What Is The Best Generic Brand Of Wellbutrin (Top voted first)

FYI: The drug manufacturer Watson bought out Activist. Watson "made a business decision" to no longer produce the Watson generic brand of Wellbutrin and only produce the Activist version. Watson was the brand that worked for me (I've tried many) so it's unfortunate they have made this business decision. I've called the company to request they continue to manufacture the Watson version. Anyone going through the same situation may want to call Watson 1-800-272-5525. *** if anyone takes a generic that doesn't work they should notify the F.D.A. 1-855-543-3784.

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you can get brand name wellbutrin xl made by valeant through Direct Success (google it)Pharmacy operated by Valeant. 50 dollars per 30 pills.; also Valeant Patient Assistance Program (google it) has assistance ....fill out application, there are income limits but they are rather high so you may qualify. who knows until you try...as a backup as long as you have a prescription Direct Success will mail you your drugs to your home...after paying 50 dollars per 30 pills. Why take generic when you can get name brand. Direct Sucess is operated by Valeant.

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Some information...

-- The way that the evaluations are done is that healthy volunteers (who are not depressed) take the brand name and then they draw blood every hour and measure the levels of medication. Then the same volunteers take the generic and they take blood every hour and compare. If the blood levels of the medication are the same, or close, then they call it bioequivalent.

-- When the generics first came out, they were evaluated at the 150 mg dose. This is because there is a tiny seizure risk with the smaller dose, but the 300 mg and 450 mg have a small but not tiny risk. The assumption was that if it worked for the 150 mg, then it should work the same way for the higher doses.

-- The SR and XL formulations are time release to lower the seizure risk, but when they were developed no one thought that there would be any difference with how effective the drug is at treating depression, because they thought that the anti-depressive effects were just about the total dose, not dependent upon the exact timing of the medication entering the bloodstream.

-- When millions of people started taking the various generics, this particular drug seemed to have far more variations in efficacy from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even from batch to batch in the same brand. The most obvious theory is that the "inactive" ingredients matter a lot more for this drug than is usual.

-- Teva seemed to have lots of complaints, so the FDA organized evaluations of the 300mg dose with healthy volunteers, and discovered that at the 300mg dose the Teva brand did NOT deliver the drug over the time in the same way as the brand. So then the FDA asked the other manufacturers to evaluate their 300mg, and Watson and Anchen turned out to have different 300mg versions as well. BUT THIS IS ONLY FOR THE 300mg! Everybody's 150mg generics were evaluated years ago, and WERE proven back then. AND that still doesn't address the consistency problem -- just because a manufacturer managed to produce one batch that worked like brand doesn't mean that all of the batches work. Watson voluntarily withdrew its 300 mg when it was shown to be too different from brand, and this was at the same time as them buying Actavis. They decided to stop making the 150mg under the Watson name because they thought that the brand name was tarnished by the 300 mg fiasco. But NO ONE outside of the internal bowels of the company knows whether the 150mg that the new company makes and labels with the Actavis name is the old Watson formula, the old Activis formula, or some new formula. Teva stopped making all of its versions after its 300mg dose was found to be different.

Now my personal experience is with the 150 mg dose, with the 2009 & 2010 Teva, 2011 Activis, 2011-2013 Watson, 2014 Par & 2014-1015 Wellbutrin by Valeant. At 150mg, Teva and Watson were always rock solid and rock solid consistent for me, while with both the Activis and the Par I had batches that worked as well as Teva & Watson and batches that were a disaster. So for me, personally, my experience is that the FDA and the drug manufacturers have managed to eliminate the only two cheap 150mg brands that work for me, leaving me with brand name Wellbutrin as my only option. I'm very grateful that it's available and I can afford it at $50/month, but would be a little happier if there was still a consistently working 150mg generic on the market that only cost $10/month.

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I found this site also, and I hope it is on the up-an-up. I called them and they confirmed that my doctor can send the prescription to them and it will cost $50 for a month's supply of 30 pills. I'm not happy about having to pay for what my insurance should cover, but I am thrilled to find it at least available for a price I can afford. My pharmacy was going to charge me $350 for 30 pills. Come on! I started taking the generic that they first gave me because I was desperate, I haven't noticed any positive effect after a week and a half. This one is from Global Pharm. I'm not interested in wasting time on generics that haven't been tested. I hope this Direct Success thing works out, it seems to be sponsored by the manufacturer of brand name Wellbutrin.

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Thank you for sharing this info Trace. Ever since Actavis bought out Watson, it seems like most of their meds have all started to go down hill. I mean if they're making these kinds of business decisions without informing the public, then I would bet they're trying to save as much money as they can on ordering the cheapest ingredients/fillers to use in their tablets. Cheaper ingredients usually means less effective. A good analogy would be comparing organic produce to those with pesticides on them and less nutrients.

They may be cutting costs behind closed quarters, but their schemes become more apparent when their medications stopped working altogether.

Do any other manufacturers brands come close to the old Watson?

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After taking the buproprion manufactured by Global Pharmaceuticals (200 mg SR 2x daily) for something like 10 years, and being happy with it, a few months ago my mail order pharmacy sent me the version made by Watson. I started feeling depressed, and wondered if it was possible that the Watson-made buproprion was not working for me. I never followed up on that (being depressed and low-energy, I guess), but now my mail order pharmacy has sent me yet another version - the Sandoz brand. I am excited (though also angry) to learn on this forum that there seem to be some differences between different manufacturers' versions. I may already be feeling better on the Sandoz brand, but it's probably too early to tell. I'm grateful to have this source of information.

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Watson was forced to stop making Bupropion by the FDA... It was not a buy out that stopped them... It was not equivalent to brand... Go to Direct Pharmacy, they take some insurances so depending on your situation you will pay for Brand 0-$50 per month tops. I have purchased Brand through NY drug stores for over $300 per month so I know Brand. What you get via Direct Success is identical, it's Brand 100%. There is no question it is identical, don't hesitate to purchase from them. Call and speak with them, they are friendly and very accommodating, have your doctor call it in when you're there, it takes less than 5 minutes tops.... I buy a three months supply and get three refills and it costs $150 for 3 months and I get automatic refills that arrive the last week of the third month... No tax no shipping and handling just the amount I quoted. If you want to buy month by month you can do that also. Brand after much time and energy and suffering on generics to me is best.

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Smythe64, I had a similar problem with the generic Wellbutrin 200 SR made by Sun Pharma and distributed by Caraco. I, too, slid into depression and fortunately came across the Sandoz generic that works so well! Here is a way for you to put your anger to productive use! Please file a report with the FDA - see the link...

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

Thank you! If enough of us file complaints about various generic versions of Wellbutrin, maybe they will recall the bad ones and allow us all to have access to the brand or safe generics that really work!

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The Watson version was found to not be a not be a bioequivalent to the brand name. They voluntarily pulled/recalled it.

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Renee, as far as the program it will go on indefinitely according to them so I wouldn't concern yourself about that. I hope all goes well and remember give it time, you have to adjust which could be I imagine a little shocking at first because to me at least it felt more powerful right away. I'm sure you made the right decision not going to Canada, that's a joke when real brand is right here. With all the misinformation and the FDA making companies test their own products to see if they're equivalent you do in fact owe it to yourself to just get the real thing and decide how you feel. It's better than every month wondering what generic you'll be getting. I hope all goes well and I would like to hear how you're doing after trying them out.

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If it consistently works for you great! Don't bother with brand, you're lucky and 1 in a million.

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"Valeant Wellbutrin XL 150 mg does not work."
I agree. This is the first place I have found someone else having anything negative to say about the Valeant Wellbutrin XL 150. I have been on "brand" for over 15 years.
I had been getting the GSK from Turkey version from Canadian pharmacies over the past few years. Last fall I began to feel like it wasn't working and checked and what I was taking was manufactured by Valeant and made in Canada. I had a bottle of the GSK from Turkey and switched back. Felt fine again. After finishing that bottle, back to Canadian Valeant and I again feel like it isn't working. I can't find any options other than the Valeant either here in the US or through Canadian pharmacies.
Anybody else?

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I have been taking Direct Success Canada's valeant Wellbutrin, it felt like the generic version and I felt awful and weepy. Then got a bottle at CVS, seemed to start working, but now have extreme headaches and nausea

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@Nino. Thanks for the information re:Valeant mail order and sharing your experience.I believe it was you who said that we owed to our selves to at the least try brand. I made the plunge and my order should arrive on Tuesday or so. I have had some improvement on Mylan that I've been using for the past 2 years or so. I just felt like I had to try brand because it might perform even better. I'm nervous about trying to obtain the meds from Canada so this development gave me a lot of hope. I'm in CT and New Jersey is a hop, skip from here. I just felt better about it. I shied away from purchasing med out of Canada as I've read the posts of those who felt like they weren't getting the proper manufacturer and other issues. The debate on if the brand was coming out of Turkey or Canada. It's just too confusing. Do you think this program will last a while?

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Hi, I am wondering how the Valeant brand Wellbutrin has been working out for you guys? I'm finding that the Sandoz generic is consistently doing what it's supposed to do.

Have any you filed report with the FDA regarding your experience with the substandard generics you took?

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I know that the brand that didn't work for me, Watson, was 'voluntarily' recalled and manufacturing of it stopped, so I don't think it's relevant for me to report on it; please let me know if I'm wrong on this.

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You are absolutely correct! Thank you, Smythe!

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So how is this program & Name Brand wellbutrin working out for you? My Name Brand Wellbutrin XL 300 mg from Valeant's Direct Success program should arrive at my door in 3 more days! :-) so excited and praying it work once again for me as it did 8 years ago when I began taking it before all these Crappy Bupropion Generics came out.

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Going back to the original statement on the thread, the company name is "Actavis" and Watson Pharmaceuticals acquired the company then decided to use their name for the combined companies.

ir.actavis.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=65778&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1752587

Of the two, only Watson was manufacturing a generic Wellbutrin prior to the acquisition, and they continue to manufacture it under the Actavis label. As they told me today over the phone, the formulation has not changed at all since the acquisition. So "Actavis" is equivalent to "Watson." At least that is true for the generic for Wellbutrin XL 150mg.

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Nino,
How are you doing now that you've been on brand name Wellbutrin for a few months?

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Watson pulled some of the higher doses off the shelves but left the lower doses. I took the 100 SR Watson Wellbutrin and had a terrible time with it. Stomach issues right away and anxiety , scared terror feelings in morning and worsing of depression till I was suicidal. Seems the longer I took it the worse I got. Some days I would feel almost manic and other times really low . It was not releasing right. Then I took the 75 mg IR and the first pill sent me into a hysterical state. Vice grip headache,shaking, crying non stop,feeling like I was dying ,out of my head for about 2 hrs. The brand was Apotex. I was afraid to just stop taking it so I cut the pill in half and took it for 2 more weeks . Bad mistake. I got worse with stomach upset. Losing 10 lbs . More panic and scared and more suicidal thoughts. Been off of it for 2 months and still not the same. Still sick .If you get a pill that does not seem right do not continue to take it. Withdraw woud be better than what ever these pills are doing to your body.

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