The brand name for Bupropion: Wellbutrin. Bupropion is an antidepressant medication. Bupropion is commonly used used to relieve symptoms of depression such as feelings of sadness, worthlessness or guilt, loss of interest in daily activities, changes in appetite, tiredness, sleeping too much, insomnia, and thoughts of death or suicide. Bupropion is also used to help people stop smoking by reducing withdrawal effects. Bupropion may also be used for purposes other than those here.

Take bupropion exactly as directed by your doctor. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Do not crush, chew, or break the sustained-release tablets (Wellbutrin SR and Zyban). Swallow them whole. They are specially formulated to release slowly in your body. If you are unsure whether you have a sustained-release formulation, ask your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse. Do not stop taking bupropion without first talking to your doctor. It may be several weeks before you begin to feel better, and you may require continuous treatment for quite some time.

Stop taking bupropion and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately if you experience: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); seizures; or fast or irregular heartbeats. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take bupropion and talk to your doctor if you experience headache; insomnia; dry mouth; tremors, restlessness, agitation, or anxiety; dizziness or drowsiness. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Do not take bupropion if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. Many drugs can interact with bupropion, resulting in side effects and / or decreased effectiveness of the medication. Do not take any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal or natural products, without first talking to your doctor during treatment with bupropion.

Do not stop taking bupropion without first talking to your doctor. It may be several weeks before you begin to feel better, and you may require continuous treatment for quite some time. Talk to your doctor about alcohol use before starting treatment with bupropion. Do not crush, chew, or break the sustained-release tablets (Wellbutrin SR and Zyban). Swallow them whole. They are specially formulated to release slowly in your body. If you are unsure whether you have a sustained-release formulation, ask your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse.

Skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.