Asking a primary care doctor for Welbutrin/Bupropion for me. How much info do I have to give?

Done! It was easy. He said my blood pressure had improved and asked what meds I was taking now. I told him, then added that I had been taking some of my husband's Buproion too. He said, "Would you like some of your own?"

Maybe he had noticed in previous visits that I was tense etc. He asked some superficial questions and I gave some superficial answers (all true!) and that was that.

I'm glad you got what you wanted! After you have been on the medication on a regular schedule for a while and are feeling more able to cope I suggest that you consider talk therapy, too. A drug and therapy together are often the most effective way to overcome depression.

@ jeannegibbs
I'd love to do that! But it would be the same problem of how much do I have to tell the doctor to get a prescription for counseling, since I'm on Medicare. I'm going to look for some other source.

Medicare does not require a referral for seeing specialists. You can see a counselor without discussing it with your primary care doctor. I know. I've done it.

@ jeannegibbs
Wow, thanks! I'm going to a local caregivers support group Friday, so I'll find out more there.

For anyone following my learning curve here -- which started at total ignorance!

The pharmacy gave me some pills that looked different. At home I looked them up: okay, 75mg Bupropion IR, same dosage as the good ones. I took them -- with poor result.

Did some more looking up. Both were generics, but the good one (which had worked well for my husband also, in fact I had got them from him) was manufactured by Sandoz, and the poor ones by Mylan if I recall correctly.

So I looked up the Slow Release that had not worked for my husband. Those weren't from Sandoz either! They were from a whole nother manufacturer, Catalent.

So two out of three manufacturers didn't work for either of us! And this isn't a Brand vs Generic thing either apparently, since the Sandoz that worked was Sandoz's generic.

So duh. Another thing to be wary of.

At least it's easy to remember Sandoz is the preferred one, like for LSD in the 1950s. NO, we didn't do recreational drugs, then or later, just kidding....

Florasteele, I had good luck with wellbutrin years ago but when I tried it again it didnt work. Just being a caregiver , losing someone, or having anxiety will get you medication if you need it, they give it out easilly these days. Be careful on wellbutrin, it can raise blood pressure in some people or make you aggitated, like it did me the 2nd try. I get my Mom paroxitine and I have the doctor write on the script the manufacturer I want and he does, no problem. Give your Doc a call, they will help.