Wellbutrin is a modern antidepressant enhancing mood and sense of well-being. It acts to restore balance of neurotransmitter in the brain. Besides that, the medicine is in use for treatment of nicotine dependence. Bupropion is a reactant of the medicine. Wellbutrin is produced as prolonged action pills if taking two doses of rectant. Two doses of rectant are 150 mg and 300 mg. Ancillary components of the pills are glyceryl tribehenate and polyvinyl alcohol.
Pharmacological Profile
Bupropion is a selective catecholamine (dopamine and norepinephrine) neural reuptake inhibitor influencing serotonin reuptaking and not inhibiting monoaminoxydase.
Actually, the mechanism of action of the medicine is understudied. It is expected that the medicine influences on the dopaminergic mediator system and on the noradrenergic mediator systems causing antidepressant action.
If peroral taking, maximum content of the medicine in the blood is in 3-5 hours. An acting component of the medicine binds with blood proteins by 84%. Mostly, Wellbutrin excretes from the organism as metabolites. About 87% of the medicine excretes as urine and about 10% of the medicine excretes as feces.
Indications and Contraindications
Wellbutrin is in use for treatment of depression as well as for prophylaxis of relapses and exacerbation of depression. The medicine may be prescribed for treatment of seasonal affective disorder or for treatment of obesity and nicotine dependence.
Sometimes, the medicine is also in use for complex treatment of neurosis of various genesis.
Taking of the medicine is forbidden on:
- hypersensitivity to any component of the medicine;
- simultaneous taking of medicines containing of Bupropion;
- sudden withdrawal of taking of alcohol and sedative agent;
- convulsive disorders;
- simultaneous taking of the monoaminoxydase inhibitor after up to 2 weeks after taking of the last dose;
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- age younger than 18 years old;
Wellbutrin is prescribed with extreme care for the patients suffering from a low threshold of convulsive readiness, cardio-vascular system disorders, kidney disorders, liver disorders, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, if simultaneous taking of other antidepressants, if having traumatic brain injury, and brain tumors in the medical history.
The Dose and Taking Scheme
It is necessary to take Wellbutrin per orally. It is necessary to swallow the pills whole with enough water.
There is no quick effect. An evident anti-depressive effect is after about 2 weeks of constant taking.
Maximum daily dose is not more than 450 mg.
At the beginning of treatment, it is necessary to take 150 mg of Wellbutrin every morning. If there is no necessary effect, it is necessary to increase daily dose up to 300 mg.
For especially complicated cases, if there is no therapeutic benefit if taking of 300 mg, it is possible to increase daily dose up to 450 mg.
Overdose Cases
If increasing maximal daily dose (450 mg), the overdose development is most likely. It manifests as arterial agitation, hypertension, cramp, tachycardia, agitation, sleepiness, sickness, vomiting, delirium, lethargy, visual hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, coma, and epilepsy.
There is no specific antidote. It is necessary to go to medical institution to get symptomatic therapy. Sometimes, it is necessary to take injections of barbiturates or of benzodiazepines to prevent epilepsy.
It is necessary to take into account that the toxic effect may manifest much later after taking of the medicine; seizures may manifest in 30 hours after the overdose of the medicine.
Possible Negative Reactions of the Organism
Wellbutrin may cause many side effects. They manifest often during the first weeks of taking.
Treatment may cause the next side effects:
- allergic reactions (face edema, lip edema, throat edema, tongue edema, hard breathing, and rash);
- dry mouth;
- agitation;
- headache;
- vomiting;
- sickness;
- excessive sweeting;
- giddiness;
- dysopsia
- insomnia;
- anorexia;
- hallucination;
- clouded consciousness;
- strange dreams;
- aggression;
- tremor;
- irritability;
- convulsive disorders;
- faint;
- coordination of movement disorder;
- dysopsia;
- tachycardia;
- heartbeating;
- constipation;
- urination disorder;
- chest pain;
- fever;
- skin pruritus;
Specific Instruction
If there is cramp when taking the medicine, it is necessary to stop to take it without renewal.
During the first weeks of taking of the medicine when there is no any reactions of organism to medicine reactant, it is necessary to prevent driving and working with hazardous mechanisms.
It is necessary to take minimal doses of the medicine for treatment of old patients. Taking of the medicine may causes false-positive drug test.
Wellbutrin is not compatible with alcohol. If there are liver and kidney disorders, it is necessary to take special precautions.
Interaction with Other Medicines
It is necessary to make an attending physician know about all taken medicines even if there are no medical prescriptions for them.
It is necessary to know that Wellbutrin:
- is not for simultaneous taking with the monoaminoxydase inhibitors during 2 weeks after their taking is over;
- it is necessary to take precautions if simultaneous taking of the medicine and Cyclophosphamide, or Orphenadrine, or Ticlopidine, or Ifosfamide, or Clopidogrel;
- if simultaneous taking of the medicine with antiarrhythmic drugs, tricyclic antidepressant, reuptake serotonin selective inhibitors, beta-blockers, and antipsychotic drugs, it is necessary to reduce doses of these medicines;
- the medicine increases maximum concentration of Citalopram;
- simultaneous taking of the medicine with Amantadine or Levodopa increases frequency of development of undesirable psychoneurotic reactions;
- the medicine may raise arterial tension severely if taking with transdermal nicotine system.
Peculiar Patients
There is no data about safe taking of the medicine during pregnancy; it is necessary to prevent taking of the medicine during this period.
Bupropion penetrates to breast milk causing harm for a baby. It is necessary to stop lactation during taking of the medicine.
There was no research about safe children taking of Wellbutrin, so it is not for taking by the patients younger then 18 years old;
Viewpoint
There are enough opinions about the Wellbutrin medicine but they are all synonymous. Medicine is in successful use for treatment of depression. It is also in use to relieve the state of health during smoking cessation.
Opinion of a Mental Health Professional
Wellbutrin is a rather effective medicine acting against depression. Its disadvantages are adverse side effects during the first 1-2 weeks of taking of medicine. There is a positive effect of medicine for treatment of men. There is no inhibitory action for erection.
For necessary effect of taking of medicine and to prevent manifestation of the side effects, it is necessary to start treatment with the 150 mg dose. In some cases, it is necessary to choose better time for taking of medicine depending on patients’ reactions on medicine. It is better for some patients to take medicine before sleeping; it is better for other patients to take medicine when early awakening (at 5-6 o’clock in the morning).
Opinion of Ordinary People
I have asthenic depression. A physician prescribed Cipralex and Wellbutrin for me to take them as I suffered from acute form of side effects, for example, sleepiness and decreasing libido. After beginning of taking of the second medicine, my health is rather better. John, 23.
I take Wellbutrin as I suffer from depression. I can confirm its effectiveness. Just during the first week, I had the side effects, for example body trembling, dreaming in color, and increasing libido. Then, they were slowly over. Bill, 51.
Taking of Medicine Advices
Patients advise:
- to take medicine in accordance with medical prescription;
- it is necessary to read carefully the medicine instruction and to keep it during the period of treatment to obtain more specific information if it is necessary;
- simultaneous meal and taking of medicine decreases manifestation of sickness;
- the pills are not to break, to divide, or to pound.
Pluses and Minuses
Pluses:
- high effectiveness;
- weight does not increase;
- libido does not decrease.
Minuses:
- it is necessary to get a prescription to buy medicine;
- there are many side effects;
- high price;
Dispensing from the Pharmacy and Looking for Analogs
It is necessary to keep medicine away from children at room temperature. Official pharmacies dispense medicine strictly in accordance with medical prescription. It is possible to change Wellbutrin, Bupron, and Zyban for analog drugs of its group but after specialized medical consultation.
