Wellbutrin Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is a prescription drug used for certain mental health conditions. The drug comes in two forms:

• Wellbutrin XL is used to treat depression and help prevent seasonal affective disorder in adults.
• Wellbutrin SR is used to treat depression in adults.

This article covers both Wellbutrin XL and Wellbutrin SR, and uses the term “Wellbutrin” to refer to both forms.

Like other drugs, Wellbutrin may have interactions. Interactions are expected to be the same for both forms of Wellbutrin.

Some interactions occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. For example, alcohol, another drug, or a supplement can affect how a drug acts in your body. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.

Keep reading to learn about Wellbutrin’s possible interactions. And for more information about Wellbutrin, including details about its uses, see this article.

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Wellbutrin. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Wellbutrin for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Wellbutrin.

If you have seizures. Wellbutrin can cause seizures in rare cases. You should not take Wellbutrin if you have epilepsy (seizure disorder), another condition that causes seizures, or are taking other drugs that can raise your risk of a seizure. Instead, talk with your doctor about safer treatments for your condition.

If you’ve been diagnosed with an eating disorder before. Studies showed an increased risk of seizures in people who took Wellbutrin and had also been diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia. Because of this risk, doctors will avoid prescribing Wellbutrin if you’ve been diagnosed with either condition.

If you recently suddenly stopped using alcohol or certain drugs. Wellbutrin can cause seizures in rare cases. Your risk of a seizure with Wellbutrin may be higher if you’ve recently stopped taking certain drugs, including a benzodiazepine, barbiturate, or epilepsy drug. This risk may also be higher if you’ve suddenly stopped drinking alcohol (and you used to drink regularly or excessively). You should not take Wellbutrin if you’ve recently stopped using alcohol or one of these drugs suddenly.

If you take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) drug. Taking an MAOI drug with Wellbutrin raises your risk of high blood pressure. (MAOIs are a kind of antidepressant, like Wellbutrin. But Wellbutrin isn’t an MAOI.)

This interaction can occur between Wellbutrin and any MAOI. A few examples of MAOIs include:

• selegiline (Emsam, Zelapar)
• isocarboxazid (Marplan)
• linezolid (Zyvox)
• phenelzine (Nardil)
• methylene blue (Provayblue)

Because of this risk, doctors will avoid prescribing Wellbutrin with an MAOI. If you’re taking an MAOI, your doctor will have you stop taking it at least 14 days before you start treatment with Wellbutrin.

If you have other questions about Wellbutrin and MAOIs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you have had an allergic reaction to Wellbutrin or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Wellbutrin. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Before you start taking Wellbutrin, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Wellbutrin is safe for you to take.

It’s best to avoid or limit alcohol while taking Wellbutrin.

Since the drug was approved for use, there have been reports of the following side effects in people who drank alcohol while taking Wellbutrin:

• mood changes, including depression and mania (episodes of high energy and excitement)
• delusions (such as thinking you’re someone else) or hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that’s not really there)
• trouble concentrating

If you have other questions about alcohol and your Wellbutrin treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Before you start taking Wellbutrin, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

To learn whether Wellbutrin interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Wellbutrin?” section below.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Wellbutrin. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Wellbutrin. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Wellbutrin.

Interaction with other antidepressants

Wellbutrin can interact with other antidepressants. (Wellbutrin is an antidepressant.) These interactions occur for different reasons, depending on the drug.

• With some antidepressants, the interaction occurs because Wellbutrin blocks certain enzymes (proteins) that break down these drugs in your body.
• With other antidepressants, combining them with Wellbutrin raises your risk of seizures or serotonin syndrome (a serious condition caused by too much serotonin in the body).

Some antidepressants can interact with Wellbutrin in both ways. For example, fluoxetine (Prozac) and Wellbutrin can both raise your risk of a seizure when taken alone. Combining the medications also raises this risk. In addition, Wellbutrin also blocks your body from breaking down fluoxetine correctly. This also raises your risk of other side effects of fluoxetine.

Examples of other antidepressants that interact with Wellbutrin include:

• fluoxetine (Prozac)
• sertraline (Zoloft)
• escitalopram (Lexapro)
• trazodone

What could happen

Because Wellbutrin blocks your body from breaking down certain other antidepressants, drug levels could build up in your body. This raises your risk of side effects from the other drug. These side effects will vary depending on the drug you take with Wellbutrin.

In addition, combining Wellbutrin with other antidepressants raises your risk of seizures.

What you can do

It may be safe to take Wellbutrin with other antidepressants. But it may also be necessary to take a low dose of Wellbutrin, the other antidepressant, or both drugs. Your doctor will monitor you closely for side effects if they prescribe Wellbutrin with another antidepressant.

Should bothersome or serious side effects occur due to this interaction, your doctor will likely have you stop treatment with Wellbutrin, the other antidepressant, or possibly both medications.

Interaction with stimulants

Wellbutrin can interact with stimulant medications. This usually refers to drugs prescribed to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

A few stimulants have other uses as well. For example, phentermine is a stimulant used short term for weight management in certain situations.

Examples of stimulant medications include:

• lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
• mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall)
• methylphenidate (Concerta)
• phentermine

What could happen

Both bupropion and stimulant drugs increase your risk of having a seizure. Combining these drugs raises this risk further.

What you can do

If you and your doctor agree that you’ll take Wellbutrin and a stimulant drug together, your doctor will monitor you closely for side effects. They’ll also likely prescribe a low dose of Wellbutrin and the stimulant medication. Then, they will slowly adjust your Wellbutrin dose over time.

If you experience a seizure while taking Wellbutrin and a stimulant drug, your doctor will likely have you stop taking Wellbutrin, the stimulant, or both medications.

Interaction with certain diabetes drugs

Wellbutrin interacts with certain diabetes drugs. This includes any diabetes drug that you take by mouth, as well as insulin drugs.

Examples of diabetes medications that interact with Wellbutrin include:

• metformin (Glumetza, others)
• insulins, such as Tresiba (insulin degludec)

What could happen

If you have diabetes and you skip a meal or use too much of your diabetes medication, your blood sugar may drop to a level that could trigger a seizure. Taking Wellbutrin can also raise the risk of a seizure. So combining Wellbutrin with these diabetes drugs can increase your risk even more.

What you can do

If you and your doctor agree that you’ll take Wellbutrin with one of these diabetes medications, your doctor will monitor you closely for side effects. They’ll also monitor your blood sugar.

Your doctor will likely prescribe a low dose of Wellbutrin, and then they may adjust your dose over time if needed. In some cases, they may also have you switch to a different diabetes drug.

If you experience a seizure while taking Wellbutrin, your doctor will likely have you stop taking Wellbutrin.

Wellbutrin may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Wellbutrin.

Does Wellbutrin interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Wellbutrin, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

There are currently no reports of Wellbutrin interacting with supplements. But interactions with supplements could be identified in the future.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Wellbutrin and herbs

There are currently no reports of Wellbutrin interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Wellbutrin.

Wellbutrin and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Wellbutrin interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Wellbutrin.

Does Wellbutrin interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Wellbutrin interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your Wellbutrin treatment, talk with your doctor.

Does Wellbutrin interact with vaccines?

There are currently no reports of Wellbutrin interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about receiving vaccines during your treatment with Wellbutrin, talk with your doctor.

Does Wellbutrin interact with lab tests?

There have been reports of people taking Wellbutrin who had a false-positive result on urine tests checking for amphetamines. (A false-positive result means the test showed amphetamines in the urine, but the person was not actually taking amphetamines.) These false-positive results can occur even after you stop taking Wellbutrin.

If you take Wellbutrin and need to do a urine test that checks for amphetamines, talk with your doctor. There are other lab tests that check for amphetamines that don’t interact with Wellbutrin.

Does Wellbutrin interact with cannabis or CBD?

Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Wellbutrin. Specifically, CBD has been found to increase or decrease the Wellbutrin level in the body. This could raise your risk of side effects from Wellbutrin (if the level increases) or raise the risk that Wellbutrin doesn’t work as effectively as usual (if the level decreases).

Before you start treatment with Wellbutrin, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Wellbutrin. Before taking Wellbutrin, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Wellbutrin is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Wellbutrin include the following.

Eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. You should not take Wellbutrin if you’ve had an eating disorder, including anorexia or bulimia. For more information, see the “When should I avoid Wellbutrin?” section above.

Recently suddenly stopped using alcohol or certain drugs. For more information, see the “When should I avoid Wellbutrin?” section above.

Seizures. You should not take Wellbutrin if you have a condition that causes seizures. For more information, see the “When should I avoid Wellbutrin?” section above.

Narrow eye angles. In rare cases, Wellbutrin can dilate your pupils and lead to closed-angle glaucoma if you have narrow eye angles. Closed-angle glaucoma is a medical emergency that can cause vision loss and severe eye pain. Your doctor may suggest that you have an eye exam to check your eye angles before you start taking Wellbutrin.

Heart problems. Wellbutrin can cause high blood pressure. Although not common, this side effect can be serious in some cases, especially if you have an existing heart problem. Examples include heart disease or if you already have high blood pressure. Your doctor can determine whether it’s safe for you to take Wellbutrin with your condition.

Past head injury. Wellbutrin can cause seizures in some people. Having a head injury can also raise the risk of a seizure. So taking Wellbutrin if you’ve had a head injury increases your risk of seizure even more. Talk with your doctor about whether Wellbutrin is safe for you to take.

Pregnancy. It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Wellbutrin while pregnant. Talk with your doctor to learn more about treatment options if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to breastfeed while taking Wellbutrin. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about whether Wellbutrin is right for you.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Wellbutrin or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Wellbutrin. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatment options that may be better choices for you.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Wellbutrin and possible interactions.

Is it safe to take Wellbutrin with Xanax?

It should be safe to take Wellbutrin with alprazolam (Xanax). No interactions have been reported between these drugs.

Xanax is prescribed to treat anxiety in certain situations. For example, doctors sometimes prescribe Xanax short term when people first begin taking an antidepressant such as Wellbutrin. This is because it can take several weeks before antidepressants begin working, and Xanax begins working right away to treat anxiety symptoms.

It’s important to note that you should not suddenly stop taking Xanax if you’re also taking Wellbutrin. People who suddenly stop using alcohol or certain drugs, including Xanax, have a higher risk of seizures. Wellbutrin can also cause seizures, so your risk of seizures is higher if you take Wellbutrin and suddenly stop taking Xanax.

If you’re interested in stopping Xanax treatment while you’re taking Wellbutrin, talk with your doctor. They can slowly lower your Xanax dose over time until it’s safe for you to stop taking it completely.

Is there an interaction between Wellbutrin and buspirone?

No. There’s no known interaction between Wellbutrin and buspirone.

Buspirone is prescribed to treat anxiety disorders in adults. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant prescribed to treat depression. It’s common for people to have both depression and an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder. So it’s not uncommon for doctors to prescribe Wellbutrin and buspirone together.

If you have questions about taking Wellbutrin with buspirone, talk with your doctor.

Is it safe to take Wellbutrin if I’m also taking gabapentin?

Yes, it should be safe to take Wellbutrin if you’re also taking gabapentin (Neurontin).

Gabapentin is an epilepsy drug, which means it treats seizures. But it’s more commonly used to treat nerve pain caused by certain conditions. For example, gabapentin may be prescribed to treat nerve pain following a spinal cord injury. It’s common for people who experience a spinal cord injury to also develop depression, which Wellbutrin is used to treat.

If you have other questions about taking Wellbutrin and gabapentin together, talk with your doctor.

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Wellbutrin. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
• other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list)
• what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Wellbutrin treatment

It’s also important to understand Wellbutrin’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions.

If you did not get paperwork with Wellbutrin, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. And if you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Wellbutrin exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

If you still have questions about Wellbutrin and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• If I start taking a new medication while taking Wellbutrin, can you check for interactions before I start treatment?
• If I take Wellbutrin and have certain health conditions, will I be monitored more closely during treatment?
• If I take medications that interact with Wellbutrin, should I space out my doses throughout the day to help avoid interactions?

Several medications can raise your risk of a seizure if you take them with Wellbutrin. If you experience a seizure while taking Wellbutrin, immediately stop taking it and contact your doctor right away.

To learn more about Wellbutrin, see these articles:

• Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride)
• Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Wellbutrin?

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.