How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System?

For various reasons, it’s useful to understand how long Wellbutrin stays in your system if you’ve been prescribed medication. For starters, you need to know how long it stays in your system if you think of stopping it for whatever reason. Before doing so, you should always talk to a doctor to determine whether you have negative side effects from cessation. Continue reading to learn more about this.


By We Level Up | Editor Yamilla Francese | Clinically Reviewed By Lauren Barry, LMFT, MCAP, QS, Director of Quality Assurance | Editorial Policy | Research Policy | Last Updated: March 22, 2023

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Does Wellbutrin Show Up On A Drug Test? Wellbutrin Drug Test

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? For various reasons, it’s useful to understand how long Wellbutrin stays in your system if you’ve been prescribed medication.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? For starters, you need to know how long it stays in your system if you think of stopping it for whatever reason. Before doing so, you should always talk to a doctor to determine whether you have negative side effects from cessation.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? If you’re going to take a drug test soon, that’s another reason you might be interested in learning how long Wellbutrin lingers in your system.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Wellbutrin is not frequently abused, but it is nevertheless possible to abuse this medication, and its primary active ingredient frequently results in false-positive tests for amphetamine-related substances.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Here, we go through Wellbutrin’s mechanism of action, how long it stays in your system, and other details.

It’s also critical to be aware that it comes in two different formats, each with a varied duration in the body, which we will also cover.

How Long For Wellbutrin To Leave System? How To Flush Wellbutrin Out Of Your System? About Wellbutrin

The active component of Wellbutrin, bupropion, is combined with a hydrochloride salt and is typically administered as a tablet.

Wellbutrin has two brand-name variations: Wellbutrin SR (sustained release) and Wellbutrin XL (extended-release).

They are referred to as “atypical antidepressants,” and their mode of action differs from that of most conventional antidepressants.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Xl Stay In Your System? How Wellbutrin works?

A norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor medication is bupropion (NDRI). It binds to the dopamine transporter (DAT) and the norepinephrine transporter (NET), preventing these neurotransmitters from reabsorbing. These neurotransmitters regulate mood, sleep, restlessness, memory recall, arousal, and pleasure.

Depression and other depressive diseases, such as SAD, are brought on by reuptake, which lowers the amounts of these neurotransmitters in the brain. Wellbutrin aids in their reversal by inhibiting reuptake.

Bupropion and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) vary primarily because bupropion does not impede serotonin reuptake, making it less arousing for most users. However, weight gain is still a frequent adverse effect.

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Wellbutrin Factsheet

Wellbutrin Overview

The active component of Wellbutrin, bupropion, is combined with a hydrochloride salt and is typically administered as a tablet.

Wellbutrin has two brand-name variations: Wellbutrin SR (sustained release) and Wellbutrin XL (extended-release).

They are referred to as “atypical antidepressants,” and their mode of action differs from that of most conventional antidepressants.


Wellbutrin Warnings

When taking Wellbutrin, it’s crucial to adhere to your doctor’s prescription recommendations and seek their advice before changing the dosage. Ask your doctor for advice on what to do if you miss a dose; nevertheless, it’s often not advised to take two doses simultaneously to make up for missed ones.

Tell your doctor about your mental or physical negative effects while taking Wellbutrin. Do not stop taking Wellbutrin if your symptoms are severe without consulting your doctor. In rare circumstances, negative effects from abruptly stopping Wellbutrin can become worse.

Wellbutrin Withdrawal

Most people who stop using Wellbutrin don’t have withdrawal symptoms. For those that do, symptoms are extremely diverse and range from mild to moderate severity:

  • Sweating: Redness and excessive perspiration, especially in the heat.
  • Digestive problems: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or loss of appetite. This is because serotonin plays a major role in the digestive system.
  • Insomnia: Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep. You may also experience unusual dreams or nightmares.
  • Neurological effects: Tremors, restless legs, numbness, and/or difficulty walking.
  • Psychological symptoms: Mood swings, agitation, anxiety, mania, and/or depression.
  • Brain zaps: Sensations that feel like shocks to the head, also described as brain shakes or shivers.

Drug Addiction Statistics

In 2023, substance use problems will still be a major issue. The year 2023 will present a special set of difficulties for those battling addiction, with the opioid epidemic still raging, new synthetic narcotics like fentanyl being promoted to consumers, and chronic stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.


Half of the people 12 and older have used illicit drugs at least once.

Source: NIAAA

700K

Drug overdose deaths in the US since 2000 are nearing one (1) million.

Source: NIAAA

The federal budget for drug control in 2020 was $35 billion.

Source: NIAAA


How Long Does Wellbutrin 150 Mg Stay In Your System? How To Get Wellbutrin Out Of Your System Fast? Does Wellbutrin Show Up On A Urine Drug Test?

How Long Does Wellbutrin Take To Leave Your System? Bupropion usually takes one to two weeks to notice changes in mood, a decline in depression, or fewer smoking impulses, and a few more weeks after that for the full effects to take effect in your body.
How Long Does Wellbutrin Take To Leave Your System? Bupropion usually takes one to two weeks to notice changes in mood, a decline in depression, or fewer smoking impulses, and a few more weeks after that for the full effects to take effect in your body.

How Long Is Wellbutrin In Your System? How Long Until Wellbutrin Is Out Of Your System? Will Wellbutrin Show Up On A Drug Test?

How Long To Get Wellbutrin Out Of System? Bupropion takes time to start working because of its so-called slow-acting mechanism of action.

It usually takes one to two weeks to notice changes in mood, a decline in depression, or fewer smoking impulses, and a few more weeks after that for the full effects to take effect in your body.

The time it takes for a medication’s concentration in blood plasma to decrease to 50% of its initial level is known as its half-life.

Depending on the formulation, the half-life of Wellbutrin might range from 12 to 21 hours.

How long it takes for your body to digest a drug impacts how long it stays in your bloodstream. Your liver metabolizes bupropion mostly.

It can take much longer for your liver to get the drug out of your system if it isn’t working well or at 100%. Regular blood tests to assess your liver function are advised to ensure you can continue taking Wellbutrin safely.

Renal (kidney) problems might also impact the rate at which Wellbutrin leaves your system. Age, additional drugs, and alcohol consumption while taking Wellbutrin can also impact. When used with bupropion, alcohol increases the risk of inducing seizures.

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What Does Wellbutrin Show Up As On A Drug Test? Can Wellbutrin Cause A False Positive Drug Test? Will Wellbutrin Show On A Drug Test? Wellbutrin Show Up On Drug Test

How Long Does It Take Wellbutrin To Leave Your System? If your major worry is that Wellbutrin will appear on a drug test, reflect on your worries. Although Wellbutrin can occasionally test false positive for methamphetamine salts, this happens frequently enough that presenting your prescription will typically clear up any confusion.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Sr Stay In Your System? You need to know how long the drug stays in different parts of the body if you cannot fail a drug test and are worried enough to risk skipping a few doses of your prescription (which is not advised by medical authorities).

How Long Does Wellbutrin Detectable In Urine? How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your Urine?

How Long To Get Wellbutrin Out Of Your System? The total time it takes for bupropion to leave the body is about four days. Yet, the majority of it quickly cleanses particular bodily areas. For instance, more than 60% is eliminated in the first 24 hours by urine. So, it would be unlikely to result in a result if you take a drug test before taking the following dose of XL (or skip only one dose of SR).

How Long Wellbutrin Out Of System? Blood tests don’t normally check for the compound that wellbutrin would appear as, even though it can linger in the blood for longer than four days. It can linger in hair for up to 90 days. Yet once more, it’s not something that’s frequently sought after.

How Long Before Wellbutrin Is Out Of Your System? The main worry is the likelihood of it being detected in a urine test. One study found a direct connection between patients taking bupropion for therapeutic purposes and more than 40% of false-positive methamphetamine test findings.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In System? Bring your prescription documentation with you when having a urine sample tested for methamphetamine use. Let the testing facility and your employer know up front that you are taking a drug known to result in a false positive.

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Symptoms of Wellbutrin Withdrawal

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Thus, why not simply cease taking Wellbutrin in the days or weeks preceding a planned drug test? Antidepressant withdrawal effects can be extremely painful if stopped abruptly.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? There is a reason why your physician most likely began you on a low dose and then gradually increased it over the course of a few weeks.

How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Titration prevents your body from being shocked when the medicine is abruptly added to or removed from your system.

The same procedure should be used to cease taking Wellbutrin from your system: gradually taper the dose until the drug level in your blood falls to a safe level at which you can stop taking it.

Individuals who seek psychotherapy while trying to stop using an antidepressant are less likely to relapse or experience excruciating symptoms that prompt them to look for an antidepressant alternative.
How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Individuals who seek psychotherapy while trying to stop using an antidepressant are less likely to relapse or experience excruciating symptoms that prompt them to look for an antidepressant alternative.

This procedure takes weeks, not days, like the first upward titration. For many people, Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms go beyond a relapse into depression or a desire to start smoking once more. Due to your brain’s increased dependence on the medicine, you may suffer symptoms you didn’t previously have.

You might start to long for the balance Wellbutrin gave you if it doesn’t alter the amount of dopamine in your brain and have a stimulant-like effect. Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms include agitation, anxiety, insomnia problems, headaches, and general aches and pains. To replicate that positive sensation, you can try substituting Wellbutrin with other drugs or alcohol.

Be kind to yourself and carve out time for self-care at this time to prevent doing this. If your doctor advises stopping Wellbutrin, they will go over your options and assist you in tapering off the drug gradually and securely. This typically results in fewer adverse effects, but if you have taken medicine for a long time, you may still have some withdrawal symptoms.

When to See a Healthcare Professional?

When taking Wellbutrin, it’s crucial to adhere to your doctor’s prescription recommendations and seek their advice before changing the dosage. Ask your doctor for advice on what to do if you miss a dose; nevertheless, it’s often not advised to take two doses simultaneously to make up for missed ones.

Tell your doctor about your mental or physical negative effects while taking Wellbutrin. Do not stop taking Wellbutrin if your symptoms are severe without consulting your doctor. In rare circumstances, negative effects from abruptly stopping Wellbutrin can become worse.

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How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? We Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions. However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder simultaneously. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

Accepting that you may be living with a mental illness can be challenging. However, treating the presenting substance abuse case can be magnitudes easier once properly diagnosed and treated. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.

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How Long Does Wellbutrin Stay In Your System? Prescription Drug Abuse Informative Video

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