Lexapro and Wellbutrin are both commonly used as antidepressants. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon to wonder if they can safely be taken together to get additional benefits from them.
However, there are potential dangers that can come from combining these two drugs. This is especially true if your prescribing doctor or doctors are unaware you’re taking both simultaneously. It could lead to dosing issues that cause harmful side effects.
In the rest of this article, we’ll discuss the potential dangers of combining antidepressants like Lexapro and Wellbutrin and clinical considerations to ensure you’re making educated choices before taking or mixing medications.
Introduction to Lexapro and Wellbutrin
Before we discuss the combination of Lexapro and Wellbutrin and potential medication interactions, let’s first discuss what each drug is used for and its effects.
What is Lexapro?
Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). SSRI medications help regulate serotonin levels in the brain. This medication is most commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects your mood, which is why regulating it by taking medications like Lexapro can help treat depression (a common mood disorder).
Chronic stress and anxiety can also affect serotonin levels. So, taking an SSRI to regulate serotonin is also effective for treating anxiety, especially when it co-occurs with depression.
Research shows that about 45-67% of people who are diagnosed with depression also struggle with anxiety, so taking an SSRI medication that can help with both is a standard treatment route.
What is Wellbutrin?
Wellbutrin, also known as bupropion, works a bit differently than Lexapro. Wellbutrin is a norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI). Like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are both neurotransmitters that affect your mood.
The ability to regulate these hormones that affect your mood and mental well-being is why Wellbutrin is also used to treat depression. It also might be prescribed to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression, which typically occurs during the winter months.
Some clinical research has also shown that NDRIs like bupropion can help when someone is trying to quit smoking, so it’s occasionally prescribed for smoking cessation as well, especially when someone needs to quit for medical reasons.
Potential Risks and Dangers of Combining Lexapro and Wellbutrin
Knowing how Lexapro and Wellbutrin work, it might become clearer why some people consider combining these medications for additional benefits.
Since SSRIs like Lexapro help regulate serotonin and NDRIs like Wellbutrin regulate norepinephrine and dopamine, taking both medications simultaneously could help manage all three of these key mood-related neurotransmitters.
However, some possible interactions could occur, or antidepressant side effects could worsen while taking both at the same time.
Potential Interactions and Side Effects When Combining These Medications
The most significant potential danger of combining these medications is that it can cause serotonin syndrome. While NDRIs don’t directly affect serotonin levels, they can still have indirect effects that raise serotonin, particularly when combined in high doses with SSRIs.
Serotonin syndrome occurs when you have too much serotonin in your brain and body. It’s potentially life-threatening and can cause severe side effects like seizures, shaking, muscle rigidity, and a high fever. If someone is experiencing any of these side effects after combining these two medications, it’s essential to get immediate medical attention.
Additionally, when you combine antidepressants, it can increase the chances of getting other side effects, like drowsiness, nausea, low blood pressure, disturbed heart rhythm, sleep problems, or erectile dysfunction. Since you’re taking an overall higher combined dose of antidepressants, there’s more in your body that could cause these effects to occur.
Clinical Considerations
While there are potential side effects when taking both Lexapro and Wellbutrin, it can still be safely prescribed if dosages are managed appropriately by a medical professional. However, most doctors usually only take this route after trying other antidepressants and treatment options where nothing so far has worked.
When prescribing both, your doctor usually schedules more follow-up visits and regular monitoring to ensure you aren’t experiencing any side effects.
It’s also commonly a shorter-term treatment plan compared to getting prescribed a single anti-depressant medication.
Generally, you’d get prescribed Lexapro and Wellbutrin while also using other mental health treatment options, such as attending therapy sessions or getting residential treatment at a mental health treatment center. Then, as your symptoms improve, you’d transition to a lighter medication regimen that’s more sustainable for a longer duration.
What to Avoid When Combining Lexapro and Wellbutrin
When combining these medications, the main thing to avoid is doing it without your doctor’s specific prescription and regulation.
For example, someone might be taking Lexapro and know a friend with a Wellbutrin prescription they aren’t using. Having heard that both can help, they start taking both, using their friend’s prescription.
However, since dosages in that scenario aren’t regulated by a doctor to ensure safety, you could run into taking too much of each medication, which leads to adverse or life-threatening side effects. Therefore, always ensure you only combine these medications if your doctor prescribes them.
It’s also important to follow standard guidelines about taking antidepressants. For instance, drinking too much alcohol on some antidepressants could cause side effects, which could be worse if you combine Lexapro and Wellbutrin.
You also want to ensure you only take the dosage prescribed by your doctor and take your medications at a similar time every day to avoid overlap.
Conclusion
Combining Lexapro and Wellbutrin could have dangerous side effects if prescriptions are mismanaged or taken outside the guidance of a medical professional. You should only take these medications together if your doctor prescribes them.
If you or someone you know has adverse side effects from them, like shaking, nausea, muscle rigidity, or a fever, it could be a sign that you’re having a bad reaction, and you should seek immediate medical attention.
When you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, you don’t have to go through it alone. Reaching out to a doctor or local treatment center is a great place to start. They can help you find the best treatment options for your needs to start living a happier and healthier life.
References
- TAFET, G. E., et al. “Enhancement of Serotonin Uptake by Cortisol: A Possible Link between Stress and Depression.” Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, vol. 1, no. 1, 1 Mar. 2001, pp. 96–104, https://doi.org/10.3758/cabn.1.1.96.
- Kircanski, Katharina, et al. “Investigating the Nature of Co-Occurring Depression and Anxiety: Comparing Diagnostic and Dimensional Research Approaches.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 216, July 2017, pp. 123–135, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.006.
- Wilkes, Scott. “The Use of Bupropion SR in Cigarette Smoking Cessation.” International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, vol. 3, no. 1, 1 Mar. 2008, pp. 45–53, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2528204/.
