Bupropion Side Effects: Antidepressant Medications you Must Understand

Depression is a very real and serious condition. There is a number of ways you might fall into depression. It is a mental condition that, oftentimes, the longer you remain depressed, the more difficult it becomes to pull yourself out of its depths. Sometimes time can heal the issue, while other times it makes it worse, so it is important to seek ways to pull yourself out of depression. For some, this requires spending more time with friends, going to the gym, changing up a diet or performing other dietary and lifestyle adjustments. In the case that you need assistance with depression through pharmaceuticals, we have written an article highlighting Bupropion side effects, negative and positive.

However, for others, simple lifestyle changes is not going to help with the mental condition. In these instances, it might prove necessary to take a kind of antidepressant medication. There is a number of different medications, each of which can help in varying ways. These medications also have varying side effects. One such medication your doctor might prescribe you is Bupropion. As is the case with all other antidepressant medications you must understand the Bupropion side effects before you start taking the medication. This way, you'll know what to prepare for, what to expect and what conditions to look out for.

Bupropion is an antidepressant medication that alters the chemicals sent to your brain by nerves. It alters these nerve transmitters. These kinds of antidepressant medications are referred to specifically as neurotransmitters. Some medical professionals believe depression is caused when there is a chemical imbalance within your brain and an undesirable fluctuation of the neurotransmitters released. If an imbalance occurs, a continued recycle of the neurotransmitters will continually hit your brain, pushing you further and further into depression.

It is like water running through a filter when the filter doesn't work. With every pass, the water becomes dirtier, and yet the filter is not working correctly to rid it of the impurities. Unless something is done, the water will continue to grow dirtier. With the unnatural neurotransmitters within your brain, an antidepressant medication such as Bupropion will help restore the correct level and break the cycle of undesirable neurotransmitters.

The medication itself is not used in all depression conditions. In fact, because it does directly alter the chemical combination within your brain, it is only used in patients who suffer major depression (also known as major depressive disorder). They may also prescribe it to individuals who suffer from a seasonal affective disorder, which is a form of depression that occurs during the colder fall and winter months when the sun is often hidden under a constant cloud cover.

Depression has a way of becoming completely debilitating. This prevents the body from acting as it should, and it can make it difficult to remain productive or get the work done you know you need to. The rest of your social life may suffer besides your professional work. The sooner you're able to turn depression around the better off you'll be and the easier it becomes to pull yourself out of the mental condition. Often you may not realize you're depressed until you've been clinically depressed for some time.

You may have also tried several natural methods to reduce depression. If these other forms have not changed the way you experience depression, you will need to look for medication based help to fight off depression and correct the chemical balance in your brain. Once the balance is corrected, you can then ween yourself off of the medication, so you're living without the drug.

Bupropion is used specifically for this case. While prescribed typically in more serious cases the medication will prevent the constant flow of chemicals into your brain that is causing this depression. By making this correction, you'll avoid feeling depressed, which in turn will help improve your level of productivity.

As is the case with other medications, there is always the possibility of negative side effects. You are altering the chemical balance within your brain, which is why it is important to monitor the possible Bupropion side effects. By knowing what to expect and what to look out for you'll know when it is time to contact your doctor (should the issue ever arise). By focusing on the Bupropion side effects, you will stay on top of your personal medical status.

Common Bupropion Side Effects

There is a number of common Bupropion side effects. These Bupropion side effects are most common when you first begin taking the medication. This is because your body is adjusting to the chemicals within the blood stream and the alteration to the chemicals within your brain. Due to this, you may suffer from these side effects for a short period after first starting up the medication.

Some of the most common Bupropion side effects include skin rashes, sweating, weight loss, dizziness, an elevated heartbeat, muscle pain, shakiness, ringing in the ears, nausea, dry mouth, agitation, headaches, dry mouth, tremors, constipation, and stomach pain.

If you suffer from any of these side effects, you need to monitor the effects. These will probably go away after a few days (if not by the end of your first prescription). However, if the side effects have remained throughout the entire duration of your prescription or the side effects increase, you need to let your doctor know.

Less Common Bupropion Side Effects

There is a number of less common side effects. These do not affect as many people although there are records of the side effects taking place, so it is important to be mindful of the possibility. Some of these less common Bupropion side effects include twitching, chest pain, hot flashes, migraines, fever, flushing, problems swallowing, arthritis, nervousness, hives, myalgia, hives, sinusitis and UTIs (urinary tract infections).

Like the more common side effects, these are issues you need to keep an eye on although will likely go away after a few days. If issues, such as migraines and UTIs remain and continue, it is important to tell your doctor.

Serious Bupropion Side Effects

There are not as many serious Bupropion side effects as other depression medications. However, if you experience any of these serious side effects, you need to contact your doctor right away and tell them about the situation. They may tell you to stop taking the medication. First, there is high blood pressure. If you discover you have high blood pressure and it isn't going down, you need to talk to your doctor. If you already have high blood pressure and you notice the pressure increasing, inform your doctor right away.

The other serious side effect is unusual thoughts or unusual behaviors. You might feel confused as if you suddenly look around and don't know how you got to where you're standing. You might feel paranoia, or you might even suffer hallucinations. If any of these issues occur, tell your doctor right away. If you have suicidal thoughts, stop taking the medication.

Drug Interactions

Whenever starting a new medication, it is important to let your doctor know about the kinds of medications and supplements you're taking. This includes any vitamins and exercise supplements you're consuming as there may be potential interactions with the drug which increases the chance of undesirable Bupropion side effects.

If you are taking a medication designed to reduce your chance of seizures, you need to be careful when taking Bupropion. If you are taking medications to help with withdrawal symptoms (such as Valium and Xanax) you have an increased chance of seizures, so you need to be careful and let your doctor know if you're taking any of these medications.

You should not take Tegretol and Bupropion together, and the medications might lead to reducing the blood concentration of the Bupropion. If you are taking Tegretol (or Bupropion), you will need to stop taking one medication for at least two weeks before starting up on the other to avoid any undesirable side effects.

Last, if you take Norvir, it may reduce the effectiveness of Bupropion as it increases the breakdown of the drug and may completely eliminate it from the system. In some instances this may be desired, but only when your doctor deems it necessary to clean your system of Bupropion. Otherwise, you will lose the effectiveness of the medication.

Battling depression is difficult. There are times when you might need help from a medication to help assist you in this kind of situation. Even if you want to combat depression without the aid of medication, there often comes a time where you need this added help. The drug is not something you'll need to remain on forever. In fact, you will be able to take the medication to help correct the chemical balance inside of your brain.

After the chemical balance has been achieved, your doctor may then slowly wean you off of the medication. This way, by the time you're off of it you'll be able to continue on without taking the antidepressant or any other medication associated with correcting the mental disorder.