D1 runner- wellbutrin?

Hey - I'm always overjoyed to see athletes speaking more openly about topics related to mental health and its treatment. The short answer to your question is that I believe Wellbutrin will be a boon to your running.

The long answer is as follows:

I've also struggled with depression, anxiety, and an associated eating disorder (NOT the kind that makes you skinny and fast for a short period of time; just the kind that makes you fat) since coming to college. All of the aforementioned have pretty well and good f---ed up my collegiate running career, although I now have an outside shot of getting back on the team and salvaging a few seasons of eligibility.

Since seeking psychiatric help, I've been on three medications: Xoloft, Prozac, and Wellbutrin. From what I understand, Xoloft and Prozac are designed to moderate the highs and lows associated with depression/anxiety. These drugs prevent a user from becoming too sad, or too high, at any given point in time. This is good in the sense that it promotes the development of equanimity in the mind of the afflicted person, which is invaluable in the journey towards recovery.

The downside of these mood-moderating drugs, however, is that they can make one feel physically tired, as well as sap one's motivation to participate in activities that one is passionate about. Xoloft left me so flattened physically that I couldn't run without stopping every fifteen minutes. Prozac, on the other hand, drained my motivation to actually get out the door to train (and has had some adverse sexual side effects, to boot). Based on my personal experience with Xoloft and Prozac, I am reluctant to recommend them to you.

Disclaimer: the most important thing to remember, however, is that EVERYONE REACTS TO SSRIs AND OTHER SIMILAR DRUGS DIFFERENTLY. Just as in training, what works for one athlete (say - low mileage, high intensity), could be absolutely the wrong program for another athlete (who might thrive on higher mileage, lower intensity). The key is experimenting with various medications under the supervision of knowledgable psychiatrists and psychotherapists.

Finally - the main event. Wellbutrin has been my favorite of the three drugs I've been on because it has seemed to invigorate me. I don't have any definitive scientific proof of this, but I believe that it has energized my mind and body to a degree, lifting me out of the fog of depression and making it easier to run. For what it's worth, the Wellbutrin has also helped mitigate the severity and frequency of my binge eating.

The downside of Wellbutrin is that, unlike Prozac and Xoloft, it is less of a mood-moderator and more of a mood-enhancer. As such, it has exacerbated some of my feelings of anxiety at times, making me feel more "wired." Nevertheless, I've found that the practice of mindful breathing and meditation have been more useful in alleviating such anxiety than any medication could be.

So there's my spiel. Thanks for putting yourself out there and for putting up with my long-winded post (if you've even read this far!). I would LOVE to see more LRC users (especially male athletes) step forward to discuss their experiences with mental illness and eating disorders. The more open you are with your problems, the more help you can receive from those who care.

I am a female who ran D1 track/CC in the early 1990s. I started fighting depression in grad school and was started on Zoloft. I have never tried Wellbutin, but I have had no adverse effects on my running while on Zoloft, and I've been on and off it ever since grad school (mostly on, since when I've tried to go off the depression immediatly returns). If anything it helped my running by helping me feel better and more motivated. When I was really struggling with depression it was hard to find the motivation to want to train and I felt tired all the time. It might take a little while to dial in the correct dose or medication, but NOT suffering from depression/anxiety will probably be a good boost to your running!

thanks for feedback so far. What dosage of wellbutrin does fellow sufferer take? I am worried about increased anxiety that I have read about with wellbutrin. I do have some anxiety naturally. I'm concerned about zoloft for weight gain> what is your dosage on Zoloft? thanks :)

Wellbutrin is a stimulant and should help your running. While it is a PED it is not on the official doping list.

I'm on 300mg/ daily of wellbutrin and it's been a game changer for me. I started about 2 months ago and wish I would have gone to my doctor a long time ago. For several years I felt unmotivated, always tired and down, couldn't concentrate and was secluding myself from the world. Now I have energy, no longer procrastinating, been working out almost every day and more social.. I suffer from anxiety and have not had any issues with wellbutrin increasing my anxiety. If anything, it's decreased it.

Bupropion or wellbutrin:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7665537

The other antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and are effective for anxiety.