin? I can't see it on the nomorepanic list of medications. Is it called something else maybe? I read somewhere that as an anti depressant there isn't the associated weight gain that ofter occurs in many AD meds?

[ladybird64]

Hi hun

I have just had a look on the net and it is also known by the name Zyban..it is also prescribed for people trying to stop smoking.

Have you discussed this med with your doc or pharmcist?

[JaneC]

Hiya, Wellbutrin aka Zyban was developed as an anti-depressant but last I heard it was not licensed for use as an AD in the UK - it's used here as an aid to stopping smoking. I don't think many people on here take it and there are quite a few situations in which it won't be prescribed -eg I couldn't get it because I had a history of anorexia. Sorry x

[ladybird64]

Apparently it still isn't licensed to be used as an anti-depressant, only as a smoking cessation aid.

[mizfiesta]

Thanks for your replies. Doc gave me Mirtazapine recently and I put on 10lb in five weeks. Appetite through the roof!
I so want to get my mental health sorted but I'm not prepared to put on so much weight, and it would've increased, no doubt about that. I'm tapering my use of Mirt and am now down to 7.5mg daily. Have GP on Thursday and want to go armed with some knowledge of other anti depressants available where weight gain on not so much a certainty. I read that Wellbutrin doesn't make you gain weight.

My GP probably won't be happy with me planning on stopping Mirt after only a short period and without discussing it with her but my self esteem would plummet if I put on anymore weight. I've never been thin in my life and go to fitness classes to keep myself as trim as I can.

Any suggestions welcome guys.

[ladybird64]

I'm sorry I can't help you with this one, I have only ever taken Citalopram and that was for just 6 months.

It is an individual thing, I am very overweight but have learnt to accept myself for me, it would certainly not come into the equation when I'm dealing with my mental health.

I hope someone can come up with some answers for you..good luck at the docs :flowers:

[JaneC]

Tough one. I don't gain weight on Prozac but I see you've already been on that. I understand how you feel as, having had anorexia, I hated being fat. But I can also see Ladybird's point tho as when I gained a huge amount of weight while taking a tricyclic AD I actually coped with it really well because it worked so well otherwise. Sorry I can't come up with an easy answer - maybe someone else will. Take care xx

[mtatum4496]

Can anyone tell me anything about Wellbutrin? I can't see it on the nomorepanic list of medications. Is it called something else maybe? I read somewhere that as an anti depressant there isn't the associated weight gain that ofter occurs in many AD meds?

I can, since I took bupropion for a little over two years.

Here in the US, it is not strictly classed as an anti-depressant, in that is it not an SSRI like Prozac, Lexapro, and the like. Bupropion is offered under several brand names along with Wellbutrin and is often used in treating the jangling nerves and extreme irritation that comes with nicotine withdrawal.

While Wellbutrin does have some impact on serotonin, just like the SSRIs, it also has an impact on dopamine and norepinephrine levels. People who find that they have severe side effects with SSRIs (like I did) sometimes find that Wellbutrin provides the calming influence that is needed to feel more balanced and mentally healthy.

For me, the Wellbutrin did not interfere with my sleep, did not stimulate my appetite, and did a great deal in terms of easing my periods of feeling worthless or being angry at virtually everything. And for what it's worth, bupropion is much less likely to put a damper on one's libido than SSRIs; in fact, if someone is experiencing a lack of interest due to depression, it may help reverse that issue to a degree.