What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 5)

My doctor will not prescribe generic Wellbutrin XL but my insurance will no longer pay for brand name drugs. I will have to pay about $7000 per yer for what I am taking now (3 of the 150mg Wellbutrin XL brand name per day). I am reading that the problem with the generics is the time release mechanism and not the drug itself and that some are better than others. Anybody have experience with the generics made by Watson and /or Anchen?

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It seems that people that have taken brand-name Wellbutrin XL do not do well with the transition to generic. However, a lot of people that start with the generic do okay.

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I agree. I just started a new refill of Wellbutrin by Watson and have felt bad side effects sinc. I too will be moving to Brand.

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Does anyone know about getting brand name prescriptions from Canada? 90 day supply of Wellbutrin 300 XL from Canada drug company is approx $160. Im a little sceptical because their website canadadrugs stated that the Wellbutrin was made in Turkey and shipped out of Barbetos.

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Cathy,
Look back at some of my posts. I get my brand from Big Mountain Drugs in Canada. I have had to insist that I want them from the pharmaceutical co. in Canada. As you will see, I did go with the ones from Turkey for a time and realized they are not the same.

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Cathy - Agree with Ronda - also bought Wellbutrin XL Brand from Big Mountain - had to call and specify I wanted the brand from Canada, NOT Turkey - it came in and looks as it should. Yes, it is slightly more expensive, but still nothing like it costs in the U.S. Look back through the last 15-20 posts.

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I received my generic Wellbutrin SR today from Northwest Pharmacy. Ugh, it's made by Watson. I'm hoping the SR generic doesn't make me sick like the generic XL did.

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Buproprion HCL Tab 300 mg XL has something very wrong with it. EVERY time I take it, within hours, I'm severely depressed and near tears. It is so bizarre. I've never been this depressed. I take it for ADHD and this is by far the worst drug I've ever ingested. FDA should investigate Anchen Pharmaceuticals because something is off here. The active or inactive ingredients are causing extreme depression in some people, including myself. I'm not taking this junk anymore. I'm switching to either brand name or another generic manufacturer that can be trusted to produce a medication that doesn't cause depression for goodness sakes. This is just nuts. Anchen Pharmaceuticals is junk.

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TEVA brand called budeprion gave me terrible neck pain. IF the FDA thinks generic drugs are bioequivalent to brand name drug they are smoking dope because in no way is this true. It's time the FDA admits this and quits lying to the public. People are being slowly poisoned by generic drugs because there is almost no quality control on these pills.

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I posted a while back about the difference between teva brand and watson.I also found through research that watson is easier to tolerate after having a really bad side effect from the Teva.By the way,..my script said Anchen, but I found out that they repackage Teva. I've ,unfortunately, not been able to afford the brand name Wellbutrin so i can't compare that. So, I was on Watson for 2 month or so. 150 xl twice a day. I didn't notice any real difference in my mood (however, my father passed away right before starting the watson and I am taking it to stop smoking but it probably has helped me with depression more than I realize too) and when I ran out I decided to re-try the Teva/Anchen one i had left over.I did not have that same, incrediblely stressed out/suicidal reaction this time. I suppose it was because my system got used to the medicine slowly and the more increased oe somewhat erratic release from the teva wasn't so sudden that it made me crazy.I would not recommend Teva for a person new to bupropion!!! My understanding is that watson is a redistributor of the generic form that glaxo-smithcline makes .The problem with other forms is that the release mechanism is still under patent and other manufacturors are just guessing at the mechanism.

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I may try to somehow get the brand name Wellbutrin either through Canada or find a way to afford it through my insurance.Whether Watson or Teva..now neither give me side effects...I still don't feel any significant mood change and it doesn't make me feel more energetic either.It almost feels like I'm not taking anything at all! If I do get the brand name, I will post with my findings.Good luck to everyone!

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Please try the Watson generic. I still think that the brand name is the best, but after being on the Watson generic for a year, I think it is probably about 85% as effective as the brand with no adverse side effects. I would love to get the brand back, but since I can't, I'm making do with Watson. Don't even want to try Teva/Anchen after the horror stories I have read, and it all has to do with the release mechanism, not the drug itself. That is why the FDA can same they are "the same"....the active ingredient may be the same, but the release mechanism is integral to how the meds make you feel, so it should be judged the same way - for all drugs, not just for Wellbutrin XL.

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I have never heard of neck pain being a side effect of Wellbutrin. That doesn't mean it doesn't cause it, but I don't think it is likely. Not being a doctor, I can't say what is causing your neck pain, but I wouldn't assume it is the Wellbutrin - maybe get the neck problem checked out separately, but of course, tell them you are on Wellbutrin XL and whatever else you are taking. Hope you feel better!

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to "k". What symptoms did you have from taking the Wellbutrin XL (that made you sick)?

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Even my doctor has said that there is a problem with the generic Wellbutrin XL. Please go back and read post 20 - 30 back. I and Cathy posted about ordering from Canada. I have been ordering brand Wellbutrin XL since my divorce and loss of insurance 2 years ago. I have already given specifics on where I buy and also the fact that it is extremely important to make sure they understand you want the brand shipped from CANADA. They are shipping something from Turkey that they say is also brand, but it is not the same. This is from someone who has been taking Wellbutrin XL for about 9 years. I can tell very quickly what is not truly the brand. Good luck to all of you.

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Hello,

It's funny how doctors (the good ones) seem to know that the BRAND of Wellburtrin is better than generics. I had never taken the brand, I was on a generic and did fine... for a while. It was when the mail order company I was with through my insurance started randomly sending me different manufacturers (which I didn't notice) of the generic that I started noticing a difference. I did very well on TEVA, I did very well on WATSON (there have been other generic meds by WATSON that have also been very good). However there was one manufacturer called ACTIVA for Wellburtrin that literally about made my wife and myself commit suicide. In fact I did. I was dead, I was pronounced brain dead. And some how, by some miracle I'm back. Now, for the first time I have been on BRAND for the past year and I have never felt better. It's sad that insurance companies are willing to take the risks by only covering generics. And its even sadder than these big pharmaceutical companies have to change so much for something that can change a persons life so dramatically. The system sucks for lack of a better term. Now I'm almost out of BRAND and I don't have insurance, so I'm looking around and hoping for the best. I hope the best for anyone on this med. It has been wonderful for me, the right brand that is. :)

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I have had major problems with the generics for Wellbutrin XL. For years I paid the exorbitant price for the brand name, but I am unable to do so any longer. My last prescription was filled with the generic by Mylan for buproprion XL 300mg, and it is not effective. I contacted my pharmacy and was told that I could report the lack of effectiveness of Mylan to the FDA. For the prescription before, I was given the generic manufacturer Actavis Bupropion XL (generic for wellbutrin xl) and it was more effective. However when I went to the Actavis website to see which pharmacy I could contact for this brand, there is notification that it is being purchased by Watson. I believe I've had problems with the Watson generic before. I am contacting the FDA and my Senator, Diane Feinstein. I don't know why the brand name is so expensive and the 20% differential allowed in the time release for generics does make a serious difference. If enough people complain, hopefully, this issue will be receive more attention by the FDA . In 2007 the FDA received complaints on the Teva generic brand, but they did not receive enough complaints to provide the realistic scope of this issue. Without a substantial amount of complaints, nothing will be done.

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I am suspcious of Actavis (generic manufacturer) version of buproprion xr 150 mg. I took the brand name Wellbutrin SR 150 mg twice daily a few years ago with excellent results. After about one year on the medication I was able to get off of it. About 4 months ago I wanted to get back on bupropion (Wellbutrin SR) so restarted the medication only this time my insurance had changed resulting in me getting the generic version-> the Actavis bupropion. After 4 weeks on this medication all I have is constipation and virtually no relief of the symptoms the Wellbutrin worked so well for the first time I used it.
I have a new prescription of the brand name medication/Wellbutrin SR that I am starting today - I paid out of pocket because I want to see if I really do notice a difference or if perhaps it's 'all in my head'. I will update the message board after a week or two of taking the real Wellbutrin SR's.

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OK... Call me crazy (well actually I do have papers to prove that), however, I can't afford BRAND Wellburtrin here in the US. But my wife and I have been using a Canadian Pharmacy now for the past couple of years on a number of things with very good success. I just found Wellbutrin XL 300mg GlaxoSmithKline, Qt of 90, for $137 with free shipping. Now it is made in Turkey, and shipped from Barbados. So I'll leave that up in the air as to opinion. But as long as they come in with the same ole GlaxoSmithKline logo on them I'll try it out (carefully of course). You well know these big fartisutical companies (and I spelled it that way on purpose) operate their plants in other countries and market the identical same BRAND drugs under slightly different names. I actually did business with a man here in GA that went over seas for one of these big companies to get in with the officials and then open these manufacturing plants because of the extremely low costs of doing business in those countries.

I wish the very best to all of you that suffer from depression and anxiety. Wellburtrin (the generic has literally killed me) but in the BRAND has literally saved my life and the life of my wonderful family. I will NEVER take the generic in this again. There is obviously something different in the BRAND that's not in the generic. Go figure. :) Doctors know it, so do Pharmacists. And after reading from countless real life examples so should everyone else interested in this subject.

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Wellbutrin XL is no longer manufactured by GSK. Valeant pharmaceuticals bought the license to make the drug in 2009. If you go to GSK's website Wellbutrin XL is not a listed product of the company and you can find the press release announcing the sale.

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I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to not access the drug that works for you. I'm Canadian, so I don't have the same issues with health insurance.
I've just started on Wellburtin XL. I had to start on a low dose because I tend to have crazy side-effects to all drugs. When I first started on the drug I had to have it specially made at a compounding pharmacy. It was a lower dose made from the brand name. Since then I've been slowly increasing the dose.
When my doctor said to go to a 200mg a day dose I had to which to the generic. I immediately noticed a difference. Lets just say that I was very unpleasant to be around. 4 days in and my skin was so itchy that 2 benedryl didn't help. I went to the hospital and they said that it was reaction to the generic drug. I'm still waiting for the itching to stop (its only been 1 day but its getting better)
Just a note on the cost of the brand name Wellburtin XL, in Canada the price for a 3 month supply its about $130 (Canadian dollars).

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