Started Bupropion and have pain. Help!! - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-04-2009, 04:32 AM

I started take Bupropian to help me quit smoking. I don't know if it a coincidence or not but it seems like I've been in a flare since I started taking it. I did have an UTI prior to starting but that was like a week before I started. There were a few days of no pain. My IC is usually symptomatic and does not flare unless there is a reason. I have been on it for two weeks now and it is a pelvic floor flare. Sex has nothing to do with it and due to illness (the flu) have not been running lately. Just can't help but thing its the bupropian.

Has anyone else ever had pain DUE to this medication? Is that even possible. I read on here it is actually prescribed to IC patients all the time.

Thanks in advance.

tigger_gal · 10-04-2009, 04:48 AM

I would pull out the sheet and look at the you should not take if section.
Many medications say do not take if> bla bla bla. even one of the ingredients could cause the flare especially if there is a dye in it.

I hope this passes soon. you also might want to look it up online, perhaps webmd.

**kadi** · 10-04-2009, 05:36 AM

My IC began the day after the one dose I took of Wellbutrin. I believe that it was the combination of stopping my birth control pill, Ditropan, and Lexapro several months earlier that made me vulnerable and the Wellbutrin was the straw that broke the camel's back of my delicate bladder. There was a single mention at that time (2003) under rare side effects that Wellbutrin was linked to cystitis. I don't know any more about this than what I just wrote. I was so horrified by the sudden onset of bladder pain after taking just one dose, I refused to take it again & threw it away.

So, yes, it very well could be that bupriopion could be causing your flare.

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-04-2009, 07:36 AM

Thanks for your responses, I may not be crazy after all. I am worried to think I have to stop taking this stuff. It makes a difference with the smoking already and I have cut down dramatically and have not even reached my drop dead date which is Tuesday. It is giving me peace about not smoking. I've also noticed my appetitie or cravings have decreased and I can stand to loose some wieght (did not even know why I did not want food until yesterday after some research about the drug). The pain is bearable for now.

Friday night I did one of the AZO test strips and it came up positive for WBC and negative for nitrite. That tells me nothing. I guess in a normal person that might mean an infection. I've gone to the doctors many times in the past and they tell me from their strips I have a UTI and the bacteria dish test comes back clean two days later. Does anyone know anything about that? Any input would be great.

I started Levaquin that I had at home until Monday when I can get to a doctor but I doubt seriously I have an infection. Usually I'm on the floor crying and peeing blood with one of those. This pain is moderate most of the time and extremely annoying.

Please let me know about the test stips if anyone has had experience with reading them for themselves and I'd love to hear more experiences about Wellbutrin. Thanks again.

glassd18 · 10-05-2009, 08:39 AM

I believe like Kadi that my trying to stop my stomach med, and start hormones along with Lexapro started my non stop IC flare so it very well could be flaring you. I can't do valium for whatever reason, but I'm fine with Ativan. I get flares, but when it's a medication I get FLARES!!!! I just take .5mg to 1mg (I cut the 1mg tab in half) before bed to relax my pelvic muscles and bladder so that I can sleep.

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-05-2009, 10:21 AM

Thanks glassd18. I can't believe Valium gives you flares!! I guess everybody reacts different. I take xanax and that seems to help for moderate pain. I guess just knocks me out when I have sever pain and I up the dose. That works!!

I went to the dr. today. no infection last time and none today. Just blood. I'm still in pain. The doctor gave me flexeril. I'll try that in a little while. I'm going to keep taking the Wellbutrin and see how it goes.

Thanks for the help.

glassd18 · 10-05-2009, 10:49 AM

SSRI's have been a problem for me. Cymbalta flared me, Lexapro flared me. I think Elavil flared me too, but I can't remember. I couldn't take Wellbutrin as it made me feel really strange. I usually test negative for everything when they test my urine. No infection, blood etc... At home on occassion I'll use the UTI test strips you can get from a pharmacy, and I have leukocytes, but that is probably from inflammation. This disease is a real mystery!!!

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-05-2009, 01:54 PM

I have been dealing with IC since 2000. It has not been as bad as some people on here but after searching this site, I'm starting to realize how out of touch with things I really am and all that is out there. I never knew these types of drugs can cause a flare.

What did you mean by it made you feel really strange? I have been taking it two weeks now. Tomorrow I quit smoking

I think it might actually help me. I hope. I noticed my appetite has decreased

Just want to know what I am in for.

glassd18 · 10-05-2009, 04:11 PM

Well before my IC really hit hard (I always had a sensitive bladder, but went undiagnosed for years and years) I was on some different antidepressants for anxiety (panic disorder). I was given Wellbutrin alone and it gave me panic attacks. Everyone has different reactions to different antis so if it's helping you that is great, but not if it's flaring you!!! Unfortunately the only way for you to know that is if you stop taking it for a couple of days, but always talk to your md about any changes in meds.

I was on Effexor for quite some time. I did not do too badly on that one, and they added Wellbutrin to that (sometimes they mix them to get the right effect). From what I understand Wellbutrin is sold as Zyban as well which is a stop smoking aid so that's probably why you are doing well!!! Congratulations!!!! I quit smoking 8 years ago last month!! It was one of the hardest things I ever did. I used the patch though. I'm originally from Canada and when I moved to the US I didn't like US cigarettes so that helped too!!! (they have a different taste). PM me if you need support or go to the quit smoking section here on the ICN!!! I never looked back.

There is a lot of info here at the ICN and it can be overwhelming at times, but take each thing one at a time. Too many times I tried to many things at once and got utterly confused so now I stick with what works. If I add something to my diet or am flaring I look at what I did differently. Stress is also a huge factor for me so I usually know now why I'm flaring. At the beginning I didn't know what to do. Now I can sleep most nights with my little bit of Ativan to relax me, and sleep is half the battle which makes me wonder why I added a new puppy to my life a few months ago. Talk about stress!!!! lol

As I mentioned earlier in this thread I tend to flare with SSRI's, but some people do really well. Good luck!!!!

Always talk to your md about any changes in meds though.

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-06-2009, 09:52 AM

Thanks for the response.

When you flared from the SSRI's do you remember if you had a bladder wall flare or was it a pelvic muscle flare? I am still in pain, getting worse. I am not taking any more bupropian just to see if I get better and that is what it is. I have a lot of stress right now but I don't know if I flare from stress or not. I am definately having a pelvic muscle flare. My bladder seems fine. Its mostly my urethra area and its low. You would think the pain would be in my bladder if it was from the medicine. I made an appointment with Dr. Robert Evans in Greensboro, NC for the beginning of November. I heard he was "the" expert in IC. The man to see! Boy do I have a million questions for him. Thank God I am in NC. I know a lot of people have to travel a long time to see him. Its only about two hours from me. I am tired of trying to figure this out myself. My doctor knows just as much as I do and no Urologist in my town will see me.

This is a very mysterious disease.

glassd18 · 10-08-2009, 08:20 AM

I really can't tell the difference if it's pelvic muscle or bladder. I had/have pressure/pain a lot of the time that is relieved by urinating but then comes back quite quickly. This pressure/pain frequency urgency increases when I'm flaring. I also suffer terrible lower back and hip pain on my right side, but MRI's have been inconclusive. I do have a very sensitive urethra as well, and can have terrible burning when I flare or right before I flare. It's usually a sign that I'm about to flare. Good luck at your appointment. Please let us know what you find out!!! Some uros will not touch IC. Thankfully there are quiet a few uros here that will treat IC. I did go to one though who was not knowledgeable at all and I felt very humiliated after leaving his office. I went to him for a second opinion because I feel it's always worth it to get someone elses view. My cystoscopies always come back negative.

glassd18 · 10-08-2009, 08:21 AM

How are u feeling now that you have stopped the Wellbutrin?

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-08-2009, 01:51 PM

Thanks for asking. I'm feeling better already. I definately think the Welbutrin added to the pain. I still have some pain but its tolerable. Its definately pelvic pain. I did some reading up more on the Welbutrin and one of the side effects are muscle pain. I'm thinking it might have aggrivated already hurting muscles (the Pelvic Muscles). Thats my guess. It could all be one gigantic coincidence but I'm not going to take the chance.

As far as smoking goes, I'm going to try the patches alone and see if that works next week. This will be a hard thing to do.

glassd18 · 10-08-2009, 03:25 PM

Good to know you are feeling better. It's awful when we are given meds, and they don't work for us or we can't take them. I've been down that road alot. How can you tell the difference between pelvic and bladder because I'm always having bladder pressure/pain. I've thought that I've got a damaged nerve because of my back pain, but my back pain could also be caused by my bladder!! I did PT for a bit, but it was so far to travel I gave up, and I'm also not good at keeping up the exercises at home. I work full time, and at night I really don't feel like doing much else than regular home stuff.

A word of advice with the patch. Do exactly what it tells you to do. So many people try to go to the next level too soon. I stayed on the last level a little longer because I just wasn't ready, and it worked. The idea is to put less nicotine in your system over time. Also start at a level that you smoke. If you are a heavy smoker start at the highest level, but if you are a moderate smoker you might be able to start at a level lower. Every time you go down a level it is a bit of a shock and you can have withdrawls a bit. Hang in there in those in between levels. Positively reward yourself often if you can. Take time to yourself, get a manicure, whatever you consider a reward, and endorse yourself for small steps!! It's awesome that you are quitting, and it will be good for your health, and bladder too!! You can do it!!

vickyjhnsn70 · 10-09-2009, 03:38 AM

Thanks for the tips on the smoking thing. I am really worried about kicking the habit but I am going to try.

I'll try to tell you the difference between a bladder wall flare and a pelvic floor flare. With me when I get a bladder wall flare its usually somthing I ate and I knew it was coming. I can feel and I am very aware of my bladder. It spasms and its is not constant. With a pelvic floor flare its constant and not affected by food. It feels like I am bottoming out and the pressure is horrible. It feels like I always have to hold it in and I have to go all the time. I am starting to think with me I might have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction on top of the IC. I came across this article that explains so much about it and it makes sense for me. It also explains why you would get PFD. Its good information: http://bio-medical.com/news_display.cfm?newsid=47

The way you would treat a pelvic flare and a bladder wall flare are different too. Pain killers do nothing really for a pelvic flare up for me, muscle relaxers work perfect. The flexeril the doctor gave me works great, just makes me tired. Pain killers did not help me much at all with this pelvic flare. They do help with the bladder pain when I have a bladder flare. I never tried muscle relaxers for a bladder flare so I can say if it would help.

Thats just me. Just like I've learned with this forum, certain medications work for certain people and do just the opposite for others. Its crazy...