Wellbutrin for BPD

My current pdoc has suggested a try Wellbutrin (change from Lexapro, since I was feeling sad and flat, like not caring about anything). I read a little on Wellbutrin for bPD and don't see it being recommended, but have seen reviews from patients that are on it , usually in combo with Lexapro.

I was feeling mostly sad, until I started a new relationship and now feeling more positive, but also now experiencing severe lack of concentration and almost hypomanic. Go figure.

Ok, looking for feedback.

I take Wellbutrin. It gives you mental and physical energy for the day so take it in the morning. If you have a problem with over eating, Wellbutrin decreases your appetite somewhat but not enough that you'll notice, as long as you continue to eat in a healthy way. Also Wellbutrin gives your brain focus and concentration. If that all sounds good, I say take it and see how you like it.

Hey aj...perfect! Just what I need energy and focus. I can't focus to save my life these days. Also, I gained some weight on Lexapro, so maybe I can get rid of the 'munchies" associated with it and lose the weight and have energy to exercise again! Thanks for the great feedback.

I take wellbutrin as well and yes you can lose significant weight if you are on a high dose. I took two 150 pills in morning and one at night. Combine that with walking and I lost 70 lbs. Only take two pills now along with depakote and klonipin (however you spell them). Gained some weight back but not all.

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but I didn't have the best experience with Wellbutrin.

Yep, it decreased my appetite, but I actually had to switch TO Lexapro because the WB was too much of a stimulant for panic attacks for me.

Now that I'm doing a lot better than I was previously, I'd be willing to try it again though, but at this time am staying with the Lexapro.

I have heard great things from people on it though, so I would definitely recommend giving it a try, even though it wasn't advantageous for me. :0)

AMP

I have just started wellbutrin in combination with seroquel and ativan ive been on it now for about a week but i can already start to see the difference i am more awake and i have some energy i also have had a decrease in appetite which isnt good cause im forgetting to eat because i just dont get hungry. any way its helping with my bipolar part of me but there is a lot of things that come with my bpd that i just dont see how its going to help... i think it was a good choice for me and i hope that if you do try it it works for you

The research is clear that people with bpd should NOT take sri's like wellbutrin or others.
"SSRIs were found effective in decreasing severity of depressed mood, anxiety and anger, mainly in subjects with a concomitant affective disorder."
another study
"antidepressants are generally not worthwhile in the treatment of this disorder."
"Effects of antidepressants on impulsive behaviors are uncertain."
ironically most people with bpd are on SRIs!!!
I took wellbutrin, I was awake for 2 day at the start then spend the next 3 month in a manic phase felt great but i was completely out of control. I highly suggest you be careful with it, it is a serious drug and do your own research. google scholar "Pharmacotherapy borderline personality disorder and SRIs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and read the conclusions of the studies, some of the studies show some improvement in selected areas but for the most part they don't and they make some people totally manic.

Thanks for the info Lost. Will definitely bring that up with my doc on Monday.

No medication ever helped me at all whatsoever. I won't say it won't help anyone else with bpd. However, all I ever got were side effects like restless leg and extreme sleepiness.

Z1t23ch3 wrote: I won't say it won't help anyone else with bpd.

good point.. and just so you guys know, i'm not saying that SRIs won't help some people with BPD. I'm talking here about research and statics, everyone is an individual. It is just that WAY more people with BPD are on them than should be. I think i know why. My guess is that SRIs do have an immediate effect on everyone of reducing depression. Even people who are not depressed get happier.. by definition: it reduces the brains ability to reuptake serotonin. serotonin is one of the bodies produced good feelings drugs. So, it is going to make eveyone feel better then when they are not taking it. People with BPD spend so much time feeling bad, that the prospect of taking a pill to feel initially a bit better is too hard to pass up for both patient and T. In fact, i would love to see a study on Ts. lets turn the tables and look at the other half of the therapy relationship. I find Ts are "helper types" and easily can be triggered into feeling incompetent and internally useless and unworthy when their patients don't get better fast enough. If this happens i think a whole bunch of negative stuff could happen. like the T could project it onto the patient, the patient with bpd, being very sensitive to others, might pick up on it and feel guilty for not getting better FOR the T. Lots of stuff.. I'm not saying that every T who gives a person with BPD SRIs are experiencing this, i just think it's a reasonable possibility given the psychological states of both people in the relationship.