I just started 150 ml Bupropion 2 days ago. My doctor recommended it for depression and anxiety. While I do struggle with both as my work and home life are very hectic, I have never taken anything for it. Situations changed and I decided to give it a try to see if it improves my symptoms. However, I am concerned to read the comments about drinking. I do drink wine, everyday. 3-4 glasses and don't plan to stop. But, I see that others say it has made them very sick to drink while on this medication. I certainly don't want seizure side effects. It also says not to quit drinking while on this medication. Confusing. I have noticed though in just two days that smoking tastes terrible and for that I am happy as I do want to quit. Today I'm noticing a strange, sort of off balance (in my head) feeling that I don't like. I am very sensitive to any sort of medication. I want to give this medication a chance but am worried and don't want to wait to stop in a few weeks when my body is dependant and I have to ween myself. But I also don't want to freak my family out by having a seizure after having a glass or two of wine. Any experience with this?
Wellbutrin and drinking?
Question posted by lgoldbeck on 22 March 2013
Last updated on 13 May 2022 by Crotalusguy
69 Answers Page 2
I have been taking 300mg Wellbutrin (buproprion) daily for over 20 years. Originally it was prescribed for mood swings, extreme anger vs. elation. Up and down up and down. I was difficult to be around. This drug changed my life in a very positive way. I began social drinking at 67 years of age and now at 72 I drink almost every day and hate that fact. I have stopped for a few days and even for a few weeks several times and feel much better but I always start back. When I do drink too much which is all too often, I wake up being extremely disappointed with myself and have suicidal thoughts that involve extensive planning to make it appear accidental. I also have blacked out a few times. One night while on a trip with my wife I was awakened by her yelling at me and asking what I was doing. I told her I was peeing out the window. Because we were on the 18th floor of a very nice hotel the windows were sealed but I was still peeing.
She was not happy then nor was she happy the night she found me doing the same thing on her shoes in her walk-in closet. There have been a couple of other similar incidents of bad behavior while sleep walking as well as a few falls that I don't remember, the last of which severly tore my rotator cuff resulting in surgery. All these happened after I had been drinking heavily.
I did not drink prior to taking Wellbutrin so I can't compare the effects of drinking without it. I finally made the decision to see a psychiatrist and have my first appointment tomorrow. My goal prior to reading this thread was to get help adjusting my medication as I am experiencing some emotional problems that may be attributed to it, but now, after having read other people's stories I have found the courage to also stop drinking, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
Thank you all so very much.
A friend of mine actually did have an adverse reaction from drinking while on Wellbutrin. He admitted to drinking quite a lot, but t really scared him and he's now much better at following the prescription instructions!
I learned the hard way when I tried to go from a pint a day and decided to quit the alcohol . I ended up in detox for 6 days because they thought I was having alcohol withdrawals,, and maybe I was but I had holusinations bad and I could hear music when none was on. The worst is the paranoia though. I've been taking it for about 10 years and never had a problem till my drinking got up to every day and I was drinking a pint every day. I think drinking a lot would be ok as long as it's not to often. But listen! When this hits you it's fast and hard and DONT be doing anything where you may get hurt. I went from feeling like a slight hangover to laying on the ground in just a few steps. I still drink but not as much but every day. I have fallen twice lately but had no other symptoms so I assumed it was my blood pressure. But you go down FAST.
I think it's better to drink more but not do it every day because I've been drinking every day but half as much and I'm having a problem,, not as bad but still very noticeable.
You should never drink and take prescription drugs. That's irresponsible and dangerous. Ask your doc what you should do if they aren't working
Don't worry too much with the drinking and the seizure risk is mainly for those who already get seizures. I still drink - socially and sometimes indulgently and the only issue I have is that the medicine makes you more sensitive to alcohol so be careful. If I have more than two drinks, I take an uber home. That lightheadedness will go away. I promise. That scared me too. I had the lightheadedness and the not being able to verbalize what I was thinking moments. That is just your body adjusting to the medication. I started off on 150mg and now am on 300mg. The main piece of advice I have for you is keep your pills in a pill box because on more than one occasion, I forgot that I took it and took another. I went to the hospital the first time it happened and they made me stay overnight but I was fine - was just very dizzy and weird feeling. All they could do was monitor me and give me a bag of saline to help it get out of my system.
I think Wellbutrin is great and I wish I had asked my doctor for it years ago. I am more focused and it helped me lose almost 30 lbs. Good luck to you!
I've been on it for a year and I have demanded that I now be weaned off of it. I socialize a lot and drink a fair amount. While most nights I was fine, I've noticed in the last year that when I was actually drunk I blacked out. I also became paranoid, insecure, and I read people's faces and comments all wrong, really hurting a relationship. I'd never behaved that way before. I've read enough now. I think this stuff is poison.
Just started 150 of bupropion to supplement by citalopram 40. I was disappointed to read the alcohol warnings. My husband and I love pairing wines with our dinner. I carefully introduced wine back into my diet to see if I had side effects. I did this at home in a safe environment. I had no reaction. Also, the med makes me feel more awake and alert during the day. I have more energy and interest. I am not a binge drinker or partier, so can't comment on that. Everyone reacts differently. Start small and see how your body reacts. Hope this helps.
PLEASE DO NOT MIX WELLBUTRIN WITH ALCOHOL. I was always a heavy drinker and it was hard for me to put down the booze now that I'm on Wellbutrin which has been working very well for me, especially since it's basically the only anti-depressant that does NOT cause weight gain. Yes, I have had 3 drinks or less while on Wellbutrin which was not a good idea. I became more disoriented than usual and I have a high tolerance. I would NOT recommend it. It even says on the bottle AVOID ALCOHOL.
More importantly - one day while on Wellbutrin I did not plan on drinking, however this bad habit of mine crept up and I started drinking with my bf. It lasted more and more. I seemed to have forgotten that I was on medicine. That was a BAD decision. I pretty much blacked out which I don't think I ever had blacked out in my entire LIFE. I really barely remember anything - thankfully I was in my own house. Thank God I woke up the next morning. I was so disoriented and confused - like an Alzheimer's patient... I was in the WEIRDEST, faint type of mood that entire day after the drinking. Like I was on some crazy drug I never tried before. I was so slow with everything, including talking. I was reverted back to being a little kid. And was zoned out. I wonder if I had some type of seizure and didn't know it. Something scary had happened to my brain. Eventually that dream-like feeling wore off, thankfully.
We all know alcohol and meds effect everybody differently. PLEASE do not mix alcohol and Wellbutrin.
Know that I am only at 100 to 150 mg of Effexor for past year. I drink two to three glasses of red wine each night without a problem. Each person is different. It may get worse if I increase my dose. My shrink doesn't seem too concerned about my alcohol use.
OK, here is the concern with drinking while taking Wellbutrin:
People are afraid of getting a seizure because there is a possible side effect of getting a seizure while taking wellbutrin. Drinking is also known to have the possibility of lowering the seizure threshold.
Well, I can only go on my personal experience. Years ago, when I was started on Wellbutrin SR, I told my doctor I didn't want any antidepressant that I couldn't continue to drink socially while taking it, because I was going to drink. She gave me the prescription, I took it for many years, drank with it, and to this day, I have never experienced a seizure. Of course, some people might have a genetic predisposition toward negative effects from alcohol, so should not combine the two, and some have a propensity for developing a seizure while taking an antidepressant, or while drinking , one without the other. So you have to discuss this with your doctor before acting on it.
I am on wellbutrin xl 300 and drink when i want and have had no side effects that aren't normal from drinking. I did however feel shaky on the third day of taking it. The shaking passed by day five. The drug is great and my doctor told me if i drink just dont go overboard, but he was not worried about my lifestyle. I hope this helps since i was worried like you in the beginning.
Remember that medication for smoking cessation? Wellbutrin = Chantix (sa me chemical makeup); your reaction to the cigarettes and alcohol are pretty explicable by that!
This is total BS! Wellbutrin has no effect with alcohol whatsoever! People that are commenting negatively about this interaction are just buying into the scare tactics on the side of the prescription bottle. Also they're looking for an excuse to their belligerent drunkeness that is no fault except their own. I drink all the time with no side effects at all. In fact it kinda helps with the jitteryness.
Yeah I've been taking it for 4 months after I got out of detox and unfortunately started drinking again about a month ago. I've been putting down 5ths of 80 every night (not bragging just sayin) with no problems at all. Everybody reacts differently to drugs but some of these stories are crazy
I realize this question is really old, but some people might find my normal experience with this drug helpful. I've been taking the generic bupropionXL 300mg for almost two and half years. It has most definitely saved my life after SSRI medications worsened my depression. I began taking this medication when I was 18 and didn't drink at all. Eight months in I started college, and as freshmen do, I drank a varying 3-6 drinks throughout the night several nights a week. I had no problems at all, and during this year I only blacked out twice and that was most definitely from the fact that I'm a girl who weighs 110 lbs and I tried to keep up with the frat boys (again stupid freshman). Since then I have stopped drinking, started drinking again, and decided to drink on occasion. The only time I had a problem was during a brief period when I stopped taking the medication. I blacked out after three drinks.
So I had no problem with this medication it honestly made me feel more normal than I ever have, but I'm young and I've never had a problem with seizures or any major health issue at all. I hope this helps someone.
I would ask yourself why you are drinking 3 to 4 glasses of wine a night? Was it because you it helped to take the edge off? My friend ended up tapering off because she felt really weird after drinking on it. Even went to a wedding and drank too much and threw up all over the table. She was so out of it. And very embarassed. I don't drink and I am just starting Wellbutrin so my situation is a bit different. I do however wish you the best just stick with it. Im sure it will balance out. It says one of the side effects is lightheadedness or dizzyness? best of luck.
Started at 150 Wellbutrin (Watson manufacturer) about a month ago. Drinking gave me bad headache... even one. Then, after a week, I got a constant bad headache even without drinking.
Switched to Par manufacturer, which I had used in the past with no bad side effects. No headaches whatsoever. Can drink 1 beer (strong IPA) with dinner--no effect. Even two.
Titrated Week 3 to 300 mg. Still fine with one beer at dinner. Even two.
Titrated Week 4 to 450 mg. One beer is fine, but second beer makes me feel like I'm on my 4th! DEFINITELY have someone else drive if you drink beer--even one--on 450mg dose. So, two beers--or one wine--is my limit at home, one drink out if I'm driving.
But I am constipated and cannot pee readily. I'm hoping that will get better, as pooping keeps my weight down.
The best effect from Wellbutrin XL 450 mg is that my sleep pattern has become more normal. I used to stay up 'til 1:30-2. Now, I can fall asleep by midnight and wake up by 8!
I registered just so I can applaud you for you saying pooping keeps your weight down. I don't think anybody truly appreciates this poop joke.
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wellbutrin, depression, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, bupropion, doctor
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