Wellbutrin - How long until the insomnia wears off?
Question posted by axslinger on 16 May 2013
Last updated on 22 March 2022 by billwill725
Hello,
I am on my first week of Wellbutrin (generic) IR and am not sleeping well. Does this side-effect eventually wear off? Will I ever be able to sleep again? I took a half of a Trazodone the other night and it did NOTHING to help me sleep. They used to knock me out. Maybe I'll try a whole one.
Last night I took .75mg of Klonopin and that did help but I still woke up an hour before it was time to get up.
Take a hot bath and enjoy the peace. I am on 2mg of guanfacine, which I want off of, and just started 150 mg Wellbutrin (1 week so far) and I get 3 or 4 hours of sleep and it sucks, but I do enjoy my time as of late. Just embrace it I normally can sleep in on weekends into the late morning. With and without meds I go to bed around 11, 11:30, and get up around 6:15 Monday through Friday. Now mind you I have anxiety, ADHD, and dyslexia and I'm just now understanding anxiety I'm afraid of heights otherwise I would have become a lineman.
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IN
Inactive
27 July 2021
I'm 7 years too late but have you tried breaking up the release tablet to make it instant?
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SB
Sb8545
28 Sep 2020
Same here. I have been on bupropion 150xl for over a year and thought I finally found the right medication! I had energy, no negative side effects and was finally losing the weight I put on with previous antidepressants (Paxil, trintellix, viibryd, prozac, effexor, quetiapine... ). I put on 60 pounds in 2 years and then once I began bupropion, just last year lost 20 of it! Over the past 4 months, I wuit sleeping. In the beginning, I didnt have this problem. Just suddenly, I was waking up every 1-2 hours and then it would take 2-3 hours to get back to sleep again. I’d get maybe 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I tried melatonin, and benadryl, both did nothing. Then my doctor prescribed Doxepin, which worked but I had severe shortness of breath the next day. The only thing that truly works is Xanax and I refuse to live on Xanax. So, here I am back to square one on Viibryd, hoping I dont gain the 20 pounds back!! I hope you have better luck than I have!!
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EX
Excrispy
18 Sep 2020
I took 150mg xl and I was fine. Bumping it to 200mg made me take 18 hours to fall asleep. I switched to 200mg immediate release and dont find the same effects of insomnia. Once in morning and once at night. Maybe give that a try?
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BU
Buggs333
9 Aug 2019
Hi, sorry about your sleep issues. It took me years to figure out that it was the wellbutrin effecting my sleep. I slowly taped off of them and boy was there a big difference! I realize that all of are effected differently, but for me that side effect never went away until I was off the wellbutrin. Not having the focus it gave me is missed, but not worth it. I already had sleep issues, so I never should of been put on it in the first place. It could subside for you in 4 to 6 weeks, yet for some people it never goes away. Hope that was helpful. Best of luck!
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KH
Khall16
8 Aug 2019
I am 22 years old (shouldn't matter but I just want some one to know if it helps) I have been on wellbutrin 150mg for about a month. Sleep has always been my favorite thing to do(8 to 14 hours). I have always slept a lot sinse about 8 years old (wasn't depression back then). I can go to bed at 9 and be 100% awake between 1am and 3am. I cannot go back to sleep afterwards. -Even going to the gym for three hours does not tire me. I used to get up at 630am for work and come home tired for bed by 7. Now I'm up between 1am and 3am up until almost 10pm. I operate every day between 3 and 6 hours of sleep! I have noticed my appetite has just about vanished, dry mouth is horrible, my focus is amazing, and lack of sleep is annoying. Also my anxiety spikes randomly. >>>>Oh guys be careful with energy drinks and alcohol. <<<<
We went to the bar and my first drink caused my chest to feel heavy ( I'm a casual drinker so I'm pretty regular). After having a cup of water I felt back to normal and continued drinking. No issues. I feel as though energy drinks would do the same. So I avoid those now.
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IL
ILOVEMYBOYS1028
1 Aug 2018
I too am having a hard time sleeping. I have been taking Wellbutrin for about 2 1/2 weeks. I can't sleep more than six hours. I will give it a month and if I still can't sleep after that I'm going to quit taking it. Please tell me it gets better???
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ME
MeggieGirl
1 Aug 2018
Are you taking it in the morning? Because that's what my Doctor recommended due to its' stimulating effects.
CH
chrissygoldenrod
1 Aug 2018
I’m 3 months into Wellbutrin now. The insomnia never went away. However, I’ve also added Celexa in the last month. One of the side effects of Celexa is also insomnia. So I don’t know if it’s the Wellbutrin or the Celexa that is causing the insomnia... or both. But as far as I know for Wellbutrin, the insomnia did not go away after 2 months (before I began taking Celexa). Sad to say, I’m getting used to the sleep pattern... 4 hours sleep, 1-1.5 hour of wake, then another 2-3 hours of sleep. Every-single-night. Good luck to you!
IL
ILOVEMYBOYS1028
2 Aug 2018
Yes, I'm taking mine in the morning. I'll give it another week or two. I sure miss my sleep!
CA
Carrisa
30 Sep 2018
I'm on day 4 of 150 mg Wellbutrin. Today was my first good day so I'm hopeful this will continue to work for me. I have had insomnia for years and tried just about everything. After all the trial and error, the only way I can sleep is 1 mg Xanax and 50 mg Seroquel. Works good most of the time. I take 30 minutes before bedtime and read till I get sleepy. Hope this helps someone.
Hi, are you still on Wellbutrin and has your insomnia gone away? I am on Wellbutrin generic Dr Reddy’s bupropion hcl xl 150 mg and it’s my 3rd week. I’ve been operating on about 4 hours of sleep a night. I can’t sleep for more than an hour before I wake up for an hour before falling back asleep. This repeats until I finally get up for work around 6-6:30 am. I am still able to function throughout the day and don’t feel any more tired than I did before I went on the medication. Hope my sleep evens out though because it can’t be good for my body to operate on 4 hours of scattered sleep. Took 20 mg of melatonin last night and it did nothing. I’m not trying to counter with another drug if I don’t have to. Anyone have experience with Dr Reddy's generic?
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CA
Carmellatony12
10 Aug 2020
Try Ambien 10 milligram it helps me sleep.
CM
CMillerRN
11 June 2015
Trazodone can help with sleep for many people dosing can be as small as 25 mg in kids and up to 200 to 300 mg depending on what the Doctor prescribes. In a small number of men Priapism may happen. Those that have mania may find it dis-inhibits them and they become very impulsive. Still others with mania find it is activating rather than helping them sleep. I just read one reply that said the person was taking Effexor and another Wellbutrin they began taking trazodone and still could not sleep. Effexor and Wellbutrin are both SNRI's and they increase Serotonin to help with depression and increase norepinephrine to increase energy sort of like caffeine does. Often SNRI's are prescribed twice a day but the times should be in the morning and afternoon, but not at bedtime because that will cause insomnia.
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ES
Estock42RN
23 Sep 2016
This is actually incorrect information. Wellbutrin is not an SNRI. It affects dopamine and norepinephrine, not serotonin. It is classified as an aminoketone (under the category of other antidepressants).
WO
WonderMan
3 March 2015
What dose are you taking? I'm on my second week myself, and already feeling much better as far as clarity. And for the first time I can remember in years having clarity in my life, and getting things done. I'm still on a entry level dose of 100mg per day, and for another week or so I'm going to stay there and then bump up to 150mg a day. But the insomnia is a problem for me also so I usually take 1/2 Ambien and I usually rest better, but I wake up early also. For me personally it's a Godsend as I was sleeping till noon for months with no motivation to get up before. Now I get up wide awake and ready to start my day. Best to you and I'm sure we will at some point get used to the Side effect..
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RO
RonMan
17 May 2013
When I used it, I could not take it at night. The latest for me was 4 PM. After consulting with my doctor I took it in the morning. This made me groggy (go figure), but work was stimulating enough then to not be a problem.
Insomnia is listed as a side-effect. Work with your doctor to find the best time to take it and still get the results you need.
Good Luck,
RonMan
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JA
janiebme
17 May 2013
Hi- It has only been a week. If it is still causing insomina in 3-4 weeks tell your doc as everyone has suggested. I also had to up my traz 75 mg when on Wellbutrin, but it also did not help sleep and caused my anxiety to increase... not good when you have PTSD and the doc suggested increasing my xanax... no way to deal with one drug for another in my opinion. I did not want to become dependent on the benzo's. It is a trial and error with the meds until you find the right combo. I hope you find something that helps with the sleep. When I did not have anxiety the Wellbutrin was great and after a month I did sleep well if that helps. Wishing you the best hang in there. janie
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DE
Delila
17 May 2013
Hi, as Pledge has said, Wellbutrin can cause insomnia in the first stages of treatment. With all(?) antidepressants it can take 4 weeks until you are settled in to a stable routine. Give it some time. I know how awful it is to be unable to sleep (i have been up since 5 a.m. this morning, as i gave up falling back to sleep). I haven't had personal experience with Klonopin, but must benzo's work well to help people sleep. Saying that, i am currently taking Librium, it definitely helps, but it isn't perfect. But what drug is? I prefer Xanax, but where i live (UK), my doctor won't prescribe it. Give Wellbutrin some more time, and if after a few weeks you are still suffering with insomnia, book in to see your doctor for a re-evaluation. Good luck : )
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IN
Inactive
17 May 2013
My doctor wants me to keep taking klonopin, but, it makes me feel drugged the next morning. Xanax helps me. God bless, because it is awful not to sleep. The night is soooo long.
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IN
Inactive
16 May 2013
Hello axslinger. Hopefully it will. Insomnia was reported in 18.6% of users in clinical trials/studies. It is considered to be a normal as well as common side effect. Regards pledge