For those who have been on Wellbutrin/Buproprion... can you rate your experience in the following areas and what dosage level you are on ? (1) motivation(feeling of getting things accomplished) (2) weight management - weight loss or weight gain (3) sex drive - increase or decrease ??
How effective is Wellbutrin on motivation/weight mgmt/sex drive?
Question posted by lowTinIllinois on 30 Jan 2013
Last updated on 30 April 2024 by Mail lady
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
49 Answers
Mail lady
30 April 2024
I have been Wellbutrin for 5 days now. My motivation is so much better. My house is spotless. I am not so emotional. I have not noticed an increase in sex drive. Hopefully that comes soon. I have lost 4 lbs in 5 days! I went from 136-132. That’s crazy. I do work outside and sometimes it’s a 10 hour day. I have no appetite. I am someone who loves sweets, and I haven’t wanted any at all.
Blondy23
29 Feb 2024
mine is more a comment and follow up question than an answer. i stopped taking wellbutrin and have recently noticed a significant reduction in sex drive and sex pleasure. but i started injecting ozempic right around the same time and i cannot be sure if wellbutrin contributed to my sex problems or if its the ozempic. i am supposed to begin taking wellbutrin again this week and will follow up if i see any changes. when i was taking it i did have more energy and did not notice any changes at all in weight, hence, my doctor put me on ozempic. my question to this is, does anyone notice a difference in the brand of wellbutrin one from another? i was on a small blue pill then my pharmacy switched me to a large pink pill and i felt a sudden change. doctor/pharmacy and experts say this is an imagined change but i felt stomach issues with the pink.
Ericdk914
29 June 2019
I've been on this drug for 2 yrs. I've seen an increase in sex drive. Lost weight on it. High motivation levels
wrdl
11 Nov 2018
I have been on 300 a day for about six months now. Immediate release.
Initially, for about two weeks, I experienced two side effects. One was decreased appetite (associated with weight loss), and the other was far worse. I suddenly took on what is described as “existential death anxiety”. It was indescribable and horrifying. However, I knew that this wasn’t normal, and both effects did indeed pass. I just kept with it.
My motivation increased noticeably for about a month. While it did lessen, I no longer deal with the amount of anxiety and avoidance I used to have. This was a plus.
Recently, I accidentally took an extra dose, pushing me to 450 for the day. Immediately, my libido skyrocketed by evening, and I probably experienced the most arousal I have ever achieved. It was shocking. For the next 24 hours, I was absorbed by sexual thoughts. I may just lobby for this to become my normal dosage, as I normally feel less sex drive than I would expect and have had trouble achieving and sustaining erections in the past.
WildcatVet
29 Sep 2018
Hi, low! Wellbutrin is touted as one of the most energizing, weight neutral, libido neutral of the antidepressants... BUT every single individual responds differently to every single medication.
Overall, I'd say it's well worth a trial.
DCDaryl
29 Sep 2018
(1) motivation(feeling of getting things accomplished)
No effect
(2) weight management - weight gain
(3) sex drive - increase or decrease ??
No problems
Buggs333
30 June 2018
All I know is it increases my motivation and helps with my depression! Good luck to you!
addy1234
29 June 2018
Wellbutrin has been the only antidepressant that has made me not gain weight, I quit smoking with the help of it, and my sex drive was normal.
Pi3sai
10 April 2018
I switched from the highest dosage of Trintillex to 100 mg of Wellbutrin. My sex drive soared for about two weeks then completely crashed in a deep depression. I feel like I worsened in which I was hardly sleeping and started gaining weight. I was on 300 mg for three days before pdoc bumped me again to 450 mg. I've been on 450 mg for four months and I've lost 6 pounds, quit smoking cigarettes after 11 years of trying, started feeling well enough to pick up the phone and call my personal trainer and actually play with my son without tiring after ten minutes. My libido has leveled out well enough. I'm pretty content with my dosage and meds. The only issue I have is my memory loss is intense. I forget the easiest things to remember. I find myself stumped at least two to three times a day. Other than that I find my depression has significantly decreased.
tm1_83
9 April 2018
Motivation > Low
Weight Loss/Gain > Fluctuates
Sex Drive> None
Ericka218
27 March 2018
1) motivation increased
2) no change in weight
3) increased sex drive
I have been on wellbutrin for 8 weeks, up to 400 mgs for the past week
Rmsmith2
21 Nov 2017
1.) Both self motivation and Wellbutrin allows me to accomplish anything I set out for.
2.) I've found that eating habits reflect how you and your body handles depression and stress. I have noticed that Wellbutrin has affected my appitie, along with changing my diet/eating habits I've noticed weight loss and a better over all feeling. I'm not advocating Wellbutrin for weight loss. Although in my case, yes weight loss was and still is prevalent.
3.) Sex drive is yet another strictly patient by patient side effect. I had a high sex drive before and still after prescription. I'm not as rash or animalistic with my arousal so maybe it "leveled" me out but I love sex, especially with my wife :).
In my own opinion; combating depression, anexity, SAD, smoking, weights control, etc.; starts with the right type of environment, then support system, THEN medication. If you are the type that solely relies on medication to fix your problems then I wouldn't suggest Wellbutrin or bupropion alone because it isn't a stimulant. With that said if YOU ARE a person that deals with daily struggles with motivation,smoking, anexity; and want to improve yourself as a person and not become just a statistical prescription, Wellbutrin (bupropion) will no doubt assist you.
I must agree with the elephant in the room...
Wellbutrin rage does exist. Hence create your own world/environment that doesn't cause you to blow up, easier said then done I know, but in reality you are your own worst enemy, I don't know about you, but I respect myself too much to let this condition to dictate my life. If you're worried about the rage I suggest working out, or any type of physical activity that increase blood flow and endorphins.
I am currently on 300mgs a day: 150mg morning, 150mg 13 hours later (sometimes 300mgs at noon)
Blm0314
26 Feb 2020
I’ve read your comment. I’ll be starting this medication on tomorrow. I pray that my experience will be as yours. My sex drive is very, very little and I’ve gained weight on the other medication, so say a pray for me and thanks for your truthfulness? Thanks
kj1227
29 Sep 2017
I lost 40lbs since taking Wellbutrin. My sex drive has come back. I'm back to the size I was before children. I have more energy and actually look forward to working out everyday. I don't want to sleep all day like I used to anymore. Since taking Wellbutrin I feel 100% better
lucio521
1 Oct 2017
hello, how long have you been on Wellbutrin? I've used it before and thinking to try it again as i have fixed another sleeping problem that seems to affect its efficacy when i was on it. I did notice the positive effects you mentioned when i was on it but they didn't last for long.
KeithB72
12 Sep 2017
I've been off and on many anti depressants through the years (I'm 45), and some of them worked a little bit, some of them worked for a short amount of time, some didn't do anything. Basically, I never found anything that really helped me until I started Wellbutrin. After doing some research, I told my doc that maybe the serotonin is not the problem, maybe it's just the dopamine. At any rate, I want to get out of bed in the morning, whereas before I just wanted to lay there forever and never got up except because I felt I had to. I have energy throughout the day. I have motivation, it helps me to lose weight because I actually exercise and can control my eating. Sex drive is "normal," I would say. On other medications it would be lowered. It helped me quit smoking.
Basically, while I obviously still have my problems, just like any other person, Wellbutrin is almost a "miracle" drug for me, where nothing else ever really worked. My only bad side effect is it affected my sleep. I've always been a bit of an insomniac, and the Wellbutrin didn't help. But, that eventually stabilizes, and all the positives that came from it made it well worth the one bad side effect.
bp2huskie
12 Aug 2017
For anyone still looking:
I used to take Wellbutrin and Olanzapine at the same time. 300 mg of Wellbutrin and then 5mg Olanzapine (Zyprexa). I started those in November. Between November and April I went from 118 pounds to 136 pounds, due to a constant state of hunger that caused me to binge eat a ton. The weight gain began to make me very sad again and my confidence dropped drastically. I looked up that Olanzapine is a pretty intense drug and can cause huge amounts of weight gain. Since I stopped taking the Olanzapine at the end of April, I have gone from 136 pounds back down to 120 pounds. I have NOT been on a regular workout routine (I live a fairly active lifestyle, but no specific workouts), and I have not dieted or cut any foods out of my diet. It was literally like the weight FELL off.
I'm not sure if the weight came off so fast simply because I was no longer on Zyprexa, or if the Wellbutrin being on its own was the full cause. But a 16 pounds weight loss in about 3.5 months seems pretty crazy to me!
I used to take both Zoloft and Lexapro at different times in the past. I also had a weight gain with Lexapro back in the day, and when I went off of it, I was able to lose weight. Those two drugs also caused me to have a severe dislike for sex. I had no interest in it whatsoever. But I wanted to want to have sex, you know? I felt really frustrated that my libido was always gone. With Wellbutrin now (I am starting upping it to 450mg today!) I have been having sex almost daily for months and I feel comfortable and turned on! Shout-out to Wellbutrin for doing such wonders in this area.
I think everyone has their own experience with the drug! So it works for me but it may not work for you! I wish you luck whether you are battling mental illness or working towards weight loss. I would recommend trying the drug, as I truly have seen no negative side effects in the 9 months I have taken it.
Related topics
wellbutrin, depression, weight loss (obesity/overweight), bupropion, sex drive
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