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NIDA-supported studies are developing medications for all aspects of meth abuse. For many people, depression is a complicating factor in recovery. In fact, imaging studies show that during withdrawal, the brains of meth addicts resemble those of depressed patients. Antidepressants may help during these beginning stages of treatment. Bupropion, marketed as Welbutrin?, offers promise as an anti-addiction medication for several illicit drugs. Recent study findings reveal that bupropion reduced acute meth-induced subjective effects as well as cue-induced cravings. A recently completed Phase II clinical trial with bupropion has shown it to be significantly effective in reducing meth abuse in low/moderate users. A follow-up trial is planned.

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~~National Institute for Drug Abuse addresses United States House of Representatives on June 26, 2oo6

Of course, there's no magic pill/ cure all.
However, maybe Wellbutrin can take a fraction of the edge off.

newscientist

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In my personal opinion, this is a good medication to TRY under doctor's care, for people with 6 months or more clean time from meth who still suffer from symptoms associated with low dopamine levels.

Symptoms like depression, lack of energy, anhedonia (just don't care, nothing matters), etc.

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I have the 3 symptoms aforementioned.   However, I also have anxiety. The fact that Lexapro is anti-depressant/ anti-anxiety is probably why my p-doc has selected it; I'm also on Buspar for anxiety, btw, and I'm also on Artane & the mood stabilizer, Abilify.

AnyWhoo, I wonder if Lexapro is probably part of the reason I have so much fatigue, mentally and physically. I feel extremely sleepy/ drowsy a lot of the time, & one of Lexapro's possible side effects is somnolence.

I've been clean off meth for 2 1/2 years and all drugs since March 2oo6. Since my teen years--before even trying any drugs--I've been diagnosed as Bipolar. Recently I've been told that I have "traits of" Borderline Personality Disorder.

With my clean time considered~~Do you think it might be helpful for me to discuss switching from Lexapro to (maybe) Wellbutrin with my p-doc?

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With my clean time considered~~ Do you think it might be helpful for me to discuss switching from Lexapro to (maybe) Wellbutrin with my p-doc?

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I would never DISCOURAGE someone from talking to their doc if they feel their meds are not working as well as they should.
For some people Lexapro is a wonder drug. For others (like me, and forget suzzette) it was an absolute nightmare.

Lexapro works in the same manner that Wellbutrin does, but on a different brain chemical, called Serotonin.
If low Seratonin activity is the cause of your symptoms, then Lexapro is likely to help.
If Dopamine is the cause, then Lexapro may help SOME, but in a "jack one chemical up to try to make up for another chemical being too low" problem. My personal opinion, and I am NOT a physician or psychiatrist or psychologist (see warning below, this site doesn't give medical advice) is that if meth has been in the picture, and Seratonin altering drugs like Lexapro still leave you with the symptoms of low dopamine, then perhaps a dopamine-acting drug like Wellbutrin should be considered.

But switching psych meds is NOT an easy thing to do.
Some can't be taken together.
Some may have to be stopped completely before starting a new one, leaving some time where discomfort is worse than before.

So really -- talk to your doc, be honest about your drug history, clean time, and how you are feeling. Ask your doc what THEY think about giving Wellbutrin a try.
Go talk to your doc.

If you want to know how dopamine works, I wrote about it here in more detail:
www.kci.org/meth_info/lor...nd_You.htm