Wellbutrin and Hair Loss

Are you wondering how Wellbutrin and hair loss are related? First, let's find out about Wellbutrin.

 

Disclaimer:   This article is not be taken as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor.

 

Did you happen to come across this branded medicine called Wellbutrin?  Perhaps somebody you know might be using this product as it is one of the most-prescribed medicines in the US market having 20.184 million retail prescriptions.  Let me give you an insight on this product and how it hair loss and Wellbutrin may go hand in hand.

 

Origin

Wellbutrin is a branded medicine for the generic drug “bupropion” which was invented by Nariman Mehta in 1969.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its release as an anti-depressant on Dec. 30, 1985 and are marketed by GlaxoSmithKline (formerly BurroughsWellcome).  In 1996, FDA approved the formulation called Wellbutrin SR (sustained-release) and in 2003, Wellbutrin XL (extended-release).  The only difference between the two formulas is on the intended dosage.

 

Medicinal Use

Wellbutrin is intended to cure depression which can be caused by our brain chemicals called neurotransmitter. What Wellbutrin do is, it helps balance the levels of our two neurotransmitters called dopamine and norepinephrine.  It is also being used to promote smoking cessation by minimizing our cravings and negative withdrawal symptoms.  Continuous studies were also being conducted as to its other uses and to lessen the side effects such as those dealing with Wellbutrin and hair loss.

 

Contraindications

The effect of Wellbutrin to our health depends on our body’s tolerance to this kind of psychiatric drug.  There are some forums in the net which states the positive effects of the said medicine in helping them reduce their cigarette smoking. While some claimed that it does not help them at all and whined about the side effects they have experienced.  And of course, there's the issue of Wellbutrin and hair loss.

 

The drug is not recommended for people if:

• They have an epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• They have an eating disorder like anorexia and bulimia
• They are currently using a second form of bupropion
• They just recently stopped from alcohol intake or sedatives like Valium

 

A dose adjustment or a special test is needed for people with:

• Heart disease, high blood pressure
• Head injury, seizures, brain or spinal cord tumor
• Kidney or liver disease
• Bipolar disorder or manic depression

 

Side-Effects

The most common side-effects of the use of Wellbutrin are seizure, skin rashes, acnes, dry mouth, nausea, insomnia, tremor, excessive sweating, tinnitus, feeling of soreness/fatigue, stomach problems and change in appetite and let's not forget the issue of Wellbutrin and hair loss.

 

People who are taking this drug are also encouraged to minimize their alcohol intake because it would stimulate seizure. FDA also requires all pharmaceutical companies offering anti-depressant drugs like Wellbutrin, to display a black box warning to its package stating that it may increase suicidal tendencies for persons younger than 25.

 

The Most Upsetting Effect

What concerns us all, aside from those aforesaid effects, is the most obvious one, hair loss.  Studies show that 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people had experienced hair loss from Wellbutrin.  There are around 2,560,000 forums/posts about Wellbutrin and other brands of bupropion which had been attributed for the hair loss of its consumers.

 

Apparently, hair loss is alarming and embarrassing to most people.  It tends to decrease our self-confidence and discourages us from social interactions.  One way to remedy or avoid the situation is to ask your doctor to adjust the Wellbutrin dosage or better yet, prescribe another brand of medicine to treat your condition.  There are many good medicines these days with no side effects.  So don’t you worry, you do not have to put up with Wellbutrin and hair loss because there is always an option.

 

Disclaimer:   This article is not be taken as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor.