DOSE:

300 mg

oral

Pharms - Bupropion

(daily)

BODY WEIGHT:

175 lb

I've had a very good therapeutic experience with buproprion (Wellbutrin XL, the once-a-day extended release tablet). I use it to treat depression along with regular appointments with my long-term therapist. It is prescribed by my doctor, and I take it as prescribed, one pill first thing in the morning. My experience is well in line with the intended effects of the drug, but the reason I want to share my experience here is that buproprion has also lessened my severe cravings for stimulants (meth and cocaine). My drinking has also lessened.

My doctor started me two months ago on 150mg a day the first week and then increased it to 300mg on day 8. One of the most dangerous side effects of buproprion is the increased chance of seizure, so it is usually started gradually to guard against this. It can also cause anxiety, especially in those who are already anxious. I can see how anxiety would be a problem because it gives me lots of energy and can sometimes make me feel a little frazzled and short on patience. Other bad side effects are dry mouth, excitability, and sleeplessness. These lessened after I was on the drug for several weeks, but the dry mouth persists. Sometimes I have feelings of artificiality, like the drug is making me fake, but I think the benefits of lessening my depression outweigh this downside. There have been no sexual side effects for me.

I am glad I am on the drug. I have few, if any, days of being 'down in the dumps,' which was common before. I have more energy, focus, and attention. When I first started taking it, the world had a new polish on it. I saw the beauty of my city again. I started laughing more. These things still happen, but they are less pronounced now that I’ve been taking it for two months. I do notice that when I am experiencing something that makes me feel good, like seeing a good movie, the warm feelings are enhanced and more intense. The bad feelings, like stress at work, are easier to shake off.

But perhaps one of the best side effects for me, and the reason I want to share my story, is that being on buproprion has greatly reduced my cravings for stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine. I was a regular user of both for several years. I smoked meth in binges a couple of times a month for three years and regularly used cocaine during that time. With a combination of therapy and life changes I was able to greatly reduce my use of meth to a few times a year (only twice in 2011) and of cocaine to about once a month, but I still had incredible cravings. These cravings often left me anti-social and depressed. Since I started the buproprion the cravings are not nearly as strong, and I have not used either drug. I still think about meth and cocaine, but there is no longer a physical compulsion to use them , that feeling like I was going out of my skin until I got some crystal or blow. In fact, I sometimes get a feeling of repulsion when I think of them now.

Likewise, my desire to drink has greatly lessened. When my doctor prescribed the buproprion to me he warned about heavy drinking because the two in combination lower the seizure threshold. I have carefully consumed alcohol a few times since I started and, honestly, it’s just not any fun. Something about the buproprion takes away the fun of being drunk. In fact, drinking on buproprion often just makes me tired, so I’ll have one drink and then I’m done. Being “sober” on buproprion feels better than being drunk.

My experience with buproprion has been a positive one, and I hope this anecdote might inspire scientists to investigate the use of buproprion to help people addicted to stimulants who want to quit, the way it is used (when it is called Zyban) to help people quit smoking.

Exp Year: 2011	ExpID: 93913
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 36
Published: Dec 3, 2018	Views: 3,788
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Pharms - Bupropion (87) : Depression (15), Medical Use (47), Addiction & Habituation (10), Retrospective / Summary (11), Not Applicable (38)