Bupropion hydrochloride is a generic prescription drug used for depression and seasonal affective disorder. Bupropion comes as oral tablets.
Highlights for bupropion
- Bupropion oral tablet is available as brand-name drugs and as generic drugs. Brand names: Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin, and Forfivo XL.
- Bupropion comes as an immediate-release tablet and an extended-release tablet. Both forms are taken by mouth.
- Bupropion is used to treat depression and help prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It’s also used to help people stop smoking.
Other warnings
- Seizures warning: Bupropion may cause seizures. The risk of seizures increases with higher doses. Before you start taking bupropion, talk with your doctor about all of your medical conditions and all medications you take. Certain medical problems and medications can increase your risk of seizures with bupropion. To reduce the risk of seizures, your doctor may increase your dosage slowly when you first start bupropion treatment.
- High blood pressure warning: This drug can cause severe high blood pressure. Your doctor may monitor your blood pressure during your bupropion treatment.
- Manic episodes warning: Bupropion can cause periods of mania. Symptoms can include greatly increased energy, severe trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, or reckless behavior. They can also include having unusually exciting ideas, feeling extremely happy or irritable, or talking more or faster than usual.
Bupropion, also called bupropion hydrochloride, is a prescription drug. It comes in the form of an immediate-release tablet and an extended-release tablet. Both forms are taken by mouth. An extended-release drug is released into your system slowly over time. An immediate-release drug works more quickly.
Bupropion is a generic drug that’s also available as the brand-name drugs Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin, and Forfivo XL. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, the generic drug may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name drug.
Why it’s used
Bupropion is used to treat depression and prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). With SAD, people have episodes of depression that occur in the fall and winter.
Bupropion is also used to help people stop smoking. Bupropion immediate-release and extended-release tablets aren’t FDA approved for this use, but they may be used off-label for smoking cessation.
Mechanism of action (how it works)
Bupropion belongs to a class of drugs called antidepressants. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.
Bupropion works by increasing the activity of natural chemicals in your brain. Your nerves use these chemicals to send messages to each other. These chemicals include dopamine and norepinephrine.
Bupropion oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness, but it can cause other side effects.
More common side effects
The more common side effects of bupropion can include:
- agitation
- dry mouth
- constipation
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- dizziness
- sweating
- shakiness
- trouble sleeping
- blurred vision
- fast heartbeat
- confusion
- rash
- increased anger
- abnormal heart rhythms
- changes in hearing, such as ringing in the ears or hearing noises that aren’t real
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 (or your local emergency number) if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:
- Mental health effects. Symptoms can include:
- thoughts about suicide or dying
- new or worsened depression
- new or worsened anxiety
- feeling very agitated or restless
- panic attacks
- trouble sleeping
- new or worsened irritability
- acting aggressive, angry, or violent
- acting on dangerous impulses
- an extreme increase in activity and talking
- other unusual changes in behavior or mood
- Eye problems. Symptoms can include:
- eye pain
- swelling or redness in or around the eye
- vision changes, such as blurred vision or double vision
- Seizures. Symptoms can include:
- confusion
- staring spells
- jerking movements of your arms and legs that you can’t control
- loss of consciousness
Bupropion oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance affects how a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.
To help avoid interactions, your doctor will help you 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 bupropion might interact with something else you’re taking, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Examples of drugs that can cause interactions with bupropion are listed below.
Drugs you should not use with bupropion
Do not take these drugs with bupropion. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in your body. Examples of these drugs include:
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine (Nardil) or selegiline (Eldepryl, Zelapar, Emsam). Using these drugs with bupropion can result in severe high blood pressure. There should be at least 14 days between your use of an MAOI and use of bupropion.
Interactions that increase your risk for side effects
Taking bupropion with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from these drugs. Examples of these drugs include:
- Antidepressants, such as venlafaxine (Effexor XR), nortriptyline (Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), desipramine (Norpramin), paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac), or sertraline (Zoloft). Increased side effects can include seizures. If these drugs are needed, your doctor may start you on a low dosage and increase it slowly.
- Antipsychotics, such as haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), or thioridazine (Mellaril). Increased side effects can include seizures. If these drugs are needed, your doctor may start you on a low dosage and increase it slowly.
- Beta-blockers, such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL). Increased side effects can include low blood pressure. Your doctor may lower your dosage of these medications if they’re taken with bupropion.
- Anti-arrhythmics, such as propafenone (Rythmol), flecainide (Tambocor). Increased side effects can include fainting and changes in your heartbeat (too fast or too slow). Your doctor may lower your dosage of these medications if they’re taken with bupropion.
- Theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24). Increased side effects can include seizures. If this drug is needed, your doctor may start you on a low dosage and increase it gradually.
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Deltasone), methylprednisolone (Medrol). Use of these drugs with bupropion may result in seizures. If these drugs are needed, your doctor may start you on a low dosage and increase it gradually.
- Levodopa and amantadine. Increased side effects can include restlessness, agitation, shakiness, loss of body movements, dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking.
- Blood thinner drugs, such as ticlopidine or clopidogrel. If you use one of these drugs with bupropion, your doctor may adjust your bupropion dosage to keep the levels of bupropion in your body from getting too high.
- Benzodiazepines, such alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin). Using these drugs with bupropion can increase the risk of seizures. Your risk is also increased if you’re taking these drugs and suddenly stop. Talk with your doctor to see if you have a greater chance of seizures.
Interactions that can make your drugs less effective
When bupropion is taken with certain drugs, it may not work as well to treat your condition. This is because the amount of bupropion in your body may be decreased. Examples of these drugs include:
- HIV drugs, such as ritonavir, lopinavir, or efavirenz. If you use one of these drugs with bupropion, your doctor may increase your bupropion dosage.
- Anti-seizure drugs, such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin. If you take one of these drugs with bupropion, your doctor may increase your bupropion dosage.
Expert Q&AQuestion: Is it safe to take medications for mental health conditions if a person has diabetes?
Yes, it is safe for people to take medications for mental health conditions if they live with diabetes.
However, many drugs for the treatment of depression and anxiety can make it harder for people to manage their blood sugar. Medications can change the way the body processes glucose and makes and responds to insulin. A doctor may recommend stopping or reducing these medications if a person’s blood sugar levels become too high.
This drug comes with several warnings.
Allergy warning
This drug can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:
- rash
- swelling of your lips or tongue
- itching
- hives
- fever
- swollen lymph glands
- painful sores in your mouth or around your eyes
- trouble breathing
If you develop these symptoms, call 911 (or your local emergency number) or go to the nearest emergency room.
Your doctor won’t prescribe bupropion if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).
Alcohol interaction warning
When taking bupropion, your risk of seizures increases if you consume a lot of alcohol. Your seizure risk also increases if you often drink a lot of alcohol and you suddenly stop while you’re taking bupropion. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether this drug is safe for you.
Warnings for people with certain health conditions
For people with a seizure disorder: Bupropion raises the risk of seizures. You should not take this drug if you have a seizure disorder.
For people with eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia: Bupropion raises your risk for seizures. You should not take this drug if you have an eating disorder.
For people with bipolar disorder: Bupropion may make your condition worse. You should not take this drug if you have bipolar disorder.
For people with kidney problems: If you have kidney problems or a history of kidney disease, you may not be able to clear bupropion from your body well. This may increase the levels of this drug in your body and cause more side effects. Your doctor may reduce your dosage of this drug or how often you are given this drug.
For people with liver disease: Your doctor may reduce your bupropion dosage.
For people with angle-closure glaucoma: Bupropion can make your condition worse.
Warnings for other groups
For pregnant people: This drug is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:
- Research on bupropion use in pregnant animals has shown adverse effects on the fetus.
- There haven’t been enough studies done in humans to be certain how bupropion might affect the fetus.
Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant. This drug should only be used if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.
If you become pregnant while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.
For people who are breastfeeding: This drug passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk with your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication.
For older adults: The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, a higher amount of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.
For children: Bupropion’s safety and effectiveness in children isn’t known.
Your doctor might prescribe bupropion for you to take once or twice per day. You can take bupropion with or without food.
All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:
- your age
- your condition and how severe it is
- other medical conditions you have
- how you react to your first dose
The following chart provides an overview of bupropion’s generic and brand-name forms and strengths available. Strengths are listed in milligrams (mg).
| Forms and strengths | |
|---|---|
| Generic bupropion | • oral immediate-release tablet: 75 mg, 100 mg • oral extended-release tablet: 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg |
| Wellbutrin XL | • oral extended-release tablet: 150 mg, 300 mg |
| Wellbutrin SR | • oral sustained-release tablet: 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg |
| Aplenzin | • oral extended-release tablet: 174 mg, 348 mg, 522 mg |
| Forfivo XL | • oral extended-release tablet: 450 mg |
Dosage for depression
Adult dosage (ages 18–64 years)
Generic bupropion immediate-release:
- Typical starting dosage: 200 mg per day, taken as 100 mg twice daily.
- Dosage increases: After 3 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg per day, taken as 100 mg 3 times daily. Wait at least 6 hours between doses.
- Maximum dosage: 450 mg per day, taken in divided doses of no more than 150 mg each. Your doctor may prescribe this dosage for you if you don’t respond to the drug after several weeks of treatment.
Generic bupropion extended-release:
- Typical starting dosage: 150 mg once daily in the morning.
- Dosage increases: After 4 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg, taken once daily in the morning.
Wellbutrin XL:
- Typical starting dosage: 150 mg once daily in the morning.
- Dosage increases: After 4 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg, taken once daily in the morning.
Wellbutrin SR:
- Typical starting dosage: 150 mg per day, taken as a single dose in the morning.
- Dosage increases: After 3 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg per day, taken as 150 mg twice daily. Wait at least eight hours between doses.
- Maximum dosage: 400 mg per day, taken as 200 mg twice daily. Your doctor may prescribe this dosage for you if you don’t respond to several weeks of treatment at a dosage of 300 mg per day.
Aplenzin:
- Typical starting dosage: 174 mg once daily in the morning.
- Dosage increases: After 4 days, the dosage may be increased to 348 mg, taken once daily in the morning.
Forfivo XL:
- Typical starting dosage: 450 mg once per day.
- Usage: This brand can be used if:
- you’ve been receiving 300 mg per day of another bupropion product for at least 2 weeks, and
- you require a higher dosage of bupropion, at least 450 mg per day
Child dosage (ages 0–17 years)
It has not been confirmed that bupropion is safe or effective for use in people younger than 18 years.
Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)
The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, a higher amount of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This can raise your risk of side effects.
Dosage for seasonal affective disorder
Adult dosage (ages 18–64 years)
Generic bupropion extended-release
- Typical starting dosage: 150 mg once daily.
- Dosage increases: After 7 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg, taken once daily in the morning.
Aplenzin:
- Typical starting dosage: 174 mg once daily.
- Dosage increases: After 7 days, the dosage may be increased to 348 mg, taken once daily.
Wellbutrin XL:
- Typical starting dosage: 150 mg once daily.
- Dosage increases: After 7 days, the dosage may be increased to 300 mg, taken once daily in the morning.
Child dosage (ages 0–17 years)
It has not been confirmed that this drug is safe and effective for use in people younger than 18 years.
Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)
The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, a higher amount of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.
Dosage for smoking cessation
Adult dosage (ages 18–64 years)
Generic bupropion extended-release tablet:
Treatment with this drug should start before you plan to quit smoking. You should set a target quit date within the first 2 weeks of treatment with this drug. Treatment should be continued for 7 to 12 weeks.
- Typical starting dosage: One 150-mg tablet per day for 3 days.
- Dosage increases: On the fourth day, this is increased to 300 mg per day, taken as one 150-mg tablet twice daily. Wait at least 8 hours between each dose.
- Maximum dosage: 300 mg per day.
Bupropion oral tablet is used for long-term treatment of depression or SAD. It may also be prescribed off-label for short-term help with quitting smoking (if you smoke).
Bupropion comes with serious risks if you don’t take it as prescribed.
This drug also comes with serious risks when used for smoking cessation, such as mood changes, depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, and paranoia. These symptoms may happen even if you keep smoking while taking the drug. If you notice any unusual changes in your mood or behavior, contact your doctor right away. It’s important to monitor your mental health closely while taking bupropion for smoking cessation.
If you stop taking bupropion suddenly or don’t take it at all: Your symptoms of depression or SAD may get worse. Or you may not be able to quit smoking.
If you miss doses or don’t take bupropion on schedule: Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. For this drug to work well, a certain amount needs to be in your body at all times.
If you take too much bupropion: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:
- seizures
- hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real)
- loss of consciousness
- abnormal heart rhythms
Call your doctor if you think you’ve taken too much bupropion. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Or go to the nearest emergency room.
What to do if you miss a dose: Take your dose as soon as you remember. But if you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose. Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could result in dangerous side effects.
How to tell if the drug is working: Your symptoms of depression or SAD should decrease. Or you may be able to quit smoking.
Keep these considerations in mind if your doctor prescribes bupropion for you.
General
- You can take this drug with or without food.
- Take this drug at the time(s) recommended by your doctor.
- You cannot cut or crush the tablet.
Storage
- Store this drug at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).
- Keep bupropion away from light.
- Don’t store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms.
Travel
When traveling with your medication:
- Always carry your medication with you. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. Keep it in your carry-on bag.
- Don’t worry about airport X-ray machines. They can’t harm your medication.
- You may need to show airport staff the pharmacy label for your medication. Always carry the original prescription-labeled container with you.
- Don’t put this medication in your car’s glove compartment or leave it in the car, especially if the weather is very hot or very cold.
Clinical monitoring
You and your doctor should monitor certain health issues. This can help make sure you stay safe while you take this drug. These issues include:
- Kidney function: Blood tests can check how well your kidneys are working. If your kidneys aren’t working well, your doctor may lower your bupropion dosage.
- Liver function: Blood tests can check how well your liver is working. If your liver isn’t working well, your doctor may lower your bupropion dosage.
- Mental health and behavioral problems: You and your doctor should watch for any unusual changes in your behavior and mood. Bupropion can cause new mental health and behavior problems, or make problems you already have worse.
- Blood pressure: Bupropion may increase your blood pressure. Your doctor may check your blood pressure during your bupropion treatment.
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering bupropion. What you’ll pay for bupropion may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use.
Your insurance company might require a prior authorization for bupropion. This means your doctor may need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription.
Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:
- Cost information and savings coupons: You can visit Optum Perks to get price estimates of what you’d pay for bupropion when using coupons from the site. See the coupon options below. (Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.)
- Savings program: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The following resources may be helpful:
You can refer to these bupropion cost and bupropion extended-release cost articles for details. You can also learn more about saving on your prescriptions.
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There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk with your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained here in is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.