Side Effects of Generic Wellbutrin

I have been taking several different medications to see which one fits. The latest on the list is Budeprion xl. The symptoms of bloating, fatigue, being tired, the worst of all, extreme weight. I've only taken the medicine for about 4 to 6 months and my original size was 185 pounds, and now i am about 230.

My story is the same as the others--I was on Wellbutrin XL and felt great, was switched by insurance to bupropion and everything gradually changed for the worse. Rapid weight gain (without changing my eating & exercise habits), bloating, anxiety, insomnia and my depression returned. The worst part is the weight gain--talk about depressing!

My doctor switched me to Celexa (because my insurance wouldn't pay for Lexapro!), but I don't like the side effects so right now I'm not taking any anti-depressants. It borders on fraud that insurance companies force the generic on you when it not only isn't effective but actually makes things worse!

I've been doing well with buproprion 150 SR 3x, but Rite Aid apparently has decided to get cheap and shifted to TEVA budeprion. In the last three weeks, I've been getting more and more depressed and I finally realized today that it's the change in the drug. I dug around and found a few days' worth of buproprion from Watson and I'm going to get a real buproprion or Wellbutrin XL in the next couple of days.

I cannot tell you the relief that I felt after reading the posts regarding generic Wellbutrin XL (TEVA budeprion). I too have the same story. After years of great success with Wellbutrin XL my insurance company switched me to budeprion. My pharmacist told me that it was exactly the same as Wellbutrin XL.

I started feeling extreme fatigue and irritability, anxiety, insomnia, increased headaches and migraines, severe PMS, joint and muscle pain, bloating, rapid weight gain (even though I increased my walking to 20 miles a week and have a good diet, I am still gaining). My GERD was under control but suddenly returned.

A friend told me to think about when my symptoms first started and try to remember if I had changed anything. That's when I realized the change was budeprion. After finding this website I immediately called my doctor to ask for name-brand Wellbutrin XL. I just hope my insurance will agree.

I have been taking Bupropion HCL XL since it came out in generic. The generic pills were BIG and yellow. I received a new prescription about two weeks ago and these pills are very small and white. They say that it is the same thing, but a lot of people have noticed (especially my family) and so have I that I seem to be like I was before. Could it be this new generic pill?

Insurance company has Tier meds and Wellbutrin XL is on the highest Tier, meaning the most out-of-pocket expense. The $45.00 monthly seems minimal, but not when you are single and really trying to stay afloat. I have BUDEPRION XL 300MG and have been taking them (3) days with my symptoms of depression worsening.

My experience of switching from wellbutrin 300 XL to the TEVA generic is very similar to others posted on this site. Last spring my health plan immediately switched from wellbutrin to the TEVA generic. I reported to my pharmaceutical nurse that my symptoms (of paranoia, nervousness, and doom) were returning. I asked if the TEVA generic was identical to wellbutrin. She said generics are "basically" formulated in the same manner, but that depression is an episodic disease. I requested a DAW prescription for wellbutrin, but the pharmacy wanted to charge me nearly $300.00. I continued to take the TEVA generic, but it was not the same as Wellbutrin. Today I picked up my new generic prescription and it had now changed to a generic by Watson. Though I'm glad to see the tablet resembles wellbutrin 300 XL, I'm nervous about any possible side effects and acclimmating horrors from changing brands. Has anyone experienced any dentrimental effects with the Watson Bupropion generic?

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I was switched about a year ago to Budeprion XL 300 and I have yet to feel right. I just thought it was me! Why can't we just get the drugs we need?

In the past few months, I have felt my depression & anxiety returning. I purchased so many TUMS that I should be given stock in the company. My anxiety attacks me in the form of severe chest pains and the weight gain is unbelievable. I too, was at 185lbs and am now diabetic and tipping the scales at 240.

I was beginning to think it was me until I found your website! I was put on a sample of Wellbutrin by my doctor and after finishing the samples, got the prescription filled. The pharmacy gave me Budeprion XL. Depression is coming back, dull headaches have started, and I have developed circular type rashes on my stomach, back and side of neck. Also, I feel shaky.

I am calling the doctor today to get put back on the Wellbutrin even if my ins. doesn't cover it!

I am sorry for everyone else who is going through this, but I am glad that I am not alone.

Sad that so many of us are being affected by the poor showing of TEVA vs. Wellbutrin. I had been taking Wellbutrin SR for Seasonal Affective Disorder and recently my scrip was changed to the generic form produced by TEVA. My progress went right into the tank and I was back to square one after 2 weeks!! I'm calling my doc today to request he re-write the scrip for Wellbutrin products only--fortunately, right now I can cover any excess cost for the non-generic form.

Why can't we get people to believe us when we insist that "One Size Does Not Fit All" when it comes to switching from brand name to generic drugs? I don't know why these two products affect ME in different ways--all I know is that they do and this is a serious quality of life issue for myself and other users. I hope everyone finds a workable, cost-effective answer for their problems!

This is just not fair. I was told the same thing, that Bupropion XL was the same as Wellbutrin XL. My God, if we are prescribed Wellbutrin, it is because we have been diagnosed with depression. Why have us switch? I had been taking Wellbutrin XL for a year and can honestly say I was feeling and had felt like my old self. However, since switching to the generic, my symptoms were slowly returning. At first, I thought it was my imagination. I would fight my daily feelings of depression, as I had done in the past, not really knowing what I was doing. As it came time for me to refill my prescription, I started thinking that over the past month, I really had not been feeling very well, more crying episodes, extreme sadness, loneliness and irritability. It made sense now, it had to be the generic medication, as nothing else had changed in my life. This issue needs to be addressed. We have enough to deal with. Our medication should not be causing us more problems.

I just got on the 300 MG wellbutrin generic brand and I have been throwing up and cannot sleep. I am gonna get back on the real wellbutrin, this generic stuff is just not the same as they told me it was at the pharmacy.

I have been on Bupropion for a couple of years, and it has worked beautifully. I switched from Paxil, and it was so nice to have more energy. I'm not sure I ever used Wellbutrin. But the Bupropion works great (even though it did not work so well for my sister). I hope my insurance doesn't ever tell me to go to the Bodeprion. Sounds like this version is not making the cut for a lot of people.

My first episode of depression was handled by Lexapro and Wellbutrin, excellent results after six weeks. Side-effect was decreased libido.Tapering off medication after two years.

Recurrence of depression six months later following a period of great stress. Started with generic Prozac (fluoxetine). Added generic Buproprion after four weeks. TROUBLE. Eyesight got blurry, anxiety, unable to work during the day, shaky. Tapered off, ramped up on Lamictal. Blurred vision cleared up, anxiety greatly reduced. Working normally now after five months- it took a while. Article on NPR this am made me aware of the problem with Buproprion. I agree strongly.

Very interesting. I have been on Wellbutrin for 10 years. OUTSTANDING drug--changed my life. Thank you GlaxoSmithKline! First the 150 then XL300.

In January '07 my insurance unilaterally placed me on the cheap generic Bupropion. I tried it for exactly 23 days and then my significant other "ordered" me back to the doctor. She noted a huge rise in irritability-(flash snap temper) followed later by listlessness, unfounded guilt and depression.

I went immediately back on the good old pills. Noticed immediately a return to level headedness, confidence and focus. Funny how I didn't personally notice the regression that came on almost immediately (it was pointed out to me--and i agreed) but did experience the remarkable recovery when I went back on the original formula. I can only hope someone finds a nice mean attorney out there and gets this figured out before someone gets hurt.

My physician told me that I was very sensitive to variations in the dosage of my wellbutrin. He told me never to use a generic drug for this prescription for that reason.

Twice I have tried a generic due to pressure by the insurance company. On each occasion I switched back to wellbutrin after one tablet of the generic. For one thing, I immediately experienced discomfort in urinating. I attributed this side effect to a different time release method.

If the skeptics wish to try me, I guarantee that I can take a blind dose of wellbutrin/generic and correctly ascertain within six hours which one I took with a degree of accuracy of 100%.

My insurance fully covers brand name Wellbutrin XL without hassle if that's what's Rx'ed. I'd been taking it for a little over a year for (relatively speaking) mild depression. It worked well. My last several months were generic. Why, I don't know, probably because the Dr. didn't specify. I didn't care because I was a strong believer in not wasting health care money even when it's not my money. Recently it didn't seem to be working anymore. My Dr. switched me to brand name. She said some patients claimed generic didn't work as well. It seems to be working again now that I'm taking brand name. Maybe it's not the difference between brand name and generic. It's such a subjective thing. A recent study showed that kids eating identical food in plain wrappers and in McDonald wrappers said the "McDonald's" tasted better. Although I generally support the idea of generic vs. over-priced and over-hyped Big Pharm brand names, I thought I would report my experience.

My son has been struggling with his most-recent refill of TEVA-manufactured Budeprion (TEVA's trade name for their bupropion generic).

Now that he's ready for another refill, we've called around town and successfully found a couple of pharmacies that carry the Sandoz-made generic. Sandoz bought Eon labs awhie back. Eon, in my personal experience, made the generic bupropion that seemed to work closest to brand Wellbutrin. It pays to call around.

FYI, I know Costco carries generics from a couple of different manufacturers (sadly, including TEVA). If you go to COSTCO's online pharmacy, you will quickly see why TEVA has been able to flood the market. Their stuff is a third the cost of the other generics.

This is very frightening. I had been on Wellbutrin XL for 2 years. Within 10 days of starting that medication my symptoms improved - I had previously had extreme trouble concentrating and lacked motivation to do anything that required mental effort.

I switched to Bupropion HCL XL generic in early August of this year. By the beginning of Sept. I started having difficulty again feeling motivated. Not depressed exactly, just not enthusiastic about anything. I thought it had to do with the end of summer, but now I clearly can see that I'm having that difficulty concentrating and getting started on tasks requiring concentration and have even begun to have trouble articulating my thoughts. I thought this Bupropion was exactly the same as Wellbutrin. I even asked the pharmacist and was told it had the same ingredients.

The difficulty definitely began after the switch, but how can that be if they both have the same ingredients? I'm trying to determine if this is real or imagined. It certainly seems real enough!!!

Just tapered off Paxil to start Wellbutrin SR because the Paxil didn't cut it. I am on my third day of BUDEPRION 150 MG SR--had to be changed because of insurance. I cannot function at all, and I have 3 kids. I have brain zaps, nausea, vomiting, and just feel foggy. Could it be generic or Paxil remains? Anyone?

I thought I was going crazy! I just recently got switched to (TEVA) Buderprion XL 300, this is my second refill. I feel like I did before I started taking Wellbutrin XL 300. Sad and angry, very snappy to my husband, and all I want to do is eat! I loved Wellbutrin XL 300--it saved my life, and it was safe for me to take during my pregnancy, thank goodness. But now I'm just not happy at all. I heard about people questioning the generic from a client and thought I would look it up. Glad to know I am not going crazy, or at least I'm not going alone! Call your doctor, I am!!!

I thought my body was playing tricks with me. I had been taking the Wellbutrin XL for 4years. Then was given generic by Walgreen's (without permission). In just a couple of days it seems as if everything started to fall apart... could not explain to anyone... I was having a meltdown and wanted to die... I figured out myself that it was not working and said NO MORE GENERIC anything...

The thyroid meds are suspect as well. I just heard a news report on the East Coast regarding this problem . In Calif no attention has been called to it... I will make that my mission this week...

I was feeling so bad... it scares me to think about it... Walgreens knew what had happened... I made it very clear to them all that was happening to my mind and body... I think they just dismissed me as a problem patient. I asked them to make a comment in the chart so there would be documentation of the event. It was quite horrible for me... I did wish I was not here anymore... I am happy to say I am much better MUCH better... Thank you Cynthia

I HAVE TAKEN WELLBUTRIN XL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. NOW MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS PLACING ME ON THE GENERIC. THE GENERIC HAS TERRIBLE SIDE AFFECTS: SHAKY, BLURRED VISION, VERGE OF TEARS ALL DAY, ANXIETY. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SUFFER? ONE PILL FITS ALL THINKING IS TAKING A TOLL ON ME. THANK GOD I CAN AFFORD THE COST DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW BUT WHAT ABOUT WHEN I'M ON MEDICARE AND IN FINANCIAL STRESS BIG TIME. PLEASE HELP US ALL WHO CANNOT TOLERATE THE MEDS CHANGE AND PAY TOP DOLLAR FOR THE "SAME" MEDICINE $83.00 TO $15.00 FOR GENERIC X'S 12MONTHS--AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY MEDICATION I TAKE. HELP!

I am absolutely terrified of BUDEPRION. I have been on WELLBUTRIN XL 300 MG for at least 3 years and Unison Health Care Plan took it from me and placed me on this BUDEPRION for at least 4 months now. In the first month and since then I have become quite paranoid, emotional, moody, physically ill in many many ways, more depressed than I ever had been before I was ever place on WELLBUTRIN. I have also put on at least 30 pounds.

I happen to know four other people who are going through the exact same circumstances, and a couple of them are becoming suicidal. A friend of mine even committed suicide last November when she was on the antidepressant. I have three different doctors arguing with Unison to give the WELLBUTRIN back to me. They will not do it because they say that my pharmacy argues that the ingredients are the same...so they need to go with the cheaper one.

The same thing is going on with my Nexiums and all other meds I have to take. My stomach meds are just literally being taken from me and my esophagus is an inflamed mess to the point where I can't hardly swallow my foods at times. There reason for taking my meds: They believe that I have been on the medication long enough....I should be healed by now. (My father died of Esophageal cancer.)

Everyday I am trying to get through the day battling my own depression.....sometimes sinking down my bathroom walls to the floor in tears praying that something will change for me. I do this on my own of course because I have finally left the bottle of BUDEPRION alone because they are making me feel like I am losing my mind. I feel that the BUDEPRION and other generics are not always the same and aren't always the best for people, and it is sadly going to take a great number of human lives to use as lab rats before "the man" says "ok maybe generic medicine isn't where we should cut our costs." Anything for a buck though right?

My insurance company also stopped paying for WellbutrinXL and so I was switched to Budeprion XL. My depression is definitely back. I have that empty hopeless feeling, irritability and crying. I suspected the change was the reason and now I see I am not alone. Does someone have to die before they realize there is something wrong?

I have been taking Wellbutrin XL for the past 4 years, and it has been wonderful. But then I started getting the generic brand, made by TEVA and then Watson. Most recently, my prescription was filled with Watson bupropion and I have had a worsening rash on my neck and stomach and back. And I have been shaking so badly recently that it is actually hard to write. With the regular Wellbutrin XL, I always shook a little, but now it's awful. It just occurred to me yesterday that it could be the new drug. So, I'm going to get my doctor's opinion tomorrow as to whether the rash is because of the drug or something else. Definitely, regardless, I will switch to the name brand Wellbutrin.

I was taking Wellbutrin XL, but then the pharmacist switched me to Budeprion SR. However, the SR formulation is NOT the same as the XL; the time-release for the SR requires dosing throughout the day while the XL requires only once-a-day dosing. I have put up with the SR simply because most pharmacists I have spoken with, with the exception of one, cannot be convinced the SR is different than the XL.

My point? Not that the SR works any less well for me, but that you should be careful that you are handed XL if that is what you are prescribed. Taking the full 450 mg of the SR at once, as the pharmacist directed, would have had unpleasant results. Fortunately I am an educated consumer. There seems to be a lot of confusion over this drug and the various formulations.

See http://www.wellbutrin-xl.com/prescribed/xl_vs_sr.html.

I am so very happy that I have not lost my mind... I was thinking that it was me. I am a single mom with four children. My children have seen a drastic change in my moods. I have been more depressed, severe headaches, no energy, shaky, and have had numerous crying spells. I only get about 2 to 4 hours of sleep per day, and my anxiety is really bad. I have even started getting panic attacks again. Thank God I am not alone.

I'm glad I am not alone. I have been taking Wellbutrin XL for years, and it has always worked really well for me. Some months ago, I started taking the generic version, Budeprion XL by Teva Pharmaceuticals. I had a recurrence of depression and as a result, had to add Effexor XR along with my Budeprion XL. What I HATE about all SSRIs and SNRIs is the weight gain. I gained 13 lbs in about 45 days! I would love to go off of my Effexor XR, but am afraid to for fear of my debilitating, chronic depression returning.

When I heard on the news that there was a study finding that the generic Wellbutrin may not work as well as the brand name drug, I had an "Ah-ha!" moment. It then occurred to me that my depression resurfaced shortly after my switch to the generic.

What kind of recourse do I have? Can I force my insurance company to cover the name-brand drug at a copay to me that would be the same as if I had the generic filled ($10.00)? I would have an out-of-pocket cost of $60.00/month to have the name brand Wellbutrin XL filled.

The other thing I hate about the generic is the fact that the pill is about three times larger than the little white Wellbutrin XL tablet.

I also didn't put 2 and 2 together until I read other posts about the blurred vision -- I just thought I was getting old and my eyes were getting worse.

Has anyone compared other generic versions of Wellbutrin XL NOT made by Teva?

I had the same experience with Teva Budeprion 300mg xl. I had been taking a generic for buproprion SR 2-150mg pills each day and it worked very well. For some reason I was switched to the 300mg (Budeprion) Teva brand of XL. Within 30 days I was back in the pit of depression. I ended up leaving my part time job and avoiding my family for a good time.

My Psychiatrist decided to increase my dose to 450mg. When I looked on line to see if there was a generic brand I saw all the comments regarding the Teva brand. I went on Wellbutrin XL and was able to keep my dose at 300mg.

Thanks to everyone for writing in. I should have written sooner.

I can't tell you how relieved I've been to read these postings. My depression had been in full remission with Wellbutrin XL for over a year when my insurance company switched me to a generic (Teva) 10 months ago. Within a short time I was convinced I was losing it. I've experienced fuzzy-headed feelings, irritability, crying spells, grogginess, feeling mildly dissociated, insecurity and paranoia, blurry vision, reflux, anxiety verging on panic attacks. Because it coincided with some major stressors in my life, I assumed it was "just me". Now I'm convinced otherwise.

My psychiatrist has prescribed Rozerem to be used episodically if I have trouble sleeping and when I took it about a month ago, the problems with thinking clearly and concentrating noticeably worsened. I thought, "hmmm, must be something to do with serotonin levels". I was taking 300mg Budeprion in the form of two generic 150 mg tabs, so I decided to try taking only one just to see if the symptoms changed. I noticed a major difference the first day and watched myself carefully for any change in depressive symptoms, but actually felt better than I had in months. I let my doctor know. I'm still having blurry vision and trouble thinking, though it's less severe most days.

Then I saw an article talking about a study which found that the generic Bupropion was unpredictable in the levels that would be found in people's blood. There was wide variability, whereas the comparison to Wellbutrin XL showed much lower and very stable levels. I plan to get back on Wellbutrin XL even if I have to pay out of pocket.

Please, please, please talk to your doctor. Don't just discontinue the medication, it may be a greater risk than the side effects are to your health if you're taking it for depression.

It's so good to know we're not alone. Please ask yourself if this is worth changing and get active. Insurance companies should not have the power to dictate medical treatment, most especially for psychiatric symptoms. It's difficult enough for an experienced Psychiatrist to find the right medications to manage an individual's symptoms when s/he has built a relationship and sits face to face with someone. To think that corporations (insurance companies) have any right whatsoever to dictate treatment is outrageous and as consumers we must not stand for it. Make your voices heard!

I started Wellbutrin about 5 years ago and took 300 mg without a problem. About a year ago I was switched to the generic budeprion XL. About that time my menses became very heavy and I started having rage reactions the day before my period started. I thought it was early menopause. It is a relief to know that I am not the only one.

IVE BEEN ON "BUPROPION SR. 150mg" THE GENERIC BRAND OF WELLBUTRIN FOR NEARLY ONE MONTH. I NOTICED A HUGE CHANGE IN MY DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES... THIS WASN'T A GRADUAL CHANGE... IT WAS RIGHT AWAY, I FELT MORE DEPRESSED... AFTER TAKING THIS... THEN I WAS BEFORE I STARTED TAKING IT...

I AM CALLING MY DR. FIRST THING TOMORROW AND DEMANDING THAT HE GIVE ME THE "NON-GENERIC" BRAND... I DONT CARE HOW MUCH MORE IT WILL COST... IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS IN MY ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW... I WOULD GLADLY SPEND EVERY PENNY... JUST TO FEEL BETTER THEN I DO AT THIS VERY MOMENT!!! BEFORE I LOSE CONTROL OF EVERYTHING... I WILL GO SIT ON MY DR. DOOR STEP... UNTIL I GET RESULTS!!! FROM THE LOOKS OF IT... I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THIS WAY!!! I KNOW FOR SURE IT ISN'T JUST ME... I'M REALLY NOT INSANE, YET... BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M HEADED THERE...

SEQUIM, WASHINGTON

I was recently switched to Bupropion SR from Wellbutrin XL (150 ml) and have felt more irritable, nervous, and more upset about little things since. Also, I have had terrible insomnia and have noticed worse vision, though I thought that was because I was reading so much lately. I am not pleased that Wellbutrin has gone up in price so much, and sincerely hope that the price will come down as the generic substitutes do NOT seem to be the same at all!

I, too, have been on Wellbutrin for a few yars with no problems. When bupropion was substituted, I did not have any problems. But since the pharmacy switched to Budeprion, I am having all the side effects mentioned--increased depression, nausea, dizziness, loss of libido. I think this drug should be investigated further before being used as a substitute for Wellbutrin.

I've had a lot of the same problems as others that have posted here since starting the Budeprion XL 300 MG. I kept having people tell me that the generic is the same as the name brand. It is not true in this case!

My doctor wrote me a new prescription for Wellbutrin XL and put DAW on it to make sure I got the right thing. Even with my insurance it was going to cost $98! I broke down crying in the middle of the store because I didn't have enough to pay for my prescription. Even though name brand medication is supposed to be $30, HAP is allowed to charge a "sur-charge" because there is a generic available. If it actually worked the same I would be all for it.

I have been having suicidal thoughts, crying spells, increased insomnia, agitation, blurred vision, worsened anxiety, heart palpitations, nausea and shakiness. I was able to get 3 pills of actual Wellbutrin till I can get back into my doctors office. Hopefully he will be able to give me some samples. I'm going to be contacting HAP to see if complaining to them will do any good.

I too had taken the name-brand wellbutrin XL and was switched to the generic form. (Buproprion I believe). This for did not work for me. I am penalized, financially, everytime I purchase name-brand Wellbutrin.
All I can say is that it is worth it to me to pay the difference between generic and name-brand in this case. I take the generic for flonase (nasal allergies) with no issue. I absolutely hate that insurers and also employers, substitute their judgment for that of my physician who writes a specific Rx. Good luck to everyone.

THANK GOD FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THESE ARTICLES! I had been on wellbutrin XL 300 for some time and doing rather well, never gave any consideration when my pharmacy switched it over to Teva Budeprion XL other than the name difference that always throws me off! I am not sure how long now it has been (I will be checking) that I have been on the generic. However, here is what I had happen.

Although I have been questioning a little why I have been so quick to snap at others in the past few months and have had many blue days, I just assumed that those would still come now and then and that I would have to deal with them. It wasn't until three days ago that after going through many days of feeling no energy or desire and multiple times of telling other people I just didn't care anymore about things in my life that I used to care about, I finally reached a point that I spent 36 hours sleeping and not wanting or caring about leaving the house that the answer came to me!

I had just gone through this 36 hour sleep and that next night went back to what has been frustrating me, the waking up every two hours. I got up went on the computer and was searching for information on a cancer a friend of mine has just found, and I just started putting in some of the drugs I am on (for no real reason) until I put in Budeprion XL and read your article. After seeing that, I did further searching and found more and more information, leading me to believe that this may be a problem. However, still not relating it to anything going on in my life at this time. I found that night in my med area a sample box of wellbutrin XL 300 and switched the next morning.

HELLO! This morning I wake again early as I have been now for a couple of days and stood there in shock--I had figured it out! These past three days I have been getting up early, feeling MUCH better and treating everyone MUCH better. I am in administration, so to relieve the stress I picked up and have a love for photography, and had even gotten to the point that I told my wife I was going to sell all my equipment because I no longer cared about it.

Thank you for this site and for the job you are doing getting the word out. I am not sure how long I would have gone on the way I was!

For nearly a year, I've been on Wellbutrin XL (450 mg / day) so as to treat my anxiety symptoms. This stuff has worked wonders - my body is not tense, my ADHD symptoms aren't as bad, I'm more relaxed, and my libido is better than ever!

Recently my 3-month prescription of Wellbutrin XL ran out (only ~$150 for 270 pills), at which point, I had to re-fill the medication. Apparently, my current insurance plan does not cover the real medication, but instead, the generic Budeprion XL.

After purchasing the generic Budeprion XL, I quickly discovered that the generic brand is, by far, nothing like the AUTHENTIC Wellbutrin XL.

In a nutshell - I was on Budeprion XL for only ONE DAY and noticed a significant change in the effects of the medication, for the worse. This medication intensified all of my symptoms and did anything but help me, period! It is apparent that I am better off without taking any medication whatsoever (if I am forced to choose between the generic stuff and no medication at all).

I've looked everywhere for a cheaper deal on the AUTHENTIC Wellbutrin XL medication; however, it appears to be the same expensive price (~$350+ / 90 pill supply) at all pharmacies in my local area (I.E. Sams, COSTCO, Walmart, Wallgreens, and CVS). What else am I to do other than suck up the cost???? Basically, I, like many others here, am confronted with 2 options - either option A (enjoy the anxiety, ADHD, and depression symptoms that our bodies naturally give us) or option B (feel normal):D

O well, what else are we to do? ...

It is what it is ...

Matt

I'm so, so glad to see this. I started taking buproprion about a month ago to help me quit smoking. I haven't smoked in 20 days, but I also haven't been able to sleep past 4 am, have been increasingly anxious and depressed, and have begun to feel extreme loneliness and listlessness... And have even had thoughts that were borderline suicidal.

Because I wasn't depressed to begin, I was just figuring that I'd entered some horribly bleak period of my life and would have to suffer through it. I'm furious that it's this stupid pill. I wonder... does it work for anyone??

I'm going to the pharmacist tonight to ask for a refill with wellbutrin. Thanks everyone for their honesty in this forum... I am so relieved to know that I will not feel this way forever.

I started taking the generic for Wellbutrin xl 300 mg with Watson pharm about 3 months ago after taking Wellbutrin for 5 months. It's not working as well but I can manage.

Although I am comfortable with the generic, I encourge those who were switched also to try a month of the name-brand. If you see an improvement, then decide if you can afford it. Also please tell your doctor if you feel that there is a difference between the 2.

What people don't know is these pharm. companies send reps out to visit with the doctors to promote. If patients don't tell their doctor how they really feel, the doctor can't give feed back to his reps. Doctors will NOT promote a drug or substitute if they know it does not work. In fact (I am a nurse by the way) doctors that know about certain generic meds that he is told by his patients do not work, that doctor will actually say, "please tell the pharmacy not to use the generic".

So please speak up. It's your health at risk, your body, YOUR DECISION!

My insurance switched me to generic wellbutrin 3 months ago. It has taken me this long to figure out what was wrong--and I've looked at EVERYTHING else. I'm so glad to hear other people with the same issues.

I don't care what it costs me--nothing is worth feeling like this. Just had my Dr write a new script with the brand name medically necessary. I hope it kicks in soon--I'm so irritable. Also--I noticed other people write about the weight gain. I had no idea! I've gained about 7 pounds in 3 months--very strange for me.
Here's to hoping we get some say in this marketplace!

Several years ago, I took Wellbutrin SR with amazing results. The only side effect was faint, transient tinnitus. It went away after a week or so. After a while I was able to d/c the drug.

In winter 07, I was placed on generic Wellbutrin, and almost immediately I experienced loud tinnitus. The med was d/c'd. But the tinnitus continued intermittently, and was distracting.

Last week I went back on generic Wellbutrin and the tinnitus sounded like circadas. It was so loud it made conversation difficult. Also, I experienced anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and surges of happiness--sometimes within the hour. I even bought a herbal remedy for tinnitus.

I feared I would not be able to continue working. I told my husband that I just wanted to die. My physician changed the rx to the brand name, and within six hours I could tell a difference. The ringing dropped down to a muted, tolerable level. The anxiety went away. The butterflies and "little twisty lurch" in my chest went away. No mood swings, just an even keel.

The generic should be pulled from the market. The FDA is doing a disservice to the public by allowing this dangerous impersonator to remain available. Moreover, I blame the insurance companies for pushing the generic form to "cut health costs." I don't know if the pharmacies or the pharmaceutical companies are the ones jacking up the cost for the brand name; I suspect both. I sincerely hope a class action lawsuit results.

I was on the meds from Watson for a year and they were great. Rite Aid switched me to Teva, also the same for a friend, and we both found they did not work! After digging, I found out that Watson is much like Wellbutrin, and Teva is the same except testing showed it releases differently. Many people will notice problems with the generics.

When the facility I go to for counseling hired a new psychologist, I decided to go see her and see if I couldn't get my depression under control. She and I had an hour-long talk, and then I told her that I was on regular Wellbutrin. She asked me how I felt and I told her "Honestly, I am irritable all the time, like I'm a stone's throw from going off on anyone." She said it was because I was on the wrong KIND of Wellbutrin and put me on Wellbutrin XL, 150mg. Since that time, my depression improved SO much, it was if I had a new lease on life.

Suddenly, my insurance carrier (Unison) didn't want to pay for the Wellbutrin anymore and put me on Budeprion. I figured it was ok so I took it. I didn't even notice that I was sliding back into a depression until last month, when I nearly got into a fistfight with a stranger, and then a week later, after 38 years of living a good life, had to go to court on a misdemeanor.

I am just as angry and volatile and grim-thinking as I was before I was put on Wellbutrin XL. My insurance company seems to not care, because they are fighting with my psychologist tooth and nail for me to have my regular prescription.

To anyone that thinks it's all in your head when you were feeling good and now you're not, it's not you. It's the generic prescription. I haven't felt this hopeless in a very long time, and I don't know what I'll do if I can't get my prescription, since I can't afford to pay out-of-pocket for it and I also can't afford to live like this.

WOW! I took Wellbutrin XL several years ago with no really bad side effects. My doctor switched me to Effexor, then Lexapro. (Hated the Effexor and love the Lexapro.) I've put on about 30 pounds since I've been on the Effexor/Lexapro and couldn't get rid of it despite the fact that I started walking 30/40 minutes twice a day with my dogs.

I asked my doctor to switch me back onto Wellbutrin. I received the generic and have been on it for about three weeks. I'm having panic attacks, nervousness, crying spells, sleeplessness, and all-around anxiety.

I happened to talk to my sister today and her son was on XL, then moved to the generic. Exactly the same side effects as me. I've just placed a call to my doctor to put me on XL..........damn the cost.

I can't believe what I am reading. I thought I was going crazy. My depression and extreme irritability have returned with a vengeance! I took Wellbutrin for years with great results but my insurance company made me switch to their home delivery. When I received the medication it looked different but I figured it was the same. I am now in to my second month on Budeprion SR (by TEVA) and feel like I did before taking anything. I thought the home delivery sent me the wrong meds. Now I know that I have to switch back to Wellbutrin even if I have to pay for it.

I am so glad to have found this website. I have been taking Wellbutrin XL 300 and have been switched to generic about almost a year. I didn't really think anything of it, and continued with generic. Until recently, I no longer had insurance coverage so I had to pay full price to get medication and decided to just pay for the real Wellbutrin instead of the generic.

I realized immediately that I felt much better and my appetite decreased. Before, while I was taking the generic, I would eat when I'm stressed out and have been gaining weight. Since going back to Wellbutrin about two weeks, my weight and appetite is going back to "normal". I was originally prescribed Wellbutrin for depression. The doctor carefully chose Wellbutrin because she said other antidepressants may have weight gain as side effect, but Wellbutrin would help control my weight gain from feeling depressed. The generic brand did not have this benefit and I was beginning to gain weight while on the generic.

I'm so glad I unknowingly switched back to Wellbutrin XL. I will from now on ask my doctor to prescribe brand name only. It is not just "in our heads" that generic does not work the same way as brand name. I hope that enough press will be generated on this issue so that insurance companies will reconsider patient needs.

For the last 4 months I have had many of the same side-effects--and all of the concerns--with the generic drug Budeprion. However, before this, I had been on a generic version of Wellbutrin XL 300mg for over 12 months without any of these adverse reactions.

The first generic pill that was used to fill my prescription was a small, round, white pill and the bottle was labeled only as 'Buproprion XL 300mg'. However, the last 4 months, the generic substitution has been a larger, yellow oval pill and the bottle labeled 'Budeprion'. The listed manaufacturer on both labels was 'Teva', but this is not an accurate fact.

After a bit of research, I learned that Teva is only the wholesaler and distributer of these generic versions, and was not the manufacturer of either version of the pill. Over the last 18 months, Teva has had two sources for manufacturing their 'generic' version of buproprion XL 300 mg. The first was Anchen Pharmaceuticals (U.S. company now owned by Watsen Pharmaceuticals) and the second was Biovail Corporation, a Toronto-based pharmaceutical comapny.

Anchen was their original source beause it was Anchen that filed the original required FDA documentation to create a generic version of Wellbutrin XL 300 mg when the appropriate chemical patents had expired. I also learned that Biovail is the manufacturer of the Bupropion pills sold by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) under their Wellbutrin XL brand and is most likely the owner of the expiring patents that opened the door for any of these XL 300mg generics.

Since GSK neither owns the R&D related chemical patents nor owns manufacturing facilities that produce the drug, this means that they are primarily the marketing partner for taking all of Biovail's versions of Buprorpion thru the required FDA approval processes needed before being able to sell any drug in the U.S. In return, GSK received the exclusive marketing, branding, and distribution rights in the U.S. for Biovail's patented versions of the Bupropion XL pills (and then sold these under the GSK brand name of Wellbutrin XL).

The other data-point out there in this confusing mess is that there were several patent infringement law suits launched by Biovail against Teva, Anchen, and any other company involved in producing or selling generic versions of Buproprion XL 300mg. These were settled in March 2007 in Biovial's favor. While the terms of the settlement are not public--they appear to impact who can manufacture / supply Teva and other wholesale firms with their generic version of Buproprion XL 300mg.

The bottom line--from my perspective--is that over the last 18 months I have had my presrcription filled--unknowingly by either me or my pharmacist--with two very different looking and acting generic versions of Buproprion XL 300mg. Both pills had the same company listed--Teva --as their manufacturer, when Teva was not manufacturer of either version. They were only the distributor for both.

These 2 versions of the generic drug with the misrepresented labeling have produced 2 completely different levels of both safety and effectiveness, with the large, yellow, oval pill (Budeprion) giving me many of the same adverse reactions that have been listed on this site by others. But, because of the misrepresentation on the labels regarding the manufacturer, I am uncertain which manufacturer produced which version. This makes it impossible fo