These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care. If you’re concerned about withdrawal symptoms from stopping this drug, talk with your doctor. Other long-term side effects of Wellbutrin include new or worsening mental health problems. Examples of mental health problems that may continue after stopping this drug include hallucinations, paranoia, and confusion. These side effects may resolve after your doctor lowers your dose or stops your treatment.
- Wellbutrin belongs to a drug class called antidepressants.
- After your Wellbutrin taper, any long-term treatment will be directed toward treating the condition that led you to take Wellbutrin in the first place.
- It belongs to a group of drugs called norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake blockers.
- Taking a dose higher than the recommended maximum can cause serious side effects.
- Bupropion (the active drug in Wellbutrin) can be used for weight loss.
The schedule will depend on which antidepressant you’re taking, how long you’ve been on it, your current dose, and any symptoms you had during previous medication changes. It’s also a good idea to keep a “mood calendar” on which you record your mood (on a scale of one to 10) on a daily basis. Never change or discontinue medications without 9 liquor storage ideas for small spaces consulting your healthcare provider. They can advise you on the right way to make the transition (such as tapering off your dose gradually) and help you cope with symptoms you might experience. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.
Side Effects & Safety
Some people taking bupropion have severe high blood pressure, especially when using a nicotine replacement product (patch or gum). Your blood pressure may need to be checked before and during treatment with this medicine. 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. Medicines that interact with Wellbutrin may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with Wellbutrin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Follow the directions on the label carefully and ask your healthcare provider to explain any part you need clarification on. Once your doctor knows why you want to stop using your antidepressant, they can help you chart the best path forward. In most cases, the first step is to figure out a schedule for slowly tapering you off of the drug by reducing your dosage over time. If you’ve been taking medication to manage your depression, there may come a time when you want to stop using it.
Symptoms of overdose
This is the maximum dose of Wellbutrin SR that’s recommended. Your risk of these side effects may be higher if you already have bipolar disorder. In addition, Wellbutrin could make anxiety worse for people who already have anxiety before starting treatment. If you have a mental health condition, your doctor can recommend whether it’s safe to take Wellbutrin. No, neither form of Wellbutrin is approved for weight loss or anxiety at this time. Wellbutrin sustained-release (SR) tablets are only approved to treat depression.
There are no hard and fast rules for getting off antidepressants, other than that the approach should be individualized! Some people can taper off an antidepressant in a matter of weeks, while others may take months. It’s also important to note that up to 70 percent of people with depression are at risk for developing sexual dysfunction as well. So you’ll want to take that into consideration when weighing whether to stop taking your medication. Also, some drugs used to treat certain mental health conditions can be dangerous when taken together with Wellbutrin. For example, when taken with Wellbutrin, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can cause severe high blood pressure.
How Quickly Does Wellbutrin Work?
If you don’t like the antidepressant you’ve been taking, share those concerns with your doctor so you can work together to determine a better option. You might think your doctor doesn’t care about your financial situation or that they can’t do anything to help. But if you’re unable to pay the high cost of your antidepressant subscription, let your doctor know. “Being upfront about cost lets us work around it,” Dr. Coulter says.
Using Wellbutrin with alcohol may also influence the frequency and severity of side effects, including seizures and suicidal thoughts. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a modified dosage of Wellbutrin due to possible side effects or another health concern. Your condition should start to improve within the first week or two of beginning Wellbutrin. You may notice positive effects, such as that you sleep better, have more energy, or your appetite has improved, for instance. Improvement of psychological symptoms, such as those related to mood, may take a bit longer—or up to eight weeks.
How quickly your medication works may depend on what it has been prescribed to treat. For example, bupropion may also be prescribed for weight loss. Besides easing the transition, tapering the dose decreases the risk that depression will recur. Participants how long does it take to detox from alcohol timeline and more who discontinued rapidly (over one to seven days) were more likely to relapse within a few months than those who reduced the dose gradually over two or more weeks. Do not stop taking Wellbutrin without first speaking to your doctor.
