Author: Charles Frank

Wellbutrin: Side effects, dosage, alternatives, and more

The recommended starting dose is 200 mg/day, given as 100 mg twice daily. After 3 days of dosing, the dose may be increased to 300 mg/day, given as 100 mg 3 times daily, with at least 6 hours between successive doses. Dosing above 300 mg/day may be accomplished using the 75or 100-mg tablets. Bupropion is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and as an aid to smoking cessation. Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL are available in generic versions called bupropion ER. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.

1. When bupropion is used to treat seasonal affective disorder, it is usually taken once a day in the morning beginning in the early fall, continuing through the winter, and stopping in the early spring.
2. It’s not known whether Wellbutrin is safe to take during pregnancy.
3. Oxidation of the bupropion side chain results in the formation of a glycine conjugate of metachlorobenzoic acid, which is then excreted as the major urinary metabolite.

Table 2 summarizes the adverse reactions that occurred in placebo-controlled trials at an incidence of at least 1% of subjects receiving WELLBUTRIN and more frequently in these subjects than in the placebo group. Antidepressants, such as Wellbutrin, may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This risk affects children and young adults ages 24 years or younger. However, Wellbutrin isn’t approved for use in people younger than 18 years.

Drug Interactions for Wellbutrin

For Wellbutrin, this means the drug will stay in your system for about 105 hours, which is around 4 days. Call a doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Wellbutrin, as the reaction could become severe. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with a doctor or pharmacist, or view the prescribing information for Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL. For more information about the possible side effects of Wellbutrin, talk with a doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to manage any side effects that may concern or bother you.

Wellbutrin XL is an NDRI (norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. Effexor is a brand-name medication used to treat major depressive disorder. Effexor XR is the extended-release version of Effexor and can be taken once daily. For example, taking a serotonergic drug like nortriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome when combined with another antidepressant.

Our blog is a space dedicated to sharing information and expert advice to help you improve your overall mental health. Our new mobile app makes it even easier to stay in touch with your care team and your mental health. Get helpful tips & strategies for better mental health delivered right to your inbox. Likewise, SNRIs are safe for most people, though in some circumstances they can cause concerns. For example, certain SNRIs may raise your blood pressure or worsen liver problems.

Is Wellbutrin safer than an SSRI or SNRI?

The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. If you have unused medication that has passed the expiration date, talk with your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. If your prescription label is hard to read, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an atypical antidepressant, meaning it doesn’t fit into other classes. Atypical antidepressants are unique medications that work differently from other antidepressants and typically change the levels of one or more neurotransmitters in the brain. Wellbutrin affects the norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters. Like many other antidepressants, Wellbutrin can take a few weeks to start causing noticeable changes, and it may even take up to 12 weeks to produce its full effects by building up in your body. Patience is key, and unless your provider tells you otherwise, it’s generally recommended to give it the appropriate time before determining whether or not the medication is working for you. Effexor and Wellbutrin are both effective drugs that treat depression.

What class of antidepressant is Wellbutrin?

However, some of these adverse events occurred in patients taking bupropion who continued to smoke. Bupropion is a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor used in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and as an aid to smoking cessation. Of the approximately 6,000 subjects who participated in clinical trials with bupropion sustained-release tablets (depression and smoking cessation trials), 275 were aged ≥65 years and 47 were aged ≥75 years. In addition, several hundred subjects aged ≥65 years participated in clinical trials using the immediate-release formulation of bupropion (depression trials).

The pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetics of the individual enantiomers have not been studied. The mean elimination half-life (±SD) of bupropion after chronic dosing is 21 (±9) hours, and steady-state plasma concentrations of bupropion are reached within 8 days. Educate patients on the symptoms of hypersensitivity and to discontinue WELLBUTRIN if they have a severe allergic reaction. The pupillary dilation that occurs following use of many antidepressant drugs including WELLBUTRIN may trigger an angle-closure attack in a patient with anatomically narrow angles who does not have a patent iridectomy. In postmarketing experience, there have been rare reports of adverse neuropsychiatric events or reduced alcohol tolerance in patients who were drinking alcohol during treatment with WELLBUTRIN.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Wellbutrin. Kyle struggled with depression for most of his life, but when his girlfriend encouraged him to seek treatment, he knew it was time to get the help he needed… Brightside Health can offer help for a full spectrum of conditions and severity levels.

If you’re having a medical or mental health emergency, call 911 or go to your local ER. If Wellbutrin proves to be ineffective at bringing you relief from your symptoms, your provider will recommend other medications that may be a better fit for you. Bupropion has also been evaluated for smoking cessation during pregnancy and is recommended only after other therapies have failed. According to the Mayo Clinic, SSRIs are also generally safe for most people, though in some circumstances they can cause problems. For example, high doses of citalopram may cause dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, so doses over 40 milligrams (mg) a day should be avoided according to the FDA and the manufacturer. Despite their similarities, Effexor and Wellbutrin work differently and are FDA approved to treat different conditions.

The times to peak concentrations for the erythrohydrobupropion and threohydrobupropion metabolites are similar to that of the hydroxybupropion metabolite. However, their elimination half-lives are longer, 33 (±10) and 37 (±13) hours, respectively, and steady-state AUCs are 1.5 and 7 times that of bupropion, respectively. Data from published literature report the presence of bupropion and its metabolites in human milk (see Data). There are no data on the effects of bupropion or its metabolites on milk production. Limited data from postmarketing reports have not identified a clear association of adverse reactions in the breastfed infant. Instruct patients to discontinue and not restart WELLBUTRIN if they experience a seizure while on treatment.

Studies have shown that if you take Wellbutrin and watch your diet, you can lose significant weight. However, the FDA has not approved Wellbutrin for weight loss. Conversely, there is some preliminary research and anecdotal evidence that bupropion may help with anxiety in some people. In fact, there are doctors who prescribe Wellbutrin off-label (not FDA approved) for anxiety disorders. When you and your doctor have determined it is time to stop taking bupropion, the safest way is to taper your dose to reduce the risk of some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

We’re committed to delivering life-changing anxiety and depression care to everyone who needs it. When you begin taking Wellbutrin, you should carefully follow your provider’s instructions alongside any instructions that come along with the medication itself. With Brightside, you have unlimited access to the care you need, including precision prescribing, psychiatry and therapy experts, and science-backed approaches that can help you feel like yourself again. Depression can be difficult, but Brightside is here to get you the care you deserve, whether that’s therapy, medication, or a combination of both.