Greenyflower Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Wellbutrin XL is now available as a generic: budeprion XL. Kind of nice pricewise. I'm used to the very cute and small Wellbutrin pills. The 300 mg budeprion pills are huge! About the size of calcium suplements. And uncoated. Has anyone else tried these? And what's with the name change from bupropion to budeprion? Why does something that is supposedly bioidentical have a different name? Any info appreciated. Greeny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 For some unknown reason the FDA allows generic manufacturers to re-brand drugs. I think this is stupid and can only serve to the public's detriment, but there it is. Similarly I think it is utter BS to allow a patent holding manufacturer to be permitted to give the same drug two different names when approved for two different uses, like wellbutrin being used for MI and anti-smoking. a.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 The reason for the wellbutrin/zyban difference is because insurance companies realized that it was in their financial best interest to get people to quit smoking so they would cover more of the cost if you were taking it to quit smoking than if you were taking to stay sane. Or something like that. The rebranded stuff is made by Teva. i have no idea why, other than licensing technicalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 Update: So far so good. I've had almost no problems with the switch to generic budeprion XL. From what I've read from other users, stomach upset is the biggest complaint, maybe due to its being uncoated. But I haven't had that problem, thanks to my super titanium coated stomach. The one thing that's going on though, is less sleep this week. I've had some trouble getting to sleep, sleep is lighter, and I wake up earlier than usual. I do not like waking up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. If it keeps up, I'll ask my doc. But it may just be one of those periodic sleeplessness bouts that I get a few times a year. G~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stable not balanced Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 i have been using it for about 3 weeks now. actually, my pharmicist thought i would want generic so that's how that began. so, i really have not noticed a difference. oh, i have been more productive. never thought about that connection. maybe just coincidence as i am now not as productive. well, today hasn't been so bad. ok, hope you can interpret that! good luck all! kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarp Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I'm used to the very cute and small Wellbutrin pills. The 300 mg budeprion pills are huge! About the size of calcium suplements. And uncoated. But isn't the double coating on brand Wellbutrin XL what provides the extended release? Without it, it wouldn't be XL, or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reba6465 Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 It killed my libido. I switched back to the Wellbutrin and everything went back to normal within a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest barelycoping Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 It killed my libido. I switched back to the Wellbutrin and everything went back to normal within a week. My insurance unexpectedly and with no notice decided to cover Budeprion XL 300 last month. I had been on Wellbutrin for a year. After two weeks I began to feel a deep sadness that lasted for days and started to find myself weeping uncontrollably at odd moments. I immediately suspected the switch to generic but don't know if that's possible, after all, it is the same chemical at the same dosage, right? Now in week 4 I'm levelling out. Has anyone else experienced such symptoms in switching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 It killed my libido. I switched back to the Wellbutrin and everything went back to normal within a week. My insurance unexpectedly and with no notice decided to cover Budeprion XL 300 last month. I had been on Wellbutrin for a year. After two weeks I began to feel a deep sadness that lasted for days and started to find myself weeping uncontrollably at odd moments. I immediately suspected the switch to generic but don't know if that's possible, after all, it is the same chemical at the same dosage, right? Now in week 4 I'm levelling out. Has anyone else experienced such symptoms in switching? BudeprionXL is generic WellbutrinXL made by Teva. Did you switch from an SR to an XL? That could make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lizzie Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I've been on Welbutrin XL for years and can't cope without it. When I went to pick up my last refill, the pharmacist had filled it with Budeprion XL. I've been on it for about 3 weeks and it doesn't seem to be as effective. Instead of making me feel like a "normal" person, it's made me sort of apathetic. Kind of have a "I really don't care about much of anything" attitude. Also, I've been having VERY vivid dreams since I went on it. Has anyone else experienced that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm still not sleeping much, and when I do, it's very light, unsatisfying sleep. I had a lunch to go to today and the topic was kind of boring, but excruciating for me. It was too dull to really try to pay attention to, and I was the kind of tired that makes it almost impossible to sit still. I felt like I was going to explode my grumpy guts all over the table. If this keeps up much longer, I'll ask the doc to get the authorization to keep me on the brand name XL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 That's how it was for me the whole time I was SR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm used to the very cute and small Wellbutrin pills. The 300 mg budeprion pills are huge! About the size of calcium suplements. And uncoated. But isn't the double coating on brand Wellbutrin XL what provides the extended release? Without it, it wouldn't be XL, or am I missing something? That would be the SR. The XL uses an osmotic shell of some kind I'm pretty sure. By coating I think she just means the gelatin or whatever it is that makes the expensive ones easier to swallow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kussmaul Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 hello, i was getting free samples of the wellbutrin xl 150mg. then the generic came out, so no more free samples. so i got switched to the SR. big difference i noticed. is there a 150mg XL generic or just the 300mg XL generic? Also, whats with the ER and XL difference in the generics? thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 There are three flavors of Wellbutrin: the original is the ER (immediate release). You had to take it three times a day because of its short half life. The second version was the SR (sustained release). That one got you down to twice a day. Then came XL (extended life ?) which has once per day dosing and is somewhat "smoother" according to people who have taken the ER & SR. The nice thing about the SR version is that for those who are affected by insomnia while on wellbutrin, the SR version can be taken in the morning and skipped at night. In a quick search, I don't find any info about a generic budeprion in 150 mg doses. Which seems strange. But it's just come out, so maybe it will be available soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CrazyPoet Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I had been on Wellbutrin XL 300mg for a year and a half--three years prior had been on SR, went off. Not a good idea. XL worked much better for me--plus easier to remember only one a day. A month ago my pharmacist filled my prescription with the Teva generic without asking me--I didn't have insurance at the time, so had to pay full price anyway--it only saved me about 30 bucks. I've noticed I'm much more prone to headaches on the generic, and emtoionally not quite as well. Generic guidelines allow about a twenty-percent variation of the active drug found in the blood stream after time--that's approx. 20 percent above or below the amount of the name brand. And the lack of coating on the generic makes me weary of the actual release method--maybe why people have been experienced more down/apathetic spells? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfreaks Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Woo! I got the Budeprion today. Big difference in copay. Hope it isn't more activating than brand name because I take Wellbutrin right before I go to sleep. Yes, you heard me right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betcsu Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 i used to be on WB 300 XL but my co-pay was $30 so i had the dr switch me to generic 300 SR because my co-pay for that was only $10. i just called my ins co about the new generic 300xl and guess what????? the brand 300xl co-pay that WAS $30 is now $39.50 and the generic 300xl co-pay is... are you ready for this??? $50! amazing... i asked why the brand went up and why the generic cost so much more than the brand. i was told that since the generic is so new, it costs more but check back in a few months and maybe the price will come down. WHAT?!?!?! i have NEVER heard a generic costing MORE than brand! amazing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 That's bullshit! My copay was $40 for the Wellbutrin XL and $10 for the budeprion. Blue Cross HMO, CVS Pharmacy. Fight 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sally Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hello, new here. Today is my 4th day Budeprion XL. My Dr. told me to cut it in half for the first week. I did that the first day -- felt fine mood wise, but very jittery. Then I crashed and burned that evening and the next day was the worse day of depression ever....Ever. Of course this could just be the progression of what led me to get on a drug in the first place, but it seemed too coincidental. So, the next two days I just took the pill without cutting it figuring that maybe by cutting it I lost the extended part of the medication and got the whole dose at once or something like that? Taking the whole pill has given me a nasty, nasty headache -- So I am back to cutting it. Anyhow, I am wondering if anyone knows about this cutting the pill thing. Is my doctor really stupid, or is it really not a big deal? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorzdad Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I've had hit-and-miss experiences with generics for Wellbutrin. My insurer put me on one generic for the SR and it damn near wrecked my marriage. Honestly! The effect of the generic was to make me much more irritable and moody...to the point where my wife was honestly afraid of doing anything that might set me off. It was crazy. We begged the isurance company to put me back on the real stuff and they relented (charging me the out-of-formulary price, of course) It was like night and day once I got back on the real stuff. I'm on a different SR generic now. Though, from the familiar look of the little blue pills, I'd almost say that these come from the "real" factory. They work great, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MongrelCat Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Ah, I've been on Wellbutrin for like 6 months, and just (finally) switched to 300 mg about 2 months ago and was showing pretty good improvement, but then when I went to the pharmacy a few weeks ago they gave me generic budeprion. At the time, I had my worries but couldn't resist the price. $10 copay vs. $50 for wellbutrin. Hm. Well my mood has been steadily getting worse and worse with each passing day to the point where right now I can't even leave my room. I've been missing classes like crazy and am flunking everything. I feel like killing myself most days. So YAY FOR BUDEPRION! That stuff is fucking sugar pills. I called the pharmacy and I'm getting a bottle of WELLBUTRIN tomorrow. Now I just have to work up the energy to actually leave my room and walk over there. Oh and I also am in recovery for bulimia and was doing pretty good on 300 mg Wellbutrin but now have fully relapsed and am bingeing fucking non-stop. I'm actually about to go purge after I finish writing this. I don't know why I had such a severe reaction to the budeprion but I just wanna warn anybody out there that if you do switch just be on the lookout. And to switch back immediately if you start having a bad reaction instead of just thinking, "Oh it'll be fine once I adjust." like I did and getting fucking screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 i'm on my last couple of real wellbutrin xl, so i will be starting the budeprion xl pretty soon (i got the refill already). i must say, though, all of what has been said here is really making me a bit nervous about starting it. ...but there is such a big difference now between the copay for the generic versus the brand since, now that there is a generic, wellbutrin is no longer on the "preferred" drug list or whatever... damn it... AND to top it all off, i was really in need of another fucking horse pill... grrr.... seriously, though, i am already not doing so hot... i really do not want to spiral down further because of a generic, ya know? ::sigh:: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorzdad Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 i'm on my last couple of real wellbutrin xl, so i will be starting the budeprion xl pretty soon (i got the refill already). i must say, though, all of what has been said here is really making me a bit nervous about starting it. ...but there is such a big difference now between the copay for the generic versus the brand since, now that there is a generic, wellbutrin is no longer on the "preferred" drug list or whatever... damn it... AND to top it all off, i was really in need of another fucking horse pill... grrr.... seriously, though, i am already not doing so hot... i really do not want to spiral down further because of a generic, ya know? ::sigh:: Yeah, I hear ya. Insurance companies really have people by the short hairs, don't they? But they must know best, right? right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfreaks Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Don't worry too much about it, Ophelia. I switched to the generic recently and I noticed no difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 Hey, Ofelia, The Budeprion hasn't had any negative effect on my mood. It's working just fine in that regard. I'm in the second month of the generic now, and the sleep problems are starting to get a leeeeetle bit better. Maybe it will settle out. G~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 All you guys who are having problems with the generic. . . PLEASE push your doctors to report this. I was on WellbutrinXL before the generic came out and had Medicaid clearance for coverage for the brand name. Reading about all the problems people had with the generic SR, I was very thankful. When I recently went back on it, I had to go on the generic (SR) formulation and I had awful side effects- really vivid suicidal ideation, no sleep at all, losing weight. I didn't have these side effects when I was on GSK WBXL, and I want to try it again, because I *need* to quit smoking. My shrink thinks we can clearance for coverage for GSK brand again, but who knows? Perhaps Medicaid will want to see proof that it's not only generic SR, but generic XL as well that has so many people suicidal, sleep-deprived, starving (insert your issues here)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Belva Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Wellbutrin XL is now available as a generic: budeprion XL. Kind of nice pricewise. I'm used to the very cute and small Wellbutrin pills. The 300 mg budeprion pills are huge! About the size of calcium suplements. And uncoated. Has anyone else tried these? And what's with the name change from bupropion to budeprion? Why does something that is supposedly bioidentical have a different name? Any info appreciated. Greeny Well, I found this site because I was scouring the internet to find out if the reason I want to die might have anything to do with my switch to Budeprion after three wonderful years on Wellbutrin XL. I switched in january without a second thought and gleefully paid my $10 copay as opposed to the $50 for Wellbutrin XL. I just assumed it was the same. For nearly three months I have felt worse every day. Crying, irritable, no patience with my kids, cant sleep at night but cant stay awake during the day...just the thought of exerting the energy to get dressed or do a load of laundry makes me cry...ooo, and the best part, I am a recovering bulimic...hadn't purged in a year, bingeing was waaay down...and I was maintaining a nice healthy weight and feeling pretty ok. In less than three months I have eaten enough to feed a small country, have returned to purging and have gained 15 pounds. Yippee. Since I only made the possible connection between my switch to generic yesterday, and have today found innumerable scenarios that mirror my experience, I am as of today tossing the budeprion and getting teh wellbutrin XL, and hopefully, my life back. Screw the insurance company, If i have to pay full price to want to live, well, so be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karolina Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 Screw the insurance company, If i have to pay full price to want to live, well, so be it. I'm not sure you do have to pay full price.... I'm taking budeprion right now and I'm undecided whether it's working or not yet, but regardless.... I have been researching it and when I heard people talking about their insurance issues I got curious. Even though my insurance policy pays for Wellbutrin, I looked it up anyway, and it turns out, with most insurance policies (private, group, Medicaid, whatever), if you give the generic a try for 1-3 months and it does not work, and the doctor specifically indicates on your prescription that you cannot take the generic brand, then they will pay for the brand. It makes sense. They want everyone to do generic just to cut down on costs, but if it's not working, then there's no use in people taking it -- there will only be more health problems. Look into it. Talk to your doctor and your insurance providors if you have these issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yep. My doc didn't check the DAW on my last script for Wellbutrin XL and I got the generic. It hasn't been a drastic, fast change, but I'm getting weepy and crying over articles in the paper about dogs dying,etc. Called the doc today for a consult. Karolina is right---my doctor will state that I can't take the generic and I'll be able to go back to the real thing. There really is a difference for some of us---I guess all of us have such different chemistries and inner balances. I've had a wonderful year on WB and I ain't sliding back into the Black Pit willingly... olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Starblaize Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Budeprion? I hate the stuff!!! The Wellbutrin 150 XL is much more effective than the Budeprion XL 300. Right now I am waiting to hear from my doc if the insurance company will let me switch. I am pretty sure they will (as I haven't had any problems with them before), but I think his office is used to working with HMO's that aren't quite so understanding. The last straw came when the budeprion gave me headache that is similar to the headaches I get when I have eaten food with too much MSG. If you have had problems with budeprion, I strongly urge you to register a complaint (or have your doctor do it) with the FDA. Granted, I do not believe that the FDA looks out for our best interests (can anyone say Vioxx?), but I figure that if enough people complain, they have to investigate. Feel another headache coming on, gah! Why can't the earth open up and swallow Teva? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divinedesign21 Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Wellbutrin XL is now available as a generic: budeprion XL. Kind of nice pricewise. I'm used to the very cute and small Wellbutrin pills. The 300 mg budeprion pills are huge! About the size of calcium suplements. And uncoated. Has anyone else tried these? And what's with the name change from bupropion to budeprion? Why does something that is supposedly bioidentical have a different name? Any info appreciated. Greeny OMFG I absolutely HATE Budeprion. I became homicidal and suicidal when I was taking it. I had to be hospitalized and they had to contact my insurance company (Medicaid, Healthease) to let them know that I can't take this stuff. I have to have Wellbutrin. They did this when Budeprion SR first came out. So I was taking Wellbutrin and then they come out with the Budeprion XL and Healthease tries to make me take it again. I went to my doc and he had to send them an authorization form telling them I have to have Brand Name Wellbutrin. Of course it took two freakin weeks and I was out of my meds. This is not a good thing. I take Wellbutrin not only for depression but for crack addiction. It has the same type of dopamine mechanism as coke and it is being studied for weight loss as well. Anyway, I don't crave crack when I'm taking my meds but when I go off of them it's almost instant craving. I wish the insurance companies would stop fucking with my sobriety and my serenity. Sorry, I got a little long winded there...but yeah...i hate budeprion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest belva Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Karolina and Olga, thanks for the advice. I have an appt with my Dr in a few weeks, and I will ask him about specifically requesting the brand...meanwhile, I switched back last week( had to pay full price of course) and here is an interesting little tidbit I noticed...Originally, i started on XL 150...then I increased to 300, so I have never gone straight to 300 from nothing at all. Well, seeing as how I have been on the generic for three months, if it is all the same, switching to the brand XL in 300 shouldn't have made a difference, right? Well it did. Previously, due to my gradual increase, I experienced not a single, solitary side effect. Well apparently the generic wasn't contributing much, because I was surprised with all these weird things happening...shaky, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and cotton mouth---never gave a thought to side effects as I never had them before, so I KNOW this isnt all in my head. Sure hope these side effects diminish soon, they are annoying. Anyway, I am starting to feel better mentally at least, not to where I was before starting generic, but not wanting to die anyway. Bingeing is also under control it seems, lost two pounds, woohoo! I honestly think the generic must be sugar pills or something. My best friend is a pharmacist and she SWEARS there is no difference-I hate to argue with her and respect her opinion...but SOMETHING is up here-wish the FDA would look into this. Anyway, I will let you know what i found out, thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Belva, I saw my doctor last week and he said that Wellbutrin and the generics are made in different factories and have different ingredients. Since I'm buying my stuff through the mail, he was questioning the strength, purity, and uniformity of the generic I'm on. My new script is in the mail, so I'm hoping to get my Wellbutrin soon. Stick with it and I bet the side effects lessen. My first week on it last spring were GREAT! It was almost speedy---I was running around doing yard work all day. heh That eased off, but the good mood remained. Can't wait to get that back. olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollywoodfreaks Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Just want to chime in here and remind the people reading this thread that are being scared off Budeprion XL that people who have negative experiences with drugs are much more likely to post about it than people having a positive experience and have noticed no difference between the brand and generic (I'm in the latter group). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorzdad Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Just want to chime in here and remind the people reading this thread that are being scared off Budeprion XL that people who have negative experiences with drugs are much more likely to post about it than people having a positive experience and have noticed no difference between the brand and generic (I'm in the latter group). Absolutely right. I think it's also important to note that the "Budeprion" brand isn't the only generic on the market. Most of the generics don't carry a "brand name" like Budeprion" does. Most will merely carry the chemical name (Bupropion Hydrochloride). Earlier in this thread, I spoke about my negative reaction to a particular generic. I have, very recently, tried a newer generic that does seem to work like the real stuff. It's distributed under the Eon Labs label. They're little blue pills, just like the real stuff (unlike the previous generic I tried which were large pink pills) FWIW, the Eon Labs pills were what Anthem distributed from their own mail-order system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KS Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 I've been taking Buproprion SL for years, and it's worked wonders. The pharmacy I go to - CVS - recently decided it preferred to stock Budeprion over Buproprion. They assured me that Budeprion worked exactly like Buproprion. WRONG! The first few days I took it, I felt dizzy, faint, light-headed, and very, very anxious. Driving into work, I had to pull over (on two separate mornings), because I was overtaken by the deep, sudden, and bewildering confusion that comes when I accidentally take two Buproprions instead of one - I couldn't recognize where I was, or how I got there, or how to navigate myself to safety. A very dangerous side effect to have while driving in fast, rush hour traffic. I couldn't sleep, my mouth was dry, I couldn't concentrate at work, and I felt like a robot. All symptoms of having way too much Wellbutrin in my body, although the dose is the same; I'm cutting the pills in half and "maintaining" until next month, when I can get my lovely little purple Buproprion pills again, but, this is ridiculous. What a terrible drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 FWIW if you cut them in half you lose the sustained release effect. You might as well ask for the standard stuff and take it three times a day if you're going to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KS Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 FWIW if you cut them in half you lose the sustained release effect. You might as well ask for the standard stuff and take it three times a day if you're going to do that. THANK YOU, Velvet Elvis. Indeed, I called my pharmacy after reading your post, and they confirmed that splitting sustained release pills in half is a dumb - and dangerous - thing to do (because it dumps the drugs into your system all at once, sometimes more than your body can handle), and they were able to work things out with my insurance company. Many, many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 I've been switched form Wellbutrin XL which worked great to Budeprion XL sometime around the end of last year. I didn't think much of it, since most generics with a few exceptions work well. At first I though that maybe it was seasonal, or just that Wellbutrin pooped out on me in next to a year. This really disappionted me since it was almost a miracle drug for me. I was more focused and had that lust for life again. Since I"ve taken the generic, I've slowly noticed a decline in my mood to as bad or worse than it was before I was taking it. Seriously, it has my head so messed up that I don't even remember if I took the pill or not 5 minutes after going to do it. I can't keep a sleep schedule or focus very well and am close to losing my job because of it. Nothing seems worth anything right now although I try my hardest to stay positive. After moving home and getting my life together again a few months ago, it is all falling apart again. I can relate to the person who said they are failing classes because of it. Two great things Wellbutrin XL did was improve my focus and motivation, and now my whole life is falling apart. I will try to get back on the brand name Wellbutrin if I can. If I don't improve than I know it's something else but I really think that this generic sucks and my guess is that it might have to do with the different release mechanisms in the pills. If a few companies make the same drug, but one is a better quality, you should have that choice to take the better one. Teva, the company who makes budeprion XL, has exclusive rights to be the only generic version of the drug for 180 days though. This basically means, if your insurance company says you must take a generic if available, you are screwed and have to put up with there inferior product. Honestly though, I've heard too many complaints about this Budeprion to recommend it to anybody. If you have to take a generic and take XL, ask you doctor to switch you to the twice a day SR version so you can at least get a brand besides budeprion. If your pharmacists has nothing but that generic, take your business elsewhere. It might only be a hunch but it's not worth my life falling apart over it. If you have issues that require you to have an antidepressant to function properly, and you found something that works, don't take chances. I've missed to much work, bills, am possibly getting evicted from my apartment, have defaulted on my student loans, and cannot remember anymore if i took my meds or not, all because I can barely keep my head straight anymore, which is what Wellbutrin corrected for me. Thank you to all the others who shared their experiences and made me realize that I'm not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 If a few companies make the same drug, but one is a better quality, you should have that choice to take the better one. Teva, the company who makes budeprion XL, has exclusive rights to be the only generic version of the drug for 180 days though. This basically means, if your insurance company says you must take a generic if available, you are screwed and have to put up with there inferior product. Not necessarily. There are a couple of options, even with insurance companies. 1. Prior authorization. Your doctor can contact the insurance company and, usually, fill out a form that explains why the generic is not right for you. 2. Step therapy. Many insurance companies initially limit your options to certain brands of medications within a class. If the limited options prove unsuitable, they will generally then approve the One That Works. Work with your doc. They can make much more headway with insurance companies than mere patients. Good luck. Greeny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 If a few companies make the same drug, but one is a better quality, you should have that choice to take the better one. Teva, the company who makes budeprion XL, has exclusive rights to be the only generic version of the drug for 180 days though. This basically means, if your insurance company says you must take a generic if available, you are screwed and have to put up with there inferior product. Not necessarily. There are a couple of options, even with insurance companies. 1. Prior authorization. Your doctor can contact the insurance company and, usually, fill out a form that explains why the generic is not right for you. 2. Step therapy. Many insurance companies initially limit your options to certain brands of medications within a class. If the limited options prove unsuitable, they will generally then approve the One That Works. Work with your doc. They can make much more headway with insurance companies than mere patients. Good luck. Greeny What I meant was that insurance companies "should" give you that choice, not that they always do. Sorry about the misunderstanding in wording. I still think that Budeprion XL is crap for most people, and my guess to why is perhaps a problem with the extended release mechanism. Something's off with the meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j dub Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Oh my god i am so glad I found this info, I have been on wellbutrin sr & xl for a combined 7 or so years now and have loved them immensely, moreso over any other drug I've tried (effexor and prozac, specifically) and then around november of 2006 my CVS pharmacy started replacing my buproprions with budeprion. the name threw me for a minute but i did some research and it seems it had the same chemical compound so i gave it a shot. Now 6 months later, after not really thinking about the fact that it could be the DRUGs, I've been miserable...crying bouts, feeling helpless, right back to where i was before treatment. My dr. upped my dosage in hopes that it would help me out, from 300/day to 400/day, and while initially i did see a bit of an improvement, I am now on week 4 of budeprion and guess what? I broke out into a MASSIVE case of an allergic rash three days ago, all over my entire body. Right down to my toes. I am mortified...went to my physician for help and they gave me a cortisone shot and some steriods to help, but i am an itchy, red, pissed off mess right now and I've ruled out every other possibility other than these stupid budeprions. They SUCK...I think I am allergic to one of the fillers in their pills. I look like a hideous mess and am incredibly mad that i had to endure this. My doc is giving me some branded XLs he has in his office until I can afford to buy the branded ones myself, but jesus....this generic version is the devil. I HATE it. So glad to see others are seeing the same result - not that i want others to suffer but i was starting to think i was (more) crazy than I already did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted May 10, 2007 Author Share Posted May 10, 2007 Sorry you're having so much trouble with the generic. Are you taking the giant yellow Teva XL version? I'm in my fourth month of it and it's finally pretty much ok. Brand name XL is really expensive. Could you go to the brand name sr version and take it 3x/day? I had to pay full retail one month and it was over $400 for 450 mgs of XL per day for a 30-day supply. Ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j dub Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Sorry you're having so much trouble with the generic. Are you taking the giant yellow Teva XL version? I'm in my fourth month of it and it's finally pretty much ok. Brand name XL is really expensive. Could you go to the brand name sr version and take it 3x/day? I had to pay full retail one month and it was over $400 for 450 mgs of XL per day for a 30-day supply. Ouch. Yes the ones that made me ill were the Teva distributed version, only I think they are equivalent of the SR's because I take one 200mg in the AM and one @ lunch. I went and saw my dr today and he gave me 28 days worth of XLs for free, god love him. I took two today and already feeling much, much better....although it could be psyhcosematic, who cares. better is better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j dub Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Sorry you're having so much trouble with the generic. Are you taking the giant yellow Teva XL version? I'm in my fourth month of it and it's finally pretty much ok. Brand name XL is really expensive. Could you go to the brand name sr version and take it 3x/day? I had to pay full retail one month and it was over $400 for 450 mgs of XL per day for a 30-day supply. Ouch. Yes the ones that made me ill were the Teva distributed version, only I think they are equivalent of the SR's because I take one 200mg in the AM and one @ lunch. I went and saw my dr today and he gave me 28 days worth of XLs for free, god love him. I took two today and already feeling much, much better....although it could be psyhcosematic, who cares. better is better! I'm an idiot, the ones I was taking that I *think* gave me the rash are buPROPion ER 200mg, Mfr: Global Pharm... Wow, I really spaced on this, I thought these were the Teva tablets because they are pale orangish yellow. Doh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted August 10, 2007 Author Share Posted August 10, 2007 I got my insurance mail order refill today and lo! there was yet another new generic substitute for Wellbutrin XL. This one is called Bupropion XL by Anchen Pharmaceuticals in Irvine, CA. From what I've read, this one has a more truly extended delivery mechanism than the Teva brand. All three, Wellbutrin, Teva, and Anchen specify the same active ingredient, bupropion HCL. And it was just today when I received the new version that it dawned on me that my current slide back into depression after two+ years of shiny goodness could be related to the switch to generic WB. I really don't trust that that's what's happening since I usually do just fine on generic anything. But ya gotta wonder. The human generic drug trials continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I got my insurance mail order refill today and lo! there was yet another new generic substitute for Wellbutrin XL. This one is called Bupropion XL by Anchen Pharmaceuticals in Irvine, CA. From what I've read, this one has a more truly extended delivery mechanism than the Teva brand. All three, Wellbutrin, Teva, and Anchen specify the same active ingredient, bupropion HCL. And it was just today when I received the new version that it dawned on me that my current slide back into depression after two+ years of shiny goodness could be related to the switch to generic WB. I really don't trust that that's what's happening since I usually do just fine on generic anything. But ya gotta wonder. The human generic drug trials continue. You never know, Greeny. It took me a while on the generic to realize that I had gotten worse on it. It had not dawned on me that that could be the answer for my major downward spiral two months ago. Granted, I am not really doing too well in general, but the generic vs. regular made a difference because when I went back to the regular...well... I was only thinking and talking about killing myself everyday instead of getting into depressive rages taking pills trying to OD and having roommates of mine tryin to get the pills away from me and admit to how much i took to see if i was in need of medical attention.... and then throwing them up.... (that was a horrible sentence). Anyway, I appealed to the insurance company and they accepted my claim to get the real stuff. Anyway, I am hoping that the new stuff works for you and that you start to feel better... <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Greeny, when I read your post a week or so ago about how hard it is to go on, all I could think about was the fact that I felt the same way when my insurance company switched me to the generic from Wellbutrin XL. As I reported earlier on this thread, I got back on the name brand in late April and by mid-May I was feeling my old self again. If Wellbutrin works for you, I hope you can get back on it. I really feel like it gave me a new lease on life. That's a clich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 Ain't goin' there no mo'. brooding.gif That's pretty much what I've been thinking for awhile: I am NOT going back there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehorse Posted August 11, 2007 Share Posted August 11, 2007 Hmm, I don't think generic XL version is available in Canada for some reason. Otherwise they would have given it to me (they always substitute for generics here). But the brand XL 300mg of a month's supply costs about 50 bucks Canadian here so it's on the cheap side anyways. I don't know about Trillium (for non-Canucks, Ontario's provincial drug program), but PharmaCare (British Columbia's version) needs special requisition to cover the 300XL (which, Tom is right, doesn't have a generic in Canada) vs. the 150XL (which I haven't found a generic for, either - which sounds like it's a good thing). What's weird is that the 300XL is so much cheaper than the 150XL. How they figure out the pricing is beyond me... Plus, it took Canada about six years longer than the States 1) to approve Wellbutrin at all, and then 2) to approve the XL formulation. After reading this thread, I'm glad we don't have a generic XL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tracy Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Oh my god i am so glad I found this info, I have been on wellbutrin sr & xl for a combined 7 or so years now and have loved them immensely, moreso over any other drug I've tried (effexor and prozac, specifically) and then around november of 2006 my CVS pharmacy started replacing my buproprions with budeprion. the name threw me for a minute but i did some research and it seems it had the same chemical compound so i gave it a shot. Now 6 months later, after not really thinking about the fact that it could be the DRUGs, I've been miserable...crying bouts, feeling helpless, right back to where i was before treatment. My dr. upped my dosage in hopes that it would help me out, from 300/day to 400/day, and while initially i did see a bit of an improvement, I am now on week 4 of budeprion and guess what? I broke out into a MASSIVE case of an allergic rash three days ago, all over my entire body. Right down to my toes. I am mortified...went to my physician for help and they gave me a cortisone shot and some steriods to help, but i am an itchy, red, pissed off mess right now and I've ruled out every other possibility other than these stupid budeprions. They SUCK...I think I am allergic to one of the fillers in their pills. I look like a hideous mess and am incredibly mad that i had to endure this. My doc is giving me some branded XLs he has in his office until I can afford to buy the branded ones myself, but jesus....this generic version is the devil. I HATE it. So glad to see others are seeing the same result - not that i want others to suffer but i was starting to think i was (more) crazy than I already did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jerry Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 Hello, new here. Today is my 4th day Budeprion XL. My Dr. told me to cut it in half for the first week. I did that the first day -- felt fine mood wise, but very jittery. Then I crashed and burned that evening and the next day was the worse day of depression ever....Ever. Of course this could just be the progression of what led me to get on a drug in the first place, but it seemed too coincidental. So, the next two days I just took the pill without cutting it figuring that maybe by cutting it I lost the extended part of the medication and got the whole dose at once or something like that? Taking the whole pill has given me a nasty, nasty headache -- So I am back to cutting it. Anyhow, I am wondering if anyone knows about this cutting the pill thing. Is my doctor really stupid, or is it really not a big deal? Thanks I was on 150mg and it wasn't doing too much. By accident,honestly, I took (3) 150's - man! I was a little dizzy all day, but had tons of energy. I didn't realize what was going on until later that night that I had taken too much. But I could see something in this accident. I went to 1 1/2 pills. I didn't want to double my dose overnight. In fact, that should be against the law for pharm companies to only offer that capability. doubling?? come on. i've been taking 225mg for about 6 weeks now, and this is the best I've felt in years. I suspect the 1/2 pill gets into my system faster, and the full tablet works all day. I just learned about cutting the pills is a bad thing. Not for me, at least. It's all about money. I honestly believe the pharm companies want you to buy twice as many pills, not 1 1/2 times as much. That's why they only offer this in 150 or 300mg tablets. It may (slightly) not be as effective, but it's not going to hurt you! Do you people think by cutting a pill in half is going to release a deadly toxin? geez. Listen to the doctors not the pharmaceutical companies. If your doc said to do it, go ahead. I'm sure he didn't want you to double your meds overnight either. But I can at least vouch that I'm doing fine (even better), by adding half a dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted November 16, 2007 Author Share Posted November 16, 2007 It may (slightly) not be as effective, but it's not going to hurt you! Do you people think by cutting a pill in half is going to release a deadly toxin? geez. The problem with splitting time-release meds is messing up the, uh, time release. So you get a full load in the morning and a minimal amount at night. Some people do fine with that, others slip back into depression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NARS Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 I'm so glad I'm not the only one!! I'm back here after a long hiatus because of the Teva generic. I was doing great with WB XL in my cocktail, and last July I happily switched to a generic --the big pills--no problem. My last refill was a new generic, I think made by Teva, and the pills were exactly like the brand name WB except with no markings. I had plenty of the big pills left but two weeks ago switched to the new generic because who wants to gulp big pills? Within two days I was in my old BPII mixed stated hell, biting people's heads off, cutting people off in traffic, not sleeping, not eating, weeping at the drop of a hat. It took me a week to figure out that the only thing that'd changed was the new generic. I thought I should give it more time, but I was terrified. I found some old WP XL in the back of my drawer that'd expired a year ago. Within two days the irritability was gone, but now I'm in depression hell. My pdoc called in a scrip for Wellbutrin XL 300's, thinking the expired pills weren't working well enough. My first new pill was today; I'm hoping that within a few days I'll be better, God willing and the creek don't rise... Bottom line: it's definitely worth trying the generic to avoid the price of the brand name. It seems to work just fine for most people. But if you do, check yourself a few times a day; if you have a serious mood change that lasts more than a few days, ask your pdoc to prescribe the brand name drug. And check your mood carefully if you switch from one generic manufacturer to another. I'm pissed that I'm now forced into paying a 50% copay for WB because the generic manufacturers make completely different pills, but you do what you have to do. Meanwhile I've told my pharmacist, my pdoc, and will write a letter to the insurance company complaining about the generic. Oh to be able to think again...I think just having the idea to come back here may mean I've got a chance of getting back to where I was two weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kim M Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Anchen and Teva are one and the same for Wellbutrin XL 150 mgs. And the Wellbutrin XL that you are paying more for, is not really Wellbutrin XL. We found proof of this last night. I urge you guys to look on your bottles for the same information. The RX I was prescribed for the issue was Wellbutrin XL (150 mgs) which I'd taken before. My husband takes the same thing. Well of course, the generic only costs $10 and since times are so hard right now - of course I opted for the generic. My husband got the Brand Name and said the generic didn't work for him. So we get in this debate about the drugs and holy crap did we find out alot. I was googling generic wellbutrin and people kept saying the ones mfg by Teva did not work for them but the ones mfg'd by Anchen did work. I looked at the label where your name is and the drug name is, and it said, "Mfg'd by Teva" So imagine my surprise when I peeled off the entire label on my pill to see this on the pill bottle: Manufactured **by**Anchen Pharmaceuticals in Irvine, CA Manufactured **for** Teva Pharmaceuticals in somecity, PA Oh, ok now. So are the people on the Net meaning the ones actually mfg'd by Teva or the ones being marketed as Mfg'd by Teva but are really being mfg'd by Anchen? (Btw, my co-pay for this is $10 which comes into play later) Ok, so that's the generic thing. As I said, the husband got "Name Brand" Wellbutrin XL which states on the label "Mfg'd by GlaxoSmithKline" and his co-pay was $25. When HE peeled off his label, low and behold it says, "Manufactured by BioVail Pharmaceuticals" in CANADA. (Anyone remember the FDA having a sh*tfit about us importing drugs from Canada because they were cheaper? Saying they were not safe?? Ironic, No?) On top of that, we discover that all Biovail did was purchase the rights to use the name "Wellbutrin XL" and what they use is (actual quote from Press Release) "their PROPRIETARY BLEND of ingredients with only Glaxo's Wellbutrin XL name for Marketing." So, I'm feeling a bit irked here. First, we have the FDA saying you can't import drugs from other countries because they are cheaper - and point blank, that's what the Wellbutrin thing is. It's from freaking Canada. Second, the Wellbutrin that my husband has, that he pays a NAME BRAND PRICE FOR - really isn't Wellbutrin, it's technically a "generic" because it's not the real thing and not the Glaxo "recipe" (for lack of better terms") so why's he have to pay for a Name Brand? Finally, in all my research, I also discovered that there are many companies (like Pfizer) who actually OWN the companies that make the generics of their medications. So not only are they making money on the people who buy the name brands, they double dip on the generics too. I think this is total bullshit!!! So in essence, my husband is paying $15 more a month, for a formula that isn't from GlaxoSmithKline, and a brand name on the bottle? What the f*ck? Thoughts? Comments? Similar Experiences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 all i have to say is holy fuck am i glad my wb XL comes in nice orange labeled boxes that have six sealed orange labeled bottles in them with a PI sheet stuck to every bottle because they are sample bottles from my GP. whatever the fuck is in those is what i want to stay on. i want to know for sure who is making this and what it is, so that whatever they decide to call this formulation next i can stay on it! *holds box for dear life* i'm paranoid but it makes me wonder if they're messing around with this one, what the hell else are they messing with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stephanie Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I was just prescribed budeprion xl 150 mg Im worried about taking them since hearing bad side affects Ithink ill just ask for the wellbutrinal instead Ive heardgood thinga about that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vovanne Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Thanks for all the insite I was just going to my pd to ask her if she could give me 150mg more of Wellbutrin XL was affraid after reading this that she would recommand the generic.....But I live in Canada so I should not be woried.(A1 Tom! I' from Quebec) This is realy helpful to read all your comments. Merci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lynnski Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I've been prescribed 300mg Budeprion XL (The ones mfgd by Anchen, for Teva USA.. if that makes any diff) for SAD. Took 150mg daily for two weeks (takes the edge off, but not quite enough), then upped to 300mg which seems like some serious overkill. Sleep is about impossible and my heart beats out of my chest with even the least bit of physical activity. Recheck with my MD is next week. Is this one of those cases where 150mg of the WB real thing would be just dandy or is it more a case of jimmying around between 150 and 300? If it's a dosage thing, assuming others have had to play around with it - what's the preferred mix? 75mg of immediate release to augment the 150XL? 100mg SR's for 2x daily? Wondering what works best for others. Also, I'm drinking well over 100oz of water a day on these and still thirsty. Normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I've been prescribed 300mg Budeprion XL (The ones mfgd by Anchen, for Teva USA.. if that makes any diff) for SAD. Took 150mg daily for two weeks (takes the edge off, but not quite enough), then upped to 300mg which seems like some serious overkill. Sleep is about impossible and my heart beats out of my chest with even the least bit of physical activity. Recheck with my MD is next week. Is this one of those cases where 150mg of the WB real thing would be just dandy or is it more a case of jimmying around between 150 and 300? If it's a dosage thing, assuming others have had to play around with it - what's the preferred mix? 75mg of immediate release to augment the 150XL? 100mg SR's for 2x daily? Wondering what works best for others. Also, I'm drinking well over 100oz of water a day on these and still thirsty. Normal? I take 200 mgs of the SR twice a day. My brain soaks up norepenephrine like a sponge. It does hit you hard at first but it mellows out a lot after the first month. Give it some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldfinch Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I originally took wellbutrin SR then switched to wellbutrin xl at 300mg per day. I had a bout of serious depression so upped to 450mg a day. Those were the real wellbutrin xl - the little white ones. Then I decided I was feeling better and wanted to go down to 300mg a day again and I got the generic - the big oval yellow ones. I didn't feel like they worked as well for me, so I switched back to the non-generic. Now I'm back up to 450mg, and I figured I would get the brand name because there is no generic for the 150mg tablets, but the pharmacist says that there now is a generic in 150mg. So to make a long story even longer, I requested the brand name and I paid $35. If I had gotten the generic it would have been $10. I like the 150mg tablets because it is easier to switch from 300mg to 450mg and back if necessary without having a new rx filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazySoprano Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Past RX that worked: Wellbutrin XL 450 mg + Lexapro 10 mg Current RX that leaves me a little agitated: Budeprion SR 150 mg without Lex Future RX once my insurance approves the dosage: Budeprion XL 300 mg + Lexapro 10 mg I wanted to go back to my old cocktail but switch to generic. I hope this doesn't fuck things up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 i've been taking 300mgs of WB XL for awhile now, and love it. i tried SR at first, not nearly as effective for me. until the past month, i have always taken WB sample bottles from my doctor (since my insurance won't cover the XL version). i was really lucky to get the original version for free for so long. now, i'm paying out of pocket. the pills are still white, still have the same writing on them, same size, but i KNOW they are not the same formulation, somehow. since the switch, all the initial side effects i had when first starting WB came back. it seems the vivid dreaming, fatigue, and jittery effects are getting a little better with time - but they're still here to an annoying degree. the pharmacy swears there is no difference. i beg to differ! i hope this is just a transitional thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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