Antidepressants..citalopram VS wellbutrin?

Question

My doctor put me on citalopram 2 days ago for my depression and I have been doing a little research...I read that wellbutrin actually helps to lose weight and citalopram is known to either make you gain or make it very difficult to lose. I know the all medicine affects everybody differently but I just want some inside opinion. Im concerned about gaining weight because I just had a baby about a month ago so Im trying to lose a little. Thanks to any tips/opinions!

Answer 1

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I have to disagree with the previous poster about Wellbutrin being an amphetamine-like drug. It is a dopamine modulator, and as such, diminishes craving (as well as treating depression, its principal role). This same drug is sold under the name Zyban to help quit smoking for this reason. My wife took it and stopped craving chocolate. Upregulating dopamine combats both depression and craving. It is not used as a weight loss drug.

Citalopram is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. The two drugs work well together against depression.

Substantial weight gain does happen at times with citalopram - like five or ten pounds in three months or less, but this is a minority of cases, and needn't be allowed to progress past two or three pounds if it is as important an issue as treating the depression. If this is an issue, consider switching citalopram (Celexa) to fluoxetine (Prozac), another SSRI antidepressant that has a minor weight loss effect, the opposite of citalopram's.

More commonly, depressed patients are eating too little (or too much) as a symptom of depression. Any antidepressant that can ameliorate such a situation would be expected to cause the lost weight to be regained (or the weight gained due to depression to come off). This is not a side effect of the drug.

Are you nursing? Dopamine and lactation are tightly correlated. Perhaps you should not be on either medication if you are nursing, but I'm not an obstetrician or a pediatrician, and I'm not as qualified to speak to that as your own doctor, so ignore me on that point if he or she had advised otherwise. Not succumbing to post-partum depression is pretty important, too. Perhaps these drugs have been determined to be appropriate here. I am an internist, familiar with depression and the drugs used, but not their effects on a nursing infant. I don't know nuthin' about birthin' no babies. I'm just speaking to the effect of the drugs on mom.

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Thank you so much! You were very helpful!!!

Answer 2

Well, stay on it for a bit (few weeks) and see if you gain. You probably shouldn't nurse if you're on it - I believe it is excreted in breast milk.

Wellbutrin is an amphetamine like drug and is anorexic(decreases appetite). Perhaps you would do as well on that if you gain weight on citalopram. Also ask about Provigil, which is a mood enhancer/stimulant without a lot of other side effects.

DK

Answer 3

I would stay with Citalopram.

See how you do after 2 months, and if you start gaining weight, then go off of it.

Answer 4

I have been on both medications, and have even taken both at the same time. Yes, Wellbutrin can cause weight loss in some people. I have never heard of citalopram causing either weight loss or gain. Neither caused any weight changes for me. So I wouldn't worry about it. Hope this helps!