Dr wants to put my 11 year old on Wellbutrin

I spent about 3 years on Wellbutrin, & finally gave it up because I did not find it very helpful. I never had any suicidal thoughts. However, I am middle-aged, & my situation is different from ur son.

Fairly recently, the FDA has declared that ALL antidepressants must give the warning that they can cause suicidal thoughts. I do not know much about that, so I will not comment on it.

My general theory of dealing with depression is to start with the safest methods first (especially for someone so young). I know the frustration of going through therapy that does not seem to be working, but I would not necessarily discontinue it.

I would look into alternative health approaches to depression like nutrition & vitamin therapy, homeopathy, light box therapy, etc. Children can eat a lot of sugar, & ur son may particularly sensitive to that.

For someone so young, I am also curious about the possibility of a family history of depression or some kind of early trauma to him. Family history does not just mean the parents, but possibly aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.

Unless u feel ur son is suicidal, my suggestion is to use gentler treatment than antidepressants (unless necessary).

you need to help him with coping skills. meds will help yes but only a small bit. coping skills are the main thing. concentration breathing, helping with self asteam. i know i can preach it but i have a hard time doing it myself. almost 30 but he will see the light and get on track when he sees people who love him and want to be there for him. just show him things arent as bad as they seem. good luck

Although I am 37, I've been on Wellbutrin for 3 years & it is done wonders for my mental state. But, I am an adult & that is who this product has been approved for.

This link is directly from the maker of Wellbutrin (GlaxoSmithKline) & it clearly states that Wellbutrin SR, XL or tablets r not approved for pediatric patients in the United States.
http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_wellbutrinXL.pdf

This link tells u which medications ARE approved for children however it is dated 2005 so I am sure the list has increased since then. http://fda.gov/Cder/drug/antidepressants/MG_template.pdf

If I were u I'd get a second opinion before filling the prescription.

I started having suicidal thoughts when I was at least 12. Wasnt until i was 17 til i actually attempted. Still early teen years r h*ll to begin with without having to add that kind of depression into the mix. And really for me i think back & think depression & anxiety were probably WHY i had a lack of friends & such.

Turned out i had bipolar, so have to take a moodstabalizeer too, but am on wellbutrin. Wellbutrin is a lower side affect risk AD. The most severe risk with it is seizures. Is not a high risk & im not trying to scare u by that, but it does lower the threshold for seizurs so that should be watched for, & if he has any other factors that would increase seizure risk (ever had a seizure, on any other medications that lower threshold for seizures) that should be discussed with the Dr before he starts on them. As i said, im on wellbutrin, & have even drank alcohol on it (not supposed to..increases seizure risk..never had a problem). I never really had any side effects other then it making me very manic when i was innitially put on it without a mood stabalizer since i have bipolar.

As far as hightend suicidal thoughts, i havent had that, & dont recall if it is listed as a possibility with welbutrin too, but part of it is antidepressants r changing how the brain handles neurotransmitters that effect mood, usually to raise levels of neurotransmitters between presynaptic neurons & post synaptic neurons. However not all functions of the brain r completely understood & it has been found that some antidepressants do increase that suicidal thoughts..my guess would be because of working on the wrong neurotransmitter for that person so putting things more out of balance...but i dont know that for sure...and im not sure if it even is known for sure what causes it. There r 3 neurotransmitters that affect mood..dopamine, seretonin & neuronepenephrin(i know i spelled it wrong.)

There r many anti depressants that warn that thoughts of suicide might occur. BE CAREFUL make sure ur son knows he needs to let u know anytime he feels something different. years ago a doctor prescribed me wellbutrin to quit smoking & it made me out of it. sort of like spacey. but i was using it for a different reason so i am not sure how he will react. main thing is please be sure ur son can open up to u about anything & everything he is feeling while on these meds. also try & get him to take them at the same time every day & not miss one dose. good luck im sorry hes having a rough time :(

Eh, I do not really believe in medication children - but I trust that you believe it is necessary. Wellbutrin is a fairly safe medication and the side effects should be minimal. Suicidal thoughts caused by Wellbutrin is not common, but must be watched for. This is because the medication changes brain chemistry - something that is not always a specific reaction. Good luck!

I was 8 when i got but on Wellbutrin. It really does help. Trust in the doctor, especially if it may help!