Wellbutrin Sexual Side Effects

Wellbutrin^® (aka bupropion) helps many people with mood disorder symptoms, but it does come with some side effects. If you’ve struggled with the effects of other antidepressants in the bedroom, you may be wondering if your experience of Wellbutrin sexual side effects will be just the same.

If there were a mascot for Wellbutrin, they would be pretty pumped to answer this question because it turns out that Wellbutrin has no record of causing sexual side effects for anyone — in fact, it’s the pill they put you on when you’re dealing with those side effects from other antidepressants. 

The (lack of) sexual side effects is one of the things that makes Wellbutrin such an appealing  medication for some people. To understand why, let’s take a look at what other antidepressants do to your libido in comparison.

Antidepressants do some incredible things for the mind: They can help even out depressive mood swings, moderate the effects of anxiety and panic disorders, and even help people with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cope and function more effectively in their day-to-day lives.

Unfortunately, antidepressants also carry some risk of side effects. The adverse effects of antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), for instance, may include: 

• Gastrointestinal issues

• Weight gain

• Weight loss

• Insomnia

• Drug-induced sexual dysfunction

SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction and sexual side effects can be pretty common with these medications, and it’s important to understand how these affect both sexes.

A man on antidepressant medications may see trouble with erectile dysfunction, libido, and ejaculation, but he may also have trouble reaching climax. 

Meanwhile, a woman might experience increased difficulty with reaching orgasm (a condition called anorgasmia), as well as decreased libido and, for some, decreased lubrication.

It’s a frustrating set of conditions to be sure — depression harms your libido and makes sex unappealing, so you take medication to deal with the depression, but then the medication also affects your sex drive.

So, where does Wellbutrin come into this? Does it cause the same problems? Well, actually, no.

Wellbutrin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an antidepressant in 1985, but it has never really fit into any specific category in the antidepressant world.

SSRIs — such as sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine — affect serotonin levels. Tricyclic antidepressants, or TCAs, affect serotonin and norepinephrine, as do SNRIs or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. MAOIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors, affect monoamine oxidase, which in turn affects serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Wellbutrin, though, doesn’t fit any of those categories. In fact, experts don’t fully understand how bupropion, the generic version of Wellbutrin, works, except that it affects two specific neurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. This would technically make it a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI).

NDRIs prevent brain cells from reabsorbing norepinephrine (the stress neurotransmitter and hormone) and dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter). Preventing reabsorption leaves a larger stockpile hanging around, so when your mood bottoms out, these extra neurotransmitters lead to a cascade of events within brain cells that ultimately reduce or eliminate symptoms of depression.

This means that Wellbutrin can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including: 

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Obesity

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) 

It can even help with smoking cessation.

Here’s the cool thing, though: Wellbutrin doesn’t have sexual side effects. In fact, it’s so well-known for its lack of sexual side effects that when someone complains that sexual dysfunction from another medication is affecting their quality of life, they are often prescribed Wellbutrin in response.

If you’re experiencing antidepressant-induced sexual effects — think decreased sexual arousal, infrequent sexual urges, or sub-par sexual performance — it may be time to talk to a healthcare provider about prescribing you a different medication. 

But before you do that, you should understand that Wellbutrin has side effects as well, and they may also affect your quality of life. Common side effects of bupropion include: 

• Headache

• Drowsiness

• Weight loss

• Excessive sweating

• Constipation

• Ringing in the ears

• Sore throat

• Uncontrollable shaking of body parts

• Vomiting

• Dry mouth

• Nausea

• Loss of appetite

• Stomach pain

• Anxiety

• Frequent urination

• Changes to your sense of taste

It’s important to remember that nobody gets all of these side effects. For most people, the side effects are mild and often go away in about a week or so. In rare instances, chest pain, muscle pain, joint pain, hallucination, panic due to irrational fears, seizures, and rapid heartbeat can occur. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should speak with a clinician immediately.  

Also, call a healthcare professional promptly if you experience hives, blisters, rash, fever, swelling, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or serious itching while taking this medication. 

The bigger question — what you should do about these sexual side effects and whether you should switch to Wellbutrin as a result — is something that should be discussed with a healthcare provider as well. While many people have seen improvements in their sexual function, such as an increased libido, after switching from an SSRI to medication like bupropion, that may not be the case for you.

The final word: Wellbutrin isn’t known to cause sexual side effects. And if you’re experiencing sexual dysfunction from another antidepressant, then switching to Wellbrutrin may help increase your libido and improve sexual function. 

Your sexual desires are important, and if what you need to feel like yourself again is to increase your libido or sex drive, getting medical advice about that should be a priority for you.

But it’s also important to talk about the big picture and consider how sexual activity fits into your antidepressant treatment strategy. While sexual dysfunction may be a result of medications, it may also be a result of the very depressive disorder or affective disorder that you’re trying to treat. 

Ultimately, the only person that can help you figure all this out is a healthcare professional. They may be happy to offer a new medication for your condition, but they may suggest other options first, like a lubricant for the immediate problems and therapy for the bigger ones.

If you’re looking for support in your mental health, quality of life, and well-being, we’re here to help with resources like our guides to different antidepressants. We can also help you find a depression and anxiety medication that works for you through our psychiatry offering.