What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 55)

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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@Crybaby. Call your insurance and explain that that 90 day prescription isn't working. They will probably work with you to approve an earlier refill. I had to do it once. I'm on Actavis for the second time. So far I'm doing ok. It's been around a month. It's the generic available one with the least side effects. I tried it a few years ago and after about 2 months I thought it wasn't working as well as my old Watson. But Watson is off the market, the brand is too expensive, and Par and Mylan had negative side effects, I'm trying to make this one work. It's interesting how this drug and the many versions have so many different effects on different people. Good luck.

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Direct Sucess Pharmacy will give you a coupon and run it with or without insurance for brand name Wellbutrin! Copay is $100. I rather pay that then take the horrible generic.

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Direct Sucess Pharmacy. Brand name Wellbutrin for $100/month.

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3 people in my family take Wellbutrin. ALL 3 INDEPENDENTLY scorned SANDOZ. I tried and I had to agree because I had always preached to them that it was all the same. NOT SO.
Get WATSON and demand this. There is a HUGE difference. It's the first time in 30 years that I could really tell a difference. I hope this helps. Bill G.

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It is amazing how each generic can be either effective or ineffective for different people. I have read a lot about it and I have never seen a generic that all liked or all hated. Sandoz has been awesome for me and Watson was a disaster. Some people get lucky and find one right for them, and others have to suffer through trial after trial. The Sandoz SR has been better than the brand name Wellbutrin SR or XL. Strange, but I am very thankful.

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They told me a months supply will be over $1500. Huge difference from the past several years. I don't know why our information is so different! ?

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I'm sorry you guys have to pay so much. I do not like being "old" and "disabled". but it does have a good point....my wife only pays .50 by being on disability. I take Methadone so that is one of the BEST cures EVER. I haven't been depressed in the 30 years I've been on it. I wish you well. BG

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Methadone is a painkiller not an antidepressant. That's like comparing apples to oranges.

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I agree for some generic works just fine. I have not ever run into a antidepressant that the generic has been this bad for so many. FDA should be stepping in again and put the hammer down. I'm all for generics if the delivery systems and peak times are all the same. With this medication It is blantly..obvious once switched to generic it is not. . Not even the same between different manufacturers. Hats off to Direct Pharmacy for placing your customers first. At least in my situation cost went down tremendously. Keep doing what your doing so others benefit as well.

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Direct Success called me today and told me they are no longer doing the Wellbutrin Program. Has anyone else gotten this call? Has anyone filled their Wellbutrin Rx with Direct Success since Monday Dec 21. They told me today that the 21st is when they were notified that they were no longer authorized to run the program.

Does anyone know if Valeant has picked another pharmacy to run the program with? Direct Sucess wouldn't give me a name. My Rx was due to be refilled in 2 days, so I am running short on time to refill before I run out. I'm not thrilled that Direct Sucess waited until I had 6 days of pills left to tell me I would have to pay $1200 for my next refill. Any Help would be GREATLY Appreciated.

Thanks! a

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Yes same here for Direct Pharmacy. There is a patient coupon online. Here is the NEW PLACE to obtain a coupon: "Wellbutrin-xl-coupon". I do this for another medication and it works. I have not used this yet. However I'm checking it today and if it works I'll post my results.

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Walgreens switched to Solco....I was all over the place so I tapered off of it. Where do you fill a prescription for Watson? I feel like I need to be back on bupropion but can't go back to Walgreens.

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Cost of Wellbutrin XL 300mg (brand) is currently set to ~$1500 (1 month supply). Note that this is with insurance.

The coupon brings the total down to the $1300 range; however, this is still way to high.

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$1500!! That's daylight robbery. I feel sad for the people who have been depending on the Brand med via Direct Success. If this forces anyone back to a generic, it would be worth trying several manufacturers out. As can be seen here, generic Wellbutrin XL differs in effect by manufacturer. I am aware of Sandoz, Par, Actavis, Mylan. Are there any others?

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Does anyone know if the Wellbutrin XL (brand) from Canada is much better than the generics in the US? Or if someone has tried a combination of the two?

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Watson = Actavis

However, not sure if the ingredients of Wellbutrin XL remained the same after Actavis merged with Watson.

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The bupropion from Actavis is completely different from the older Watson version. Actavis is a larger tablet using an erodible matrix, whereas Watson was very similar to Wellbutrin, including its use of a porous membrane.

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The brand name Wellbutrin XL from Valeant in Canada is NOT a bioequivalent of the US Valeant Wellbutrin XL. That was confirmed by the company here in the US. I called there after trying the brand name from Canada and it not working for me.

I know all too well that different generics work for some and not for others, but if you are in the position of having to switch to a generic, I suggest considering trying the bupropion sr (2x/day). The buprpopion sr by Sandoz has been almost identical to the US Wellbutrin XL. My doctor also added a very small dose of Adderall. The result has been that I am FINALLY myself again.

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I was on Wellbutrin sr 100 mg twice a day & was getting it free through the drug company 'til it went generic. I have no drug coverage & am on many drugs for different problems. I had to stop it 'cause the generic is way too high for me to pay! It's been quite awhile since I've been on it & I can tell that I do need it! Our government needs to do something about these drug companies charging so much that many people can't afford the drugs that they need! I have no idea on how to get them from Canada or which companies there are the best to buy drugs from! I learned the hard way not to go off meds cold turkey. I didn't know & went off Nexium nearly a year ago....paid dearly....OMG! I am still messed up from it....have IBS, etc. now!

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Kathy: I cannot imagine any real basis for either GlaxoKlineSmith (USA) or Valeant (Canada) to claim that their Wellbutrin XLs are different from each other. They each have usage rights for the permeable membrane technology, so there is no reason for them to have different pharmacokinetics.

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