What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
-An eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia
-Bipolar disorder or psychosis
-Diabetes or high blood sugar, treated with medication
-Glaucoma
-Head injury or brain tumor
-Heart disease, previous heart attack, or irregular heart beat
-High blood pressure
-Kidney disease
-Liver disease
-Seizures
-Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt by you or a family member
-Tourette syndrome
-Weight loss
-An unusual or allergic reaction to bupropion, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
-Pregnant or trying to become pregnant
-Breastfeeding
What may interact with this medication?
Do not take this medication with any of the following:
-Linezolid
-MAOIs, such as Azilect, Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
-Methylene blue (injected into a vein)
-Other medications that contain bupropion, such as Zyban
This medication may also interact with the following:
-Alcohol
-Certain medications for anxiety or sleep
-Certain medications for blood pressure, such as metoprolol, propranolol
-Certain medications for HIV or AIDS, such as efavirenz, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir
-Certain medications for irregular heartbeat, such as propafenone, flecainide
-Certain medications for mental health conditions
-Certain medications for Parkinson disease, such as amantadine, levodopa
-Certain medications for seizures, such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital
-Cimetidine
-Clopidogrel
-Cyclophosphamide
-Digoxin
-Furazolidone
-Isoniazid
-Nicotine
-Orphenadrine
-Procarbazine
-Steroid medications, such as prednisone or cortisone
-Stimulant medications for attention disorders, weight loss, or to stay awake
-Tamoxifen
-Theophylline
-Thiotepa
-Ticlopidine
-Tramadol
-Warfarin
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Tell your care team if your symptoms do not get better or if they get worse. Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. Because it may take several weeks to see the full effects of this medication, it is important to continue your treatment as prescribed.
This medication may cause thoughts of suicide or depression. This includes sudden changes in mood, behaviors, or thoughts. These changes can happen at any time but are more common in the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Call your care team right away if you experience these thoughts or worsening depression.
This medication may cause mood and behavior changes, such as anxiety, nervousness, irritability, hostility, restlessness, excitability, hyperactivity, or trouble sleeping. These changes can happen at any time but are more common in the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Call your care team right away if you notice any of these symptoms.
This medication may cause serious skin reactions. They can happen weeks to months after starting the medication. Contact your care team right away if you notice fevers or flu-like symptoms with a rash. The rash may be red or purple and then turn into blisters or peeling of the skin. You may also notice a red rash with swelling of the face, lips, or lymph nodes in your neck or under your arms.
Avoid drinks that contain alcohol while taking this medication. Drinking large amounts of alcohol, using sleeping or anxiety medications, or quickly stopping the use of these agents while taking this medication may increase your risk for a seizure.
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
Do not take this medication close to bedtime. It may prevent you from sleeping.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe.
What are the most serious risks of this medication?
This medication may increase thoughts of suicide. This may be more common in children, teenagers, and young adults. The risk may increase after first starting the medication and after dose changes. Talk to your care team right away if you have changes in mood and behavior or thoughts of self-harm or suicide.