Study to Compare Brand Name and Generic Antidepressant

Took generic Wellbutrin XL and got depressed and forgetful. Switched back to Wellbutrin XL and all problems went away.

I also take antidepressants - fluoxetine and bupropion - and had been filling my prescriptions at a big-box chain store. I noticed recently when I picked up a refill that the color of the capsules for my fluoxetine had changed, but didn't pay much attention to it.

Within a week, I was literally climbing the walls and was becoming very depressed. Mentally, I started going through every single thing that could be causing this, and the only thing that was different, that I could come up with, was the possibility that the "new" fluoxetine could be the problem. I checked with the pharmacy and sure enough, they had switched to a new provider for their fluoxetine. The pharmacy was nice enough to give me the name of the previous provider (Barr), and I called around to different drugstores, eventually locating one that carried fluoxetine distributed by Barr.

Within two days of taking my "old" fluoxetine, I felt 100% better. With the next refill, however, even though the label said that the drug distributor was Barr, the capsule color was different. Once again, I could not tolerate the new form of fluoxetine, and after doing some research, found out that Barr had bought out another generic drug maker, and so technically, even though the label said "Barr" the drug was coming from another source. My doctor ended up switching me to a different drug entirely, and thankfully, I'm doing well on that.

I also experienced significant problems on generic Wellbutrin XL (purple pills). Not only did my depression symptoms resurface, but there was a significant effect on my sense of taste. I could no longer tolerate any naturally sweet foods, not just candy and cookies, but apples and tomatoes, indeed anything that contained sugar, including Town House crackers and country dijon mustard. Oddly enough, milk (lactose) tasted fine, but all foods containing sucrose and fructose caused an awful, disgusting aftertaste.

After an MRI determined that there was nothing anatomically wrong, my doctor rewrote my prescription to "brand name only" Wellbutrin XL. It's been several weeks, and, for the most part, my sense of taste has returned to normal, but some sweet foods still taste "off' to me. I think this must be a bad drug.

Teva's generic gave me a tremendous headache after a single dose. I thought it might be a fluke but it happened on three other occasions (same bottle, though).

A few years ago, my psychiatrist explained that generics are allowed to range from 80% to 120% of the stated dose. Recently he gave me a printed copy of the article, link shown below. We had no idea of the possible problems with generics as explained in the article. Looking back, I think I got into trouble when I switched from brand name Prozac to a generic prozac. I'm on another brand name drug now, but my mood instability and resulting problems may have been because of the switch to a generic.

http://www.self.com/health/2009/06/dangers-of-generic-drugs

I suffer from severe clinical depression and have taken 300 mg of Teva generic budeprion XL daily for 2 years. Last month my pharmacy switched from the generic manufacturer Teva to Actavis. The Teva product had worked fairly well (some nausea) but left a low level of depression symptoms.

After taking the pills manufactured by Actavis for about 10 days I noticed that I felt much more alert. My mood was better. I was doing a lot more and my thinking was clearer. It was at that point that I checked and found that the manufacturer had been changed from Teva to Actavis (apparently an Icelandic company??).

Note: My depression is longstanding and has been so severe that I stopped working and went on disability. The Teva generic did not bring me back to normal at any time. Has anyone else had a similar experience with the Actavis product? I still find it difficult to account for feeling so much better. Do these products deliver the medication into the bloodstream differently?

I tried the generic for effexor xr for 1 day and felt the difference rite away I called my Dr. and changed it back 2 the name brand the next day. Any one who thinks generic and brand name drugs are the same is wrong. Everyone knows that the insurance company is just greedy, they keep your money and you pay the price with your health!!

I was switched from Teva to Actavis and am experiencing severe depression symptoms. These are as bad or worse than any I've every had and I'm really worried. Short of paying the full price for Wellbutrin name brand, what recourse do I have with pharmacy or insurance company to get the Teva back or change to Wellbutrin name brand? They say it meets with FDA standards, but I'm having a psychological crisis and this is the only variable that has changed in my treatment. What can I do?

I have prescribed generic Wellbutrin for dozens of patients and I take it myself. Neither I nor my patients have had any problems with it. I am completely comfortable with this generic drug

I've been on the big yellow 300 mg Buproprion XL for about 6 months and my last refill was filled with Actavis (smaller white ones). While the old ones (TEVA, I believe) made me feel great, I've been doing poorly on Actavis. I thought that I had been given the wrong pills completely until I called the pharmacy and found out the manufacturer had changed.

I'm unsure if the side-affects are worse - I had assumed I was just ill with a mild flu or cold, but the headaches and nausea may be from the actavis pills. I certainly feel more unmotivated, lethargic, and sadder than since I started taking Buproprion.

It looks like many people have a worse reaction to the TEVA pills than brand name Wellbutrin and that there may be a different release rate. Perhaps my body deals better with the release rate of the TEVA pills than the Actavis. If only there was a way to specify a certain brand on a prescription, rather than just "no generic".

Without my knowledge my pharmacy switched my generic from Teva to Actavis. I thought the pills looked different but figured Teva changed them because all I was looking for on the bottle was generic for wellbutrin. Well by the end of the month, I was so discouraged I called my Doc.

I had gained five pounds and was having a terrible time with memory and concentration etc... Then I had to call around to find a pharmacy that could fill my script with Teva generic. It worked totally different for me than Actavis.

A friend was switched and also had a bad experience. I saw your article and recommended he call the CCT number you provided. He called and was scheduled for an appointment. So glad he called. Thanks for keeping us informed.

I was taking name brand Wellbutrin XL and CVS pharmacy didn't deviate from the doctor's name brand only recommendation, but when I switched over to mail order pharmacy and submitted the prescription form with the "do not substitute generic". Well, guess what they did anyway, claiming they had called my Dr's office and said they were given permission from my doctor.

I am literally ready to climb the walls. I can't stand it anymore. I was just fine on the name brand, but the generic just makes me seem like I'm not on anything and I'm depressed and i have no hope.

I was switched from Wellbutrin Sr to a generic about two months ago. A couple days after the switch I crashed bad, then after a week seemed to level off a little bit, but haven't been the same. I mentioned this to my doctor and he insists the generic is exactly the same as the brand name and that it must be something else. I find this hard to believe. Anybody else have this problem?

Me too!!! I'm doing terrible on the Actavis. I too feel more unmotivated, lethargic, and sadder. Crazy mood swings. I feel like I'm going nuts.

I don't know what to do-- I read that Teva releases faster in the first 2 hours. If that's the case, I'll break the Actavis pill. I'm on 300XL.

Teva works for me.

I've taken brand name Wellbutrin several times during the past years for seasonal depression. This time around I was given the generic Teva brand for Wellbutrin XL, 150mg x 2 a day. Had to stop taking it after one month due to severe insomnia, worsening depression, mood swings, constipation, & nightmares. Took a 'drug holiday' for a week then went back on the brand name Wellbutrin. After about 3 weeks I was back to normal and living life again.

Wow, who has the time to stay at a clinic for 24 days to test blood levels? I would gladly do it if the requirements were not so strict. Maybe, when there are two many "anecdotes like these", something is wrong and one needs to pay more attention... and be a bit more sensitive to the people whose well-being has been compromised by Budeprion.

I was fine on the Watson generic, but did not do well on Teva. Does anyone know what happened to the Watson version?

Teva is the worst and I can't believe nothing has or is being done about this generic..... it is soooo unfair to have to pay the full price for a medication like Wellbutrin XL that works so well for people. I was on Wellbutrin XL and was great!!! I eventually had to pay full price for Wellbutrin or switch to the Generic Teva so of course I switched to generic because I figured it couldn't be that bad.

Man was I wrong, I was having panic attacks, I felt like I was going to die, I couldn't sleep and I was a train wreck, not to mention I noticed my sinuses getting worse like my head was going to explode! I decided to not take anything at all, I felt better for a few months but I now realize I need the Wellbutrin XL back. What the hell am I gonna do, I can't afford to pay this huge fee every month.

I was put on Wellbutrin XL for weight loss. Years ago I had been on Buproprion the generic and did great. This time they put me on the TEVA Budeprion. I knew that sounded odd. Never heard of it and I'm an RN. Awful side effects, Headache at 5pm every night until the next am dose, terrible taste in mouth, tired all the time... and no weight loss after 2 weeks, Will ask Dr. Tues for new script for DAW. I gained 40 lbs over a year in spite of eating high protein 1200 cal diet and hrs of exercise a day. I am so discouraged! I had hoped I would also like many lose weight on Wellbutrin

I started off on the generic (Teva) Wellbutrin XL 300 mg about 7 months ago. I never took the brand name so I do not have any experience comparing the two. Teva Wellbutrin worked seemed fine for me. It was a large yellowish pill with a strange cool feeling in my throat for a while after taking.

For 4 months I took the Teva yellow pill. 3 months ago Target gave me small round pills that was the size of an aspirin (no idea what generic this was?). Then, two months ago I switched my pharmacy to Walgreens and the again the pills looked completely different (medium white oval and did not have the cooling sensation) and I saw that it was made by Actavis now.

I feel like the Actavis version is doing more harm than good for me. I feel lethargic, horrible mood swings, an empty/numb feeling most of the time, and unmotivated. Watson, I believe, merged with Actavis, but I am not sure what happened to Teva. Anyone else having issues with their Wellbutrin generics being changed?

In the previous post, I meant to say did Watson, Actavis, or Teva merge? Or do certain pharmacies just carry one generic brand or another? I just don't want to be bounced around from one generic to another which seems to be the current case.

I have never been on Wellbutrin, but I started on the Actavis Buproprion XL 150 4 days ago. So far, I have felt nothing like I thought I was going to feel. I have felt spacey, lethargic (fell asleep after work), tremor, and no increase in energy or sex drive. My chronic pain got worse, and last night I woke up several times feeling deep sadness/hopelessness. I had a vivid nightmare where my family was taunting me and wanting me to hang myself.

I hope this negative experience is only due to the generic version of Wellbutrin, and I will try the brand name as soon as I can.

In January 2007 I switched from Wellbutrin XR to the Teva brand. My depression worsened, with lethergy, crying jags, loss of motivation, lowering of my ability to focus or stay focused. I did not relate it to the Teva brand, continued on the generic brand, eventually, lost my job 6 months later. Upon losing my health care coverage, I was unable to purchase the medication. Within weeks, my depressive symptoms slowly cleared and I felt better than I had in months, even though I was now dealing with job searching in a very bad job market.

Here is the irony of this whole situation. The job I lost was with Teva, all because of their product, which I felt compelled to use. Talk about messing up someones life on a major scale.

Have been taking Teva Bupropion xl 300mg tablets for 2 years. My pharmacy has switched to Actavis South Bupropion xl 300mg. These pills actually made my jaw bones hurt, depression increased, confused, constipated, could not even finish any tasks. Gained 20 pounds since taking these pills while working out 3 times a week, eating less, no sodas at all. These are not the right pills for me. I am going to contact my pharmacy to find out how to get my prescription changed back to Teva and have my insurance cover it.
I talked to the pharmacist to make sure they had not given me the incorrect medication.