Can I stop taking Wellbutrin suddenly or should I taper off?
Stopping Wellbutrin (brand name for bupropion) suddenly may cause withdrawal symptoms. If you want to stop taking Wellbutrin, it’s important to talk to your doctor first. Your doctor can help you slowly lower your dose if needed and stop taking Wellbutrin safely.
Can Wellbutrin Cause Withdrawal Symptoms?
Yes. Wellbutrin is thought to treat depression by changing chemicals in the brain. As a result, it can sometimes cause uncomfortable symptoms for a while when you stop taking it. These are known as withdrawal symptoms. The risk of withdrawal symptoms is higher if you stop taking Wellbutrin cold turkey.
Possible withdrawal symptoms from stopping Wellbutrin suddenly include:
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Irritability
- Headache
- Aches and pains.
You may not notice withdrawal symptoms until a few days after stopping Wellbutrin. This may be because the medication can stay in your system for up to about 4 or 5 days after taking your last dose. How long withdrawal symptoms last is different for everyone.
How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay in Your System?
Wellbutrin’s half-life is about 21 hours, which means it can linger up to 4–5 days after the last dose. How fast it leaves the body can depend on factors like liver and kidney health.
How Can I Safely Stop Taking Wellbutrin?
The safest way to stop taking Wellbutrin (bupropion) is a gradual dose reduction, known as tapering. Because Wellbutrin is prescribed in multiple formulations (IR, SR, XL) and doses, the tapering process should be individualized based on daily dose, duration of therapy, and any comorbid conditions such as anxiety or epilepsy. For example, the manufacturer of Wellbutrin XL recommends tapering the 300 mg dose down to 150 mg once daily before stopping completely.
Do not stop taking Wellbutrin without first speaking to your doctor. If you need to stop taking Wellbutrin, follow your doctor’s instructions on how to safely stop taking it. They may slowly lower your dose over 6 to 8 weeks to prevent withdrawal symptoms. The American Psychiatric Association recommends that all antidepressants be tapered down to lower the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Your doctor can tailor your taper schedule to your individual needs, and it can depend on how long you’ve been taking Wellbutrin, your dose, and what symptoms you’re experiencing. If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, let your doctor know. They might need to restart your taper schedule. Withdrawal symptoms often get better within a few days of restarting Wellbutrin.
This is not all the information you need to know about Wellbutrin for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full patient medication guide and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
Related questions
- Does Wellbutrin XL/SR cause weight gain or loss?
- How long does it take Wellbutrin XL/SR (bupropion) to work?
- What's the difference between Wellbutrin XL and SR?
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2010). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder. American Psychiatric Association. https://psychiatryonline.org/pb/assets/raw/sitewide/practice_guidelines/guidelines/mdd.pdf
- Berigan, T. R., & Harazin, J. S. (1999). Bupropion-associated withdrawal symptoms: A case report. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 1(2), 50–51. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181057/
- Berigan T. R. (2002). Bupropion-Associated Withdrawal Symptoms Revisited: A Case Report. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 4(2), 78. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v04n0208a
- Bupropion HCL tablet [package insert]. Updated March 2023. Accessed on September 9, 2025 at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=e4100232-a25d-4468-9057-af7e66205154
- Johnston J. A. (1999). Discontinuation of Therapy With Bupropion SR. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 1(5), 165. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v01n0507a
- Saeed, S. A., & Bloom, R. G. (2017). Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. PMC, 5449237. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5449237/
- Warner, C. H., Bobo, W., Warner, C., Reid, S., & Rachal, J. (2006). Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. American Family Physician, 74(3), 449–456. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2006/0801/p449.html
- Wellbutrin XL tablet [package insert]. Updated March 2024. Bausch Health US LLC. Accessed on September 9, 2025 at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=a435da9d-f6e8-4ddc-897d-8cd2bf777b21
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