Are you currently on Wellbutrin and worried about the effects on your weight if you stop taking it? Well, you’re right to be cautious. In this article, I will discuss how to stop Wellbutrin without losing weight.
You’ve probably heard scary stories from people who stopped taking Wellbutrin that have gotten you worried. This article will provide you with information that will be useful in navigating the entire procedure smoothly. So let’s get into everything you need to know before saying goodbye to Wellbutrin!
What Is Wellbutrin?
Wellbutrin is a popular antidepressant drug. It is the brand name for the generic form of bupropion which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating major depressive disorder (MDD).
Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI) medicine that prevents norepinephrine and dopamine from being transported back into brain cells and broken down. Thus, it increases norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain, which helps to improve depressive symptoms.
It is a drug taken orally and available as an immediate-release, sustained-release, or extended-release tablet.
One feature distinguishing Wellbutrin from other antidepressants is that it has little or no effect on your sexual function and may even boost it. In fact, Wellbutrin is often recommended to be taken alongside other antidepressants to help counteract their negative effects on your desire for sex.
How to Stop Wellbutrin Without Losing Weight
The question of how to stop Wellbutrin without losing weight is frequently asked by people who have recently discontinued the drug or are about to do so. Stopping the medicine suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms and weight fluctuations. Hence, you must go about this the right way.
Here are some steps to follow on how to stop Wellbutrin without losing weight.
1. Discuss Your Intention to Discontinue the Drug With Your Doctor
Your doctor will evaluate your medical history and identify the best treatment plan for you.
2. Taper off the Medication
On your doctor’s recommendation, follow a tapering schedule that gradually reduces the dosage over time. This reduces the possibility of withdrawal symptoms and rapid weight fluctuations.
3. Track Your Progress
Keep track of any physical or emotional changes that occur during the tapering process, and inform your doctor if you experience any strange symptoms.
4. Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Another way to stop Wellbutrin without losing weight is to ensure you eat nutritious foods to maintain a healthy weight. Also, avoid drastic dietary changes or crash diets which can affect your weight.
5. Exercise Regularly
Regularly exercising can help you manage your weight and improve your overall well-being after stopping Wellbutrin. You can include this as a part of your daily routine by doing things you enjoy that keep you physically active.
6. Manage Stress
Stress can be a major determinant of weight loss or gain, so you should definitely look out for this. Manage your stress level by engaging in practices such as meditation, yoga, or mindfulness to cope with potential emotional changes as you discontinue Wellbutrin.
7. Follow-up With Your Doctor
Additionally, after stopping Wellbutrin, continue monitoring your improvement with your doctor. Ensure you seek immediate medical attention when you notice any troubling symptoms.
Finally, it is important to note that one person’s reaction to a drug can differ largely from another person’s. You must constantly communicate with your doctor to receive personalized instructions as you discontinue wellbutrin.
What Are the Uses of Wellbutrin?
The FDA has approved bupropion for three distinct uses, but it can also be used to treat some other diseases. If you must use Wellbutrin for off-label purposes, then a licensed healthcare provider will be in the best position to prescribe the right medication for you.
The on-label (approved) and off-label (unapproved) uses of Wellbutrin are listed as follows.
On-label:
- Adult depression
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Smoking cessation
Off-label:
- Anxiety
- Sexual dysfunction
- Weight loss
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Depression (related to bipolar disorder or obesity)
- Fatigue
- Social anxiety disorder
How Does Wellbutrin Cause Weight Loss?
Even though the FDA has not approved bupropion for weight loss, it is one of the active ingredients in Contrave, which is an FDA-approved weight loss medicine.
Bupropion stimulates noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin, all of which can result in weight loss. This is because it gives you more energy and reduces your stress level, thereby improving your appetite for food.
Although Wellbutrin has shown encouraging results in some individuals, like overweight or obese women, it may not be a solution for everyone battling with chronic weight control concerns.
If you are prone to overeating when worried or stressed, Wellbutrin may be a good option because it reduces stress and improves mood. However, someone who simply has poor eating habits may not benefit from Wellbutrin weight reduction in the same way that an “emotional eater” might.
Is It Safe to Take Wellbutrin for Weight Loss?
When used as directed by a healthcare provider, Wellbutrin and its active component, bupropion, are typically safe. As I mentioned earlier, Wellbutrin aids weight loss by boosting your mood and reducing stress. Numerous clinical studies that have been carried out on individuals using Wellbutrin discovered that they lost weight, thus indicating that it may be an effective weight-loss medication.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that individuals with certain health conditions should avoid Wellbutrin. Such individuals include those with an eating disorder such as anorexia, a seizure disorder, people taking monoamine oxidase (MAO)-inhibitors, or those with a known allergic reaction.
Your doctor can prescribe another type of weight loss medication other than Wellbutrin. Before beginning Wellbutrin, think about your alternative options and ensure your doctor is informed of any underlying conditions you might have.
What Are the Side Effects of Wellbutrin?
Just like with any other antidepressant medication, Wellbutrin has its own share of side effects. Some common side effects of Wellbutrin include:
- Dry mouth
- Painful throat
- Stuffy nose
- Ringing in the ears
- Hazy vision
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation
- Sleep issues (insomnia)
- Tremors
- Perspiration
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Rapid heartbeats
- Changes in appetite
- Weight loss or gain
- Confusion and agitation
- Rash
- Increased urination
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Ache in the muscles or joints.
This is not an exhaustive list of the side effects that may arise from taking Wellbutrin.
If you ever experience any of the following adverse effects, ensure you seek medical attention or contact 911 immediately:
- Serious eye symptoms, such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, and seeing halos around lights.
- Serious cardiac symptoms including fast, irregular, or hammering heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, abrupt dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting out.
- Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, weakness in the legs and arms, difficulty walking, loss of coordination, feeling unstable, high fever, heavy sweating, etc.
Withdrawal Symptoms of Wellbutrin
Antidepressant medication should always be taken as prescribed by your doctor. Abruptly discontinuing your prescription can lead to Wellbutrin withdrawal, also known as “antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.” Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is a prevalent condition among patients who have abruptly stopped or reduced their medication. If you discontinue your Wellbutrin prescription without consulting your doctor, you will likely suffer withdrawal symptoms within two days. Some of the symptoms you might experience include:
- Anxiety: Your anxiety symptoms may worsen, making your condition unpleasant.
- Suicidal thoughts: You may become more prone to have suicidal thoughts or want to commit suicide. Ensure you seek urgent medical attention when you notice this symptom.
- Thoughts of harming oneself: Wellbutrin withdrawal can also cause you to engage in unhealthy activities or inflict harm on yourself.
- Insomnia: Another withdrawal symptom you may experience is the disruption of your usual sleeping cycle which may result in insomnia.
- Sensory disturbance: You may also encounter sensory processing problems in the brain.
- Heat intolerance: When the temperature rises, Wellbutrin withdrawal might create a sensation of overheating.
- Symptoms of the flu, such as a runny nose, fever, and congestion.
- Confusion: Wellbutrin can interfere with your blood salt level, thereby causing mental confusion.
- Persistent headaches: Wellbutrin withdrawal can produce severe headaches that last for days.
- Drowsiness: You may experience a strong feeling of drowsiness and a desire to sleep.
Antidepressant drugs, like Wellbutrin, have varying effects on your body. As a result, it is critical to take your prescription exactly as your doctor advises. If you are thinking about quitting your medication, consult your doctor to ensure that you do so with proper tapering.
Can You Stop Wellbutrin Without Tapering?
Stopping your medication abruptly can result in Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches and body aches. As a result, it is not recommended that you stop taking Wellbutrin completely without first tapering. It is better to taper the dosage to prevent withdrawal symptoms before discontinuing the medicine completely.
What Is the Proper Way to Stop Taking Wellbutrin?
The proper way to stop taking Wellbutrin is to reduce your dose gradually. This is known as tapering. Wellbutrin tapering programs are often rather short. Working with your doctor, you can gradually reduce your dose over the course of one or two weeks.
Following your Wellbutrin taper, any long-term treatment will be geared toward curing the issue that prompted you to take Wellbutrin in the first place. If you are depressed, your doctor may wish to try a new SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or offer other treatments. It may take several trials to find the proper medication or combination that works best for you.
You should bear in mind that no single drug will “fix” you. Depression is a complicated disease, and medication can only accomplish so much alone. Psychotherapy might be a crucial element to involve in your treatment or recovery from depression. Psychotherapy, which is also known as talk therapy, is a long-term process in which you investigate the causes behind your feelings and actions. Together with a skilled therapist, you will learn how to strive toward the life you want by changing the unhealthy patterns that are holding you back. If you need a therapist to speak with, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of specialists here.
Is There Any Treatment for Wellbutrin Withdrawal?
If you recently stopped taking Wellbutrin and are suffering withdrawal symptoms, please speak to your doctor or therapist immediately. They will inform you how to deal with the symptoms or find another medicine. In the meantime, here are some steps you can take by yourself:
Get More Exercise
Go for walks, try yoga—do anything to get your body moving and trigger the release of feel-good chemicals.
Meditate
Learn how to practice mindfulness and focused breathing, which can assist with anxiety.
Spend Time With Friends and Family
According to research, spending time with friends and family can help you manage your depression symptoms. Creating time for your loved ones helps to improve your mood.
Keep a Nicotine Patch or Gum
If you’re using Wellbutrin to quit smoking, keep a nicotine patch or nicotine gum on hand to aid with nicotine cravings and agitation.
Should I Be Using Wellbutrin to Lose Weight?
Even though the FDA has not approved Wellbutrin as a treatment for weight loss or obesity, studies have shown that it does help people lose weight. However, before taking Wellbutrin to lose weight, you should talk to your doctor. They can look at your health needs and give you information that is specific to you and best for you.
Final Words on How to Stop Wellbutrin Without Losing Weight
This article provides information on how to stop Wellbutrin without losing weight and answers other questions about the drug. However, it does not give medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for talking to your doctor. Before you stop taking a drug or medicine, you should always talk to your doctor and follow the instructions you’re given. If after discontinuing the drug you notice any side effects, do not hesitate to communicate this to your doctor as well.