looking for your personal experiences with bupropion

[Kali]

I already looked at info on the google and my medical reference books and now would like to hear some personal anecdotes.

I was prescribed this stuff in conjunction with an attempt to address my weight issues (I may cross post in the weight-loss group). I had signed up with a mental health services contractor to my insurance, looking to explore some behavior modification. I have yet to see anybody about that but got shunted to a video "exam" with a psych NP, who suggested trying this for a few months. It seemed I don't have many if any on the list of symptoms for depression other than a general lack of motivation, but I am sure like kids in school, medicating is often easier and cheaper than dealing with behavioral issues. So that is kind of my worry - give her some pills and see if that works.

I have no problem taking meds if it will do some good, but I am really interested in permanent solutions to this rather than starting on a path of lose-gain-lose-gain which I understand is worse for overall health than the relentless gain I have lived with for too long.

Anybody experience this situation? Also interested in other experiences with this drug in general.

[mailman82]

1. I have been taking it!

For about twenty years, it was for my depression. My weight has has stayed pretty constant. It did curb my appetite a bit. I was a mailman for thirty years so that kept me healthy. I have never had a prblem with it. Good luck!

[Warpy]

2. It's a great drug for people who can tolerate it

and if you can't tolerate it, the doc will pick up on that very quickly because it's an older drug and side effects are well known.

[wtmusic]

3. For me, side effects are minimal.

The worst is losing some libido.

[EnviroBat]

4. Not too bad compared to others I've tried.

Was prescribed this for anxiety, and other than a feeling like my chest is hollow, and lack of appetite, I haven't noticed much in the way of negative side effects.

[Kali]

7. lack of appetite would be ok with me, so I probably won't get that side effect

it was explained to me that it might help with cravings, which I do get

my main problem seems to be lack of motivation and a capacity to put away a LOT of food (or the lack of willpower to slow down/stop when I am eating)

add a vicious circle of pain/don't want to do anything because of pain/but exercising would help - and I can't seem to make any progress

[mattvermont]

5. Ad Naltrexone and you have

the soon to be approved weight loss drug from orexigen. Naltrexone is a opiate and alcohol receptor blocker that has shown great promise with weight. Check it out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion/naltrexone

[enlightenment]

6. I was prescribed this in the mid-80s

for depression, etc. Of the variety of meds they attempted, this was the most effective. Unfortunately, I was one of the number that experienced weight gain, rather than weight loss (fine print says you might do either). It is not as common to gain as it is to lose, but it is possible.

Thirty pounds in less than six months. I was rail thin prior to that and the shock of suddenly being overweight was not good for my emotional state.

If it hadn't been for that issue, I would have stayed on it - it did help my mood; it did help my sleep patterns; it did improve other things.

[gkhouston]

8. I took it a long time ago.

I was experiencing tiredness but not depressed mood. Since I'd lost a parent in the previous 6 months, I was told I had "atypical depression".

I did notice a decrease in appetite, but actually gained some weight. I had undiagnosed hypothyroidism, which could account for the paradoxical less appetite/weight gain combination. Within a few weeks of starting a thyroid med, the bupropion was suddenly "too much": although I'd had no side effects before that, I suddenly felt wired and weird and tapered off the drug. I've taken it twice since then, for brief periods. Both times, within six months, a doctor would say, "Oh, you need more thyroid meds" and suddenly the buproprion would make me feel weird again.