What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 56)

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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I agree it makes no sense, but I was told that due to regulations in Canada that differ from US regulations, there could be enough variance to make a difference for some people. When I called Valeant US I was transferred to an area that specifically handles customers with medication issues. They asked me a load of detailed questions, including the history of the different generics, ordering from other Canadian pharmacies, etc. in addition to documenting my experience with the Canadian med by the Valeant. They took my doctor's name and asked permission to contact her. My guess is she passed along the letters she had written for me in effort to convince my insurance to cover the brand name. It would have verified the past history I had shared with the person at Valeant when I called.

On another topic, I was part of the Direct Success program until Jan.2015 when I received a call informing me that anyone on Medicare could no longer participate in the program. It made no sense whatsoever, because Medicare was never billed - they wouldn't cover brand name no matter what. I did the $50/month cash pay. Others doing cash pay (no insurance - under age 65) were allowed to continue. I called back a couple of times to try to get an explanation, but got none. My doctor said that was clearly age discrimination. Figuring that was a losing battle, I started researching the generics once again.

I was just very fortunate to land on the Sandoz sr and have a doctor who realized based on a couple of mild symptoms, that adding in the small amount of adderall would give me what I needed. You have no idea how thankful I am. Yes, it is more complicated to take medication 3 different times a day instead of 1 time, but to feel like myself again, I will gladly deal with it. All I do is set my alarms on my Fitbit as reminders.

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Thanks Kathy!

The Nonmedicinal ingredients of the Canadian Wellbutrin XL (brand) appear to be completely different from the US Wellbutrin XL (brand). The Wellbutrin XL (brand - GSK) from Turkey also has completely different nonmedicinal ingredients than the other two. So the ingredients of Wellbutrin XL (brand) vary from country to country.

FYI - The expiration of the Wellbutrin XL "time release" patent currently ends on October of 2018. Hopefully Valeant will not be allowed to renew/extend the patent considering they're under investigation.

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So it appears there is no new coupon that will work for people who were using direct success. My insurance is refused prior authorization because it has been more than 180 days since I last tried and failed with a formulary drug. My DR recommended I try fourfivo. It's one pill bupropion 450mg. Has anyone tried it?

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I confirmed the RX Discount card found at wellbutrinxl.com/savings will work through 2017. Under terms the second bullet point states the card is only good through 12/31/16 however I was told the website has not been fully updated yet but will be. I too take 450 (2 pills/month). I have NOT heard of that 1 pill 450mg. I will let you know if my insurance requires I trial this first. NO WAY will I be placing my job at risk for my insurance company to be satisfied.. I will do whatever I must do to gain approval..however we all know sometimes it just doesn't matter. I'll post once I gather more details.

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Direct Success called today with the dreaded news that they are discontinuing their awesome program - it was $50/month for me for brand name Wellbutrin XL.

Prior to Direct Success I filled my prescription from Canada - Big Mountain Drugs - had to specify brand name made by Valeant - it is $179 for 90 day supply (300mg)

Checked my insurance - brand name is not covered - one month, yes ONE month is now $1500.00 - $50 per pill - so the co-pay program is of no use to me - that $200/month discount takes my total down to a whopping $1300/month. I like to be able to eat and have a roof over my head.

Back to Canada for brand name Wellbutrin XL - I did fine on it prior to Direct Success.

If anyone hears of a new program, I trust this page will be updated.

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My boyfriend was using the direct success pharmacy because he had problems with generics previously. He takes buproprion XL 150mg. We just tried one by Actavis and he has been anxious, depressed, having a horrible to sleeping... He's a mess. He is currently 1 1/2 yrs from his PhD in Physics and he doesn't need anything else making things difficult. (This medication and access to it has been a problem over the past 6yrs)

I filed a report on the FDA med watch site, it's a bunch of crap but I called Walgreens to get the lot # and the ndc # and they gave it to me no problem. (You may have to talk to someone actually in the pharmacy and not their call center, not sure because I called the store then had them transfer me)

Here is the website: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch

If we all make reports, they'll have to do something. It's absolute crap that they allow two separate patents on the medication and it's time release mechanism! THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DAMN STUFF WORK! Without that time release it's essentially a different medication! It should be illegal and they need to take the ones off the market and fix this whole situation. Now that Valeant is not with direct success so many people are screwed. We need to all speak up if anything is going to be done about it! This isn't "oh just a little headache" this is completely turning someone's life and their loved ones lives upside down.

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Hi Hope,

I am in the same situation as you are. Can you tell me how you get the medication from Canada? Which website do you use? I think that is my only option at this point but I am concerned about getting counterfeit pills and would like to use a pharmacy that someone has used before. Thanks!

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So, with the price increase on brand Wellbutrin XL, and the discontinuation of the manufacturer's guarantee program with Direct Success Pharmacy, I'm done. I'm not fighting anymore for Wellbutrin XL brand, and I'm not taking the generic and hoping for the best and worrying which manufacturer made every refill I get (I ended up in the hospital once from it - my heart was going bananas). I have been fighting to get the brand for 20 years and it looks like I've hit the end of the road, and need a new solution. I think I found it.

When I started Wellbutrin 20 years ago, I took 300 mg SR (brand) and life was great. I was happy, not overweight, and didn't smoke. At some point I was switched to 300 mg XL (brand). Over time, it felt like it wasn't working anymore, so I ended up on 450 mg XL (brand). It was better but not great, and to be honest, in recent months, I felt like it wasn't working at ALL. I don't know why I never made the connection before, but now I think it was the XL delivery mechanism that was the problem for me, even with the brand.

So, with XL being off the table, I thought I'd try to go back to SR, but the brand is crazy expensive (not as bad as XL) and I read that there have been issues with delivery of generic SR. Then I figured out that since the delivery mechanism was what had been causing the problems with the generic (basically dumping it out too fast into my system), it might be good to go with the immediate release (IR) generic form of the drug, since there's really no delivery mechanism to speak of that could get screwed up and I could control the amount that was dumped in, so to speak.

From my first dose of IR yesterday, I felt different. My body isn't loving the new immediate release (I'm really spacey, headachy, anxious) but I'm going to give it a chance for those side effects to sort themselves out, because suddenly, my appetite is controlled, and I don't want to smoke as much. The Wellbutrin XL did NOTHING for either of those things, and I'd love to have those side effects back! I'm starting to get a glimpse of what might be better depression control, too (twinges of motivation and a feeling that there are some gaps forming in the fog in my brain).

So I thought I'd put that out there, for those wondering what the heck to do now that Wellbutrin XL no longer has the guarantee program to keep the cost down (my cost - with insurance - was going to be $3K per MONTH). It might be good to give generic IR a try. Anyone else have any thoughts or experience with generic IR?

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@Kathy: Does the Sandoz SR release consistently throughout its 12 hour span?

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Scout-
I am not sure about the IR generic (the four generics I have tried were SR) but I can vouch for the incredible efficacy of the name brand IR....Too bad they stopped making it. I have been fighting with the insurance company ever since to get back on name brand. It was an incredible difference.
Maybe I should give the IR generic a shot. But I am so tired of the games in regards to the whole thing. I am sick of chasing down the "right" generic and the horrible side effects when my quest fails. I've been off everything since August and it sucks. This whole thing sucks.

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I have the same problem. generics DO NOT work for me in this medication. Such a sad state of affairs to be forced to take a worthless version while constantly being told generic is just the same as name brand. i jave been on Zydos 300 mg xl. it has given a small amount of relief nothing like the name brand. today i come from walgreens and find a NEW generic ACTAVIS. will post if theres any improvement in symptoms.

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@Matt, the release of the Sandoz SR seems to be consistent to me. You may have seen in a former post, that after a couple of months on the Sandoz SR, my doctor added a very small dose of Adderall. My energy levels in late afternoon were low and I was still having some "brain fog". As far as my depression goes, that generic worked great, as well as the brand Wellbutrin. I admit, I was dubious for the first few months, because the other generics I had tried stopped working within 3 months at best, or gave me bad side effects right away at the worst. Those others were all XL though. Makes me wonder if I would be fine with other generics as long as they are the 2X/day formula. This generic plus the Adderall (that's a generic, too) works better for me than brand name Wellbutrin XL.

Taking 2X/day does take more effort, but I wear my Fitbit all the time anyway, so I just set vibration alarms on that. Additionally, since Wellbutrin (brand or generic) has always made it more difficult to fall asleep, I take my first dose at 3 a.m. - just put it on my nightstand with a cup of water and my Fitbit vibration alarm wakes me, and I just reach over and take it and go back to sleep. I take the second dose at 3 p.m., so they are evenly spaced.

I also posted previously that the brand name - Wellbutrin XL from Canada by Valeant is definitely a different formula than the US one by Valeant. That was confirmed by Valeant here in the US when I called after finding the Canadian one did NOT work for me. I was told that Canadian regulations are different, whatever that means. They actually have a specific department that handles complaints. If you call there, be prepared to answer a lot of questions about your history with the brand name and generics. At this point, my doctor suggested I try the SR generic.

I wish you success in finding something that works for you.

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I called Valeant directly. They have a new card starting today ($5 with insurance, $100 without). 877-431-3578. Good Luck to you.

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MS Chick - thanks for the info on brand IR. I think they must have started making it again, because I can find it on my CVS Caremark cost estimator. It's like $600 a month - ugh. I know what you mean about the game. I am determined to find something that works consistently as a generic, so I can quit playing the game. So far, I don't know - this generic IR is kind of sucky. I've never had anxiety problems and it's through the roof right now at 2x 100 mg. I was at 450 on XL and didn't have anxiety. UGH. But if I can get there, it will be worth it to not be a slave to the whims of the big pharma jackasses. :)

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Thank you so much for posting this. I just called and they are sending me the discount card.

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Actavis is the one I filed a report on. It's the only brand they carry for that generic right now :/

Boyfriend stopped taking it 2 days ago and is feeling a lot better, working on trying to find another pharmacy that has a different brand.

Good luck!

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Just so everyone knows the discount card on Valeant's site covers a MAXIMUM of 200$ ONLY!
And has been on their site for some time, it's nothing new, I found it when they kicked the direct success pharmacy program.
So for people who's have to pay 500$+ a month, this is little help. 300$+ a month is highway robbery, for that price it better have a side effect of crapping gold.

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There is a new discount card! Today is correct. I just called they are sending it to me now. It will take 5-7 days but I can use it at Walgreens or any other regular pharmacy. The cost is $100 if you have commercial insurance that does not cover it.

The woman on the phone said the website coupon would eventually be updated to this one. However, at this time, the only way to access it is by calling and getting it through mail.

Get excited! I know it's still a lot of money but for me $1200 a year is a lot more affordable than $1200 a month.

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I as many others am retired and medicare and or tie in plan will not cove welbutrin xl brand, who can possibly afford the cost? Please someone tell me why this drug is so expensive? It has been around a long time but there is something magical about it. I cannot go without it but cannot spend $1000 a month f

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Walgreens has told me Zydus is no longer available. I was told they discontinued making the generic buproprion XL 300. I've been stable on that generic for 2 years and doing fine. They switched me to Actavis this last month and I have had 4 panic attacks and daily anxiety. Just doesn't release the same. It seems to dump all the medication in the first 12 hours and then I struggle for the next 12 hours. Working on trying to get name brand, I start student teaching in two weeks and this could literally not be worse timing.

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