wellbutrin (bupropion) potential problems

[zawy]

I got interested in Wellbutrin because it increases dopamine and norepinephrine. It's used a fair amount in PD for psychiatric problems (depression, panic attack obsessiveness, and lack of desire), but there are an uncomfortable number reports of it causing parkinson's symptoms. I think this is likely the result of increasing norepinephrine even though PD typically decreases it. One paper think could increase risk of PD (which could also mean "make it worse").

Maybe it only temporarily increases symptoms without making the underlying condition worse. Side effects can be are jitteriness, agitation, nervousness, anxiety, and sleeplessness, so it's not a big surprise it has been the cause of some parkinsonisms.

downregulates BDNF possibly increasing risk of PD

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/225...

parkinsonism induced by it (no abstract in last 3)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/159... (falling backwards)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/171...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/175...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/199... (symptoms and dystonia)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/827... (catatonia and delirium)

[yellowhumpy]

If you are interested in the science look at research papers in PubMed by Dr. Mark Lyte on microbial endocrinology. He has a lot of research on norepinephrine increasing the growth of pathogenic bacteria. I believe this connects to the work of Dr. Filip Scheperjans on the connection to the gut bacteria and PD.

[etterus]

I tried it several years ago and it made my PD symptoms much worse.