Posted by psychobot5000 on May 29, 2012, at 1:31:00
In reply to Adderall vs Wellbutrin, posted by Sheilac on May 26, 2012, at 17:41:05
> I can feel when Adderall wears off so I know it doesn't stay in my body long. But how long does Wellbutrin stay in the body? Is it similar to Adderall?
>
> I was wondering if they are pretty much interchangeable for ADD and depression?
>
>For whatever reason, the two drugs function differently, even though they look sort of similar when you check what sort of neurotransmitters they affect. Amphetamines are psychostimulants--which provide immediate positive effect for mood and concentration, but don't have lasting effects. Wellbutrin is more of an antidepressant. Its immediate effects aren't as remarkable, but down the line it can provide more mood benefit. It's not immediate, though. It takes at least a few days.
Or, shorter: adderall will provide more ADD benefit, but wellbutrin may provide more mood/depression benefit. However, both affect both categories. And adderall's mood benefits are immediate, whereas wellbutrin's take a while, but may well be stronger.
For what it's worth, adderall almost certainly stays in your body after the effect 'wears off.' The wearing off has as much to do with your body adjusting as anything else. Amphetamine's half-life is about 11 hours, usually.
That said, wellbutrin has a shorter blood half-life, if I remember right. So its positive effect on concentration may last less long.
You might consider (possibly small) doses of desipramine or protriptyline. They can also help with depression and ADHD, and they both last longer than wellbutrin.
poster:psychobot5000
thread:1018729
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120522/msgs/1018814.html