I have been taking Bupropion XL 150 for only 2 days. It was prescribed to treat depression, fatigue, confusion, etc. I take it around 8am. I do not really feel any effect, except I am completely wiped out by early afternoon. This wasn't the case prior to starting this medication. The past 2 days I have napped at 3 pm, then back to bed by 9 pm. Has anyone else experienced similar results? Over time will this subside, or is this the wrong medication for me?
Wellbutrin - Bupropion XL 150 make anyone else tired?
Question posted by A2Eureka on 16 Feb 2014
Last updated on 16 October 2024
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
67 Answers
Suzmoe
14 March 2024
You have to give it a chance to work. Usually with Wellbutrin, and any type psychiatric drug, it takes about 6 weeks to get used to the drug. Be patient!!!
Hellotoday
30 Aug 2023
I have switched from 10mg of prozac to 150 Wellbutrin general xl for 4 weeks now. Have noticed the opposite of what I expected. Sleepy mid day, hungry for carbs, etc. I have begun to take at night bc no energy during the day. will talk to my doctor but not working
acshea5
2 Dec 2022
I just started taking the XL form of bupropion 300mg and yes - it makes me sleepy around midday and I feel tired until bedtime. I had been taking the 150mg SR form for years and it worked for me but I needed a slightly higher dose to help with my mood/depression. My doctor increased my dose to 150mg twice a day and I felt amazing - so energized and positive but then I started having trouble sleeping at night. Between the SR form and the XL form I get two opposite side effects! Any one else have this happen to them? I’d rather have a little trouble sleeping compared to just being tired all day and unable to focus at work. I may ask to go back to SR if this sleepiness doesn’t subside.
WildcatVet
2 Dec 2022
How long have you been taking the XL? New or recurrent side effects are common after a dosage increase (regardless of the formulation) and you doubled your dose. They generally resolve within just a couple of weeks at the most and by then you should be starting to feel improvement.
Also, there's what's called the "roller coaster" effect as your metabolism adjusts to the new quantity of the drug in your system Good days and then sometimes problems occur.
You should tell your doctor about the sleep trouble. It may be a matter of essence of time but sometimes a temporary decrease in dosage helps things go more smoothly.
acshea5
2 Dec 2022
I started just a few days ago. Makes sense there will be ups and downs but I suppose I was expecting it to give me an energy boost like the SR form. I’ll give it some time.
Gene toyota
28 Aug 2022
Yes ! After about 2 years I've noticed it went from giving me energy to making me feel sleepy in the afternoon. I was looking around for this question.
mselishea
27 Aug 2022
I am so glad I looked this up before picking up my next prescription. I was on 300mg and doing ok-ish but doctor added a 150mg to the 300 (total 450mg) and I cannot function. It is killing me at work. Taking them later in the day now so as to be able to be 'present' at my job.
After reading this, I'm going to stop taking the 150mg and go back to 300.
I'm going to ask my doctor about this newly FDA approved Auvelity for depression. It does not cause weight gain so if it can help with PTSD, I'm going off the Wellbutrin.
WildcatVet
27 Aug 2022
"Auvelity is a combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion (Wellbutrin) indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adults."
It does contain bupropion but at a lower dose than the standard dosage for depression.
WOTATOOL
1 Dec 2022
"After the European regulator commented on the lack of evidence, the manufacturer withdrew its application for approval in Europe. And already some experts have expressed doubts about just how reliable the evidence for the new ‘wonder drug’ for depression is.
‘It appears to have been evaluated against placebo in only one trial involving 327 patients, and against bupropion-treated patients in one other — not against the best treatments currently available for depression,’ says Dr Mark Horowitz, a training psychiatrist and an honorary clinical research fellow at University College London.
‘Although it has been branded as fast acting because it shows a difference from placebo after one week, after six weeks that difference on a depression scoring system, while statistically significant, is not likely to cause much of a change,’ he adds, explaining that for people with severe symptoms, clinicians would expect a score that’s at least nearly twice as high ‘for the minimum noticeable improvement’.
Another concern is the length of the GEMINI trial, which lasted just six weeks. This is not long enough to get an accurate view on the drug’s true efficacy, explains Dr Horowitz. ‘Lots of drugs can boost your mood for six weeks, including many recreational drugs, but in the longer term they can cause significant side-effects and trouble with mood because the effects wear off,’ he says.
‘The drugs in this study include a cough-suppressant medication which is described as a dissociative drug — in other words, it can make you feel slightly “out of it”.
‘This could produce enough of an effect to make you feel slightly better for a short time before you got used to it — at around six weeks.
‘This also means that the study could not have been blinded —where patients are unaware whether they were given the active drug or the placebo — because the group taking the drug instead of the placebo sugar pills would have noticed they felt “out of it” and immediately correctly assumed they were the drug group.
‘So it will have a strong, amplified placebo effect — people will know they are on the drug, expect to feel better and we know that this itself has a large effect on mood scores, perhaps explaining the improvement in the drug group.’
Dr Horowitz argues that drug companies searching for new antidepressants are trying to simplify complex issues.
‘The idea that a complex condition like depression, which is caused by many social and environmental factors, can be cured by increasing levels of one or more neurotransmitters [such as serotonin or glutamate] is far-fetched.
‘The human brain is responsive to environment, upbringing, poverty, physical ill-health and relationship breakdowns, to name a few. There is no drug that can affect these things. What helps is relevant support and non-drug therapies that can be helpful.
‘NICE [the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] lists eight non-drug therapies for severe depression, that include mindfulness, counseling and problem-solving therapy, all of which have lesser side-effects and equal effectiveness to medication in the short term.
‘We know learning skills to manage our mood is more helpful in the long-term than covering up emotions with drug effects, especially since we now understand that these drugs [in the case of SSRIs and NMDAs] do not correct the underlying chemical problem.’ "
Auvelity is not going to get a license here in the UK. Its been fast-tracked and the studies they did were not safe or effective. Rather like a certain other drug, which was fast tracked by another company 2 years ago, if you know what I mean.
WhatAboutThis
6 July 2022
One Year Experience: I've been on generic 300xl for about a year and (41F) it still makes me absolutely exhausted. I take it in the morning, and within 3 hours feel extremely heavy and tired. At 6 hours I can't keep eyes open, like I've taken a sleeping pill. I also don't seem to have as much appetite control on it.
If I take on empty stomach, and drink a lot of water, it's a bit better. I've been attempting to get on name brand as I hear some have luck with that as opposed to generic, but it's been difficult with insurance. I might try a different generic as I hear that's helped people that experience the sleeping pill side effect. Like many others have experienced here, my doc is confused about it.
I take it for PTSD/chronic depression/anxiety, and Wellbutrin is the only AD I would try because of fear of weight gain/loss of sex drive. Libido is fine, weight gain is about 5lbs that I can't shake. **It gives me positive space from PTSD symptoms, which were really severe, so I continue to take it.**
Sick-of-Meds
5 Nov 2021
Been on 300mg of Wellbutrin for about 7 weeks... And yes, it has been making me sedated for at least the last 4 months...
Babeecaakes
5 Nov 2021
I was actually just about to ask that same question. My answer is yes. It makes me tired enough to pass out in the middle of the day as well. Including all day drowsiness. Only difference is, i was on the 75 mg. I was told by mutiple doctors that for most people it had the opposite effect. Now my doc suggested to increase the mg to 150 saying the increase would help with the drowsiness. Both scripts were instructed to take 1 a day. So instead of one every morning, i started taking it before bed and it would help me fall asleep. I havent started the 150mg yet but now I'm worried after this. Maybe we are wired different. Im curious if someone else has taken the same dosage from 75mg-150mg and felt a difference from one to the other starting off drowsy to not. Hope i could help in some small way. Goodluck!
Inactive
3 Sep 2021
My history with bupropion xl 150mg goes back 2 years (2019). At first, wonderful. More energetic. Suffer from bipolar depression anxiety panic disorder insomnia. 2 months later, extremely tired. Just wanted to stay in bed. Told dr, so he increased to 300mg xl in the morning, and 150mg xl at noon. I became more tired, depression worsened, gained weight, helplessness. Found a way after sleeping 14 hrs a day to research the different generic manufacturers. Theres several, and pharmacy kept switching up on me. After 2 years let me tell u that CIPLA is the best. I tried sandoz, par, lupin, mylan, all of them. TRY CIPLA! My fatigue and joint pain and all other terrible side effects subsided. Also take Lexapro buspar and 5mg of abilify. Hope this helps you. I thought i was dying while taking other bupropion xl generics. Like i was being poisoned. Try Cipla
Photogmom
20 Nov 2020
I've taken Wellbutrin xl off & on for 15 years. I haven't taken it in 7 years. With the pandemic (2020) and winter coming I decided to try it again. I completely forgot how tired it makes me.
I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, ADHD, and PTSD. I don't take any other medications. In the past I have tried an adderall/wellbutrin combo. The Adderall made me sleepy too. I would take both at night. For now I only take Wellbutrin XL beginning 2 days ago.
I forgot that I used to take this Wellbutrin XL at night instead of day so the first time I took it at noon and I was so tired. The next day I took it at night and the next morning I woke up feeling so refreshed and not groggy as I normally do without medication.
I noticed with this medication I breathe more deeply and easily which makes sense that I would get more restful sleep with full deep breathes.
And I was able to tolerate going out in 28° weather with my kid and dog in the afternoon. I was able to resist impulse shopping online. I didn't need to take extra strength Tylenol for headaches. I was able to get housework done without extreme body pains and inflammation. I forgot what a little miracle this medication can be for me.
nikkistraw
10 Sep 2020
I've been taking Wellbutrin for the past 3 years off and on and being tired and sleepy has never been a side effect for me, unless my depression symptoms were triggered and I re-lapsed into another episode.
I have in the past with the guidance of my doctor taken Wellbutrin with Lexapro and have tried other anti-depressants in the same classification, but made me extremely fatigued and apathetic. I could barely get anything done in a day, but my depression and anxiety were completely lifted. Wellbutrin worked miraculously well for me for the first year or so, then I would experience a relapse that was severe enough, which led me back to the doctor's office.
For those just taking it, I had awful side effects. My heart was racing, I experienced tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sweating profusely, etc. In the past, my doctor tried putting me on 300, but it made me dizzy and exacerbated all those side effects I previously mentioned to the point where it was unmanageable. I was experiencing awful anxiety at 300, where I couldn't make it to the point where the side effects would subside.
Anyway, with that being said, like all anti-depressants if you don't see improvement past several weeks, I would go back to the drawing board. Tiredness is a side effect I have not experienced, which means it's time for me to see my doctor. Good luck on your journey.
Jerry Joseph
11 Sep 2020
It makes me sleepy . I take it at bedtime. although my Psychiatrist wanted me to take it in the morn. because it`s stimulating . I find it to be the opposite
nikkistraw
12 Sep 2020
I've tried taking it in the evening, even though it's an extended-release capsule, but it keeps me up like I am on Adderall. The sleepiness for me is a new side effect, but it could also be new manufacture of my medication. Different manufacturers equal different amounts of chemical components which could have a negligible effect or a dramatic effect.
Donerlich
25 July 2020
Although this doesn't apply to every answer here, I've noticed that many people are on both SSRI's and Bupropion (Wellbutrin) at the same time. It is a known phenomenon that Bupropion can potentiate (increase the effect of) SSRI's. So if you are on Prozac for example, what would have simply reduced your anxiety now completely sedates you. I had this experience with Ritalin and Fluoxetine... Ritalin also being a dopamine reuptake inhibitor like Wellbutrin.
I came looking for this because I am also taking Wellbutrin. I've only been on it for a week now and have definitely noticed that I'm waking up tired. However, I also know that my caffeine has increased (increases chances of the afternoon crash) and my water intake has decreased. Was taking dexamphetamine for a while and it did the same thing with regards to the afternoon crash, only to a greater degree.
Before stopping your meds, I would recommend to everyone that you make as much effort as possible to do all the basics... lots of water, exercise, try as hard as possible to get your necessary calories in. If you need caffeine, try and get the extended release capsules rather than smashing cappuccinos in the morning.
gooniesgrl4evr
10 July 2020
I have been on Wellbutrin XL 150mg every night for 3 months.
This was added to my already existing sertraline 200mg nightly.
My anxiety and depression have drastically improved, however I cannot get past the EXTREME EXHAUSTION.
I was hoping it would go away.
I spoke with my Dr about it and she said that this was not a symptom of Wellbutrin and that it should have the opposite effect and make me more awake.
I seriously believe that this is truly a symptom from Wellbutrin.
I have NEVER been this exhausted before.
I literally CANNOT open my eyes in the morning or get out of bed.
I am happy that my anxiety has improved as well as libido, but this extreme exhaustion is potentially not worth it.
Has anyone come out of this fog or do I go back to being sad and anxious?
WildcatVet
11 July 2020
Wellbutrin can cause sedation in some people when first starting treatment but as your doctor says it would be very unusual for this side effect to last longer than a couple of weeks:
"Very common (10% or more of users): Headache (up to 34%), migraine (up to 25.7%), dizziness (up to 22.3%), tremor (up to 21.1%), sedation (up to 19.8%)"
"Side effects have been reported to be generally mild and transient. They are most common during the first 2 weeks of treatment and decrease in intensity and frequency with continued treatment. They generally do not lead to treatment cessation."
Did your doctor discuss with you the possibility of an underlying cause that's not related to your Wellbutrin? Maybe a blood count and chemistries might be a place to start.
Best regards and I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Sklynn
29 June 2020
Same thing here! Day 4 of Wellbutrin 150 and I’m not in a fog but I am extremely tired by about 2-3pm. I take my medicine in the morning. I am completely wiped out! I hope this fades! On the upside, I’m sleeping SO well at night!
benz13
16 Oct 2024
I know this is an old post but looking for hope here. Did it get any better I can’t take the fatigue on this any longer! It’s my 6th week and it’s not getting even a little bit better. I’m afraid to increase the dose to 300 from 150 in the chance it might make me even more tired. This is my second time on it and I never had this side effect it was always the opposite. In fact I think I’m gonna discontinue use because I was put back on because of lack of energy and motivation anew this has made me much worse.
Apontious1985
24 June 2020
I have the EXACT same symptoms. I literally cannot keep my eyes open during the middle of the day. I have been taking a 2-3 hour nap and going to bed early, still exhausted. I was told that wellbutrin would if anything, have the opposite effect and give me energy. I am wondering if this is not the right drug for me as well. It was prescribed to me for adult ADD. I have not noticed any difference in my symptoms. I am just extremely tired ALL THE TIME.
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wellbutrin, depression, bupropion, fatigue, confusion, prescription
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