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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by a.a. on June 30, 1999, at 15:05:33
I am taking Prozac for the past six years to elevate depression
symptoms. The only side effect I am experiencing is complete
disappearance of sexual drive. I was advised by the psychiatrist to
switch to Wellbutrin, which supposedly has all the benefits of Prozac
but is not effecting sexual drive. I am a little bit scared to switch
because I am afraid of some other complications I might start to
experience. Plus, I don't even know if Wellbutrin will really make my
sexual "zombiness" dissapear. Could you please give me an advice.Thank You, A.A.
Posted by phyl on June 30, 1999, at 16:58:17
In reply to Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by a.a. on June 30, 1999, at 15:05:33
> a.a.--
Well, it did (ahem) get my mojo going again after 4 years of feeling nothing while on other ssri's. Check out for yourself the package insert, the PDR at your local bookstore or library, the pharmaceutical links from this site, etc.Ultimately you need to become a well informed consumer to weigh the pros and cons of a medicine with the doctor. Wellbutrin SR does have side effects, most of which I find tolerable compared to the awful side effects I felt from the ssri's. I'm still tweaking with the dosage, recently upped due to a plateau, and am feeling more "myself" than I have in a long time.
Best wishes. --phyl
> I am taking Prozac for the past six years to elevate depression
> symptoms. The only side effect I am experiencing is complete
> disappearance of sexual drive. I was advised by the psychiatrist to
> switch to Wellbutrin, which supposedly has all the benefits of Prozac
> but is not effecting sexual drive. I am a little bit scared to switch
> because I am afraid of some other complications I might start to
> experience. Plus, I don't even know if Wellbutrin will really make my
> sexual "zombiness" dissapear. Could you please give me an advice.
>
> Thank You, A.A.
Posted by jamie on June 30, 1999, at 17:21:39
In reply to Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by a.a. on June 30, 1999, at 15:05:33
>
> I am taking Prozac for the past six years to elevate depression
> symptoms. The only side effect I am experiencing is complete
> disappearance of sexual drive. I was advised by the psychiatrist to
> switch to Wellbutrin, which supposedly has all the benefits of Prozac
> but is not effecting sexual drive. I am a little bit scared to switch
> because I am afraid of some other complications I might start to
> experience. Plus, I don't even know if Wellbutrin will really make my
> sexual "zombiness" dissapear. Could you please give me an advice.
>
> Thank You, A.A.If you're doing well on Prozac, other than the sex, it might be worth considering treating the sexual side effects before completely switching. There are countless accounts of folks who did well with a drug, quit for some reason, and find out later it never works like it did the first time (assuming the one you switched to didn't work out and you decided to go back). Many docs add Wellbutrin to the Prozac, give it a month or two to see if it helps. Another sex-aid sometimes is a stimulant like a Ritalin or Adderal. You might even feel better than just the Prozac by itself. Anyway, sometimes it's better to try treating the side effect first if the drug is working before trying to switch. Hope this helps. Good luck. jamie.
Posted by Irene on July 1, 1999, at 0:25:38
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by jamie on June 30, 1999, at 17:21:39
I'd be very interested to hear anyone's experiences with a combo treatment of Adderall (or other stim) and Wellbutrin
> >
> > I am taking Prozac for the past six years to elevate depression
> > symptoms. The only side effect I am experiencing is complete
> > disappearance of sexual drive. I was advised by the psychiatrist to
> > switch to Wellbutrin, which supposedly has all the benefits of Prozac
> > but is not effecting sexual drive. I am a little bit scared to switch
> > because I am afraid of some other complications I might start to
> > experience. Plus, I don't even know if Wellbutrin will really make my
> > sexual "zombiness" dissapear. Could you please give me an advice.
> >
> > Thank You, A.A.
>
> If you're doing well on Prozac, other than the sex, it might be worth considering treating the sexual side effects before completely switching. There are countless accounts of folks who did well with a drug, quit for some reason, and find out later it never works like it did the first time (assuming the one you switched to didn't work out and you decided to go back). Many docs add Wellbutrin to the Prozac, give it a month or two to see if it helps. Another sex-aid sometimes is a stimulant like a Ritalin or Adderal. You might even feel better than just the Prozac by itself. Anyway, sometimes it's better to try treating the side effect first if the drug is working before trying to switch. Hope this helps. Good luck. jamie.
Posted by Donna on July 3, 1999, at 13:04:21
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by phyl on June 30, 1999, at 16:58:17
Had posted re wife with 100% loss of physical interest and just found this. Well the Prozac has to go. (Not the Lithium which wasn't really an option:-)
Posted by becky on July 16, 1999, at 11:24:07
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by Donna on July 3, 1999, at 13:04:21
>I switched from prozac to wellbutrin and it made absolutely no difference at all. Am now trying paxil.
Posted by Harry Littell on November 23, 1999, at 23:01:35
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by jamie on June 30, 1999, at 17:21:39
> >
> > I am taking Prozac for the past six years to elevate depression
> > symptoms. The only side effect I am experiencing is complete
> > disappearance of sexual drive. I was advised by the psychiatrist to
> > switch to Wellbutrin, which supposedly has all the benefits of Prozac
> > but is not effecting sexual drive. I am a little bit scared to switch
> > because I am afraid of some other complications I might start to
> > experience. Plus, I don't even know if Wellbutrin will really make my
> > sexual "zombiness" dissapear. Could you please give me an advice.
> >
> > Thank You, A.A.
>
I have used Prozac in small doses and thought at first I benefited from it, and maybe I did. But I would dump it in a minute for Wellbutrin. My rheumatologist took me off Prozac in one fell swoop and put me on a low dose of Wellbutrin and I feel better than I had. I have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia (to say the least) and a minor head injury all resulting from a car accident. Prozac is like a ball and chain when compared to Wellbutrin. Make your change and you will be happier for it.
HL
Posted by Becky on November 24, 1999, at 11:05:34
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by Harry Littell on November 23, 1999, at 23:01:35
I wouldn't be afraid to try welbutrin, but if your only side effect is sexual disfunction, this will not disappear. My experience was that welbutrin worked for awhile, and then stopped working. I suppose this is true of most of this category of drugs.
Posted by Jane on November 25, 1999, at 0:29:51
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by Harry Littell on November 23, 1999, at 23:01:35
ive been on both at different times. i couldnt take the wellbutrin because it was too activating for me - and gave me alot of anxiety to the point of near panic. ive never had a panic attack so i knew this was very much drug related. wellbutrin works through a different mechanism biochemically than does prozac so it depends on what will help your depression. typically id discourage switching medications unless the side effects are completely intolerable because you'll have to wait for a "washout" period for the medication so you don't risk drug-drug interactions. prozac is an SSRI while wellbutrin works on dopaminergic system so they do treat depression differently. as i say for all antidepressants - i personally believe they all CAN work - for the right patients. everyone is very different so its a good thing we have so many options; the challenge of course is finding the right ones for ourselves.
jane
Posted by Bob on November 26, 1999, at 8:32:51
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by Jane on November 25, 1999, at 0:29:51
a.a. -- you still around?
Just looking at your post -- I hope you've found some help in the intervening five months, but there's a supplement you might want to try for CFS. It's called NADH and the best form of the this stuff to get is in a product named Enada. Take a look at www.nadh.org for information.
Bob
Posted by bonnie on December 1, 1999, at 14:12:28
In reply to Re: Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by Harry Littell on November 23, 1999, at 23:01:35
Am 42 y.o. female. Been treated off and on since teens for various disorders. Around age 27, was finally diagnosed with depression and alchoholism. Have been off and on various meds throughout life. This last time I tried a few, prior to Wellbutrin, but IT was the only one I felt results from immediately. Screw this "2-week" waiting period they talked about. I was a new woman. New outlook. Hopefullness. Suicidal thoughts gone, etc. It was amazing. As well, my elderly father was recently in such a funk that we almost wished we had something we could give him to stop him from begging us to help him kill himself. After being put on Wellbutrin and (I believe) Paxil, in a few days he too, was a new man. He had his bounce back. But with regards to your quandry. I have had NO PROBLEMS with my desires when it comes to Wellbutrin. Even though I live single and currently have no man in my life, I have no problems in that area :) However, I do believe everyone's chemistry is different and what works for one is disaster for another. Prozac, for me, made me feel murderous and angry, yet I am not that sort of person at all. It was a very scarey experience for me. Recently, I was lucky enough, after all these years of shrinks and therapists, to begin seeing a doc who deals only in meds. This was through a community services organization where I had been seeing a LCWS (due to lack of income and insurance due to loss of job due to mental illness....go figure). Fortunately, this doc just joined them at a time when I was suffering from my third deep depression in the past three years. I had become sober three years ago, and thought after that there'd be no more depression as long as I stayed on the meds. But it came out of nowhere for no reason and I felt so helpless and scared. i had no recourse the first two times but to ride it out and both times it lasted a week. When I went to this new doctor, she spent an hour with me asking lots of questions. Not the kind that you get all deep and talk about feelings, but more the nature of "have you ever experienced this..." or "have you ever done that..." She was getting to know my ways, actually. (I failed to mention that prior to this depression, I had lost my job and for 4 months, I didn't worry about working, lived off my savings and unemployment, and worked my tail off in my yard, doing landscaping and "building" a brick patio all by myself. Little did I know that I was suffering from a mild manic episode with too much energy and little desire to sleep and I had now "crashed" BADLY). She diagnosed me as having cyclothimia (which is a milder case of bi-polar) and prescribed Depakote and I have had no adverse reactions. However, since these crashes have been isolated, time will tell. My point to all this "babble" is -- that without the proper doctor who's willing to really work with you as an individual and not just lump you into a catagory, things can get really bad. I was just lucky as hell that I hit the jackpot with this doctor.
But I think I deserve it after 20-some years of being misdiagnosed all these years. Funny thing is, I only paid $25 for that hour and it was the best vist I'd ever had with a shrink. And she is highly qualified, not some flunky. She has her own practice, but does this as a humanities sort of effort. Good Luck!
Posted by JustA on December 1, 1999, at 18:27:33
In reply to Prozac vs. Wellbutrin, posted by a.a. on June 30, 1999, at 15:05:33
Well, I made the switch myself a while back. And guess
what. The sex drive went away on Wellbutrin, too.
And I got depressed again after a while, suicidal
thoughts and all the rest. Kicked the 400mg/day Wellbutrin
and went back on the 'zac (60mg) this fall and I feel much
better now. Doing better at work, and all
that. Sex drive? It's OK for now, but I expect
it to drop off again. This time I'm going to add
medication as someone else suggested, rather than
drop the proz.
Good luck, AA
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