Brand names symptoms and conditions

*****For those of you posting in the future - and even those who have posted and are now reading this - could you please be specific on whether you are taking Wellbutrin or bupropion and what mg. Would be interesting to see if there's a noticeable pattern!*****

So glad I found this site. I too have had marked hair loss on this drug, with the exact symptoms most of you describe. I was on 300mg of Wellbutrin (the brand name) and had no problems. I switched to the generic (bupropion) and my hair starting thinning and falling out until you could easily see my scalp. For other reasons (I didn't put it together until recently), I went down to 150mg of the bupropion and my hair started growing back in. I went back up to 300mg and it fell out again - so I am now 100% convinced it is this drug. I too ruled out - with tests - all other causes: hormones, vitamin deficiencies, side effects of other meds, etc.

Here's my focus now: it seems to me, and many other people have noted this, that it is the generic (bupropion). When I was on the Wellbutrin, I had no hair loss. However, I noted several people said they had hair loss on "Wellbutrin" - so even though this wasn't the case in my experience, I'm so freaked out right now about the amount of hair loss that I decided to go off completely. A shame because I was doing really well.

I'm wondering ... when people are saying "Welbutrin" - is it really Wellbutrin? Most pharmacies will automatically switch it out. Maybe some of us think we are taking Wellbutrin, or are just calling it Wellbutrin, but really are taking bupropion. Generics and brand names differ in "ingredients." I noticed a definite difference in the "feel" of the Wellbutrin vs. bupropion - but it was a $50 vs $7 co-pay! It would be great to sort this out because those of us doing well on bupropion but have hair loss could switch to Wellbutrin - albeit a more expensive route.

Maybe its both? Either way I'd like to know. The doctors are no help. I love my doctor and brought this up to him several times. He did not think it was the meds. If he had simply gone on the Internet and typed in "Does Wellbutrin cause hair loss?" - like I did, it's impossible to totally dismiss it!

Thanks so much for sharing and letting me share. Oh - and please note, at least for me, even when I went down to the 150mg on the generic, my hair totally started growing back in. So, at least in my experience, hair regrowth starts immediately after reducing/eliminating the drug. And my hair loss was (and now is again) really bad.

I am 71 years old, I have been taking 80mg of ZOCOR ( Simvastatin ) for the past 16 years. five months ago I started to hurt in my lower back, hips,Knees,thighs, for two months then it traveled to my shoulders, wrist, hands, fingers. the Dr. gave me a round of prednisone (one shot and 11 pills) the pain stopped and everything was wonderful for two weeks,the Dr. stated that I had avused my body in the years gone by now the pain has started back in my shoulders, wrist, hands the pain is very strong,and my legs are starting to get weak again, I am taking Naproxen 500 mg two times a day and also taking Hydrocodne10mg every four hours also have Oxycodone 10mg to take every four to six hours, I have mentioned the results that I have read about the Statins in this forum but the doctor, does not act like it has any significance. does anyone have any suggestions??? if so please let me know, this pain is killing me, if you have any info. please email me at. ******

Well, I beg to differ with "huh1051" regarding the snake venom. This is straight from "Wikipedia"... History/brand names
Lisinopril was developed by Merck & Co. and is marketed worldwide as Prinivil or Tensopril and by AstraZeneca as Zestril. In India it is marketed by Micro Labs as Hipril. In the United States, a generic version is available. Like other ACE inhibitors, it is derived from the venom of the jararaca, a Brazilian pit viper (Bothrops jararaca). So, "what" do you believe!!!???? This drug breaks the blood brain barrier which is probably why so many people get depression. However, I "think" this drug is causing more than just depression. It's shrinking the brain and affecting memory.
bellabear

I had my thyroid removed 16 months ago. I had nodules and biopsies, but the biopsies couldn't tell if the nodules were cancerous or not---so I had the whole thyroid removed at my doctor's advice. I have been taking Synthroid and increasing the dosage---now up to 200---and I have gained 37 pounds!! I can't stand myself any more, none of my clothes fit,and I am so unhappy. I had gastric bypass surgery 9 years ago and lost 123 lbs. I had gained 20 lbs, but was stable for 7 years. Then I had the tyroidectomy and -boom- I'm fat again. I am really panicked. I don't want to gain all my weight back. It seems like I get fatter every day. My endo doesn't take me seriously, he says my thryoid is at the right level. I don't know what to do!!!!

In my previous message I was wondering why the same medication has to have so many different names.

I haven´t had a reply to that, but I found some information on Wikipedia that migth be helpful when looking for more information.

Zocor (=Simvastatin) can have many different names as you can see below.

"Brand names: Zocor, Zocor Heart Pro, marketed by the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. and Denan (Germany), Liponorm, Sinvacor, Sivastin (Italy), Lipovas (Japan), Lodales (France), Zocord (Austria and Sweden), Zimstat, Simvahexal (Australia), Lipex (Australia and New Zealand), Simvastatin-Teva, Simvacor, Simvaxon, Simovil (Israel), Simvotin (India) and other."

I am a diabetic with hashi. I had been taking synthroid longer than metformin and had been on both for at least a year now. Recently I have been to ER due to heart palpitation and shortness of breath, so I had stopped my synthroid .1 for one day and felt better. So I stopped taking synthroid altogether, After 3 weeks I took it again because I was afraid not to follow my doctors order. 3 days into it, I was back to a high pulse, shortness of breath, chest pin and palpitation. I went to a different doctor,
and he agreed that we experiment on the dosage and try a generic brand.
I took .25 this time and I had the same reaction as taking synthroid .1.
I have now stopped completely, I am hoping to that my doctor will listen to me and will give something else other than synthroid.

Heard about COQ10 (Ubiquinone) from Dr Weil to help lower BP, tried it, and found that every time I took it a few hours later I would have heart palpitations; to verify I stopped taking it and had no palps but anytime I took it the same thing would happen. I tired the 60 mg and then the 30 mg size thinking lesser would help but it was minimal. I've tried different brand names too. Also I found that it made acid reflux stronger indeed..

I had a stye/ staff infection in my right eye. It was swollen and severely hurting me. Well, my doctor put me on sulfameth and a eyedrop antibiotic. I don't mind taking the eye drops, but these pills are making me feel horrible. I am on 1 pill twice daily for 10 days. I asked the doctor and the pharmacist if this stuff causes constipation and they both said no. Well, I haven't been able to use the bathroom well since I started it. My muscles twitch, my eyes are sensitive to the sunlight, I can't go to sleep easily, I've been itching up a storm, and I have headaches. I want to just stop the medication but if I do then I will never get rid of this infection in my eye. I figured I'd stop the meds in the middle of the week. I hate feeling bloated and constipated. Has anyone else had the constipation effect?

I started taking lisinipril over a year ago. They started me out with the brand name Zestril. (For those who don't know, lisinipril and Zestril are exactly the same drug; Zestril is one of the brand names and lisinipril is the generic.) My insurance company switched me from the brand name Zestril to the generic because it is much cheaper. Anyway, I was started on 10 mg 1x/day but experienced some dizziness and strange feelings on the top of my head. The doctor ordered an ultrasound of my carotid arteries to make sure there wasn't a blockage. There wasn't, so she lowered my dosage of the med to 5 mg 1x/day and the side effect went away. Now, however, over the last several months, I have developed a rash that itches badly (in the crack of my butt, of all places). I quit taking the lisinipril on my own a couple of times, and the rash went away, then I started it again on my own, and the rash came back. I've decided to ask my doc to switch my med. It's a shame, because the lisinipril works so well for me for lowering the blood pressure. Extremely well, as a matter of fact. Also, to answer some of the other posts, yes, lisinipril is now an accepted medication for high blood pressure. It works on the kidneys and thus lowers the blood pressure. I really hate to give it up, but I can't stand the itchy rash anymore.