If your doctor replaced Wellbutrin with another medication or you were taken off medications entirely and placed on psychotherapy, ensure you stay on the course of your new therapy. Combining alcohol with Wellbutrin is strongly discouraged and can lead to various problems. Both substances impact the central nervous system, and their combination increases the risk of seizures, dizziness, impaired coordination, and other adverse effects. It is highly advisable to avoid alcohol while taking Wellbutrin to ensure your safety and well-being.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
However, there are individuals who ignore the warnings and choose to mix it with other substances. No, it’s not advised to stop taking Wellbutrin cold turkey (stopping abruptly from your full dosage rather than tapering down your dosage gradually). There’s no way to know how your body will react, so even if you know someone who has done this and didn’t have complications, it’s not safe to take the gamble. How long will you have symptoms from Wellbutrin withdrawal, if you have them at all? The timeline largely depends on the half-life of this antidepressant medication.
Another form of Wellbutrin abuse is taking it for purposes other than prescribed. Some individuals might try and get “high” from it, as Wellbutrin addiction can develop relatively easily. This altered state of consciousness is not medically recommended and should be generally avoided. One type of Wellbutrin abuse involves repeatedly overdosing on the medication. Even though some might believe that taking more than what’s prescribed may help speed up the desired effect, that is simply untrue. Taking a dose more than recommended can cause serious side effects; if the effects are worrying, it’s a good idea to seek immediate medical attention.
- Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches.
- Boca Recovery Center is here to provide the best quality care in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction.
- One type of Wellbutrin abuse involves repeatedly overdosing on the medication.
- During the tapering process they will adjust the regimen if you experience unwanted side effects or symptoms.
Effective Alternative Treatments for Wellbutrin Withdrawal Symptoms
It has established safety and tolerability advantages over other antidepressants and is very potent. The active pharmaceutical ingredient in Wellbutrin is Bupropion Hydrochloride. Whether you or someone you know is struggling with Wellbutrin addiction, taking the step to connect with Transcend could be your first step toward lasting recovery.
Related medical questions
If you recently quit smoking, your nicotine cravings may return, although they’re likely to be milder than if you hadn’t taken Wellbutrin. Antidepressants are among the can i stop wellbutrin cold turkey top three most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. Not every antidepressant works for every person, however, and many people try several before hitting the right drug or combination thereof. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, let your doctor know.
Further study is needed to fully understand the safety of this medication during pregnancy. As a leader in the sober living community, Transcend Recovery Community aims to shed light on this issue and help those suffering from Wellbutrin withdrawal. If you are in need of support regarding withdrawal and recovery assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Scroll on to learn more about Wellbutrin withdrawal and its effects. No matter the given name, bupropion or Wellbutrin withdrawals have the potential to cause similar adverse effects.
Auvelity vs. Wellbutrin: Effectiveness for Depression?
If you have health insurance, another way to find a therapist is to search your insurance plan’s website. Typically, insurance companies have a list of local providers who accept your insurance. Keep yourself hydrated by having a container of water close at all times to stop your symptoms from worsening due to dehydration. You should swallow your Wellbutrin tablet whole, never chewed or crushed. It is best to take Wellbutrin at the same time every day and avoid taking it too close to bedtime.
The intensity and length of Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms can vary widely among individuals. Several factors come into play, such as the duration of use, dosage level, overall health status, and whether other drugs or alcohol are used. Transcend Recovery Community family of sober living homes provides a safe place for those undergoing mental health and addiction treatment to live with like-minded peers. Our offerings include medical detox, support groups, access to healthcare professionals, counseling, and behavioral therapy, ensuring we provide a complete spectrum of support. Furthermore, mixing Wellbutrin with other antidepressant medications, especially those that influence serotonin levels, can be dangerous as it raises the risk of serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is a life-threatening condition characterized by symptoms such as confusion, agitation, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, and elevated body temperature.
In this article, we’ll explore the risks and consequences of stopping Wellbutrin cold turkey and provide guidance on how to safely discontinue the medication. The effects of stopping Wellbutrin can be quite intense, potentially involving physical symptoms and quite possibly even a relapse into depression. This is because dopamine reuptake inhibitors and other antidepressants can make the person dependent on them, leading to severe withdrawal symptoms. The best way to prevent bupropion withdrawal symptoms is to work with your doctor to gradually taper off the Wellbutrin. They will create a tapering plan that’s individualized for you based on factors like your dosage, your health, and how long you’ve been taking the medication. During the tapering process they will adjust the regimen if you experience unwanted side effects or symptoms.
- As a leader in the sober living community, Transcend Recovery Community aims to shed light on this issue and help those suffering from Wellbutrin withdrawal.
- Although Wellbutrin is most commonly used to treat depressive disorders, some people may misuse it in order to get high.
- These combinations can intensify withdrawal effects, making it much harder for you to manage them effectively.
- The drug works by altering the balance of neurotransmitters in your brain.
Talk Therapy Can Help Too.
What works best will depend on the person’s unique circumstances, the extent of their addiction, and their commitment to change. Prolonged drug abuse can cause dependency, making it harder to go through Wellbutrin withdrawal and might lead to a cycle of continued use. Therefore, some features of Wellbutrin withdrawal mimic those of stimulant drugs with similar structures and mechanisms of action. When used as a meth-like or cocaine-like stimulant, the drug is snorted or injected, releasing the drug into the bloodstream nearly instantly.31 These effects can lead to repeated use and addiction.
After your Wellbutrin taper, any long-term treatment will be directed toward treating the condition that led you to take Wellbutrin in the first place. If you are struggling with depression, your doctor may want to switch you to an SSRI that you haven’t tried before or suggest other options. Finding the right medication or combination of medications can take several tries. Like some other antidepressants, Wellbutrin carries an FDA warning about the risk of suicidal ideation in children, teens, and young adults.
Wellbutrin Withdrawal Symptoms and Timeline
Doing so poses a significant health risk and is strongly discouraged by medical professionals. Nevertheless, some people may choose to disregard this advice or may be unaware of the potential consequences. This proactive approach ensures her well-being and that of her developing child. Generally, research indicates that antidepressants could offer assistance to mothers dealing with perinatal depression. While the majority of findings appear reassuring and raise few concerns, it’s important to note that there may be potential adverse outcomes for fetuses.
Typically, the starting dose is 200 mg daily, but your doctor may increase the dose up to a maximum dose of 450 mg a day. If the suggestion to stop using the drug is your doctor’s idea, let them explain the reasons and what to expect to you in detail. If you need to stop using Wellbutrin, it is important to go about it the right way. Here are a few tips that can make it easier to manage the withdrawal process. If you experience side effects often, especially seizure-related, please consult your doctor for advice on how to stop taking Wellbutrin. In cases where the medication had initially been prescribed for depression, withdrawal may lead to a relapse.
Understanding these signs is the first step towards managing them effectively. By blocking the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, Wellbutrin increases their availability in the synaptic cleft. Doing this increases the availability of these neurotransmitters in your synaptic cleft – that small gap between nerve cells where chemical messages are sent. The dosage regimen of Wellbutrin is dependent on your doctor’s diagnosis and current therapeutic intervention phase.
However, the potential repercussions of sudden smoking cessation aid can be much more severe and may include worsening depression or even suicidal thoughts—like swapping one devil for another. The diagnosis of MDD in clinical psychiatry hinges on several key factors. These include assessing the depth of the sadness experienced, the duration of the depressive episodes, and the overall impact on a person’s daily life.