Wellbutrin xl symptoms and conditions

I took Wellbutrin XL for 10 days no problem, finishing an old Rx. Then I started my new SR script, and I noticed an increasing itchiness. Finally, broke out but good, with tiny pimples and major, major itching, mostly in my feet, hands or neck and scalp.

I've been off for over week now, but the itching has not stopped. I have to admit I'm scared and I have no idea why the itching won't stop. It's worse at night and may or may not be felt with a rash.

Anyone else like this?

I took bupropion sr 150 from EON Labs for 10 days before breaking out in hives. Other then that it made me feel wonderful. I really miss how I was feeling on it and am trying to pinpoint if it was the drug itself or the brand or dye used in the tablet. If anyone got hives while taking Wellbutrin, please let me know which one you were taking and the color of the tablet. I hope to get to the bottom of this soon and maybe others will benefit.

Well, well, well. I'm glad I stumbled upon this drug in the side effects area. I, too, was sneakily substituted it for Wellbutrin XL! I've been on it for 2 mos now. I couldn't figure out why my moods had gotten worse and I was wanting to cry at stupid stuff on tv. I was thinking bad things were going to happen to my kids. I was having "almost" panic attacks when I was around a lot of people. That doesn't help when you go to church every Sunday. I have to sit in the crying room with the little kids. I just feel "out of sorts". I'm extra tired. I crave sweets and MUST have them. I'm like a drug addict, but with sweets. I thought my side effects were from the other meds I'm on, which I have not changed in many, many months. Now I know It's Budeprion. I am in the process of weaning off anyway because of the sweets addiction thing....I'm trying to lose weight that I gained on other meds over the last 2 yrs and THIS isn't helping. Thank you to all who posted. Good luck!

I stopped taking wellbutrin xl 150 mg and lamictal 200 mg 3 days ago cold turkey because there is no way to cut thewelbutrin tablet in half and take it safely. The first day wasn't bad at all. I felt better than I have felt in years and years. Then yesterday I felt okay, but not as good as I did on the first day. Today I woke up feeling like I have the flu. Every single bone, joint and muscle in my body aches. I feel fine one minute and the next minute the room feels like it's spinning and the body aches return. My psychiatrist started me on all of this poison,,, oops, I mean, medications 2 years ago. I had lost a child and had gone into a deep depression which led to severe anorrhexia. He started me out on Lamictal and Lexapro and after a year of awful side effects from the lexapro(especially sexual side effects=no desire at all) he finally switched me to the wellbutrin xl and told me that it would help better than the lexapro. At my last appointment, 1 week ago, I asked him when and if I would ever be able to go off of these meds. And he told me that I am probably a "lifer". He refused to hear anything about my stopping or weaning off of these meds. So, after my 3 minute office visit and prescription refills written out I left the office. I did not take the prescription to the pharmacy because I decided then and there that the only reason he and a lot of other psychs put people on these outrageously priced prescriptions(the lamictal is $140 a month and the wellbutrin xl is $170 and that is for the generic per moth) is because they get HUGE incentives from the pharmaceutical companies to keep us on them. I will not go back on the meds ever again. I am tired of living in a drugged up state. I want to feel alive again like I felt before I ever started taking this crap.

help ........... I just now broke a Wellbutrin SR pill in half and took it. .... ** What is going to happen ?? I am scared.

I saw a website that says: "Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablet (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Zyban SR). Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time."

I just now decided to start taking again after 3 years because i have been having anxiety and can't stand it anymore !!

I am a pack a day smoker too. 46 year old male.

** help ........... I just now broke a Wellbutrin SR pill in half and took it. .... ** What is going to happen ?? I am scared.

I saw a website that says: "Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablet (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Zyban SR). Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time."

I just now decided to start taking again after 3 years because i have been having anxiety and can't stand it anymore !!

I am a pack a day smoker too. 46 year old male.

I AM SO RELIEVED TO HEAR ALL OF THIS. MY LIFE HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND SHAKEN UP SO BAD FROM THESE HORRIBLE HIVES. TOOK WELLBUTRIN XL 150MG FOR 2 WEEKS AND THEN WENT UP TO 300MG ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER NOW THIS! I AM SO MISERABLE. MY ARMS HURT, MY HEAD FEELS LIKE I HAVE BUGS ALL OVER IT, AND THE HIVES ARE EVERYWHERE. THINGS THAT ARE HELPING ME COPE- AVEENO OATMEAL BATH IN LUKE WARM WATER (NOT HOT!) BENADRYL CAPSULES, AND BENADRYL CREME. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DOCTOR TWICE AND WAS AT THE ER LAST NIGHT DUE TO TIGHT CHEST AND THROAT. WAS TOLD I HAD HIVES INSIDE ON MY ASSOPHAGIS (spelling? lol) ALSO. SO SCARY. I AM PRAYING THEY GO AWAY SOON.

I have been on Wellbutrin XL for several years now and it has been the most effective for me of all the antidepressants I have tried. My husband went to pick up my refill and they inadvertently substituted the Budeprion XL. Although he questioned the pharmacist, they assured him there was no difference. I finally gave in and decided to give it a try 4 days ago and each day I get more and more depressed, irritable, unmotivated, and lethargic. I had been consuming a lot more caffeine just to keep going. I keep telling my husband that I just do not feel right and the Budeprion XL does not work as well. Until I read all these experiences, I began to think I was imaging it or I was just cycling. Now, I am fairly certain that it is a result of the ineffectiveness of the Budeprion XL. This is the end of the road for Budeprion XL and me.

Has anyone had long term side effects after taking Wellbutrin. I was on ot for two years it helped with my anxiety and energy levels a lot. When the doctor put my dose to 300 mg I had severe muscle pain and swelling in hands, feet, ankles, legs it went down after I went back to 150mg. I tried to up my dose but the same thing happened. After two years of wellbutrin I developed severe headaches feels more like head pressure so I went off wellbutrin. would still have muscle pain and swelling from time to time. started developing severe pain in legs and now everywhere along with muscle twitches and muscle loss. I now am 32 and have severe memory problems and no doctor knows what is going on with me. Has anyone had anything like this or heard of anyone with these problems.

I have been on Wellbutrin for a couple of years & it has been a life saver. But it is very possible my hair loss is due to it. I have always had a full head of hair & no hair loss in my family at all. I'm also experiencing hearing loss but don't know if this is due to the Wellbutrin as my Father & sister have had hearing loss. My doctor intends to lower my dosage next month & I am going to ask him if air loss is a side effect.

I am also experience hair thinning while on Wellbutrin. I have had blood tests and there is no other detectable cause. The dermatologist said that she was only able to diagnose as possibly hereditary. However, I began noticing it shortly after starting 300mg of Well XL and then noticed increased thinning when I went up to 450mg. I don't take any other medications at all.

I searched the Wellbutrin prescribing information (a pdf on the official Wellbutrin website) and this is all I can find:

Other Events Observed During the Clinical Development and Postmarketing Experience of Buproprion

Adverse events for which frequencies are not provided occurred in clincial trials or postmarketing experience with bupropion. Only those adverse events not previously listed for sustained-release bupropion are included. The extent to which these events may be associated with Wellbutrin XL is unknown.

Skin: Rare was maculopauplar rash. Also observed were alopecia, angioedeme, exfoliative dermatitis and hirsutism.

----------------

Alopecia is hair loss. All that means is it was reported and they didn't do a study that would have produced data with which they could measure the likelihood that it is a Wellbutrin side effect. In other words, people said they were experiencing it but they can't confirm it.

I just dropped down to 300 mg and I'm contacting my shrink about tapering off completely - I feel like dealing with scalp showing through and feeling horribly self-conscious and unattractive because of it is not going to help my depression and self-esteem issues any.

I'm a woman by the way - the number of reports of hair thinning in women seems significant to me. I have no family history of thin hair on the female side that I know of.

My insurance changed and i was substited budeprion for the other generic for Wellbutrin which was buproprion. The first thing I noticed is that I was extremely irratable and downright mean to people. I never used to be like that while on Wellbutrin. I cried easily and this new pill just did not help me like the old original. But the most annoying side effect I have noticed is that it has given me an awful odor. It took me awhile to put two and two together but I noticed the budeprion has an awful smell in the bottle as soon as I took the lid off. Then I noticed my urine had a horrible strong smell which I associated with the same smell as the pill. Now I also am afraid it is being excreted thru perspiration as well. I am certainly not going to continue to take this budeprion if it is making me smell bad! Has anyone else noticed this side effect?

so far i took it for about two months. Yes it's an anti-depressant aid, but I was prescribed this medication to help with my smoking habits. I felt a surge of energy, and a concentration to do things, but I've also noticed that it keeps me awake. It's similar to insomnia. It's not that I can't sleep, but that I don't want to. I know that if I just lay down and go to sleep I most likely will. But other than that, I don't believe it has helped me quit smoking. It, I guess, made me feel happy? I really don't think it worked...

Started 9 days ago. 150 once a day.
Haven't smoked. Insomnia teh last 2 days were AWFUL!
Horrendous nightmares when i did fall asleep for 20 minutes.
Anxiety last 2 nights were painfully scary.
Is it really worth it to take this stuff?
Tylenol pm doesn't seem to work well for me when I am on Wellbutrin.
I have had more energy and the eating goes back an forth. One day I will eat anything I can get my hands on. Next day i hardly eat at all.
Email me. ******
Thank you.
Kat

I love the NuvaRing. I've had no problems whatsoever, just some spotting after my periods when I first began. I used it for 5 years, until I realized it is cheaper to have an IUD. But you should see the websites about those side effects!! So I have one now, Mirena, and the insertion was seriously intensely horrible (I haven't ever been pregnant). We will see if it is as great as it sounds. But if it isn't I won't hesitate to go back to the nuvaring, my sex drive stayed on track, and I didn't have the headaches or anything. I am on anti-depressants, though, (Wellbutrin XL) and have been since before nuvaring...so maybe that has helped prevent some side effects? I don't know.

I have been on Wellbutrin XL 300mg/day. I thought I was losing my mind. I too, broke out in hives, all over, felt flush. Then I would get pains in my arms and chest, so it would make me paranoid to the point I would feel like I was having a heart attack. I never realized it was the Wellbutrin because I am allergic to allot of things, so I would attribute it to other things. Has anyone else felt paranoid?

I started taking Wellbutrin XL for anxiety. My doctor told me that this medication will calm down the anxiety and even just put me in a better mood. (i think i was also slightly depressed) but i was affraid to admit it to myself. I took the Wellbutrin for about year and it worked wonders. I was happier, no anxiety, and i just had energy without having to drink a pot of coffee. These last two months my insurance switched to Budeprion SR and it has been hell. I never put two and two together about the generic...since i work in a pharmacy i assumed it was equivalent. IT IS NOT. My fiancee almost left me! The FDA needs to pull this med.

I have been on Wellbutrin XL for quite a few year now (about 3) and really liked the benefits, and the fact that it doesn't make me sleepy like the other antidepressants do. For most of the 3 years, I have been taking the generic Budeprion without any trouble. With my first year of being on the Wellbutrin XL, the medicine was the brand name. My insurance company changed it to generic after that, and I had no problems with the generic. Then with this last refill of Budeprion, it has been terrible. I've had major panic attack symptoms. I called my doctor to see if he would write a script for the brand name and he agreed. I have had the worst time trying to get back on the name brand Wellbutrin XL. Has anyone else had this trouble?

Hi! I've been on Wellbutrin XL since November 2007. It's late February 2008 and I just stopped taking it two days ago. I know I shouldn't go cold turkey, but like others...I'm afraid of the side effects.

I've been having headaches since December. After having my eyes checked (prescription barely changed) and returning to the chiropractor (thinking something may have been pinched in my neck), nothing helped. I have NEVER had migraines until I started taking this medication, which a friend brought to my attention. "When did you start having these headaches? Wasn't it around the time you started Wellbutrin?" He asked because he, too, has had issues finding an anti-depressant that worked for him. On many, he's experienced headaches.

My doctor ended up prescribing a CT Scan and an MRA w/contrast of the brain because I told her that, in addition to the migraines, I also had two occasions where it felt like I was going to have a stroke (like my head was just going to explode and I almost passed out).

I have yet to have the scans due to an insurance issue, but I have stopped taking the Wellbutrin to see if that will help. I'm not looking forward to the depression, but I'm hoping I can take other positive steps (exercise, proper diet, vitamins, etc.) to avoid taking any more anti-depressants. The side effects are NOT worth it, at least at this point. I'm just going to have to find another way to get myself out of bed in the morning! :)

My husband was prescribed 600 mg of Wellbutrin xl. He went into a psychosis. He lost touch with reality, was very agitated, had mixed episodes of mania and depression at the same time, couldn't sleep, he was having hallucinations- thought people were there that were not, heard a womans voice, thought we were penniless, thought I was talking to other men- usually he is very secure, not a jealous person. His head was shaking like he had Parkinson's disease, he had no motor skills. His Dr. told me to call if he went into Mania. I did not know that mania could go into psychosis. This all happened to him during the Christmas holidays and | could not reach the Dr. My husband lost touch w/ reality and broke the law and is now in jail. Please if you take this med, educate your loved ones of these possible side affects and about bipolar. I wish I knew then, what I know now. I also know now that 600mg is twice what the normal dosage and 450mg is the max anyone should take.

This is the 3rd time I have been on Wellbutrin. Once in 1999, then in 2004, and just started taking it again 3 months ago. The first two times I took it I had joint pain and a lot of muscle inflammation. This go around is different... Just recently, within the past few weeks, I started breaking out with hives, after taking it with no problems for three months! Started on my head and progressively got worse. I break out all over my body, head, legs, back, hands, etc. For some reason it seems to happen more frequently when I lay down in my bed to go to sleep (weird!) One other scary side affect is, I frequently stop breathing when I start to fall asleep, and wake up gasping for air. Has anyone else experienced this?
Since I had never experienced problems with hives the first few times I was on Wellbutrin, I didn't think it was the medication causing the hives. So, I cut my dose in half (50mg/day). The hives didn't go away, so I stopped taking it all together 3 days ago, but still continue to get hives. Does anyone know how long it takes to get it out of your system?

i also have experienced much hair loss. it has been about 2 years now after the death of my mom, thought it may be just stress or perimenopause (41) but now after doing some research online I do think that it did all began after starting the Wellbutrin xl. I take 300 mg but i am going to talk to my DR. about going off it and maybe taking something else. I also take Effexor too, to help with my depression. any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

A couple of days after switching from Wellbutrin XL (which was effective for me, with no side effects) to Budeprion XL, I began to experience feelings of panic, a choking-like tightness in my throat/neck area, and extreme tension throughout my shoulders and neck. (I have never had a panic attack before.) My doctor said that my symptoms sounded like anxiety. Neither of us made the connection to the recent switch from Wellbutrin to Budeprion. These Budeprion XL side effects began each day in the late afternoon and continued for at least two hours, sometimes longer. Nothing relieved them. I tried relaxation breathing, yoga, meditation, and even Ativan! After several days of this torture, in desperation for some relief from the panic/tightness/tension, I drank a glass of wine when the symptoms set in. The symptoms grew even more severe. It finally occurred to me that the Budeprion might be the source of this frightening problem, and I insisted on being switched back to the Wellbutrin. Ta-da. No more freaking afternoon attacks. A few months later, while experiencing some lower back pain, I took a Budeprion by accident (I found a single tablet in my desk drawer and I mistook it for a codeine-based pain tablet that has a similar appearance...I know--a dumb thing to do!) Hours later, the original side effects returned: extreme panic with neck/shoulder tightness and tension. I have not taken Budeprion since that day (about three months ago), and I have never again experienced those side effects (or any similar symptoms). The name brand Wellbutrin XL is working effectively for me, with no side effects. Because of these experiences, I am convinced that Budeprion XL's contents (or composition) are very different from those of Wellbutrin XL. They may or may not have the same chemical formula, but they certainly do not react the same way in my body.

I've been on Wellbutrin XL 300mg for 3 days and I've had a splitting headache for 3 days. The evening of the second day came the nausea and crying and disorientation. Maybe the crying is not a side effect as I was doing that before I started the meds. All I want to know is can I take something for the headaches while taking the Wellbutrin. Does anyone know of anything. I guess I should call my doctor.

I have been on Wellbutrin XL for 1 week now and after the severe nausea and diarrhea I feel pretty good. No panic attacks so far. Although the upset stomach is still in full effect. Haven't quit smoking yet or noticed any weight loss. When should I expect it to kick in on the not smoking and weight loss