Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 4, 2001, at 19:53:52
I am now starting on Wellbutrin. This drug seems to have gotten a lot of bad press due to risk of seizures and the information that comes with it always mentions seizures, e.g. don't drink any alcohol because it can lower the seizure threshold, don't use short-acting benzos like xanax because they lower the seizure threshold, etc. etc.
But when I looked into it closer, it appears that it actually has the same seizure rate as SSRIs like Prozac and Paxil, and actually less risk than the other SSRIs! Zoloft has a higher seizure risk than Wellbutrin for example.
Here is an article:
http://www.salon.com/sex/feature/2000/09/26/wellbutrin/I don't understand why seizures are never discussed with regard to SSRIs. Are people on Paxil at risk for a seizure if they drink alcohol or take xanax? If so, nobody told me when I was given Paxil. What is going on here?
I am willing to give up all alcohol while on Wellbutrin if it is necessary to avoid seizures, but it sure seems odd that the guy sitting next to me can be putting away a few beers when he is on Paxil or Zoloft, when he is at the same risk as I am. Does anybody have the facts on seizures with these drugs? Is it really necessary to never have a glass of wine while on Wellbutrin? If so, why aren't similar warnings handed out with the SSRIs? The only warnings I hear about alcohol with SSRIs, Serzone etc. is "Alcohol is a depressant so it can defeat the purpose of the AD" not "Alcohol will give you a seizure!"
poster:Joe Schmoe
thread:68976
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010701/msgs/68976.html