Question:
Has anyone taken Effexor and Wellbutrin?

Pre-op I took Effexor and Wellbutrin for depression but cant take it now because the pills are too large and cant be crushed or opened as they are time released. Has anyone found other forms of these drugs or been prescribed an alternative? I am only 6 days post op.    — Gina D. (posted on December 4, 2000)

December 4, 2000
Gina, I have taken Effexor for several years, this was one of my concerns also but the surgeon didn't seem to think it would be a problem. I do know that there is a pill form of Effexor that could be crushed.
   — Ruth Ellen M.

December 4, 2000
I was on anti-depressants for the past 5 years...but after my surgery, I didn't need them anymore...and I've never been happier!
   — Tracey D.

December 4, 2000
Did you ask your doctor what time-released has to do with anything (crushing). It seems to me it wouldn't make a difference. I took wellbutrin. It is similar to prozac as it corrects one's seratonin equilibrium/thermostat. Possibly liquid prozac is something which will give you similar benefits. A lot of experimatation with antidepressants is common anyway so it's worth a try.
   — [Deactivated Member]

December 4, 2000
Time-released drugs are not good for us after RnY anyway. I was taking a time-released allergy medicine before surgery, and afterward my surgeon said I should switch to the short acting one that I have to take every six hours. It wasn't because the pill was large, but because it would not get fully absorbed in my shorter digestive tract. Ask your pharmacist if these drugs are available in a non-time released form, or even better, in a liquid.
   — Lynn K.

December 4, 2000
I have not had surgery yet, but I am on Wellbutrin and there is a non time released pill. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for the change in your prescription.
   — colers

December 4, 2000
Gina, I take Effexor in the tablet form. It will absorb ok and is not a very big pill. Good luck.
   — Jill C.

December 4, 2000
I take 150 mg of Effexor & was concerned about not being able to take them. My psyc took the capsule apart and there were tiny-tiny pills inside and he said I could take them like that...just don't crush them because it would affect the time release. I'm going to take them like that unless my WLS doctor says something different.
   — Betty Todd

December 4, 2000
In general to <b>all</b> meds as a post-op, always check with your pharmacist prior to splitting or crushing pills, as doing so may change the properties in some drugs.<br><br>Best wishes.
   — [Deactivated Member]

December 4, 2000
It ABSOLUTELY does make a difference if meds certain meds are time release. Many of them are engineered in a different way, i.e., for a matrix to be impregnated with the med or with a shell that will dissolve in a specified amount of time. Crushing these pills destroys the delivery system and can cause an unintentional overdose. CHECK WITH YOUR PHARMACIST to see if it's o.k. to crush any pill before crushing it. There is a short acting Welbutrin which is about the size of an M&M, you take in three times a day.
   — Barbra F.

December 4, 2000
My doctor told me that you only need to worry about the size of the pill your taking if it's too big to fit through your new stomach opening. I used to take Effexor and Welbutrin. The 75 mg capsule is about the size of another medication I take and he told me there shouldn't be any problem taking it. The main thing is to take each med separately, not all at once to give it a chance to go through easily. I have Bi-Polar Disorder and had been on Effexor for quite a while. I now take Zoloft and Tegretol which have worked wonders. Maybe mention these to your doctor and see what he thinks. Zoloft is a much smaller pill and Tegretol comes in a chewable form as well as the regular pill (about the size of an aspirin). Good luck with this and your weight loss! God Bless. Andrea Brink
   — Andrea H.

December 7, 2000
Why in heavens name would you ask for drug prescription advice on this website, from strangers, rather than from your own doctor? Some earlier, well-intentioned, posts in this thread were 100% wrong. Just because someone is post-op and taking wellbutrin or effexor doesn't make them an expert about it.
   — blank first name B.

December 8, 2000
Ava and others, thanks for sharing your similar experiences. Of course I never meant to solicit medical advise from my friends (not strangers.) I take all answers as the helpfulness that was intended and will use my good judgement (and phycisian) for any prescriptions. .LOL. Thanks again to all who responded.
   — Gina D.

December 8, 2000
GINA, I TOO PRE-OP WAS TAKING WELLBRUTIN. DOCTORS TOOK ME OFF FOR COUPLE OF MONTHS BUT NOW IM BACK ON IT. IM 4 MONTHS OUT AND TAKE PILLS FOR LAST TWO MONTHS JUST FINE.
   — LYNDA W.

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