DRI's such as Wellbutrin (Zyban, Bupropion) on the NHS?

Mental health
1

Hi,

I've had depression since I was 8 years old. I had a very traumatic experience that I only got over when I was in my twenties. I've been bullied since I can remember, even now to an extent. My depression became really bad when my art work from my A-Levels was thrown away and I gave up on my plan to go to art college (I realise now I should have just made a new portfolio and got over it but hinsight is a wonderful thing).

I went from crap temp job to crap temp job, with months off in between, barely able to get out of bed (I felt like acid was filling my brain the longer I stayed in bed so eventually i would get up).

Ive made two attempts on my life and abused alcohol and drugs, though Im happy to say Im coming up to my years anniversary of quittting both (AA is brilliant).

I read a self help book (Robin Sieger) which really helps but ony when I can bring myself to read it. My problem is that I see things that will help improve my life as possibilities to fail.

I did a course in a trade but because of this anxiety it took me 3 years to complete (it was a one year course) and now i cant bring myself to practice it and feel ive forgotten most of what I learnt.

My job isnt that bad, but because I was heavily abusing drink and drugs at the weekend i messed up at work far too much and the relationship with my two colleagues suffered to the point that they bullied me.

Now i only work with one of them but we cant stand each other (probably more me of her than her of me). I want to get out so badly but can't bring myself to commit to the same job elsewhere because i have no confidence in my abilities and cant commit to any other career. I think this is all related to depression and anxiety, which Im working on by reading my book and making affirmations every day (when I remember to).

I had therapy but it was rubbish. It was left to me to just talk, if I didn't she wouldnt ask me anything wed just sit in silence. She came to the conclusion that I was projecting old feelings onto new situations but thats about it. She came to a conclusion but there was absolutely no solution. A year of stirring up awful feelings for very little pay off, though Im glad i did it. Id have hated to have gone the rest of my life not knowing.

When I think about possible careers, bettering myself or changing job etc I get an acid feeling in my spine and brain which makes me feel like I want to die. Ive been feeling suicidal.

I try to tell myself 'things could be a lot worse' which they could, I'm not completely ungrateful, theres people that have lost their limbs etc and I'm here whining that I feel bad when I think about moving my life forward but I can't help the way I feel.

I think combining a medication with reading my self help book will get me through, only problem being no SSRI's have worked so far. Prozac, Venlafaxine, Citalopram (the worst by a country mile) have all failed and made me feel awful. The only drug I believe will work is a DRI (Wellbutrin as it's known in the US). Ive heard they wont prescribe it over here for depression but it works so well for people in the US I dont understand why they wouldnt use it here.

Does anyone have a similar experience with meds to me?

Have you found one that works?

I also have social anxiety which has made social events like clubbing or pubbing near impossible (every cell in my body tells me to go home the second I arrive - thats why I loved alcohol, it was perfect for this problem).

Look forward to hearing your replies,

Mike.

2

I'll tell you one thing, the drugs definitely wont work if you self medicate with alcohol as well.  One will counteract the other. So if you can, try and reduce the alcohol. I know it will be hard but alcohol makes depressed thoughts a lot worsened and I don't think it is helping your situation.

Richard

3

Hi I was on welbutrin for like a week & it totally didn't work 4 me it made me really it's iratable it cannot be had it conjunction with achol it works for a lot of pepole though so if ur done with achol u should convince it doc to give it to u it works totally difrent then ssri so if they didn't work u should 4sure try a dig type of ad 

4

Hi,

Sorry just to be clear I'm in AA and don't intend to ever drink again. The thought of never having a drink again especially a red with a meal or a beer on a summers day did put me off for years but it's literally either enjoy the odd nice experience and die or miss the odd nice experiencec and have many more fulfilling experiences.

Just s shame I can't get hold of Wellbutrin because I really feel like it'd be the vehicle for me to get my future in motion, I know it wouldn't cure me but I think it'd stop me feling so anxious when I'm in social situations and try to improve myself, in which case I can only focus on the negative and get physical symptoms like acid in my head and spine.

Almost 12 months sober but I'm not going to pretend it's been easy.

5

Hi,

Sorry just to be clear I'm in AA and don't intend to ever drink again. The thought of never having a drink again especially a red with a meal or a beer on a summers day did put me off for years but it's literally either enjoy the odd nice experience and die or miss the odd nice experiencec and have many more fulfilling experiences.

Just s shame I can't get hold of Wellbutrin because I really feel like it'd be the vehicle for me to get my future in motion, I know it wouldn't cure me but I think it'd stop me feling so anxious when I'm in social situations and try to improve myself, in which case I can only focus on the negative and get physical symptoms like acid in my head and spine.

Almost 12 months sober but I'm not going to pretend it's been easy.

◢

6

Hi Mike, My experience with Welbutrin has been an amazing success. I thought id share it with you.

To summarize. wellbutrin worked for me, but it can take a while to transfer from your previous medication to wellbutrin.. it also helps with my alcohol cravings(in my opinion) and the NHS wont supply it for depression.

I struggled for years on SSRI's. I wish id experimented with other options much earlier and not wasted so much time. The SSRI meds certainly did stop my depression, butt he sexual side effects were horrible, but even worse was the effect they had on my creative and technical abilites. For the most part, I was functioning normally, but when i tried to do technical/creative work(which is 99% of my job), its like my mind hit a brick wall. The only way to get anywhere was the use of stimulants like caffeine and lots of them.. this was no answer so I researched late last year(2014) and found wellbutrin.

Firstly the NHS wont supply it to you unless you are trying to quit smoking. The NHS from what i understand has a list of drugs to combat depression and Wellbutrin isn't on the list, but it IS on on the NHS list for effective treatment against cravings when you quit smoking.

I ended up buying my own supply from a dodgy overseas chemist, then I had it supplied from a 'not-so dodgy' overseas chemist. I'd reccomend going back to your gp and asking him for help. maybe there is a work-around. Like saying you're a smoker, or getting a doctors prescription and buying it in from a reputable online pharmacy...

In my case I wasnt worried about where I got it from. Thats just me. I have always talked to my doctor and been the judge of my own medication levels for years, with the doctor just rubber stamping it.. Im also from Australia so I will see my gp when i get back there and check in with him, rather than muck around with the NHS system that doesnt want to supply it.

Wellbutrin didnt work for me first up though. I started taking it at a dosage I carefully researched online. I started taking it as I was reducing the dosage on my old medication. I did suffer some depression. so i went back to the original medication... Then i tried again and this time it worked. Again id talk to your gp about an action plan.

One of the most amazing side effects though was the reduction in my cravings for alcohol. I drank a lot. It has helped me reduce my alcohol to consumption to minimum. Ive never been able to do that before. There is anecdotal evedince from others on this subject all over the net. I didnt believe it help but it has..

Anyway, after 4 months on Wellbutrin I have my technical ability back, normal sexual function(yay!), and I dont look around every night for a drink. I do occasionally get a little down. perhaps once a month or so. Im sure thats just an issue with dosage. As I chose a basic (conservative) dose for myself im not wanting to increase it. I will talk to a gp about that sometime. Overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives..

I would certainly think that if you're NOT happy with your life, then take the time now to find the right medication, rather than waiting. Also rather than rely purely on medication, look in the mirror and ask if there are any things you can change apart from medication. eg. keeping fit, eating healthy, maintaining proper vitamin levels, avoiding drugs and alcohol or at least using in moderation...

wish you every success smile

Jason

 

7

Hi Jason,

I'm currently on an SSRI and it is playing havoc with my libido - well, it's non existant.... I've been looking around for an alternative and come across this thread - would you be able to tell me where you obtained Welbutrin from?

Cheers

 

8

Hi Jason,

Thanks for sharing this - I have just managed to get wellbutrin/buproprion prescribed (my GP is really kind and went out of her way to consult a specialist after I requested it).

I have, like mike, bounced around SSRIs/other antidepressants ((es)citalopram, paroxitine, mirtazepine, lomepramine) with no successful relief. I also practice healthy living and healthy thinking.

My symptons are mostly a chronic (since childhood) anhedonia (lack of joy) which makes me very succeptible to depression and anxiety (especially SAD in winter). This points very much to the dopaminergic, reward pathway which buproprion purportedly targets.

Thought I'd post just incase anyone else came across this thread and was dissapointed by the lack of an answer (as i did a week ago).

I am yet to take my first dose, so it may be completely ineffective - but with the advice to make sure I give it time to work - fingers crossed.

Jason - are you still taking buproprion? Still finding it effective long term?

9

Hey man,

I've been struggling to get on wellbutrin for a couple years now, so glad to hear that someone did actually succeed on getting around the NHS. I was on all the same ssris that you listed, currently on prozac (kills my sex drive like there is no tomorrow, i'm way too young to be a frigid spinster on her way to get 10 cats). 

I have never heard of anhedonia until you mentioned it, which is weird considering it describes my feelings perfectly and none of my therapists ever brought it up. 

Could you let me know how it goes with wellbutrin? ((: 

10

Hi Alex,

Sorry to hear you've been through so much trouble with medication.

I have had to see several different GPs to finally get to one who acknowledged that SSRIs probably were not working for me. I built a solid argument relating to my medical history that this was the best course of action.

I am beginning to see why the NHS might not want to make bupropion one of their recommended treatment options, however. The side effects list is probably quite a bit longer than most antidepressants and the chances of severe adverse reactions like seizures are higher (but still obviously very low). Just something to bear in mind.

I'm now two weeks in and it has been a fairly rough ride, after feeling better for a few day, I spent over a week feeling far, far worse - more depressed and anxious than I was before. I felt quite strange as well with ringing in my ears, small hallucinations (like bugs at the edge of my vision), earaches and headaches. One side effect that caught me by surprise (and panicked me at first) was a rash on my torso that appeared around day 10/11 after a bath (no different than usual). This is now subsiding though, but has become a little itchy – most other similar reports of rashes/itching seem to say this isn’t serious as long as it doesn’t get worse.

Of the experiences I have read, the consensus seems to be that difficult side effects at first are common and should only be a reason to discontinue if they continue past about week 4. I.e. It doesn’t mean the drug won’t work.

Just be prepared that things might get worse before they get better – I took a week off work to adjust.

At two weeks, the majority of my side effects have now gone away or reduced substantially. I’m pleased to say that I have gradually begun feeling better over the past few days; not ‘great’, but better. Fingers crossed this continues. But I am bracing myself for more spontaneous random side effects...

Good luck discussing this with your GP!

11

Hi mike i saw a shrink, they can prescribe buprion, were docters wont its been great for me, far better than all the rest i live in scotland, push them for it

12

Rx cart do it called ceasy its the real stuff, but i get mine of my doctor after researching it and telling sphyiciatrist i wanted to try it, if it helps you doctors will look on it as its helped yoi so no reason to not prescribe it

13

Alex tell them you will get it online from rx cart, they will give you it, its no liscensed in uk for depression its called zyban for stopping smoking but its good mate, dont take no for a answer

14

Hi Mike,

I'm sorry to hear that you were strugling to find the right medication to help you.  I'm from Canada, and I have been prescribed Wellbutrin XL 150 because I was diagnosed with SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  I had been through mild depression over a couple of years during the winter months.  It would start like clock work around mid December and not be gone until around the month of May.  The last year, when I was finally prescribed medication, I feel into a deep depression.  The type that I wouldn't even get out of bed for weeks on end.  I had two young boys at home, and a husband who was wonderful and took good care of the kids and me during that hard time.  But that's when I said to myself that I really needed serious help.  

My doctor first prescribed me Venlafaxin and I hated it.  I had no sex drive to speak of anymore.  The symptoms of depression was better though, but I didn't like the side effects of the meds.  So I went back and after telling my doctor that I wanted something that wouldn't be killing my sex drive, he told me to try Wellbutrin XL (Bupropion is the generic name for Wellbutrin and is what I am taking)  It is XL which means it's slow release.  The medication gets released in your body over a 24 hour period instead of all at once when you take it.  Or so I'm told by my gp anyways!

I find that this medication worked great for me.  It had some harsh side effects when I started it.  I was constantly dizzy for a period of around 2 weeks.  And the effect of the medication is only really starting to work after at least 3 weeks of taking them on a daily basis.  But, I am happy to report that I have what I would like to believe, very close to a "normal sex drive" with that medication which counts for a lot!!!

I knew that Wellbutrin was also prescribed for ppl trying to quit smoking, but I didn't know that it was refused to be prescribed in certain countries for depression.  I really hope that you can somehow find a way to get your hands on them.  But please follow the right channels... you wouldn't want to be taking something that is not actually what you ordered (from online sites...)  Be careful with that stuff.

I have been on this medication for over 5 years now and I am still on it.  I will admit that when I am going through really hard times in my personal life (death of a loved one, relationship problems, etc) that I can still feel depressed at times.  But it's easier to manage, and I don't fall super low.  I find myself being able to cope and I get out of that funk after a little while (like a normal person without depression would do).  So you won't be completely immune to feeling a little depressed at times, but it is easier to manage and to get out of it in a reasonable amount of time.

I wish you good luck.  And I hope that you were able to procure yourself the medication that you wanted.  And congratulations on being sober for so long.  You should be proud of yourself!!!

M.

15

Hi there,

First of all thank you Mike for starting this chat as it's something I am really suffering with also.

Would anyone know what the difference is between Zyban and Wellbutrin? I've been told Zyban is the equivalent of Wellbutrin XL which I've heard a lot of bad reports in comparison to Wellbutrin.

I am 5 days into taking Zyban after ALOT of begging my doctor and convincing a privately paid psychiatrist to let me take it instead of Sertraline (SSRI) and I am have found the last two days as unbearable as the reason I started taking the medication in the first place which disappointing as the first few days were a welcome relief to the constant panic and depression I have been living in.

So if anyone knows the difference between the three (Zyban, Wellbutrin and Wellbutrin xl) I would be so grateful as I am anxious about medication anyway and want to make sure I'm on the right one.

I also really want to know how to get hold of Wellbutrin (the American version) if all else fails?

16

Also just to say I'm on 150mg dose which is the lowest I could get in the U.K.

17

HI I have a shrink I asked her for this last year.. Iv been under the mental health hosp as an out patient past 4-5 yrs my 2nd stint.. omg the look of horror on her face.. then she laughed & said it's an American drug it's not licenced here. I cnt carry on on these poop antidepressants. Just exist no life at all .. good on u u sound buzzing. ..

18

Zyban is just the UK name for Wellbutrin - on several occasions my pharmacist would give me welbutrin with but with a zyban label stuck over the package and blister packs. They are both trade names for the drug 'bupropion' and are both manufactured by GSK. Other generic versions of Bupropion also exist, but I never came across any while taking it.

Welbutrin XL is just the type of slow release tablet. The 150mg slow release (Welbutrin SR) tabs, that it sounds like you are taking are usually taken 2 times a day and there is an even slower release version (Welbutrin XL, 300mg) that is taken once a day. If you are prescribed in the UK you will almost certainly get the SR version that is normally prescribed for smoking cessation. Getting the XL version will be more of a challenge I imagine.

Hope that helps.

Please refer to my previous accounts which detail a commonly reported side effect of things seeming, sometime, a lot worse for up to a couple of weeks. Hope you can hang in there and things should start to feel better. Also bear in mind SSRI withdrawl effects may be present for a few weeks also.

Best of luck.

19

Hi guys.. I've been reading this thread with interest.

I've been suffering clincal depression and anxiety for a couple of years. Attempted suicide last decade, have spent last 3 months in 3 different hospitals.

Started on zyban 1 week ago. I'm praying it helps as I also have ADD and it's recommend for that too. I'm also on 150 sertraline which I'm hoping to reduce at some point. My libido is 0.

Thought I'd share 1st week experience on zyban. Started to feel very sharp and clear headed first couple of days. That increased and I started to feel pretty high, slightly manic. But it felt good. Then started getting tiny tremour in my hands which wasn't so nice. Then on day 4 couldn't sleep a wink. I was up for 40 hrs buzzing like mad. Started to get a bit scared.. probably partly sleep deprivation and the meds. My psych has given me clanazepan to help with sleep.

I have been feeling much calmer, clear headed, less anxious. And I'm on day 7. Tremour has died down but got ringing in my ears. Tinnitus. Hoping that wears off. That's pretty annoying. Concentration has improved and I have felt much more present. Less deppressed. Fingers x the Tinnitus goes and I learn to sleep naturally again. Hope this helps. A bumpy start but very promising

20

That should read last December not decade on the attempted suicide. Auto not correct