How potent is Bupropion/Welbutrin?

[Nagelfar]

That's kinda what I was getting at earlier about long term antidepressant efficacy versus achieving reduction of a score on a depression inventory at 1 month I'm under the impression that dopaminergics generally don't have too much long term efficacy, though you might get a couple years out of them. SSRIs/SNRIs on the other hand result in genetic changes that can give rise to long term efficacy, where you can taper off and be in unmedicated remission.

It was a serotonergic: anti-depressant, Zoloft/sertraline; that quit working for me in about a year and a half. I have been taking Prozac/fluoxetine for maybe four months since my Zoloft quit working, and I've noticed a substantially diminished efficacy there, too. But I lost my script briefly and started it again beginning at 60mg instead of tapering up, so that's where the recent sedating experience is probably coming from, it was quite activating when I was on it consistently prior.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I think zoloft has a reasonable reputation for pooping out

That said, zoloft, wellbutrin, and the others, are labeled antidepressants because it's established that a significant enough amount of people find long-term relief from them. When they poop out, it's best to let your psychiatrist know. They'll probably give you another one. At the very least, you should tell them about supplements you take.

DXM isn't an established psych med, but it may have the potential. As for lowering tolerance to other recreational drugs, not likely. It may make tolerance progress more slowly. Best to stay away from it, though. It has a myriad of effects on many receptors.

Adding in supplements and other psychoactive substances to your regimen is like changing the rules of a sport without telling the referee. Even when you tell them, they have issues following them because they're so unused to the new rules.

Instead of starting to take more things, ask for their recommendation as to whether or not to take this or that. Put yourself in their hands for a decent length of time. They're the doctor. It's kind of like telling a famous chef the right way to cook.

And other token analogies...

 

[Speed King]

Back to the Wellbutrin. My scientific usage shows it most effective for deep depression w/depression related lack of energy.

I was taking it before and it made me see red and feel real violent. I maintained control, but I was put in the mood of breaking someone in half.

This isn't a joke medicine. It works, but if you have any tendancy to get mean or violent, I do not recommend this medication.

 

[Xzbtya]

I was on bupropion for a bit because no SSRIs or SNRIs were helping and simply giving me worse anxiety. At the time I was taking it, studies pointed to it being a weak DRI and a much more potent NRI. Newer studies suggest that there's miniscule affinity for dopamine receptors with it primary action being through norepinephrine reuptake inhibition and its action on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. I was on it for about a month before I gave up. The decrease seizure threshold also worried me a bit since I was on benzos as well. Surprisingly my friend was recently put on it and he feels like a million bucks but says he now feels like he wants to smoke cigarettes even more... go figure.

For the OP there are still options other than bupropion or TCAs. As someone posted above, TCAs tend to have some antihistamine action which will make you drowsy thought I was put on nortriptyline and it did not do so, it just made me more agitated than anything. What I eventually found that drastically helped with me anxiety and depression was Focalin (the active isomer of methylphenidate/Ritalin). Its just a pain in the ass having to go to the docs to constantly pick up the prescription and then having a check up every 3 refills.

You may want to look at ADD medications that deal mainly with norepinephrine like Atomoxetine (Straterra). Or ask to try a stimulant with low abuse potential if you don't want to jump straight to amphetamine or methylphenidate. Diethylpropion comes to mind as it is as potent NRI but is prescribed mainly for weight loss I believe. Wikipedia should have a list of mainly norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. I'll dig through it if I have a chance later. Also I've heard withdrawals from Effexor are nightmarish so I hope tapering went well. I suddenly stopped taking nefazodone (which people say is second only to Effexor in withdrawals) and it was the worst weeks of my life. Taking the medication again only made things worse.

 

[Speed King]

I hate to say it but low dose amp instead of the shitty version of what you want, does work wonders, if you use correctly.

I wasn't trying to derail thread, but no depression on dextroamphetamine. One is a cathinone (Zyban/Wellbutrin) then there is amphetamine, like Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvance, etc. Amphetamines just work better for some people.