hey guys
first day of wellbutrin xl (generic) at 150mg
so i got my prescription today and it was for the generic
could i see my doctor and ask her to fill me a new prescription (dispense as written)
could i get a refund for the generic?
i don't know how this stuff works :/

and my first day on wellbutrin doesn't seem much different
i have slightly more energy but i can very easily fall asleep

and also the directions say i can up the dosage to 2 a day
but i'm taking xl so should i just take 2 in the morning
instead of 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening

XL is extended release. It's meant to be taken at once, I'm pretty sure.

I don't think pharmacies can legally "take back" any meds once they've gone out. So I don't know if you can get a refund. If the pharmacy made a mistake by giving you the generic instead of the name brand as requested by your doc, then that's different.

If I took the generic XL, it would cost about $5. The name brand costs me $30.

XL is extended release. It's meant to be taken at once, I'm pretty sure.

I don't think pharmacies can legally "take back" any meds once they've gone out. So I don't know if you can get a refund. If the pharmacy made a mistake by giving you the generic instead of the name brand as requested by your doc, then that's different.

If I took the generic XL, it would cost about $5. The name brand costs me $30.

For my prescription coverage, SR (150 X 2) is $5. Generic XL (300 x 1) is much more, $45. I'm not sure how much the retail version would be.

I've read alot of stories of people getting some kind of energy buzz. I don't get that effect at all. I am still very sleepy and I just lay in bed with my eyes closed. Are there any people here who also don't get the speed-like influence.

Stimulant meds are an odd lot in general. Sometimes when I take Adderral, I get immediately sleepy and feel like napping, other times I am fully of energy. The same thing occurs with Wellbutrin, and before that Concerta. I feel there are a lot of factors, i.e., how much sleep was acquired the night before, which is needed for Dopamine, diet (if protein isn't consumed neither WB, Adderall or Concerta will be as effective, as protien produces the Dopamine and other neurotransmitters). I also feel that we tend to focus on the meds (because of their stimulant calssification) as being the cause of our energy highs and lows, when in reality, a stim is only one ingredient amongst many lifestyle factors like: diet, sleep and exercise, environment that produces the end effect. Also, all stim meds, as opposed to SSRI's, may trigger OCD behaviors - which in fact lends to obessing about the impact the Stim is having, which may lead to looking for any holes in the therapy. I have this problem - I always think about how great the meds were when they first kicked-in, however, when using this memory as the baseline, anything less in a day's theraputic delivery could be considered a bad day.

I've read a lot of information on the net where the generic version of Wellbutrin standard release is just as good as the brand name. But, I've read a lot of info and complaints where the generic version of the EXTENDED RELEASE is NOT as good as the brand name Wellbutrin. It seems that the generic XL releases the med at a different rate than the brand name XL does and it has caused problems with people who have taken the brand name XL version and had to be switched to the generic XL version because of insurance reasons. I thought this was interesting.

My pharmacology instructor told me that when a pharmaceutical company develops a drug there is a lot of extensive testing done to determine optimal deliveray rates, dosages, etc... to determine what is most effective dosage for a given condition. She also stated that when the patent expires and another company wants to make a generic version of the drug, as long as the company's generic version falls within a "window" of required dosage the FDA will approve it. For example, let's say a company develops a drug and finds out that 18mg is the dose that optimal results were seen at. They market the drug at 18mg, people take it and eventually the patent expires. Along comes a manufacturer wanting to make a generic of a drug. The FDA says that as long as each pill contains between 12mg and 22mg it fall within that exceptable range and will be FDA approved. My instructor told me this is where the problem with certain generics comes into play. It's that constant up and down swing in amount that causes problems where as the brand name has a more constant amount.

I'm not advocating brand or generic, just passing along what my instructor told me.

PS. I'm a nursing student and I take Lexapro 20mg and Adderall xr 25mg.

Trev.

Any possible differences you feel between Budeprion XL (the generic) and Wellbutrin XL (the brand name) I can pretty much guarantee you are psychological. The only difference between brand name medications and generic medications are the inactive ingredients.

Not to offend the person who posted above me but their instructor who said there is a difference in the the active ingredients among brand name medications and generics is wrong. If a pills contains 150 mg of an active ingredient then thats what it will contain. The 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetic act prohibits any drug manufacturer from misbranding their products. There is no difference between brand name drugs and generics.

I work in a pharmacy and I have not heard one complaint about the generic version of Wellbutrin SR or Wellbutrin XL. I'd also like to add that the term "Generic" seems to carry a negative connotation. Don't think just because a drug is a "generic" means that it is any different than a brand name medication.

I noticed a significant difference in name brand vs. generic.

I took WellbutrinXL brand name for many months. When I switched to generic, I had an open mind. I wanted it to work because my insurace co. raised the price to $150/month.
I used it for about a month and pretty much forgot I was taking generic. I noticed that I felt more depressed than I had been. Nothing else had changed in my meds, stress, lifestyle, diet, or exercise. When I swiched back to brand name, I felt better in 2-3 weeks.

I was bummed, but I was extremely glad that the med lifted my dark mood again.
I've read lots of forums where people shared their experiences of generic XL and especially SR being significantly less effective and wacky side effects.