Wellbutrin anyone?

I have my session with the psychiatrist today and he said I am fine but he would get me off of prozac because of the libido issue is causes.  It had been AWFUL!!! and I am tired of it.

I am to wean off of the prozac while slowly going on the Wellbutrin.  

Anyone use this.

Oh, I have OFFICALLY been declared not depressed.  I am on an antidepressant as a prophylactic because Avonex causes depression.

I have never had any depression problem in the past and am not depressed now. :-)

LA

[essdipity]

Hi, LA. I'm concerned about your doctor's statement that Avonex causes depression. It does in SOME people. Don't know the stats but I'm sure this is a relatively small minority. Lots of Avonex users do just fine. I'm one.

MS itself causes depression, in SOME people. Certainly not all.

I for one would not go on any med prophylatically unless I were sure I needed it. Look what happened with Prozac for you.

I am certainly not trying to persuade you not to take Wellbutrin, but I am saying that your psychiatrist is painting with an awfully broad brush.

ess

[LATW]

My MS doctor started me out on Lexapro last year then switched me to Prozac.  He said depression in people taking Avonex is about 100% in his experence.????

The doc I saw today said he would get off of the Prozac. Ugh..............

[essdipity]

Well, this seems to be a subject for good discussion here. Even though this will be only anecdotal and not scientific, I'd like to know which users of interferons here (Avonex, Rebif, Betaseron) have experienced depression. Please note whether this occurred only after you started your DMD, because that will eliminate at least some responses where depression is a result of the MS only.

Thanks,
ess

[LATW]

Blame my rotten memory for this but I do recall how the anti depressant started....I started Avonex in Feb started having problems with crying in May.  

Was it the Avonex or just the MS diagnosis in general?  Never had any assesment to get to the bottom of it but was put on Lexapro.

Started to feel myself again and crying stopped.

I had never had big issues or been treated for depression until after dx and Avonex.  

I've had general frustration and that sort of thing where I'd feel crummy but never felt like crying and pulling out of life.

So was it the dx or was it the Avonex? That is the question! ;-)

[essdipity]

Just did an extremely quick Google, which turned up

http://www.rxlist.com/avonex-drug.htm

This site reports on 2 controlled studies of Avonex and depression. One showed no difference between Avonex and placebo regarding depression.

The second tested more than 300 people on placebo and about the same number on Avonex. Results showed that 14% of the placebo group reported depression, while 18% of the Avonex users experienced this effect. So yes, Avonex can cause depression, but that's not really the question. If this study is to be believed (and I don't know who conducted it, surely not rxlist.com), then more than 4 out of 5 Avonex users did NOT experience depression. Quite a difference from the 100% rate LA's neuro postulates.

ess

[LATW]

I don't know but I'd be interested in hearing what others on Avonex have experenced.
Anyway... I just wanted to know if anyone else is taking Wellbutrin and how they are doing on it. ;-)

Lee Ann

[essdipity]

Sorry! You're right. This thread needs input about Wellbutrin. Maybe about both issues.

Shouldn't have let myself get carried away :-{

ess

[vizslagal]

I took Wellbutrin for several years and recently went back on it for a year. No weight gain, no sexual side effects, no sleepiness.  Those are the good things.  Wellbutrin when i first started it made me slightly agitated and a little manic.  Those side effects wore off as I got used to the medicine.  To counter the side effect of the agitation my doctor precribed buspar (antianxotic).  That combo worked very well for many years.  Wellbutrin is the medicine prescribed to help quit smoking because it helps with serotonin.



Hope that helps a little.

Yvette

[LATW]

It is ok! Made me laugh!  

I do know that being on an antideressant has helped me keep going and not lose my mind with worry.

I have never needed one before but I have never had MS and 5 children still at home before.  So without the antidepressant I may well be depressed.  

Yvette- I have read this antidepressant helps with weight loss.  If it is true is it too good to be true! ;-)
LA

[hbananas]

I've been taking (generic) Wellbutrin for years.  It helps my depression and my ADD.  The only dangerous side effect I've ever heard of, is it can cause seizures in some people, so they up the dose very slowly to make sure you don't get them.  I got off the SSRIs for the same reasons as you.

[LATW]

Did your bed room life come back after getting off the SSRI's?

LA

[hbananas]

Hmmm.  The difference wasn't so much in wanting to get on the carousel, but in being able to grab the brass ring.

[HVAC]

I have been on antidepressants for thirty years. I have really serious depression. I have been on Wellbutrin for years. Each antidepressant works differently on different people as do the DMDs.For me Wellbutrin has had no real side effects. Paxil killed my love life in the same way and no Dr. would believe me.

I just was diagnosed with MS and when I told my MS Specialist I had a real problem with depression he told me that interefons were off the table in my case, so I will go on Copaxone.

My experience with any medications is there is no one size fits all and having a Dr. you can communicate with is important.

            Alex

[saveone]

I have a dx of generalized anxiety.  I occassionally have bouts of depression, few and far between.  They are usually related to life issues.

I take wellbutrin 100mg 3x day.  For me it is a life saver.  I would fight with my doctors if one of them tried to take it away :)

I did not have any side effects from the beginning nor do I now and my love life is fine....no interference there.  That comes from 1 of 3 adult kids always being around...lol

terry

[JJFL]

Hi Lee Ann,

Wellbutrin has helped with my mood and energy so far.  I can't take any other antidepressants because they drive my mood down to a bad place.  It does increase your energy but you have to watch yourself. At times it has been difficult to get to sleep, Which isn't always a bad thing...LOL  

Risk of seizures is something that you and the people around you have to look out for.  

Peace....

JJFL.