What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 27)

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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That's too bad about the Teva Budeprion Geminiguy. Are there any other options you could try that would be less expensive?

I started taking Welbutrin because I was diagnosed with depression and ADD. But it never really helped at all with the ADHD symptoms. So I have recently started on Vyvanse to treat the ADHD and I am considering cutting out the bupropion all together, since ADHD is the primary condition and the Vyvanse also has an antidepressant effect. In the meantime, I am beginning to recover from my ordeal and I am going to try the Mylan-Bupropion XL again to confirm that it was the cause. If I start to feel nauseated again I'll know to stop it right away and I can stop and report it. And go yell at the pharmacist who should have known better because I have told them repeatedly not to give me a generic.

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The current less expensive option is brand Wellbutrin XL from the Wellbutrin XL Guarantee Program. I've started the third day on it from the Direct Success Pharmacy. So far, I haven't noticed any mood shift, loss of libido or ED but need to give it more time before any conclusions can be reached. If successful, $600 a year on Direct Success Pharmacy brand Wellbutrin XL is better than $3,600 a year on local pharmacy brand Wellbutrin XL. There actually were two other options I tried, neither of which was successful. According to my pdoc, latest thinking on bipolar disorder is to try to ween off an of anti-depressant completely after being stabilized for about a year. But to try to ween down from 150 mg a day to none would be too much of a jump. It should be done by weening down to 75 mg and then to none. But brand Wellbutrin XL is not available in 75 mg form. Another money saver was to try and use Budeprion SR, which was not pulled from the market like Budeprion XL was. In theory, two SR tablets a day should duplicate the effects of one XL tablet a day. But it didn't work for me. I felt like I was going hypomanic again, which for me manifested itself in extreme irritability and rage. So for now, the Direct Success Pharmacy Wellbutrin XL appears to be the best option. assuming it works in the long run. Even if they discontinue the program, I'll pay the $3,600. For me, despite the cost it's the only way my wife and I can have a semblance of quality of life.

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Well, I won't comment on the 'quality of life' issue. Only you can determine how important something is to your overall wellbeing. I guess I'm just too old for it to matter much to me anymore.

I don't understand any of the stuff about pricing and Guarantee Program and Direct Success Pharmacy. Assuming that it's a US thing. I'm in Canada. I am not sure what the cost is here because I was covered for the last two years by my husband's disability support. But I don't remember paying any more than maybe $75-$80/month before that. My memory is not very reliable though, between the depression and the ADD.

I have nearly been diagnosed as bipolar every time I went for a psychiatric assessment. It's a fairly common misdiagnosis for people with ADHD because of our difficulty regulating emotions. It's rare for me, but I do get what you could call hypo manic from time to time, even almost manic on occasion. So I can understand how it feels. I hope your current treatment plan works out for you. :)

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Quality of life applies to the people around you, not just yourself. Before I was diagnosed and treated I was a mental wreck and brought this down on my wife as well as myself. I'm currently stable on brand Wellbutrin XL 150 mg and Lamotrogine (generic Lamictal) 100 mg. In a poor attempt at gallows humor, I like to say the Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) keeps me from suicide and the Lamotrogine (mood stabilizer) keeps me from thinking I'm God. As long as they continue to work, I plan on staying on them for the rest of my life with no attempt to ween down or off and no more playing shell games with the joke called generic Wellbutrin. Went cyclothymic around the age of 20 and cycled for a good two years straight and then bouts of it off and on until the age of 55 when I went full-blown Bipolar II. One of the lucky ones to be stable on low side effect medication. According to my pdoc, only about one-third improve with medication, one-third stay the same and one-third get worse.

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When I took Wellbutrin XL, TEVA Budeprion XL, Anchen XL, and Actavis XL, I didn't experience any mood swing whatsoever with any of these forms of Buproprion. However, I did experience loss of libido, ED and upset stomach with Anchen and loss of libido and ED with Actavis. If I didn't care about loss of libido, ED and upset stomach, Anchen would have been perfectly acceptable with me. If I didn't care about loss of libido and ED, Actavis would have been perfectly acceptable with me. But since I went bipolar, my mind has switched on and off at different times between loss of libido and ED and the complete opposite effect of loss of libido and ED (if you get my drift). It's disconcerting when your mind acts like a switch many times beyond your control but it's an effect of being bipolar for which there is no cure, only control through medication.

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Was your libido good on the name brand? I'm on the anchen xl 150. I currently have loss of libido.( my husband's not to fond of that but he tries to understand ) I'm currently waiting for the approval papers from the doctor sent to my insurance to go through to start getting the name brand. I've never been on name brand but I'm switching due to less side effects from the brand name. I'm hoping it increases my libido too because it really is important in a marriage to keep that going.

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Libido was good on both brand Wellbutrin XL and Budeprion XL. No good on Anchen and Actavis. But it's impossible to predict the effect on someone else. There's absolutely no way of knowing how a medication affects you until you try it. I've experienced loss of libido and ED when I went bipolar and was not on medication as well after being diagnosed and on Anchen and Actavis. I've also been suicidal when I was not on medication without any feeling of any depression whatsoever. So you could be depressed and not even know it and the depression itself could result in loss of libido. Bottom line is that no one can know what the effect of medication is until they try it.

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After taking the Watson generic of Wellbutrin XL 150 mg for almost 3 years and being relatively happy with it, all of a sudden they don't make it anymore. I went to pick up my prescription and it was these huge oval shaped pills - not at all like the little round white ones. I asked who the manufacturer is and they said Global. Has anyone ever heard of them? I asked at another pharmacy and they said Mylan - green pills, didn't see them. Any suggestions on a generic that you like? Thanks

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My pharmacy gave me Global too. I didn't like them. I got a lot of mucus in my head from it, I guess my body trying to eject a foreign substance. I felt spacey and tired. After two weeks I went ahead and ponied up the $300+ to get name brand. Then I joined Direct Success and i just ordered my first 90-day supply. The woman did assure me that these are the name brand pills, they get them only directly from Valeant who is the current manufacturer of the name brand. So I am hoping for the best. It is $50 a month.

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I never post to these, but just lurk and read. But I have to say Thank You to the people who mentioned the Wellbutrin Xl guarantee program. What a God send you are. I have had severe stomach pain and finally connected to my generic welbutrin. I had this before and found one that worked for me. I have been taking this for around 10 yrs. It did take a couple years for me and my daughter, who is a pharmacy tech, to connect the dots. recently I began having the same problem. The real kicker came when I totally crashed and spent the weekend either screaming at my husband, crying or sleeping. We discovered that I had been taking a different generic. The Watson name brand I had taken for so long was no longer being made. So I have guinea pigged the others again, only to have the same problem. My psych doc closed his practice a year ago. So I have just been seeing a nurse practitioner. But the doc did give me his cell phone number just in case I ever needed him. After my horrific weekend I sent him a text. Bless the mans heart, he called me within 15 minutes, even though he was up in Maryland instead of here in KY. He told me that the generic was my problem and tha I needed the name brand meds. Now I ran into the problem of the insurance not covering the name brand. Well who can afford $500 a month for one medication? I certainly can't. So I was trying to do some research today and found this column. Like I said before Thank God. Hopefully by Monday I will be hearing from the company to set up the shipping information. Thank You everyone for all the information.

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Darla, I have been taking generic for a month. Had 4 really good days right out of the gate, then it all vanished and was replaced with headaches. I just found out about the Direct Success Guarantee program, too, and I can get it for free. I have to see my psychiatrist on Tuesday to write a brand only prescription, but then I'm going to order it and switch over. Good luck to you. Let me know how you do, I look forward to hearing the results.

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How's it working so far?

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I have not received mine yet, should get it next week. They said it would take 7-10 days to get to me in California by UPS ground, so I paid extra to have it shipped 2nd day air (because I lost track of time and forgot to order ahead). I don't know why someone there would tell someone that these are not the name brand. I have asked twice and been assured that they are. I hope they are. I had better see exactly the same label and pill as what I have now. If not, they will have some 'splaining to do.

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Nice! Good to know. I also live in CA so I plan on 2nd day air when I get my new prescription on Tues. How much was it to ship, if you don't mind me asking?

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I live in chicago and am having a difficult time finding Mylan 150 XL
Got them at walgreens before but now they are not a reliable source. Any one have a recommendation how to get? I have tried the Anchen in the past and they were unsuccessful. All other pharmacies in this area do not carry Mylan. I think due to it being the most expensive generic. Is PAR the same as anchen? CVS has PAR and I'm getting desperate. Any suggestions appreciated.

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PAR bought out Anchen. I called the local pharmacy and asked for a visual description of the PAR tablet. Per the description I received, it appears to be the Anchen tablet. I used Anchen in the past and it didn't work but I did remember what the tablet looked like.

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It was an extra $27. But I got a 90-day supply, and agreed to automatic shipping for the next supply because I surely will forget again.

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It was explained to me by a hometown pharmacist that Watson and Actavis is now one in the same. Watson acquired Actavis and opted to distribute under their name. I to had been on the Watson XL for years and now told no longer offered. After much push back and been told that I would receive Watson Wellbrutin....I received those oval pills by Actavis. My husband had to pick up my prescription..they told him it was by Watson. I had him asked because I didn't want them if not. It wasn't until later I got home and of course on a Friday after the offices had closed therefore left with no choice. I've personally experienced headaches since being forced to take the oval Actavis pill. I 've tried other generic....Aschen and Phar....if given a choice I probably would have opted for Phar....not a good experience with Acshen either.

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I just called Valeant (manufacturer of brand name Wellbutrin XL) & they directed me to the Direct Success Pharmacy when I explained my insurance will no longer pay for brand name. (I've tried generic & had numerous side effects). The manufacturer said they will provide brand name & they offer this program for patients like us. Direct Success has to call my pharmacy to confirm my prescription & I'm waiting for a call back. I'm so glad I came upon this message board! :)

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My experience with Canadian pharmacies is that they charge a LOT less for the same meds. Example, Welbutrin XL 150mg is $600 at Walgreen's for 90 pills and is $95 for the same at Pharmacy RX World, Toronto. My insurance will now only pay for generic Welbutrin and that is a no go with me. I have ordered from Pharmacy RX World for other medications of several years. I live in the USA.

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