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Wellbutrin: Medications
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Wellbutrin is an antidepressant medication that affects neurotransmitters. Wellbutrin is unrelated to other antidepressants. It works by inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, an action which results in more dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine to transmit messages to other nerves. Bupropion is unique in that its major effect is on dopamine, an effect which is not shared by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine, Paxil; fluoxetine, Prozac; sertraline, Zoloft) or the tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs (e.g. amitriptyline, Elavil; imipramine, Tofranil; desipramine, Norpramin).
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Wellbutrin (bupropion), manufactured by Glaxo Wellcome Inc., is a newer antidepressant medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression. Wellbutrin has ... been used in an off-label capacity (not specifically approved for, but observed to be effective) to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Bupropion, the chemical name for this medication, is additionally sold under the brand name Zyban to help stop the urge to smoke.
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Although Wellbutrin occasionally causes weight gain, a more common effect is weight loss: About a quarter of people who took this medication in clinical studies lost 5 pounds or more. If depression has already caused you to lose weight, and if further weight loss would be detrimental to your health, Wellbutrin may not be the best antidepressant for you.
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Wellbutrin is used to treat certain kinds of major depression; it's a relatively new antidepressant medication. People who have major depression have a severely depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, accompanied by sleep and appetite disturbances.
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Wellbutrin, which has a chemical structure unrelated to any other antidepressant medication, does not act the same was as Celexa, Paxil, Prozac or Zoloft. Those drugs target the brain chemical serotonin. In contrast, Wellbutrin does not affect serotonin.
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A healthcare provider may prescribe Wellbutrin to help treat depression. When certain chemicals in the brain become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of conditions, including depression. Wellbutrin works by blocking the reuptake of these chemicals. The medication comes in a tablet form that is taken two to four times a day. As with any medication, there are potential side effects with Wellbutrin. Common side effects of Wellbutrin can include nausea, insomnia, and weight loss.
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