Posted by Paul the Pharmacist on March 28, 2001 at 00:16:33:
Wellbutrin is an effective antidepressant. It is also the same drug that is in Zyban used for smoking cessation. it has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages is that it does not interfere with sex drive as do the prozac like drugs. This seems to be because it acts on the neurptransmitter dopamine rather than serotonin. This is also why it helps in smoking cesation because nicotine liberates dopamine in the brain. As a matter of fact since dopamine seems to be the "pleasure transmitter" a lot of addictive drugs such as cocaine methamphetamine and others liberate dopamine.
One common side effect of antidepressants is weight gain and if anything Wellbutrin being chemically related to the diet pill Tenuate causes some weight loss. At first it was thought that the prozac like drugs caused weight loss but it now known that taken long term they cause weight gain. The old tricyclic antidepressants like elavil and sinequan taken over a long time can cuse tremendous appetite increase and weight gain.
Wellbutrin has some disadvantages. It has to be taken in divided doses to reduce the risk of siezure whearas the other antidepressants can be taken in a single dose. I also (like diet pills in general) can interfere with sleep (being an upper) but so can prozac for that matter. A sleeping pill such as trazodone is commonly given with both drugs.
If you have had a head injury or prievious siezure disorder you should not take wellbutrin, Hoping this helps
PMM