What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 59)

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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UPDATE on Branded Wellbrutrin XL cost with current Valeant Discount Card, Commercial Insurance and Prior Authorization. I have been on Wellbrutrin XL for 11 yrs., I was placed on it through a psychiatrist then switched over to a Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioner to monitor my medications. I have failed 2 times on generics-different manufacturers, both well documented. I was buying through Direct Pharmacy until the program was axed in Nov-Dec 2016. My insurance then did NOT cover the branded at all.. cost was over $1500/month...so I requested my dr obtain the Prior Authorization paperwork from my insurance. She did, I met with her-discussed my history, other options, she completed & faxed in the PA form. We will continue to work together to possibly change up the medication mix I am on so I do not have to deal with this cost factor in the future. Time will tell if that is even an option for me. It took persistence/patience-me documenting who I spoke with/what was discussed & talking to my Human Resource Specialist at work to obtain the PA to be processed however it was approved/processed. With the Valeant Savings Card & approved Prior Authorization my copay was brought down to $15 per bottle (since I take 150ml & 300mil per month) I'm paying now $30 in copays for Wellbrutrin XL. This is my experience & pray others are able to obtain same results. Thank you Valeant for the savings card.

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I called and she said my cost will be between $5.00 and $100.00. Has anyone figured out how that works? I have blue cross insurance which only covers 40 or 50 percent of the cost of name brand drugs. I'm doing ok on the Actavis generic but i was better on the brand name. I can't pay $100 a month so I'm curious who pays $5.00.

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I picked up a 3 month supply of the 300mg (brand) tablets at CVS for $15 using the new coupon. This may change if the cost of Wellbutrin goes up.

And what happens in a year when the card runs out?

FYI - the Sandoz Wellbutrin SRs appear to work; however, the Forfivo didn't

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My first month using direct success I paid $50. Second month it was $5. I don't have insurance . But valeant won't send the coupon to people who don't have insurance ??

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Matt-do you have insurance and which coupon is it you used ?

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Thanks. That's encouraging. I hope it's much less than the 100 that everyone is talking about. I was originally on the 0 copay at direct success but I had to pay 50 in the final months. That was the max that I can pay.

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It really doesn't change my point either way - whether it's Valeant or the government making the decision. Think about it.... Medicare doesn't cover name brand anyway, so if Medicare carriers could use the coupon, it would be no cost to Medicare at all. Where as now my prescription supplement has to cover my generic. However, Valeant has a way to limit the number of people getting Wellbutrin at a huge discount.

Am I missing something here? Is there a logical explanation other than "I'm the government and I say so?" Then again....our government does things that doesn't make sense

As I stated previously, it has no effect on me since I am doing fine on the generic, but I do care about others who are not able to find a substitute.

For the person who asked about the generic I take, it is Bupropion SR by Sandoz. My doctor added a SMALL dose of Adderall and I am better than on the Wellbutrin XL.

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Thank you for that . It's very helpful ! I am going on my second week of generic acatvis after being on brand name and I am not doing well at all . The only way I know to describe it is feeling worthless and being lazy with everything . I have three small kids so it's hard to find time to research all this . Frustrating ??

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Kathy,

The answer to your following question "Am I missing something here? Is there a logical explanation other than "I'm the government and I say so?" Then again....our government does things that doesn't make sense" is quite simple.

The answer to your question is: "There never was and there never will be any generic form of brand Wellbutrin which will duplicate the effects of brand Wellbutrin for everyone."

Everything Valeant does and everything the government does falls out from this very simple fact.

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What I got from turkey is zyban not Wellbutrin. I'm scared to take it.

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When were you notified that the Direct Success program was stopped in Nov 2016? I just found out this morning! I sent them my Rx three weeks ago, they never replied! I have tried generic twice, though I do not know which one/s, both times felt as though I had no medication at all. Now I am trying to get my doctor to call with either generic RX or an alternative medication. I have been on Wellbutrin XL since I think about 2001!

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Thank you SO much for this. I've had reactions to multiple generics and my insurance copay as of Jan 1, 2017 for Wellbutrin 300 XL is over $1,000/month (in Dec 1016 I was paying $100/mo to Direct Success)

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I just was told today by Direct Success that their program ended on Nov. 1 2016. I do have insurance, but it is private, not Medicare. How are you getting them to work with you?

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Jane- Zyban is Wellbutrin. That is just the the name they use when prescribing it for smoking cessation. Same drug, different name for different conditions.

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If it is called different things, are the costs different, too???

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I called and got the discount card with valeant. I went into Walgreens to see if they would accept it and they said since I have no commercial insurance they can't accept it . So I'm stil taking actavis which is terrible for me . But it's better than nothing I guess. ??

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Sunshine2017, I think you can do better than Actavis. Try to get Par and see if you feel different on it. Par's design is much closer to real Wellbutrin.

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Do you happen to know who carries Par? I tried Walgreens, Walmart and target and no luck . Thanks so much for the help!

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Everyone's brain chemistry is different, but PAR Buproprion XL seems to duplicate the effects of Brand Wellbutrin XL for me whereas Anchen and Actavis were disasters for me. No guarantee, but I would give PAR a try.

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THANK YOU! I thought I was going to have to switch to a generic since I am running out of what remains of my last Direct Success order. I found this page today and, thanks to the info in post 1126, I just ordered a coupon which will allow me to stay on the name brand. $100 a month is not as good as $50 but I'm still thrilled to not have to go generic.

*Here is the pertinent info from post 1126: "If you have private insurance (like BCBS, United, Kaiser, etc.) stop freaking out and read the posts carefully. Two days ago a person posted about a NEW coupon from Valeant. I called and it is legit. 877-431-3578.... If you have normal commercial insurance like me (BSBCIL) and they will not cover any portion of the brand name. It will only cost you $100 per month! I know the coupon on the website only covers up to $200. This is new. The woman I spoke to said they will eventually be updating the website coupon but for now you can only get this by calling and through the mail. You can then use the coupon at any local pharmacy (walgreens, cvs, etc.)."

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