Wellbutrin SR

[mtlieb]

Hi All,

I'm shopping around for antidepressants today, and have pretty much decided on Wellbutrin SR. Admittedly, the main reason is because it appears to be the only antidepressant with little or no risk of sexual side effects. In fact, it's actually been shown to increase sexual function. For those of us on high doses of beta-blocker, that could certainly be an important benefit.

It also has a lower risk of seizure than several others I looked at, and Dr. Lever feels that it would be quite safe for me to take as an HCM'er. There don't appear to be any major drug interactions with the Atenolol I take either.

Does anyone here have experience with Wellbutrin SR that you could share with me? Anyone taking it with beta-blockers? It's always nice to get real opinions from fellow HCM'ers, rather than relying solely on the literature. Please feel free to PM or email me if you'd rather not discuss it on the board.

Thanks much,

Jim

[Toogoofy317]

Jim,

I've never taken Welbutrin my docs said too many side effects. What has been the only that has not sent me over the edge (you know what I mean) has been Lexapro. I have been told by several doctors that it is considered to be the one anti-depressant that has the least amount of sid-effects. But, is also one of the more expensive ones.

I hope you're doin ok! Maybe some poker tonight :wink: (and no not strip)

Mary

[cynthia]

I just had to say, Mary that is funny!.,..my husband plays poker on partypoker.com :wink:

[Toogoofy317]

Jim and I have been playing a few times with AOL. But, we are going to try partypoker.com tonight I believe. Soon as he eats his pizza that is! So, the more the Merrier!

Mary S.

[Debbie]

Jim,

I just wanted to say that I hope you'll find something that will work well for you.

You've been such an inspiration for me, with everything that you've been through. You are always a shining light with good advice, and so I hope that you can find something good to help you feel better.

Keep shining!! :) :)

Debbie

[mtlieb]

Hi Everybody,

Thank you all for the great advice on the Wellbutrin issue. Many of you chose to write in private, which I respect. Debbie, thank you so much for your kind words. I gotta tell you, I don't feel like much of a shining light at ALL right now (hence the topic)... but it sure is nice of you to say that. To be honest, most folks just think I'm a pain in the *ss. :roll:

After doing all this research, I walked into my PCP's office this morning and before I even had a chance to say much of anything, he said "Jim, I'd like to start you on Wellbutrin today". I felt so cheated! I didn't even get to give him my big report! LoL. He cited all the same reasons many of you did:

Goes well with HCM.
Well-tolerated by most people.
Gets along fine with heart meds.
Low risk of sexual side effects.
May help with weight-loss.

I'll post periodic updates to this thread. I realize it's an issue that not everybody wants to talk about, but depression is quite common with HCM, and I want to make the information available on the board. Many folks have posted about the side-effects of being on high doses of beta blocker, and if the wellbutrin helps to counteract any of those, it could be an important find.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Pam Alexson]

Jim,

Keep us posted as to how you do. I am glad there is a medication that the doc feels can only enhance the Jim we know and love. :wink: Sorry, I don't have any personal experience but know that people I have known have reported good effect with it when they used it.

Pam

[Debbie]

Hi Jim,

Hope you'll find the Wellbutrin to be what you need.

And yes, you are a shining light, in that you are willing to shine a light on a subject that many would find too personal or uncomfortable to talk about.

I just want to say thanks for that. :)

Debbie

[Eileen2345]

Hi Jim,

I know one person who takes Wellbutrin and she does very well on it.

I take an antidepressant, if I didn't, I'd probably be hangin' off of a bridge somewhere -- only kidding!

I hope the Wellbutrin works for you. :D

Hugs,
Eve

[JoAnna]

Hi Jim, I just wanted to let you know I have taken Wellbutrin in the past. I checked with my cardiologist first, and he said it was ok that I took it. I didn't have any side effects other than not being able to fall asleep. So I had to take the kind that was not a continuous release formula and take my second dose before 3:00 PM. (something you might try if it does the same to you). But it didn't make me jittery or hyper or really sleepy like other things I tried. But I did have ringing in my ears. A friend of mine took it to stop smoking. It worked great for her. She didn't have any side effects and has not smoked in a year and a half. It helped me to stop thinking compulsively about overeating, and I did lose weight. I also take Atenolol and I have heard that it can cause depression. My cardiologist will not confirm that, but I have to wonder. I do seem to be depressed a lot. I've taken beta blockers since I was 16 so I don't really know how else to feel. Wellbutrin did seem to help, but I took it mainly to help me with my obsessiveness about being overweight, eating, etc. I stopped taking it when I felt better, and that was 3 years ago. I didn't go back on it, and now I take so many meds (Coumadin, diuretics, Amiodorone, Atenolol, etc.) that I just can't handle putting another med in my system. So I hope it works for you. It does seem to be the better antidepressant that is out there.
Good Luck
JoAnna

[mtlieb]

Hi all,

Thanks again for all the responses, PM's and advice.

I've been on the Wellbutrin for three weeks now and I gotta tell you these little pills are freaking great. Interesting thing I'm learning about anti-depressants... they don't actually make you more happy, they just make you less sad. Instead of waking up every morning dreading the day, I look forward to it now. It's very cool.

As for side-effects, there have been very few, and the ones I did have (a nagging little headache and stiff neck), disappeared altogether after the first week. There have been no side-effects of any kind with the HCM either. It has not increased any of my symptoms or added any new ones I didn't already have. This appears to be a good drug for us, as Dr. Lever had told me.

The positive side-effects have been great. I've lost 8 pounds so far which can be directly attributed to the drug (exercise level and diet did not change). I just don't feel the urge to eat as much as I used to. I've read that Wellbutrin is being considered for marketing as a weight-loss drug now.

As for the sexual side-effects... I won't go into much detail since this is a family show after all. But I do think that this drug could be of genuine help to those who have experienced issues due to high doses of beta blocker, etc. I REALLY mean it. :wink:

Jim

[ENAR]

Before having Alcohol Septal Ablation recently, and being on Beta and Calcium Channel blockers, I too took Buproprion (the generic version).

Just like you said, it had no noticeable side effects or contraindications with the cardiac meds.

I have been in a number of studies at NIH, and during my last visit, participated in a study they were doing with a new program that looked at drug/vitamin interactions. Naturally, the Bupropion and cardiac meds were listed along with the many vitamins, supplements, and other meds. There were no flags raised.

Just like you said, it didn't/doesn't make me happy; it just took away the dread and negative orientation I had before. I don't take the SR version, and if I miss the midday dose too often, I notice it.

Best wishes!

[Lisa Salberg]

There were no published findings out of that NIH study. The NIH HCM program ended 3 years ago due to multiple failures of the system there. It is unfortunate due to the long history the NIH had in HCM research. Therefore the NIH program has had not had credibility in the past 5-7 years in the larger HCM community. Many patients were not aware of the problems, but the research community was.

Sincerely,
Lisa

[BlueDevil]

Interesting thing I'm learning about anti-depressants... they don't actually make you more happy, they just make you less sad.
Exactly. But I'd go further to say that they put you in a frame of mind to deal with whatever is bothering you.

[Pam Alexson]

I call it, "Talk to the hand."

Most report that instead of taking all the emotional stuff full force to the chest , where it often overwhelms us and shows up like an uninvited quest from out of town, it is now where it belongs , in the boundary set by our out reached hands, where we can look at stuff more objectively. This gives us a chance to say , Get in line now no cutting, 8-) NO , later, or never, not important to me, can't hurt me , I saw you coming, I am prepared.

Certainly not feeling so bowled over by so much all at once can prove to make us a lot less sad.

After being on such preparations for awhile , we become accustomed to feeling better able to handle and then it seems our serotonin has balanced out and we may be able to come off the meds ... and sometimes maybe it needs to be longer. Each individuals nervous system reponds a little uniquely because we are all unique but generally we get the same overall benefits from these meds if they are going to work for us .

Glad you have discovered the true and beneficial effects of these medications.

Pam

[ENAR]

Hi Lisa,

Your post after mine (that peripherally mentioned NIH) seemed slightly misleading in a couple of respects. Studies on many aspects of cardiology continue at NIH. It is true that there was controversy about one HCM researcher. Unfortunately, as with other areas of medicine including cancer, AIDS, and more, there are often controversies between highly intelligent and ambitious researchers. With HCM, it continues today with the differing philosophies regarding myectomy and alcohol septal ablation. Undoubtedly, the future will bring more such controversies. That is why sites like this can be helpful, especially if they offer balanced information about options.

However, It is also true that former study patients with HCM are seen twice a year in special clinics at NIH, each lasting about a month. It also may be useful to note that many former NIH medical scientists now conduct their own research at many other locations, at major medical institutions around this country and around the world.

For the other, central element of my post, my specific comment referred to an NIH pharmacological study about drug interactions. It was not directly related to HCM, but a number of patients in the cardiology clinic participated. Its purpose was to look at drug, vitamin, and supplement interactions. The purpose of my post was to mention that no significant interaction was indicated between Bupropion and the cardiac medicines I then took.

[mtlieb]

Hi All,

It occured to me that I never got back to this thread as promised so in the interest of closure...

I ended up taking the drug for over a year and then went off of it last fall when it turned out to be causing me some trouble. As of the last post I wrote here on 9/12/05, I was taking the name-brand wellbutrin xl that my pcp had given me a 30-day supply of. The results were wonderful. Unfortunately when those ran out I was forced to start taking the generic bupropion and it just wasn't the same from that point on. Over the course of the next year side-effects started to slowly build-up in such a way that I didn't even attribute them to the bupropion. I was having more chf issues, trouble sleeping, persistent headaches, and a whole lot of trouble concentrating on anything at school. When I finally did put two-and-two together and took myself off the drug, that all cleared up after about a month. Turns out that increased chf symptoms are a documented side-effect of bupropion so it may not be the best choice for those in heart failure.

I don't know whether it was strictly the fact that I had been placed on the generic instead of the name-brand, or whether these side-effects would have slowly built up over time regardless, but in the end it turned out to be a bad drug for me. I haven't replaced it with another anti-depressant as of yet.

Jim