Question:
Wellbutrin SR doesn't seem to be helping much. . .what next?

Hi all, I've been faithfully taking my Wellbutrin SR 2x a day for more than 4-6 weeks now and it really doesn't seem to be having a very drastic or lasting effect. I cannot say that it's helped my libido one bit and my motivation is still pretty close to zip zero zilch. . .altho it is slightly worse when I don't take it. . .like today. But, I heard such glowing praise when I first started it, but now that I've been giving it its chance to work, it doesn't seem to be at all. Now, I would ask my Dr this but I am currently out of the country (read my profile, I'm in Brazil!) and just wondered if I can take it MORE often or increase my dosage or if I just should see about switching to the next most powerful anti-depressant?? This is SO NOT me to be feeling like this, especially with as good as I know I'm looking, I should be feeling so much better, u know?? It almost diminishes the wonderfulness of the incredible weight loss I've had!! =( I'm probably only about 10-15 lbs from actual insurance chart weight goal!! HELP!!! Blessings,    — ChristiMNB (posted on May 17, 2002)

May 17, 2002
You should contact your Dr. about this. I was also taking this medicine and it did'nt help me either. I am now on something that is helping much better. Medicines work differently on different people, what might not work for us may work for someone else. Good luck. And congradulations on your wonderful weight loss. God Bless
   — Debby M.

May 17, 2002
The same happened to me. My doctor kept me on 2 a day and prozac. I feel wonderful!
   — hklang70

May 17, 2002
RNY & BPD's really can't use the timed release like before. Before you throw in the towel, maybe you can get the tablet form and have the doc tweak them accordingly. Just as we can't do oil-gel type pills, we can't do timed release reliably.
   — vitalady

May 17, 2002
Christy, Were are you in Brazil? My daughter is there also and lives there near S.Paulo. Okay, actually IN S.Paulo. Just curious. Write me if you want about that. As for the antidepressant, I can tell you that I have been on Prozac 40mg now for 6 months. It's great for the depression but terrible on the love life. No libido at all and that's not like me. I used to take Serzone but it didn't work as well and...now they are having problems with the liver from it as well. Many times it takes two or three different trys to find the one medicine that works perfectly for YOU. I would try another and see if it might work better. I pray that it does for you.
   — Barbara H.

May 18, 2002
I too was on Wellbutrin SR it did not work. Doctor switched ne iff the "SR" to the regular form, it works great now. The slow release goes through us before it releases. I was on the sr, 150 grms twice a day, now I am on the regular, 100 grms, 3 times a day, or every 8 hours.
   — Phiddy B.

May 18, 2002
Phiddy is correct! I'm a psychiatrist, so I would recommend checking with your MD by phone or his/her covering doc before making changes. Most likely they'll recommend increasing the dose if they don't know how long it takes for the pills to dissolve (max is supposed to be 450 mg/day or 150 mg three times a day...but I've prescribed it to kids at 200 mg twice a day...depends on the person and what you're treating) What will probably help the most is changing from SR to regular...be warned that side effects are often more pronounced because of how the medication is released, so you may notice side effects you hadn't had before. I usually recommend trying to wait out the side effects for at least a week or two to see if they diminish.
   — Pamela B.

May 20, 2002
I tried taking Wellbutrin since I was told it helps for weight loss (I was already taking Celexa). It did not do a damn thing for me. I went back on Celexa which works like a charm!! There are different classes of anti-depressents so you probably just have to try another. Good luck and hang in there!! And congratulations on your weight loss!
   — emilyfink