Social Anxiety: Lexapro to Wellbutrin due to weight gain

[CeeLBee]

I have Social Anxiety Disorder (primary) with Depression. I took Lexapro 10 mg for a year and a half and gained 15 pounds and had a low libido. My doctor added Wellbutrin XL 150 mg about 6 months ago to counteract the symptoms, but it didn't help. My new doctor had me taper off the Lexapro (3 days off now - nausea, cramping, sleepiness, nightmares, headache, dizziness) and wants me to try staying on the Wellbutrin XL 150 mg alone. I wonder, if it didn't help anything with the Lexapro, what good could it really do? Anyhow, I really need a good med for Social Anxiety disorder without weight gain or sexual side effects (not counting Benzos like Xanax, which I don't want to take long-term). Any help would be wonderful! Thanks.

[clove28]

i had been on lexapro 20 - 40 mg (varied over time) for over 4 years after experiencing post-partum depression. i have always had anxiety and, at times anxiety attacks. before my son, i would do yoga and sometimes therapy and felt like i was managing it really well. but after he was born i wanted to focus on him and not worry about anxiety attacks. so, i started the lexapro and it really helped. i liked it a lot and the only reason that i wanted to stop taking it was the fact that i gained 30 pounds over the 4 years and weight gain has NEVER been a problem for me before. in fact,, i had a hard time keeping my weight up at times. i tapered off of the lexapro, but still had side effects (dizzy, irritable, nightmares, ect). and i started wellbutrin (300 mg) hoping it might have the same effect for me without the weight gain but it has been 4 weeks and i have not liked it at all. it has made me extremely irritable, impatient, sometimes dizzy and i feel a little "disconnected". i'm stopping it because it is actually making me feel worse. i'm going to try taking nothing, doin yoga again and getting my weight back down and i think it'll be better than the wellbutrin!

[injeanious]

Lexapro worked amazingly for me but I too gained weight and had sexual problems.  The Dr put me on Wellbutrin alone and it did nothing for me. I have anxiety but am not depressed though so Wellbutrin may help for your depression.  Obviously it's different for everyone. I actually was wondering if Wellbutrin would cancel out the side effects of Lexapro if taken together. Obviously it didn't for you, but I wonder if it does typically since your Dr suggested it.