Wellbutrin which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline was first approved by FDA as an antidepressant in December 1985.  The drug was pulled from the market a year later due to the high number of seizures, but it was reintroduced in 1989 after federal reviewers determined that the seizures were dose specific and lowered the maximum daily dosage of the drug.

In the United Kingdom, Wellbutrin was prescribed to 540,000 people for smoking cessation.  Approximately 7,600 reports of adverse reactions were received in the first two years.

U.S. researchers, including scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examined the side effects of Wellbutrin on pregnant women in a study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Scientists found that mothers who used Wellbutrin during their first trimester were more than twice as likely to give birth to an infant with a congenital heart problem known as a left outflow tract defect.  The heart birth defect can restrict the flow of blood to the rest of the body from the heart’s left chambers, and often must be surgically corrected to allow the child’s main artery to function properly.

Wellbutrin can also increase the risk of suicide in persons younger than 25.  The FDA performed a statistical analysis, and found children and adolescents have twice the incidence of suicidal ideation and behavior while taking antidepressants.  In addition, the risk of suicide increased by 1.5 times in persons age 18 to 24.

Patients with heart disease should not take Wellbutrin, which can cause hypertension.  The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received 60 reports of suspected adverse reactions to Zyban that had a fatal outcome.

Additional side effects from Wellbutrin include rash, peeling and blistering of the skin, confusion, trouble concentrating, hallucinations, headaches, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, appetite changes, weight loss/gain, mild itching, and decreased sex drive.