Description
Bupropion belongs to the family of medications known as antidepressants. It is used to treat major depression and to prevent autumn-winter seasonal depression. It is believed to work by affecting the balance of noradrenaline and dopamine, chemicals that occur naturally in the brain and affect mood.
For the treatment of depression, the full effects of the medication may not be seen until after several weeks of treatment.
The recommended starting dose of bupropion extended-release tablets for treatment of major depressive disorder is 150 mg daily, taken in the morning. This dose may be increased to 300 mg daily after 1 week at the lower dose.
For prevention of seasonal depression, this medication should be started in the autumn before symptoms of depression develop and continued through the winter. The usual starting dose is 150 mg taken once daily in the morning. It may be increased to 300 mg taken once daily after 1 week at the lower dose. For people taking 300 mg daily, the dose should be reduced to 150 mg daily for 2 weeks prior to stopping this medication in the spring.
Bupropion extended-release tablets should be swallowed whole with fluids. They should not be chewed, crushed, or halved, as this may affect how this medication is absorbed by the body and result in unwanted side effects.
