Has Anyone Tried The Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Sr Made By Sun Pharma Bupropion Hcl (Top voted first)

Hi - I just got a perscription for the Sun Pharma generic version of Wellbutrin SR (Bupropion HCL SR). Has anyone had success with this one? If not which generic version have you had success with?

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REPORT

CVS stopped carrying the Watson generic in March and supply only Sun Pharma brand of Bupropion, which is manufactured in India and distributed in the U.S. by CARACO Pharmaceutical Labs based in Detroit. The pills I took in March were much smaller than any other generic Wellbutrin I have seen before. At 1st I thought I was having a gluten reaction as I posted above. However, a few days after my post, I went to a privately owned pharmacy and was able to get the Watson tablets from them. The 1st one I took- I could feel the difference! There may or may not be gluten in the Sun Pharma, but I can say with certainty there is little to no actual Wellbutrin in it! My depression eased up immediately on the Watson but I noticed that I felt a little jittery for the 1st 4 or 5 days like I was taking it for the 1st time. I filed a report with the CDER procedure at the FDA website. I can look for the link and post it here. CARACO has been sited by the FDA regarding numerous irregularities in others of its meds and has even had several meds confiscated by the FDA for non compliance!

However, the only way this pill will get pulled so no one else has a problem like we have had, is for other people like you to file reports. So far it is still on the market. I worry about the people who don't realize that the pill isn't working properly who sink into deeper and deeper depression...

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The Sandoz generic Wellbutrin SR 200 is doing its job! I feel so much better than I have in a very long time. I highly recommend it.

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Anyone have different reactions when given Sun Phama after having been taken Maylan manufacturing one's??? I have been on the Generic Welbutrin SR 150 for 2 months. One a day then 3 weeks ago switched to 2 150 SR taking 1 twice a day. I had always been given the Mylan lab ones and have never had any issues at all with it. I have tolerated them fine, sadly not even weight loss. Anyway, today I refilled my script and first was given only 10 of the 60 because they didn't have enough and told to come back next week for the rest. In the car I noticed they looked totally different from the Mylan. I went back in the lady who filled it said they are totally the same just a different manufacturer. I said I rather stick to the same manufacturer I have tolerated well. She said they only had the Sun Pharma ones and it is the same and had no idea if they would get the Maylan in to fill the rest of my script or the Sun Pharma again anyway. So, I took my 2nd dose with the Sun Phama one, my first dose this morning was my last Maylan one. Within an hour or less after taken the Sun Phama I am anxious, jittery, hyped u[p, inpatient, it feels like a weight is on my chest and have a slight headach. None of this ever happened with the Maylan manufacturer ones. Its not my imagination, I feel horrible and nervous. I cannot do two more months on the Sun Pharma ones and that is what my script is for 2 months worth of fills. I call another Walgreens as that was where this happened, to see if they had the Maylan figuring I'd just get the rest there, they didn't but said this will probably pass after using the Sun Pharma a few days. I said it feels too bad to keep taking! (And I have to drive to another state for a wedding this week, now I have to deal with this feelings and new side effects) so she said if another drug store not a Walgreens had Maylan they could call the insurance co. and request the script be switched over to them, but I paid Walgreens my co pay and have 10 of my script from them already which I will gladly give back. The other drug store said its not that easy since Walgreens partially filled the script already but tomorrow since Walgreens was already closed tonight she will call Walgreens and see what can be done to switch it to them because they carry the Maylan kind. Anyway, what is happening?? Why would I feel so diffidently on the same drug just a different manufacturer? Walgreens said "There is no difference its the same ingredients and levels and anyone who claims they had different reactions from one manufacturer over another or the generic vs not generic is imagining it". But, I just can't keep taking these and feeling this way when the other manufacturer's felt fine. Actually, to be honest the Maylan ones didn't feel like they were doing anything even at the 300 mg a day 1x2, so the Sun Pharma reaction I am having now is very noticeable and uncomfortable. Maybe the Maylan was quietly helping a little I'm not sure.

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I'm having that same reaction jittery and anxious from the sun pharmactical ones.

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I just started the sun pharma brand 2 days ago, Friday night took the first sun pharma. Woke up Saturday morning and took another sun pharma pill. Saturday afternoon I had to take Advil and lay in a dark bedroom because the headache was so bad. Woke up from a 2hr nap and felt good. Took the evening pill and went to bed. Woke up today, Sunday morning with another headache! This is not cool!

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Lori:

I have had negative experiences with both Sun Pharma and Actavis versions of bupropion 100 SR (aka Wellbutrin 100 SR). Both were manufactured in India by companies with shady histories.

On the other hand, I had done well with the Sandoz version (Swiss company but who knows where the medication is manufactured) - this is a bright blue tablet.

Note that Sunpharma recently acquired Ranbaxy, another Indian pharmaceutical mfg outfit.

Several years ago there was a long article in the NY Times magazine regarding Indian-sourced bupropion - in this case the 300 mg long release version. The upshot was that the tablets did not contain a therapeutic dose of bupropion (read this as zero medication). This was, perhaps, due to poor QC at the plant or shorter shelf life of the Indian formulation. Or out-and-out fraud. I tend towards the latter - but I'm a lifelong skeptic when it comes to products sourced by large conglomerates - especially ones based in Asia - from kite string to specialty steel, I'm a 'show me' kind of person (although not from Missouri).

My takeaway is to avoid ANY Indian- or Chinese-sourced generic medications - the US FDA is just shuffling papers submitted by these outfits and they could be sending us chalk pills for all the US Gov't cares.

wb

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WillRNMS, I find it interesting that you say that considering Sun Pharmaceuticals recently had to recall this very generic. Plus the FDA has banned many of their generic brands due to problems at the manufacturing plant.
Generics can be a dicey game. Bio-equivalence isn't the same thing. Inactive ingredients are a misnomer... they do have an effect on people. Gluten and lactose are often used as fillers; what about the people who have an intolerance to those ingredients?!? The problem is the isolationist approach of Western medicine. The think they can find one magic isolated ingredient (or vitamin, or antioxidant, or element) and it will solve anything. Life doesn't exist in a vacuum...Medicine needs to regarded as a whole. There is the same problem with the approach to nutrition in this country. You can easily witness that with the latest dad in" healthy" foods. Now everything is gluten free, before that was antioxidants and carbs. Remember the Oat Bran fad? This isn't how our systems work, nor should it be how they are treated.
And yes, I could tell the difference on some generics blindfolded. Years ago it was with my birth control. On brand was great; I had no issues and it actually helped with my dysmenorrhea. The next brand made things worse and made me incredibly nauseous. So yes, they did probably perform the basic function the same, but in the broader picture it was nowhere near close.
The same with the Wellbutrin. We are talking people's brain chemistry here. Something that is delicate, has widespread consequences and we still understand little about. It is incredibly insulting and misguided to dismiss and belittle our struggles with these drugs. Not to mention that several bupropion generics haveve been pulled from the market for non-effectiveness since the generics became available. Big Pharma has proven that its primary concern is profits, not the consumer. We are merely attempting to hold them accountable and get the drug that we were promised.

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Note that the FDA allows some leeway in terms of the variability allowed in the active ingredient. So, one generic may have more or less of the active ingredient (vs. another generic). I have had good luck with the Mylan brand for years. Recently, my insurance changed and I have to pay full price for prescriptions until a deductible is reached. I was looking around at pricing and noticed that the Sun brand is much cheaper, however I honestly wouldn't trust any generic coming from India. There is just too much corruption in that country.

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I've had an even worse reaction than you guys! I had terrible nausea, anger, mood swings, and weird dreams and only been on the Sun pharma brand for 3 days!!!! Bupron SR 150 is the name of it and has no imprint on a white round pill. Anybody get this one before?

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Has anyone taken the solco generic Wellbutrin? Curious as to what reactions people have had.

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I was taking the original brand of Wellbutrin 300XL since it was first approved in 1996. Over the last year, I've tried generics by Anchin, Watson and the Canadian "brand" by Valeant. None of these generics worked for me. Don't be fooled by the Canadian brand by Valeant - it's just another cheap generic. The problem is that the time-release mechanism doesn't work properly in these generics, and the FDA allows them to use only 80% of the original formula. So, there were only two choices for me: 1) pay $1300 per month for the original US Glaxo-Valeant brand, or 2) try the only generic that has a good reputation - Sandoz 150sr (twice per day). Fortunately, the Sandoz generic works almost as well as the original, and I'm adjusting to the minor differences. If you don't have insurance, you'll need to order Sandoz from a independent pharmacy. The cost is around $100 per month (however, there may be discounts or coupons available). If you have health insurance, you can request this specific generic through your insurance company's mail order pharmacy and they'll special-order it for you. Then, you'll only pay the regular generic price under your plan.

I've been reading, researching and experimenting with the various dosages because Valeant (who owns the US rights for the original Glaxo version) is a greedy, unethical and opportunistic company who has raised the cost of the original US brand to over $1,300. As of Aug. 2016, Valeant has been under criminal investigation by Federal prosecutors, and the ex-CFO and ex-CEO are the focus of a criminal probe. It's simply outrageous that this 20 year old medication (Wellbutrin 300xl and 150xl) have been priced to gauge the public due to lack of quality competition. So,the best solution for me was to switch over to Sandoz 150sr which was the only alternative that came close to the original. It's amazing how many people are searching for a viable alternative to the $1300 US brand - and my best advice to those who are seeking a replacement is to try the Sandoz. Good luck!

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I just filled out a report on the fda website using the link above. I am getting serious headaches, jittery, irritable, exhaustion from not sleeping or when I do
fall asleep I keep waking up and not eating. I have been on bupropion for 3 years and not had reactions like this.

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it is definitely the sun pharmaceuticals generic version that is causing this. I am going to call my insurance and pharmacy to have them switch them out - hopefully I can do this without a lot of fuss. since the sun pills are not working properly I have very little tolerance for issues and having trouble handling things like this

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Lori, let me know how you do...and thank you filing a report about the sun pharma/caraco generic Wellbutrin. I am reposting the link for the FDA reporting page. I encourage anyone who is having a problem with any of the available generic Wellbutrin compounds to file a report. We rely on this med to do what it's supposed to do and if the generics are substandard, we need to make some noise not just on this chat site, but where it can make a difference:

fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm354560.htm#Submit

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I had a miserable time a year ago on the Sun Pharma Bupropion 200 SR. After a month I realized that it was the new generic (to me) that had me in bed crying every day- not a pretty picture! It took several months for me to find a different generic that works for me- the Sandoz. Others on this thread don't seem to like it, but it works for me.

If you are up to it, please use the link I posted in another message below to file a CDER report with the FDA!

In a year of posting in various forums on generic Wellbutrin sold by Caraco and produced by Sun Pharma, i have never seen anything but problems regarding this compound! I think it is inexcusable for a worthless medication to be allowed to continue to be sold enmasse. IMO, this drug is harmful and dangerous to those of us who rely on WB to alleviate depression!!!!!

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Hey guys. What did your pill actually look like from Sun Pharma? Did it have any imprints? Please tell me why mine had nothing on it?!?!

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Please be careful and don't take the sun pharmaceutical generic version
It took me more than a month after I stopped taking then to feel more like me. It is scary that the FDA hasn't pulled this brand. The last thing u need when u are trying to overcome depression is to get a pill that makes u feel worse

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Thank you all for sharing your experiences with this drug. I started taking it in early July and gradually was getting more depressed every week. I couldn’t stop crying...had a mild headache, and seemed much more edgy in the car than usual. I started crying this morning when I was walking my dog and realized the only thing different is the change med from SUN. I am so thankful that I logged on and saw all of your stories with the drug. I filled out an FDA report. I called OPTUM RX and they said they would report it. Now I have to have my doctor do a prior authorization call with OPTUM RX to see if I can get the brand name Wellbutrin and hopefully start living my life again. Thank you again for sharing your stories. I really appreciate it.

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The sun pharma generic Wellbutrin is dangerously bad, as reported on this page by me and others here. A year later, I am still doing fine on the Sandoz generic. I hope you are doing well - try the Sandoz if not!!!

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The aforementioned eye stutter could well be due to Magnesium deficiency, as twitching and similar are common symptoms of this. Magnesium plays many roles in the brain, including production of certain neurotransmitters. Taking antidepressants, specifically reuptake inhibitors of Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine etc. can deplete not only those neurotransmitters, but also the factors needed to produce them. This is why it's important to get dietary sources of Tryptophan when on SSRIs, and Tyrosine when on SNRIs/NDRIs (Bupropion). Magnesium is a good supplement to take in this situation, along with Vitamin D.

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