# Wellbutrin



## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Hi. I was wondering if any of you know if wellbutrin causes constipation? I have been taking it for the past week (to help with the weight gain of Paxil) and I feel even better. Just curoius about the C thing. Thanks.


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## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Yes, I took Wellbutrin. It not only caused my C to get worse, but it kept me awake at night no matter how early I took it. I have switched to Effexor XR, which has helped a bunch with the C, and sleep. Also, it has helped about weight gain. Do you have anxiety?


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have anxiety which agravates my IBS D (or causes it?







). Anyway, I take Paxil CR 37.5 mg (upped dose this week) and zyprexa 1.25 mg to help with the upset tummy. So far, so good. But I have been gaining weight on a regular basis and the doctor put me on wellbutrin (I asked for it). In one week I have lost three pounds eating the same. I was just wondering about the constipation SE because if the wellbutrin will help with the D that means I can slowly stop the zyprexa. My main reason is because zyprexa is too expensive because other than that that med has made my IBS so much better. And of course, the Paxil has worked wonders for the anxiety.


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## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Anxiety caused me to have D. The Effexor XR is an antidepressant and has something for generalized anxiety disorders also. I started out on 37.5 then to 75 mg. and now I'm on 150 mg. and feel so much better. If your med helps with D, why don't you try Benefiber for C? It is wonderful. You can't taste it, or feel it. You simply put it into a drink and you will never know you are taking extra fiber. The Effexor has helped decrease my appetite a lot.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

I have thought about Effexor in the past but for some reason my doc prescribed the Paxil. Anyhow, her son has IBS as well so I trust her. Plus, I feel so good with the treatment I am on, I would not change it. Right now I am not C, but I feel like I am more on the C side than before, but it does not bother me.Thanks for the reply. If the wellbutrin does not work I'll ask about the Effexor.


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## KLG (Jul 8, 2002)

Hi Zayaka,Yes, it does. It is one of the side effects. I took magnesium to counteract it, but I still had a tough time. I felt great on it but it started to make me very anxious (which I normally am not at least not to that degree)...or I would have kept going with it the first time. The C thing also bothered me. I was initially put on it for fatigue that my doctor thought may be depression related or because I am a smoker. I went back on it a few weeks ago for mood but find it isn't as bad with the C thing this time. I attribute it to the fact I am eating low carb and eating almonds and sunflower seeds (both high in fiber) so maybe that is something for you to consider. They don't bother me the way Metamucil, or bran, grains etc. do. Also Slippery elm works great for my C, and I take it daily although I would talk to your doctor before you mix the two.I didn't feel the full affects of it until after 2 weeks (but started feeling better within a few days). I had a panic attack once on it, but it was because I took in a lot of caffeine, something I found out later you should limit while on Wellbutrin ( I drik lots of caffeinated beverages). So watch your caffeine intake if you notice it brings on anxiety you haven't experienced before. I have and I haven't had any problems since. It's a wonderful drug.(







I know you didn't ask all of that but I had wished someone told me about the caffeine thing)


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Hi Zayaka,I thought I would post a note on Zyprexa since that is a drug my mother has been taking for about six months so I had to do some research. I noticed you said you'd been gaining weight. Did your doctor tell you that was a very real and fairly common side effect of zyprexa? Just thought I'd let you know that has been a topic of much discussion of late on zyprexa sites. The funny thing is that for my mother, who lives in an Alzheimers facility, the zyprexa has made all the food taste great for her--when before that was one of her biggest complaints LOL. Sounds like you're doing pretty well, hope you continue to improve. Take care.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Anything you guys can tell me is greatly appreciated.







Thanks for the info on caffeine, that would be very useful when chosing what I drink.Yes, my doctor told me about the big possibilies of gaining weight on zyprexa. That was why she started me on zoloft in the beginning but it gave me explosive D. I remember the first week on zyprexa was terrible because I was ALWAYS hubgry. From my experience (11 months on it) I can say that it is a med that works pretty good on IBS, my only complain is the weight gain.I cannot wait until the wellbutrin starts working for me. I have been on it for a week and just once I felt nauseaus. Other than that it has been ok.Thanks for you replies.


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## KLG (Jul 8, 2002)

> quote:So watch your caffeine intake if you notice it brings on anxiety you haven't experienced before. I have and I haven't had any problems since. It's a wonderful drug.


Ooops, what I menat by th eabove is... I have cut down on caffeine and I haven't had any problems since. Wanted to clarify that.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

No problem.


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## farmerzwife (Mar 15, 2002)

Hi...I am kind of a newbie here, been a member for a bit, but more of a lurker now and then.I have recently been trying Wellbutrin for the past 3 weeks, and had thought things were going quite well until last night, when I broke out in hives all over my body. I have no food allergies, and after a chat late last night with a pharmacist he believes that it is a reaction from the Wellbutrin. Has anyone else had a bad reaction to this? I am totally flipped out over this and worried about what my next course will be! I had been on Celexa 2 years ago, worked great but gained 30 lbs! Tried Nefazadone this past year, but unfortunately they took it off the shelves due to the chance it can cause liver disease(how nice!). So now I don't know what to try. I cannot afford to gain weight on some of these other antidepressants, I still am overweight! Does anyone have opinions what I can try? I was IBS-D, now I am not sure, as the pills I was on cleared that up for me, but I don't need ones that leave me zonked out all day, as I have 3 kids and a husband. HELP!!


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## IBSCcat (Mar 18, 2004)

Zayaka:Make sure you talk to your doctor about the Zyprexa and its purpose. I've never heard of this drug to address upset tummy... You may want to research the drug online. Medline at NIH is good. (I am certainly not a doctor.)


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

Hi. Zyprexa was a wonderful drug in treating my IBS even though it is not an IBS type of drug. here is a quick update I posted: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php...c;f=32;t=000412


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## plm123 (Sep 25, 2000)

I am C mostly but Wellbutrin doesn't give me C problems. It started working for me within a week for depression. If you have anxiety issues, this is NOT the drug for you. It can make it difficult to fall asleep if you take it too late in the day. It doesn't usually cause weight gain or sexual side effects.I believe it works on dopamine and not seratonin like many other IBS drugs and other anti-d's. I cannot take drugs that affects seratonin because I cannot stay awake and it blurs my vision so bad I cannot function. Wellbutrin has been a miracle drug for me but it is most certainly not for everyone. P.


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## woodcp (Sep 17, 2001)

Based on my own personal experience with Zoloft, Effexor and Wellbutrin, I would suggest that anyone considering taking them to NOT do so. Get off the stuff before you get in too deep. You take one, then you need another to counter the side effects of the other -- it is VICIOUS cycle! The side effects are just not worth it, and there are too many of them as well. Thhe worst part is weaning yourself OFF of those drugs if you've been taking them for awhile. I will never go back to taking those types of drugs for IBS. I'd rather take Immodium! That's just my opinion from years of suffering from IBS-D and taking those drugs. They weren't good for me in the long run -- made me stupid, slow, dull, bad dreams, no sex drive, weight gain, etc., etc.


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## sadone (Dec 17, 2003)

i don't like to give drugs too much credit--but wellbutrin is the only thing that has brought my depression under control...i was in and out of the pysch ward until i started on wellbutrin...and yes, morgan is right...it works on dopamine not serotonin...mind you my doc has had to put me on a really high dose and now we're worried that the wellbutrin is triggering my migraines...but again, my dose is high (above the recommended) so it's hard to judge the side effects at that level.


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