Wellbutrin and Headaches: What Users Say

• som...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2023

For Depression "I started bupropion 75 mg and was on it for 10 days. The first days, I was agitated and hypervigilant, had problems with driving as everything attracted my attention, and felt a bit more active. I became careless and a bit arrogant. My empathy and people-pleasing behaviors lowered. I could socialize, not feeling inferior. Slowly, the medicine lost effect. The next 10 days were bupropion ER 150 mg. It gave me grave depression, I feel like I am in a cage, extreme depression, and I feel people are all monsters. I still have empathy, but no joy, no happiness, nothing. I can study, and my brain fog is gone. I can focus if I eat something. Now I am on 300 mg bupropion ER. Still very depressed. No joy. My kidneys are starting to hurt, and I have some breathing problems and nasal dripping problems. Super aware of my surroundings, studying is easy. I have lost joy, and I sleep all the time. I have a dull headache. I feel like if I continue, I will have a mental episode."

• Tas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2023

For Depression "This is an honest review. It is not a horror story. It is to help prevent someone else from having my experience. I was an avid user of this medication since January 2023. I started with 150 mg. I had minor headaches and mild relief for like 8 hours. Then, a crash would happen where I felt depressed like clockwork every day without reason. I moved up to 300 mg. It helped me to stay mellow for the entire 24 hours, which I found great. I started 300 mg in February. Come March (this month), I started to have severe shortness of breath. I was eating and didn't have a heart condition. I don't have any severe allergies. I am healthy outside of my mental health struggles. I would be eating and struggling severely to breathe during and after the meal. I took emergency allergy meds thinking I had developed one out of nowhere. I took iron pills thinking I had low levels (Google will lead you down a rabbit hole). I thought I was suffering from GERD (acid reflux). I was going insane. It was the pills."

• Mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2022

For Depression "I'm finishing my fourth day on Wellbutrin. Never tried it before. I shared with my GP that I've been having feelings of impending doom-and my sales have decreased significantly with the current economy-worrying a lot. Since self-employment and impending doom are a bad combination, she suggested I try it. I'm 64, but my husband and I enjoy an amazing sex life, and I didn't want to mess that up. And I'm fit, so I didn't want to risk gaining weight. Since starting it (150 mg), I've had a few headaches and a few short periods of nausea. Sleeping is so much fun because the dreams are so vivid. So today, I've had amazing energy-no need for coffee-didn't even think about it. I've been really happy today. Has to be the drug. I can be very difficult and blow my top over little things sometimes, and I always feel so bad afterward. I'm praying this will help me keep things in perspective and not blow things out of proportion. My poor husband has suffered. So far, I would recommend it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2022

For Depression "Almost quit taking it at first because of the headaches, insomnia, fatigue, and anger, but kept on taking it, and 2 weeks later, I’m happier, have more energy, I’m actually sleeping better than before I took it, and no longer angry. Really thankful for this medication. (P.S. Was taking 150 XL mg but didn’t notice the drastic change until I got on 300 XL mg.)"

• Rae...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2022

For Depression "I had very high hopes for this medication. My brother takes it, and it’s magic in a bottle for him. He does very well, no side effects at all. So I have GAD, PTSD, panic disorder, and depression. I take Xanax to help control the anxiety and panic, and I’ve been taking it for 15 years. I’ve had no side effects with that. I lost my mother a few months ago and noticed that my depression was getting worse, and so I decided to try Wellbutrin. I have been on this for a little over 17 days now, and I decided today was the stopping point. I know this is just my experience, and maybe due to my particular medical problems, this medicine just was horrible for me. I could not eat, I can’t hold water down, the nausea is crazy, dry throat, dry eyes, headache, constipation, thoughts of death like OCD fixated on death. My stomach hurts so bad, I’m getting the chills, then hot flashes. I have GERD and hypothyroidism, and maybe this isn’t something that works well with those conditions. Not for me."

• Fai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2021

For Depression "I am on week 3 on Bupropion 150 SR, I went off Paroxetine cold turkey and started this. First week, I was tired all the time and had some weird nightmares that went away starting the 2nd week. Then the 2nd week, I felt awkward. I was not myself, I was very irritable, didn't want to be around people, had some headaches that week, and wasn't interested in doing many things. I was about to quit, but my doctor told me to please give it a try until week three when it is supposed to start working (from week 3 to 6). So I did with a lot of effort, and I am so HAPPY I DID HANG IN THERE!! I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. Today is my day 22, and I at last feel peace, joy, and motivation again to do things I didn't want to do before. I am eating less, not so hungry, stopped smoking, and do not need caffeine to function as I did before. It doesn't have side effects on libido like Paroxetine. So far, it has been worth the wait of 3 weeks of not feeling so well. IT IS WORTH IT. PLEASE HANG IN THERE!! Pray for all to feel happy."

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2021

For Depression "I have found Wellbutrin to be the best for me. I've tried Zoloft, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Adderall, Vyvanse, Prozac, and Strattera. These others made me too agitated or too zombie-like. No dry mouth, no jaw clenching, no yawning, no RLS, no anxiousness, no headaches with Wellbutrin/Bupropion. Feel uplifted, more my old self, laugh and love easier, and anxiety a bit better. Less achy too! My long-term memory has even improved. I don't mind the vivid dreams, kind of fun. I do have some side effects which make me wish and plead for a lower dosage to be available. I'm taking 150 XL here in the USA. I really wish they'd make a 75 XL for sensitive types like me. I often get into a hyperfocus mode with this dosage of Wellbutrin. I can get a ton of reading done, internet research, etc., but then procrastinate things of higher priority. Please, manufacturers, please offer 75 XL as well. I think you'd be helping a ton of people."

• Boo...
• April 2, 2021

For Depression "Before taking Wellbutrin, I was on Zoloft, which made me really tired, and I had no motivation, so my doctor put me on Wellbutrin 150 mg. The first couple of weeks taking it, I was sick from coming off Zoloft and didn’t feel any better depression-wise, I was much worse! After a few weeks, I felt better, but felt it didn’t help my moods and anger like Zoloft did. After being on it for 2 months, I have started feeling sick, my head feels like there’s so much pressure, my heart pounds a lot, I start to feel weak. I went into the ER because I had bad stomach pain and diarrhea, I was sweating and shaky. I am calling my doctor to see what my options are. At this point, I don’t want to take any medication because I feel like rubbish."

• Rid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 21, 2021

For Depression "Anxiety was a way of life, but now my Dr. prescribed 150 mg time-released. Flowers for Algernon and enhanced sex drive all in one. My work performance hasn't been this good in years-I'm near the end of my career, and I'm sharp and concise as ever. Hot Wife and I are having college-style sex, and it's been a long time since we have set foot on campus. Side effects are fatigue and occasional headache, but overall, the joy of life and the five senses we have are better than ever."

• D S...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2021

For Depression "Since when it comes to this type of medication, it works like a dream for one and a disaster for another, I rarely read these reviews. I have never left one either. But my experience with this one was not good. Hopefully, for those who experienced sickness, hard depression, whacked anxiety, dizziness, sick headaches, sleeplessness, zero appetite, head pressure, and pure insomnia, maybe this review will give you hope as you are not alone. I was going to try to get through it, but no way. Garbage. After 1 week, I bailed out. Purely awful for me."

• Ean...
• June 30, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Let me start off by saying my body is super weird and sensitive to medication. I do not need a high dose of anything, and I typically get side effects with anything I take. I took 30 mg of Wellbutrin for about a month, and within that month was miserable. I had very bad gut pain and digestive issues, so my doctor dropped me down to 15 mg. I was on that for another 2 weeks before quitting. So, in 45 days of being on Wellbutrin, I got terrible adult acne on my face and chest, severe digestion issues and gut pain, and gained 10-12 pounds in water weight (I felt bloated 24/7 - like I was on my period), headaches, and had severe angry outbursts (which is not to my character). It is a bummer I had such horrible side effects because it really did help greatly with my depression. It also gave me a huge sex drive (which my husband loved!). But there were just too many side effects to justify staying on it."

• F21...
• June 14, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "This drug Wellbutrin has been life-changing for me. After trying SSRIs and SNRIs that didn’t work, it did the trick. Yes, it sucks at first; the side effects are horrible, but you have to give it time. And on these meds at first, I got the head zaps, anxiety like I had never felt before, heart palpitations, lack of appetite and weight loss, headaches, nausea, severe insomnia - the whole nine yards. But after about 5 months on 300 mg, I turned a corner and feel better than ever. I can focus, I’m not tired but can sleep if I need to, my anxiety largely went away, I’m happy and can orgasm too. All the side effects pretty much subsided, save for the appetite one... I still don’t have to eat if I don’t want to, but I’m not repulsed by the idea of food anymore. So seriously, it isn’t a conventional drug and it’s bad initially, but PLEASE stick with it. Don’t expect it to work overnight... these things take time. I promise you will get results. You got this. Hang in there!"

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I started Wellbutrin after taking Zoloft for about 6 months but had to stop because I gained 30 lbs in 3 months and was retaining water like crazy. Wellbutrin definitely stopped the water retention, and I’ve lost about 6 pounds since starting it about a month ago. Unfortunately, I have to stop taking this one too. I was hoping this would be the one— I’ve been back and forth on a lot of meds, but nothing has worked. I felt severely angry and would lash out. I’ve never been that way. I am convinced this medication has caused me to have anger problems when I never had them before. Coming off the medication hasn’t been great, super emotional, tired, lots of headaches, and irritability, but after day 12, I’m finally feeling better."

• Mon...
• April 3, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "So I’ve taken Wellbutrin once before because my antidepressant (Prozac) was giving me sexual dysfunction. So my doctor said that I’ll add on Wellbutrin to see if that gets better. And I never really noticed a difference with that. But this medication gave me tinnitus (ringing in the ear) and a headache that drove me insane. Oh, also it made me more depressed."

• Emi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I've been on a lot of different antidepressants for my anxiety/MDD. I was on a whole handful of different prescriptions for a while, trying to figure out what worked best, and no matter what pill I've been on, I've noticed I feel a little high, like I'm more outgoing and more talkative, but I can feel a buzz in my head, and I've also struggled with migraines/headaches on other pills (including this one which happens almost daily now). I have trouble focusing, I have severe panic attacks, I feel extremely anxious most of the time. My fiancé felt like it was ruining our relationship because the side effects are too much to handle. We went out to dinner recently, and I literally broke down crying, and we left the restaurant because of my uncontrollable mood swings. I don't know how I fully feel yet because it's been such a short period of time since I started this pill, but I know I don't like the side effects I'm experiencing so far. I'm not looking forward to weaning off these pills."

• Ddd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 29, 2020

"Aside from the minor headaches and nausea, my experience has been better than most of the recent reviews. I started on Lexapro several years ago, but the sexual side effects were just too much for me compared to the minor effect it had on my well-being. I've had none of that with Wellbutrin, and I feel much better. I've lost approximately 35 lbs since starting, though I've also changed my diet and exercise patterns. My brain is no longer a swirl of indistinguishable thoughts, and I'm able to focus for more than a second at a time."

• Msq...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 2, 2020

For Depression "I've been on and off taking Wellbutrin from 200 mg to 150 mg for two years now. It's good for your depression. The only side effects I experience are dry mouth, mild headaches, and stomach pain. Other than that, I have no problem with Wellbutrin. It keeps me calm. I'm not overthinking about anything, I just feel relaxed and numb."

• TDS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "I had been on Prozac for a year to battle some severe depression and crying daily. It worked well for the first couple of months, but then I noticed it made me feel just 'blah' and negative. I couldn't get emotional either way... angry or sad. I also didn't want to do anything and gained 25 pounds, plus horrible sexual side effects. I got sick of it finally and asked my doctor for something different. He started introducing 150 mg of Wellbutrin for 2 weeks while I reduced the Prozac. The Wellbutrin started working after about a week. My mood was a lot better and I had more emotions. I also feel more motivated to eat right, work out, and improve my appearance. I'm now on one 10 mg Prozac in the morning and 2 separate doses of Wellbutrin (300 mg total). In about a week, I'll drop Prozac and see how it goes. I've only had a slight headache sometimes and a little trouble sleeping, but overall, no side effects with Wellbutrin. Very happy so far."

• Kac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2019

For Depression "Gave me horrible headaches, flu-like symptoms, horrible rash, and severe depression. I literally felt toxic on it. I’ve heard this drug can be very dangerous, and I see why! Got off immediately, or it would have destroyed all my relationships and myself. Also caused anxiety attacks. Be very careful with this drug!"

• Bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 12, 2019

For Depression "I have bipolar II, and after a series of failed drugs, I was prescribed quetiapine (that's a whole other message board) and bupropion. I was on Activas bupropion 150 XL for about six weeks. It stabilized me, but I was still depressed - but functioning. Side effects - waking up early, feeling like a zombie, loss of appetite - went away within that time period. I've now been on Par Pharmaceutical's bupropion 300 XL for about a month. Side effects are irritability and jitters, but I'm hoping those go away. I tried Activas 300 XL - oval pills - and it seemed to dump a large portion of the medication about two hours after taking it, giving me a zombie effect. It also gave me a headache. Those things may have gone away with time, but I switched back to Par. Overall, I'm content, and my depression is gone."

• Tho...
• September 24, 2018

For Depression "I was prescribed 50 mg Wellbutrin to take 1/day for my ADHD symptoms and depression. I had read good things about this drug, so I was excited to try it, and I was hopeful about it being able to work for me. The first two days I took it, I felt better-more energy, happier outlook on life! But after the third day, I felt like I wasn't taking any pill at all. No noticeable positive effects and only negative side effects, like dry mouth, headaches, and sore throat. A week later, I decided to ask my doctor to up my dosage to the XL 150 mg. What a mistake! I started having paradoxical effects from it. I was CONSTANTLY exhausted, no motivation to do anything, and I became so irritable and angry that I would start the day already in a bad mood, and small things would set me off. It made me feel unbearably depressed, which I had not done that in many years. I can see how this may be a miracle drug for some, but definitely be wary of how it affects you. Still looking for mine.:("

• Kat...
• May 26, 2018

For Depression "I was suffering from adjustment disorder, mixed anxiety and depression. I’ve dealt with anxiety before— but a life transition triggered a massive downward spiral filled with panic, sleeplessness (yet still too much sleep), decreased focus, extreme apathy, no motivation, suicidal thoughts, unrealistic fears, etc. PCP suggested Wellbutrin XL 150 mg, I desperately agreed. I felt like medication was my last hope. Within 2 weeks, I felt like I was able to function (improved motivation). Within a month, my anxiety and other symptoms were under control. I experienced side effects for the first week— headache, some impulsivity. And for the first month, my sleep schedule was disturbed (I tried moving the time I took Wellbutrin... sometimes it helped, but the side effect was gone by month 2 anyway). Wellbutrin saved my life. I’ve been on Wellbutrin for 4 months now. It doesn’t fix everything of course, but it really helps me combined with healthy coping and CBT."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2018

For Depression "First off, I really don't know why my therapist insisted that I start this medication. I had some depression, but this was primarily due to situations in my life, NOT due to a chemical imbalance. I have never experienced depression before, and my family has no history of depression. When I first took this medication, I had a major headache, and this was my first in about three years. My therapist said this would pass, and it did. I went for my regular workout, and I felt a bit more sore than usual afterwards, but dismissed it. I woke up in the middle of the night due to severe muscle/tendon pain and had to take acetaminophen to get to sleep. My therapist said the pain would go away, and it did. At least until my next workout. During the night, I must have woken up about five times, I was in such pain. I got off the medication, and in about two weeks, the muscle/joint pain was gone. If you are on this medication, you cannot work out, even though studies show exercise helps with depression."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 5, 2018

For Depression "Started bupropion XR 150 for depression and ADD. Took it once in the morning at 8:00 a.m. for only two days. On the first day, got very sleepy two hours after taking it, I got a mild headache and very sleepy at night, slept okay, crazy dreams. Second day, no headache, felt no energy but just drive to do whatever needed to be done through the day, dishes, laundry, etc. Second night, I began to itch. My arms, back, top of head, and noticed my asthma started to flare up. So I decided to discontinue use in fear of allergic reaction. Did not want to have a major reaction or get the welts and worse rashes I’ve heard of. So far, took last dose on a Thursday and today is Monday, so four days off. No major withdrawals or signs, but I just feel really good as the days go on. Did the two days knock my brain out of depression? Hopefully, I can add more comments in a few days to see what happens within the next week and so forth."

• Ell...
• January 4, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "I want to start by saying that drugs have different effects on everyone, so not every experience is the same. This medication has changed my life. After trying 7 different antidepressants, then stopping, then trying again, I have finally found one that works. One of my biggest problems was an inability to focus on anything, and I am finally clear-minded and able to focus. I still have some problems with mood regulation, but it is SO much better than before. I had some pretty bad side effects getting on Wellbutrin (but did with every drug I tried) -- extreme dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and bad headaches. Side effects wore off after a week, but I still get bad headaches with this med (worth it). Definitely a drug to discuss with your doctor."