Clinically evaluated by Mary Choy, PharmD Clinically evaluated by Mary Choy, PharmD
Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Prozac (fluoxetine) are both antidepressants, yet they come from various family members of depression-management medicines. Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake prevention (NDRI), while Prozac is referred to as a careful serotonin reuptake prevention (SSRI).
While the precise means they function is not popular, NDRIs and SSRIs are thought to deal with various natural chemicals. Natural chemicals are chemical carriers that bring signals, or messages, from one component of the body to one more. These chemical carriers assist perform various features in the body, such as rest, sensations, stress and anxiety feedbacks, and food digestion, among others.
Wellbutrin protects against the failure of norepinephrine and dopamine, while Prozac protects against the failure of serotonin.
This post will certainly go over the resemblances and distinctions in between Wellbutrin and Prozac, including its usages, efficiency, negative effects, communications, and much more.


Wellbutrin vs. Prozac: Secret Distinctions
The major distinction in between Wellbutrin and Prozac is just how they are believed to function. As pointed out over, Wellbutrin impacts the norepinephrine and dopamine chemicals, while Prozac impacts serotonin.
Wellbutrin is believed to stop natural chemicals, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, from damaging down, which enhances the quantities of norepinephrine and dopamine in the mind. This is believed to assist enhance state of mind.
SSRIs like Prozac, on the various other hand, are believed to function by stopping serotonin from being damaged down, which aids raise serotonin task. Serotonin functions as an all-natural state of mind stabilizer. Failure of serotonin implies you have less serotonin particles in your blood stream at any kind of offered time.
Various other remarkable distinctions in between both are listed here.
Wellbutrin |
Prozac |
|
Energetic Component |
Bupropion |
Fluoxetine |
Medicine Course |
NDRI |
SSRI |
Dose Types |
Dental extended-release (EMERGENCY ROOM) tablet computers |
Dental pill |
Dose Staminas |
100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg |
10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg |
Utilizes |
Significant depressive condition (MDD), seasonal depression (SAD), cigarette smoking cessation |
MDD, obsessive uncontrollable condition (OCD), panic attack, bulimia |
Utilizes
Utilizes |
Wellbutrin |
Prozac |
Binge-purge Syndrome |
X |
|
OCD |
X |
|
MDD |
X |
X |
Panic attack |
X |
|
SAD |
X |
|
Smoking cessation |
X |
Prozac can additionally be utilized in mix with one more medicine, olanzapine (understood by brand Zyprexa), to deal with:
-
Clinical depression related to bipolar 1 disorder
-
Treatment-resistant clinical depression (clinical depression that has actually not reacted to 2 previous antidepressant therapies)
Off-label, Wellbutrin has actually additionally shown useful results forattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Interest shortage problems develop because of dopamine and norepinephrine shortage. Wellbutrin is additionally suggested under the brand Zyban to assist stop cigarette smoking.
Instances of SSRIs
Prozac (fluoxetine) is an SSRI. Various other instances of medicine in this course are:
Which Is A Lot More Reliable?
Few research studies have actually been done to contrast whether Wellbutrin or Prozac is much more reliable at taking care of clinical depression. This is since both drugs deal with various natural chemicals.
One older research from 2001 revealed that both Wellbutrin and Prozac, in addition to a couple of various other SSRIs, had comparable performance. Nonetheless, the major distinction this research located was that Wellbutrin had less negative effects of nausea or vomiting, looseness of the bowels, sexual dysfunction (e.g., reduced libido), and sleepiness.
An additional, older research from 2008 recommended a mild benefit of making use of SSRIs for high-anxiety clinical depression compared to bupropion.
Additionally, one more research carried out in 2016 revealed that bupropion might be much better at stopping clinical depression from persisting.
Adverse Effects: Which is Even more Bearable?
Adverse effects that prevail when taking Wellbutrin consist of:
Adverse effects that prevail when taking Prozac consist of:
-
Anorexia Nervosa
-
Looseness Of The Bowels
-
Sleepiness
-
Dry mouth
-
Acid Indigestion
-
Sleep Problems
-
Queasiness
-
Anxiety
-
Breakout
-
Sex-related disorder
-
Sweating
-
Shake
-
Weak Point
Prozac can additionally trigger serotonin syndrome, which takes place when there is way too much serotonin in the body.
Prozac is most likely to trigger nausea or vomiting, looseness of the bowels, and sex-related disorder than Wellbutrin.
Serious Adverse Effects
Both Wellbutrin and Prozac bring a caution for a feasible enhanced danger of self-destructive reasoning or habits. If you have ideas of self-destruction, quit taking these drugs quickly and inform your doctor.
Various other serious negative effects that overlap with both drugs consist of:
-
Activation of mania
-
Enhanced danger of glaucoma
-
Seizures (at high dosages)
-
Withdrawal signs when quiting them
Bupropion can additionally trigger high blood pressure (hypertension).
Serotonin syndrome is a prospective danger with Prozac. This takes place when there is way too much serotonin in the body and typically arises from taking several serotonin-boosting drugs at once.
Self-destruction Avoidance Hotline
If you or somebody you understand are having self-destructive ideas, dial 988 to call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and get in touch with an experienced therapist.
Usage While Pregnant
It’s not understood whether Wellbutrin or Prozac enhances any kind of pregnancy-related problems or damage to the unborn child, yet that does not suggest no dangers exist. Nonetheless, without treatment clinical depression itself can trigger troubles while pregnant.
The choice to utilize an antidepressant while pregnant is based upon the prospective dangers vs. advantages.
Dose Types
Wellbutrin is offered as a tablet computer. The medicine is available in 2 solutions. One is extended-release (Wellbutrin XL), and the various other is sustained-release (Wellbutrin SR). The continual launch solution is offered in 3 staminas:
The extended-release solution is offered in the adhering to staminas: 150 mg and 300 mg.
Prozac is offered as a pill, in staminas varying in between 20 milligrams a day to 60 milligrams a day. It is suggested to begin on 20 mg a day initially, after that progressively raise the dosage after a number of weeks if no enhancement has actually been observed.
Medicine Communications to Look For
Prozac and Wellbutrin must not be taken with each other. This is since both drugs can boost each various other’s capability to cause a seizure, in addition to reason greater than required degrees of the medicine in your system.
It is not suggested to take anticoagulants (blood slimmers) such as Jantoven (warfarin) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil or Motrin (advil) and Aleve (naproxen salt) when taking Wellbutrin, as these medications taken with each other might raise a threat of blood loss.
You must additionally not take one more course of antidepressants called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) within 2 weeks of taking either Prozac or Wellbutrin.
Your doctor or pharmacologist must learn about the drugs you are presently on make certain any kind of drug-drug communications can be prevented.
Picking In Between Prozac and Wellbutrin
Picking in between Wellbutrin and Prozac relies on a number of elements, one of the most vital being any kind of various other existing side-by-side problems you might have.
As pointed out over, Wellbutrin can additionally assist those with ADHD, as both problems are related to reduced dopamine degrees. It is additionally related to less sex-related negative effects and weight gain.
Prozac is revealed to profit not just clinical depression yet additionally anxiousness and anxiety-associated conditions, likeOCD Nonetheless, Prozac might not be favored in individuals wanting to stay clear of signs related to indigestion and sex-related disorder. It might use up to 2 months for you to really feel the complete results of Prozac, and it can additionally trigger withdrawal signs if you instantly quit taking it.
Recap
Wellbutrin and Prozac are antidepressants utilized to take care of clinical depression. Nonetheless, they vary in just how they function and for which problems they deal with. Along with psychological wellness problems, Wellbutrin can additionally be utilized for ADHD and to assist stop cigarette smoking.
Wellbutrin is believed to act upon dopamine and norepinephrine, whereas Prozac is thought to act upon serotonin. Allow your doctor understand if you experience self-destructive ideas or habits quickly, as this is a side-effect of these drugs. These drugs must not be taken while pregnant.
The writer wants to identify and give thanks to Shreya Kumar and Jonathan Toellner for adding to this post.
Check out the initial post on Verywell Health.