What can I do if wellbutrin makes me jittery?

Dear Reader, 

While it’s great that your new medication has improved your mood and restored your sex life, feeling like your body is racing a mile a minute can certainly be worrisome. Wellbutrin, which also goes by its chemical name, bupropion, can help treat depression but can also cause jitteriness, as you’re experiencing. Rest assured, you’re not the only person to experience this, but it might be a good idea to speak with a health care provider and discuss potential solutions like exploring other possible causes for jitteriness or adjusting your dose. If you want to learn more about Wellbutrin’s side effects and how to combat the jitters, read on! 

What is Wellbutrin?  

Wellbutrin is a prescription medication used for treating anxiety, major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and helping with smoking cessation. It works by increasing levels of norepinephrine and dopamine, the two brain chemicals that impact stress, motivation, and pleasure.  

What are common side effects of Wellbutrin?  

Like all medications, Wellbutrin comes with some side effects. People respond to medications differently, but some common side effects include: 

• Irregular heart rate 
• Dry mouth 
• Constipation 
• Weight loss 
• Decreased appetite 
• Hyperventilation (rapid breathing) 
• Irritability  
• Increased sweating 

Some side effects that may be specifically contributing to you feeling jittery could include: 

• Increased anxiety, which can present as restlessness, agitation, and shaking 
• Seizures  
• Movement disorders, including tremors, tics, parkinsonism, restless legs syndrome  

What else besides Wellbutrin may be causing your jitteriness? 

While Wellbutrin may be a contributing factor to your jitteriness, it might also be worth taking inventory of other possible reasons for feeling wired. Too much caffeine, withdrawal from smoking or alcohol if you’ve recently quit, low blood sugar, and stress are among a few additional culprits to consider. Since many of these triggers for jitteriness, besides medication, revolve around your lifestyle, it might be a good idea to try addressing these first. 

What can you do to manage jitteriness?  

If you try course-correcting some of these issues, and still feel jittery, it might be helpful to speak with a health care provider about how Wellbutrin is affecting you. You and a health care provider might suggest: 

• Adjusting your dose—sometimes people experience symptoms related to jitteriness if their dosage is increased too quickly.  
• Starting treatment to help manage your jittery symptoms.  
• Trying a different antidepressant that doesn’t cause jitteriness. But it might be helpful to keep in mind that all medications have side effects—if you start another medication, it might also have somewhat undesirable side effects. Make sure to consult your health care provider for weaning guidance.  

Whether you gain relief from lifestyle adjustments, dosage changes, or a different medication altogether, there are options to conquering the bunny's nose and living twitch-free! 

Good luck, jitterbug,