What are bupropion (Wellbutrin XL) side effects?

Signs of bupropion allergy: difficulty breathing, hives (rash on your body), swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat—If you experience any of these symptoms, please call 911 or seek emergency medical care at the nearest emergency room (ER). 

Inform your healthcare provider of any changes in psychiatric symptoms, including unusual changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks, feeling impulsive, being hyperactive, thoughts of self-harm. 

Like other antidepressants, bupropion can cause new or worsening mental illness.  If you take bupropion (Zyban) for smoking cessation, nicotine withdrawal symptoms may further complicate these neuropsychiatric symptoms. Tell your doctor immediately about any change in your mood or behavior. 

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following signs:

• Manic symptoms - increased energy, reckless behavior, racing thoughts, feeling extreme emotions (extremely happy or irritable), being more talkative, severe/unusual sleep problems
• Confusion
• A seizure
• Any change in vision such as blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, seeing halos around lights
• Fast or irregular heartbeats

Common side effects of bupropion:

• Blurred vision
• Headache, dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting 
• Stomach pain, constipation
• Loss of appetite 
• Dry mouth
• Sore throat, stuffy nose
• Unusual sleep problems 
• Anxiety
• Tremors
• Fast heartbeats
• Confusion, agitation

Bupropion overdose: An overdose of bupropion can be fatal. Go to the nearest emergency room or call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You can find more information at www.poisonhelp.org/help. 

Symptoms of bupropion overdose: Seizures were reported in one-third of bupropion overdosage cases. Other reactions reported with an overdose of bupropion alone include:

• Hallucinations
• Loss of consciousness
• Fast heartbeats 
• Irregular heart rhythm 
• Cardiac failure, cardiac arrest
• Death

There are no antidotes for bupropion. In case of an overdose, overdosed patients are provided with supportive care in the hospital settings, including close medical supervision and monitoring. Consider the possibility of multiple drug overdoses.

The above list on this site may not include all the possible side effects of bupropion. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist at your local pharmacy if you have persistent side effects or any side effects that are not listed above. You can also report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at 1-800-FDA-1088.