Section Contents:- If you drink alcohol regularly, talk with your doctor before changing the amount you drink.(More...)
- WELLBUTRIN (bupropion hydrochloride), an antidepressant of the aminoketone class, is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, or other known antidepressant agents.(More...)
If you drink alcohol regularly, talk with your doctor before changing the amount you drink. Wellbutrin can cause seizures in people who drink a lot of alcohol and then suddenly quit drinking when they start using the medication. Do not take Wellbutrin if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days.
[1] Wellbutrin may cause seizures, especially in people with certain medical conditions or when using certain drugs.
[1] If you take Wellbutrin for depression, do not also take Zyban to quit smoking. Too much of this medicine can increase your risk of a seizure.
[1] Alcohol may increase your risk of a seizure while you are taking Wellbutrin.
[1] Bupropion is available with a prescription under the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.
[1] If you use the Wellbutrin extended-release tablet, the tablet shell may pass into your stools (bowel movements). This is normal and does not mean that you are not receiving enough of the medicine.
[1] If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Wellbutrin, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
[1] Do not give Wellbutrin to anyone younger than 18 years old without the advice of a doctor.
[1] Do not take Wellbutrin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
[1] You may have unpleasant side effects if you stop taking Wellbutrin suddenly.
[1] Wellbutrin can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions.
[1] Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablet (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Zyban SR).
[1] Complete Prescribing Information for WELLBUTRIN XL ® (bupropion HCl extended-release tablets) is provided in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF). To view this document you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader; if you do not have it, follow the link to download a copy.
[2] There is a risk of seizure with WELLBUTRIN XL which increases with higher doses.
[2] ATTENTION PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS: There are other medicines that contain bupropion (the active ingredient in WELLBUTRIN XL ).
[2] If your doctor prescribes WELLBUTRIN XL, it is important to make sure that you receive the correct tablets.
[2] The bupropion prescriptions were calculated as a total of prescriptions for Wellbutrin XL, Budeprion XL, Budeprion SR, Bupropion SR and Bupropion ER using data from the charts for generic and brand-name drugs, see: Top 200 Generic Drugs by Units in 2007 (PDF).
[3] The tests showed that "one of a few generic versions of Wellbutrin XL 300 mg, sold as Budeprion XL 300 mg, didn't perform the same as the brand-name pill in the lab." The FDA investigated these complaints and concluded that the Budeprion XL is equivalent to Wellbutrin XL in regards to bioavailability of bupropion and its main active metabolite hydroxybupropion.
[3] The FDA also noted that the coincidental natural mood variation is the most likely explanation for the apparent worsening of depression after the switch from Wellbutrin XL to Budeprion XL.
[3] In 2003 the FDA approved another sustained-release formulation called Wellbutrin XL, intended for once-daily dosing.
[3] In 1996, the FDA approved a sustained-release formulation of bupropion called Wellbutrin SR, intended to be taken twice a day (as compared to three times a day for immediate-release Wellbutrin).
[3] Bupropion was first synthesized by Burroughs Research in 1966, and patented by Burroughs"Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline ) in 1974. It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an antidepressant on December 30, 1985 and marketed under the name Wellbutrin.
[3] Bupropion ( INN ; previously known as amfebutamone, Wellbutrin, Zyban ) is an atypical antidepressant that acts as a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, and nicotinic antagonist.
[3] Wellbutrin SR and XL are available in the United States and Canada in generic form.
[3] In 2006, Wellbutrin XL was similarly approved as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder.
[3] Wellbutrin XL extended-release tablets should be taken once a day in the morning. Swallow Wellbutrin SR and Wellbutrin XL tablets whole; do not chew, divide, or crush them.
[4] Wellbutrin is associated with an increased risk of seizures. This risk is greater at higher doses (approximately 4 in 1,000 patients at dosages of 300 to 450 milligrams a day).
[4] To minimize the risk of seizures, dose increases should be done gradually, and the total daily dose of Wellbutrin should not exceed 450 milligrams.
[4] Wellbutrin is thought to work by altering levels of the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine. It is not chemically related to other antidepressants such as tricyclics (Elavil), MAO inhibitors (Nardil, Parnate), or serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (Paxil and Prozac).
[4] See more information on Wellbutrin Oral from the First Databank drug library.
[4] You should take Wellbutrin SR, the sustained-release form, in 2 doses, at least 8 hours apart.
[4] Initially developed and marketed as an antidepressant (WELLBUTRIN Tablets and WELLBUTRIN SR Sustained-Release Tablets), ZYBAN is also chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, or other known antidepressant agents. Its structure closely resembles that of diethylpropion; it is related to phenylethylamines. It is (±)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2- -1-propanone hydrochloride.
[5] Although ZYBAN is not indicated for treatment of depression, it contains the same active ingredient as the antidepressant medications WELLBUTRIN®, WELLBUTRIN SR®, and WELLBUTRIN XL®.
[5] 
WELLBUTRIN (bupropion hydrochloride), an antidepressant of the aminoketone class, is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, or other known antidepressant agents. Its structure closely resembles that of diethylpropion; it is related to phenylethylamines. It is designated as (±)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2- -1-propanone hydrochloride.
[6] Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of WELLBUTRIN or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance this risk with the clinical need.
[6] WELLBUTRIN is supplied for oral administration as 75-mg (yellow-gold) and 100-mg (red) film-coated tablets.
[6] 
