Wellbutrin and lithium?!
Question: Wellbutrin and lithium.?
hi, i've been on nortriptyline and lithium for a while now, i recently switched the nortriptyline to wellbutrin, i'm more of an anxious person than depressed, but i know my anxiety may be linked to my depression, because i am bi-polar. what i was wondering since i didn't have that much anxiety while i was on the nortriptyline, does that mean it shouldn't get worse on the wellbutrin.? i'm still on the lithium however. please helpHealth Question & Answer
Answers:
Wellbutrin is often used with lithium, and is quite safe, but in rare cases, causes anxiety, so you should do this only under a doctor's strict supervision, and be conservative about the dose.
For someone who truly has bipolar disorder, lithium has the largest body of evidence in treatment and maintenance. In fact, it has a class I recommendation for both treatment of acute manic episodes, and maintenance in bipolar disorder, in the APA Practice Guidelines. However, those recommendations only specify monotherapy under most circumstances.
The addition of an antidepressant such as Wellbutrin to treat depression in patients with bipolar disorder is not as strongly supported by evidence. It is a fairly standard clinical practice, but is probably used more frequently than justified, since there is also believed to be a risk of triggering manic episodes by antidepressant use.
On the other hand, there is anecdotal evidence that Wellbutrin may be somewhat less likely to trigger anxiety. The lithium should not interact with the wellbutrin.
With any medication, caution is advised when mixing. Talk to your doctor.
Best wishes.
Health Question & Answer
For someone who truly has bipolar disorder, lithium has the largest body of evidence in treatment and maintenance. In fact, it has a class I recommendation for both treatment of acute manic episodes, and maintenance in bipolar disorder, in the APA Practice Guidelines. However, those recommendations only specify monotherapy under most circumstances.
The addition of an antidepressant such as Wellbutrin to treat depression in patients with bipolar disorder is not as strongly supported by evidence. It is a fairly standard clinical practice, but is probably used more frequently than justified, since there is also believed to be a risk of triggering manic episodes by antidepressant use.
On the other hand, there is anecdotal evidence that Wellbutrin may be somewhat less likely to trigger anxiety. The lithium should not interact with the wellbutrin.
With any medication, caution is advised when mixing. Talk to your doctor.
Best wishes.
Health Question & Answer