Comments on: Bipolar Disorder Medication Spotlight: Wellbutrin (Bupropion)

By: b

Sun, 29 May 2011 04:15:50 +0000

I took Wellbutrin in the 90′s for ‘depression.’ I was a teenager and know now that I was BP even then. At any rate, the doses were much higher back then and the side effects not well known. One day, I went into convulsions for several hours maybe 30 minutes or so after my does but I never knew it was from the Wellbutrin or even suspected it. I can remember the convulsion starting in one leg, then the next, and then I was convulsing all over. My friends helped me to a bed as I refused to go to a hospital (yeah, I know stupid but I was a teen) and I rode it out for hours!

That was the only convulsion I had on Wellbutrin (and again I didn’t know it was from that). I took it for a while and I don’t really remember any other side effects. The therapist said she thought it made me less hostile and I remember laughing at that. I was VERY unstable throughout my teen years but I don’t remember it doing anything particularly good or bad for me.

By: Depression survivor

Depression survivor — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:39:57 +0000

Daniel-
To answer your question, eating disorders, specifically Bulimia, cause electrolyte imbalances and other physical problems that greatly increase your risk for a seizure. Also, if exercise addiction is part of it, well you can see why that would be a bad combination. If restriction is involved, then obviously, a starved brain is relatively likely to cause a seizure. Dehydration or hyperglycemia which often accompany eating disorders, can also greatly increase your risk of having a seizure.
Source:http://www.something-fishy.org/dangers/dangers.php
That being said, I have read of Wellbutrin being used for binge eating disorder.

By: Depression survivor

Depression survivor — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:29:37 +0000

Wellbutrin XL is wonder drug for me! After trying two SSRIs which just made my depression worse and made me really sick, I tried Wellbutrin. I never had any side effects, except maybe constipation, but I sometimes had that before started Wellbutrin. It worked really quickly for me. Within a week, I had more energy and more motivation. I also lost a lot of the weight I had gained from the depression and SSRI treatment while on Wellbutrin. Mostly, it gave me more energy, more motivation, stopped my bingeing on sweets, and allowed my emotions to return. (my depression is causes a flattening of emotions). I felt alive again, mostly.

I also have several anxiety disorders including OCD, GAD, and Panic Attacks. While the Wellbutrin didn’t help the anxiety, I don’t think it made it worse either. Although it did indirectly help by allowing me to pursue intensive therapy for my anxiety because I was no longer really depressed.

Although, I know it’s not for everyone, I can’t say enough good things about Wellbutrin. I only wish that you could increase the dose to 600mg because I am at 450mg now and I think that if I went up 600mg, that would help, But I started taking Strattera this summer and that helped me too. Also, they don’t make a pill for 450mg for some reason, so I have to take 3 pills everyday for Wellbutrin. Plus there’s been some issues with pharmacies screwing up and thinking I am getting a 90 supply of 150mg a day, instead of a 30 day supply of 450mgs. So make sure to check your order before you leave. I kind of want to go back to 300mgs just because taking one pill every morning is easier than 3. (I have one of those SMTWTFS Pill holders)

PS. I am not Bipolar. Just have anxiety and depression and possibly ADHD.

By: Ranjeet

Ranjeet — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:06:28 +0000

The line of treatment that works for one bipolar patient may not help another person. Choosing treatment for bipolar disorder is a personal decision and often includes a number of different approaches. Bipolar can be treated by numerous ways by a number of different lines of treatment. Medications and a psychosocial approach using therapy. Studies have shown that both approaches used in proper way can offer the best success for long term management of bipolar disorder.

By: amy pietzer

amy pietzer — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 06:41:29 +0000

I took Wellbutrin fo a short period of time several years ago with the intention of quitting smoking and curiosity to see if i got high from it. At that time my stage 3 breast cancer was into “remission.” I felt like i should be happy to be alive but instead it felt like i got hit my a truck barely able to survive. I took seroquil (for bipolar), adderoll (for add), and klonapin for anxiety. I had gone through several docs and diagnoses, and a LOT OF PILLS! my dream was to find the right pill. I’m not sure if it was my new body image, my being alone for the first time in years, i was just so fucking sad! so i was on the phone with my sister one evening everything was great. we got off the phone, i opened a 3/4 bottle of wellbutrin pills, tossed them down my throat and went to bed like it never happened. In about ten minutes i was in the toilet throwing up blood and trying to hand pick out the pills from my throat. {never do that{} i took a thermus of cold water and forced myself to drink puke prink, drink puke, etc. at fist the water would’t go down– like a plug at the top of my neck. at the end i laid on the floor ad felt my body moving violently. i talked myself through it– its ok little one, your having seisgure, this is normal and it will pass; it was the sweetest sound i’d ever heard. inside me i felt a crack in two– the old me about to piss herself dead to see if the meds worked and this pateient old lady prepared to talk me through this and save my life. i truster her. shes gone,
in the end, i would not recommend this drug if you are bipolar or on a shit-load of meds.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 26 May 2010 03:03:38 +0000

Besides suffering from chronic depression all her life, my wife also suffers from low blood pressure fainting, lack of libido, and an eating disorder fueled by a distorted body image.

We haven’t found an antidepressant yet that really worked, and they all considerably worsened her other conditions.

She has been off all anti-depressants for almost 6 months, but her mood is now so low that she is having suicidal thoughts.

We are thinking of trialing Bupropion (Wellbutrin) because it is the only med that doesn’t have a reputation for worsening her other conditions.

However, I’ve read that it is contra-indicated for people with eating disorders because they may have an increased risk of having a seizure. Why/how would a psycological condition cause a physiological reaction such as a seizure? Or is it just that some people with an eating disorder may be malnurished or severely underweight, and that
this is what would increase their susceptability ot having a seizure?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 20 May 2010 05:38:21 +0000

Is it safe to take wellbutrin with abilify?

By: caramel

caramel — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:04:55 +0000

I “sampled” Wellbutrin for several days after it being suggested by my doctor that it may be an option. I took 150mg & in an hour or so afterwards I felt like I had drank three cups of coffee. I started to clean my kitchen & organise things, etc. Generally improved my mood & energy (I cleaned & reorganised my room during the days I was taking it) after the sample ran out I slammed back down to a depression that lasted a few days, first fast & hard one night two days after having run out.

So yeah I had withdrawals, not the best med for me. I was later discovered to be bipolar instead of cliniclayy depressed. I find it very odd that some suggest that Wellbutrin has a lower risk of trigger mania than other antidepressants. Being a distant relative of a stimulant, I would think it would have the most pontential to spin out a manic episode. However, I am not an expert on the brain so therefore I can’t say.

I still scratch my head on whether or not my sudden & intense reaction to Wellbutrin (I am quite sensitive & tend to react sooner to meds than normal) was a sign of bipolar. Who knows.

By: Louis

Louis — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:07:29 +0000

Could you please tell me why Bupropion causes seizures for people with eating disorders history? I have this disorder (compulsive eating) but my doctor thinks I should try this drug anyway (since it reduces appetite) I am very willing to try it too, but I was just wondering how serious are those seizures and what should I do i that happens. ?
Thanks.

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:20:38 +0000

I wonder if Wellbutrin will help me, a 53 year old postmenopausal woman with a lack of desire for sex to increase my sex drive. My sex drive disappeared all of a sudden two years ago, and I haven’t had a period for a year and a half. If it does help, what is the dosage? I had a lumpectomy for breast cancer 13 years ago, so I can not take hormones. HELP