Lapband and Welbutrin for Anxiety?

March 10, 2008

I am currently on Welburtrin for anxiety and have been for severeal years. The bottle says depression, but I have only been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, not depression. Is this something that may bar me from getting approved for sugery?

AlysonRR · March 10, 2008

Obesity and depression and/or anxiety can go together so I imagine it's not unusual for a bariatric doctor to discover their patient is on an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med.

I had been on Wellbutrin for several years before going through with surgery, and my doctor didn't say anything about it. I still take it, though when I'm tight I have to take the 100mg tabs several times a day (instead of the extended or slow release tabs once a day), and split them or crush them.

I don't see why it would affect your approval. Good luck!

March 10, 2008

So good to hear that, thanks! Nice stats, congrats!

ronwifey · March 10, 2008

I am currently on Welburtrin for anxiety and have been for severeal years. The bottle says depression, but I have only been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, not depression. Is this something that may bar me from getting approved for sugery?

I'm on the highest dose of prozac and suffer from depression and anxiety and it was not an issue at all.

jena · March 10, 2008

I am on Wellbutrin as well. Alyson, please ask your doctor about crushing the sustained release tablets! Crushing them negates the sustained release effect. Ask your doc to prescribe the smallest pills.

I'm not banded yet and I'm worried about taking the large pills and I have another pill I take that is quite large!

Sparkette · March 10, 2008

Jena, I believe she is only crushing the 100mg, and not the SR or XL. At least that is what I understood her to say....

I take the Wellbutrin SR, and have taken it for almost 10 years now. I LOVE it, and find that when I'm off of it, I have less energy, and am MUCH hungrier. I tend to gain weight if I go off it.

I'm glad to find out about the smaller (crushable) version of Wellbutrin. I have never been too tight to swallow one, yet. But I was wondering what I would do if I got to that point! So, that's GOOD info to know!!

Also, this is strange to me, but I can't take the XL which is a smaller pill. I get really bad headaches on it!?? You would think it wouldn't be any different than the SR, but it is for me apparently.

XL or SR should never be crushed due to the fact that it would release ALL the meds into your system at once, instead of gradually. This could be dangerous!

Donna

juliegeraci · March 10, 2008

you should be fine. I was on several anti depressives before I was banded.

AlysonRR · March 10, 2008

Jena, I believe she is only crushing the 100mg, and not the SR or XL. At least that is what I understood her to say....
I'm glad to find out about the smaller (crushable) version of Wellbutrin. I have never been too tight to swallow one, yet. But I was wondering what I would do if I got to that point! So, that's GOOD info to know!!

Also, this is strange to me, but I can't take the XL which is a smaller pill. I get really bad headaches on it!?? You would think it wouldn't be any different than the SR, but it is for me apparently.

XL or SR should never be crushed due to the fact that it would release ALL the meds into your system at once, instead of gradually. This could be dangerous!

Donna

Yes - that's what I do now - split or crush the 100mg tabs when I have to. I did take one XL pill since being banded, but I got a fill the next day and was worried about the size, so since then I've stuck to the 100mg ones.

Interesting that you can't take the XL, Donna, because I found that the SR didn't work for me. Funny things, those brains ;-)

jnbwilds · March 10, 2008

Actually, it will probably be to your advantage that you are being treated. Part of the purpose of the psych eval is to make sure that you do not have any undiagnosed or untreated pyschological problems. I've been on Prozac for years and see my counselor every once in a while and it was no problem at all.

I can totally see how someone with untreated depression or anxiety could get worse after the band - or could continue to self medicate through food and sabatoge their band.