9 month blood work question

I am going in next Tuesday for 9 month blood work, and to talk to doc about possibly going on Wellbutrin for very mu*****reased depression and anxiety symptoms since surgery (I've always had mildish tendencies toward both, that I just dealt with because I didn't want to go with medication, but never this bad).  Wellbutrin is one of the only antidepressants that doesn't risk weight gain and sexual dysfunction (both of which I can do fine without any help thank you).  So two questions: 1.  I lost my list of blood tests for 9 months - I was just going to have him run the same ones he ran at 6 months, unless someone has a list available?  Do ya?  2.  Does anyone here take wellbutrin?  What do you think?

I have not taken Welbutrin, but as a social worker, I have worked with individuals who do.  It is one that does not have the risk of weight gain and is usually effective in combating depressive symptoms.  You may need to work with your dr to get it at a therapeutic dose, but it is worth the effort.  Another drug you may want to look into is Cymbalta.  It too has the reduced risk of sexual dysfunction as well as weight gain. 

I took lexapro for a while when my son was driving me crazy, but it certainly affected my sex drive and caused insomnia.  I took it for about 8 weeks and then quit cold turkey and just prayed about the issues and asked people who I trusted to pray for me.  Things cured up shortly after that. I go for my 6 month visit next friday and will be curious to see what the blood work holds for me!  Good luck on your 9 month.  I pray things are still good for you!

Jen, I don't think you will have any issues taking welbutrin.  The Doctor may have to mess with the dosage due to the restriction but other than that you should have no problems. you will be in my thoughts I suffer from anxiety disorder and I actually did go on meds Zoloft ( major sexual dysfunction ahahah ) and after a year weened myself off but it saved my life!!!

I have not had surgery yet, but I take Lexapro, and have been told that people with the surgery handle Lexapro fine (absoption that is).  I have been on several medications related to depression and anxiety throughout my life and they all react diferently with people.  Even though a drug may say it has weight gain and loss of sex drive you amy not suffer any of those things.  My experience with Lexapro has been great.  I have had no side effects, so just talk with your doctor and they will have the best suggestion for you....better yet seek you a psychiatrist who knows the meds better and your situation.  Just my opinion.  Godd Luck!

I too suffer from depression and anxiety.  I currently take Lexapro but I did try a few things because I do experience mild sexual side effects.  At one time I switched to Wellbutrin but all I did was cry so I went back on the Lexapro.  Then another time I took Cymbalta.  I ended up with horrible insomnia but it did wonders for the depression.  The withdrawal symptoms coming off of Cymbalta can be wicked for a few - myself included.  I did a very slow withdrawal and added back the Lexapro as I was weaning, but I still ended up with "flu -like" symptoms and missed 3 days of work.  I couldn't get out of bed.   Unfortunately, all of our bodies respond differently, but I'm glad you are open to trying some medication.  I hope you find your match. -Dawn

I took Wellbutrin to quit smoking (so it was a lower dose than used as an antidepressant) several years ago and it made me forget EVERYTHING!  And it wasn't the good kind of forgetting.  I would be having a conversation with someone and just stop mid-sentence.  At my job I had to do a roll call every morning and I would forget people's names.  It got so bad that I had to count the pills everyday to see if I had taken my dose or not (and I would only count when I was craving a cigarette).  I finally just quit taking them and quit (successfully) cold turkey. It's a really unusual side effect and I did research it after I quit taking the medication to see if anyone else had experienced it.  I found some buried references to it, but it wasn't really made too noticeable because it was too rare. On the other hand about it, even at the non-therapeutic dose it made me feel terrific.  I struggled with depression for many years as a teenager (before the SSRI drugs came out) and I went through so many medication changes that I decided to learn better coping skills and not take medications for my depression.  I've been quite successful in that, but when I took the Wellbutrin I felt so much better and for a day or two before the side effects kicked in I saw that an antidepressant really might have some value in helping people feel better.  I was actually thinking of having my doc prescribe it in the higher therapeutic dose. So, long story short, I think that it has a lot of potential, especially given that the side effect I experienced was rare.