Bupropion XL (Wellbutrin®)
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not take Bupropion XL (bupropion hydrochloride) if you:
- are allergic to Bupropion, as contained in bupropion hydrochloride, or any of the ingredients in Bupropion
- take any medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), or if you have stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days
- are already taking a medication containing bupropion
- taking tamoxifen
- have a medical history of a seizure disorder, anorexia nervosa, or bulimia nervosa
- drink large amounts of alcohol, use recreational drugs or abuse prescription medications - or suddenly stop substance abuse habits
Bupropion can cause serious side effects. Rarely reported side effects include:
- Confusion
- Fainting
- Seizures
- Inability to concentrate
- Auditory or visual hallucinations
- Paranoia
Before you take Bupropion, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself
- have a history of psychiatric or medical problems, including bipolar disorder
- have taken any medication in the past for your condition, whether effective or not
- have suffered adverse or side effects from previous medication therapies
- are receiving any non-medication treatment, such as talk therapy
- are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
- drink alcohol or use/abuse recreational or prescription drugs
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbal supplements, and recreational drugs.
Bupropion may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way Bupropion works, causing side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following:
- take any medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), or if you have stopped taking and MAOI in the last 14 days
During treatment with this medication, the side effects of this medication may go away as your body adjusts to the medication. The most common side effects of Bupropion: constipation, decrease in appetite, dizziness, increased sweating, stomach pain, trembling, and unusual weight loss.
Bupropion (bupropion hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and to help people quit smoking (smoking cessation). (May also be helpful when prescribed “off-label” for bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, and sexual dysfunction due to SSRI antidepressants.)
Swallow the tablet whole. Do not break, crush or chew it.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, for the XL form, do not take an extra tablet to make up for the dose you forgot. Wait and take your next dose at your regular time the next day. Do not double doses.
Do not stop taking bupropion or change your dose without talking with your healthcare provider first.
While depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to 4-6 weeks to improve, disturbances in sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working.
Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia. If these symptoms emerge, they should be reported to the patient’s prescriber or healthcare professional. All patients being treated with antidepressants for any indication should watch for and notify their healthcare provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment.
If you no longer need your medication, the best way to dispose of most types of old, unused, unwanted, or expired medicines (both prescription and over the counter) is to drop off the medicine at a drug take back site, location, or program immediately. You can use the DEA Diversion Control Division Lookup to find your nearest drug disposal site.
If no drug take back sites, locations, or programs are available in your area, and there are no specific disposal instructions (such as flushing) in the medication guide or package insert, you can follow these simple steps to dispose of most medicines in your trash at home:
- Mix medicines (liquid or pills; do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unappealing substance such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds;
- Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag;
- Throw away the container in your trash at home; and
- Delete all personal information on the prescription label of empty medicine bottles or medicine packaging, then trash or recycle the empty bottle or packaging.
