Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 73077

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Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?

Posted by Joe Schmoe on August 2, 2001, at 8:15:28

I notice there is a trend to add Wellbutrin to SSRIs to combat sexual side effects. However, when reading the Wellbutrin literature, it says its seizure risk is increased when mixed with other medications which lower the seizure threshold, "such as other antidepressants."

Is it safe to mix Wellbutrin and SSRIs?

I am taking Wellbutrin right now but I know someone else who is taking Wellbutrin SR 150/day (low dose) and her doc added Celexa "for the serotonin effects." Not sure what that means in terms of results - what will Celexa deliver that the Wellbutrin will not? But in any case I was wondering if it was safe.

 

Re: Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?

Posted by Ted on August 2, 2001, at 11:14:47

In reply to Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?, posted by Joe Schmoe on August 2, 2001, at 8:15:28

Joe,

I take Wellbutrin SR 150mg BID with Zoloft (SSRI) 200 mg/day. The seizure risk of wellbutrin is really overstated. Mixing with SSRIs has little risk if monitored while the SSRI dose is increased. The combo of wellbutrin + SSRI is a very good one for treating depression.

Ted


> I notice there is a trend to add Wellbutrin to SSRIs to combat sexual side effects. However, when reading the Wellbutrin literature, it says its seizure risk is increased when mixed with other medications which lower the seizure threshold, "such as other antidepressants."
>
> Is it safe to mix Wellbutrin and SSRIs?
>
> I am taking Wellbutrin right now but I know someone else who is taking Wellbutrin SR 150/day (low dose) and her doc added Celexa "for the serotonin effects." Not sure what that means in terms of results - what will Celexa deliver that the Wellbutrin will not? But in any case I was wondering if it was safe.

 

Re: Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?

Posted by akrake on August 2, 2001, at 13:06:35

In reply to Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?, posted by Joe Schmoe on August 2, 2001, at 8:15:28

> I notice there is a trend to add Wellbutrin to SSRIs to combat sexual side effects. However, when reading the Wellbutrin literature, it says its seizure risk is increased when mixed with other medications which lower the seizure threshold, "such as other antidepressants."
>
> Is it safe to mix Wellbutrin and SSRIs?
>
this is the same thing i was wondering too. i still have about 75 20mg pills of prozac/sarafem. while i'm on wellbutrin and am still in the early stages, i thought about using the prozac as sarafem....only 2weeks out of the month to combat pmdd....bc the klonopin that i have zonks me out.

amie

ps. my doc has yet to call me back & it's been 3 days.

 

Re: Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?

Posted by djmmm on August 2, 2001, at 18:53:18

In reply to Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?, posted by Joe Schmoe on August 2, 2001, at 8:15:28

> I notice there is a trend to add Wellbutrin to SSRIs to combat sexual side effects. However, when reading the Wellbutrin literature, it says its seizure risk is increased when mixed with other medications which lower the seizure threshold, "such as other antidepressants."
>
> Is it safe to mix Wellbutrin and SSRIs?
>
> I am taking Wellbutrin right now but I know someone else who is taking Wellbutrin SR 150/day (low dose) and her doc added Celexa "for the serotonin effects." Not sure what that means in terms of results - what will Celexa deliver that the Wellbutrin will not? But in any case I was wondering if it was safe.

The seizures associated with Wellbutrin occured in a sample group while the drug Bupropion HCL was being tested as an appetite suppressant....the sample group consisted of primarily *Bulimic women* who, as everyone knows, are several times more prone to seizures than the average "healthy" adult.

The truth is, Wellbutrin has a seizure risk no greater than that of any other antidepressant...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3134343&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1744061&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6406457&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6406456&dopt=Abstract

 

Re: Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk? » djmmm

Posted by Joe Schmoe on August 2, 2001, at 23:28:43

In reply to Re: Mixing Wellbutrin and SSRIs: Seizure risk?, posted by djmmm on August 2, 2001, at 18:53:18


> The truth is, Wellbutrin has a seizure risk no greater than that of any other antidepressant...

I have read that, and yet....if you go from 300 to 450 mg a day of Wellbutrin, your seizure risk quadruples. I don't think that is true of a 50% dosage increase of SSRIs. And if you go above 450 mg, say to 900, of Wellbutrin I think your seizure risk goes up again by a factor of 5. Again, I have not seen references to this kind of dosage-related seizure risk increase with moderate SSRI overdosage. Wellbutrin does seem different in that respect. It has the same seizure risk as SSRIs, but only at low dosages, and I am still left wondering if, say, someone taking Prozac is at the same seizure risk as someone taking 450 mg Wellbutrin if they each have four or five alcoholic drinks.


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