Wellbutrin SR 150mg: A Trusted Medication for Managing Depression and Anxiety

12/14/2024

 

What is Wellbutrin? 

The generic name of Wellbutrin is Bupropion. It belongs to the norepinephrine/dopamine-reuptake inhibitor (NDRI) class of medications. It blocks norepinephrine and dopamine (neurotransmitters or chemical messengers) from being reabsorbed, increasing the brain's norepinephrine and dopamine levels. This action helps improve mood as well as memory and alertness.

Wellbutrin is available in 3 forms:

• Immediate release

• Sustained release lasts 12 hours and is generally taken twice a day.

• Extended-release lasts for 24 hours and is generally taken once a day.

The FDA approves all forms of medication for the treatment of depression. The SR form is also prescribed to help quit smoking as it helps reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Wellbutrin SR 150mg for managing depression

Wellbutrin works by managing norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain. Its efficiency in treating depression has been proven in many research. Depression symptoms may often include: 

• Feeling sad, empty/hopeless, irritable

• Not enjoying/losing interest in activities that you previously enjoyed

• Change in appetite (eating too little or too much)

• Intense feelings of guilt, despair, loneliness, and worthlessness

• Sleeping too much or too little or not sleeping properly

• Feeling low on energy or feeling tired, fatigued most of the time

• suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, or death-related thoughts.

 Major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder is also known as clinical depression, major depression, or unipolar depression. It is most commonly referred to as depression. It is the most severe version of depression. The symptoms of major depressive disorder are usually the same as mentioned above but are usually more persistent. A person experiencing major depressive disorder syndrome may experience the symptoms persistently for weeks or months.

Major depressive disorder can affect at any age, but it most commonly affects young adults between the ages of 18-25. Women are at higher risk of experiencing major depressive disorder in their lives. Over 7% of US adults have at least one major depressive disorder episode a year.

Depression is believed to occur due to an imbalance in the amounts of neurotransmitters ( hormones dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine) released from neuron cells. Wellbutrin inhibits the absorption of neurotransmitters in the brain, allowing more dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine to be available and improving mood. Stable hormone levels also stop mood swings.

Wellbutrin SR 150mg for managing anxiety

Wellbutrin is not FDA-approved to be used to treat anxiety. People with depression often experience anxiety. In general, antidepressant medications are the first choice to treat anxiety. However, usually, an FDA-approved medication for both depression and anxiety SSRI antidepressants such as Lexapro (escitalopram) or SNRI antidepressant such as Effexor (venlafaxine) is recommended. It is believed that people need an antidepressant to interact with serotonin to treat anxiety disorder. 

Wellbutrin is FDA-approved to treat depression but not anxiety, so the use of Wellbutrin to treat anxiety will be considered off-label use. Off-label use is the practice of prescribing a medicine to address a condition that the FDA has not approved. Off-label use is considered legal.

According to experts, some medical practitioners are reluctant to recommend Wellbutrin for the treatment of anxiety because they believe it could make the condition worse. However, studies of many clinical trials concluded that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Wellbutrin were equally effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety. The positive results made researchers conclude that Wellbutrin can be an effective treatment option for anxiety.

Some other off-label uses of Wellbutrin include:

• To treat sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressants

• ADHD in children and adolescents

• Weight loss

Do not take Wellbutrin for anxiety if you have the following:

• allergic reaction to it

• seizure disorders

• bulimia or anorexia

• been taking Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

• stopped taking anti-seizure medications.

Side effects

Common side effects

Common side effects of Wellbutrin include but are not limited to:

• Headache

• Agitation

• Appetite loss

• Nausea

• Dry mouth

• Stomach pain

• Anxiety

• Sweating

• Muscle pain

Severe side effects: 

If you experience severe side effects, talk to a friend or family member, call your doctor or 911 immediately. Severe side effects of Wellbutrin include but are not limited to: 

• Severe allergic reactions include hives, trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, etc.

• Severer skin reactions such as pain in the skin, red or purple rash, fever, burning eyes, and peeling/blistering of the skin.

• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

• Worsening depression

• Mania (symptoms may include hypomania symptoms)

• Severe high blood pressure

• Seizure

• Heart attack

• Liver problems

• Irregular heartbeat

How to take Wellbutrin?

• Take it with or without food as directed by your doctor.

• Crushing or chewing may release all the medication at once, which increases the chances of side effects.            

• It may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full results of the medication. Do not increase the dose; take it for longer or shorter periods, or stop taking it on your own.

• Your doctor might prescribe a lesser dosage at first, then raise it if necessary. Talk to your doctor if you need to stop the medication. Stopping taking the medication yourself can have side effects.

• Take it exactly as your doctor prescribes and follow the instructions on the label. Discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand something.

Where to buy Wellbutrin? 

After getting your prescription, you can buy antidepressant drugs online, including Wellbutrin. Online shopping provides us with better services and prices while allowing us to limit social interaction and save time and energy. Buying medication online has gained popularity in the past few years. 

Conclusion

Bupropion hydrochloride sustained-release 150mg tablet ( Wellbutrin SR 150mg) is FDA-approved to treat major depressive disorder. Off-label use of this medication is related to the treatment of anxiety. It has gained popularity as an anxiety treatment medication because it has similar effectiveness to SSRIs but has fewer side effects. One of Wellbutrin's side effects is weight loss. It is not approved for weight loss and should not be taken for that purpose. Wellbutrin has been used to treat depression for more than 20 years. A 2016 meta-analysis concluded that Wellbutrin was able to lower depression scores in 24 out of 27 trials.