Could weight loss medication like bupropion work for you? See how thousands of members reached their forever weight with Found.
Although bupropion is FDA-approved to treat depression, to prevent depression in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and for tobacco cessation, it is also commonly used by leading specialist obesity clinicians and weight clinics off-label to help aid with weight loss by reducing cravings and compulsive eating.
Bupropion typically comes in a tablet form at dosages starting at 75 mg. Dosing instructions vary according to weight, tolerability and other factors and should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
Bupropion is only FDA-approved to treat depression and tobacco cessation. Prescribing medications are up to a medical provider’s discretion and may not be appropriate for everyone.
Suppress appetite
Stabilize blood sugar levels
Control cravings
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Postmarketing cases of metformin-associated lactic acidosis have resulted in death, hypothermia, hypotension, and resistant bradyarrhythmias. Symptoms included malaise, myalgias, respiratory distress, somnolence, dizziness, changes in heart rate/rhythm, and abdominal pain. Laboratory abnormalities included elevated blood lactate levels, anion gap acidosis, increased lactate/pyruvate ratio; and metformin plasma levels generally >5 mcg/mL. In more than 20,000 patient-years exposure to metformin in clinical trials, there were no reports of lactic acidosis. Reported cases have occurred primarily in diabetic patients with significant renal insufficiency, including both intrinsic renal disease and renal hypoperfusion, often in the setting of multiple concomitant medical/surgical problems and multiple concomitant medications.
Risk factors include renal impairment, concomitant use of certain drugs, age ≥65 years old, radiological studies with contrast, surgery and other procedures, hypoxic states, excessive alcohol intake, and hepatic impairment. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment in the hospital.
Before using metformin, tell your healthcare provider about your medical history, especially if you have:
Talk to your healthcare provider if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid alcohol while taking this medication. Talk to your healthcare provider about discontinuing metformin prior to a surgical procedure or an iodinated contrast imaging procedure. Stop metformin and notify your healthcare provider immediately if you have an illness with severe diarrhea and/or vomiting resulting in dehydration.
Many people experience no side effects while taking metformin. The most common side effects of metformin include:
These symptoms may subside after the body adjusts to the medication. Taking your medicine with the evening meal can help reduce these side effects.
Additional but rare side effects include:
As with other medications, metformin can interact with alcohol and certain medications, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, corticosteroids, hormone replacement therapy and estrogens, oral contraceptives, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, nifedipine, thiazides or furosemide and other diuretics, phenothiazines, phenytoin, nicotinic acid (niacin), multidrug and toxin extrusion inhibitors, sympathomimetics, calcium channel blockers, isoniazid (antibiotic for tuberculosis), insulin and glyburide or other medications for diabetes, and medications for thyroid disease.
Please consult the pharmaceutical packaging for a full list of side effects, warnings, interactions and additional information.
To report suspected adverse reactions to metformin contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Bupropion may cause psychiatric disorders, including suicidal thinking and behavior, hallucinations, confusion, paranoia, irrational fears and manic episodes (for people with undiagnosed bipolar disorder). The medicine could also cause high blood pressure, fast irregular heart beats, seizures, acute angle-closure glaucoma, and death. You should not stop taking bupropion abruptly or without consulting your healthcare provider.
Tell your healthcare provider about your medical history, especially if you have any of the following conditions in which case you should NOT take bupropion:
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy or impair your judgment. Please do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or perform any hazardous task until the effects of bupropion are known to you. For anyone taking diabetes medications, please have a discussion with your prescribing clinician prior to taking bupropion as your diabetes medications may need to be adjusted as you lose weight. You should wear medical identification stating that you are taking this drug so that appropriate treatment can be given in a medical emergency.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience anxiety, dry mouth, irregular heartbeats, irritability or other mental depression or other mood or mental changes or suicidal thoughts, restlessness, shaking, trouble sleeping, buzzing or ringing in ears, skin hives, rashes or itching, confusion, fainting, hyperventilation, hallucinations, seizures, trouble concentrating, lightheadedness, chest discomfort, sweating, headaches, impulsivity or unusual tiredness.
DO NOT take bupropion if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Many people experience no side effects while taking bupropion. Some of the most common side effects (but not extremely frequent) are:
Additional side effects include:
These symptoms may subside after the body adjusts to the medication.
As with other medications, bupropion can interact with alcohol and certain prescription and non-prescription medications and herbal products, including monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (like isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine), dopaminergic medications (drugs that increase dopamine levels in your system like levodopa and amantadine), drugs that affect the central nervous system (CNS) like antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, medicine for depression, medicine for anxiety, antipsychotics, theophylline, systemic corticosteroids, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics.
Please consult the pharmaceutical packaging for a full list of side effects, warnings, interactions and additional information.
To report suspected adverse reactions to Bupropion contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
DO NOT take naltrexone if you are taking ANY opioids or opiate drugs or if you are dependent on opioids or using methadone or buprenorphine, or if you are in opioid withdrawal. If you take opioids/opiates right after stopping naltrexone you may be more sensitive to them (and require lower doses) - which poses a risk of overdose. Please talk to your provider before initiating any amount of opioids/opiates after stopping naltrexone. Do not take this medication if you have a sensitivity to it or any of its components.
Before using naltrexone, tell your healthcare provider about your medical history, especially if you have:
This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy or impair your judgment. Please do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or perform any hazardous task until the effects of naltrexone are known to you. For anyone taking diabetes medications, please have a discussion with your prescribing clinician prior to taking naltrexone as your diabetes medications may need to be adjusted as you lose weight. You should wear medical identification stating that you are taking this drug so that appropriate treatment can be given in a medical emergency.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience severe stomach or abdominal pain changes in vision, eye pain, burning or swollen eyes, chest pain, confusion, discomfort while urinating or frequent urination, fever, hallucinations or seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, itching, mental depression or other mood or mental changes or suicidality, ringing or buzzing in the ears, shortness of breath, swelling of the face, feet, or lower legs or weight gain.
DO NOT take naltrexone if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Many people experience no side effects while taking naltrexone. Some of the most common side effects (but not extremely frequent) are:
Additional side effects include:
These symptoms may subside after the body adjusts to the medication.
As with other medications, naltrexone can interact with certain prescription and non-prescription medications and herbal products, including dextromethorphan, diarrhea medication, disulfiram, opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine) and thioridazine.
Please consult the pharmaceutical packaging for a full list of side effects, warnings, interactions and additional information.
To report suspected adverse reactions to naltrexone contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Before using topiramate, tell your healthcare provider about your medical history, especially if you have:
Topiramate may cause some people to sweat less. It is recommended to avoid alcohol and stay well hydrated while taking this medication.This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy or impair your judgment. Please do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or perform any hazardous task until the effects of topiramate are known to you. For anyone taking diabetes medications, please have a discussion with your prescribing clinician prior to taking topiramate as your diabetes medications may need to be adjusted as you lose weight.
Topiramate may also cause birth defects (particularly there is a risk of cleft lip and/or palate and low birth weight). Topiramate may cause breakthrough bleeding. DO NOT take topiramate if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Many people experience no side effects while taking topiramate. Some of the most common side effects (but not extremely frequent) are:
Additional side effects include:
These symptoms may subside after the body adjusts to the medication.
As with other medications, topiramate can interact with alcohol, marijuana and certain medications, including antiepileptic drugs, CNS depressants, oral contraceptives, lithium, other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, hydrochlorothiazide, pioglitazone and amitriptyline. Please consult the pharmaceutical packaging for a full list of side effects, warnings, interactions and additional information.
To report suspected adverse reactions to topiramate contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
DO NOT take zonisamide if you have an allergy to sulfa drugs. A potentially fatal reaction can occur including a life threatening skin rash or a blood cell condition.
Before using zonisamide, tell your healthcare provider about your medical history, especially if you have:
Talk to your healthcare provider if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid alcohol and stay well hydrated while taking this medication. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery or perform any hazardous task until the effects of this medication are known to you. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience eye pain, changes in vision, eye swelling or redness, yellowing of the eyes, confusion, difficulty concentrating, suicidal thoughts, memory problems, trouble thinking clearly, agitation, irritability, speech problems, decreased sweating, sudden flank pain, painful urination, dark urine, increased fatigue, skin rash, faintness, easy bruising, irregular or fast heartbeat, bone pain, rapid breathing, dizziness, or stomach pain that is severe or that lasts more than a few days.
Many people experience no side effects while taking zonisamide. The most common side effects of zonisamide include:
Other possible side effects include:
These symptoms may subside after your body adjusts to the medication.
As with other medications, zonisamide can interact with certain medications, including carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (such as acetazolamide), orlistat (if using zonisamide for a seizure disorder), phenobarbital, primidone, rifamycins, glucocorticoids, and St. John's wort.
Please consult the pharmaceutical packaging for a full list of side effects, warnings, interactions and additional information. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your healthcare provider because some conditions may become worse when the drug is suddenly stopped.
To report suspected adverse reactions to zonisamide contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.