Running and WELLBUTRIN?

I've been on a combination of WellbutrinXL and Lexapro for the past two years. Wellbutrin is the best anti-depressant I've been on, previously I tried Zoloft and later paxil with disastrous side effects. As far as drinking is concerned, the main threat is that Wellbutrin lowers your seizure threshold and alcohol will lower it even further. This is also why people suffering from anorexia and bulimia aren't supposed to take Wellbutrin, being underweight and having unbalanced electrolytes will increase the chance of having a seizure. I agree with the observation about lack of appetite, you have to be careful to eat when your start to feel your blood sugar dipping because you won't feel hungry the way you used to. The higher body temperature is the only negative side effect that I have encountered, but it's not a drastic change and can be easily addressed by staying hydrated and being aware of your environment. Paxil and Zoloft both made me suicidal, so I have strong negative feelings about them. Training on anti-depressants is really no different than training without them - you just have to pay attention to what your body is telling you and if you feel uncomfortable or have any concerns consult your psychiatrist. To those out there who have recommended getting a scrip from a GP or family doctor, I would advise against this and instead encourage people to seek out a psychiatrist. Family doctors have a lot on their plate, and keeping up on the latest treatments for mood disorders is not always on the top of their list. A psychiatrist can spend time talking with you about your situation and prescribe medication as well as refer you to a therapist or a social worker for further treatment.

Wellbutrin made me manic. I just didn't react well to it. Lexapro was much better for me.

if an antidepressant makes you manic, you may want to explore the possibility that you are bipolar. i have heard repeatedly how antidepressants cause mania in bipolar people because if you are indeed bipolar you need a mood stabilizer. take this for what it's worth- which may mean nothing!

bump -- more about lexapro please!!!!!!!

can you get me some? i could stand to lose a few.

New Englander wrote:

I am on wellbutrin and have had good luck with it. the only negative i can say is the total lack of appetite. i have to force myself to eat and that's a totally new thing. i lost a lot of weight without even realizing it. i am eating more lately and feel like i am stronger and may have gained some weight back, but it's a struggle to eat. on the positive side, it gets me out of bed in the morning and i feel awake during the day and am regaining a positive approach to my life. i would say it saved my life. give it a chance.

For those who've tried it, what is the effect of Wellbutrin on your libido/erections? I'm told it is a prosexual drug meaning it ramps you up in that department. I suppose it will depend on the person of course. Any first hand experiences?

Not crazy about the idea of losing appetite and/or weight gain and/or other side effects, but have been told Wellbutrin might right for me. Just don't want to limp out, if you know what I mean...

Other than the headaches, I loved this medication. I stopped taking it after about 8 days due to the headaches. I'm considering taking it again to see if the headaches pass over time. Anyone get headaches for the first week or two and then they went away??? I'd love to hear from anyone experiencing this. Thanks

I started taking Lexapro 2 weeks ago. To be honest I haven't seen much of a response. Maybe I was expecting too much. My mood has pretty much stayed the same, though it seems I have a little more patience than usual. I tend not to get upset or angry as easy.

As far a side effects, they haven't been bad. Some drowsiness and light headache is about all that I have noticed. Lexapro done nothing for my libido. I was hoping for some help there (as was my wife).

I guess I should probably give it more time to work but I was expecting a drastic improvement in my mood. I will be calling my Dr. in a few days to talk to him about it.

Anyone else with similiar experience?

i'm not sure what i think about anti-depressants.

here's my experience with Zoloft, though.

i took Zoloft for about 9 months, found it to work GREAT for anxiety; i was seriously a different person after taking it for three weeks.

then, at some time i got busy, didn't refill my prescription in time (i know: stupid) and went into a suicidal depression. (i had never been suicidal previously, and i haven't ever been since then).

so, basically TAPERING is incredibly important to avoid withdrawal affects; anti-depressants, in theory, should not have withdrawal effects, but they often do.

increased suicidality is a risk in starting certain meds (particularly for adolescents).

i am currently medication-free and trying to deal with social anxiety/mild depression. i'm sort of ambivalent about starting an anti-depressant course. on the one hand, i know that they can make a world of difference; life is so much better without the burden of anxiety. On the other hand, i know the risks.

i have never had headaches in my life, until i went on wellbutrin. however, they went away after a week or two. better than i would take the headaches over wanting to drown myself any day :)

Bump

Why am I amazed there are dozens of replies on here and only 1 or 2 are not serious?

What a medicated society! Who ever told you life would be easy? Who ever told you life would be fun all the time?

Be careful with the drugs, kids. It's easy to medicate and feel better, but it doesn't last. Change you life and your attitude and your happiness will be real.

A responsible doctor doesn't just medicate a person. I will not speak for anyone else, but I have counseling once a week, group meetings twice a week and I do my own reading, writing and meditation type stuff daily as well. Sometimes, medication allows you to do the things you know you need to do to feel well. If you have never suffered from extreme depression, you may not be able to understand. And, I am not being shitty here. It's hard to understand if you haven't gone through it. Three years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of meds, but depression gets worse when left untreated. And, I wasn't sitting on my hands hoping it would go away. I should have said that medication, therapy, an intense 3 weeks therapy "vacation" and meds have saved my life.

it has been suggested to me to try Wellbutrin after much discussion with my mental health professional. i am still weighing the options and considering trying this. i would definitely appreciate hearing more experiences people have had with it and how it impacted their running. running has truly proven to be my saving grace. but unfortunately, i can't run all day. i would just hate for something to make me want to not do that or negatively impact it in any way.

and for all those being critical about people taking medication for depression or whatever other reason, maybe you could just keep your comments to yourself. not everyone chooses this path so whimsically and a great deal of thought and discussion has/is going into this decision. you have no idea what others are dealing with and what circumstances are so you are better off keeping your BS crap to yourself.

what you need to understand is that more and more evidence shows that depression and anxiety have biological roots. in extreme cases, therapy or just "thinking positive" will not help. medications often work very well. yes, people overmedicate, but not everyone turns to meds to "be happy all the time." many people try meds in order to function normally. if you don't think serotonin or neurephenephrine levels affect mood at all and that depression is just a function of people "choosing" to feel sad, then you need to read more.

if you have never been extremely depressed, then be grateful for this, but don't judge others solely based on your own experience.

i would also like to add that the original poster came asking for serious advice not the general criticisms of anti-depressants. presumably, he has already thought about the pros & cons for himself, as most people do before starting these drugs.

if you have info on Wellbutrin, i suggest you share your input, otherwise, you might be best suited to start your own anti- anti-depresant thread. i'm sure plenty of people will post on the topic.

thanks.

At first had trouble sleeping through the night. I take wellbutrin for low level depression and ADD. The drug has increased my energy. Also helps concentration. I found an increase in libido and more intense orgasms. I call this the wonder drug although I've heard some people have very troubling side effects (anger, trembline, headaches, insomnia etc.) Your results will vary depending on your chemistry I guess.