When Will It Start to Work?

It may be 4 weeks or more to feel the full effects. Do not stop taking this medication without the approval of your prescribing doctor or therapist.

Many patients experience a period of increased restlessness, especially when first taking the drug. This may take the form of agitation, insomnia, and anxiety.

Are There Any Drug Interactions?

Always follow your doctor's or therapist's recommendations on how to take this medication and let them know if you are taking any other prescription medications, herbal remedies, vitamins, and/or over-the-counter medications.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Issues

If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding, discuss the potential risks of this or any medication with your prescribing doctor or therapist.

Other Important Information and Precautions

Do not take Wellbutrin (bupropion) if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as Marplan (isocarboxazid), Nardil (phenelzine), or Parnate (tranylcypromine) in the last 14 days.

Do not take Wellbutrin (bupropion) if you have epilepsy or another type of seizure disorder, or if you have ever been diagnosed with anorexia or builimia. This medication may increase your risk of having a seizure if you have any of these conditions.

If you have any other medical conditions such as heart, liver, or kidney disease, you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during your therapy with this medication.

In addition to the information listed above, there may be other important issues or precautions related to this medication. For further information, you can ask your prescribing doctor or therapist.

Side-Effect Information

Along with the many positive effects of Wellbutrin (bupropion), you may also experience some side-effects. Side-effects are unintended or undesirable reactions to medications. Most of the side-effects can be lessened with additional medications, dosage changes, or changes in your daily habits. Or, they may simply fade as your body adjusts to the medication. If you experience any side-effects, contact your doctor or therapist right away.

It is also important to be aware of the risks of antidepressant medications. Although the risks occur very rarely, it is important to know what to look for, just in case. If you think you are experiencing one of the risks, contact your doctor or therapist or go to the emergency room right immediately!

Most Common Side-Effects

Dry Mouth

Some people taking Wellbutrin (bupropion) experience dry mouth. Although dry mouth may not go away completely, it usually gets better with time. Dry mouth may be relieved by sucking on hard candy or crushed ice, drinking plenty of fluids, or eating frozen grapes.

Insomnia

Insomnia can mean difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. If you develop insomnia, talk to your doctor about it. S/he may suggest that you take your medication in the morning to reduce the effects or s/he may prescribe an additional medication to help you sleep.

Occasional Side-Effects

Agitation

When you begin taking Wellbutrin (bupropion), you may notice that you feel more irritable than usual, that the littlest things annoy you. Your doctor or therapist can help you determine if your increased agitation is a result of the medication. If it is they may modify your dose to see if that helps the symptoms of agitation subside.

Constipation

Wellbutrin (bupropion)can sometimes cause constipation. This side-effect usually does not go away, but you can learn how to control it by increasing the amount of high fiber foods in your diet, such as breads, fruits, and vegetables, and bran. It also helps to exercise regularly and drink plenty of fluids. If constipation persists, your doctor or therapist may recommend a laxative or fiber product, or may prescribe an additional medication to reduce this side-effect.

Weight Loss

You may experience decreased appetite, and as a result, may lose weight even if you are not trying to. Try eating smaller, but more frequent meals to take in more calories. Your doctor or therapist can help you monitor your weight and suggest a high calorie (but healthy) diet for you if weight loss is a concern.

Headache

Wellbutrin (bupropion) can cause headaches, which often fade as your body adjusts to the medication. If you experience headaches and they're disruptive, talk to your prescribing doctor or therapist before you take any pain medications. S/he can let you know which medications are safe to take with Zyban.

Nausea

Most people who experience this side-effect notice that it usually disappears in a few weeks. To reduce or eliminate nausea, eat several small meals per day instead of three big ones, or try snacking on dry toast or crackers.

Skin Problems

Some people taking Wellbutrin (bupropion) may develop an allergic reaction in the form of a rash, hives or itchiness.

Increased sensitivity to the sun is another skin problem that some people notice. If you develop increased sensitivity to the sun, you will risk sunburn more quickly than you normally would. You should always use sunscreen when you go out, wear a hat with a wide brim, and avoid staying out in the sun for long periods of time.

Tremors

Wellbutrin (bupropion) may cause you to have tremors in your hands, arms or legs. You may notice a slight trembling of your hands as you extend your arms in front of you. This side effect may disappear if your doctor decreases your dose, and it often becomes less noticeable over time.

Risks

Hypomania

Wellbutrin (bupropion) may cause an increase in mood called hypomania. Symptoms of hypomania include euphoria, racing thoughts, pressured speech, and excessive energy. If you notice any of these changes, contact your doctor right away. S/he can help you determine if your change in mood seems unusual.

Seizures

There is a very rare risk of having a seizure as a result of taking this medication, around a .1% likelihood. A seizure is the result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. An individual suffering from a seizure may experience involuntary body movements and/or a loss of consciousness. You will probably not be aware if you are having a seizure; someone will tell you when you regain consciousness. If you have had a seizure, have someone take you to the emergency room immediately.

Side-effects and risks other than those listed above may also occur. Talk to your prescribing doctor or therapist about any potential or existing side-effects that you’re concerned about.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by DF and therapy.com is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is made to that effect.
4therapy.com’s medication information is a reference resource designed as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge, and judgment of healthcare practitioners in patient care.

Hi I am currently taking Ibupropion SR and the tablets say "WPI 839" on them- does anyone know what that means?

MY QUESTION I HAVE A 17 YEAR OLD SON WHO IS ON THIS 300 MG A DAY ONE A DAY.. AND HE IS ALSO TAKING 10 MG OF PROZAC A DAY. I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE EASIEST WAYS TO GET HIM WEANED OFF THESE THANKS PLEASE HELP..

This post has been edited by suburgatory: Aug 15 2007, 01:02 PM

Hi rainbow,

I take 300mg WB XL, and I've gone off it in the past without much trouble. It doesn't cause much of a withdrawal. I went off 300mg cold turkey with no problem, but it's probably better to go back down to 150mg for a while, then off.

The SSRIs, like Prozac, are a little more tricky. They can cause some anxiety and other unsettling withdrawal symptoms for a few days. I suggest tapering him off the Prozac very gradually, by halving the dose each week (you can buy a pill-splitter from most drug stores) for a month, and that should ease the symptoms.

This post has been edited by suburgatory: Aug 15 2007, 01:02 PM

Rainbow:

The only safe way to wean one off of meds is with a doc's input. Please consult your son's doc before you take him off of the WB or Prozac.

Quick question: why do you want him to come off WB and Prozac? Are they not working? Is he having a bad reaction to them?

-Bean

This post has been edited by Beanchop99: Aug 16 2007, 10:18 AM

i had the .1% side effect of seizures. after just one or two days of taking WB i had a grand mal seizure. interestingly enough, i have found that anti-convulsive drugs work better with helping my depression.

hi

i am on day 11 of ZYBAN 150mg for major depression . all the usual symptoms. i feel increased anxiety and restlessness (dont mind that so much) my heart is racing...but i am crying a LOT like for hours at a time and feeling totally hopeless very often. now i know this is depression (had it for 20 years) but i guess i am hoping it will go away in time. any ideas?

also how do i make a new post? i cant work this out, I am from england so it may be a different kind of system to what i know but i cant see where to make my own new post.

anyhow, i am taking occasinal diazepam 5mg which helps a lot. i just still feel so hopeless plus the new anxiety (didnt even know i had it til now) and we only have it as ZYBAN here my doc is kindly giving it to me off label as i wil not take any more SSRIs cos they made me gian 100lbs and i used to model so it added to my despair. i went frmo 108 pounds to 211 pounds on effexor and celexa...both were awful for my weight.

i dont really know what to do. i am sobbing as i write in depression hell
sorry

Hi myrainbow -

I sympathaise with what you are going though. My heart goes out to you. I can give you some word of encouragement though. I used to feel like you , depressed , hoping the medication will be the answer only to find that it makes your problems worse. I have been on wellb for a month now and feel much much better. Initially it can make you all hyped up but that will pass. Give the meds a bit of time to get into your system and just let yourself be for a while dont get to down on yourself. these meds take a while to find the right combo - ask me , i have been at this for two years on and oof. Initially i was on all the ssris, and snris and i never felt right so i just gave up. My problem didnt though. I now find myself in the same situation i was a few years ago but a few years older. i am determined not to give up this time and keep at it. I am making progress and will find the solutions to my problems...

Just take it one day at a time

- S

may god bless you for being so kind...
actually today has been the best day i have had for about 10 months so i think after 12 days they are beginning to have some sort of positive effect
thank you and i will persist
i am so glad to have had this support xx

Hello My Rainbow!

I'm so happy to hear that you had such a good day! Wishing you a million more.

Remember: we're always here whenever you need us.



-Bean

Day 5 and I can not sleep...mainly because my heart rate is up! This is driving me crazy....I'm usually 76-86 ( I run a little fast...but my pressure is good) but now it's between 86-101! At night I can feel my heart going....not really pounding but fast. I checked my pressure and it is a little higher but not bad but the heart rate makes me uneasy. Anyone else have this problem? Does it go away? My doctor would not give me anything to help me sleep...only the 150XL. Is this going to be okay? Thanks Scops

i loved wellbutrin xr but had to be taken off of it because of a suspected seizure...i really think it was a hypoglycemic episode or delirium or dehydration after not eating/drinking + hadn't been taking wellbutrin for almost 20 days and then jumped right back into my reg. dosage one day + took hoodia pills that same day...blah.

I start this med tomorrow..I am worried it will make me more irritable than I already am since I see it is a SE but my depression is horrible right now and I just want to feel better.

Good luck with Wellbutrin. It's true that it can cause irritability, especially in those who already have it. But some people find that WB actually eases their irritability and anxiety. If you find that after the 6-8 week adjustment period you're more irritable, you might want to talk to your doctor about adding an SSRI to help with that. Keep us posted.

I have been on WB and rispital, don't see that med listed here, anyone have feedback on thsi combination? G

I had a horrible night last night. I couldn't sleep at ALL! I usually have little bouts of insomnia here and there but this was different. I didn't fall asleep until around 730-8am!! I didn't get to bed til around 4am but I have gone to bed that late before and am able to fall asleep within 2 hours and stay asleep. Its now 1pm and I finally just gave up trying to sleep. I would fall asleep for a couple hours, then wake and have to use the bathroom..was like that the whole time since I originally went to bed. I'm wondering if this is the welbutrin doing this..I take it early in the morning around 8am. I also take lamictal too.

Here I am again..at 5am and wide awake..my eyes burn from being up so long..my body is tired but my mind will not let me sleep! I read that insomnia is a SE of wellbutrin. This really sucks cuz i have to be up in less than 5 hours to go to work I really do like the wellbutrin as far as how I'm feeling otherwise.
I was thinking on call my pdoc and seeing if could give me something to help me sleep. The tylenol PM isn't cutting it anymore.

That's a great idea. WB is a very powerful AD in my opinion, but it can give some very agitating side effects for a few weeks. People often are R_xed something to help with the adjustment.

I agree, talk to your doctor. I take Wellbutrin and had to take Xanax with it to keep the anxiety down. But now, due to bad s/e's of the Xanax, I am weaning off the Xanax and so far I am able to sleep. I take a half of .5 mg Xanax at night. Hopefully, when I quit that dose, I will be sleeping okay. Im pretty sure I will.

Be very careful if he gives you Xanax or Klonipan or one of the Benzo's as they are very addictive and I experienced bad side effects after awhile. But for the short term, it is probably okay. Keep your doctor informed of how you feel along the way. Best Wishes!!

Gentle Sun

He gave me the generic form of ambien. I'm going to be taking some soon here. They said half a tab to see if that works..if not then a whole one. I just need to sleep!

the ambien worked great..I slept the best i had in a very long time!
thanks all

I have not been on any meds in 10+years,because I am afraid of having another bad experience and secondly I did not think I was that depressed because I didn't have all the symptoms like I did back then. I have recently found out that everything that myself and my family have been going through is due to my depression. Because of a recent breakdown I am currently on day 3 of Wellbutrin SR 150mgs/day.So far I have not had any feeling good or bad. No side effects yet that I can tell. How long does it take to have side effects start? Especially seizures. My doctor told me that I should start to feel something within 5 days. Should any allergic reaction have happened already? I carry alot of anxiety and sometimes have had mild panic attacks from new medications for myself or my children. Does this medication help with anxiety as well? Any info to ease my mind would be greatly appreciated, Thank-you.

Hi Gentle Sun -

Even my doctor advised me to take 0.5 mg Xanax at night , after I experienced anxiety and insomnia on the 3rd day of Bupropion SR (300 mg/day) . I hope there is no adverse interaction between Xanax and bupropion , as I take my second dose of Bupropion at night.

Xanax has definitely helped me sleep better and lowered my anxiety.But after I read your post ,as well as other posts about the bad Xanax S/E’s, I hope this dosage is small enough to be ok. What are the S/E’s you experienced when on Xanax . Also ,is a benzo like Xanax only needed in the initial days of bupropion ? I mean , can it be tapered off gradually without bringing back the S/E’s ?

Thanks

Rahul

Dusty good news. Wellbutrin lifted me out of the terrible anxiety slowly but surely. After a month on it my depression and anxiety was gone!!
Don't read the posts where people had negative experiences as it will make you anxious!! Go read the good stories on WB.
Keep a watch on it gradually and try not to link a bad day immediately to WB. Give it a while and for heavens sake dont stop taking it on your own even though people say thay are able to do it. Speak to your Dr first.

WB definitely stopped my anxiety. I also take Molipaxin at night to help me sleep as I have been a bad sleeper for a couple of years. WB is described by some as a miracle drug and for good reason. If anyone on this post try to scare you off it stick your tongue out at them and decide for yourself what you are experiencing.

It works well, give it some time and keep us posted! ... and pm me if you want to hear more positive effects!!

I started WB 3 days ago and can't sleep, either. Slept 3 hours Friday night, 4 hours Saturday. Feeling tired (dragging) during the days, too. I hope this feeling goes away soon. I've also just started zoloft 100mg/day.

LVsteve,

Better mention the fast heart rate. I had that before and actual skipping of beats too on another a/d and had to stop it. Wellbutrin did make my blood pressure high and it is usually very good. Rats!! The one thing I never had to take was hbp med. Now I have to take it because the Wellbutrin making it high. Oh well, what can ya do? Strange thing too - now I take the same a/d that gave me fast heart beats at a higher dose even and it doesnt bother me. Maybe because Im taking the hbp med? I dont know. But still I would tell my doctor about that. It sounds pretty fast to me. Maybe he just needs to lower it? Also, you could ask the pharmacist about it.

Gentle Sun

hello could someone please help me i whent to my doctors this morning and asked to go on wellbutrin xl he had never heard of it said it must be a american drug is he right?i mentioned zyban said it was for help stoping smoking.

Hi Woo and

Wellbutrin has not been approved in all areas for the treatment of depression, so it stands to reason many doctors outside of the US may not have heard of it. I know in the UK it can be prescribed for smoking cesation only and not for depression. Are you looking for it to help with stopping smoking? IF so you may have better luck depending on the doctor..

If I can help futher let me know

yes, it does help with anxiety.... however if you have what is called panic episodes (I MEAN YOUR HEART RACES FOR MINS AT A TIME) you will need something like lorazapam (as needed) or valium (very small dose) to calm down of the episode. As long as you take it as needed and not on a regiment you will not get addicted to them.

Also, sorry I just noticed... you are on quite a bit of mg of wellbutrin. maybe it is a side effect of the meds.. give it a month or try a lower dose. my heart was racing a little when I had about 300mg a day so I can imagine.......... good luck and smile for me...