Does wellbutrin work as well for depression, compared to paxil, zofloft, dexopin.?
Question:
Answers:
It depends on the individual, as we all respond differently to different medications. I can tell you that chemically wellbutrin is designed differently than paxil, zoloft, or prozac. It is actually in it's own class and has some stimulating properties, however, for me this caused increased anxiety.
It is best to be open in working with your doctor until the both of you have found the proper medication, it can be a lengthy process, especially since antidepressants take a few weeks to become fully benifical. But I can tell you from personal experience that it is worth the wait.
Everyone has different responses to different depression medication. Some of them work well for some people and some of them don't work at all, but which ones do and which ones don't vary from person to person. I've heard both good and bad experiences from people on all of those different drugs, so it just depends on what your body will respond to best. Often, anti-depressants take a lot of trial and error before you find the one that works for you.
The SSRIs, Paxil, Zoloft ,for instance, can cause sexual side effects, weight gain, and sometimes headaches. Some people do not get these side effects, and for them, the drugs are effective.
Caution is that if there is hidden bipolarity, these medications can trigger mania, sometimes experienced as insomnia and agitation.
Doxepin is a tricyclic (older) antidepressant that used to be cheaper because it is generic However, all of the ones you mentioned are now generic so that isn't such an issue,
Tricyclics can cause more sedation and sometimes heart arrhythmias, so they aren't as popular now. But they still work well for some people.
Wellbutrin is more effective for people who have a lethargic depression, but Snazz is correct, in that it can cause agitation and irritability in some people.
It is the least likely to trigger mania in an undiagnosed bipolar disorder, however.
Bottom line: all antidepressants have pretty much the same therapeutic value, the one that will work the best is the one with the most favorable side effect profile, and that is the trick, to find the one that has the least side effects.
Hope this helps,
Karen
More Questions & Answers...