What Is The Best Generic Version Of Wellbutrin Xl - Watson Or Anchen? (Page 63)

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 about the Sandoz SR. It has worked for me. I know too well that a certain meds work for some, and not others. However, if you have not tried this generic, give it a try.

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I decided to just stick with Par and finally last week the depression feelings started to lift. I actually found three name brand Wellbutrin in my drawer and took one yesterday and it seemed to be less strong than the Par . Sounds crazy but true. So I'm going to stick with Par for now and pray it doesn't wear off

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I've been a Buproprion (Wellbutrin) SR and XL user for a decade. I even had the really bad generic Budeprion (by Teva, discontinued. Huge scandal). These are my thoughts:

The dispersion mechanism is the root differentiator of all of these. Seems that even the tiniest difference in the construction of the dispersion material impacts the quality of the drug. And some people react differently to having bupropion dumped in their bloodstream all at once versus timed out as it should be. For some, this flaw can be advantageous. For others, disastrous. Point being, each person is different, and because each of these generics are so different (strange to say, but its true!) it's almost whack-a-mole to determine which is best. So try several!

Some people do well on Par (Anchen). I can't tolerate it. It made me manic and anxious all the time. Everything felt like a crisis. As soon as I switched out to Watson, all that crazy anxiety vanished and I felt normal again.

Other people can't tolerate Watson (Actavis). But I do well on it. And so on and so forth.

One thing I will suggest -- which also works for me -- is the actual Wellbutrin made by Valeant. Hear me out: I know in the USA it's unaffordable, but more people are filling their prescriptions in Canada.

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Just keep in mind that Wellbutrin by Valeant in Canada, is NOT the same as the Wellbutrin manufactured by Valeant in the US. This was confirmed when I called Valeant when the Wellbutrin I got from Canada did NOT work for me. The person told me that the regulations in Canada are different. I didnt ask what that meant, I just needed to know it wasn't my imagination that the Canadian version wasn't the same.

It could be just fine for some people.

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Way ahead of you because I investigated this a while ago myself and spoke to Valeant too. This would have been in mid 2016. There is no difference between "Canadian Wellbutrin" and "American Wellbutrin" (characterizations mine).

There is no difference with the dispersion, or the manufacturing process, or anything of substance.

The only difference between the two -- literally the only difference -- is the color of the ink. For regulatory reasons as you mentioned.

USA WELLBUTRIN XL 150-mg and 300-mg, are creamy-white to pale yellow extended-release tablets; containing the labeled amount of bupropion hydrochloride.

Inactive Ingredients:
ethylcellulose aqueous dispersion
glyceryl behenate
methacrylic acid copolymer dispersion
polyethylene glycol
polyvinyl alcohol
povidone
silicon dioxide
triethyl citrate
edible black ink (ingredients of the ink are not listed)

CAD WELLBUTRIN are creamy-white to pale yellow, round, extended-release tablets, printed with “WXL 150” in purple ink, containing 150 mg of bupropion HCl.

Inactive Ingredients:
ethylcellulose
glyceryl behenate
methylacrylic acid co-polymer dispersion
polyethylene glycol
polyvinyl alcohol
povidone
red and blue FD & C dyes
ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol (Ink)
silicon dioxide
triethyl citrate

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I forgot to add:

Both versions (American and Canadian) are made in the same plant in Manitoba. This information comes directly from Valeant.

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Well, that's new then. So, I would not be able to take the US Wellbutrin since it is made in Canada under Canadian regulations, not that I could pay the $4300 for a 90 day supply.

Every day I am thankful that the Sandoz SR works for me. I have been on it for over a year. I pay about $40 for 90 day supply.

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I just received a RX from my pharmacy that is not working for me. It is Teva Pharma Budeprion XL 150, I had been on the Budeprion roller coaster disaster back in 2008ish. What pharmacy can you get the brand Watson or Actavis? I used Watson for a long time and was told it was not available, I found that Actavis worked well for me and was just told it is not available. I am curious if the brand is not available through the wholesaler but is still available and I just need to find the right pharmacy?

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mine from canada doesn't work for me either ... so sad .. any suggestions for generic. Mine was withdrawn by the government and I was able to get wellbutrin from Valeant in USA at a reasonable price but the government stepped in and said because I have medicare and a secondary prescription insurance, I no longer qualify to by from Valeant in the US....Obviously those making the decisions don't with with bipolar. My family and I suffer daily because the wellbutrin from Valeant in Canada doesn't work.

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It's worth noting that both the Valeant USA Wellbutrin and the Valeant Canadian Wellbutrin come from the same exact factory in Manitoba.

The formulations are said to be identical with exception of the ink used to mark it due to food coloring issues. The other is that the ethylcellulose coating might differ. One is listed as an aqueous dispersion. Otherwise the formulation and the active ingredient are identical.

If people have more data about this it would be interesting.

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The coating being different may be the very thing that causes the difference, since that effects the release of the medication.

All I know is that what I got through Direct Success worked well, but what I got from Valeant in Canada did NOT.

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completely agree....the Wellbutrin from Direct Success was fine, the Canadian Wellbutrin from Valeant is simply ineffective.

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I take the generic for Welbutrin SR instead of the XL, but ONLY the Sandoz brand..It is a purple pill and Itake it twice a day ....

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I take the Sandoz SR also. Every time I refill my prescription, I just hope that Walgreens hasn't changed companies.

I expressed my concerns to the pharmacist and she said she could order it for me if that happens.

Taking 2X/day is not as convenient, and I forget occasionally, but finding a generic that works for me was critical.

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I had extremely good results with the Sandoz SR pill. The only reason why I no longer take it is because I'm on the XL formulation. I've often considered returning to the twice-a-day Sandoz because it was that effective.

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What's the difference between SR and XL?
Just curious.

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Actavis brand has been uneffective for me. I have been on it 3 months and feel like a zombie. So I'm hoping that I can get feedback from this group on other options because brand is over $1000 per month.

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If you're willing to switch to an SR, try the Sandoz brand. I had good results with it.

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SR is sustained release. XL is extended release.

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I was also on the Wellbutrin XL brand name and my insurance stopped covering it. My doc put me on the generic XL. It was horrible. I ended up going on the generic SR and had no side effects or problems.

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