Can you skip a day of Wellbutrin to drink?

No, it is not suitable to skip a day of Wellbutrin to drink. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant and it is supposed to be taken regularly to achieve the maximum therapeutic response from this drug. 

Skipping your medication just to drink alcohol is the worst thing you can do to yourself and your mental well-being. Improper dose administration of Wellbutrin and any other antidepressant is the biggest reason why these meds fail to cure your mental health illness. 

What are the dangers of skipping Wellbutrin? 

Skipping your Wellbutrin can cause a number of significant complications in your body. Depression is a long-term illness, and the treatment should be continued properly for a long time to resolve the mental health issue completely. 

If you skip Wellbutrin, you may get subjected to the terrible symptoms of Wellbutrin withdrawal. Some of these include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhoea 
• Dizziness 
• Inability to maintain balance 
• Inability to speak
• Excessive sweating 
• Loss of appetite 
• Unexplained weight loss
• Weakness
• Muscle wastage 
• Joint pain
• Confusion 
• Forgetfulness 
• Hallucinations 
• Paranoia 
• Blackouts 

These symptoms depend on a lot of different factors. The most important factor is the dose at which you’re right now. If you’re taking a high dose of Wellbutrin, skipping it would become one hell of a problem for you as your body depends on that dose for normal psychological functioning. 

The time duration of your treatment also matters a lot as long-term users of Wellbutrin are more susceptible to withdrawal symptoms because of their long-term dependence on this antidepressant. Your physiological composition also makes a difference. 

Some people are sensitive when it comes to matters like these and they may suffer more than others. Make sure to never skip your Wellbutrin dose if you wish to achieve the maximum therapeutic response from this antidepressant. 

What are the dangers of combining Wellbutrin and Alcohol? 

Wellbutrin and alcohol should never be used together. In fact, most healthcare providers advise you to stop using alcohol as long as you’re being treated with Wellbutrin. 

This is because the concomitant use can cause significant complications that become extremely difficult to manage. Some of these complications include:

• Therapeutic failure 
• Increased risk of seizures 
• Behavioural abnormalities 
• Cognitive impairment 

Therapeutic failure 

One of the biggest consequences of combining Wellbutrin with alcohol is the risk of therapeutic failure. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant. It dulls down your senses, your thinking, and your decision-making ability. 

Wellbutrin does the opposite as it is an antidepressant and increases the number of excitatory neurotransmitters in your brain to counteract the symptoms associated with your mental health condition. 

The concomitant use of these two can significantly make your Wellbutrin ineffective and you may suffer additional complications. 

Increased risk of seizures 

One of the most disturbing side effects of Wellbutrin is the occurrence of seizures or convulsions. The risk of this side effect is drastically increased when you combine this antidepressant with alcohol. This effect can cause significant damage to your nervous system and may require hospitalisation. 

Behavioural abnormalities

The combination of Wellbutrin and alcohol can make significant behavioural and mood changes. You may feel sad one moment and abnormally excited the next. 

It can also cause anxiety, depression, agitation, irritability, and suicidal behaviour. In short, nothing good comes out of the combination of Wellbutrin and alcohol. 

Cognitive impairment 

The combination of Wellbutrin and alcohol can cause cognitive impairment. Studies have indicated that this combination can significantly affect your brain and its normal functioning. Some of the common side effects include:

• Inability to speak
• Inability to understand what others are saying
• Impaired judgement 
• Inability to walk or abnormal walking gait
• Forgetfulness 
• Inability to make a decision 
• Difficulty in eating or holding objects

References 

• Unexpected aggressive behaviour on Wellbutrin and alcohol (Pubmed, 2011) 
• Bupropion – A systemic review (Pubmed, 2016)
• Bupropion (National Library of Medicine, NIH) 
• Alcohol and Bupropion (Pubmed, 1984)