Get Informed: Wellbutrin
Active Ingredient(s)
Bupropion
What does it do?
This product is used in the treatment of depression, and as an aid to smoking cessation treatment. It is believed to work by acting on norepinephrine and dopamine, two important chemicals in the brain.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 8:31 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:53 PM
Other Names
- Wellbutrin
- Bupropion
- Wellbutrin XL
- Zyban
- Aplenzin
- Wellbutrin SR
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- C
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior when used in children, adolescents, and young adults with depression. The product will have a black box warning relating to an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and changes in mood and behavior in patients using this product for smoking cessation.If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, the following national suicide hotlines are available in the U.S. to help you: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) and 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 30 Dec 1985
- Est US Patients*
- 5,401,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Wellbutrin or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Wellbutrin Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Wellbutrin used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 31,600 patients that use Wellbutrin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Depression | 82% | 
|
| Anxiety | 28% |
|
| Bipolar Disorder | 14% |
|
| Smoking Addiction | 10% |
|
| Attention Deficit Disorder | 6% |
|
| Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | 3% |
|
| Panic Disorder | 3% |
|
| Loss of Libidio | 2% |
|
| Other | 6% |
|
How well does Wellbutrin work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 31,600 users taking Wellbutrin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 81%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Wellbutrin outweigh the bad things.
- 15%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Wellbutrin.
Common Side Effects of Wellbutrin
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 31,600 users taking Wellbutrin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
38% of patients experience side-effects on Wellbutrin
6% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Wellbutrin
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Dry Mouth
-
Fatigue
-
Weight Gain
-
Insomnia
-
Headache
-
Mood/Behavior Changes
-
Loss of Libido
-
Anxiety
-
Constipation
-
Dizziness
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Bloating/Gas, Blurred Vision, Depression, Drowsiness, Dryness, Grogginess/Confusion, Hair Loss, Heartburn/Reflux, Increased Appetite, Loss of Appetite, Mental Haziness, Mood/Behavior Problems, Muscle Pain/Stiffness, Nausea, Nausea/Vomiting, Postural Hypotension, Restlessness, Ringing Ears, Sexual Problems, Sweating, Thirst, Tremor, Weight Loss
Global Patient Feedback for Wellbutrin (Bupropion) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
i have been on Wellbutrin xl and pristiq 100 mg-50mg daily since June and have developed stomach pain almost on a daily basis now-it started in July--- any help on this? thank you
64 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-19 13:49:10
Question/Comment:
has anyone experienced muscle spasms in neck, throat, base of tongue area and clenched jaws? this started after i increased the dose to 300mg. it got a little bit better after a few weeks but never really went away. i just decreased to 150mg and there is improvement but still a tendency to muscle tightness in that area. i don't see any of this in the usual list of side effects....
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-03 23:22:30
Answer/Reply:
YES! I started 2 weeks ago and I have had neck spasms, clinched jaw, and I chew my tongue without realizing it. My teeth ache now because I think I may be clinching while asleep. Not sure if it is something I can eventually overcome.
30 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-09 21:51:33
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Approximately 1% of iGuard patients taking bupropion reported muscle pain and stiffness as a side effect. Unfortuately, patients did not provide further detail on the site of the stiffness. If the conditions persist or worsen you should be evaluated by your doctor. Also, since suddenly stopping or changing your dose can result in serious side effects, you should only make adjustments to your medicine under the direction of your doctor.
Posted: 2009-11-10 21:39:42
Question/Comment:
Hi, new here and taking WellbutrinXL 150 mg/day...for about 7 months, then dosage upped to 300mg/day for a few weeks now.
I am a professional voice user (performer) and have had hoarseness/breaking of voice for a number of months - and
during that time seen multiple specialists to figure out the cause.
If anyone has experienced - or knows of - voice hoarseness or
weakness being associated with this drug PLEASE let me know.
It could solve a mystery and restore my career ; )
Thanks
Mike
51 year old Male
Posted: 2009-10-29 20:45:25
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Dry mouth is a commonly reported side effect of Wellbutrin XL. Sometimes dry mouth can lead to a feeling of hoarseness. If the side effect continues or worsens you should discuss it with your doctor.
Posted: 2009-11-03 12:24:27
Answer/Reply:
I have experienced that as well. Today while talking to my boss I could hear my voice slowly going away and I have noticed more people asking me to speak up. I try drinking lots of water and this started when I upped my dosage. Not sure how to get rid of it though.
30 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-09 21:53:47
Question/Comment:
Re: Buproprion 150mg twice/day ER recall - I take generic, does this apply to the generic version, mine is large purple pill. I can't find the lot #. Should I call my pharmacy, I use Prescription Solutions - Kansas.
Also I have noticed a difference in taking this the second time around, The first time (10 yrs ago)the brand name 300mg wellbutrin XR worked very well for about 2 1/2 years for depression. While I was depressed, I was actually having an MS relapse (unknowingly - years of misdiagnosis) - as that relapse worsened it just stopped working - in fact, none of the medicines I was taking then worked as well, Neurontin for pain - way less effective. That had been prescribed for Cervical Stenosis.
This 2nd time of taking it - generific - more anger, confusion, seems to have far less effect. I wanted to give it a fair shake because it did improve my mood before without sedating me, but after 5 months, I am considering discontinuing. I began taking it to aid in smoking cessation, not depression relief. I never did stop smoking and my mood is worse - more confused. I think I'm in another relapse - since new serious gait abnormalities have cropped up and not gone away (like they used to). Yes, I have discussed with my MS Center, but quite frankly - they are just plain inadequate.
I think maybe the problem for me with buproprion this second time is that I am taking more medications now - for extreme pain, cognition, spasticity, immunomodulating injections, thyroid - and that is probably the factor with the most impact on effectiveness for me . .
now that they know that an antidepressant is not going to adequately treat MS, when that is really what I had, they stuck me on a slew of other drugs! Now that they know that while I was depressed that was not why I was so fatigued, sick, ataxic, confused . . . and now that they know I was not and never was a hypochondriac . . . and now that I have lost significant intellect, working, memory, and all the other damage that's now permanent, and never had the opportunity for delaying my MS decline, etc.
I was diagnosed with MS 5 years ago, but have actually had it for more than 20 years - 20 years of misdiagnosis - understandable in the beginning, but in the last 9-10 years, unmistakably MS but for my docs bias about women.
Treat your depression, but beware the diagnosis - especially if you are a woman. The systemic gender bias that exists in the doctor/patient relationship for a woman often means you will be prescribed an antidepressant and be treated for depression that may or not be present - you may in fact have MS, or RA, or CFS, or Lyme disease, or . . . the list is endless.
Wellbutrin and many of the antidepressants can be effective, but,
beware, although your depression can be secondary or concomitent with what you really have, treating only that with an antidepressant can mask or mute some of the above diseases, not treating the symptoms but by making you not care anymore that you have them. Depression, psychosomatic, hysteria, hypochondriac, malingering is a doctor's favorite diagnosis for a woman even in the face of labs, MRIs, EEGs, clinical symptoms, atrophied brains and lesions galore, and increasing dysfunction in additional areas.
I emphasize, do not disbelieve your doc, do not stop taking any medication before consulting with your doctor! You may indeed be depressed and not have another condition, but, if you do not improve or you are getting symptoms that really don't fit anymore, if the meds aren't really working, please be insistent about being taken seriously by your doc. If you feel your concerns are being dismissed repeatedly, you are not respected - get a new doctor who is responsive to you. Those kinds of (good) docs are rare but they do exist.
Medications are wonderful, effective tools to treat illnesses - but are also powerful chemicals that should only be used when correctly prescribed, and your doctor diagnoses accurately based on the skills, tools, and knowledge he has rather than a peronal and systemic bias. Just a comment, a warning, don't become sicker or die - not because of medications, but because of bias.
55 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-27 12:46:25
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Wellbutrin for pain caused by fibromyalgia. Is anyone using this drug for pain relief? If so has it been effective?
56 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-26 16:54:08
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Wellbutrin is used "off-label" for neuropathic pain, meaning that the FDA has not reviewed and approved it for this indication. There are some reports that it does help with the pain associated with fibromyalgia and may be helpful if you have found the other FDA approved medications for fibromyalgia (Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella) do not work for you. . Work with your physician to find the correct dose and regimen for you. It may take a few weeks to get to the complete effect. Side effects should wear off in this time period also.
Posted: 2009-09-28 22:17:21
Answer/Reply:
Yes I take Wellbutrin as one of my many medications in the treatment of my fibroglymia. I use it to boost the effect of the effexor xr. And yes it does help.
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-10-01 08:26:54
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Patient Comments about
Wellbutrin