Do not stop taking bupropion without talking to your healthcare provider. Bupropion should not be taken while you are using certain other medicines. Before taking bupropion, tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. Tell your healthcare provider if you drink a lot of alcohol and have suddenly stopped. Bupropion may also be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.
Common Side Effects You Might Expect With Wellbutrin
Managing Wellbutrin’s side effects starts with discussing anything uncomfortable or concerning with your doctor. They’ll be able to assess what you’re experiencing and, if needed, adjust your dosage or make other changes to your treatment plan. How long Wellbutrin side effects last will vary from person to person. Many — like insomnia, nausea, and headache — resolve within a few days to weeks as your body adjusts to your antidepressant medication.
Weight gain
- Alcohol can heighten the risk of neuropsychiatric side effects, including seizures and mood disturbances.
- The sustained-release tablet (Wellbutrin SR, Zyban) is usually taken twice a day, with doses at least 8 hours apart.
- If you happen to miss a dose of bupropion, take it as soon as you remember.
- Beyond the immediate risk of overdose or adverse effects, these methods also introduce significant health complications, including infections and cardiovascular strain.
- Finally, changing the time of day you take Wellbutrin can cause headaches to happen at night when you are asleep, allowing for less headaches during the day.
- The most severe long-term side effect is suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
It can happen if you try to stop smoking (if you smoke) while taking the drug, and it may be caused by nicotine withdrawal. Some people report severe mental health changes when stopping smoking while taking Wellbutrin. In clinical trials of Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL, increased and decreased libido were reported during treatment. Sexual side effects caused by Wellbutrin were rare in these trials. The main difference between these drug forms is that Wellbutrin XL is released slower in your body.
Does Wellbutrin make you tired?
For more information and a list of harmful effects from overdose, see this article about Wellbutrin dosage and overdose. However, it’s important that you do not stop taking Wellbutrin suddenly or without your doctor’s recommendation, as this can worsen depression. This means they’re more likely to happen if your doctor increases your dose from 150 milligrams (mg) to 300 mg.
How Long Does It Take Wellbutrin to Work?
Studies have also shown that as Wellbutrin is broken down in your body, the remaining chemicals also affect neurotransmitters, and can also contribute to side effects experienced. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following. Bupropion should not be taken if you have seizures or epilepsy. Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific bupropion products they stock.
Sometimes a lower Wellbutrin side effects dose of bupropion is taken for 2 weeks before the medication is stopped. Take bupropion with food if the medication upsets your stomach. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, do not take bupropion too close to bedtime. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Once you have received care, your healthcare provider will most likely end your treatment with Wellbutrin. Risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors from Wellbutrin is highest in children and young adult patients. If you experience any ringing sounds or changes in hearing, contact medical help right away. Your healthcare provider will most likely change or reduce your dose in response to you experiencing tinnitus, so be sure to alert them. Weight loss can vary from person to person and, if not addressed, can lead to further issues like lack of energy.
- The most important thing is to have a plan for management and seek help when needed.
- Headache was a common side effect reported in clinical trials of Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL.
- Like other antidepressants, there have been some reports of Wellbutrin causing sexual side effects.
For example, bupropion may also be prescribed for weight loss. Routes of misuse include crushing and snorting or even injecting the medication, both of which are extremely dangerous and bypass the drug’s extended-release tablet design. Beyond the immediate risk of overdose or adverse effects, these methods also introduce significant health complications, including infections and cardiovascular strain.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, or if you have been told by others you have these symptoms. If you measure your blood pressure and the top number (systolic) is 180 mm Hg or higher or the bottom number (diastolic) is 120 mm Hg or higher, get medical attention right away. Increases in blood pressure may not be noticeable, but look out for and tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of severely high blood pressure. Bupropion may increase your blood pressure or make it worse if you have a history of high blood pressure. Call your healthcare provider if your blood pressure increases while taking this medicine. Some people who have taken bupropion have reported having seizures.
Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines that you take or have recently taken. Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
What are the most common side effects of bupropion?
Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. Your doctor will weigh the risks and benefits of taking Wellbutrin and determine the best treatment plan for you. Post-marketing and clinical trials of Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL show that taking Wellbutrin and alcohol together may increase your risk of serious mental health side effects. These side effects can include hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, and mood changes.
Like most medications that act on the brain, wellbutrin side effects don’t come without a few bumps, but many are mild, manageable, and tend to fade as the body adapts. Still, it’s helpful to know what patients might report during those first few days or weeks of taking bupropion. This incidence is approximately double that seen in comparable subjects treated with tricyclics or placebo. Furthermore, while 35% of subjects receiving tricyclic antidepressants gained weight, only 9.4% of subjects treated with Wellbutrin did. Consequently, if weight loss is a major presenting sign of a patient’s depressive illness, the anorectic and/or weight-reducing potential of Wellbutrin should be considered. This condition can be caused by many antidepressant medications, including Wellbutrin.
To help prevent nausea, some people take Wellbutrin with food. While taking Wellbutrin, your doctor will check for signs or symptoms of this side effect. If you have thoughts of suicide or any symptoms of worsening depression, call your doctor immediately.
The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to the prescribing information for Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. If you have problems with side effects from taking Wellbutrin SR or Wellbutrin XL, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can discuss ways to manage side effects or suggest other available treatment options.