How to get rid of Wellbutrin headaches?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
How to get rid of Wellbutrin headaches?
There are a few ways which can help relieve Wellbutrin-induced headaches. These include:
- Try OTC painkillers
- Apply warm compress
- Massage your forehead
- Drink some tea/coffee
- Stay hydrated
- Avoid using electronic devices and smart gadgets
- Avoid sharp light and sound
Try OTC painkillers
OTC painkillers can help reduce your headache. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the safest painkiller to take along with Wellbutrin or any other antidepressant because it doesn’t interact much with these meds and has a wide safety profile (1).
You can also take Ibuprofen which is considered the lightest NSAID. Other NSAIDs may not work that well with Wellbutrin and they are generally heavy on the stomach.
Apply warm compress
Applying a warm compress on your forehead can help relieve your headache. You can simply warm up a piece of towel and place it on your forehead. This can increase the flow of blood towards your forehead, which heals your headache and releases that pressure in your head.
Massage your forehead
Massaging your forehead using oil can help you relax and promote blood flow. You can also use OTC pain relieving balms to massage your forehead which provides local absorption of the medication.
Other than that, there are some essential oils with pain-relieving and relaxing properties, including (2,3):
- Peppermint oil
- Rosemary oil
- Lavender oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Chamomile oil
Drink some tea/coffee
Tea and caffeinated beverages are known hacks for treating headaches (4). Caffeine works in people who are used to these beverages and works better in those who don’t drink coffee or tea normally, as they more prominently feel the effects.
Caffeine is also known to increase the effects of Tylenol, which can provide better pain relief without using a heavier painkiller. However, I don’t recommend drinking too much coffee, especially after 4 pm.
Drinking coffee in the evening or at night can keep you up all night, which is something I’m sure you’re not looking forward to. Some natural teas, like ginger tea, are also known for relieving headaches. You can simply place a piece of ginger in some water and bring it to a boil.
Let it cool down to room temperature and add some honey for sweetness. This tea can help relax you, relieve your headache, and aid digestion. Ginger can even manage migraine headaches to some extent.
Stay hydrated
Make sure you stay hydrated. Some people prefer lukewarm water when they have a headache, as cold water may make your headache worse.
Dehydration can affect your health and can exacerbate your headache while drinking plenty of water can help your body in a number of ways.
Avoid using electronic devices and smart gadgets
Electronic devices and smart gadgets aren’t your friends when you’re struggling with a headache. Light emitted from these devices can strain your eyes and make your headache much, much worse. This is why you should keep every such thing aside and just close your eyes.
Avoid sharp light and sound
Sharp lights and sounds can make your headache worse. Make sure you switch all the lights off and turn down all sounds. Try to relax, and don’t talk much. Avoiding these things may not ‘heal’ your headache, but they surely won’t let it get worse.
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References
1.-
Prior MJ, Codispoti JR, Fu M. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of acetaminophen for the treatment of migraine headache. Headache. 2010 May;50(5):819-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01638.x. Epub 2010 Mar 5. PMID: 20236342. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20236342/
2.-
Göbel H, Schmidt G, Dworschak M, Stolze H, Heuss D. Essential plant oils and headache mechanisms. Phytomedicine. 1995 Oct;2(2):93-102. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(11)80053-X. PMID: 23196150. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23196150/
3.-
Sasannejad P, Saeedi M, Shoeibi A, Gorji A, Abbasi M, Foroughipour M. Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur Neurol. 2012;67(5):288-91. doi: 10.1159/000335249. Epub 2012 Apr 17. PMID: 22517298. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22517298/
4.-
Shapiro RE. Caffeine and headaches. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2008 Aug;12(4):311-5. doi: 10.1007/s11916-008-0052-z. PMID: 18625110. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18625110/
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