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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 21 of 21. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
hi. I am going to start Wellbutrin in a few days. I need to take it for my large lack of emotions, and lack of concentration. I have no anxiety by the way.From all the research I have done it seems like deffinetly one of the better meds for me specifically since I dont want a numbing effect from ssri's. I want to feel all emotions! even the bad ones. Because my life was perfect before. With full emotions I would never have anything to feel bad about. so no numbing for me.
But one thing concerns me regarding wellbutrin which is the weight loss. Can someone fight this if they are determined enough or is the weight loss unavoidable? I am small and thin and this has been how I naturally am. I weight 53 kg and anorexic for me would be 47kg because I have seen how I have been when my depression was so severe I couldn't eat because I had to fight off the mind torture and thoughts of suicide. good thing that things are 'moderate' now.
i am planning to take protein shakes to counter act loss of appetite. can someone who is thin prevent anorexia from wellbutrin? I have to try it. my other options I feel could be less effective.
Posted by SalArmy4me on August 7, 2001, at 9:24:48
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
The actual rate of anorexia on Wellbutrin is 1%. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/buprop_ad.htm
Posted by Mitch on August 7, 2001, at 9:46:47
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
>
> hi. I am going to start Wellbutrin in a few days. I need to take it for my large lack of emotions, and lack of concentration. I have no anxiety by the way.
>
> From all the research I have done it seems like deffinetly one of the better meds for me specifically since I dont want a numbing effect from ssri's. I want to feel all emotions! even the bad ones. Because my life was perfect before. With full emotions I would never have anything to feel bad about. so no numbing for me.
>
> But one thing concerns me regarding wellbutrin which is the weight loss. Can someone fight this if they are determined enough or is the weight loss unavoidable? I am small and thin and this has been how I naturally am. I weight 53 kg and anorexic for me would be 47kg because I have seen how I have been when my depression was so severe I couldn't eat because I had to fight off the mind torture and thoughts of suicide. good thing that things are 'moderate' now.
>
> i am planning to take protein shakes to counter act loss of appetite. can someone who is thin prevent anorexia from wellbutrin? I have to try it. my other options I feel could be less effective.Adamie,
You might try asking your doc to add 250mg of Depakote (divalproex sodium) to it (say at bedtime). It tends to induce a metabolic "slow-down" of sorts and most people report some weight gain with it. Also it helps to stabilize mood (and incidentally is sometimes used with Wellbutrin to counter irritability sometimes seen with that AD). It definitely stimulates appetite for me. When I was taking 500mg/day I gained about 20 lbs. over 3-4 months time.
Mitch
Posted by sl on August 7, 2001, at 11:38:59
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
I would say absolutely you can fight it.
You're talking about loss of appetite, not anorexia, by the way. Anorexic people refuse to eat on purpose. People with no appetite just don't feel like it. You can fight by figuring out what still tastes good to you and eating lots of it. You can just eats a lot when you think of it, or eat small meals all day (that's healthiest anyway). I'd say that even if you're not hungry make sure you eat at least 3 good meals/day. (no, not a cup of yogurt and a coke, I mean REAL meals!)I will tell you, though, that after years on wellbutrin I have a healthy appetite. It seems like the appetite-supression wears off, or at least it did for me. :)
Good luck! :)
sl> But one thing concerns me regarding wellbutrin which is the weight loss. Can someone fight this if they are determined enough or is the weight loss unavoidable? I am small and thin and this has been how I naturally am. I weight 53 kg and anorexic for me would be 47kg because I have seen how I have been when my depression was so severe I couldn't eat because I had to fight off the mind torture and thoughts of suicide. good thing that things are 'moderate' now.
>
> i am planning to take protein shakes to counter act loss of appetite. can someone who is thin prevent anorexia from wellbutrin? I have to try it. my other options I feel could be less effective.
Posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 12:20:39
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by sl on August 7, 2001, at 11:38:59
>
> I would say absolutely you can fight it.
> You're talking about loss of appetite, not anorexia, by the way. Anorexic people refuse to eat on purpose. People with no appetite just don't feel like it. You can fight by figuring out what still tastes good to you and eating lots of it. You can just eats a lot when you think of it, or eat small meals all day (that's healthiest anyway). I'd say that even if you're not hungry make sure you eat at least 3 good meals/day. (no, not a cup of yogurt and a coke, I mean REAL meals!)
>
> I will tell you, though, that after years on wellbutrin I have a healthy appetite. It seems like the appetite-supression wears off, or at least it did for me. :)
>
> Good luck! :)
> sl
>
> > But one thing concerns me regarding wellbutrin which is the weight loss. Can someone fight this if they are determined enough or is the weight loss unavoidable? I am small and thin and this has been how I naturally am. I weight 53 kg and anorexic for me would be 47kg because I have seen how I have been when my depression was so severe I couldn't eat because I had to fight off the mind torture and thoughts of suicide. good thing that things are 'moderate' now.
> >
> > i am planning to take protein shakes to counter act loss of appetite. can someone who is thin prevent anorexia from wellbutrin? I have to try it. my other options I feel could be less effective.thanks everyone. I think my moderate depression is getting WORSE. I was hoping it was just a few ups and downs but now it's steadily getting worse. my minor interest in things is going. Just to pass the time until I get better I have been playing a few video games. Now I can't even bring myself to do that much anymore. I am sick of feeling like this.
I had to go to the police station today so my mom drove me. I had to get my finger prints and a picture due to some theft that I would not have done if I was in my right state of mind, yet I was feeling my best during that time, but not nearly normal. The hospital was close by so I walked over there. I went to the mental health clinic where the 'crisis team' was. I didn't have an apointment for my pdoc. I did for friday but I couldn't wait. I was not STABLE. I needed medication and as soon as possible. So I waited there until the doctor came out from her apointment. she and 2 other doctors were with her. Actually the two doctors came first and then she did. They came over to me because the first one recognized me from before. Her face was a bit familiar. I seen her last week yet I wasn't sure it was her! my memory has been horrible due to this depression. she said yes that it was her i seen last week. I said I needed to see doctor vardi and then she showed up right there at that time. I tried to explain that I needed medication and I couldn't wait because I was getting worse but it was hard to think and hard to talk. I was in the middle of a sentence and I just started crying and crying more loudly. and the other doctor asked for my name. oh actually the pdoc wasn't there yet. she came a little afterwards when i was already crying she came out of her apointment. the other doctor who i seen last week just kept trying to ask me for my name but i just couldn't talk. too busy feeling horrible and crying loudly. then i managed to say my name. and then she said something. and then the other pdoc came who i had to see. she then said something. i forgot what we said. i dont remember anything anymore!!!!! I just remember that she gave me a little card and said she was going to call my mom tonight anyway to see if we could come tomorrow at 9am. so i said yes. so i will have my meds two days early. i was still crying a lot and they were about to go but were standing by me and i was just sitting there, she told me to come tomorrow at 9am. I said okay and that I will just leave in a second. and then i went to the washroom and finished up crying and then went home.
so me hopes to get better soon. me has hope that the wellbutrin has to work at least somewhat well.
Posted by MB on August 7, 2001, at 14:17:54
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by sl on August 7, 2001, at 11:38:59
With all due friendliness and respect, "anorexia" simply means a loss of appetite with no implication of doing it "on purpose." The disorder where people starve themselves "on purpose" is called anorexia *nervosa*. Just a common misconception I wanted to elucidate. It would not be inappropriate to refer to a drug induced loss of appetite as anorexia. In fact, the class of drugs used to curb appetite are refered to as "anorectics." Again, I'm not nit-picking to be unkind. At least I don't think I am.
> I would say absolutely you can fight it.
> You're talking about loss of appetite, not anorexia, by the way. Anorexic people refuse to eat on purpose. People with no appetite just don't feel like it.
Posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 15:20:24
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia? » sl, posted by MB on August 7, 2001, at 14:17:54
The reason I refer to anorexia is because even a little loss of appetite can effect me quite a bit. I am quite thin. So I feel anorexia can be a possible threat for me. Although I am sure I will manage somehow.
Posted by Elizabeth on August 7, 2001, at 16:01:39
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
Try taking a B vitamin complex. That's worked for me in the past (a doctor recommended it).
If that fails, adding a tricyclic or a low dose of an atypical neuroleptic (e.g., 5 mg of Zyprexa) might help without interfering with the action of the bupropion.
Hope this helps.
-elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on August 7, 2001, at 16:01:56
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
Try taking a B vitamin complex. That's worked for me in the past (a doctor recommended it).
If that fails, adding a tricyclic or a low dose of an atypical neuroleptic (e.g., 5 mg of Zyprexa) might help without interfering with the action of the bupropion.
Hope this helps.
-elizabeth
Posted by MB on August 7, 2001, at 19:43:02
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia? » adamie, posted by Elizabeth on August 7, 2001, at 16:01:39
> Try taking a B vitamin complex. That's worked for me in the past (a doctor recommended it).
>
> If that fails, adding a tricyclic or a low dose of an atypical neuroleptic (e.g., 5 mg of Zyprexa) might help without interfering with the action of the bupropion.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> -elizabethFWIW, I gained 30lbs on Paxil without increasing my food intake! It might be a way for you to avoid any weight loss due to your lowered appetite.
Posted by Elizabeth on August 8, 2001, at 5:32:34
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia? » Elizabeth, posted by MB on August 7, 2001, at 19:43:02
> FWIW, I gained 30lbs on Paxil without increasing my food intake! It might be a way for you to avoid any weight loss due to your lowered appetite.
I think that Adamie specifically wanted to avoid SSRIs!
-e
Posted by adamie on August 8, 2001, at 7:27:13
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia? » Elizabeth, posted by MB on August 7, 2001, at 19:43:02
> > Try taking a B vitamin complex. That's worked for me in the past (a doctor recommended it).
> >
> > If that fails, adding a tricyclic or a low dose of an atypical neuroleptic (e.g., 5 mg of Zyprexa) might help without interfering with the action of the bupropion.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > -elizabeth
>
> FWIW, I gained 30lbs on Paxil without increasing my food intake! It might be a way for you to avoid any weight loss due to your lowered appetite.hi. paxil is the med i tried earlier. it was quite bad for me and i felt pretty much like i did without meds except less caring towards everything. i did have some weight gain on it but i just cant take paxil evr again. i wish that amazinf effect from being one week on it lasted.
one week on paxil and i was starting to feel good! it didn't last and me was kind of like the typical zombie.
Posted by kid47 on August 8, 2001, at 11:28:24
In reply to Getting Wellbutrin tomorrow. Getting desperate, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 12:20:39
Hi. Sorry you are having such a rough time. You mentioned you got into some trouble with the police & at that time you actually felt better mood wise. Has anyone ever talked to you about a Bipolar disorder? Ask your pdoc about this. At any rate you would probably benefit from a mood stabilizer. There are some that would help counter any loss of appetite brought on by the Wellb. Be sure & check with your pdoc about this Good Luck & remember you are not alone in your struggle. Take care
kid
> > > But one thing concerns me regarding wellbutrin which is the weight loss. Can someone fight this if they are determined enough or is the weight loss unavoidable? I am small and thin and this has been how I naturally am. I weight 53 kg and anorexic for me would be 47kg because I have seen how I have been when my depression was so severe I couldn't eat because I had to fight off the mind torture and thoughts of suicide. good thing that things are 'moderate' now.
> > >
> > > i am planning to take protein shakes to counter act loss of appetite. can someone who is thin prevent anorexia from wellbutrin? I have to try it. my other options I feel could be less effective.
>
> thanks everyone. I think my moderate depression is getting WORSE. I was hoping it was just a few ups and downs but now it's steadily getting worse. my minor interest in things is going. Just to pass the time until I get better I have been playing a few video games. Now I can't even bring myself to do that much anymore. I am sick of feeling like this.
>
> I had to go to the police station today so my mom drove me. I had to get my finger prints and a picture due to some theft that I would not have done if I was in my right state of mind, yet I was feeling my best during that time, but not nearly normal. The hospital was close by so I walked over there. I went to the mental health clinic where the 'crisis team' was. I didn't have an apointment for my pdoc. I did for friday but I couldn't wait. I was not STABLE. I needed medication and as soon as possible. So I waited there until the doctor came out from her apointment. she and 2 other doctors were with her. Actually the two doctors came first and then she did. They came over to me because the first one recognized me from before. Her face was a bit familiar. I seen her last week yet I wasn't sure it was her! my memory has been horrible due to this depression. she said yes that it was her i seen last week. I said I needed to see doctor vardi and then she showed up right there at that time. I tried to explain that I needed medication and I couldn't wait because I was getting worse but it was hard to think and hard to talk. I was in the middle of a sentence and I just started crying and crying more loudly. and the other doctor asked for my name. oh actually the pdoc wasn't there yet. she came a little afterwards when i was already crying she came out of her apointment. the other doctor who i seen last week just kept trying to ask me for my name but i just couldn't talk. too busy feeling horrible and crying loudly. then i managed to say my name. and then she said something. and then the other pdoc came who i had to see. she then said something. i forgot what we said. i dont remember anything anymore!!!!! I just remember that she gave me a little card and said she was going to call my mom tonight anyway to see if we could come tomorrow at 9am. so i said yes. so i will have my meds two days early. i was still crying a lot and they were about to go but were standing by me and i was just sitting there, she told me to come tomorrow at 9am. I said okay and that I will just leave in a second. and then i went to the washroom and finished up crying and then went home.
>
> so me hopes to get better soon. me has hope that the wellbutrin has to work at least somewhat well.
Posted by terra miller on August 8, 2001, at 11:49:27
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
i think you can counter the lack of appetite just by being deligent to do so. just be honest with yourself. i am only on wellbutrin, and the reason is because i can now feel all my emotions as well. mind you, i am not a load of fun to live with at times, but i can have more productive therapy now because i know what i am feeling. it's a slightly rougher road this way, but i'm getting things done now and that is very preferable to prolonging the therapy process. if you are determined, you can prevent too much weight loss and still feel. some people actually gain weight on wellbutrin, so the studies say, but i've not "met" one yet. :-) -terra
Posted by terra miller on August 8, 2001, at 11:55:06
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia? » adamie, posted by Elizabeth on August 7, 2001, at 16:01:39
yes to the B vitamins.
also, garlic. garlic makes you really hungry. don't know why. just does.
-terra
Posted by adamie on August 8, 2001, at 12:31:00
In reply to Re: Getting Wellbutrin tomorrow. Getting desperate, posted by kid47 on August 8, 2001, at 11:28:24
I dont have bipolar. I know that for sure. Even when I was feeling my best during the depression that time when i went off the paxil I was not feeling better than normal. Not even close. I was just feeling kinda decent during the minor theft. So I was motivated to steal some nice keychains for my fiance. the depression though limits my inhibitions. I didn't have fear of getting caught. if I was my normal self I woudl worry about getting caught.
Posted by MB on August 8, 2001, at 13:17:22
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by Elizabeth on August 8, 2001, at 5:32:34
> > FWIW, I gained 30lbs on Paxil without increasing my food intake! It might be a way for you to avoid any weight loss due to your lowered appetite.
>
> I think that Adamie specifically wanted to avoid SSRIs!
>
> -e
OH, heh heh...another confirmation that I *am* a space cadet...huh, what?
Posted by MB on August 8, 2001, at 13:27:15
In reply to Re: Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 8, 2001, at 7:27:13
> hi. paxil is the med i tried earlier. it was quite bad for me and i felt pretty much like i did without meds except less caring towards everything. i did have some weight gain on it but i just cant take paxil evr again. i wish that amazinf effect from being one week on it lasted.
>
> one week on paxil and i was starting to feel good! it didn't last and me was kind of like the typical zombie.You know...I remember you saying this now. I got so excited about my Paxil suggestion that I forgot that the whole point of the Wellbutrin was to switch off of Paxil. Sometimes I get so zealous about being helpful that I forget what the problem was in the first place!! < g > LOL
SSRIs do the same thing to me also...they help the first few days and then poop out and give me fatigue and I become, like you did, an emotionless zombie. Now, it seems, I'm super sensitive to them (I think from starting and stopping them so many times). The initial effects still assuage depression, but the stimulation is different...now it has an unpleasant manic/panic side to it. I don't know if this supersensitivity is from starting/stopping SSRIs so many times, or if it's because i no longer have alcohol to mitigate the initial speedy effects.
OK, one more parenthetical: I was just reading my babbling post before sending it, and noticed the "manic/panic" part and started laughing. does anyone remember a colored vegetable hair dye called "manic-panic?" A punk rock friend of mine used to use it to dye her hair green!! I think I'm having some kind of cyclothymic upswing because this seems very amusing to me.
Posted by adamie on August 8, 2001, at 15:13:55
In reply to Can you counter Wellbutrin anorexia?, posted by adamie on August 7, 2001, at 8:52:39
thanks for the suggestions. My pdoc instead convinced me enough to try effexor instead. if this med causes weight loss... now i remember that for some it actually can, then I guess it wont be a problem.
regarding the B complex vitamins, I have been taking such vitamins all this time. perhaps I weigh more than I would have normally since I really dont eat too much food since this depression.
Posted by Wendy B. on August 9, 2001, at 11:51:15
In reply to Re: Getting Wellbutrin tomorrow. Getting desperate » kid47, posted by adamie on August 8, 2001, at 12:31:37
> I dont have bipolar. I know that for sure. Even when I was feeling my best during the depression that time when i went off the paxil I was not feeling better than normal. Not even close. I was just feeling kinda decent during the minor theft. So I was motivated to steal some nice keychains for my fiance. the depression though limits my inhibitions. I didn't have fear of getting caught. if I was my normal self I woudl worry about getting caught.
Dear Adamie,
How do you know for sure about the bipolar suggestion? Your symptoms say it's something more than plain vanilla depression, in Kid47's and my opinion. Lack of inhibition is a big symptom of bipolar, as well as the stealing in the first place. Yeah, most bipolars who are in the middle of a manic or hypomanic episode think stealing is exciting and fun, they get a real kick out of fooling the store owners, it gives a real "high." Used to do it myself...When you feel a little better, look up some information on typical bipolar behaviors. Don't rule it out. If you are, and take the Wellbutrin, it might really push you into a manic episode, and that won't be good for your health. Also, perhaps get a real diagnosis from a good psychiatrist. We're behind you 100%, so write back as needed...
Wendy
Posted by adamie on August 9, 2001, at 14:33:07
In reply to Re: Getting Wellbutrin tomorrow, and Bipolar » adamie, posted by Wendy B. on August 9, 2001, at 11:51:15
> > I dont have bipolar. I know that for sure. Even when I was feeling my best during the depression that time when i went off the paxil I was not feeling better than normal. Not even close. I was just feeling kinda decent during the minor theft. So I was motivated to steal some nice keychains for my fiance. the depression though limits my inhibitions. I didn't have fear of getting caught. if I was my normal self I woudl worry about getting caught.
>
>
> Dear Adamie,
> How do you know for sure about the bipolar suggestion? Your symptoms say it's something more than plain vanilla depression, in Kid47's and my opinion. Lack of inhibition is a big symptom of bipolar, as well as the stealing in the first place. Yeah, most bipolars who are in the middle of a manic or hypomanic episode think stealing is exciting and fun, they get a real kick out of fooling the store owners, it gives a real "high." Used to do it myself...
>
> When you feel a little better, look up some information on typical bipolar behaviors. Don't rule it out. If you are, and take the Wellbutrin, it might really push you into a manic episode, and that won't be good for your health. Also, perhaps get a real diagnosis from a good psychiatrist. We're behind you 100%, so write back as needed...
>
> Wendywendy thanks for the concern but i really dont have bipolar. when i felt my best there was no excitement. I just felt decent enough to be able to go to a theme park. with the depression i have generally been different than normal aside from just feeling horrible. like having an urge to tell my father to drop dead. simply because at times i have felt like my life is ruined anyway so i have nothing to lose by telling such a scum what he should hear. with the stealing though... if i was normal I would care about my future and I would realize the consequences of getting caught. since i was feeling better but still far from normal I just didn't really care about how stealing may affect my future.
I have read a lot of about various types of depression and I know for certain I am not bipolar. During the best periods of this depression I have not had any bursts of creativity, never have i been energetic, never have my sleep patterns changed from the usual too easy to fall asleep (when I was normal I would have a natural insomnia from just thinking too much about things, and I liked that about me). and other things have remained constant. Lack of emotions, lack of ability to think and concentrate. take care.
oh and also I am effexor now instead of welbutrin, 2 days on effexor so far. the pdoc kept urging me to try it instead of wellbutrin and said how it has had more sucess. so i will see how this goes.
This is the end of the thread.
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