Wellbutrin (Bupropion) Semi-Permanent Effects After Stopping?

[CheapHighMan]

A lot of people claim to have Semi-Permanent effects from SSRIs even after stopping them months or years earlier such as sexual problems or dis-regulation in serotonin systems(?). I have also heard similar stories about Wellbutrin diminishing the release of dopamine over time leading to deterioration in memory, and cognitive ability among other problems. Some people also complain of Wellbutrin having a numbing effect on them and causing a state of hyper vigilance months after stopping it. Although there is plenty of information on SSRIs there is very little on the long term complications Wellbutrin can cause. Can anyone make it clear what exactly I should worry about (been on Wellbutrin for more then a year). Thanks.

 

[RXpectations]

i was on bupropion for approx.5 years and quit about a yr ago on my own, w/o dr.'s advice....the only change i noticed while taking it is that i was unable to cry, not just physically, but didnt and couldnt get to the point of crying....like i was internally numb, but not in a good high kinda way...its was weird. i never considerdd that there might be lasting effects after discontinuing it...15 yrs ago i was on prozac, then paxil, then 10 yrs w/o anything...then the wellbutrin for 5 yrs. i took it along with my lortab script, and butal for migraines....then oxycodone script and imitrex...i dont know the effects of mixing those meds...but now youve got me thinking about the lasting effects of bupropion...strange

 

[atrollappears]

Bupropion is an anticholinergic, which is very common among prescription drugs, but recently anticholinergic drugs have been associated with cognitive impairment and increased mortality. My bet is that it's this action that would cause any long-term effects from bupropion. However, you have to weigh out the risks and benefits. My mom takes bupropion and it's done her tons of good with no apparent side effects.

 

[CheapHighMan]

Thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

"Some people also complain of Wellbutrin having a numbing effect on them and causing a state of hyper vigilance months after stopping it"--that sounds like me to a T. I was on it (300mg) for about a year and a half, then stopped and turned into an obsessive (though honestly a lot more intelligent) analyzer with a very sour disposition indeed. I am happy to have stopped it due to it making me less smart and making me act fake (if as perfect for any social situation), but it is missed; I actually am thinking of getting back on it...I want to express how EXTREMELY EXTREME the disparity between my social behavior while on it and after was. As in I was someone people had to like beforehand and became hardly likable afterward. Its been about a year and a half since I quit (but I took 450mg about a month and a half ago) and I haven't gained that much, but have gained. I believe that the effects are not permanent, but I estimate that they will probably persist in some form for at least as long as one was on the medication.

 

[trocious]

This is interesting, I've been on Welbutrin for.. roughly 2.5 yrs? God, it doesn't seem like that long!! I too am sometimes concerned with the long-term issues associated with it, especially after having my dose increased to the maximum daily prescribed dose (450mg, XL, once daily AM). Welbutrin is a medication I could see myself being on for the rest of my life, but I want to know that my brain won't deteriorate, and that I have the option to get off if I wanted to (i.e. have no irreversible ill effects after discontinuation).

The hyper vigilance thing that people have mentioned is something that I experience in different ways on all stimulants, including Welbutrin. I take 225mg of Effexor and the Welbutrin daily for major depressive disorder, and it seems sometimes the stimulant effects are pronounced, sometimes not. On a clear day, I'll look at buildings, and they'll just look sooo sharp, crisp; the colors just pop out and the sky makes a beautiful contrast with the city-scape. What I just described is a phenomenon I'm accustomed to experiencing while on stimulants like Adderall, but I've found Welbutrin has similar effects. IMO they're just harder to notice because they will come and go, and only start to appear gradually after taking the medication for a while.

That's my two cents on the matter, I'd still like to know more though.

 

[Dopa-Amine]

Such a shame that I could not sleep even on 150mgs. I felt it lifted my depression although by the end of the day it was making me a bit paranoid, which could have been due to sub-optimal sleep (I had to take benzos to sleep). Only lasted 2 weeks, could not handle the inability to sleep and don't want to rely on benzos for sleep (they are a godsend for transient insomnia though).

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

So I've decided to give it another shot. I'm taking 100mg, first dose today; I know that its a small dose compared to the 300mg I was on beforehand, but I'm still very hesitant, even given its great benefits so far (I feel like I can make a social impact on the fly, but sadly haven't been given much of an opportunity yet).

Any info on if this dose will decrease cognition/intelligence?

Anti-psychotics are the real godsend for paranoia and sleep issues associated with Wellbutrin.

 

[magniloquentcunt]

this is exactly my concern.
i suffer from post ssri cognitive decline and underarousal (anhedonia, brainfog, emotional detachment, etc)
ho chi minh, you answered me on a topic about modafinil saying nootropics would be a safer shot, i appreciate that
could you further develop this idea of yours that WB "ruins" cognition and intelligence in the long term? do you believe it could increase my sensibility to life stimuli in a permanent way?
i believe i would be ok with a short course, as my life is going good and i kind of have all i need, is just i dont know what to do with it out of my "meh" attitude

 

[WackyJ79]

I went through a bad spell of actually IV'ing Wellbutrin 150's XL. Killed all my veins, gave me prolonged ringing of the ears and couldn't get decenet sleep once i stopped. I also noticed I had nexdt too no energy. Two blood tests later, and I went from roughly 650 to 84 Testosterone Level... I am now on Hormone Replacement THerapy. Get your testosterone levels checked.. (Both men and women)... almost ALL the above could result in bad hormone levels.

I now feel fine... strong as a bull.. put on 18lbs of muscle... dropped 4 inches from a 42 to a 36-38 ... and (i know Too Much Info) .. I am ROCK HARD at the drop of a hat... often waking up pitching a tent... so there it is... get your testosterone levels checked...

 

[magniloquentcunt]

IVîng?

 

[summersgone]

I took Zyban to quit smoking 6 years ago. I was on them for 2-3 months. They worked well for quitting smoking - it didn't take away the desire, just the joy of smoking. That made it easier to "take it or leave it" and since I was in the quitting mindset it helped and after almost 30 years of smoking I was able to quit and I haven't smoked since. The trouble is, that "take it or leave it" feeling has extended to most other parts of my life now and it feels like there's no joy in anything now. It's like a sheen over everything and I don't care about much anymore. I have no limits anymore and my self destructive behavior is escalating. Only being on them for a few months has permanently changed me for the worse. I would not recommend anti-depressants if you aren't clinically depressed.

 

[magniloquentcunt]

I took Zyban to quit smoking 6 years ago. I was on them for 2-3 months. They worked well for quitting smoking - it didn't take away the desire, just the joy of smoking. That made it easier to "take it or leave it" and since I was in the quitting mindset it helped and after almost 30 years of smoking I was able to quit and I haven't smoked since. The trouble is, that "take it or leave it" feeling has extended to most other parts of my life now and it feels like there's no joy in anything now. It's like a sheen over everything and I don't care about much anymore. I have no limits anymore and my self destructive behavior is escalating. Only being on them for a few months has permanently changed me for the worse. I would not recommend anti-depressants if you aren't clinically depressed.

thank you for your report, i *really* appreciate it.
i'm in a similar situation, just i took SSRI for a weak depression and ive been left "uncaring" since.