Anyone on Bupropion (Zyban) for depression?

[Tease-ah]

Hello, Since October 2017 I am suffering from depression. I am already on Mirtazapine for my sleep disorder but they do not seem to help for depression. Had 5 different meds prescribed but as we all know SSRI's make RLS worse and those were the ones i got prescribed of course.

So in March this year i started doing some research and i found out that Bupropion (Zyban) is a known anti depressant that would not affect RLS, in fact it could potentially even correct the dopaminergic dysfunction in RLS. My GP would not prescribe it as in UK is off licence for depression, she put me on waiting list to see psychiatrist. 3 weeks ago i finally managed to see a psychiatrist. She did not want to take the responsibility of prescribing Bupropion (Zyban) as it is not licenced for depression. Anyone lucky enough to get it prescribed, any advice on how to get it prescribed here in UK?

[Hidden]

Isn't that the same as Wellbutrin? I am on that for depression. I live in Norway.

[Tease-ah in reply to Hidden]

Yes it is Jess, here in UK it is not licenced for depression so it is hard to find a doctor who wants to prescribe it

[Hidden in reply to Tease-ah]

Really! Wow! That's so weird...

I learn something new every day!

Hope you're doing okay.

[Pippins2 in reply to Hidden]

Wellbutrin never made it through the trial period in the UK due to an increase in convulsions so it was pulled before it was ever legalised. It is available as Zyban just for a few weeks to help smokers quit but after one try of a few weeks you can't go on it again x

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

Interesting!

Thanks for the explanation.

[EveW]

Hi, a couple of years ago I did the same research, to get way from an SSRI, and my gp also wouldn't prescribe the Bupropion - it is only used in the UK for smoking cessation. What I did was find a psychiatrist who gave me a Skype consult and who said he would prescribe it to me. In the end I decided not to change but there obviously are some docs in the UK who WILL prescribe it for depression; it is probably a matter of getting lucky ! If you are interested I will see if I still have the contact details.

[Tease-ah in reply to EveW]

Yes please I would very much appreciate that EveW, thanks so much.

[EveW in reply to Tease-ah]

I will get back to you in the next day or so.

[Tease-ah in reply to EveW]

Thank you so much EveW <3

[EveW in reply to Tease-ah]

Hi, the organisation is called psychiatry-uk. psychiatry-uk.com; [e-mail].

([phone]

The doc is called Dr Muffazal Rawala, MBBS, MRCPsych, MSc, Cert Psychopharma, GMC 6098898, Consultant psychiatrist.

An hour consult was arranged and following that a letter was sent to my GP plus a copy to me. One of the recommendations made was "consider a trial of Buproprion". The consultation was expensive, I think pretty close to £400. I cant 100% remember that he would definitely have prescribed the Bup as it was 2 years ago, but I am pretty sure he said he would.

I hope this helps. Eve

[Tease-ah in reply to EveW]

Thank you so much Eve, very much appreciated. Ii's a bit pricey but I am very desperate so worth the money if it will help me to get my life back. Tessa.

[Hidden]

I was prescribed it back in 2014 after having lots of bad reactions to a whole load of different antidepressants and me begging them to let me try it as frequently used in America but not in uk. It was the best one. But they were constantly trying to get me off it. I think they can prescribe anything they want. But if something goes wrong, they will have to explain why they prescribed it. Anyway after using zyban (can’t recall for how many months, in 2014). I have only just re-started taking antidepressants. Some 5 years later. Having same issue with gp prescribeing diffident pills and none of them being right. Asked if I could go back on zyban, but new gp won’t do it