Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

[Laceylyn1031]

Hello everyone!! I started Atkins 6 days ago and Im doing pretty good so far. I take Bupropion ( wellbutrin ) and Flouxetine ( prozac ). I was sort of nervous about taking my flouxetine because I know it can cause weight gain, Does anyone else take these meds that can give me a heads up on what to expect?

[Lulubell]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

hi lacey-

i was on prozac for 9 years, although i was able to come off it this past july. i was able to lose a good amt. of weight (40lbs) on the prozac and maintain for a while, but then got bad with eating habits and regained the weight. i never attributed the weight gain to prozac, nor do i think it necessarily hindered my weight loss personally.

before you stop taking meds, dicuss with your doc. maybe there is another alternative you could get.

good luck!
renee

[Lyssie]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

uhmm.. ironically enough, I lose more weight when I take my meds (maybe stress related?? I don't know). Anyway, I take wellbutrin (300mg).

[Pie4me]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

I take Lexapro and added the Wellbutrin to keep me from gaining weight.
I always loose some when taking Wellbutrin!

[Laceylyn1031]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

Hey guys thanks for the quick replies. Yesterday I hit PMS (BIGTIME) and thats one of the reasons why Im on the Prozac, So I think I'll continue taking it and see what happens. If I notice that Im not losing any weight, or even gaining Ill talk to my doctor. Thanks again!!

[wonderwoman]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

has anyone ever taken the generic of wellbutrin xl and found that it's NOTHING like wellbutrin xl? My insurance will not cover wellbutrin xl but covers bupropion sr. I have to take 2 of those a day vs. the one a day wellbutrin xl. To me, wellbutrin xl is a miracle drug for my mood. This bupropion sr is not "working". If someone has had the same experience as I have, please respond. I'm debating whether to fork out $150 a month for this wellbutrin xl per month.

[DMAX2007]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

has anyone ever taken the generic of wellbutrin xl and found that it's NOTHING like wellbutrin xl? My insurance will not cover wellbutrin xl but covers bupropion sr. I have to take 2 of those a day vs. the one a day wellbutrin xl. To me, wellbutrin xl is a miracle drug for my mood. This bupropion sr is not "working". If someone has had the same experience as I have, please respond. I'm debating whether to fork out $150 a month for this wellbutrin xl per month.

The reason is because Wellbutrin XL is a different time released tablet than the SR version, which has a generic while the XL does not. Some magazines have coupons for the XL, like $10 or something like that at your next pharmacy visit.
I don't have any personal experience with the drug, but as a pharmacist I dispensed many anti-depressent medications.

Yes, that is a lot of money (Thanks drug companies). I bet you can find a good cheaper counterpart at a Canadian pharmacy online.

[Lyssie]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

In all fairness, the drug companies spend billions getting something approved, and need to recoup the cost before the patent runs out and generics can be produced....

Thanks for the info - I was offered the generic version by a pharmacist who said they were exactly the same... I guess not.

[DMAX2007]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

In all fairness, the drug companies spend billions getting something approved, and need to recoup the cost before the patent runs out and generics can be produced....

Thanks for the info - I was offered the generic version by a pharmacist who said they were exactly the same... I guess not.

Similar billions were spent 20 years ago and drug costs were no where near what they cost now, ignoring the cost of living, inflation, etc... The culprit? Advertisment. Since 1990's or so, drug companies were allowed to advertise and has even got to the point where it consumed 30% of the budget. It is not uncommon for a drug represenstative to go to a doctor's office and buy the whole staff a $1000+ dinner. Mutiply that by the amount of doctor's offices they visit and you got a conflict of interest.

[Lyssie]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

For the record, the same billions were not spent 20 years ago. Since 1981 there have been stricter guidelines on how clinical trials are developed and conducted and what the companies must do in order to have a drug approved. These modifications were more drastic towards the late 1980s which made the companies spend more money to have their drugs approved. From the time of the first test in humans, they have *7 YEARS* to approve the drug/device, and recoup their costs before a generic is on the market.

Drug companies *do* have marketing. So do clothing companies and food companies. You don't say how horrid a company that spends thousands daily giving out samples of their hotdogs are, the drug companies do the same thing. It is *not* common for a representative to go to a Drs. office and spend $1000+ on a dinner. That's a gross exaggeration, a more common occurrence would be a drug company going to a hospital and buying the staff pizza for lunch.

This is a psychotic discussion to keep going, so I'm officially done with it.

[Lulubell]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

lol! advertisement, even DTC advertisement is so heavily regulated, there is no way it can be attributed to drug costs!

as one who is also in the field, i attest to everything lyssie wrote and then some. what the public DOES NOT understand is that to get a new drug to market requires millions upon millions of dollars and 8-10 years for a new chemical entity. R&D, all phases of clinical investigation and submission fees to FDA cost big bucks. let's say you get a compound in Phae 3 - that could mean a couple hundred patients, multiple sites all over the country. the drug company pays for the doctor's time, the nurses' time, every single blood draw, x-ray, scan, visit, etc., the cost of the drug, and then sometimes the patients get paid on top of that just for their time. the lab analysis of every single blood/urine sample must be paid for, data transmitted, managed, and entered into a database, whcih has to be QC'd. it takes months and months of preparation to submit a new drug application, so the salaries of all those who are working on it must be paid. plus, it coss nearly 1million just to submit an application to FDA, and this is no guarantee of approval. and none of this speaks to the years of investigation required prior to Phase 3. preclinical/tox animal testing is a requirement by FDA and also costs alot.

i could go on here, but i think you get the picture.

[DMAX2007]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

One more response and I'm done too

A friend of mine is a drug rep. for a Merck, one of the biggest pharmaceutical manf. out there. Want to know what her budget was to "entertain"? There wasn't one! Yes providing pizza was a common occurence but providing food and beverage for a hospital staff isn't pennies, more like $650 to be closer to the figure. she was allowed to "entertain" at exclusively high priced restaurants as well, which one bill came to $2500. Thus, as a physician, wouldn't you be slightly motivated to prescribe that high priced drug (when reflects in higher pt. copay) when there is are generic available that hasnt been tried?

Yes drug companies do have marketing. It's pretty flagrant in the increasing commercials on television promoting their new anti-depressant meds when generic prozac, zoloft, celexa, etc can work just as well. the patient then goes to their doctor talking about the new drug on TV and the doctor is more than happy to prescribe the drug that the representative introduced during their filet monon and lobster dinner for the staff the night before. Grant it I live in California, so things are cooky here when compared to other states. So back to the original post..

Weight gain IS most def. a side effect of these types of medications. Weight LOSS can occur briefly, but weight gain is most likely to follow. The cause weight gain via
increased appetitie (via increased euphoria), hormonal changes (watch out women ), decreased metabolic rate without changes in calorie intake. If you look in previous posts, you will see some people still losing while on these meds.

[Lulubell]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

dmax-

if it makes you feel any better, FDA has really cracked down on T&E, dinners, gifts, trips, etc. that companies provide to docs. in fact, the agency has released several guidance documents on the subject, and getting into "healthcare compliance" is a big buzz in the industry right now. i believe that your sales rep friend at merck is no longer allowed to do that kind of entertaining. if she does, she's breaking the law, and the doc on the receiving end is not ethical. there are huge fines and penalties if the feds catch companies doing that kind of thing. don't forget, federal law trumps any state law.

my job is regulatory affairs in the pharma industry, so i live and breathe this stuff.

[wonderwoman]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

very interesting info. thanks for that. I learned a ton in just a few posts! A mom of 3 who is a stay-at-home doesn't really think along those lines too often. I liked that low down!

[heatherm422]

Re: Flouxetine/Wellbutrin

I take fluoxetine (prozac) for depression and have lost 25 lbs since August. Good Luck with the new meds!