28 replies to this topic

[olga]

I've been on Wellbutrin XL 300 for 3 or 4 years now. When the generic by Teva came out, I tried it and it didn't work for me. (The timed release mechanism was screwy, and it released 60% of the active ingredients in the first 4 hours. Afternoons were hell.)

I can't afford name brand stuff anymore, so my doctor and I decided to try another generic. I'm taking Bupropion again, but this one is manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals. I've looked around here and out on the web, and I can't find any information about it.

Is anyone on it? How are you doing?

olga

[sylvan]

I know that there are a lot of problems with Bupropion XL and my pdoc would not consider giving me any of the generics. However, he did not know of any problems with Bupropion SR. You may have to take it twice a day but maybe the price difference will be worth it for you.

sylvan

[Swamp56]

Have you considered switching to SR if the XL still causes you problems?

[olga]

Sylvan, I took Wellbutrin SR 4 or 5 years ago, and it did nothing for me. It was weird---no side effects or anything, but I didn't feel a bit of difference in my depression.

Then I tried WB XL and it had an almost instantaneous effect. So I think I want to stick with the XL generic---if it doesn't work, we can definitely go back to the SR and try that.

olga

[celestia]

I'm picking mine up tomorrow. I'll check who makes it. It is generic and it works great. I can't find it on my bottle, so I'll ask when I go in.

[Ophelia]

I've been on Wellbutrin XL 300 for 3 or 4 years now. When the generic by Teva came out, I tried it and it didn't work for me. (The timed release mechanism was screwy, and it released 60% of the active ingredients in the first 4 hours. Afternoons were hell.)

I can't afford name brand stuff anymore, so my doctor and I decided to try another generic. I'm taking Bupropion again, but this one is manufactured by Watson Pharmaceuticals. I've looked around here and out on the web, and I can't find any information about it.

Is anyone on it? How are you doing?

olga

I'm on the Watson. I also went from name brand to Teva, then back to name brand, an then I had to go back to generic, which was the Watson. Now, I can't really completely fairly assess this since I have been having issues with my meds, but I *can* tell you that I do not remember there being a huge mood dip when I started the watson like there was with the teva.

[crtclms]

I am on the Sandoz version, and it works really well. In fact, my dosage was lowered about 4 years ago. Of course, I have added new drugs, but none of them are anti-depressants.

[DarkendHour]

I know I had tummy issues on that version, but I have tummy issues with just about anything.. just watch out for that because my pdoc said it can come up slow and people don't always notice it.

I hate to see anyone go off a med that works due to money issues, I'm there it sucks.

Have you looked into a patients assistance to get the Wellbutrin XL?

Not sure if it will help you any but my pdoc last gave me Aplenzin (bupropion hydrobromide) Extended Release Tablets.... said it was the same as Wellbutrin XL but there are samples around for it. maybe could be another option for you if the one your trying (going to try?) doesn't fit you right.

[olga]

darkened hour, thanks for your suggestions. I don't mean to infer that we are poor, because we're not. My husband is working and he also gets Social Security, but I'm unemployed so we are trying to watch our expenses as closely as we can. I wouldn't apply for patient assistance because I want it to be there for really poor people who are up against the wall. But I appreciate the suggestion---and I often suggest to people that they get help that way.

My tummy should be okay. I take all my meds with meals and I've never had any kind of stomach trouble. (Which you would know if you could see how well-fed I am! )

Opie and crtclms, thanks for the input. I'll be curious to see how this affects my mood.

Celestia, the manufacturer should be on your pharmacy bottle. On my bottle, it's teeny-tiny print at the very bottom of the label. You need a magnifying glass to read it.

I start tomorrow! Took my last WB today.

olga

[vanderk]

I met yesterday with a client who really crashed after picking up her latest WB refill. She recognized it right away as coming from a different manufacturer, but could not recall the name. She had been on generic for two years (I'm guessing Teva, because they got the first crack at off-brand generic) and was very stable. After this change her anxiety went through the roof. This may or may not be an issue, though, as she has a family history of thyroid dysfunction. She's had some labs suggestive of this and I implored her to seek a re-check today. Good to know that Vistaril has been very helpful for her in the interim. I'm anxious (figuratively) to hear the impact of the change for you.

And don't be averse to seeking a patient assistance program. They're not just for indigent folks. I know plenty of recipients who work and are insured, but who lack a prescription benefit. PAP's are not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination. But they are there if you need 'em.

Edited by vanderk, 15 April 2010 - 07:57 AM.

[olga]

But I do have a prescription plan! heh If you buy WB XL for full retail, it's something like $300-500/mo, and my plan charges $350/90 days. So I do get a better price, but we've had a lot of expenses lately with teeth and car problems, so we're trying to economize. I just think the assistance programs should be saved for the truly needy, and we aren't needy at all. I have money in the bank, a car that runs, and an income. Oh, and a house with a tiny mortgage and no debt. So I don't want any assistance just yet. Maybe down the road after I spend down all my assets.

Thank goodness I don't have to worry about anxiety. I don't think I've had a truly anxious moment in my life. Well, maybe when that elderly woman was on my windshield....heh. But I'm pretty much just depressed, with no anxiety at all. I can give a spontaneous speech to 500 people with no preparation but a few notes on a scrap of paper. If this stuff makes me anxious, then they have a real problem with their formulation!

Vanderk, she did well on the Teva generic? Man, I crashed with that stuff. I was sitting in my cubicle at work crying over my keyboard. It was not a good substitute for the real thing, for me.

olga

[RetinoidReceptor]

It is unfortunate you cannot get the brand name. My drugs aren't working that well for me right now I don't think, but the generic Wellbutrin from TEVA is an absolute nightmare. It even smells like toxic waste (try to smell the pills). I had so many side effects. One of them was severe constipation which I stopped due to this. Now I take the brand name and have no side effects including no constipation. How the fuck can the FDA say these drugs are 'comparable'? Ridiculous. I hope TEVA crashes and burns.

[3Degree]

Olga,

I was on the name brand for a long time. I then HAD to go to the generic b/c of the insurance (Caremark). Walgreen's translated the WB XL to "budeprion XL" and I received the TEVA generic. Didn't like it....... was not the same as the namebrand.

I asked my pdoc to write the scrip specifically for "bupropion XL". And with CVS, I was getting the Watson version. I was OK with it. Better than the TEVA stuff (even though my pdoc still disbelieves it).

[olga]

Hey, I know about that Teva version. Do a little search on the internet, and you'll see that in 2007, when it came out, there were tons of people who tried it and had bad reactions to it. Turns out that the active ingredient is the same as the name brand stuff, but Teva hasn't perfected the time release part of the formula.

When tests were done on it, the Teva pill released 60% of its active ingredients in the first 4 hours. After that, the patient has very little of it being released and your mood goes down, down, down. I stayed on it for about 6-7 weeks, and I ended up being morose and crying in my cubicle every afternoon at work.

I'm hoping this Watson one is better. A friend of mine here at CB sent me a PM and said that she does well on it.

olga

[The Emperor]

Mine is from Actavis I think, and I think it works just fine. I haven't tried the Watson one yet. I hope it's okay for you. I have when they switch generics on me. I just switched generic klonopin and I do NOT think it works as well as the Teva brand I was using. Ugh.

I hope you do okay on it!

[olga]

Well, NEVER MIND!

I just got my supply and it's the version by Anchen. sigh. I got a 7-day fill-in bottle from the local CVS, and that was the Watson version. This bottle is from my mail pharmacy (required by my insurance) and it's the Anchen one.

On the up side, it's only $20 for 90 days!

On the down side, I have no idea if it will work. heh

I'll keep you all posted.

olga

[celestia]

If it doesn't ask your pharmacist to order from Watson so you can try it. I get mine from CVS.

Edited by celestia, 16 April 2010 - 04:52 PM.

[Catnapper]

I've been taking the Actavis version of the XL, and it's fine. But on the other hand, I take generics of everything except my blood pressure med which is still under copyright. I am one of the lucky ones who never seems to have trouble with the generics (or don't know any better).