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Same Weight Loss/Side Effects Going Back On Wellbutrin?

By Going Back On Wellbutrin XL | 18 posts, last post
Dr Artem Agafonov answered this Wellbutrin for Weight Loss
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Going Back On Wellbutrin XL

Hi guys! 

I'm new to this forum, but have found that whenever I make 'Google' searches, I often find the best responses via this forum. Anyhow, to give a little history for starters, I started taking Wellbutrin XL 150mg (I actually took the generic, Bupropion) about a year and a half ago,  March 2011, for depression. In my first month, I started out on 150mg and by the second month, my physician had increased my dosage to 300mg. In addition to the Wellbutrin, I was and still am taking 150mg of Topamax (Topiramate, generic) daily.  Looking back, I do have difficulty remembering exactly how I felt on the Wellbutrin due to having many personal issues at the time, but I was definitely a tad "zombie-like".  Within the first two months on Wellbutrin, I did experience loss of appetite and I lost around 20 pounds. The weight loss was something that happened without me even realizing and it wasn't until my family members pointed out that I was looking great. 

Prior to taking WB (along with Topamax,) I was carrying around some extra pounds and had always struggled with body image. In total, I had lost about 30 pounds and it seemed as if when I did have an appetite, I could eat anything I wanted and not gain a pound. It was great and I was living it up. Fast forward a year, I'm not sure exactly what month it was, but I decided I'd just stop taking WB. As I look back, I have no idea why and what prompted me to make such a decision other than the sum of prescriptions I'd have for each month. 

At the end of January 2012/beginning of February, I decided I'd stop WB cold turkey on my own (yes, I know, horrible idea) and I felt fine, or so I thought. Everything was alright for a while and then it felt as if I was coming on with flu-like symptoms. I felt horrible fatigue, lethargy, my entire body hurt, my stomach became distended as if I were pregnant and I felt as if I had edema in my entire body. Thinking this was just something seasonal, I tried to sleep it off and keep myself hydrated. It wasn't long before I was sleeping for 12 hours straight and still felt as if I had been hit by a truck. I cut off communication with all my friends and loved ones because all I wanted to do was sleep. I couldn't wear any of my clothes because they were too tight and I thought it was just fluid retention; that alone left me depressed. 

Around the end of February/beginning of March, I noticed my hair was thinning, looked as if it were getting shorter and overall looked as if I had a haircut. People began asking me if I had gotten a haircut and I almost burst into tears. I went from having very long, voluminous hair to thin, brittle slight-past shoulder length. All of these symptoms, especially the weight gain (that I thought was fluid retention) and the change in my hair made me absolutely miserable. It is now July and I had just gotten back onto the WB two and a half weeks ago in hopes that what I have gone through was due to withdrawal symptoms. In reality, I had been depressed all along and don't truly know what prompted me mentally to stop cold turkey.


My main question is: Has anyone stopped Wellbutrin after prolonged use, experienced weight gain/other symptoms, and restarted the medication? If so, have you experienced weight loss or the same side effects as you did when you took it the first time around? I'm not only restarting Wellbutrin due to my depressed phases, but I could definitely benefit from the weight loss side effect that I have prior. As for the hair thinning/hair loss, all I feel I can truly do is take vitamins and treat my hair with care until it revives itself. 



Sorry for the extensive history, guys! I'm trying to link together what it is that has happened to me and get back to my old self. Thanks for reading :) 



74b294587

I know this is an old post, but I was wondering what happened with it?  I'm just now going back on WB hoping it will make me lose weight like it did last time.  I had been on prestiq, Prozac, & lexapro & it made me gain 30 lbs.  grrrr.....   I'm sick of it.  

 

Reply

ameliaaa21


Oh my goodness, I experienced just about the EXACT same thing. I took WB for like 2 years, was at a great weight, then for some reason decided I didn't need it anymore and quit taking it cold turkey. This as around Thanksgiving. In the following three months I gained probably 20 pounds, felt horrible about myself, and also noticed that my hair had been pretty much destroyed- very brittle, lifeless, thankfull I didn't experience too much of it falling out. I would warn anyone reading this to NEVER, EVER EVER EVER stop taking WB cold turkey.

So, seeing how you posted this a year ago, I'm dying to know how it went getting back on it. It is now the end of June, and I am trying it again too. Today was my first day, and I noticed a little bit of a curbed apetite, but nothing crazy yet. Possibly because it's the first day. I can't seem to remember how long it took for weight loss and to start feeling less depressed.

If you could post your results that would be awesome!
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jillgrand123306225

Wow, I'm glad I found this! I am having the same experience. I was on 300mg of Wellbutrin for 2 years and then I got sick of having to go to the Dr all the time and I was forgetting to take it etc and I thought I'd be fine without it.

So by my Dr's instructions I went down to 150mg for a month and then my Dr. told me to I could just stop taking it. Over 2 months I went from being 115lbs to 140lbs! I totally look pregnant and I am so depressed about the weight gain. I also feel like a truck hit me, I just want to sleep all day and don't feel like going anywhere or talking to anyone. I just feel like a zombie and everyone makes me mad. I'm so miserable, so I asked my Dr when I could go back on and he said in a month. 

My question is, what happened when you guys went back on the Wellbutrin? Did you lose the weight you gained? Did the withdrawal symptoms go away? How long of a break did you take before going back on? 

Anything you could tell me would help so much! 

Reply

jillgrand123306225


Wow, I'm glad I found this! I am having the same experience. I was on 300mg of Wellbutrin for 2 years and then I got sick of having to go to the Dr all the time and I was forgetting to take it etc and I thought I'd be fine without it.

So by my Dr's instructions I went down to 150mg for a month and then my Dr. told me to I could just stop taking it. Over 2 months I went from being 115lbs to 140lbs! I totally look pregnant and I am so depressed about the weight gain. I also feel like a truck hit me, I just want to sleep all day and don't feel like going anywhere or talking to anyone. I just feel like a zombie and everyone makes me mad. I'm so miserable, so I asked my Dr when I could go back on and he said in a month.

My question is, what happened when you guys went back on the Wellbutrin? Did you lose the weight you gained? Did the withdrawal symptoms go away? How long of a break did you take before going back on?

Anything you could tell me would help so much!
Reply

74b294587

I wish I could say it had the same effect it did the first time, but this time I guess I just have too many other ADs in my system.  :(  I began taking Adderall as well, which I thought would help as well, but to no avail.  I tried WB again and it just made my heart race and my panic attacks REALLY bad.  I wanted to stick it out for it to knock off these pesky 30 lbs but after several months, it didn't and I couldn't handle it anymore.  I'm on Adderall, a small dose of Lexapro, and Buspar and Propanolol for anxiety.  I think that's it?  I'm not losing the weight, but my mind feels balanced for the first time in a long time.  Still busting my ass in the gym and hoping I'll see some results, but I'm kindof resolved to the fact that I may never.  But gym time is my happy time so that's all good.  

I still may try it again in the future (WB, I mean) but I don't know.

Reply

Guest


Sorry for the late reply. Going back on is a bad decision. I went back on for like 2 weeks. No appetite suppresant side effects like last time. Possibly even the opposite. Not worth it.
Reply

Guest

Are you sure these side effects weren't related to topamax?  it's known for causing hair loss and fog/zombie like feeling

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Guest

I know all of these posts are old by now but I experienced the same senario with the WB and I have always had a rapid metabolism and whenjoy I quite the WB....I gained 35lbs!!!! My doctor restarted it after being shocked at me actually gaining wieght. So far I have less appetite and my weight has remained the same but no gain so that is great! Just now working to get the weight gone!
Reply

Guest

I took Welbutrin XL 150 mg for 3 1/2 years for depression/anxiety. I went off per Doctors directions 2 months ago. I have had trouble with gaining weight, but also had that problem before quitting. I quit because my hair was falling out for months and lost all shine and smoothness. I researched the hair loss and found it to be a very common side effect of Welbutrin or Bupropion (what I was on). I hope to address the weight gain with healthy diet and exercise. Emotionally I am doing pretty well and sleeping fine. It is my plan to stay off antidepressants as I fell it was needed for a season but not permanantly.
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Guest

Doesn't matter if you stop taking it cold turkey or just wean off of it (I weaned). You still get the weight gain and withdrawl effects.
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Guest

I took genetic 60 tablets of 75mg and stoped becaouse os excessive hair loss. In 60 days I have lost 25 pounds. I'm gaining the weight back. Gaind back the 20 pounds of it already. Went back on it again: No waight loss (still gaining weight) & no hair loss.
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Guest

I was originally on 150 mg for 1 year then upped to 300 mg. For 2 years. I lost approx 20 lbs. I started having thinning hair and no growth and high bp 130/98, and feeling like I was having stroke like symptoms. I told my dr my symptoms he wasn't in agreement it was bupropion. However, after researching online high dosage of 300 mg or higher can cause seizures and the FDA site stated high bp. I weaned myself off it within a week. Its been 6 months now that I'm off, it was the only med I was on. My Bp is back to 120/70 normal, hair growing again in length and fall out is minimal. My weight has went up 10 lbs..ughh.. no extra calories and still exercising. I read another site someone mentioned it is just how wellbitrin manipulates calories in your body so it does not matter if you eat the same.. you will loose on it and gain off it. It was originally promoted as the fun, labido boost, weight loss pill. But I personally didn't like the side effects. So I will be fat, not so happy or turned on but with hair and alive not stroking out.

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Guest

Hi,
This is old but I wanted to put in a couple words.
I started aderrall in high school for ADHD and depression, but I didn't feel like it worked well enough for pmdd (I didn't take a lot). I was on birth control, too, at the time. I went on Wellbutrin for about a year. I lost weight on it and was very, very happy for a time. But I also didn't sleep and couldn't sit still. I decided to go off of birth control at one point, which unmasked a ton of hormonal issues the stimulants had caused, including brittle hair and horrible skin. I went off Wellbutrin. I slept for the first time in a year, really. I stayed on adderall to get me out of bed and through school. At first, I gained weight. Then I started running on the aderrall and it came off gradually. Then I went on spironolactone for my skin which was still terrible and gained 15 lbs. then I went off spironolactone and adderrall both. I have to be very strict with my diet and exercise, but I have lost the weight I gained immediately going off aderrall. I still have the Wellbutrin weight to lose. It's much harder, but I don't feel like I'm a hamster on a wheel anymore. I can actually sit still and address the issues that gave me depression in the first place.
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Guest

Hi Amelia! I'm going through the EXACT situation you've described, down to the time of year, how long you'd been on WB, the hair, the amount of weight gain, and going back on today for the first time since Thanksgving (so about three months) and noticing curbed appetite. I've tried everything else..supplements..increased exercise...calorie restriction..and nothing has helped me lose the pounds since November.

I'm really hoping you had a positive experience going back on and maybe have found a way to wean off safely! I knew I shouldn't have quit cold turkey but just didn't have professional guidance at the time..
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