Combination Treatment With Venlafaxine and Bupropion

Ms. A, a 42-year-old white woman, presented with dysthymia and major depression that had been successfully treated with fluoxetine, 15 mg/day, for 5 years. Fluoxetine induced sexual dysfunction, which led to attempts to substitute other antidepressants as follows: sertraline, 75 mg/day for 4 weeks; paroxetine, 30 mg/day for 6 weeks; bupropion, 75 mg/day for 4 weeks; and venlafaxine, 75 mg/day for 8 weeks. There were no therapeutic responses to these trials, and adverse drug reactions prompted a return to fluoxetine. For instance, bupropion caused agitation, and venlafaxine induced headaches, sedation, and sexual dysfunction. Ms. A then elected a trial without medication. Three months later, a moderate to severe major depression began and developed over 4 months. Nefazodone, up to 500 mg/day, was taken over 10 weeks but was discontinued because of lack of response. Next, bupropion was retried and increased over 7 weeks up to 225 mg/day. After 3 weeks at this dose, no improvement was seen, and severe urinary urgency developed as an adverse drug reaction. Therefore, bupropion was tapered to 187.5 mg/day and venlafaxine, 12.5 mg/day, was added. Seven days after this addition and 5 months after the onset of the major depression, symptoms improved. Full remission was achieved after 2 weeks of the combination, with final daily doses of bupropion being 187.5 mg and venlafaxine being 37.5 mg. The depression has been in remission for 14 months, and adverse drug reactions have not been a problem.