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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can I Take Wellbutrin Instead Of Cymbalta For PTSD And Anxiety?

I have PTSD and cronic pain along with anxiety and panic. I ws on Cymbalta for 6yrs and have been on Tramdol for chronic back pain along with Prazosin for nitemares. I am not gong to be able to stay on the Cymbalta cause the state doesn t cover it so my primary care doctor wants to put me on Effexor for the pain and depression to replace the Cymbalta.My pysiciatrist wnts to trry different antidepresssent so tomorrow I will tell hi about what my pm dr recommends.Do you think Wellbutrin will be a better fit? I have been diagnoised with PTSD since 2010 along with chronic depression and anxiety disorder.My pain is from a tailbone break in 2003 along with nerve damage..and have been seeing a pain mngt dr since.
posted on Sun, 19 Oct 2014
Twitter Fri, 28 Nov 2014 Answered on
Twitter Fri, 28 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello thanks for asking from HCM

Wellbutrin is Bupropion and Cymbalta is Duloxetine. Duloxetine is a SNRI drug and has good antidepressant and anti anxiety action. You have been taking cymbalta since last 6 years along with Tremadol for back pain and depression. Cymbalta also help in improvement of pain symptoms so is a good drug. As symptoms are persisting your doctor want you to change to Venlafaxine. Venlafaxine is also a SSRI drug and have good efficacy. You are a known case of Depression, anxiety and PTSD. Venlafaxine has good effectiveness in depression. As per my opinion venlafaxine can prove a good alternative to your depressive symptoms. In various studies it has been found to be more efficacious than bupropion. Bupropion can be added as augmentation agent for depression but as mono therapy it is used in mild anxieties only. You can consult with your psychiatrist for augmentation of wellbutrin but venlafaxine should be more useful in your case. Other drugs like SSRIs can also be added to your prescription. You can discuss for these medicines and prescription.

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Can I Take Wellbutrin Instead Of Cymbalta For PTSD And Anxiety?

Hello thanks for asking from HCM Wellbutrin is Bupropion and Cymbalta is Duloxetine. Duloxetine is a SNRI drug and has good antidepressant and anti anxiety action. You have been taking cymbalta since last 6 years along with Tremadol for back pain and depression. Cymbalta also help in improvement of pain symptoms so is a good drug. As symptoms are persisting your doctor want you to change to Venlafaxine. Venlafaxine is also a SSRI drug and have good efficacy. You are a known case of Depression, anxiety and PTSD. Venlafaxine has good effectiveness in depression. As per my opinion venlafaxine can prove a good alternative to your depressive symptoms. In various studies it has been found to be more efficacious than bupropion. Bupropion can be added as augmentation agent for depression but as mono therapy it is used in mild anxieties only. You can consult with your psychiatrist for augmentation of wellbutrin but venlafaxine should be more useful in your case. Other drugs like SSRIs can also be added to your prescription. You can discuss for these medicines and prescription. Thanks, hope this helps you.