Par Bupropion Xl 300mg Vs Actavis (Top voted first)

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I've been taking the generic brand PAR of Buproion LX 300MG for over 2 years and haven't run into any problems. Walgreens switched the brand to Actavis generic this month and I feel extremely depressed. I plan on seeking medical attention from my doctor right away-- but I'd like to hear about your experiences to not feel so alone. I started taking Actavis around January 15th and I've noticed my mood has completely shifted and no longer feel like myself. PAR seemed to work well for me. Before I switched brands my depression was manageable but now it's out of control. I constantly feel angry, annoyed, and highly irritated and it scares me. Can generic brands of the same exact medication cause your mental health to decline?

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1

Hi Emma,

Sorry to hear about your reaction to the Actavis brand. I've seen this manufacturer get a lot of heat for producing allegedly weak medication (including anything from pain meds to antidepressants); throwing long term patients into a state of withdrawal because they are used to ingesting better quality meds. So if I had to speculate why you might be feeling this way on Actavis, hopefully this reasoning helps put things into perspective... Personally, I'd try to avoid Actavis at all costs. Perhaps your doctor could specify a particular manufacturer's name on the prescription so pharmacists will only give you what has been proven to work...

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2

Emma, I had exactly the same experience with switching from Par to Actavis. I contacted my doc who told me to tell the pharmacist about my difficulties. The pharmacy was very accommodating and returned me to the Par generic, and I'm feeling much better. It's an interesting situation, though, Par buproprion had some bioequivalency problems at one point and had to be re-approved by the FDA. Still for whatever reasons, I respond much better to the Par product than Actavis. Even if your doc won't specify a generic manufacturer when he writes your prescription, you can always call your pharmacy to see if they have options, and if they don't, call around to other pharmacies and ask what generic they're dispensing. I feel your pain. Good luck.

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8

I had the exact same problem, and was only able to trace it back to when my pharmacy switched from PAR to Actavis. The new pharmacy I am working with now has been lovely about ordering the PAR generic for me, and my old pharmacy was just as nice when I went in and asked what the old brand was, even let me take a pic of the label on an older bottle set to be tossed. A lot of pharmacies are more willing to work with you than you would think.

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16

i mean come one there are why to many drug componys making this drug its all greed and feed if we are going to take this drug give us brand name dont play with our lifes

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6

Funny, I have exactly the opposite reaction. I've been taking Actavis for a long time, and at one point Walgreens switched me to the Mylan (and I think also to the PAR for awhile) and they didn't work at all for me. I had to go back to the Actavis. I guess everybody reacts differently to different brands of generic. I also have to use the Actavis (Cartia XT) for my blood pressure medications; other generics just don't work for me.

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9

This has been my experience exactly. Wellbutrin has been life-changing for me...Then out of nowhere I gained almost 30 pounds in less than a year(while dieting), I have no motivation, and my depression is back worse than ever. My doc actually just increased my dose from 300 xl to 450 xl(which seems like a very high dose to me) and yet I feel no different. I realized everything started going downhill when my pharmacy (Walgreens) switched to Actavis. I apologize I don't have any advice to offer, I just felt it was important to share my experience in hopes that you'll see you aren't alone in this. Best of luck!

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13

Re: Handyman 1959 (# 12) Expand Referenced Message

Hi there!
I had to quit Bupropion from Actavis because of feelings of anger, depression, psychotic symptoms and allergic reaction.
I developed a whole body rash and my blood pressure went up to the roof.
Can anybody relate?
Thanks!

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23

Generics can have as little as 70% active ingredient. The rest is filler powder. Researched this and all pharmacists at my new pharmacy agree. Previous pharmacies said I was just imagining things. They talked down to me because I have depression. My CVS is this only one that stocks PAR only. Most pharmacies use whichever wholesaler offers the best price. That's sad but true.

CALL AHEAD!! If in doubt, ask pharmacy which manufacturer your Rx will be issued from. Call ahead before you run out. When you pick it up, BEFORE paying for it: Let cashier know you might need them to open bag or bottle to see if your order is correct. Don't need to give a lot of details. You need to Make sure PAR is listed as the manufacturer. Read the Rx bag label AND AT the bottle while at counter in front of cashier. BUT don't open the bottle. If YOU open the bottle and/or pay for it. OR leave w/o checking, they will not refund your $. If you turn in Rx at the counter and want to wait in store to shop or whatever, while they fill it. Just ask them to check it will be from PAR. Saves frustration for you and pharmacy. IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT!

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3

I was also taking the PAR brand and it was working fine with no side effects. Recently my pharmacy changed drug manufacturers...not sure which one. But, I used to take a round pill and these are now oblong and yellowish in color. Caused HIVES! I can't take the generic versions. So, even though you are supposed to taper this drug to get off of them completely I couldn't do that and has been causing problems.

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5

I had the same experience. I was taking par pharma bupropion xl 300 mg. My pharmacy? switched to act. and I was having high irritability and just generally feeling awful. There are articles on the web about the FDA recalling at least 2 generics. I asked my Dr to specify par pharma on the script and also made sure the pharmacy had that brand before picking it up. Switching back solved that problem.

Unfortunately, now I'm having other problems with it. I've always had constipation with it and had to take laxative. I've also had heart palpitations and removed all caffeine from my diet. It has been a wonder drug for my depression but due to the side effects I've tried to ween off twice, both times dropping to 150 xl. After about 2 weeks my depressive symptoms come creeping back and I've gone back up to my 300xl dose. Now it seems to just not work anymore. It feels like I somehow broke it by going up and down on it. My major depressive symptoms seem to be under control, but I have lost motivation, energy and desire to do anything. It's really hard to get going and just want to drink coffee and eat sugar to get a boost. I'm not doing so well at work either. I've gained almost 10 lbs and just not sure what to do now. Has any one had this and found a solution? I've tried Prozac in the past with no effect. I don't think I need serotonin. It's the norepinephrine and dopamine that I need.

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18

This is Glo again - nightmares gone with PAR

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24

I was searching the web today for "problems with generic Wellbutrin" and came across this site and thread. THANK YOU all for your posts! I have been recently experiencing many of the same (sudden) side effects after years of successfully taking 300 mg Wellbutrin XL daily: agitation, hives, nightmares, and worst of all, I've felt very unlike myself. I also used Walgreens, and they of course use Actavis. I called Target Pharmacy, they use PAR as their supplier. I had my Rx switched, and will pay out of pocket. I'll let you know how it goes. Many thanks!

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4

Stay away from anything that Actavis makes they took over Watson and so far every thing that I got from them does not work I have gotten Norco and also Kadian which is a time released Morphine pill and they did nothing for me my Dr. switched me to a tablet instead of a capsule which Kadian is and now the Morphine is from a different Manufacture and they work the Norco from Actavis doesn't do anything and a lot of people have complained about them and it sems like Walgreens deals with them. I have complained to the FDA about this company, I heard that this company is from India

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11

Posted something similar earlier w/o mentioning Walgreens. They also switched my Bupropion from 300 mg XL by Mylan to Actavis w/o my knowledge.I am now in a depression, all four days I have taken it. I switched to three 150's as I normally take 450 a day; one 300 + 150 also They worked fine for a wee, the Actavis ones yet today is tues., and I was functoining perfectly until sun., thus this is my 3rd day of immobiling depression and my third depressive episode since taking Actavis Bupropion 300 mg XL

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15

My blood pressure has been out of control for several months and I have been taking ACTAVIS 300 XL bupropion and also so having nightmares. Did not realize there could be connection but I am changing pharmacies and I'm being switched to PAR so hoping it will work.


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19

I think I'm having the same issue and I'm so glad it's not just me. I had been taking the PAR 150 XL once a day and felt great, then the doctor instructed me to start taking 2 of the 150s to see how I would do at the 300mg dose - felt even better. Finally she prescribed the single 300mg XL, which my pharmacy filled using the Actavis. It's been about 10 days and I have been very noticeably depressed. I'm going to look into finding a pharmacy with a different generic or try to get the brand name Wellbutrin. Good luck!

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21

Emma—I'm with you on this issue. Actavis is the worst. They've destroyed my life-saving medication, Oxazepam, which is now like taking nothing—even the capsules are only half-filled, with their terribly inferior medicine. As far as Buproprion XL goes I would stay far away from Actavis and go out of your way to find a pharmacy that will special order PAR. PAR is the Bupropion I use and would not use anything else ever. I recently settled for a new trash version (because my pharmacy was out of stock of PAR) from some company called Luprin, and it made me sick as a dog. Find a pharmacy that will get you PAR—I honestly believe it is the only reputable and potent substitute for Wellbutrin on the market.

Hope this helps. I wish PAR made every generic. They are great.

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22

I thought I was crazy and the only one honestly! I have been taking bupropion for about 2 years now. I was originally on the WATSON generic when I started on 150mg and when I was switched to 300mg I was on the actavis generic and honestly i had no side effects or problems. One time my pharmacy sent me a set from ZYDUS and immediately i felt nauseus, headaches drowsiness and no matter how I tried to space it(take it exactly every 24hrs, etc) i was still sick. So I had them resend me the actavis and i was feeling much better. The 300mg curved my agression that i experienced on the 150mg and inproved my mood, I was so productive. When my insurance expired and I had to pay out of pocket one pharmacy gave me GENOA generic and it was horrible, even worse than ZYDUS. I was sick all the time, I just felt like sleeping and I was too nauseous to eat and reeaallly angry. I had change pharmacy because that was the only generic they had, and was given LUPIN. It's not too bad, unless I don't eat before taking the meds. I hate being tied to such a condition because I could take it at any time with ACTAVIS . I eve hace to eat "the right amount" before it staves off the S/E but it kills my appetite. But even when I ate there's some slight drowsiness and some agression but I can control it for the most part I am about to try PAR for the first time tomorrow and I'm so nervous because of the things I went through I just want to be able to function again like i was on ACTAVIS but par is the much cheaper option, and i dont have much money. Any advice for taking PAR? Should I eat? I'm just so scared i'm tired of this

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25

Please see my post from June 8, 2018 at 2:31 a.m. (Debbie). It's very detailed, so I won't repeat it here. You are not alone. Please reply if you need any clarification.

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26

Re: Always Looking for the Pony (# 24) Expand Referenced Message

I have had this problem for some time, noticing multiple times at Walmart or Walgreens when other than Anchen (I believe is PAR - A 101 imprint for 150 mg) was given to me. I always returned it and until now they were able to fill with the right generic. Now they say Walmart no longer gets meds from Anchen. Called CVS but they don’t have any PAR in stock. Will try Target . Thanks for the post saying that they carry PAR. It should be covered but cost a little more based on Express Scripts’ new tier system for Pharmacies.

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