I'm Afraid To Start Taking Bupropion With Tramadol

I was just prescribe Bupropion 150mg 2x daily. I also take Tramadol which was prescribed by the same Dr. I'm afraid to start the Bupropion because of the drug interaction btwn the two. Should I be worried? Can I cut the tablets in half & take 75mg 2x daily?

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Hi Donna,

After looking over the interaction between these two medications, I can certainly see why you might be scared to take them together.

The interaction I found states the following:

"MONITOR CLOSELY: The risk of seizures may be increased during coadministration of tramadol with any substance that can reduce the seizure threshold, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI antidepressants or anorectics), monoamine oxidase inhibitors, neuroleptic agents, central nervous system stimulants, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, other tricyclic compounds (e.g., cyclobenzaprine, phenothiazines), carbapenems, cholinergic agents, fluoroquinolones, interferons, chloroquine, mefloquine, lindane, and theophylline. These agents are often individually epileptogenic and may have additive effects when combined. Many of these agents also exhibit CNS- and/or respiratory-depressant effects, which may be enhanced during their concomitant use with tramadol."

"MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised if tramadol is administered with any substance that can reduce the seizure threshold, particularly in the elderly and in patients with epilepsy, a history of seizures, or other risk factors for seizures (e.g., head trauma, brain tumor, metabolic disorders, alcohol and drug withdrawal, CNS infections)."

Personally, I think depending upon your reasoning for having to take Bupropion, it may be a good idea to consider other alternatives; whether it be natural or just something that you can easily take with Tramadol. I'm not a risk taker when it comes to medications, so I'm sure others will say that cutting them in half is fine, but I don't like to take these kinds of chances with my general well-being. I find it odd that your doctor didn't explain any interactions to you before prescribing the drug. That's just my perspective though.

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I have taken Wellbutrin 300 mg and Adderall 10 mg in the morning and Ultracet (Tramadol + Acetaminophen) at night the same day and nothing happened. Except that the next morning I woke up with no pain at all :)

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i've just recently began taking this combination of buproprion and tramadol (each for separate reasons). I'm not sure about the combination, but i do know that if your buproprion is a time release pill, then cutting them in half may not be the smartest thing to do. Maybe just take one a day instead.

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also, bupropion and welbutrin are not SSRIs which is probably why the dr prescribed them together.

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I just had a grand mal seizure because I took bupropion 300mg and tramadol 50mg together. I weight 250lbs and 6'4 and have never had any serious illness. I have a high tolerance to all medicine and alcohol, but this seizure came out of now where. Please be careful, and do NOT mix this medicine.

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24 yr. old female, 5'5", 160 lbs, takes 300 mg Wellbutrin, 150 mg Zoloft, and was prescribed 50-100 mg every 6 hours of Tramadol. After 2 days of being on Tramadol, I had a grand mal seizure and fell and hit my head. NEVER MIX THIS MEDICINE WITH SSRIs.

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Hi, my dose if bupropion (wellbutrin) was upped to 300mg last week. For a different chronic pain I take 400mg of tramadol over the course of the day.
Last night, I was on my own and I fainted. When I came to I had no idea why I was on the floor and was very confused. I don't remember falling at all. The doctor sent me to hospital but said my blood pressure and blood test were normal so I probably just fainted. I'm not so sure. They've said not to stop taking the bupropion .

What was your experience with having a seizure? How could they tell it was a seizure? What tests did they do? How did u feel afterwards? Did u have a headache/feel really sleepy? I'm just a bit concerned.

Thanks

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Which is why bupropion is fine w/tramadol. Good job

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Hi Sophie, I also take 400mg of tramadol a day and 150mg of the wellbutrin. The exact description you gave of hat happend to you, happened to me a few months ago. It happened in the grocery store so ppl saw what went down. Everyone i talked to says it was a seizure, and one was a off duty paramedic.

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My 16 yr old daughter had 2 grand mal seizures a few days ago along with a smaller seizure in between and all 3 occurred over an 8 hour period after mixing bupropion and tramadol. Never had a seizure before that. Scary as hell to watch. NEVER mix these drugs!

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Can you take adderall an tramadol together?

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Hello , I had a seizure 3 weeks ago on Christmas night I was in hospital for 2 weeks I'm guessing it was from taking to many tramadol , is it safe to take just 2/4 a day just weeks after having a seizure do you know ? Thank you

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I broke with sores taking bupropion 200mg and tramadol 100mg, diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrom, very frightning, can be fatal I was told.

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well i found out that taking tramdol and welburtin can casue your pressure to rise to elevayed levels its dangerous.

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i found out fro the pharacist tramadol and buporin is dengerou is raise the blood pressure

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Good for you...neither does the warnings relate to bupropion proscribe the combination. In fact doctors commonly prescribe bupropion and SSRI's such as prozac together and tramadol is only a weak seratonin uptake inhibitor.

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Both medications taken together lower the seizure threshold, and the effectiveness of Tramadol may be decreased by Bupropion.¡

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I've just started wellbutrin, 70mg, 1 in the morning(to increase gradually if I can tolerate it) yesterday for bipolar, severe depression, lack of energy and no will to get out of bed. I also have PTSD, multiple phobias and dependent personality disorder. I've been taking 50mg of Tramadol 4 X's a day for@5 years for Fibromyalgia. I started out taking 3, but last year upped to 4. I've been taking 37.5mg of Effexor XR for 3 years, the low dose because I have low tolerance for any meds. After taking the wellbutrin, I noticed a funny feeling that I didn't like at all and it scared me; sort of feeling like my chest was gonna explode and I felt like I was "losing it" and wouldn't be able to control my behavior. Also a headache and wanted to sleep all day, which I do many days in the past 6-7 months, which I attributed to bipolar depression&PTSD. I'm diabetic(mildly) and have Aortic Valve Disease. All these meds scare me, but I was able to deal with the depression symptoms with just the tramadol for several years. Then went through horrendous trauma and recall of child abuse, and I became disabled from everything. It all just seemed to snowball on me with not enough time to deal with each thing one at a time. I took myself off 300mg neurontin prescribed for diabetic neuropathy, and the Effexor, but started back on the Effexor after a couple months cuz I was staying in bed every day and could barely care for myself. My concern is with the wellbutrin. My psych is going to have me go off the Effexor gradually next month. I've searched every medical site trying to figure out what meds are the best for treating the nightmares&night terrors(I take temazepam for sleep), and rapid cycling bipolar, with the depression being the worst part of this. Should I cut the WB in half and wait it out?

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My husband had a major car accident - was caused by a seizure -which we finally pinned down to a reaction between Tramadol and Wellbutrin. Beware.

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I am taking 400 mg Bupropion XR (200 mg/ea), 300-500 mg Gabapentin, 100 MG Lamictal a day.

Had some emotional trauma occur 4 months ago along with severe drug addiction (Opiates/Coke) in conjunction with a major car accident.

Combination has been a life-saver. I am drug-free, depression-free, and Bi-polar is under control.

Went to the ER today for insane back pain. Was prescribed 50 mg Tramadol. Will post results.

Lamictal and Gabapentin are anti-convulsants so I assume it will negate and synergize the symptoms and effects of the Bupropion (DNRI), and Tramadol (SNRI). Will let you know.

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Re: David (# 1)

I'm prescribed Xanax, Ativan and Lyrica. I thought it was an allergic reaction to the Lamotrigine I was originally trying to take but didn't know they were sold under the same names being generic and/or brand name.

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Re: Wynn (# 18)

Prazosyn is very good for night terrors and night mares.

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Re: John j (# 26)


I'm sorry to hear you're in pretty close to the same predicament as my husband. Our lives were turned upside-down because of these meds. My husband took these meds together, had a seizure while driving to work (witnessed by passers-by), tapped and pushed along a car with a mother and child inside, crossed a 5-lane highway, passed through a barbed-wire fence, and then hit a tall concrete culvert. He had an aortic dissection, GI tract removed, and a head injury-concussion and more. He probably won't ever be able to work or drive again, is on disability, and he's just in a lot worse shape than we ever expected at this age. All I can say is, it takes time, but the new normal gets better as you go along and re-adjust, and then you come to the point where you appreciate everything you have, because you realize you almost lost it all. Part of me is still angry that one doctor is not paying attention one day, coupled by a pharmacy that should probably have insisted on counseling and didn't, contributed to hard times for our family. It's very important to get the word out!

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Re: chalupa batman (# 9)

400mg of tramadol is above the daily recommend dosage and that alone can cause seizures. Low dose tramadol in most people can be taken with wellbutrin.

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Had a grand-mal seizure while taking Wellbutrin and Ultram (time-released Tramadol). I had never had any seizures before in my life. Was very frightening, PLEASE be careful when taking these meds and keep Tramadol doses down to a minimum!

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My experience of seizures were the most frightening things I've ever had in my life I was fine then all of a sudden my sight went and luckily I managed to get into bed where the wife was then I came around about 4/5 days later in an hospital bed dribbling didn't know who was who and what had happened til I got told , that was my first major seizure then a few weeks later I was watching tv and got up to go out the kitchen to speak to my wife and as I got up I felt funny and within 20 seconds I had fell against the kitchen door so my wife pulled me to the settee and once again I woke up a few days later in hospital , I was aware of everything kind of but my reactions were very slow my speech was slow etc I've had more seizures aswell but none as big and wild as the 1st 2/3 , I've had MRI scans ecg,s constantly ct scan also a lot of other things which I can't really remember, I'm still under investigation now but I can ASSURE you they were caused by tramadol so please guys DONT TOUCH THEM or if your going to then 100% only take if really needed and NEVER take more than meant to but I would beg you not to touch them cos since my 1st one over a year ago my life is upside down . I can't work I had my license taken away and I'm constantly attending hospital

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I've been on 2 Tramadol 50's taken 3 times a day (total of 300mg of Tramadol a day) taken with a Wellbutrin 300XL for many years with zero problems but I'm also on seizure medications that are actually prescribed for my nerve and musculoskeletal pain. I'm on both Lyrica 300mg per day and 1200-1800 mg a day of Gabapentin each day so I think the fact that I take seizure meds for my pain this keeps my seizure threshold very low.

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Tramadol is a very dangerous opiate. They cause so many people to have a seizure. I had 4 seizures from taking tramadol. They're vile nasty things and whether taken as prescribed or not they should be banned, very dangerous things. They do what they're meant to but also do other things. So my advice is to stay well clear of them.

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I'm off them all now mate or at least I'm off the tramadol anyway. The doc said it was completely safe but there can be some side effects so I got a shot of the tramadol. The gps don't say a lot, they just throw boxes of tablets at you to cover it up instead of getting the problem fixed altogether. Instead of actually fixing what was wrong with me they just added more pills to mask the problem, which is just no good or at least it's ok for a while but then the meds have no effect. So where do you go from there - more stronger tabs.

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@bmoney, so is there an update? Are you doing okay with the tramadol added?

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