Bupropion (Zyban) for Quitting Smoking

Common side effects include:^{Reference 1}

• Dry mouth, affecting 1 out of 10 people who use bupropion.
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia), affecting 35 to 40 out of 100 of people. If you take a morning and evening dose, taking the evening dose in the afternoon may help with sleep problems. Take the evening dose at least 8 hours after the morning dose.

In over 70 out of 100 people who use bupropion, the above side effects go away within about a week after they stop taking the medicine. Only about 10 out of 100 people have to stop taking bupropion because of side effects.

Less common side effects (occurring in less than 10 out of 100 people) include:

• Dizziness.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Upset stomach (nausea).
• Anxiety.
• Constipation.
• Tremors.
• Skin problems or rashes.

There is a small risk of having seizures when using bupropion. The risk increases if you have had seizures in the past before using bupropion.

FDA warning. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that people who are taking bupropion (Zyban) and who experience any serious or Reference unusual changes in mood or behavior or who feel like hurting themselves or someone else should stop taking the medicine and call a doctor right away.

Friends or family members who notice these changes in behavior in someone who is taking bupropion (Zyban) for smoking cessation should tell the person their concerns and advise him or her to stop taking the drug and call a doctor right away.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

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