June 2006
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June 2006
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Of Like Minds is now Mood! Over 175 articles on: Help support Mood -- ©Mood,
2008
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 Medication profile:Wellbutrin (bupropion) for depression |
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Antidepressants can lift the dark, heavy moods of depression. Your doctor will recommend the treatment he or she feels is right for you, but it is important to be aware of your treatment options and to discuss them with your doctor. All of the newer antidepressants are valuable options, and any one of them can be highly effective. Wellbutrin SR or XL (bupropion hydrochloride), is one of the newer antidepressant medications of the aminoketone class. Research suggests that depression may be caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Scientists believe that Wellbutrin helps balance the levels of two of these neurotransmitters called dopamine and norepinepherine. It is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, SSRIs, or other known antidepressant agents. (See Classes of antidepressants.) Wellbutrin has gained popularity because it is less likely to cause the weight gain or sexual dysfunction common with TCAs (tricyclics) and MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors.) Wellbutrin XL is taken only once a day. Wellbutrin XL is available in 150-mg and 300-mg tablets. The starting dose is 150 mg per day, which your doctor may increase to the usual adult dose of 300 mg per day. The maximum dosage for Wellbutrin XL is 450 mg per day. Bupropion's side effects include restlessness, insomnia, headache or a worsening of preexisting migraine conditions, tremor, dry mouth, agitation, confusion, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, constipation, menstrual complaints, and rash. Seizures can result from high doses (above the current maximum recommended dose of 450 mg/day), a history of seizures or brain trauma, an eating disorder, excessive alcohol use, or taking other drugs that can also increase the risk for seizures. |
In clinical trials during the product's initial development, ten percent of 2,400 patients and volunteers discontinued treatment because of adverse effects, including: agitation and abnormalities in mental status; nausea and vomiting; seizures, headaches, and sleep disturbances; and rashes. It is important to note, however, that many of these events occurred at doses that exceed the recommended daily dose.
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