AboutDr Alan Galbraith Expertise I can answer most questions on drugs, both medical and "recreational". Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease.
Organizations Institute of Biology, London.
Publications Principal author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" 4th Edition published in November 2003 by Pearson Education, Australia.
Expert: Dr Alan Galbraith Date: 5/8/2008 Subject: adding wellbutrin to prozac
Question QUESTION: I've been taking Prozac for about 10yrs but it has stopped working for me. I've tried other AD but none lifted my depression. I've read a lot about Wellbutrin and Prozac and wondered if in your opinion it is a good combo. I do find that Prozac causes akathisia sometimes, will Wellbutrin make that worse?
Thanks, Karen
ANSWER: Dear Karen
There are good grounds for combining Wellbutrin with Prozac and I do not think that your occasional akathisia will increase as Wellbutrin does not normally induce this disorder. It can cause tremors though and whether this would exaggerate the akathisia I do not know but think it unlikely. It is worth a try.
Have you considered or had the older type of antidepressants such as amitriptyline? I believe there is a case for these drugs being used much more than they are.
Regards
Dr Alan Galbraith
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for responding so quickly. Did you mean use the amitriptyline with the Prozac or alone? Actually it has been suggested that I might try Imipramine, does that work the same as Amitriptyline?
Thanks again,
Karen
Answer Dear Karen
Yes, alone. I am not aware of the older tricyclics (amitriptyline, imipramine etc) being used with the newer SSRIs (Prozac etc). Imipramine is very similar to amitriptyline but is not sedating. Amitriptyline because of its sedative properties is useful when sleep onset is compromised by the depression.
