Wellbutrin and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Ron...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2025

For Depression "This medication was very hard to use, there was stomach pain and acid reflux. Sleep was poor, and I couldn't sleep more than 2 hours without waking at night. I became very agitated with anxiety and sadness that would come and go very fast. The agitation became worse, and I was looking for anything that irritated me to lash out and went into a rage and confronted others. My heart was always around 100 beats when I was at rest. I also had very strange thoughts that worried me I was losing control of my thoughts."

• Ist...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2022

For Major Depressive Disorder "Was taking this for only 2 weeks due to intolerable side effects: high blood pressure that was causing nosebleeding, fast heart rate, insomnia, easily angered, crying spells, and it didn't really make me feel any better."

• Kat...
• August 20, 2021

For Depression "150 mg XR. I have low dopamine, so I thought this would be awesome for my ADHD. Wrong! The first week was AWESOME. I felt more awake, motivated, and less hungry. Cool, right? Week 2, I started getting a little irritable... maybe because I couldn’t freaking sleep! I've never had sleep issues EVER until this. By week 3, I was extremely manic. Horribly paranoid. I had racing thoughts that wouldn’t stop. I am going through a divorce, so you can imagine all I wanted to do was GO INSANE because of my hatred for this man. It was not manageable on this medication. I was so thirsty, my head felt like a balloon, extremely confused and forgetful, most awake I've ever felt, couldn’t breathe right, constipated. Went to the ER... they didn’t do ANYTHING. The medical field is an absolute joke. Also, I was BREASTFEEDING… I was told it would not affect my baby. Ha!!! As soon as I stopped the meds, she stopped crying, started sleeping again, and regular poops again."

• JSa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2020

"I was prescribed Wellbutrin 300 mg while receiving treatment in a psychiatric hospital. At the time, I was on 3 other psychotropic medications. I didn’t notice any changes for about 8 days. From there, I developed treatment-resistant insomnia unrelated to bipolar. I was prescribed around 10 different medications for sleep, none of which were effective. Because of the length of time after being prescribed Wellbutrin and having used it in the past without issue, we weren’t able to identify the cause of my insomnia. Before seeing a neurologist, I decided to taper off as a last effort, as that was the only change within the past several months. It worked, and after 1 1/2 months, I can sleep for more than 2 hrs a night! I would say Wellbutrin is effective for many, but not only did it cause insomnia, but also weight gain, unlike a lot of other reviews I’ve read."

• Jan...
• March 7, 2020

For Depression "DO NOT TAKE THIS IF YOUR PRIMARY ISSUE IS ANXIETY. I got on this medication because I was having trouble with anxiety and insomnia. My NP wanted to start me on Wellbutrin 150mg XL and I kept reiterating to her that I have no depression whatsoever, I’m just anxious, but she said it would help. Within 2 weeks, I was so nauseated, in a complete brain fog, my anxiety got so much worse, my heart would race, I was having panic attacks daily, couldn’t sleep, my mind was racing non-stop, and although I’ve never felt as if I had issues with depression, I was so depressed on this medication! I went from being very high-functioning with mild to moderate anxiety to completely useless on this medication. I called into work multiple times (which I had never done before - I’m a nurse). I couldn’t focus, was so disoriented, and felt like I was just floating. I stopped and feel much better after a few days and I got on a PRN benzo for anxiety."

• ctr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "After 1 week of taking Wellbutrin, I developed severe intrusive tinnitus. I have been off the drug for almost a year, and it has not faded at all. While obviously this side effect doesn't happen to everyone who takes Wellbutrin, it is frighteningly common. All of the doctors I've seen since then (psychs, ENTs, etc.) weren't surprised at all when I told them my tinnitus was from Wellbutrin. It has absolutely destroyed what was left of my life. I already had depression, anxiety, and insomnia, now all of these are 100x worse, plus suicidal thoughts. Again, I don't want to say 'don't take this drug' because all drugs have side effects, and I was one of the unlucky ones. But I would highly suggest something else as I would not wish this on my worst enemy."

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2020

For Depression "I totally agree with the dad who took this horrible medication. It was a complete and scary nightmare as it gave me insomnia, “sudden fear,” that I NEVER HAVE! These pharmaceutical companies and the psychiatrist out there are so unclear of the severity of what they prescribe to people! Thank goodness I can be my own advocate. The dad who also shared here can be his own advocate, we survived the damage these drugs can do to one’s mind. Everything stated here is my personal experience and opinion. They don’t do enough research before allowing these drugs on the market."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2019

For Depression "I have been on antidepressants for decades. My P.A. put me on Zoloft, and I took it for months with no effect. I asked to try Wellbutrin, as it helped me back in my 30s. Been on it three weeks. I CANNOT explain how bad the anxiety is. I cannot sleep. I cannot speak well, nor can I remember words or their spellings. Let us not mention that sudden feeling of rage and anger. Decided to do some research and find other people's experiences, and here they are. Many with the same issues. Perhaps all of this would dissipate over time, but I can't live like this. I will discontinue using it, and I hope that this helps someone. Please keep fighting, NEVER give up. I'm going to keep searching for the right cure for me."

• Ree...
• August 31, 2019

For Depression "Made me very irritable and gave me deeper depression whenever I took the medicine. Also kept me up late at night and didn’t help my depression at all. Quit cold turkey and am doing much better now. Best to stay away unless you seriously need treatment."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2019

For Depression "I was prescribed 75 mg Wellbutrin 2x per day. I've only been on this for about 2 weeks, and the side effects are awful. Insomnia, total brain fog, can't remember mid-sentence what I was even talking about, killed my ability to climax (I also take Lexapro 20 mg, which killed my libido), massive panic attacks, severe agitation and mood swings, and irrational thinking. I'm so sad because I really wanted this med to work, but the cons outweigh the pros 100%. Good luck to everyone!"

• Nao...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2019

For Depression "Started taking Wellbutrin for depression and anxiety, and it has been awful! Started on 150 mg for the first three days, then went up to 300 mg. This was the worst thing to take if you have anxiety associated with your depression. I've always had anxiety, but not this bad! It made it so much worse, and I was paranoid, having panic attacks, and couldn't sleep. I will never take this again and do NOT recommend this at all."

• PFa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 23, 2018

For Depression "I want to preface this by saying that I'm sure this drug has a different effect on everyone. This is only my experience. I started it 14 days ago and had to stop this morning. This is a very powerful medication. I didn't notice the medication for 5 days, and my depression suddenly became significantly worse. My short-term memory has also been affected. I will forget something that I did seconds earlier. I noticed that my hearing became much more sensitive, and everything became very loud. I still feel like I'm in a cloud. I understand that it will take 24 to 48 hours or more to finally get out of my system. Oh, you won't sleep either. Maybe some positive effects of the medication would have appeared if I had stayed on longer. I couldn't take it anymore. I hope that your experience isn't like this and that you can get some help. Use this medication with caution."

• Gwe...
• July 30, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "This is for anxiety/major depressive disorder and BPD. The side effects suck. Since I've been on Wellbutrin, I've had severe dizzy spells and severe insomnia where I stay up all night and get 2-5 hours of sleep in the morning, on good days. My appetite suppression is not as extreme as other medications I've been on, but I have lost 5 pounds on it. I like eating, so I don't like that. I had my first self-harm episode, and it had been over a year, and it was over something insignificant that happens all the time. It gave me depression. I personally haven't experienced a good thing about this med, but I'm giving it another month or two to work. I'm hopeful."

• JC2...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 30, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was prescribed Wellbutrin 2x a day after Celexa stopped working after being on it 5 years. Within a few days of taking the Wellbutrin, my anxiety was back, and depression was worse. Had trouble staying asleep because my mind was constantly racing. Definitely did not work for me."

• Ang...
• January 4, 2017

For Depression "I've been taking bupropion, 1 pill, 150 mg once a day for anxiety and depression for a month, and it hasn't really been working. I feel the same way. The first day, I felt that it limited my brain somehow, but that was all. And I find myself not being able to sleep at all at night ever since I started taking it. I've been sleeping 2-3 hours. Maybe I should take a higher dose or change medication."

• cou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2013

For Depression "One week on 100 mg, week two on 200 mg, halfway into the third week, diarrhea, feeling hungover, only sleeping 3 to 4 hours a night, horrible anxiety like something bad is going to happen. Getting angry at just about anything. This medication isn't for me."

• Anonymous
• September 11, 2011

For Depression "I have been on Wellbutrin for 2 weeks now. I am not sure if it just isn't working or if it is actually making things worse. Crying, sleepless, anxious, restless. Don't know whether I should quit taking it or not. Doctor is on vacation this week, will see him the following week. Was on Effexor for about 3 years. It worked great for me, but somehow I decided I didn't need it anymore, within a month, I realized I was wrong. Tried going back on it, but it caused horrible side effects."

• Anonymous
• May 19, 2010

For ADHD "Been on it for almost 2 weeks. Feels like nothing's getting better. Used to be a caffeine addict, stopped that, but now I have insomnia from this. Still have trouble waking up, getting motivated. My heart races and this puts me in a careless and out-of-it mood and I want to try something else."

• Ear...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2023

For Depression "I have been on this med for about 2 months. My doctor has upped the dosage to two 100 mg a day. I feel terrible. I feel like I want to slap people, have a smart mouth, am snippy, crying, not sleeping, and very tired all day. Still depressed."

• kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2023

For Depression "I started taking Wellbutrin because I am in a fast-paced nursing program. At first, I thought it was working well. It hit me within 30 minutes of taking it. I took it for 3 weeks, and things got worse, I felt so anxious I would cry, and I couldn’t go out because I was panicking so badly. I started to get really bad insomnia and really bad thoughts every second of every day. I stopped taking it, and I am better most days now. Everyone is different, and some things work for some, and for others, it does not."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "Currently on this medication, 150 mg daily. I expected the side effects to be bad after reading some reviews here, and they were, lol. Thought so many people said it would calm down after the first month, but it's been longer than that. Usually for me, the nausea is the worst thing. I never want to eat anything, food just disgusts me most of the time now. I felt like it was really helping the depression a few weeks ago, but now I am more suicidal than ever. Also, my anxiety is horrible. Many days, I don't want to leave the house. I used to be agoraphobic about 10 or so years ago (in my teens), and now I feel myself heading that direction again. It also has really affected my sleep, or at least that's what I'm assuming. I have been having a very hard time getting to sleep, and then if I wake up from something, it's even harder to fall back asleep. It just sucks. The only plus is that it doesn't increase my appetite. Hope this helps."

• Me1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2018

For Depression "I went on this medication for some low motivation. Within a few days, I had more energy and felt like I had a lot more motivation. It took me a very long time to adjust. Honestly, I was on it for 3 months and I'm not sure I ever did adjust. I got the shakes, twitched a lot (while awake and in my sleep), and constantly felt full of nervous energy. I had trouble sleeping and couldn't reach orgasm (I'm a woman). I know this drug is used to treat sexual side effects of SSRIs, but that's what it did to me. It actually made me more depressed to be on this medication. I also got awful brain fog where I'd forget what I was saying in the middle of a conversation. I felt like an idiot! Everyone is different, and I know people who have benefitted from Wellbutrin. This is just my experience. I went off of it and already feel much better."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was prescribed Wellbutrin after being hospitalized in April of 2017. When I got there, that's the first medicine they gave me to try. The only difference I noticed was that I was having more trouble sleeping than I normally had without the medicine. I had no faith in this working for me because they told me they wanted me to stop smoking as I was 17 at the time (I turned 18 in May, it's the end of March 2018 right now, I'm almost 19 atm), and Wellbutrin makes smoking taste horrible, so it's definitely effective for smoking cessation. As far as depression, I'd say it helped for a little while, but soon I needed a higher dosage, and then after a little bit, my suicidal thoughts were back, so I quit taking them. Overall, it wasn't very effective in my case."

• JKL...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 11, 2013

For Depression "I started on 150 mg for the first month and was raised to 300 mg after that. I began having weird side effects such as uncontrollable jaw clenching so hard it would give awful headaches. I also would violently twitch while relaxing before going to sleep. I experienced insomnia. Last, my sense of smell was very heightened and the smells would make me feel nauseous. I had suicidal thoughts even though I didn't ever want to do that. I continued to feel depressed, and in my opinion, it intensified my anxiety."

• Anonymous
• December 3, 2012

For Depression "This drug was not for me. It's very stimulating. It made me aggressive, angry, and irritable. It had several unpleasant side effects, like headache, heavy head, agitation, and fatigue. Strange shock sensations in the brain, loss of appetite, unwanted weight loss, insomnia, broken sleep, nightmares, trembling, and dehydration. And with all that, it never lifted my mood at all. It made me completely dysphoric. I cried daily, screamed at my husband and kids, and hated myself and my body so much I had thoughts of self-harm. In the past, I have taken SSRIs and never experienced anything as negative as this. Although the sexual side effects on others were atrocious! That is one thing Wellbutrin didn't cause, sexual dysfunction. I am a 31-year-old female."