Bupropion and Irritability: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 16, 2021

For ADHD "It was combined with atomoxetine, it worsened my ADHD, developed tics, and made me forgetful, depressed, irritable, no libido, erectile dysfunction, unmotivated, brain fog, no emotion or feeling empty, difficulty breathing. The 2-month experience was terrible, I had to stop it immediately."

• ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2021

For ADHD "I started Wellbutrin for adult ADHD that I decided to tackle. I wanted to try to fight the symptoms with a non-stimulant rather than just jumping straight into stimulants, and this was the med my Dr. decided on. I was on this for about a month and noticed some change with my attentiveness, but not much. The negative side effects I had were the reason why I had to stop taking this drug. I had some irritability problems beforehand, but this amplified them and made the spouts unpredictable, anything could set me off in any moment, in any mood, and I mean pretty intense bouts of irritation. It also brought along suicidal ideation, which I had never experienced before using this med. Overall, it changed my mental health and in a very negative manner, so I had to stop taking it."

• NOL...
• October 17, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I just started taking this medication for postpartum depression. This is my second day on it. I didn’t know this medication is also used for weight loss, which is one reason I’ve gotten into this depression. The first day I took it (yesterday, 10/16/2020), I was eating way too much, something I don’t do normally. I was afraid it would have me gain more weight, but today it completely took my appetite away. I can say I’m feeling a little more active around the house, less depressive, not to mention before taking this I wouldn’t leave my room whatsoever. I was getting very irritated from my baby crying, any simple situation would make me mad. It’s only the second day I’ve taken this medication, and so far I think this will be the best solution for my postpartum depression. I’m excited to keep taking it and post an update about it."

• sun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 18, 2015

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "Was on 150 mg 2x daily and became increasingly jittery, like too much caffeine, also more anxious, depressed, and irritable. It felt like bad speed, just didn't work for me. I just started on Citalopram, hoping that will help anxiety and depression."

• Hop...
• November 3, 2016

For Smoking Cessation "I have been taking generic Wellbutrin (purple pill) for about 10 days. I did notice an extreme decrease in the urge to smoke. I still have it upon waking, but mostly it's just habit so far. I'm nervous about withdrawals. I just moved up to the 2x/day. Since the beginning, I've been crazy hungry all the time. I'm pretty thin, and my metabolism has always been high, so I'm hoping to gain a little weight. I was cranky the first few days. That's starting to wear off. I do have mild feelings of agitation, and I'm foot tapping, which I never did before. Idk if it's the underlying withdrawal from the nicotine or not, though. I do have more ambition to clean and exercise, and I am not usually that way. I am hoping to quit in the next week."

• Tar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2022

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Bupropion 150 mg x 2 daily. I'm having awful side effects on this drug, and about to wean myself off. I'm taking it for smoking cessation, but I do have 'night eating disorder' (BED). Bupropion is commonly given to those with binge eating disorders to suppress appetite, but it's had the opposite effect on me. I'm eating far, far worse at night, and the cravings are unbearable. I have gained 7 lbs in the 4 weeks I've been taking it, and I'm so disappointed, as I was doing better with the disorder. To make matters worse, it's done nothing to help the smoking urges, and I'm irritable, snappy, and emotionally low all the time. I've just bought nicotine replacement lozenges to wean me off cigarettes, and can't wait to get off this drug."

• Tar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2022

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Bupropion 150 mg x 2 daily. I'm having awful side effects on this drug, and about to wean myself off. I'm taking it for smoking cessation, but I do have 'night eating disorder' (BED). Bupropion is commonly given to those with binge eating disorders to suppress appetite, but it's had the opposite effect on me. I'm eating far, far worse at night, and the cravings are unbearable. I have gained 7 lbs in the 4 weeks I've been taking it, and I'm so disappointed, as I was doing better with the disorder. To make matters worse, it's done nothing to help the smoking urges, and I'm irritable, snappy, and emotionally low all the time. I've just bought nicotine replacement lozenges to wean me off cigarettes, and can't wait to get off this drug."

• Ken...
• September 26, 2018

For Anxiety "I started off on 75 mg SR twice a day, and I really didn’t notice any difference in before taking it, to after, besides being irritable when I forgot to take it. I asked my doctor to switch me to the XL because I kept forgetting to take my second dose, this was a mistake. I took 150 mg XL once a day for about 2 weeks, then started having panic attacks. The first couple of days they were only once at night and went away by the morning. After that, it was like something in me switched, and I was having panic attacks constantly all day long. I ended up going to the ER, where they gave me Ativan to calm me down and I could finally sleep. Since then, I have stopped taking bupropion, it’s been about 6 days. My elevated anxiety has not decreased, but I am no longer having any attacks. I plan on asking to be put on Lexapro since it’s what my sister’s on and it works well for her. I was originally put on this drug for ADHD, which I didn’t notice a difference in. If you are prone to anxiety, STAY AWAY."

• oka...
• June 14, 2010

Bupropion for Depression "I went on the 300 XL version for about 1.5 years when I was in college. It improved my motivation, concentration, energy, and mood, but I had hallucinations. Also, I did have a few severe major depressive episodes while taking it, but my rebound back to 'normal' was quick. I stopped taking the medicine for about a year - turned into the most severe episode of depression. When I went back on it, started at 150 mg SR - no problems, then back on the 300 XL and had terrible anxiety and agitation. Switched to 200 SR - it's perfect. I'm not as moody, mopey, or feeling sorry for myself. I don't spend hours on the couch. The fog is gone, but I think I will ask my doctor if I can take 2 times a day - my fatigue and concentration are getting worse. Overall, great medication."

• And...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 21, 2022

Bupropion for Depression "I take Seroquel 50 mg in the am and 150 mg at bedtime. I take Clonazepam 1/2 mg in the am and 1 mg at 3:00. And I take 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL in the am. Seroquel helps me fall asleep. Clonazepam (Klonopin) gets rid of some anxiety. But I feel awful, always fatigued, depressed, irritable, moody, lonely, quick to anger, and self-non-social. My psychiatrist said, “There’s no magic pill, take a walk outside.” I have no desire to talk to people, never mind going outside. What am I supposed to do?"

• Dee...
• December 25, 2019

For ADHD "Well, I started Wellbutrin about a week ago, and ever since I have been on it, I cannot sleep past 6 hours. My doctor prescribed me bupropion HCL XL tab every morning. I take it around 7 am, and I’m not going to down-talk the medication. It does give me the energy I need and definitely has changed my moods. I also got prescribed 0.5 mg clonazepam, she told me to take both twice at night before sleep, but I’m still not getting the sleep I want. I’m just getting aggravated now and am about to stop the meds. Help?"

• Wis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2013

Bupropion for Depression "After the first week, I felt more cheerful and energetic. After one month, I completely lost my craving for cigarettes. (I was a social smoker, maybe I would have five a week. But when I wanted one, the cravings were intense). However, my blood pressure was elevated, 157/110. (I am on lisinopril-HCTZ for that). My sister was sure the bupropion was causing my high blood pressure. After a couple of weeks, my smoking cravings came back, and my blood pressure was still elevated, so I went back on bupropion. Second time around, I am super cranky and have a heightened sense of smell, but still crave cigarettes."

• Nam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2019

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "Even after 8 months of taking Wellbutrin 300 mg daily, Wellbutrin increased my anxiety from a 7 to a 9. Even though I'm not bipolar, I felt mean and irritable on it. It helped reduce physical symptoms of depression, such as sleep and body weakness problems, but it gave me way too much energy during the day. Now, the drug company is researching adding a cough suppressant to it. No thanks."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2017

Bupropion for Depression "This medication really blows. It is like I'm not even on anything. If anything, it makes me irritable and jumpy. I am taking 150 mg 2x a day. I switched to this from Celexa because Celexa was making me extremely forgetful, but other than that, Celexa was actually working. I have anxiety and depression, and this stuff does absolutely nothing. I'm going to my doctor Monday to switch to something else."

• Nic...
• January 25, 2021

Bupropion for Depression "I don't find this an antidepressant rather than a demeanor stimulant/energy enhancer. Goes well with SSRIs, SNRIs, and many others as add-ons. Personally, on 150 mg daily, I found myself more energetic, needing less sleep, more able to focus for seriously long days, more outspoken, and also more irritable. Some restlessness or a stupor-kind of feeling for a couple of hours in the afternoon. All of this subsided as the months passed. 1-2 years led to some kind of tolerance. 300 mg doses seemed to give me some more focus but also made me feel a bit off. Enhances the focus a little more, and likely possible overt wakefulness, irritability, or confusion would subside over time. I still couldn't estimate needing such a dose myself. Initially, a combination of Sertraline made me hypermanic for a month or two: showed up at parties drinking and talking to everyone, making new acquaintances, life choices ultimately leading to major changes, etc. My psychiatrist didn't think it was a problem, though."

• Nic...
• January 25, 2021

Bupropion for Depression "I don't find this an antidepressant rather than a demeanor stimulant/energy enhancer. Goes well with SSRIs, SNRIs, and many others as add-ons. Personally, on 150 mg daily, I found myself more energetic, needing less sleep, more able to focus for seriously long days, more outspoken, and also more irritable. Some restlessness or a stupor-kind of feeling for a couple of hours in the afternoon. All of this subsided as the months passed. 1-2 years led to some kind of tolerance. 300 mg doses seemed to give me some more focus but also made me feel a bit off. Enhances the focus a little more, and likely possible overt wakefulness, irritability, or confusion would subside over time. I still couldn't estimate needing such a dose myself. Initially, a combination of Sertraline made me hypermanic for a month or two: showed up at parties drinking and talking to everyone, making new acquaintances, life choices ultimately leading to major changes, etc. My psychiatrist didn't think it was a problem, though."

• Anonymous
• July 7, 2011

Bupropion for Depression "I have been on over 15 different antidepressants across every category. I have taken monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Ensam), tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs (several - Effexor, Pristiq, etc.), and nothing worked. I'm taking Wellbutrin 150 mg once a day (along with the Effexor XR still at 300 mg), and it is incredible. I feel amazing. Unfortunately, after 3 weeks, I developed hives all over my body that were itchy. While the itchiness went away after 3 days and the hives only come out at night now, my blood work shows I'm having a bad reaction to it. I also lost 14 lbs in 4 weeks (a good thing). I do feel extremely anxious and agitated at times and can't stop wiggling my foot, for example. Combined with the Effexor (which causes too much sleep), my sleep is at the right length now."

• Anonymous
• March 28, 2012

Bupropion for Depression "I'm 18 and have been having a lot of depression from having a surgery and finding out that I will have a hard time having kids. I'm currently on the 3rd week of Wellbutrin, and I'm feeling a lot better. The first week was horrible: insomnia, irritable. Week 2 was very tired but less depressed. Now I feel a lot better about life and about other things. I'm still quite shaky, but it's not too noticeable unless I'm holding something. I'd say it's nice, helps."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2024

Bupropion "I was initially prescribed Wellbutrin for ADHD and depression to hopefully address both conditions at once. Wellbutrin brought on intense headaches, waves of euphoric mania, and some irritability. After a month of 100 mg SR, the decision was made to bump me up to a 'clinically effective dose' of 150 mg/XL. That was brutal. I suffered some of the worst emotional instability I've experienced; the headaches kept coming and haven't stopped since stopping the drug. ADHD and depression aren't one size fits all conditions, nor are the drugs that help treat them. I was quite excited to start Wellbutrin at the suggestion of my psych, as I know several people who swear by it and have had nothing but good things to say. Ultimately, I was disappointed in what I had experienced while on it; but I can say that since stopping it, it was more effective than I had thought in addressing the ADHD."

• Emm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2020

For Depression "I took Wellbutrin XL 300 mg for 4 months. Initially, I was very dizzy, but it did pass after the first couple of weeks. I lost no weight on it. I felt more irritable than ever, and it did literally nothing for my anxiety. I was having angry outbursts daily and many meltdowns where I would simply feel sad and cry for no reason. I know many rave about this drug, but for me, Zoloft worked much better for my symptoms."

• all...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2016

For Depression "This med was added to a low dose of SSRI, and it did the trick to practically eliminate my depression and cover what the SSRI could not do. It gave me more energy, increased my mood, and did not make me anxious or irritable, which I was concerned about initially. Lost 3 lbs in the first month b/c my energy was back up to normal levels. (I take 150 mg of the WB XL.) Research also shows that a SSRI + WB is an excellent treatment. All three neurotransmitters needed for depression treatment are raised (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine). I'm a person in recovery as well, so I do think the dopamine from the WB can help folks like me since that is what is often raised when we drink or drug. WB is the only drug on the market that targets dopamine."

• MrC...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2015

Bupropion for Major Depressive Disorder "I started taking Wellbutrin for my depression, and it was the first medication that I have tried. The first week and a half or so was uneventful, and I barely felt any change. After that, things went downhill. I began having major mood swings - I would go from being happy and energetic one minute to so depressed I would break down crying and couldn't even motivate myself to do anything to being angry and agitated for no apparent reason. I also began to 'space out' at random times, my friends and family would catch me staring at the floor for minutes at a time. I also had a sort of out-of-body experience where I lost my sense of self and felt depersonalized for about 15 seconds. I ended up stopping the drug after just under a month."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2015

Bupropion for Depression "I really wanted Wellbutrin to work. I was given 150 mg once daily. At first, it seemed to be helping with minimal side effects, but about 4 or 5 weeks in, I was so depressed and not even getting out of bed. I was so agitated, even with the addition of a mood stabilizer. Wellbutrin was not a pleasant experience for me."

• Ede...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 7, 2021

For ADHD "My medical insurance is very limiting; therefore, I see a ‘doctor’ (nurse prac.) that believes his way or nothing. Bupropion was all that I was offered. Being quite miserable, I had to accept. Upon the first week, I felt no change in me; then began to feel a bit ‘different’ in regard to my depression and anxiety, a bit calmer, more pleasant perhaps. This was supposed to be for my ADHD and help with the challenges of university. For that, there has been no change. Task-wise: I’m still in a dozen places at once. With no choice in providers, I’ve reluctantly taken this for a year now. Only recently, an onset of bad memories, dark thoughts, agitation, frustration. Nothing new or different in my life to bring this on; I can only blame this medicine. I’m going to wean myself off, as I’ve been warned of harsh withdrawal symptoms. Summing up, it ‘helped’ my sadness for a while; now I’m afraid to continue use."

• Ede...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 7, 2021

For ADHD "My medical insurance is very limiting; therefore, I see a ‘doctor’ (nurse prac.) that believes his way or nothing. Bupropion was all that I was offered. Being quite miserable, I had to accept. Upon the first week, I felt no change in me; then began to feel a bit ‘different’ in regard to my depression and anxiety, a bit calmer, more pleasant perhaps. This was supposed to be for my ADHD and help with the challenges of university. For that, there has been no change. Task-wise: I’m still in a dozen places at once. With no choice in providers, I’ve reluctantly taken this for a year now. Only recently, an onset of bad memories, dark thoughts, agitation, frustration. Nothing new or different in my life to bring this on; I can only blame this medicine. I’m going to wean myself off, as I’ve been warned of harsh withdrawal symptoms. Summing up, it ‘helped’ my sadness for a while; now I’m afraid to continue use."