Question:
I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments. I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please advise. Thank you Kassie
Response:
I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments.
Don’t take it. Wellbutrin is *not* a good primary med for anxiety as it actually makes it worse. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please advise. Thank you Kassie
Response:
I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments.
Wellbutrin is not going to help with your anxiety. It may even intensify it, and not just for an initial period. I think, if I remember correctly that Wellbutrin works on the norepinephran receptors (adrenalin). No, this is not the one for anxiety. Paxil and Prozac worked well for my depression, though. JaneB
Response:
Does it make the anxiety worse for the first while or for the entire time you’re on the wellbutrin? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments. Don’t take it. Wellbutrin is *not* a good primary med for anxiety as it actually makes it worse. Philip I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please advise. Thank you Kassie
Response:
Does it make the anxiety worse for the first while or for the entire time you’re on the wellbutrin?
It worsens anxiety and this doesn’t go away with time like with other AD’s. It’s a pity. I have no doubt that there will be the odd PD-er who had good luck with W. but I personally wouldn’t take the risk. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments. Don’t take it. Wellbutrin is *not* a good primary med for anxiety as it actually makes it worse. Philip I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please advise. Thank you Kassie
Response:
Don’t take it. Wellbutrin is *not* a good primary med for anxiety as it actually makes it worse.
would taking Wellbutrin in addition to Zoloft help with getting your sex drive/desire back? I take Zoloft for anxiety/panic and a dash of OCD added in for good measure, but I would like to be able to enjoy sex again! lulylu
Response:
Don’t take it. Wellbutrin is *not* a good primary med for anxiety as it actually makes it worse. would taking Wellbutrin in addition to Zoloft help with getting your sex drive/desire back? I take Zoloft for anxiety/panic and a dash of OCD added in for good measure, but I would like to be able to enjoy sex again! lulylu
Sometimes a low dose of Wellbutrin is added to an SSRI to counteract sexual dysfunction. Anecdotal evidence has it that sometimes it works. More is known about Gingko Biloba for the same goal. Also Buspar can be tried. There are no guarantees here. Philip
Response:
As the others have posted, Wellbutrin would not be a good choice. For one, I have been on it before (mainly to get away from the sexual dysfunction I was having from the SSRI’s), but it didn’t help at all and even worsened my anxiety. Wellbutrin has proven itself to be a very good antidepressant for many people, but I honestly don’t recall anyone who have benefited from it in the anxiety category. John L. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there comments. I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please advise. Thank you Kassie
Response:
I am one of the few anxiety sufferers that has benefited from Wellbutrin. I also have atypical depression. Wellbutrin is an upper, but not like amphetamines. Or at least not as strong. I had to double my Klonopin from 2mg to 4mg/day when I started Wellbutrin. For me the combo works reasonably well; they seem to cancel out each others’ side effects but not their good effects. The extra anxiety from Wellbutrin will not wear off, although initial tremors might. I take 2×150mg/day Wellbutrin SR. At least in US I don’t even think they market the non-SR anymore due to seizure risk. The risk is fairly small if you have no history up to 400mg/day, then it increases rather fast. All that said, I don’t feel like I’m quite where I should be. My major depression is over but my dysthymia is still there – like Wellbutrin fixed the worst and brought me back to normal, which is still a couple rungs below how a normie feels. -Mike (with a new pdoc and a brand new 3 month Klonopin script in hand 
| I’d like to go on the antidepressant Zyban (also known as Wellbutrin) as | it is now considered an aid to quit smoking. I’ve been wanting to go on | an antidepressant for a long time (I got an rx for paxil but chickened | out) as I have alot of anxiety and depression. I’m just wondering if | Zyban (Wellbutrin) works for anxiety as well as depression like paxil or | prozac does? If anyone has tried this antidepressant please post there | comments. | | I’ve heard there are the normal initial side effects (ie. extra | nervousness, dizziness, etc) for the first couple of weeks. But that it | doesn’t effect your sex drive like Paxil can. It sounds like a really | good alternative but i’m not sure if it works on anxiety. Please | advise. | Thank you | Kassie
Response:
writes: Does it make the anxiety worse for the first while or for the entire time you’re on the wellbutrin?
Hi Kassie. Can you tell us more about your anxiety and why you’re interested in Wellbutrin in particular? (Trying to quit smoking? Wellbutrin is no better than a placebo for panic attacks associated with panic disorder; it really hasn’t been tested in other anxiety states. I think that for some people who experience anxiety, it’s very possible it could help, since generalized anxiety seems so closely related to depression. I actually found it made my *depression* worse (if anything), so you can see how much people’s responses vary! -elizabeth
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