
What Causes Rapid Heart Rate After Taking Wellbutrin?

I have bad anxiety issues and need to take medication to keep it under control. I was taking celexa (20mg) for a few years, and stopped taking it cold turkey about August of last year. I stopped because I literally had to renew my prescription every 3 months. I did pretty good once I was off until January of this year. I had a major panic episode and decided to get back on meds. I tried taking celexa again, only to find that it made me feel much worse. So I was switched to Wellbutrin XL 150, and have been on it for about 6 weeks. It has improved my mood but I have noticed a bad side effect. I now have tachycardia. My resting bpm is 77, but when I try to do anything of normal physical activity, like walking, my heat rate shoots to 150bpm. Even sitting normally in a chair trying to read, it can reach 120bpm. And doesn't go down until I go to bed. Is this something that will go away over time? Or should I switch medication?
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Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thanks for your question.
Tachycardia in this case might be related to the dopaminergic activity of Wellbutrin. A heart rate of 150 when walking is not safe. You should discontinue this medication immediately, and work with your doctor to find a suitable replacement.
I'd suggest an SNRI medication such as Effexor or Cymbalta.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
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