Bupropion and Loss Of Appetite: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Jai...
• March 8, 2019

For Depression "I'm impressed. Bupropion works where Zoloft didn't. At 2 doses of 100 mg a day, I didn't feel anything at first. I went up to 3x100 mg a day, and it did help the depression! However, at 3x100 mg, I was feeling twitchy and anxious, and quick to anger, so I ended up going back to 2. I felt better than before, but it wasn't quite enough. I talked to my doctor, and we adjusted it to 3x75 mg, and that seems just right. In my experience, after finding the right dosage: I just feel normal again. The gloom of depression is gone, and things that should feel good do. There's no 'high', and I don't feel like it's changed me as a person, it just removed the lingering causeless depression I was dealing with. The only side effect I have is that it seems to cut down any and all cravings, including appetite, but not to a worrying degree. Long story short: Bupropion is subtle but powerful. It took some time and dosage tweaks to get it just right, but I feel much better on it with almost no side effects."

• Ver...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 31, 2015

Bupropion for Depression "I've been on Wellbutrin XL 150 mg for 7 weeks now (adult ADD and comorbid depression). I experienced some of the common side effects, such as dry mouth and loss of appetite, but everything came back to normal after a few weeks. Sadly, I haven't noticed much change in terms of mood or attention/focus... It hasn't worsened, but it hasn't improved either. Then again, I know this is a low dose. I saw my doctor today, and he switched my prescription to Wellbutrin XL 300 mg. I'm starting tomorrow, and I hope it will work better for me. I'm eager to give it another try since I've seen a lot of positive reviews on here :)"

• Som...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 14, 2021

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "I started taking Wellbutrin 150 mg SR about 3 years ago. It didn't help my depression very much. I finally started seeing a psychologist that told me it has to be taken 12 hours apart. So, I was taking it at 8 am and sometimes wouldn't take it until 11 pm or I'd forget a dose. I was finally switched to 300 mg 1x along with Buspar for anxiety and a mood stabilizer. The mood stabilizer is the best medication I've ever taken. It's helped me 100%. With the Wellbutrin XL, I started out with tons of energy and no appetite, but after a while that stopped. So, if you're taking the SR and it's not working, I'd switch to the SL once a day. Once I switched, it started working."

• Mis...
• July 30, 2016

Bupropion for Depression "I rated it a 5 because I felt for me it was 50/50. Tomorrow will have been only my 5th day taking the generic version (bupropion SR), but I am making today the last one. I was prescribed only 150 mg once a day. The first 3 times I took it, it worked wonderfully. I experienced a handful of side effects that were super mild, but I felt great. I felt energized and positive. Today, on the other hand, about two hours after I took my dose, I was hunched over the toilet, almost throwing up with bad stomach pain in addition to the nausea. I never threw up. I have ZERO appetite and no energy and a bad sharp pain in my upper stomach. I feel totally disconnected from my body."

• Its...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2015

Bupropion for Depression "After suffering from moderate to major depression for 6+ years, I finally decided to give antidepressants a try. I felt different within a week-not just happy, although there was plenty of that (I'd forgotten how it felt to laugh from sheer delight!), but a wide-ranging suite of emotions I'd forgotten existed-grief, anger, giddiness, joy. I guess I thought emotional numbness was a natural part of growing up. I was wrong. Lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks from decreased appetite, but libido is through the roof-it became so all-consuming that the doc actually had to cut my dose. (It's still in hyperdrive, but at least now I can think about things besides sex). I do suffer from insomnia now. Still, pros outweigh cons!"

• Bat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2020

For ADHD "I have been taking bupropion for two months (month two, my dosage was doubled) for ADHD symptoms and have not felt anything. The first few days, both upon starting the medicine and when upping my dose, I noticed some increased anxiety (no apparent cause, just general anxiety and feeling it in my stomach) and what I call a lower 'frustration threshold,' as well as maybe a slightly decreased appetite. After those first few days, I feel literally nothing, not even a change in mood. Luckily, I'm being referred for a formal ADHD assessment, so hopefully, I will be put on an actual FDA approved ADHD medication, but until then, I've been put on the sustained release version with another upped dosage. I've read a bunch of reviews on bupropion for the treatment of ADHD, and I've concluded that it is really hit or miss, and for me, it's a major miss. If you have an option with your doctor, I would probably recommend trying out another medication first and using this as a last resort."

• Ner...
• August 28, 2015

Bupropion for Depression "I had constant diarrhea, 3-4 times a day. I had a loss of appetite and had gotten to the point that I couldn't stand to even think about food. Thinking about what to eat or cook for my family actually caused anxiety. I lost 10 lbs in 9 days. About the 5th or 6th day, I started to be unable to sleep during the night. I woke up every hour. During the day, I would have waves of nervous energy, almost like the feeling you get when you experience the fight or flight response. The last day I took it, I woke up at 4 am with diarrhea, left-sided abdominal pain that radiated to my back and shoulder, and heart palpitations. A trip to the ER revealed that I had a large amount of stool and gas in my colon. I had a miserable experience with Wellbutrin."

• Sta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2022

Bupropion for Depression "I went into this endeavor quite excited, knowing that there would be some compromises as always, and I was ready to trade. But this drug took away everything for itself. I was taking Zoloft and, upon me complaining about feeling well but not being motivated (probably I got used to SSRIs a little bit) to get my butt up and get stuff done, smoking 1.5 packs/day. Of course, to combat SSRI SD, we agreed on trying Welloft (Z 75mg - W 150mg). I've been taking Wellbutrin for exactly 20 days, and it's been a big disappointment. I definitely intend to take it for 2 months and know for sure if it's for me or not — not a day longer! Increased anxiety, aggression, appetite, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and short-term memory issues, worse depression, chest pain, headache. Severe climbing anxiety till it peaked at day 8, then I would have a bad one sporadically. I would consider myself almost impotent now. I remember Paxil days with a smile. Will update if anything changes at the 2-month mark."

• Sun...
• February 11, 2012

Bupropion for Depression "I have incurable cancer and fell into deep depression. My doctor prescribed the smallest dose of Wellbutrin. I took it, and one hour later I was happy as a clam. I had been taking it for two months when I suddenly lost connection to the world. I assumed that the medicine had quit working, and the doctor upped the dosage. I am now jittery and unable to sit still, can't concentrate, and have no appetite. Not a good thing for someone in my condition, as I'm not supposed to lose weight. It worked at first, but now I'm thinking I need to get off it."

• NOL...
• October 17, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I just started taking this medication for postpartum depression. This is my second day on it. I didn’t know this medication is also used for weight loss, which is one reason I’ve gotten into this depression. The first day I took it (yesterday, 10/16/2020), I was eating way too much, something I don’t do normally. I was afraid it would have me gain more weight, but today it completely took my appetite away. I can say I’m feeling a little more active around the house, less depressive, not to mention before taking this I wouldn’t leave my room whatsoever. I was getting very irritated from my baby crying, any simple situation would make me mad. It’s only the second day I’ve taken this medication, and so far I think this will be the best solution for my postpartum depression. I’m excited to keep taking it and post an update about it."

• Gwe...
• July 30, 2017

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "This is for anxiety/major depressive disorder and BPD. The side effects suck. Since I've been on Wellbutrin, I've had severe dizzy spells and severe insomnia where I stay up all night and get 2-5 hours of sleep in the morning, on good days. My appetite suppression is not as extreme as other medications I've been on, but I have lost 5 pounds on it. I like eating, so I don't like that. I had my first self-harm episode, and it had been over a year, and it was over something insignificant that happens all the time. It gave me depression. I personally haven't experienced a good thing about this med, but I'm giving it another month or two to work. I'm hopeful."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2021

Bupropion for Depression "Female, 38, 125 lbs. 150 mg. I just started taking it 12 days ago. I have suffered from depression and anxiety most of my life, and it took a bad turn this past year. I am normally an overall healthy person: exercised regularly, ate healthy, did not drink or smoke. I knew I needed help when I completely lost interest in life. Stopped working out, didn’t care what I ate, or even to eat, barely left the house, and didn’t want to socialize with anyone, not even my husband. My doctor wanted me to try bupropion. I was actually excited to try something that would hopefully give me the desire to do all the things I wanted to do. Luckily, I had very mild side effects: a little tummy discomfort, slight dizziness, no appetite, thirsty, but nothing major, until my hair started falling out! I’m not talking a little, like handfuls! I have very thick, long hair. It’s already so thin after two weeks! Anyone else experience this? Did you have to go off the medication, or did you find a solution?"

• Kim...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2018

For Smoking Cessation "Initially prescribed for smoking cessation, 300 mg. Worked really, really well. Then I had a pleasant side effect in which I lost 40 pounds. Really decreased my appetite. Then, to my dismay, the weight returned. Fell into deep depression. Tried so hard to get back to the no appetite stage, to no avail."

• Srh...
• August 2, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "Well, I'm on day 4 of this medicine. And before, I was a pack-a-day smoker. The medicine has made me feel kinda crappy, very tired, no appetite, and weak feeling. But I've only had 2.5 cigarettes today, and it's 5:30 pm... After the second day, I felt like when I smoked, I felt worse. Now they taste like crap or just have no taste, and I'm like, why am I smoking these... I hope my body adjusts to the pills so I stop feeling like crap, but so far, the quitting smoking thing seems like it's working..."

• Chr...
• August 15, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I (26/f) really wanted to love this medication, bupropion, but it was a fail for me in helping my major depression. Started on 150 mg dose and moved to 300 mg months later. I didn’t find Wellbutrin to help with my energy levels either. I can sleep 12+ hours on it. However, staying asleep is a struggle for me. I’m a thin woman to begin with and did find with 300 mg that it really did lower my appetite. So that was a bit of a con for me, but I know many would appreciate this effect. The anger I experienced on this med was intense. Also, did not see any benefit from it helping my ADHD. Increased anxiety and heart palpitations was another side effect I experienced. I have taken this drug a few times in the past and I will say that I’ve never experienced any major side effects tapering off of it, which I am grateful for. I’m crying almost daily (sometimes hours), I want to sleep all day, no energy, absolutely no motivation, etc. Bupropion was just not a good fit for me, personally."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2021

Bupropion for Depression "I've had mild depression since quarantine, no major anxiety. While searching for a therapist, my doctor prescribed 150 mg of Wellbutrin. For the first 2 days, the normal side effects did not bother me: interrupted sleep and zero appetite. On day 3 (3 hours after taking it), I had the worst panic attack with intrusive thoughts. I was disassociated and confused. I started having some paranoid thoughts, couldn't understand people or how to respond. Would go to get water and end up at the wrong cabinet. I thought if I continued, I might have a psychotic episode, wouldn't be able to make it 2 weeks. Some positive effects peeking through, increased libido strangely enough, but negative effects far outweighed. Going to try 5 mg of Lexapro to see how that goes."

• Anonymous
• August 1, 2009

Bupropion for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking Wellbutrin SR 4 days ago. I took it in addition to Seroquel XR. It helped for a couple of days. During those days, I only experienced some dizziness, decreased appetite, and sex drive. Although yesterday evening, I was hospitalized with a 5-minute-long grand mal seizure. I don't have a history of seizure disorders, and the doctors believe that this seizure was caused by Wellbutrin SR. If you take Wellbutrin SR and antipsychotics together, I suggest that you speak with your pharmacist or health provider."

• ADH...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 22, 2021

Bupropion "I have Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder. I’ve tried SSRIs, Abilify, and Lamictal before, and while they did help somewhat with depression, they did not help with executive function and enjoyment of hobbies/interests in the way that Wellbutrin does. As for side effects, it does cause a bit of dry mouth and lack of appetite for water (especially if combined with Ritalin). I have lost 15-20 lbs on it in 8 months, but I think that’s not the drug so much as because food is no longer my main source of dopamine; I’m not eating more than I need to anymore. The first week, I had sensory experiences in dreams I didn’t think I could have (temperatures, textures, complex emotions, etc.). They weren’t all nightmares; most of them were kinda fun and cool actually, but they were a little disorienting when I woke up. That went away though within a week and only happens now if I take it right before I go to bed or nap during the day. Even then, the dreams are really not as vivid as when I started it."

• Sta...
• February 9, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "The anger and irritability I felt while taking this drug was overwhelming. I could be relaxing, watching TV, and something simple would easily agitate me. I felt on edge the entire time I was on this med. Other side effects I experienced were appetite suppression (lost close to 10 lbs, which was a lot for me, already being thin), insomnia, and racing thoughts. I’ve been told many times on this medication that I can’t seem to focus and stay on topic. I may have a mild form of ADHD, but I definitely felt my brain was scattered on this medication. However, I will say I liked that this medication did not cause adverse sexual side effects for me. Overall, I did feel at one time that this medication helped with some of my major depression symptoms, but the intense anger swings were enough to make me stop. My anger over the smallest of matters was a big contributing factor to the recent breakup of my 8-year relationship. I know this medication has helped many, but for me, it just wasn’t the one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2022

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "I had high hopes starting on Wellbutrin, given that it was much different than the previous antidepressants I had tried. The side effects, though, within just the first two weeks, were awful. I had dealt with many medications' side effects before, but with this, I could not stop shaking, and my heart was constantly racing (120+ bpm constantly). I was throwing up, yet also not hungry at all. On multiple occasions, I almost passed out, feeling almost feverish. I had wanted to stick it out and see if they went away, but I felt so awful I didn’t even have it in me to try and wait any longer."

• sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2022

Bupropion "Wellbutrin 150 mg 1x daily for anxiety and ADHD. 1st 4 days I felt cracked out. Jittery in waves, no appetite, a little floaty, more focus but I had to be doing something. Day 5 I'm hungry but I would be okay if I didn't eat. Not jittery anymore. I feel okay. I'm going to wait until 8 weeks to make a decision if it actually helps or not."

• jos...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 18, 2022

For Depression "I have mixed feelings about bupropion. In the first days after taking the medication, I felt like the best I've ever felt in my life, extremely energized, motivated, and happy. No sexual side effects whatsoever. The only side effect I had was a lack of appetite. Unfortunately, all those positive effects faded as time passed, and after prolonged use, there were no positive effects left. I'm currently studying psychology, and I have learned that dopamine receptors don't work in the same way as serotonin, which means it's easier and more effective to recapture serotonin than dopamine. I truly advise using this medication for short-term or sporadic use, for example, 1 or 2 times a week. If using that method, the tolerance won't build up, and it can help you go through your day. But I massively don't recommend using it for a long time or taking it every day. The effect will disappear."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2021

For Depression "I started taking 150 mg about 5 months ago because I've heard it does wonders for people who are so depressed they can't get out of bed/do basic self-care. Immediately, I noticed the boost in energy it gave me, which was really nice. The first two weeks or so were really hard as it made me question my own sanity a couple of times until the medication would kick in after about 2 hours. It slowly started to mellow out and eventually I was bumped to 300 mg. It was fine for the most part, and the only difference I noticed is that I was able to do more in the day, SOMETIMES. Some days I would feel the benefits of it, and some days I would be absolutely drained and exhausted. It also made me lose a good 25 lbs. from not having any appetite. Recently, though it's gotten too much and made me extremely agitated all the time and almost manic, so now I am back to 150 to see if it works any better because I refuse to go on something that will make me gain weight like Prozac did. We'll see."

• Har...
• September 6, 2016

Bupropion "I was on 20 mg of Celexa for 2 years to treat anxiety (GAD) and OCD. With Celexa, I never had any side effects, and the only thing I noticed was my weight would fluctuate. My doctor suggested Wellbutrin because it was weight neutral and also could help with ADD. I tried it for 4 weeks, which I know you should give it the full 6-8 weeks, however, 4 weeks was enough. I had horrible headaches, no appetite, felt like I was strung out, up days, down days, depressions (which I have never had), horrible anxiety, no motivation, horrible ADD, and the list goes on. I told my doctor, but she urged me to continue. Finally, my hair started coming out, and I was done. This is a powerful drug, and I am sure it does wonders for people who need it, but not me."

• Cla...
• January 6, 2021

Bupropion for Depression "I have been taking Wellbutrin for almost 4 weeks. I was advised by my therapist and OBGYN to take this for my sex drive and overall happiness. First 2 weeks - I had tons of side effects. Headaches, dry mouth, dizziness, stomach ache, lack of appetite, and insomnia. The lack of appetite did help me lose 5 lbs the first week, but I felt super sick anytime I didn't eat and had to force food down to feel better. I may have had a little more energy, though. Third week - started to feel better! Side effects lessened, and I had a sex drive for two days. Fourth week - feel terrible again. I have most of the side effects back except loss of appetite and insomnia. I am sleeping fine and probably gained all my weight back. And no sex drive. I am on my period, so I don't know if that is having an effect or not. I just don't know if I should keep at it or give up..."