Generic Name: Bupropion for Bipolar Disorder (bupropion)
Bupropion for Bipolar Disorder Reviews
"You know, it's interesting to get on a medication like Bupropion and suddenly (literally within two days) start to notice an internal change in the way you think, feel, and behave, which in turn makes you realize how seriously sick you were for most of your life."
"I give this a 10 for this miracle drug. For about 10 years, I was under treatment for bipolar depression, seasonal affective disorder, and general & social anxiety. I tried different drugs (SSRI drugs made me hypo-manic) until one day my doctor added 150 mg of bupropion to Depakene and quetiapine, and suddenly everything changed. At first, I had dehydration, restless sleep, and a bad headache for about one month, but day by day, the side effects went away, and my energy boosted, my anxiety disappeared. I enjoy being socially active, and my winter blues are gone. Depakene's numbness has disappeared. I tried 300 mg after 6 months, but it gave me heart palpitations. Now, after one year, I'm stable and happy at 150 mg, and I really, really, really suggest this drug to give it a try. Finally, I want to thank the inventor of this medicine. Sorry for my bad English."
"If you have bipolar disorder type II, please learn as much as you can about this condition from professional, reputable sources so you can make informed decisions about treatment and management options. This is a treatable, manageable illness, take hope in that. After 20+ years struggling to 'cure' myself 'naturally' and being miserable, dangerously depressed, and dysfunctional, I finally decided to try psych medication. I found a doctor who specializes in this disorder and is up to date with the latest research findings in this specific condition. If you don't like your current GP's or psychiatrist's attitude, find someone else! I started a combination of Lamictal (AM & PM) and Seroquel (only PM - makes you drowsy). I kept a daily mood diary, and it took 3 months for my mood to fully stabilize. To help the bipolar depression, we added bupropion and N-Acetyl Cysteine, a supplement (all based on clinical research!). For 5 years now, I’ve had my life back. Deciding to take this medication saved my life."
"I LOVE THIS MEDICATION!! After trying Lexapro, which ended up not working at all (I found out I genetically don’t respond to SSRIs), my psychiatrist prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL (Bupropion HCL). This is the only thing that was able to pull me out of a deep depression! Before this medication, I had constant suicidal ideation and would always be upset, having crying episodes. I would hate everyone and everything. Even though I still experience a little irritability from time to time, I’ll take it over the symptoms I was experiencing before. I did have to bump up my dose to 300 mg, though, eventually, because I was still experiencing breakthrough symptoms on 150 mg. This medication combined with Lamictal changed my life!!! Currently, this is the best I’ve ever felt."
"I've been taking bupropion 200mg for roughly three weeks to treat bipolar depression. I have not had success with any other antidepressants. For me, Wellbutrin has been great. It has increased my energy level dramatically, as well as improved my mood. It's not a cure-all, but it's certainly helping. The side effects - I take it in the morning to avoid trouble sleeping. Increased my anxiety somewhat the first week. Higher libido. Markedly reduced appetite. I need to remind myself to eat, and I've lost 5 lbs. Others have mentioned a bad interaction with alcohol which I have not experienced. I've had up to three drinks with no problems. My overall experience has been good, this is a great medicine if it agrees with you."
"I accidentally took an extra 150mg of bupropion tablets (pharmacy put 300mg tabs into bottle instead of 150), so I was taking 600mg a day. About two or three weeks after the increase, I started to feel an urge to want to organize things that I never had the energy to even put away previously. I was able to play with my daughter. I could go outside of my house. I looked forward to going to school events. I had depression my WHOLE life, and at 49 years old, I feel like I am just beginning because of this miracle that happened to me!"
Wellbutrin (bupropion) "I am going to be as fair as I can be. As we can carefully repeat that not every medicine will work for everyone. But what I can tell you is that this medicine did nothing for me. Instead, it made my anxiety shoot through the roof, to the point where I thought I was being watched and stalked by law enforcement. I was deathly afraid of them taking me away, for what reason, I have no clue. It made me land in the psych ward. I would perspire in generous amounts! I would feel extremely guilty of past wrongdoings (even the most minor thing I've done wrong in my life would be the topic of debate in my head). I wish you all a happy healing and good luck on your search."
"I have taken this medication on two separate occasions: first in conjunction with Seroquel (quetiapine) and Neurontin (gabapentin) and second by itself without other psychiatric medications. Both times I took the 150 mg extended-release form. When I took it the first time I didn't experience any mood-altering effects, but I did lose a significant amount of weight. In fact, my psychiatrist had to take me off the medication when I dropped below 90 lbs. The second time I took bupropion was when I had to come off lithium due to thyroid damage. This time it was life-changing. All of my depressive symptoms melted away without inducing any hypomania. I still lost weight, but not as much this time around. This medicine makes me feel normal again."
"I was in a major depression episode for a year. Negative thinking and self-image, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, numbness, staying in bed for days, not showering, tired but sleeping excessively. I have tried: Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro. These medications made my depression worse and my suicidal thoughts increased. Wellbutrin regulates norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters (NDRI), while Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft work with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Started on bupropion 150mg and I got hypomanic. After 2 months, increased it to 300mg. My anxiety was increased, but as my doctor explained, I have always been anxious, it is just more recognizable. Many say that it has made them hypomanic and more anxious. Bipolar II is more than just depression and hypomania. It also involves anxiety, mood irritability, compulsions, obsessive thoughts, and worries. This is when you start working on a mood stabilizer."
"I have bipolar disorder II. SSRIs did not work for me for 10 years. I stay in the hypomanic stage for most of the time. Laziness, no productivity. Lack of realism. After I started taking Wellbutrin XR 300 mg, I started to be active, but then I started phase shifting to the hypomanic stage. After lowering the dose to 150 mg, it took 2 months. Now I can feel pressure and have a sense of focus and urgency, and I am, for the first time, productive but with no depression after like 13 years. I cope with depressive episodes with only 100 mg of etifoxine (non-addictive). Low dosage is important for bipolar disorder. Wellbutrin saved my life."
"I have been on lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder for 30 years. I always had incredible anxiety and debilitating panic attacks. I added wellbutrin to my regimen which I did not want to do initially, however it has worked so well for me I haven't had an anxiety or panic attack since starting. In the beginning it wasn't easy, I was losing hair and all kinds of crazy stuff for 3 weeks. Once I got through that it's been fantastic. I would highly recommend this to anyone! Major change in my life."
"I've been taking bupropion 450 mg/day for at least five straight years. On two previous occasions, I would take it for a year or so and then refrain when things stayed sunny. Obviously, they didn't remain that way, so this time around I'm firmly committed to it. I have had a tendency to rapid cycle. When I returned to bupropion the last time, the doctor also put me on Lamictal and Abilify. Last year, under her guidance, I weaned myself off of those. After all these years of dealing with Bipolar Disorder II, I am fairly well attuned to know when I might need to return to one or the other. I take bupropion with food, soon after waking, as it does interfere with sleep. I've had no other bothersome side effects and no alcohol issues."
"I can't take most antidepressants because they'll trigger a mixed, hypo, or total manic episode; for over 3 years, not this one. Only recently have I stopped from slipping into a mixed episode, but Wellbutrin XL at 150 mg has helped keep balance when others caused chaos. No weight gain, increased sex drive, decreased appetite."
Wellbutrin (bupropion) "I was prescribed this medicine for my bipolar disorder. It helped me a lot. I felt great, and my relationship with my family improved. After 3 weeks, though, I had a severe allergic reaction to the Wellbutrin (bupropion) and had to go to the ER twice in a week. I had hives, swollen eyes and lips, trouble breathing, and sore joints. As soon as I was taken off of it, my symptoms went away. It is not common for this to happen, and I do recommend it."
Wellbutrin (bupropion) "I have been annoyed all the time since I can remember. Always a pessimist. I figured if I expected the worst possible scenario, anything better was a win. It was as if I was at war with the world, everything was a battle. I've been on Wellbutrin for 6 weeks now, 300 mg a day in 2 doses to start. It gave me ridiculously bad headaches (I suffer from migraines already), but my mood, interest, and general sense of well-being were better. My doctor changed me from 2 doses to 3 doses a day (still 300 mg). No more headaches but slight insomnia so far: 3-4 hours a night now, usually getting 6-7 hours of sleep. And I have dry mouth as well. I will deal with the insomnia and cotton mouth. To me, this is worth it."
"This was the first antidepressant I responded to when I started it back in 2012. Initially, it caused a little nausea, and again with each dose increase, but it was very mild and didn't last longer than a week. It brought me right up out of a deep, dark pit. At the time, I wasn't diagnosed with bipolar yet, so I wasn't taking any mood stabilizers. Once they realized I was, I was put on lamotrigine, and it has been a staple part of my medical regimen since then. I'm currently on 300 mg XL and 400 mg lamotrigine ER. I recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried it yet!"
Wellbutrin (bupropion) "I feel relatively 'up' compared to how my lows used to be. My up times seem more productive, and I have gained some interest in things I used to do, i.e., painting. My lows still put me in a horrible state, but I do not cry constantly like I used to. I am very happy with Wellbutrin."
"I am bipolar 2 and my symptoms are almost exclusively depressive. SSRIs ruined my life, as it induced rapid cycling. For bupropion 300mgXL. Game changer! I'm motivated, can concentrate, have lost weight and haven't cycled anymore. Totally recommend it. Just don't expect it to care for your anxiety. 100/10!"
"This drug has been a lifesaver to me. It's helped provide me with an antidepressant effect, whereas lithium only controlled the mania part of my mood. I use this in combination with other drugs, and so far, there haven't been any side effects. Within 3 weeks, the effects peaked. I would definitely recommend this drug. This has made a difference in my mood, the way I think, and my overall perspective. This improved my motivation to get work done since I wouldn't be just sitting around reminiscing in a negative thought loop. It gives me mental freedom and allows me to escape brain fog that has imprisoned my thoughts. Seriously, don't be afraid to try this drug."
"I started taking bupropion HCl 150 mg about 3 weeks ago at the same time I quit using Zoloft 100 mg. Going off of Zoloft was the hardest thing for me, it was hell, but I hung in there. Today I am really happy that I'm off of it, and the bupropion at 300 mg a day is excellent for me. No depression, sex drive back fully, it took about a week to adjust to, but I love it now. My mood is balanced to the level of a good mood too, so far no bad mood, no longer a zombie on Zoloft. Yay for me. Just a tip for going off of Zoloft: it gets bad, but in a few weeks, it clears up. I almost gave up, but I'm glad I didn't. Again, I feel alive."
"I started this medication bupropion to treat the depression of my bipolar type 2 disorder. It really works! My mood stabilized and my outlook on life significantly improved. However, I completely lost my appetite and got down to 96lbs. I’m a 25 year old woman and I’m now severely underweight. Bupropion is still worth it to me though. It helped me pick myself up and change my life."
"My last medication, Velafaxine, stopped working, thank God! I was on it for four months, and in that time, I gained more than fifty lbs. Seasonal depression, dry mouth, unsociable, and had no interest. I started Bupropion HCL tabs to 150 and had a few side effects. The one that was so hard has stayed is restless sleep that wakes me up really early. Dry mouth, shaking in the morning, constipation, drowsiness, and I expect these should go away. But sleeping will be the hardest. I feel happy, doing projects, wanting to be with people, energetic, I'm back to charity running. And the weight is starting to come off. I was close to eating nothing with the other med. Give this a try. Gave my life back."
"Been on Wellbutrin SR for almost a year for bipolar 2 with severe depression. Suicidal and crying constantly. I've taken all bipolar drugs to no avail. Decided to try Wellbutrin and norepinephrine/ dopamine reuptake mechanism is one I require to come out of depression. It's been a miracle drug. I virtually have no side effects other than ringing in the ears but that's fading. Definitely does not take away my anxiety and I will sometimes still have situational depression but no Suicidal Thoughts and no severe depression. There's no way I will take myself off this. This is the only drug I am taking. Poops were amazing initially, now more constipated. Also I drink alcohol regularly. Was scared initially because I didn't want to have seizures but guess since I don't have a propensity towards seizures the alcohol isn't causing any. Caffeine is no-go. Even decaf CBTL leaves me feeling super ill so I'm basically cutting out store-bought coffee but I can drink decaf at home no problem."
"Each person reacts differently to antidepressants. This is input from both me and several other patients I have spoken to in the hospital and outpatient programs with similar accounts: Wellbutrin is a miracle drug for some people, but especially if you are bipolar, you have to be extremely careful about the dosage. I've had severe depression symptoms for 10 years. After a month of starting, I didn't have what I would consider a moderate depressive episode for the next two months and can now enjoy life again. But previously, I went on a dosage that was too high and rapidly cycled terribly. Communicate A LOT with your doctor. I did have frustrating side effects, but they subsided. You can't just assume how a drug will work after two weeks."
"This medication has been a major game changer for me. Before starting this medication, i was so severly depressed. I was taking other antidepressants at that time. They were helping to make me at least functional, most days just doing the bare minimum seemed too much. Eventually my PCP added 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL on top of the medication I was already taking. Since then we have up to 300 mg. I finally have energy, a desire to do things, and i feel the happiest i have been in a long time. Im not sure what kind of experiences other people have had on this medication, but since I have been on it I have had minimum negative side effects."
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