Comments on: FDA To Review Generic Wellbutrin… Again

By: NP&patient

NP&patient — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:02:07 +0000

Some things I do know about generic medications: FDA requires only 80% similarity to the name brand drug; some of the fillers used in generics may cause allergic reactions (facial swelling, hives, eg.) in some individuals that they did not experience with name brand; new starts on any SSRI may have transient side effects in the beginning 6 weeks or so, i.e., the individual usually become accustomed to the chemicals and will begin to experience the real benefits of the therapy.

As a patient, current meds are Lexapro 5 mg and Bupropion 150 SR. I only have taken generic Wellbutrin (bupropion) by TEVA. Therapy was initiated with XL that I, family and co-workers worked through for 6 weeks of emotional lability. Notably, the Lexapro was reduced by 5 mg simultaneously. Psychiatrist switched Rx to SR with rapid improvement in negative side effects.

My Diagnosis is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (situational). Since removal of the “situation,” anxiety has been reduced even further.

By: Sharon Joly

Sharon Joly — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:40:21 +0000

I was taking Wellbutrin XL for 3 months and it has been the greatest medication for depression and/or lack of energy that I have taken. I felt great! I then switched to Wellbutrin SR because I lost my job and couldn’t afford the brand name medication any longer. I have felt sick ever since I started on this medication which has been for over a year now. I cannot concentrate, my head is confused, I can’t sleep well at night, vision is blurry and I am tired and sleepy all the time. For a while I thought, well, I will get used to it since I cannot afford the brand name, but I cannot handle feeling this way anymore. The pharmacist suggested Celexa so I am going to try that for 30 days and see how I feel. If you cannot take Wellbutrin XL brand name, change to another brand of medication.

By: Mrethiopian

Mrethiopian — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:12:45 +0000

In all the comments at the peoples pharmacy I’m the only one who listed the manufacture of the generic drug, the FDA has chosen to investigate the same manufacture (Teva) as they did in the initial 2006 re-study. Why is the FDA using this same manufacture, is it because they know it to be a bioequivalent and hence the study side on to the pharmcudical and again the FDA will be correct? The problem could with some obscure manufacture of wellbutrin and since the FDA is only testing a single manufacture we will never know it.

Its time we push the FDA to perform their mandated task to protect we the people and not simply side with big pharma because its protecting the almighty corporation.

By: karl brody

karl brody — Fri, 13 May 2011 07:32:04 +0000

i too took name brand sr150 for years. No side effects and it solved my depression. I started taking generic sr 150 in a white pill from costco because it was cheaper and my income is low. The generic made me feel more anxious and also spacey in the head. i didnt like it and stopped taking it. There is a difference in the effect from one to the other.

By: KT

KT — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:36:37 +0000

I have been on this drug for 5 years. It worked great for the first year prior to the generic being release. I take 150mg extended release. The first time the generic came in the mail I began getting bad headaches and anxiety which I reported to my doctor. The pharmacy replaced the medication with Wellbutrin XL and all was well again. I continued to get Dr. to prescribe “no Generic”. Until the insurance tripled the price on the mail order product and I was forced to take the generic. Looking back I feel like I lost about a year and and a half of effective medication and productivity. I eventually went off it for several months which didn’t help much so went back on the generic which was somewhat better than nothing. I recently received a refill of a generic mgf by Actavis which seems to deliver the medication much better than I have experienced in a very long time.

You would think the fact that this is an antidepressant and all that can go wrong with messing with dosages would be enough to keep these people honest. I guess the profit is all that keeps them from providing the real product and probably they are bribing the FDA to do little to nothing to protect the integrity of the product or those who have been prescribed.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:48:50 +0000

OMG! For the past 4 years I have had
heart pains
anxiety attacks
bloating and distended stomach
inability to eat much before pain is bad
seisure-like sensations that ran up my
entire body
terrible taste in my mouth upon seisures
metallic taste
achy muscles and joints
steady weight gain
zero energy,have to make myself get out of bed
I had been taking brand name Wellbutrin for 10 years and felt great. About 4 years ago I switched to generic and thought nothing about it. When I began getting symptoms, I had just coincidentally had a hysterectomy at about the same time so I assumed I had hit a brick wall in menopause and that I had developed a heart problem that nobody could seem to find a reason for. My doctor tried to hide it but I could tell that he felt I was becoming a hypochondriac because he could find no medical reason for my feeling all of these terrible symptoms.
Guess what? It was about 4 years ago that I started on the generic teva wellbutrin. Have been depressed now for the entire time, felt like I was dying but nobody would acknowledge my symptoms, and have spent thousands of dollars on test after test trying to find a reason for my symptoms. I did not dream it could be my meds I was taking until I got desperate and started investigating them for side effects. I called my doctor today, made an appointment to sit down and discuss this and will never take generic Wellbutrin again at any cost. Why hadn’t my doctor heard the scuttle on this drug?
I am in favor of a class action law suit. My last 4 years cannot be given back to me, can they?
The least the generic companies could do is put a warning label on all labels stating that many negative side effects have been reported. Once again, the almighty dollar and drug companies win at any cost to the consumer.

By: andy

andy — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:42:40 +0000

A week and a half ago i started generic buproprion (wellbutrin). This was my first experience with an antidepressant. After a couple days i noticed i was getting irritable at little things that normally wouldn’t bother me. I switched to brand wellbutrin yesterday and can already tell a difference. The agitation is lifting away. I can’t believe that the generic actually made me feel worse.

By: Dennis Fleming

Dennis Fleming — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:08:02 +0000

There is something spooky about this. I worked in the regulatory industry for decades and this stinks. The very morning I took my first dose of the generic, I went into heart arrhythmias that eventually sent me to the hospital.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:15:34 +0000

When you guys refer to “brand” Wellbutrin, do you include Bupropion as good as brand Wellbutrin…and consider the Budeprion as the generic?

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:11:56 +0000

Cannot take the generic - I am worse than not taking any anti-depressant at all. I called my mail order pharmacy a week ago to begin a “review and appeal” process on the Wellbutrin XL brand copay I must pay which is a ridiculous price. Within days, the mail order pharmacy INCREASED the price of Wellbutrin XL by over $200. How long has Wellbutrin been on the market, and they’re increasing the price even more and more? This is so screwed up.