Mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol

Mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol can lower alcohol tolerance but it can also impair motor control, jugement and thinking. More here on mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol effects.

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Are you considering mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol? Know what can happen?

Here, we review the real risks and dangers of mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol here. Learn what happens in your body when you mix Wellbutrin with alcohol and know what can go wrong. Although Wellbutrin high is uncommon and it’s not likely that Wellbutrin show up on a urine test, taking Wellbutrin can provoke side effects. We invite you to ask questions about mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol in the comments section at the end.

Wellbutrin and alcohol effects

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an antidepressant medication which is taken each day to help combat the symptoms of a mood disorder. In most cases, people don’t mix bupropion with alcohol in order to try to achieve any kind of high, but simply because they don’t want to have to abstain completely from alcohol while being treated for depression. Some effects from mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol which we have found in self-stated reports by users on the internet include:

  • blacking out
  • confusion
  • lowered alcohol tolerance
  • nausea and vomiting
  • seizures

Dangers of mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol

Wellbutrin has a high risk of seizures when it’s not taken as directed. Wellbutrin also chemically reacts with alcohol, having an additive effect in the body and brain when combined. So when alcohol is taken with Wellbutrin, dangerous side effects can occur. This is mainly because mixing alcohol and Wellbutrin can intensify the effects of both alcohol and Wellbutrin. Some potentially dangerous effects of mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol include:

  • dizziness
  • drowsiness
  • impaired motor control
  • impaired judgment and thinking
  • memory problems
  • paranoia or other unusual thoughts
  • suicidal thoughts or feelings
  • overdose

This additive effect goes both ways – Wellbutrin can enhance the effects of the alcohol itself. In other words, taking bupropion while drinking can lower your alcohol tolerance and cause you to become severely intoxicated with comparatively small amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is a sedative, meaning it makes you sleepy, drowsy, and lightheaded. It makes sense, then, that drinking while taking Wellbutrin can cause trouble concentrating and difficulty with coordination, putting you at risk of accidents. Plus, you are at risk of falls or serious injuries when mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol. And because mixing the two can cause alcohol poisoning or overdose, it might even be deadly.

If you are abusing Wellbutrin recreationally and mixing it with alcohol to get high…you may be facing a risk of developing addiction. But, no need to worry because help is available! In fact, there are many rehab options and treatment programs for antidepressant addiction available to help you get sober.

Wellbutrin and alcohol overdose

Doctors recommend never mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol for very good reason. First, the risk of overdose on Wellbutrin does increase when used with alcohol. These drugs enhance one another to cause much more serious side effects than normally experienced separately. Second, even if you don’t OD on Wellbutrin, you’re at a high risk of experiencing seizures when you mix Wellbutrin and alcohol.

Wellbutrin and alcohol deaths

Alcohol is one of the most prevalent drugs used in combination with Wellbutrin that can cause death. Because of the way Wellbutrin lowers your tolerance to alcohol in unpredictable ways, it’s not safe to mix the two. NOT DRINKING ALCOHOL is the only way to stay safe while taking Wellbutrin.

Is it safe to drink on Wellbutrin?

Not really. Mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol just enhances the dangerous effects of both drugs. Paradoxically, if you drink regularly and then stop abruptly when you begin Wellbutrin, this can also cause side effects. So always ask your prescribing doctor for more information on taking Wellbutrin safely.

Mixing Wellbutrin alcohol questions

Do you still have questions about mixing Wellbutrin with alcohol or other substances?  Or maybe you are interested in snorting Wellbutrin effects.  Please leave your Wellbutrin questions here. We try our best to answer all questions personally, and promptly. And if we don’t know the answer, we will refer you to someone who can help. Your experiences with mixing Wellbutrin and alcohol are also welcome.

Reference Sources: NIAAA pamphlet: Harmful Interactions, Mixing Alcohol with Medicines
PubMed: Bupropion and alcohol fatal intoxication: case report
MedlinePlus: Bupropion
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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