Why Is My Wellbutrin Suddenly Making Me Feel Out Of It? Could Something Be Wrong With The Release Mechanism? (Top voted first)

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I've been taking generic Wellbutrin XL , made by Par pharmaceuticals, for the past months. Has always worked great, no problems. Last week I went to CVS to pick up a refill , and they gave me the same tablets as always, made by Par pharmaceuticals. But all of a sudden, after I take it, I feel really good for about 3 hours and then all of a sudden my mood plummets and I feel foggy and confused for the rest of the day. Could Par have changed something about their release mechanism? Is that possible? I've never had issues with them until now. This has never happened before. I can't figure out what's going on

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1

Hi Vin, I read an article not too long ago that they had a recall on Wellbutrin because of the new formula was not working, at all. The guy who wrote it has a radio program. He fought the DEA to get that done. Don't know his first name but his last name is Graedon if I'm remembering correctly. He was a pharmacist also. Maybe you could google it and find something out. Hope this is helps. Good luck to you.

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3

Hi Vin,

Not sure if you found any specific details yet on the past Wellbutrin recall. The most recent one I found online was from 2012?

At any rate, I think the medication's overall efficacy probably has something to do with the different binders/fillers that make up the composition of the pill. These ingredients are prone to change with each and every manufacturer and without any prior warning.

I don't have an article to reference this from, but my experience leads me to believe that these inert ingredients alter the bioavailability of the drug itself and are therefore a crucial component to how well it works in comparison to other brands/generics/manufacturers; since nothing else ever changes on the drug label that we as patients aren't already aware of (such as the dosage).

Hope this insight helps!

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4

I've had a similar experience with the Par brand bupropion - fogginess, confusion, inability to focus, as well as hives appearing on my skin throughout this past month. I've been on the name brand before and didn't have these problems with it, so hopefully I can switch back to that again.

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7

I got sidetracked and I apologized. PAR isn't held is particularly high regard among shrinks. Wellbutrin (bupropion — related to the long-time diet pill, TENUATE, diethylpropion, in my opinion the only safe and effective diet pill; both are related to amphetamine) can make you feel "out of it" and a change in generic manufacturers. The Wiggle room" on psych drugs is too wriggly for this shrink. If you insurance plans includes provision for sa Generic Waiver ("Pt. did not respond favorably to generic bupropion [PAR]. Symptoms....). That gives you the brand name at the generic co-pay. For cash sales, gee, I don't know. Wellbutrin is generally well-tolerated. I think I used the Sansoz generic (It was 10 years ago), but although it worked, I became concerned about the doze and the lowering of the seizure threshold. I was taking Wellbutrin XL 3 x 150mg qAM (450mg/day - and that's high; I"d have second thoughts as the prescriber, btw). Nothing every happened, but we lowered the Wellbutrin to 300mg/day and added Prozac 40mg (brand — the Lilly sales reps love my practice) qAM. Hope this helps. PAR definitely doesn't make the Top 10- In the Shrink Parade of Generics.I now amy doing something I hate — passing along "received wisdom" without proof. I can't point to any specifics incidents, recalls, etc. Not that I think I'm, all that, but when I remember something like this, it's usually for a good reason. As a consumer of psych meds, I'm a little more sensitive to keeping the bad products out of my pt's Rx bottles.

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5

I had the same exact experience with Par in the beginning of January. It took a good 3 weeks and a warning from my boss to shape up for me to realize that the Par was NOT working for me. It was the same for me: decent for a few hours, then foggy, generally listless and anxious for the rest of the day. My therapist noticed a big plummet in my mood, especially since I've been making steady improvements since I began taking Wellbutrin 5 years ago. I only switched because my pharmacy ran out of the WB XL by Mylan. Now I'm taking 3 150mg pills of Mylan SR every day, which is not ideal but at least it works. I definitely can't manage a full time job and part time school when it isn't working.

I recently applied for the Wellbutrin XL Guarantee Program through Direct Success Pharmacy and should be hearing back from them on 3/19. I've read good things about them on this board, so it's something to consider if you are having trouble getting the brand. Best of luck to you!

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16

I notice that I often feel below par when I use Par meds. (sorry, could not resist pun.)

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2

Oh really? Great lol, I'll go check it out, thanks!

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8

I've taken wellbutrin XL 300 mg for over 20 years for depression and chronic fatigue syndrome because it worked so well for both. I had to switch to the generic (bupropion HCL XL) from Par 2 weeks ago: horrible headaches, shaking, nausea, insomnia, panic attacks (never even had those before), tired for hours and then a sudden burst that makes my heart race in the evening. I found out these are the same symptoms experienced during withdrawal from wellbutrin (google that...). Depression is getting worse by the day. The generic bupropion 300 XL from Teva and Watson were voluntarily withdrawn because the pills' release mechanism was found to be faulty and could release all at once, or even not at all because the drug just goes right to the gut.I read another article that said it's likely that people were getting about 75% of the drug into their system because of that. It is only the 300 mg pills, not the 150's. The 300mgs were never even evaluated by the FDA. They were just assumed to work because the 150s were ok. Supposedly the Par 300s were said to be ok, but they were only evaluated by Par! Anyway, that's my experience.

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9

Chandra, you should give Mylan a shot. Next time you fill your Wellbutrin, tell the pharmacy that you prefer the Mylan generic. I fill mine at CVS and they have no problem doing it for me. I know Walgreens will do it as well. Unless it's just my imagination, I've been feeling better since switching to Mylan. Best of luck!

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10

Thanks Vin. I'm glad Mylan is working for you. I will look into trying that.

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11

You doc can specify the GENERIC MANUFACTURER, even with "generic only" plans.
For example, I write those scripts like this:

WELLBUTRIN-XL 150mg - Sandoz, SunPharma, etc.
Tabs #90
Sig: 1 po qAM

States have some differences in the "structure" off their Rx blanks; if you're in a state where the pharmacist can "convince" the MD to permit the cheapest generic, have the doc write "Medically Necessary" or whatever is required. I don't know the particulars about Par. I used Wellbutrin-XL about 10 years and the pharmacy I went to stocked every andoz generic it could. (For Percocet, they substituted with ENdocet — same product, even the same manufacturer as the brand.)

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12

My 2 sons and I all had emotional failure on the par mfg genetic of welbutrin in September, 2015. Now 2 of us are having bladder and constipation problems on the second mfg given us. Watch out with genetics. None of the mugs have the same fillers and we are being bounced around by safeway and Walgreens.

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13

It's possible, but generic houses aren't known for innovations on delivery systems of drugs they cannot patent. You could have come across a "bad lot" (that's what the batches are called — "lots" (a lot can contain 100 x 250mg tablets of whatever drug is involved). Unless FDA picks up one these, they're usually impossible to find. Try your ext refill at another pharmacy across town. (I'm serious; we can't specify lots in our Rxs.) Get the same generic manufacturer. Or there's the old saw about people's body's changing...and bupropion kinda regulates neuroreceptor uptake. Another frivolous question: have you been getting enough sleep. bupropion is a CNS stim, but its not strong enough to restore you to "fighting strength/" Hope this helps!

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14

Thank you for your responses! But I no longer taken Wellbutrin. Now I take Paxil, Lamictal, Klonopin and Gabapentin. They seem to be doing the trick. Quite different than the stimulation I felt from Wellbutrin, but I seem to be doing well. Again, thank you!

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15

Any others who have gotten Webutrin XL 300 in Canada with a credit card. Is Valiant Canadian made? Which company? I saw one was going to order but they said they where out of stock! Last Friday was that date

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6

The DEA does NOT regulate possible drug recalls because of impurities or problems with adverse effects. It is NOT a Controlled Substance. If the guy went to th DEA, I'm sure they politely sent them to the FDAm which has an entire department for "adverse events".

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