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Can I Take Excedrin With Wellbutrin?

Before combining Excedrin and Wellbutrin, it’s crucial to consider potential side effects, such as increased irritability, nervousness, and seizures in susceptible individual

Macy Alcido

January 16, 2025

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Medically Reviewed By: Gina Jansheski, M.D.

Gina Jansheski, M.D., is a pediatrician with 22 years of practice experience. Dr. Jansheski completed her medical education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, followed by a pediatric residency and a one-year fellowship in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She served as the medical director of Tucson Pediatric Hospitalists, providing pediatric hospice and palliative care services.

If you deal with occasional tension headaches or migraines, you might have an over-the-counter pain reliever like Excedrin in your cabinet. However, individuals taking bupropion (Wellbutrin) should consult with a doctor before taking Excedrin, since the combination could result in increased adverse effects.

Continue reading to learn more about the potential risks of taking Excedrin with Wellbutrin.

Excedrin with Wellbutrin Interactions: Stimulation and Seizures

The combination of Excedrin and Wellbutrin can increase the risk of certain side effects due to the interaction of their chemical components.

Excedrin is composed of three active ingredients: acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine. Acetaminophen and aspirin work together to reduce fever, pain, inflammation and swelling. Excedrin’s caffeine component offers pain relief by narrowing blood vessels in the brain, helping to reduce the intensity of pain signals. Caffeine also seems to support the absorption of acetaminophen, allowing it to work faster.

While Excedrin’s inclusion of caffeine might prove beneficial to those experiencing tension headaches or migraines, there are also potential concerns. The recommended dose of Excedrin delivers roughly the equivalent caffeine content of one cup of coffee, according to the company’s caffeine warning. Because of this, users are instructed to limit other caffeine sources, as too much stimulation might result in adverse symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability, increased heart rate and difficulty sleeping.

That element becomes an even greater cause of concern when the drug is combined with Wellbutrin because of the latter’s stimulating properties, says Rashi Aggarwal, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital.

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant often prescribed for individuals with depression or seasonal affective disorder. While it isn’t a stimulant, the drug works by increasing brain levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are the neurotransmitters that can impact alertness. Side effects of Wellbutrin include anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, and excitement.

“Both caffeine and Wellbutrin have stimulant effects that can be synergistic, worsening the usual side effects of Wellbutrin,” says Dr. Aggarwal, who goes on to note this combination may increase irritability and jitteriness, could worsen symptoms of anxiety and may even create sleep difficulties.

Taking Wellbutrin and Excedrin might also increase the risk of seizure, Dr. Aggarwal adds. Seizures are a rare side effect associated with high doses of Wellbutrin. And considering the fact that caffeine can also increase the risk of seizures in susceptible individuals, it’s important to talk to your doctor before deciding to take Excedrin if you’ve already been prescribed Wellbutrin.

What Is a Safer Alternative to Excedrin?

Individuals taking Wellbutrin who are looking for tension headache or migraine relief should consider pain relievers without caffeine. Dr. Aggarwal suggests asking your doctor about aspirin, acetaminophen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

Want to learn more about how popular medications interact with over-the-counter drugs and supplements? Check out two more articles in our interaction series: Can I Take Melatonin with Ambien? and

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Article HTML

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>If you deal with occasional tension headaches or migraines, you might have an over-the-counter pain reliever like <a href="https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=907c89e7-2482-465f-9f85-2381ecab1b86&version=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Excedrin</a> in your cabinet. However, individuals taking <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470212/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bupropion</a> (Wellbutrin) should consult with a doctor before taking Excedrin, since the combination could result in increased adverse effects.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Continue reading to learn more about the potential risks of taking Excedrin with <a href="https://medshadow.org/navigating-the-risks-understanding-the-dangers-of-bupropion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wellbutrin</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Excedrin with Wellbutrin Interactions: Stimulation and Seizures</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The combination of Excedrin and Wellbutrin can increase the risk of certain side effects due to the interaction of their chemical components.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Excedrin is composed of <a href="https://www.excedrin.com/products/head-pain-relief/migraine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">three active ingredients</a>: acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine. Acetaminophen and aspirin work together to reduce fever, pain, inflammation and swelling. Excedrin’s caffeine component offers pain relief by <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2748160/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">narrowing blood vessels in the brain</a>, helping to reduce the intensity of pain signals. Caffeine also seems to support the absorption of acetaminophen, allowing it to work faster.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>While Excedrin’s inclusion of caffeine might prove beneficial to those experiencing tension headaches or migraines, there are also potential concerns. The recommended dose of Excedrin delivers roughly the equivalent caffeine content of one cup of coffee, according to the <a href="https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=7ed841fb-a61c-4868-b4e5-4f2311a5e79c&audience=consumer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">company’s caffeine warning</a>. Because of this, users are instructed to limit other caffeine sources, as too much stimulation might result in <a href="https://www.excedrin.com/safety-hub/side-effects/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adverse symptoms</a>, such as anxiety, irritability, increased heart rate and difficulty sleeping.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>That element becomes an even greater cause of concern when the drug is combined with Wellbutrin because of the latter’s stimulating properties, says <a href="https://www.northwell.edu/find-care/find-a-doctor/dr-rashi-aggarwal-md-11524723" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rashi Aggarwal</a>, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a695033.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wellbutrin</a> is an antidepressant often prescribed for individuals with depression or seasonal affective disorder. While it isn’t a stimulant, the drug <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470212/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">works by increasing brain levels</a> of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8066851/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540977/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">norepinephrine</a>, which are the neurotransmitters that can impact alertness. <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a695033.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Side effects of Wellbutrin</a> include anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, and excitement.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>“Both caffeine and Wellbutrin have stimulant effects that can be synergistic, worsening the usual side effects of Wellbutrin,” says Dr. Aggarwal, who goes on to note this combination may increase irritability and jitteriness, could worsen symptoms of anxiety and may even create sleep difficulties.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Taking Wellbutrin and Excedrin might also increase the risk of seizure, Dr. Aggarwal adds. <a href="https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/treatments/mental-health-medications/types-of-medication/bupropion-wellbutrin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seizures are a rare side effect</a> associated with high doses of Wellbutrin. And considering the fact that caffeine<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29414557/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> can also increase the risk of seizures</a> in susceptible individuals, it’s important to talk to your doctor before deciding to take Excedrin if you’ve already been prescribed Wellbutrin.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:heading -->
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Is a Safer Alternative to Excedrin?</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Individuals taking Wellbutrin who are looking for tension headache or migraine relief should consider pain relievers without caffeine. Dr. Aggarwal suggests asking your doctor about aspirin, acetaminophen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (<a href="https://medshadow.org/nsaids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSAIDs</a>), such as ibuprofen or naproxen.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Want to learn more about how popular medications interact with over-the-counter drugs and supplements? Check out two more articles in our interaction series: <a href="https://medshadow.org/can-i-take-melatonin-with-ambien/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Can I Take Melatonin with Ambien?</a> and</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

Can I Take Excedrin With Wellbutrin?

Excedrin with Wellbutrin Interactions: Stimulation and Seizures