Why do those prefer the non-generic?
What is the difference between Wellbutrin and its generic Bupropion?
Question posted by mydoglulu1 on 19 Aug 2009
Last updated on 17 July 2019 by WildcatVet
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10 Answers
WildcatVet
17 July 2019
There is no difference in the active ingredient bupropion as far as dosage or efficacy. The only difference may be the inactive ingredients (fillers, binders, coloring agents, etc.)
I prefer generics because they work well for me and there is, of course, the cost factor.
ettuetal
17 July 2019
I have tried 2 different generic versions of Wellbutrin XL and neither worked. I don't care what the CDC or FDA or anyone else says, there are certain drugs where the generic is not as effective as the brand, and, for me, Wellbutrin is one of those drugs.
Louise3601
6 Sep 2017
It would be best to ask the company that makes your pills if there is any sulfa in it. Find the. number on the pill, enter it into the Drugs.com pill identifier program and get the name of the manufacturer, then contact that company. You might find out the names if several companies and ask if their product has sulfa. I wouldn't depend on the testimony of friends, acquaintaces or strangers. Also double check with a pharmacist. Most pharmacists will answer such a question even if you didn't fill your prescription there.
Jcbradley3
6 Sep 2017
I am very allergic to sulfa meds and recently received bupropion hack xl from a new pharmaceutical company. The pills are much bigger than my old ones and made me extremely anxious and want to crawl out of my skin (that is my typical reaction to sulfa meds). These are from actavis pharmaceuticals... does anyone know if they formulate there pills with sulfa?
ElkWhistle2017
13 March 2017
Okay I am severely allergic to all Sulfa Drugs I almost died from taking a Sulfa Based drug for a cold I suffered from internal burns to external burns (3rd degree) all from one pill they call it the "Steven Johnson's Syndrome" and I started taking Buproprion about 3/4 weeks now in February 2107. Since I am sensitive to some drugs and it was my initial dosage I was subscribed the Wellbutrin original product with the 300mg. Then I received the "Generic Buproprion" 300mg from the Veterans Hospital (VA) Center near me. I took the drug on (initial) Friday, 3/10/17 and on Friday evening my chest was itching causing a rash and severe welps on the area then on Saturday it had spread to my neck and ear then the back of my head then to my face. I also felt hot and I went to ER Hospital on Saturday.
The doctors said I was having an allergic reaction to probably the generic pill (I only took one pill) I spoke to a pharmacist at a local drug store and she said, "I need to speak to the pharmacy and see which stock of Buproprion they have as it may be mixed with something with sulfa. I plan to check on this as the VA never tells me anything about generic brands and stocks as mentioned here.
Inactive
13 March 2017
Hi Elk Whistle: I am so sorry for your predicament. When you talk to your pharmacist, would you please tell me which generic of Wellbutrin you were taking? And was it SR or XL? I am quite concerned, since I am also diagnosed as being allergic to sulfa. Please let me know when you find out which generic pharmaceutical company made the one your pharmacy gave you? I hope your rash clears up soon. That's awful! Hope your rash clears up soon!
Louise3601
13 March 2017
This is for GMc. Your pharmacist should be able to tell you which generic you have been given in the past. He is obligated to keep records as to which one he filled your prescription with. You can ask the pharmacist to give you only the one you've been sarisfied with. That way you'd be unlikely to get one that has sulfa in it. This happened to me when I had a generic that caused some problems, though nothing like Elkwhistle experienced. I got a different generic that I liked and I asked the pharmacist to give me that one every time, which he has done. You can find out which pharmaceutical company makes your generic by entering in the numbers printed on your pill. You might need a magnifying glass to see them. This website, Drugs.com, has a pill identifier program.
Louise3601
1 Nov 2016
Sometimes one generic works better than others. If you find one that works make sure you get the same generic the next time. If you find one that seems to cause problems, ask the pharmacist for a different generic. If you are just starting you will not know whether you are reacting to the specific drug or not. It takes time to figure it out and understand your own body. One of the worst things you can do is to stop an anti-depressant medication on your own. You may suffer a worse depression than you had to begin with. One of the worst attitudes to take is, "I don't want to be drugged up." What if a Type 1 diabetic took that position? Taking a medication you need is not being "drugged up." It may be replacing something you absolutely need that your body is not producing. Don't self medicate!
tek1
10 March 2017
Anyone have any experience with using bupropion XL(Or HCL) by Par Pharmaceutical? Is this a good generic for Wellbutrin?
churchlady2008
15 May 2017
I'm attempting to comment on the question of bupropion xl, a generic for Wellbutrin xl. I recently changed pharmacies and realized my new pharmacy used a different company. Par Pharmaceuticals is the best generic for bupropion xl. My new pharmacy now orders from Par Ph. for me.
Louise3601
15 May 2017
I'm glad Churchlady was able to get the generic that works for her.
kenn gugel
19 May 2017
I just started on Bupropion hcl xl from par pharm and was interested in anyones reaction to this generic and how long does it take to begin doing what its supposed to do. I found sertaline was making me gain weight so I had my doctor switch to wellbutrin and the other side effect I am hoping for is an energy pique.And thoughts
Inactive
1 Sep 2016
Sakusan: Bingo! You hit the nail on the head, my friend! Part of your comment: {{{ The Teva version was terrible, the Watson version was terrible, the Anchen version was terrible. It was shown the generics released too much of the active medication too quickly. It was so bad the US had to launch a bioequivalacy investigation. The generics DID NOT WORK. How about you listen to the people that actually take said medications? }}}
I also took Sandoz, Global, and Mylan. I totally agree with you that many bad side effects came with generics. The main reason, as you pointed out, is the time-release mechanism! When Brand name patent ran out, they had to release their list of ingredients, but they did NOT have to release their time-release mechanism. Therein lies the problem! I found one that works for me, believe it or not, just as well as the brand name! Evidently they came the closest to duplicating the time-release mechanism.
Mylan pharmaceuticals makes a very effective Bupropion SR 150mg. I don't like the XL version, because it releases the medication steadily over a 24 hr period, which affects my sleep. I take the SR, which is released over a 12 hr period, and I can control the time I take it, so it doesn't interfere with my sleep.
I agree with you, Sakusan, that I had many unpleasant and even intolerable side effects with the generic versions made by many of these companies. But I was determined to get better, so I tried almost all of the generics till I found one that works for me with the least amount of side effects and the most benefits. I am still taking it and it does a beautiful job of keeping my anxiety/depression away.
As far as taking brand name is concerned, my insurance won't cover brand name Wellbutrin, and last time I checked, the cash price for it at my pharmacy was over $1000.00 a month. Impossible price for me to afford! (or anyone else!) Makes more sense to you now? Let me know. "G"
Hsanderson
4 Sep 2016
You can order Wellbutrin from Canada for $39.99. Unbelievable! I have no coverage so I'm paying out of pocket. I have noticed a big difference in the generic forms depending on which pharmacy I get it from. Sadly though I don't get the good feeling like most do on it. I'm always tired.
momokikijo8
19 Sep 2016
My husband just got a script today for bupropion hcl sr 150 from mfr sandoz. What are your thoughts? See if the pharmacy can get them thru mylan labs?
sakusan
1 Sep 2016
Ok have any of these people ever taken this medication??? I've been taking this medication for over a decade. The Teva version was terrible, the Watson version was terrible, the Anchen version was terrible. I felt like I was high as a kite and then crashed when the wind stopped. It was shown the generics released too much of the active medication too quickly. It was so bad the US had to launch a bioequivalacy investigation. The generics DID NOT WORK. How about you listen to the people that actually take said medications?!
Hsanderson
4 Sep 2016
There absolutely is a difference in these medications. I notice a significant difference between Bupropion depending on which pharmacy I have it filled at.
coraktp
18 June 2017
The original answer was just plain false, especially for Wellbutrin XL. The original government studies that showed generics to be of the same quality as name brand drugs were done over 30 years ago when almost all generic medicines were manufactured in the US. Today almost all of them are manufactured in China where there are 5 FDA compliance agents in the entire country. That's right only 5 people inspecting every food and drug manufacturing facility in China. If they only spent 4 hours at each plant they still could only inspect each plant once every 7 years. The quality of generics (purity, strength, effectiveness) IS NOT the same as name brand pharmaceuticals and it varies all over the place between generic 'brands'.
The so-called experts on this site should know that, but instead they're just parroting the corporate/government line that Medicare/Medicaid and health insurance companies want people to believe so they don't have to pay for quality medicine. At the very least the US government should require that all medicine sold in the US be manufactured here and increase funding for FDA inspections so those manufacturing facilities are forced to maintain standards. Generic Wellbutrin XL in particular is not the same as the patented variety because although the patent on the medicine has expired, the patent on the delivery system has not.
All generic Wellbutrin XL brands go into the bloodstream unevenly because they can't use the patented delivery system, which is the only one that works. This has been proven, but the government refuses to acknowledge it so it doesn't have to pay for the name brand for Medicare/Medicaid patients and that also allows the health insurance companies to refuse to pay for brand name Wellbutrin XL. If I know this why doesn't Drugs.com know it. This site is lame.
LKB37659
7 July 2017
So true sakusan. I have tried every generic brand my pharmacy can get of Wellbutrin XL. There is no consistency across the brands in the amount of side effects one may have. Now I pay a higher price each month not to have the brain fog my brand was causing.
Inactive
17 Feb 2010
There are minor differences in formulation between some generics and their brand name counterparts. The FDA regulations ensure that these will not be significant to the majority of users, but allergies to different inactive ingredients or different time release mechanisms can have a significant effect on some users. Often (as is the case with bupropion) there are multiple generics, and if one doesn't perform as well for you, another might.
Marvell
20 Aug 2009
There is no difference in the medicine content between Wellbutrin (bupropion) and a generic bupropion.
All these medicines are regulated and made under strict guidelines so both the same strength Wellbutrin and the generic brand will contain the same amount of bupropion.
Different brands may use different excipients (the tablet or capsule ingredients) to make up the tablet or capsules and sometimes individuals may feel differences in outcome mostly because of the different excipients used.
People may prefer the original brand because they are used to it (but even the original brand can cause side effects in some people). They are usually on it for a long time before the patent expires and then the generics come out.
For more information on Wellbutrin see:
https://www.drugs.com/wellbutrin.html
Related topics
wellbutrin, depression, weight loss (obesity/overweight), bupropion
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