Bupropion is a medication prescribed by your healthcare provider, selected based on current evidence-based guidelines to best address specific mental health conditions. While effective, it's important to understand that all medications come with potential side effects. As a patient or caregiver, being informed about these risks and benefits is crucial. Equally essential is knowing how to monitor for side effects, and understanding the strategies to reduce their occurrence or manage them effectively. This guide aims to empower you with this knowledge, ensuring a well-informed approach to your or your child's treatment.
Bupropion is a Dopamine Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor. Bupropion works by increasing the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
Your doctor may prescribe Bupropion for
Take your medication consistently every day as directed by your healthcare provider, rather than using it only when you feel you need it.
While some patients may notice improvement within the first two weeks of starting treatment, it may take up to eight weeks to experience the medication's full benefits.
Abruptly stopping SSRIs can lead to a discontinuation syndrome, which may cause symptoms like dizziness, chills, lightheadedness, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, tremors, shock-like sensations, and tingling.
After the first episode of depression is resolved, staying on the effective dosage for at least one year is needed to minimize the risk of symptom recurrence. Following this period, your healthcare provider will guide you through a gradual tapering-off process and stop the medication entirely. This approach ensures a smoother transition and reduces the likelihood of relapse. For second and subsequent episodes of depression and for other mental health disorders, treatment may need to be indefinite.
Your child may experience some side effects from the medication initially. Most of these side effects are mild and improve over time. The medication is started at a low dose to minimize these side effects. If side effects persist, consult your healthcare provider.
Nausea: These can be mitigated by taking your medication with meals.
Sleep Disturbances: If you find it difficult to sleep, try taking your medication in the morning.
Dry Mouth, Constipation: Regular hydration can alleviate this symptom. Try to drink water frequently throughout the day.
Headache: May happen initially but usually improves over time. Consult with your provider if persistent. Reducing the dosage or splitting it into two daily doses might help.
Activation (feeling unusually energized, restless anxious or agitated): Lowering the dose temporarily can be helpful. Contact your provider for guidance on how much to reduce and how to slowly increase it again as your body adapts to the medication.
Decreased Appetite: May happen initially but usually improves over time. Adding high healthy high calorie snacks to diet can be helpful.
Tremor: Reducing the dosage or splitting it into two daily doses might help. As your body adjusts, your provider may gradually increase the dose back to the original level if needed.
Stomach upset: Reducing the dosage or splitting it into two daily doses might help. As your body adjusts, your provider may gradually increase the dose back to the original level if needed.
To learn more about this medication please visit MedlinePlus, a official US government website, part of National Library of Medicine and managed by National Institute of Health by clicking HERE