Author: Charles Frank

Wellbutrin Uses, Dosage & Side Effects

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of bupropion in the pediatric population. However, children are more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than adults when used for treating depression. Use of bupropion to treat depression in children is not recommended. Safety and efficacy of bupropion to help stop smoking have not been established in children.

MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine. Wellbutrin may cause seizures, especially in people with certain medical conditions or when using certain drugs. When taking bupropion, your risk for seizures increases if you have too many drinks that contain alcohol. It’s also increased if you drink alcohol but suddenly stop.

Follow your doctor’s directions on how to take this medication. Take Wellbutrin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use an MAO inhibitor within 14 days before or 14 days after you take bupropion.

Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Too much of this medicine can increase your risk of a seizure. This medicine may cause seizures, especially in people with certain medical conditions or when using certain drugs. Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions and the drugs you use. You should not take bupropion if you have seizures, an eating disorder, or suddenly stopped using alcohol, seizure medication, or sedatives. You should not take two medicines together that contain bupropion for example, if you take Wellbutrin for depression, you should not also take Contrave for weight control.

What other drugs will affect Wellbutrin?

You may report side effects to FDA at FDA-1088 or at /medwatch. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. This medicine can cause you to have a false positive drug screening test.

1. Your nerves use these chemicals to send messages to each other.
2. The brands of bupropion are FDA-approved for specific conditions.
3. Bupropion (Zyban) is used to help people stop smoking.
4. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
5. Talk with your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.
6. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble quitting after you have used bupropion for at least 7 to 12 weeks.

SR formulations provide a 12-hour extended release of medication and are therefore generally dosed twice per day. 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. You should also talk about the risks and benefits of not treating your condition. This risk is higher if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had bipolar disorder or mania or has thought about or attempted suicide. Talk to your doctor about your condition, symptoms, and personal and family medical history.

Bupropion oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. It comes in the form of an immediate-release tablet or an extended-release tablet.

Before taking bupropion,

If you think your blood pressure is too high, call your doctor right away. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Bupropion and its metabolites exhibit linear kinetics following chronic administration of 300 to 450 mg per day. If you are using bupropion to quit smoking, stop taking bupropion and contact your doctor right away if you experience any of the symptoms listed above.

IR formulations provide a short duration of action and are therefore generally dosed three times per day. Bupropion (Aplenzin, Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) is used to treat depression. Bupropion (Zyban) is used to help people stop smoking. Bupropion is in a class of medications called antidepressants. It works by increasing certain types of activity in the brain. Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually three times daily.

Bupropion comes as a tablet and a sustained-release or extended-release (long-acting) tablet to take by mouth. The regular tablet (Wellbutrin) is usually taken three times a day, with doses at least 6 hours apart, or four times a day, with doses at least 4 hours apart. The sustained-release tablet (Wellbutrin SR, Zyban) is usually taken twice a day, with doses at least 8 hours apart. The extended-release tablet (Aplenzin, Wellbutrin XL) is usually taken once daily in the morning; doses of the extended-release tablet should be taken at least 24 hours apart.

Bupropion may interact with other medications

MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

It may take 4 weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of this medicine. Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant about the risk to your unborn baby. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby.

If you take bupropion to help you stop smoking, you may continue to smoke for about 1 week after you start the medicine. Set a date to quit smoking during the second week of treatment. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble quitting after you have used bupropion for at least 7 to 12 weeks. Do not take this medicine to treat more than one condition at a time. If you take bupropion for depression, do not also take this medicine to quit smoking or for weight management.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin. This medicine may cause some people to have a false sense of wellbeing, or to become drowsy, dizzy, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are drowsy, dizzy, or less alert. This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription. You’ll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed.

Symptoms of overdose include seizures, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, tachycardia, and cardiac arrest. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. If you are taking the extended-release tablet, you may notice something that looks like a tablet in your stool. This is just the empty tablet shell and does not mean that you did not get your complete dose of medication. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What is Wellbutrin?

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. This medicine may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, swelling of the face, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, or chest pain.

The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Your dose may be slowly increased to limit side effects such as sleeplessness, and to decrease the risk of seizures. To avoid trouble sleeping, do not take this medication too close to bedtime. Let your doctor know if sleeplessness becomes a problem. Be especially watchful for these symptoms when a new antidepressant is started or when the dose is changed. Check with your doctor before using this medicine with alcohol or other medicines that affect the central nervous system (CNS).