Remeron vs. Wellbutrin

• Are Wellbutrin and Remeron the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Remeron?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Wellbutrin?
• What is Remeron?
• What is Wellbutrin?
• What Drugs Interact with Remeron?
• What Drugs Interact with Wellbutrin?
• How Should Remeron Be Taken?
• How Should Wellbutrin Be Taken?

Remeron (mirtazapine) and Wellbutrin (bupropion) are antidepressants used to treat depression.

Remeron may also be used to treat nausea, anxiety, posttraumatic stress syndrome, and as an appetite stimulant.

Wellbutrin is also used to treat seasonal affective disorder.

Remeron and Wellbutrin are different types of antidepressants. Remeron is a tetracyclic antidepressant and Wellbutrin is an aminoketone.

Side effects of Remeron and Wellbutrin that are similar include changes in appetite, weight changes, dizziness, and nausea.

Side effects of Remeron that are different from Wellbutrin include drowsiness.

Side effects of Wellbutrin that are different from Remeron include agitation, dry mouth, insomnia, headache, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, ringing in the ears, vision problems or blurred vision, loss of interest in sex, sore throat, muscle pain, itching or skin rash, increased sweating, increased urination, tremor, joint aches, strange taste in the mouth, diarrhea, and seizures (especially at higher doses).

Both Remeron and Wellbutrin may interact with alcohol, blood thinners, antibiotics, other antidepressants, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, or seizure medications.

Remeron may also interact with other drugs that make you sleepy (cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures or anxiety), cimetidine, conivaptan, imatinib, isoniazid, lithium, St. John's wort, tramadol, antifungal medications, or migraine headache medicines.

Wellbutrin may also interact with medications to treat a psychiatric disorder, antihistamines that make you sleepy, asthma medications or bronchodilators, birth control pills or hormone replacement estrogens, bladder or urinary medications, diet pills, stimulants, ADHD medications, insulin or oral diabetes medication, medicines for nausea/vomiting/motion sickness, medications to treat or prevent malaria, medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, medication for restless leg syndrome, medication for pituitary gland tumor, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, narcotics, numbing medicines, steroids, street drugs such as "speed” or cocaine, theophylline, or ulcer or irritable bowel medications.

Do not stop using Remeron suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Remeron include:

• drowsiness
• increased appetite
• weight gain
• dizziness, and
• nausea

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Remeron including agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast or uneven heart rate, loss of coordination or feeling unsteady, stiff muscles, confusion, tremors, flu symptoms, memory problems, weakness, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, sweating, feeling like you might pass out, chills, body aches, white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips, headache, or trouble concentrating.

Common side effects of Wellbutrin include:

• agitation,
• dry mouth,
• insomnia,
• headache,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• constipation,
• stomach pain,
• dizziness,
• ringing in the ears,
• vision problems or blurred vision,
• loss of interest in sex,
• sore throat,
• muscle pain,
• itching or skin rash,
• increased sweating,
• increased urination,
• tremor,
• changes in appetite,
• weight loss or gain,
• joint aches,
• strange taste in the mouth,
• diarrhea, and
• seizures (especially at higher doses).

Remeron is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Remeron treatment.

Wellbutrin is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a certain type of depression called major depressive disorder.

Remeron may interact with other drugs that make you sleepy (cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures or anxiety), cimetidine, lithium, blood thinners, other antidepressants, or migraine headache medicines.

Remeron may also interact with conivaptan, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, tramadol, antibiotics, antifungal medications, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, or seizure medications.

Wellbutrin may interact with insulin, blood thinners, and asthma medications. Wellbutrin may also interact with many medications including heart or blood pressure medications, HIV or AIDS medications, seizure medications, other antidepressants, medicines to treat a psychiatric disorder, antibiotics, antihistamines that make you sleepy, bronchodilators, birth control pills or hormone replacement estrogens, bladder or urinary medications, diet pills, stimulants, ADHD medications, oral diabetes medication, medicines for nausea/vomiting/motion sickness, medications to treat or prevent malaria, medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, medication for restless leg syndrome, medication for pituitary gland tumor, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, narcotics, numbing medicines, steroids, theophylline, or ulcer or irritable bowel medications.

• Take REMERON exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of REMERON until it is the right dose for you.
• Take REMERON at the same time each day, preferably in the evening at bedtime.
• Swallow REMERON as directed.
• It is common for antidepressant medicines such as REMERON to take up to a few weeks before you start to feel better. Do not stop taking REMERON if you do not feel results right away.
• Do not stop taking or change the dose of REMERON without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel better.
• REMERON may be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose of REMERON, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of REMERON at the same time.
• If you take too much REMERON, call your healthcare provider or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment. The signs of an overdose of REMERON (without other medicines or alcohol) include:
  • confusion,
  • memory problems
  • drowsiness
  • increased heart rate.

The symptoms of a possible overdose may include changes to your heart rhythm (fast, irregular heartbeat) or fainting, which could be symptoms of a life-threatening condition known as Torsades de Pointes.

• Take Wellbutrin exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Do not change your dose or stop taking Wellbutrin without talking with your healthcare provider first.
• Swallow Wellbutrin tablets whole. Do not chew, cut, or crush Wellbutrin tablets.
• Take Wellbutrin at the same time each day.
• Take your doses of Wellbutrin at least 6 hours apart.
• You may take Wellbutrin with or without food.
• If you miss a dose, do not take an extra dose to make up for the dose you missed. Wait and take your next dose at the regular time. This is very important. Too much Wellbutrin can increase your chance of having a seizure.
• If you take too much Wellbutrin, or overdose, call your local emergency room or poison control center right away.
• Do not take any other medicines while taking Wellbutrin unless your healthcare provider has told you it is okay.
• If you are taking Wellbutrin for the treatment of major depressive disorder, it may take several weeks for you to feel that Wellbutrin is working. Once you feel better, it is important to keep taking Wellbutrin exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Call your healthcare provider if you do not feel Wellbutrin is working for you.