I've been on 450 mg for several years. I have had alot of agitation and am short tempered. I don't know if its me or the medicine to be honest. Otherwise this medication really saved my life. Depression got me to the point I couldn't function and my life is just fine in that department due to Wellbutrin. Anyone else have anger issues / agitataion?
Wellbutrin and agitation/anger outbursts? Anyone else?
Question posted by VeniceGal on 28 July 2010
Last updated on 27 February 2025
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
41 Answers Page 2
Mariamoggy
9 Nov 2017
I thought it was just me !! My aggressive ways were so bad my Doc put me on risperidone(antipsychotic) to calm me down... what a nightmare! after 2 doses i felt like i had drunk a bottle of whiskey i was so out of it! Never again.i also have upped my prozac to 40mg so i hope the combo of Wellbutrin 150mg and prozac 40mg works... so desperate now, anxiety disorder has gone crazy but valium helps twice a day... i think i will.just try breathing exersizes/hard exercise/ and meditation to help with the aggressive urges.Im so glad i found this site,i thought it was just me.
CLKSH
4 Nov 2017
My husband was dx’d with depression 8 years ago. At the time, we didn’t connect the depression with the TBI he had sustained, so we worked with doctors and went down the antidepressant path, to little or no overall improvement. His depression became markedly worse three years ago, which made us modify his rx’s—a terrifically painful process, all with no real relief.
However, the recent research on TBI-induced depression (and our having a “V8, head smack, aha! moment) suggested that we look into rTMS. He responded beautifully to 9 weeks of treatments this past summer.
His psychiatrist, the MD who oversaw his rTMS, did not advise going off of his rx for Wellbutrin prior to treatment, but said post treatment we could evaluate what his needs were.
Unfortunately, while the depression is gone due to the rTMS treatment, he is now much more prone to fits of rage and angry outbursts. Just this evening, he was dangerously close to a physical confrontation with another driver and he seems to be incapable of managing his anger—going from Fine to Furious in moments, frequently with frightening physical demonstrations and vicious, maximum volume, verbal attacks.
I’m concerned this might be a side effect of the Wellbutrin he continues to take. Peoples’ descriptions of rages, and angry outbursts sound exactly like what my husband is now dealing with.
Because his depression has been mitigated by the rTMS, I’m tempted to say that we should consider tapering off of the Wellbutrin, because it may be doing more harm than good.
Any thoughts?
Agitated_lady
4 Nov 2017
Yes, Wellbutrin can make that happen. Before you taper off it, ask you doctor to decrease the amount he is taking. That worked for me. If that doesn't work, then perhaps you need to find an alternative combination of meds.
I hope this helps. Don't give up, you just need to find the right combination.
Savvy0626
19 Oct 2017
I just currently got put on wellbutrin for post partum depression. And i have been having severe problems with anger and mood swings. I keep getting mad at my boyfriend for old stuff and i get severely mad to the point where i wanna hit him. I think I'm gonna stop taking it tonight because i take it twice a day.
Agitated_lady
19 Oct 2017
You may want to check with your doctor and see if you can lower your dose. I was on 250mg daily and I got real angry. Every little thing pissed me right off. I called the doctor immediately and she told me to gom to 125mg. I have been great at that level. Keeps me happy and no more anger. Give a call and ask. Be gentle on your boyfriend and most of all, congratulations on the birth of your baby. There is hope, it will get better.
NicolePal
9 Oct 2017
I have been on Wellbutrin for almost two weeks and I have had a couple outbursts of anger too! Violent outbursts. I feel better most of the time overall since starting this all except the two outbursts I've had. It's confusing because I feel less agitated and more in control of my emotions 98% of the time.
JessG92
2 Oct 2017
I have been taking Wellbutrin 300mg for a couple weeks to treat my depression and I've noticed that it has caused several outbursts and emotional roller coasters over the smallest issues. It has actually started to hurt my marriage. I am currently trying to find either a mood stabilizer or a better antidepressant. If anyone has any recommendations they would be greatly appreciated. Glad I'm not the only one!
Agitated_lady
19 Oct 2017
Try a lower dose with doctor recommendation. It did help me tons! Best of luck.
Pink1014
2 Sep 2017
Oh my gosh, I'm so glad to hear that this had happened to other people as well ... I was beginning to worry that this was my baseline! The good news is that it has a short half life, so my doctor didn't feel I needed to taper off slowly ... unlike Lexapro, which I took 6 weeks to taper off.
I'm sorry you're also experiencing these side effects. It's difficult and frustrating - because even though you know the cause, it's of no comfort in the moments that it's happening. Good luck to you.
ambergebbeken
14 Aug 2017
I have been dealing with this since I started taking it, I tried calling the DR to see if this was normal got no answer. I finally got in to see my DR I told her what was going on and told her I quit taking them. she then told me that, that symptom is not normal and I might be bipolar. I now have to go see a psychologist to diagnose me. I don't know if this medication is helping me or not
canadabehr
28 July 2017
Yes, this medication causes mood swings. Dopamine antagonists will do that. This medication does not metabolize therefore goes out of your system right away. Hope this helps.
Inactive
28 July 2017
I researched how long Wellbutrin stays in the system, due to your comment that it "goes out of your system right away".
Short answer: Wellbutrin hits its peak levels about 7 hours after taking the medication. The medication has a very long half-life, about 33 to 37 hours.
Wellbutrin: How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In The Body? Because of Wellbutrin’s long half-life and slow rate of absorption, it’s possible that Wellbutrin could remain in the body for weeks.
Inactive
28 July 2017
The generic Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin SR) works very well for me. This has been the most effective antidepressant for me. My doctor prescribed Buspar to take along with it, and that combination gives me relief from anxiety/depression better than any other meds that I have tried. The Wellbutrin gives me energy and and motivation, which for some people is accompanied by increased anxiety. The buspar treats any anxiety that might be caused by Wellbutrin. So it is an effective combination for many people who need that boost without the agitated, anxious feelings and addresses any temper problems as well. At least that is my personal experience.
joeondrugs
28 July 2017
Just tossed all of my buprian. For the first time in 15 years I received a warning at work for being short with a customer. If a friend hadn't intervened I might have been fired. Previously, I had been on Wellbutrin and while it worked as an upper, I noticed increased irritability, so I stopped. I felt less irritable. But this morning I thought, "Let's just see if it was really the Wellbutrin." Mistake. One upside, though, is that I now know with certainty the source of irritability. If Wellbutrin is helping you without irritability, fine. But if it you feel irritability and anger don't let your shrink dismiss it as "hormones" or something. Remember, shrinks only know what the drug salesmen tell them. You are the one experiencing the effects. If one AD isn't helpful, Ask for something else. Unfortunately, sometimes finding the optimal AD takes weeks or months of trial and error.
Mmccool4231
12 July 2017
Yes, wellbutrin causes agitation/anxiety/and less commonly anger. It really stinks because this is the only medication that works. Other antidepressants, especially SSRIs can cause deep lethargy or psychosis/suicidality. I don't even think I will ever try another because it is too dangerous. I have had depression since I was 8 years old. I'm highly functional and deal with it well but just suffer a lot internally without showing it. So I asked my psychiatric nurse to increase the wellbutrin. It works amazingly well for depression. I actually feel upbeat and energetic most of the time. But the underlying anxiety/agitation actually leaves me feeling like I want to crawl out of my skin at times. I'm going to keep taking it for two more weeks before deciding what to do. :/
SickandTired88
26 June 2017
Oh my gosh. I felt so angry when taking well butrin I want to scream at people, little things agitate me and I became physically violent. My psychiatrist claims that making people feel angry is not a side effect of well butrin but look at all the people who claim they experienced that while taking it! Well butrin also increased my appetite and I gained weight when on it. Drug companies claim the opposite. That is BS in my opinion. They just don't want to get sued. They can't claim to know how a drug is going to affect each individual who takes it. I think hormone therapy is the answer to treating depression. Not antidepressants.
GoldNugget
13 June 2017
Yes, I am also experiencing anger/agitation. I switched from 20mg lexapro to 150 mg Wellbutrin xl 5 weeks ago and now I am switching back to lexapro but will try 10mg. My only reason for switching was a lack of sex drive on the 20mg of lexapro. For some reason my sex drive was fine on 10mg of lexapro so I am hoping this dose will be ok for me now.
My side effects from switching from 20mg of lexapro to 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL are listed below. BTW I started 10mg lexapro in spring 2013, upped to 20mg in spring 2014 after dealing with a tragedy, gained 10lb weight over it, lost my sex drive but was the happiest I ever felt in my life. If I did not have a boyfriend I would be fine with the 20mg, even with the carb cravings/extra weight. But since I do have a boyfriend I want to want sex again so I decided to switch.
1. dizzy/lightheadedness (lasted first few weeks)
2. night sweats so bad I had to change clothes every night because I was dripping and they were soaked. I had to sleep with a fan on full blast directly on me just to minimize it.
3. Anger/agitation, especially noticeable when I am driving or teaching. I became a stricter teacher and did not tolerate things I had previously been fine with. My poor students! Oh well, it wasn't that bad but definitely noticeable with students who had needed discipline. I was milder and more calm with them while on Lexapro.
4. Repetitive thoughts/anxiety, constantly dwelling on little things and imagining the worst, like the days all of my loved ones will eventually die.
5. Depression, so bad I just want to sleep all day and not do anything. The anger seems to help feed it.
6. Crying over little things and abruptly. One quick news clip is enough to make me cry.
7. Decreased appetite but it feels like I'm just so depressed now and that is why I just don't find joy in it or many other things that I should.
It's hard to tell.
On lexapro I was more level-headed, happier and productive. I read some posts on here from people saying the Wellbutrin SR is better than the XL. I am so fed up with the XL that I am too scared to try the SR.
Well, I just wanted to share my story because I have appreciated reading the comments left by others and figured it was my time to share.
Mkcheney6
12 June 2017
I've been on Wellbutrin for over a year. I've been with my boyfriend for 3 and I have a child of my own. My anger issues are pushing him and his son away and I don't blame them. I feel terrible for my son I feel like I am constantly ruining his childhood. Sometimes I feel he'd be better off without me around. I try to control my anger but before I know what's happening I am seeing red and being unbearable to those around me. I usually ruin family vacations. I constantly feel like I am not normal and people should just avoid me for their own good. I'm wondering how much longer my boyfriend will stick around I'm not sure why he hasn't left yet I'm not anything special or worth anything. I'd rather be sleeping than awake. I am glad I'm not the only one with hulk anger problems and that it might be the meds.
When I'm coming down from my anger I have instant regret and feel even more worthless, and tell myself well next time I'll just take a deep breath and walk away. 99% of the time there is no thought process before I flip my lid and everyone is affected. Any helpful tips will be greatly apperciated.
Inactive
12 June 2017
Hi Mkcheney: Here is the problem: There are so many companies producing generic antidepressants now. And several versions of each generic. Example: the one I take has several companies producing generic forms of Wellbutrin. I have thoroughly researched the generics of my AD, so that I can get the one closest to the brand name I used to take, Wellbutrin SR. It turned out to be Bupropion SR manufactured by Sandoz pharmaceuticals. The ingredients are exactly the same, except for only 1, (maybe 2) fillers, I believe. I had bad anger problems when I took Wellbutrin XL - headaches, stomach upset, irritability, anxiety, nausea, blurred vision, anger, insomnia etc. It totally sucked! But I went back to Wellbutrin SR , generic versions. I was so pissed off on the XL, I would tell everybody off around me ! I actually alienated some people who were previously an important part of my life.
On the Wellbutrin SR, I was a totally different person - I became calm, sleep good at night, I am focused, I can concentrate (no more brain fog), I am happy, I have motivation, I have energy, I no longer forget things, I am currently making lists to catch up on all the things I let go because I couldn't make decisions! And libido - my husband says "Thank you , Wellbutrin! SR!" I have a touch of ADD, suspected by my new NP, so I would procrastinate and avoid any situation that would involve decision making - I would put it off tomorrow - and tomorrow - and tomorrow. The thought of making a decision on anything was more than I could handle. I also had to overcome Social Anxiety Disorder. Thank God I have a husband who understands me and supports me. I had gotten off my Wellbutrin SR. from time to time, taking Wellbutrin "vacations", but, after my current blood work results, recently I was back on this antidepressant, and I am already feeling like a new person! It also helps to treat CFS symptoms, fibromyalgia-like problems, and ADD. It has made a huge difference in my life. My main complaint was not depression. It treats many off-label problems as well!
Wellbutrin SR has always given me energy, motivation, focus, allows me to sleep well through the night, makes me calm during the day. I had negative reactions to the SSRI's. whenever I was prescribed them. Wellbutrin SR is a SNRI (actually an NDRI - norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Evidently serotonin was not my problem. With the SSRis (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), I had extreme fatigue and nausea, diarrhea, white zaps before my eyes, swooshing sound in my head, when I would turn over in bed at night, tinnitus - nightmare reactions and even more side effects!!! I got so sick at work I had to go home with severe nausea and diarrhea and a "spacey feeling" : DUH - I didn't associate it with the fact that I had recently started escitalopram (Lexapro). And for me, effexor was not good. It affected my job performance at work, in many negative ways.
Wellbutrin SR addresses and increases my energy level, motivation, decreases my pain level, but increases my focus, able to complete more tasks. For my situation there is no better antidepressant on the market, and I have tried many of them! Wellbutrin XL for me, meant gigantic headaches, stomach pain, nausea, irritability, agitation, insomnia, etc.
Wellbutrin SR - initially very few and minimal side effects - most benefit (for me anyway). I hope you get relief.
I know you feel like, to use your words "you will flip your lid", but you won't. You just need to discuss your symptoms with your doctor and find the right medication for you to relieve your symptoms. I have walked in your shoes. Don't give up. Help yourself. Let your doctor help you. Just be patient and find the AD that will be right for your needs.
DammitAll
10 Aug 2017
Ugh I'm so sorry. Just remember it is the depression and the drug--it isn't you or who you are as a person. You are worthwhile but it's really hard to remember that when you're in the depths of despair, believe me I totally get it. I feel the same way but have only been on Wellbutrin for a month. Maybe it's time to try a different med since you've been on it a year and are still feeling this way. Cymbalta was helpful for me but also super hard to get off of. W/d symptoms are intense. Best of luck I'm sorry
juztme75
8 Feb 2018
hang in there! my husband was having depression issues and some irritability from it. he told his doctor in november and she put him on wellbutrin.. he has become very angry and hostile and very difficult to be around since taking the medication. go see your doctor and tell them what is happening with you. this is not a way to have to have to live.
mverchvt
8 June 2017
I was on generic Prozac for several years but it was making me way too lethargic and unambitious, so I asked my doctor to switch me to something that wouldn't make me so tired and lazy. She put me on 300mg Wellbutrin XL (generic) and now I am extremely angry and irritable all the time. (I have been taking it for over a month). I snap at the least little thing and can't seem to control my temper and outbursts. It's like I don't have any control over my emotions. This is very concerning to me as I am not normally a mean or vicious person. What is going on? I fully believe that the Wellbutrin is the cause. I am going to stop taking it immediately and go back on the Prozac. I will find other methods of dealing with my lack of energy. I just started taking a "greens superfood" powder to aid my overall health and I'm hoping that it will ramp up my energy level enough to offset the Prozac. I cannot tolerate the negative side effects/feelings that Wellbutrin gives me... nor the extreme headaches. I hope this helps... best of luck!
Inactive
8 June 2017
I've observed that Wellbutrin XL seems to cause more of the anger and irritablity issues. Wellbutrin SR gives me energy, but not the anger issues like the XL does.
Related topics
Further information
- Wellbutrin uses and safety info
- Wellbutrin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Wellbutrin (detailed)
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