budeprion by teva vs bupropion by watson

I can't comment on the weight gain, but I have noticeable side effects having changed from the Teva to the Watson version this month. I can tell I'm having reuptake adjustments which, for me, manifest as dizziness, headaches and changes in the way my eyes view (my eyes get tired 10X faster than usual). I contacted my pharmacist and he suggested that the rate of absorption may have changed dramatically from what I was taking previously. He offered to order in the Teva brand for me to go back on. In fact, I found this query above by Googling for more info on Bupropion Watson!

I was on the Watson version and felt very good and had a lot of enery. My pharmacy changed to the Teve brand and within days, I felt depressed again, and very tired. Had a loss of energy and dont like the feeling at all. I believe there is a big difference between the two.

I was on watson bupropion and the pharmacy switched me to Eon bupropion saying it was the exact same just different color.....well almost immediately i started to feel like i was on nothing....depressed, very irritable, tired, bad anxiety....i feel that even a small switch like this (between two generics) can make a huge difference...only wish i had known this was a possibility before.

I was taking buproprion (Watson) for more than 18 months. I swithced insurances and was given the budeprion (Teva) version for the last month. Lately I've been experiencing severe depression again. Nothing significant in my life has changed. I called around and found a pharmacy that gave buproprion. If you feel a different psych med is not working, don't take chances with your life. These are different drugs that, in an FDA "sample group", metabolized into their active constituents at the same rate. They are both generic, call around and get the medicine you need.

I used the Watson brand for a year and felt great. Then I got a refill that was a yellow tablet with a G on one side and the numbers 2444 on the other. The pharmacist told me that it was exactly the same and I trusted that information. Well lo and behold, within a few weeks I felt terrible, back at square one with depression and anxiety, the new tablet was obviously not working. I've managed to find a pharmacy who ordered the Watson brand for me, but meanwhile I have this bottle of the no-good stuff do dispose of. Now there's another dilemna. If I put it in the trash or down the toilet, it adds to the chemical pollution already in our landfills and water supply. The damn pharmaeuticals should have to take their junk back and dispose of it in a way that's safe for the environment. They seem to have no conscience. Their pills don't work, and they pollute the environment...but hey, what the heck, they're making the bucks and that's all they care about eh?

I used the Watson brand for a year and felt great. Then I got a refill that was a yellow tablet with a G on one side and the numbers 2444 on the other. The pharmacist told me that it was exactly the same and I trusted that information. Well lo and behold, within a few weeks I felt terrible, back at square one with depression and anxiety, the new tablet was obviously not working. I've managed to find a pharmacy who ordered the Watson brand for me, but meanwhile I have this bottle of the no-good stuff do dispose of. Now there's another dilemna. If I put it in the trash or down the toilet, it adds to the chemical pollution already in our landfills and water supply. The damn pharmaeuticals should have to take their junk back and dispose of it in a way that's safe for the environment. They seem to have no conscience. Their pills don't work, and they pollute the environment...but hey, what the heck, they're making the bucks and that's all they care about eh?

I have been on bupropion SR for over 8 years and it was working fine, except some days I would have an increase in appetite and was thinking about food all day. Turns out this was on days that I had forgetten to take my Bupropion SR. This last week I have been starving all week and think about food all week long. I kept wondering what could be causing this because I haven't missed my Bupropion SR. I looked further and 2 weeks ago I began taking Budeprion SR because the pharmacy had changed it. I am planning on calling the Dr. to change it back. I don't need to gain weight or have the constant argument in my head about what to eat next.

My insurance switched me from Wellbutrin 300 XL to the Teva generic (large yellow pill) or budeprion. After a few weeks I felt my depression returning both mentally and physically. My nurse didn't believe me at first until she researched and learned of the multitude of other subjects suffering similar problems. I couldn't take it anymore and purchased the wellbutrin brand and paid over $300 for a 90 day supply. I was promoted and switched to another union with a better insurance plan. I was then prescribed the watson generic and started to feel better again on a consistent basis. However, I recently complained of increased paranoia (as side effect of buproprion). My nurse increased the generic buproprion to 450 mg on a trial basis. Wish me Luck. I no longer trust the FDA. Their comparative analysis of Teva vs. Welbutrin, found teva to upload alot faster then wellbutrin, but concluded that there should be no adverse effects. Therefore me and millions of others are truly crazy. Knowing what we know now, do you really believe the FDA is on the side of the people or big business?

I thought maybe I was just crazy and that there was no difference in the medications being that it's just different manufacturers but there is a difference. I was on the Watson Bupropion and was switched without being told to the Teva Budeprion and started feeling weird. I had anxiety attacks on the Teva, strange feelings (somewhat like dizziness but more like drunkenness at times) Migraines with the Teva but not the Watson. I stopped taking it because I was tired of feeling worse on it. I don't understand how a pharmacy can just switch the product without informing you of it. I'm glad I checked out this website and read all the replies because I talked to my pharmacist and they said they've heard that before and they'd put a note in my file to only order me the Watson buproprion. Hopefully I"ll be back on track.

i too was on buproprion and they put me on budeprion...i am sick a lot..have anxiety...my feet get cold...and it doesnt seem to work.. i am stopping and calling my doctor...i thought i was crazy...i also gained 40 pounds over the last year and half of budeprion

i was just recently switched from buproprion to budeprion and i noticed a difference right away. i looked online and it seemed like a lot of people have felt the same way, but i decided to wait and see how it effected me. the buproprion was weird at first too, i sorta felt like i was on speed. well, it's been a little over two weeks now and it's just gone down hill all together. i feel like i did before i started taking anything. unfortunately i don't have insurance until sometime in january (new job) so i have to find an affordable pharmacy that has the correct medicine. overwhelming!

I was taking Wellbutrin XL 300 mg for about three months until my insurance company changed their drug tiers and I had to start taking the generic. I was dispensed Buproprion XL 300 mg at my local pharmacy and and same at Costco pharmacy until I switched my prescriptions to Target because they have better customer. The only problem with Target is that they dispense Budeprion by TEVA and I noticed a difference with 2 days but I thought that it was just me. The biggest problem is that it seems the medication just doesn't work just like when I would forget to take my Wellbutrin. I know I was not forgeting to take my medication and then when the physical systems started I did some searching on the internet and I am finding so many consumer complaints regarding TEVA's Budeprion. I stopped taking Budeprion and began taking some samples of Wellbutrin from my physician until I ran out and began taking the TEVA again and the problems started once again. Now I have went back to Costco and I have been dispensed Watson's Buproprion as of today so I'll wait and see. I will be looking into getting the ball rolling on a class action lawsuit because this is unfair and wrong that TEVA continues to dispense their garbage.

My story is very similar to "carrerans, #3120". I was taking Wellbutrin XL 300 and was doing great on it. Due to the expense, I went ahead and switched to the generic which at the time was Watson Buproprion. I was fine and didn't really notice any differences. Then I moved out of state and had to change pharmacies and was given Budeprion by TEVA (from the Target pharmacy). I noticed that the name was different (Bupro- vs Bude), but didn't think much of it. After a few days, I couldn't figure out why I was so upset--crying, irritable, eating everything that I could, horrible mood swings and even suicidal thoughts. My depression had come back like I hadn't experienced in a long time and I knew I'd been taking my medication. I started to wonder about the medication did some research and (just like most of you have) found all of these consumer complaints about generic forms of Wellbutrin, specifically Budeprion by TEVA, which convinced me that this was the cause. The customer service at the Target pharmacy is great. When it was time for a refill, I simply called my Target pharmacist ahead of time to make sure she had it and asked for the name brand instead. I've been great on Wellbutrin XL 300 ever since. Naturally, the cost is more, but I prepared for that by increasing my FSA health benefits this year, so I pay no up front out of pocket expense. I hate that we all had to go through this but I'm glad to know that I'm not alone and that "I'm not crazy" in thinking that the problem was with me.

I was on Wellbutrin 300 XL. Then, I was on generic bupropion 300 XL with no changes. [Naively, I didn't think about checking the manufacturer.] One random month, my pharmacy gave me this "new" kind of medication, which turned out to be budeprion (Teva Pharmaceuticals). I thought it weird that all of the medications I had had up to that point looked similar, and this one looked so dramatically different. After about a week, I noticed that, soon after taking the pill, my hands shook and my vision was distorted. I thought that some "additive" needed getting used to. About two months after starting the pill, I realized that my hair was continuously falling out. The only correlation was the Teva pills. The next month, I asked my pharmacy to stock a different brand, and it did. Within two months, I had noticeable short bangs across my hairline and MANY short new hairs along my part. My doc and I did some research and saw postings and reports that mirror the ones here (well, the ones where Teva caused problems, not Watson). We tried to submit reports to the FDA, but the FDA soon issued statements that "depressed people just have suicidal thoughts" and nothing more would be done/researched/investigated. I specifically request any make besides Teva whenever I go to my pharmacy, and I won't go back on Teva again. I consider myself lucky: (1) I take this to mitigate symptoms of ADHD, not depression or anxiety, and (2) my adverse reactions were much more physical than mental/emotional. My heart goes out to people who had serious effects where depression and anxiety are concerned. That is horrible. Hopefully, the FDA will reconsider, with a new administration looking over it because Teva seems to be turning up more and more in my area.

I've had no experience with Watson generics but had 7 years of success using Wellbutrin 300XL. Insurance switched me to generic budeprion XL beginning 05/16/2007. (I suspect but cannot prove it was made by Teva). By 06/03/2007, I started having hallucinations of blacking out (or actual blacking out) for short periods of time. Dizziness, extreme anxiety, fatigue, and depression followed. While driving, I jumped the curb of a very familar turn in my neighborhood and blew out my car's tire. On 07/02/2007 my doc decided to put me back on Wellbutrin 300 XL. Within days, I returned to normal. A recent article in Newsweek (Oct 13, 2008) by Mary Carmichael about generics mentioned that the FDA is investigating the generic Wellbutrin.

I called my pharmacy to refill my medication and the pharmacist replied back, "budeprion?" I said yes bupropion. Not thinking at all that they had switched me...So this last month I have been eating more than usual, hungry all the time and my mood is different. I completely lost my sex drive, which has never ever been a problem. It started to worry me. So I looked at my bottle that read budeprion! How can they switch you without asking?That is highly unethical and yes there is a difference, a big difference. After reading everyone else's blogs, I don't feel like I'm over-reacting. Is it seriously legal for them to do this to people? Antidepressants are not something to carelessly switched on people. Thank God I didn't have the side effects that others mentioned. However, after reading some others I feel irate for them! People have committed suicide from careless actions such as these; it should be illegal to switch people like this!!!

I called my pharmacy to refill my medication and the pharmacist replied back, "budeprion?" I said yes bupropion. Not thinking at all that they had switched me, just that he pronounced it differently...So this last month I have been eating more than usual, hungry all the time and my mood is different. I completely lost my sex drive, which has never ever been a problem. It started to worry me. So I looked at my bottle that read budeprion! How can they switch you without asking?That is highly unethical and yes there is a difference, a big difference. After reading everyone else's blogs, I don't feel like I'm over-reacting. Is it seriously legal for them to do this to people? Antidepressants are not something to carelessly switched on people. Thank God I didn't have the side effects that others mentioned. However, after reading some others I feel irate for them! People have committed suicide from careless actions such as these; it should be illegal to switch people like this!!!

My Costco pharmacy switched me to budeprion 3 weeks ago. When I opened the bottle the pill looked VERY different. It was the yellow oval, not the white round bupropion I had been taking. I called the pharmacy and was told it was the same thing. WRONG! I have been taking this drug for 3 weeks and feel terrible. I actually only figured out yesterday what my problem was because I never considered that it might be related to this new medication. I have had headaches, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation. My anxiety has been bad, my mood terrible. I feel depressed, very tired, and generally unhappy! I also found work very challenging last week. I had trouble thinking and felt tongue tied. Communicating was difficult and I thought the days would NEVER end, and I love my job and have never felt that way before. I called Costco yesterday and they said they can't get bupropion anymore and told me to call around and find a pharmacy who carried it and they would switch my prescription for me. I had to call three different pharmacy's before I could find one that carried bupropion. I will take my first dose today and can't wait to start feeling like myself again. This has been an ordeal for me and I'm glad I finally put two and two together and figured out what my problem was. What about those who don't make the correlation and keep feeling worse and don't know why? I am so ANGRY that they can play with people's lives like that.

All generics are not created equal. I find it incredible that pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies continue to tell the public that generics are the same when it's obvious (to the patient, at least) that they are not. I have had great results with Budeprion and horrible results with Bupropion. The first time I was prescribed Wellbutrin (the brand name uses Bupropion) it was 3 x a day and I still felt horrible. It wasn't until years later that I was given Budeprion for the generic and immediately felt great. Even my insurance company charges a different co-pay for each, with my luck the Budeprion is more expensive. The pharmaceutical companies need to be held accountable for supplying this type of information to doctors and patients. How many people have had increases to their dosages that were unnecessary if they had just switched generics? It would be great to see a national public awareness campaign to bring these differences in generics to light.

...addition to the previous post: ...The active ingredient, bupropion HCl, is no longer under patent, but the membrane-based drug-delivery technology behind GSK's once-a-day, extended-release product remains protected. Teva's Budeprion XL 300 consequently relies on an unrelated erodable tablet technology... Full article: http://www.icis.com/Articles/2008/03/10/9105794/budeprion-xl-300-and-wellbutrin-xl-300-controversy-over-disparity-in-effects.html I don't think that Budeprion should be taken off the market or formulated differently, it helps many people, including me. But maybe should be marketed differently so it doesn't come across as interchangeable with Bupropion. Please don't take it off the market!!

I've been taking the Teva generics for quite a while, and I was out of town with my boyfriend and ran out of mine, so I took his (which are the Watson brand) at the exact same same dose and both SR for a week until I got home. When I returned I realized I was feeling much better then I had in a long time, then I returned to my old brand and noticed an immediate difference. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me, so I looked at the pills and I couldn't believe they were both supposed to be the same drug, but the two different generics have very different side effects. I lost 3 pounds the week I took the Watson generic, and gained it back once I was on the Teva. I called Walgreen's to see if they would switch me to the Watson ones if I paid all over again, but they said they didn't use the same supplier and my insurance wouldn't allow it anyway, so I'm stuck with these for another 3 weeks! I can't wait to use another pharmacy and switch back. People shouldn't have to take drugs that don't work!

article mentioned by cradamczyk #3596 in recent post was interesting. it appears that budeprion is absorbed faster than buproprion. wondering if this may account for some of the difference in effectiveness. i'm curious if those of you who felt that budeprion didn't work well were taking it at night and therefore maybe the highest blood concentration was while you were sleeping. costco just switched me to budeprion xl from buproprion xl. found this site because i too was curious if they were the same. time will tell, but i'm going to take it midmorning in case the uptake time difference is causing problems.

i have used teva for only a month, switched my perscrip to mail order and got the bupropion purple pill.( surprise) the teva was working okay, but sometimes i still felt depressed. i figured it was because i had a glass of red wine occasionally. anyway, after seeing the different names/pills, i googled and ran across this. i will be interested to see what my outcome is.

I don't care what anyone says. There is a difference between the name brand Wellbutrin XL and either of the generics (budeprion XL or bupropion XL). The absorption rate is different as is the "mechanism" by which the body accepts the drug. My cheap, useless medical insurance agreed to pay for the Wellbutrin XL, but They pay $77 while I have to pay $182 for a 30 day supply, as opposed to $15 co-pay for the cheap stuff. This is after my doctor told them the generics don't work for me. FYI my prescription insurance is presently via "Express Scripts." Next open enrollment, I'm going back to Aetna.

I was taking teva 150xl and felt amazing (budeprion) My doctor told me to increase my dose so I took two for two mornings. I felt even better. Then she rxd 300ml but it came in buproprion. I have been feeling wildly emotional, anxious, and very uneven. I gues I need to go back to budeprion? Has anyone had this experience?

I have been taking Wellbutrin XR as part of the pharmaceutical regime for management of Major Clincial Depression for at least 7 years now and with good results. Like so many of the others posted, about 6 mos. ago, when I went to get my prescription refilled, the Pharmacist filled it with Budeprion XR insisting this was the generic brand and the exact same medication. I didn't question this since, some years previous while I was still taking Wellbutrin SR, I switched to the real generic: Buproprion SR and it worked fine. About 2 wks after this change, I began getting flogged with heavy bouts of depression and fatigue. This was in the midst of the Holiday Season and I had recently begun intense EMDR work for years of unresolved PTSD. My spouse had lost her job last year, finally found another job in November and lost it in December-both instances due to the economy. All this, plus worries over my primary job due to internal restructuring, I figured, was enough to make anyone tired and depressed, so, although I wondered about the medication, I pressed on. One night at my part time job, the Charge Nurse (and friend) happened to relay to me a similar story about her Wellbutrin stating that she was given Budeprion the last time she went to get a refill and that it was "shit", citing depression and weight gain. Eventually, she was able to get back on her Wellbutrin but only by means of her Doctor writing a note for the Pharmacist stating that it necessary for her to stay on the Wellbutrin. I called my Psychiatrist's office (where I have been being treated for 15 yrs and know the Nurses there who have always been nothing short of great) and explained the situation. PART OF THE PROBLEM, THOUGH, IS THAT STILL, TOO FEW PEOPLE HAVE YET TO HEAR OF BUDEPRION. THEY KNOW BUPROPION-- BUT TRY EXPLAINING THIS OVER THE PHONE TO SOMEONE AND IT WILL LEAVE YOU BOTH PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT. I figured I would try to hold out until I saw my Dr. again and show him the bottles. By the time I saw my Psychiatrist again, in April 09, I had gained 15 lbs (since November, 08) and could not account for where it had come from. I had gotten used to living with the depression to some degree but was becoming more and more aware of how angry I felt all the time. My Dr. wrote on the prescription to "Dispense as written" and said this would take care of the problem. I am an Alcohol and Drug Counselor at a large facility in middle Tennessee and still work part time as a Counselor/tech at Vanderbilt Psych Hospital on the Detox/Dual Diagnosis Unit.I study everything I can on neurobiology and addiction and am the point person at my fulltime job for collegues seeking solid input regarding psychopharmacology. I am also in recovery and have been sober for 9 years, since I was a patient myself at Vanderbilt's psych hospital. Rembering that I had a long-standing relationship with some of the folks at the Outpatient Pharmacy at Vanderbilt's Children's hospital and recalling how helpful they had been previously when drug and insurance companies jerked me around in the past over other medications, I decided to return to them after a one year hiatus spent at Walgreen pharmacies out of convenience. On Monday of this week, I dropped off my prescription at Vanderbilt Pharmacy and made sure they wrote down my phone number emphasizing they call me if there were any questions. I had to drive back out to the Franklin, TN Outpatient location where I was working that day and return to Vanderbilt in Nashville to pick up the script by 6PM. I never received a call and was breathing a sigh of relief when I returned to pick up the medication, thinking, finally, that I would get some relief. I was wrong. As the cashier was ringing me up, she said, "We gave you Budeprion for the Wellbutrin". When I questioned this, she said that "they" had called my Doctor's office and were told that the Budeprion would be "okay". I was furious. I reminded them that the script clearly stated "Dispense as Written" which they did not, and they were to call me if there were any problems, which they did not. At that point, two other women behind the counter- nurses? pharmacists? techs? whoever they were decided to get in on the conversation- one clearly insisting that Budeprion was the same as Wellbutrin. I said it was not. She very unprofessionally snipped back at me, "It's not?: Well, that's news to me." I then tried to call my Dr.'s office on my cell phone which initally, would not get a signal due to being inside the hospital. I told them I was going to call my Dr. back and asked to use a phone- which they had let me use in the past for the same reason- besides the fact that I was a Vanderbilt employee and that's when the other female type person from behind the counter yelled out, "we don't have a phone you can use. There's a payphone in the lobby." It wasn't even what these two said to me but the attitude they threw at me as though they were judging me for taking anti-depressants- And the last visit at Walgreens to pick up Wellbutrin where they said they would fill it and then when I picked it up, they tried to charge me $180+ co-pay for 1 month's (had forgotten to tell me that part). I couldn't afford it so I did not get it. At least the people at Walgreens didn't have quite the attitude as the ones at Vanderbilt, but I did see one employee in the back roll their eyes. Now, here's the question I ask: How is it that someone who has struggled and fought their way through some serious issues in their life, who could very well just sit back and collect Disability like so many others do, but who has resolved to work in a difficult field and help others, becoming a very, very viable and positive force in her community, how is it that that person cannot get a simple anti-depressant filled that she has been getting filled for over 7 years? FYI: Walgreens states that they do not even carry Bupropion any more for Wellbutrin. That this Budeprion, by Teva, is "what they use for the generic". Does Watson know this? Do they know that their effective medication, Wellbutrin, is being substituted by an imposter that only costs $7.00 (SEVEN dollars) co-pay for 2 MONTHS- which in itself has got to tell you something- This is happening all across the country- if not the world, and I have already heard other patients who don't realize the reasons, making comments such as "I used to take Wellbutrin, but it just turned into a crap medication, like overnight".

PS to the long entry I just posted: Unfortunately, I STILL have yet to get my Wellbutrin refilled. It's taken me about 4 days to calm down enough to be able to write someone intelligently about this nightmare. I'll have to get back on it today, though, because it is not going to fix itself. I intend to write Watson's also and will post any news-worthy updates as seem appropriate. Thanks

Same story. Buproprion is very effective for me, but I was switched to the TEVA generic budeprion by UHC. Had to stop taking it, as I began to feel worse than I did before taking anything. There is an obvious difference and the GSK brand is too expensive under my formulary. Anyone know of a pharmacy that carries the Watson generic? Any help is much appreciated. The TEVA stuff is crap for me.

I have been taking Wellbutrin for many years. I too suffer from Major Clinical Depression. I take XL and 450mg a day. I have done well with this prescription. The only drawback being the cost. I tried the first generic that came out. I did not do well on it. I went back to Wellbutrin. My psychiatrist told me that generic drugs only have to be 80% of the original drug. He said that is fine for most illnesses but we are dealing with the brain and that 20% might mean a change in behavior for us. I remained on Welbutrin until another generic came out. My pharmacy kept bugging me to try the generic. This time is was Budeprion XL by Teva. I did beautifully on this drug. I even felt it was better for me than the original Wellbutrin. Two or three months ago my Pharmacy switched to Bupropion XL by Teva. I am taking it and do not feel that well again. I am switching back to the Budeprion, hopefully I can still find it.. We are all so different. Different drugs effect people in different ways. As soon as you notice you are not feeling right tell your doctor. I felt great on Budeprion but not on Bupropion. It works for me.

I was on Wellbutrin XL for years - since 1995. In winter my doctor would bump me up another 50 mgs. but in the spring time I'd go back to my regular dosage. Then about a year ago, I was switched to a generic, bupropion. There didn't seem to be any problem with it. Then, about 6 months ago, I noticed some weight gain and no energy, more down days than up. No matter what I did, the weight kept coming on and it was all around my middle. I've always been slim. And, although I still am slim every where else, the belly fat is getting really bad. The culprit? My pharmacy switched from bupropion to budeprion XL by Teva. I am really angry and hope there is a huge lawsuit against Teva for passing themselves off as a budeprion manufacturer. If this country passes "free" health care, everyone with depression will be taking this cheap generic and be worse off than before. Shame on you, Teva, and all your employees. Mary, Roseville, MN

Doctor has me now on watson 300mg he may bump me up to 450mg. Question i have is since i have some generic ibropion 150mg, Can I take two different brands together?

I have been on some version of Wellbutrin, bupropion, or budeprion for almost ten years now. I, too have noticed a marked difference in effectiveness depending on which type I am taking. Wellbutrin worked great, back when I could afford it. I got on a prescription plan where only the generic versions are covered, so I began getting bupropion 100MG SR tablets (along with all my other meds, including budeprion XL 150 by TEVA) which worked fine, from what I recall. One month, I noticed that the label said budeprion instead, and I called to ask about it. I was assured that it was just another version of bupropion, and there was no real difference. From then on, I was consistently given budeprion. Over the past year, I've gained close to 20 pounds back, even after adding more exercise and watching what I ate. I chalked it up to getting older, or maybe the Lithium, notorious for causing me physical side effects. A little over a week ago, I refilled my prescription at a different pharmacy, and they dispensed Watson's bupropion. My mental energy level has increased, I've gone back to my late-night sleeping habits (as evidenced by the time stamp on this reply), and most noticeably, I've dropped a jean size. In a WEEK. Not to be too graphic, but the only weird side effect is that I've seen a yellowish, round, about .25cm object in my stool for a few days running. Judging from the bupropion information I've gathered, this is most likely the pill casing, slightly transformed by its digestive journey. I'm a little concerned that it's the pill itself, incompletely digested, but unless I notice any other concerning side effects, I'm not going to worry. However, I AM going to make sure that the pharmacy dispenses this version from now on. I'm so glad I found this site. It's been very helpful. Thanks!

I'll echo what many others have said: About 2 years ago I was switched from bupropion (Watson) to budeprion (Teva) by my pharmacy, without notice. I noticed the difference (yellow pill, chalky texture instead of smooth white pill) and asked my pharmacist if there was an error. He assured me this was simply a different brand of the same drug. I started the new drug without further inquiry and began to experience anxiety, tight headaches, and stomach pain. It was several days before I associated these symptoms with the switch in drugs. I began my treatment several years ago taking brand name Wellbutrin, and had no ill effects whatsoever when I was switched to generic bupropion so I was not resistant to this second switch until it became apparent that these drugs were not, in fact, the same. A bit of research showed that my experience was not unique, and the pharmacy was willing to get me bupropion. This requires a bit of babysitting, as the pharmacy's software and the drug wholesaler both automatically substitute budeprion every time an order for bupropion is placed. I need to remind the pharmacy each time I get a refill that they must specify the correct generic, and about half the time the wholesaler still sends budeprion, which has to be returned for exchange. Whether or not the pharmaceutical industry wants to present these as identical drugs, the fact is that they are not. Advocate for yourself and require your pharmacy to get you the right medication. I don't enjoy being "that guy" who makes the technician check with the pharmacist to ensure the system gets overridden and the proper drug gets ordered, but I can deal with having to take a hardline once every 90 days to get the medication I need. You can too.

I'm starting out on wellbutrin and was given a generic. The label says it is bupropion (by Actavis). I'm assuming this it the "better" generic (white pill with 141 stamped on one side), and not the "not as good" generic by Teva. Anybody have experience with this specific generic (and company)?

I've read every post here-- it seems that one common thread is that everyone's chemistry is different. I started Teva Budeprion XL 300 mg on the first of August because I've had to switch insurance plans and Cymbalta will cost 70$. The XL I get is 5$. I also take Lamictal, 300mg a day as a mood stabilizer, so keep in mind that may tweak the mix. I also get this in generic and have not noticed any change. Within 4 days on Budeprion, I'd quit smoking. I have not gained a pound, something that tobacco quitters lament. Have not even thought about cigarettes. Having a smoke, by the third day, was having a face full of cabon monoxide fumes. YUCK. I'm tapering off the Cymbalta still, so any depressive swings or withdrawal symptoms I might be having is cancelled out by the Budeprion. I am surprised to hear about this issue, as it was highlighted on MSN.com just today. It scares me. If I lose touch with reality and swing one way or another, it frightens people. Roulette. Tampering with peoples mental health is unethical, immoral, and should not be tolerated. Will continue to monitor. I hope to return with a success story. Despite my disability, I am an optimist.

I was on Watson's Bupropion for over a year. Went to a new doctor who wrote out the RX and checked the generics box. I filled it at Walgreen's instead of CVS like I usually do. They gave me Teva Budeprion and it was $50. I didn't realize it was different until I got home, but I had just read this board the day before, and I went back and told them I needed the Bupropion. They told me they didn't have that and it was all the same. So I had my doctor write out an exact RX for the Bupropion and send it over to CVS. The cost with insurance? $250 for a 30 day supply! I couldn't afford that, so I've been taking the Teva for two months. Haven't noticed too much of a difference yet, but maybe since I moved up to 300mg a day that will help offset some of the depressive side effects. My weight is holding steady. I just can't believe that Watson would charge $200 more for their pills! And of course, no one, not even the doctor's office, knew what I was talking about. This is getting stupid.

I am confusedby which color pill is which? I was given prescrpt. for Wellbutrin XL 150 mg. The pharmacy at Walgreens gave me BUDEPRION XL generic form - it was small WHITE round pill w/ black # on it.This seemed to help me. Then went to my usual pharmacy CVS for next refill, they gave me Bupropion HCL XL Tabglo - this was an oval YELLOW pill. But, it seems in all the statements above, people are saying the BUPROPION is the WHITE round pill, and that the BUDEPRION is the YELLOW oval pill, so which is it? Because the label on the Budeprion (was white pil and worked for me)....and the Buproprion HCL (was the yellow pill, which did not work for me, and made things worse again)...........so, which color pill couralates to which generic - please advise. Thank you.

Also, is Budeprion made by different companies - I see many of you mention the Budeprion made by Teva as being the bad one?

I found the Watson generic at the Kroger grocery pharmacy where I live. $20.00 on my formulary for 150 SR twice a day, 3 month supply.

I too have walked through the confusion with generic wellbutrin. Oddly, I was using Watson white pill with black writing and it worked great. Then on the refill, the V.A. sent me an aspirin looking white pill with "engraved" writing on it that also identified it as Watson. However, as soon as I started taking the refill...started itching all over, within 4 days, felt like I had stopped taking an AD, became irritable, depressed, lethargic...thought I was losing my mind. Just talked with Pharmicist and was instructed to tell my Psych to ask for name brand since I am apparently having an allergic reaction. Was told that even Manufacturers will "farm out" their product to be made by someone else, hence the different looking pill in the refill and the allergic reactions +. Scary to think that every month any kind of generic can be thrown at you as though we can't tell that our bodies aren't reacting normally.

Kelly and others, I've always taken the Watson generic white tablet with black writing (200mg SR twice daily),with prescription written as Watson Buproprion because other generics are less effective for me. Just this month my mail order pharmacy had inventory issue with Watson. I figured something was up. When I finally received it, I couldn't believe it was Watson, because as you stated, the pill is different - slightly larger, same number, 3385 WPI but engraved instead of black lettering. I wonder if Watson has, after so many years, switched to a different delivery system. Have you noticed any changes? I feel hungrier, am eating more, and am experiencing a lower mood. Watson may have elected to use a less expensive delivery system for the drug. What's next??