Citalopram to wellbutrin

[xxdaisy68xx]

i have been on citalopram for two years and put on 50lb, which really depresses me since my eating and exercise regime has never changed. looking on the net i discovered wellburtrin, so i will ask my gp if i can swap over to this. i just want to know would i stop taking citalopram and start taking wellburtrin, or would i cut the dosage of citalopram down and take the new wellbutrin with it. i really need to change as the weight gain can not go on, i have even considered stopping my medication which would mean having my anxiety and panic disorder back in full force....

[clyons11]

That doctor sounds like a beast. I think changing doctors is definitely your best bet. Hope things go well!

[xxdaisy68xx]

I went to doctors and explained the side effects of citalopram, tha tive put over 3 stone on within 2 years and no sex drive whats so ever. and she told me that i could change to wellbutrin as the european union wont give them a licence to prescribe it, so that was out for me. I asked her what can be done and she said that her main goal was sorting my attacks out, ( which i can understand) and doctors dont worry about our dress size that is cosmetic she said. I was appauled. The wait i've put on has made me more depressed than when i first started taking the citalopram. i told the doctor that i eat healthy i alsways have and use the gym daily and jog, but i'm still putting on wait, thats all she had to say to me when i was leaving is "keep eating the lettuce". I was absolutely mortified, so i've just been to another surgery and registered.....
I have also cut my medication down by half and feel ok so far, in two weeks i will cut it down again. I told the doctor that if she couldnt put me on medication that wont put weight on i'll come off it altogether, so i started cutting it down on monday. When i get an appointment with the new doctor we'll see where we go from there...
Anybody else had no sympathy with the doctor....

[lilgamble]

iv been on the same meds n not put weight on even tho poor apetite does the medicine work for your anxiety n panick attacks cos it not  helping mine n its been 3 n half years yet if i dont take it i feel aggresssive up tight n angry ? x

[cupcake2684]

hey! i take citalopram and ive put on alot of weight in the last six months that ive been taking it, i hadnt realised this was a side effect! ive bin frustrated as ive bin eating less and still bin putting on weight!

[Paxiled]

The above is good advice, wellbutrin isn't usually recommended alone for anxiety sufferers.  Some psychiatrists will combine it with your ssri, however, to see if it helps with side effects such as weight gain or sexual problems.  If you don't want to take two serious meds, and I'm with you on that, one's tough enough, you can taper off slowly what you're on and try a different med, though you could have weight issues with any of them.  I think Prozac has the least weight side effect, but it might not work as well for you, so it's a crap shoot.  Even if you switch to wellbutrin to give it a try anyway, you should slowly taper off the cit first; they don't work at all the same, and no two drugs are identical.  Good luck.

[clyons11]

I would bring up the concern with your doctor more generally, rather than suggesting Wellbutrin in particular (although that may be part of the conversation). Wellbutrin often makes people feel a bit revved up or jittery, so it might not be the best solution if you have anxiety and panic disorder. I'm sure there's something you can work out, though, that will work for you without such adverse side effects. Just make sure you're forceful with your doctor because you don't want to end up fed up with him/her and disregarding his/her advice. Also, I might suggest you see a psychiatrist instead of a GP-- might be able to give you a bit better advice and would definitely have more experience with such matters.

Best of luck. Keep us updated.