Auvelity: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

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# Auvelity

Pronunciation: aw-VEHL-ah-tee
Generic name: bupropion and dextromethorphan
Dosage form: extended-release tablets
Drug class: Miscellaneous antidepressants

Medically reviewed by Judith Stewart, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 21, 2022.

## What is Auvelity?

Auvelity is a prescription medicine used to treat a certain type of depression called Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults.

It is not known if this medicine is safe and effective for use in children.

Auvelity is not approved for uses other than the treatment of MDD. The ingredients in Auvelity, bupropion and dextromethorphan, are the same ingredients found in some other medicines approved for other uses.

## Important information

Auvelity may cause serious side effects, including:

Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. Auvelity and other antidepressant medicines may increase suicidal thoughts and actions in some children, adolescents, and young adults, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. Auvelity is not for use in children.

- Depression or other mental illnesses are the most important causes of suicidal thoughts or actions.

How can I watch for and try to prevent suicidal thoughts and actions in myself or a family member?

- Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions. This is very important when an antidepressant medicine is started or when the dose is changed.
- Call your healthcare provider right away to report new or sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions.
- Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms.

Call your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:

- thoughts about suicide or dying
- new or worse depression
- feeling very agitated or restless
- trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- attempts to commit suicide
- new or worse anxiety
- panic attacks
- new or worse irritability
- acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
- an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania)
- acting on dangerous impulses
- other unusual changes in behavior or mood

## Related/similar drugs

Trintellix, sertraline, trazodone, Lexapro, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Prozac

## Who should not take Auvelity?

Do not take Auvelity if you:

- have or had a seizure disorder
- have or had an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
- have recently suddenly stopped drinking alcohol or use medicines called benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or antiseizure medicines, and you have recently suddenly stopped taking them.
- take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
- have stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days
- are being treated with the antibiotic linezolid or intravenous methylene blue
- are allergic to dextromethorphan, bupropion, or any of the other ingredients. See the end of this page for a complete list of ingredients.

Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are not sure if you take an MAOI or one of these medicines, including the antibiotic linezolid or intravenous methylene blue.

Do not start Auvelity if you stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days.

Do not start taking an MAOI for at least 14 days after you stop treatment with Auvelity.

Auvelity pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (more detail)

## Before taking Auvelity

Before you start treatment, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

- have or had seizures or convulsions
- have had a head injury
- have had a heart attack or have heart problems
- have a tumor in your nervous system (brain or spine)
- have had a stroke
- have low blood sugar
- have low sodium levels in your blood
- have liver problems
- have kidney problems
- drink a lot of alcohol
- abuse prescription medicines or street drugs
- have diabetes and take oral diabetes medicines or use insulin to control your blood sugar
- have high blood pressure
- have history of falls
- have or had bipolar disorder, or have a family history of bipolar disorder, suicide, or depression
- have high pressure in the eye (glaucoma)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Auvelity may harm your unborn baby if you take Auvelity during pregnancy. Auvelity is not recommended during pregnancy.
  Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment. Your healthcare provider will prescribe another treatment for females who plan to become pregnant.
  There is a pregnancy registry for females who are exposed to Auvelity during pregnancy. The purpose of the registry is to collect information about the health of females exposed to Auvelity and their baby. If you become pregnant during treatment, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the National Pregnancy Registry for Antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or visit online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/clinical-and-research programs/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants/.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. One of the ingredients in Auvelity, bupropion, passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with Auvelity and for 5 days after the final dose.

## What other drugs will affect Auvelity?

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Auvelity and some other medicines may affect each other causing possible serious side effects. Auvelity may affect the way other medicines work and other medicines may affect the way Auvelity works.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

- other medicines containing bupropion or dextromethorphan
- medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- tricyclic antidepressants
- theophylline
- corticosteroids
- oral diabetes medicines or use insulin to control your blood sugar
- medicines to control appetite (anorectic)
- nicotine medicines to help you stop smoking
- street (illicit) drugs
- benzodiazepines, sedatives-hypnotics (sleep medicines), or opiates
- CNS stimulants

Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take Auvelity with your other medicines.

Do not start or stop any other medicines during treatment without talking to your healthcare provider first. Stopping treatment suddenly may cause you to have serious side effects. See Auvelity side effects.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Auvelity drug interactions (more detail)

## How should I take Auvelity?

- Take Auvelity exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
- Swallow the Auvelity tablets whole. Do not crush, chew, or divide the tablets.
- Auvelity may be taken with or without food.
- Take Auvelity 1 time a day for 3 days, then increase your dose to 2 times a day (taken at least 8 hours apart).
- Do not take more than 2 Auvelity tablets in 24 hours.
- If you miss a dose, do not take an extra dose to make up for the dose you missed. Wait and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take more than 1 dose of Auvelity at a time.
- If you take too much or overdose, call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

## Dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Auvelity

- one tablet once daily in the morning for three days, then increase to the maximum recommended dosage of one tablet twice daily, separated by at least 8 hours.

-Each extended-release tablet contains: dextromethorphan hydrobromide 45 mg and / bupropion hydrochloride 105 mg.

-Comment: Prior to initiating treatment with Auvelity, assess blood pressure; screen patients for history of bipolar disorder, mania, or hypomania; and determine if patients are receiving any other medications that contain bupropion or dextromethorphan.

- Use: treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

Detailed Auvelity dosage information

## What should I avoid while taking Auvelity?

- Limit or avoid using alcohol during treatment. If you usually drink a lot of alcohol, talk with your healthcare provider before suddenly stopping. If you suddenly stop drinking alcohol, you may increase your chance of having seizures.
- Do not drive a car or use heavy machinery until you know how Auvelity affects you. Auvelity can affect your ability to do these things safely.

## Auvelity side effects

Auvelity may cause serious side effects, including:

See Important information.

Seizures. There is a risk of seizures during treatment with Auvelity. The risk is higher in people who:

- take higher doses of Auvelity
- have certain medical problems
- take Auvelity with certain other medicines

Do not take Auvelity with other medicines unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
If you have a seizure during treatment, stop taking Auvelity and call your healthcare provider right away. Do not take Auvelity again if you have a seizure.

Increases in blood pressure (hypertension). Some people may get high blood pressure during treatment. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure before you start taking and during treatment.

Manic episodes. Manic episodes may happen in people with bipolar disorder who take Auvelity. Symptoms may include:

- greatly increased energy
- racing thoughts
- unusually grand ideas
- talking more or faster than usual
- severe trouble sleeping
- reckless behavior
- excessive happiness or irritability

Unusual thoughts or behaviors. One of the ingredients in Auvelity (bupropion), can cause unusual thoughts or behaviors, including delusions (believing you are someone else), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), paranoia (feeling that people are against you), or feeling confused. If this happens to you, call your healthcare provider.

Eye problems (angle-closure glaucoma). Auvelity may cause a type of eye problem called angle-closure glaucoma in people with certain other eye conditions. You may want to undergo an eye examination to see if you are at risk and receive preventative treatment if you are. Call your healthcare provider if you have eye pain, changes in your vision, or swelling or redness in or around the eye.

Dizziness. Auvelity may cause dizziness which may increase your risk for falls.

Serotonin syndrome. A potentially life-threatening problem called serotonin syndrome can happen when you take Auvelity with certain other medicines. Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome:

- agitation
- seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- confusion
- coma
- fast heartbeat
- changes in blood pressure
- dizziness
- sweating
- flushing
- high body temperature (hyperthermia)
- shaking (tremors), stiff muscles, or muscle twitching
- loss of coordination
- seizures
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

The most common side effects include:

- dizziness
- diarrhea
- dry mouth
- excessive sweating
- headache
- feeling sleepy
- sexual function problems

These are not all the possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Auvelity side effects (more detail)

## How should I store Auvelity?

- Store at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
- Keep all medicines out of the reach of children and pets.

## General information about the safe and effective use of Auvelity.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use this medicine for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give it to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. You can ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for information that is written for healthcare professionals.

If you take a urine drug screening test, Auvelity may make the test result positive for amphetamines. If you tell the person giving you the drug screening test that you are taking Auvelity, they can do a more specific drug screening test that should not have this problem.

## What are the ingredients in Auvelity?

Active ingredients: dextromethorphan hydrobromide, bupropion hydrochloride.
Inactive ingredients: l-cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate, carbomer homopolymer, microcrystalline cellulose, colloidal silicon dioxide, crospovidone, stearic acid, and magnesium stearate.

## References

1. Auvelity Product Label

## More about Auvelity (bupropion / dextromethorphan)

- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (7)
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- FDA approval history
- Drug class: miscellaneous antidepressants
- En español

### Patient resources

- Advanced Reading

### Professional resources

- Prescribing Information

### Related treatment guides

- Major Depressive Disorder

## Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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