Posted by bleauberry on April 22, 2008, at 17:05:43
In reply to AD's and Prolactin levels (breasts enlarging!), posted by April8 on April 22, 2008, at 14:26:15
I agree with bulldog2 in that wellbutrin does not feel dopaminish to me. I do believe through sideways channels or downstream channels or backdoor entry or something like that it does indeed modulate dopamine function in some way, but not direct dopamine enhancement. As with bulldog2, I know what that feels like.
Any drug site that gives information on how drugs work clearly state that the mechanism of bupropion is not known. I suspect there is some interplay with nicotinic receptors that has some indirect effect on norepinephrine and dopamine, though it felt mostly norepinephrinish to me.
Could it increase prolactin? It will effect everyone in different ways, depending on genes. You, more than theory, are the best judge of what it is doing to you. I'm not sure about it, but I do believe you can have a lab test to measure prolactin levels? If they are indeed elevated, there are longterm health risks other than sexual changes that go along with high prolactin levels.
Not sure what to say except that even though wellbutrin did not feel dopamine-like to me I have zero doubt that it can effect circuits related to dopamine such as prolactin, and that the variability of these drugs is so wide that it may increase prolactin in vulnerable people, reduce it in others, and leave it alone in others.
poster:bleauberry
thread:824807
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080420/msgs/824826.html