Any recommendations on a generic substitute for the antidepressant Wellbutrin XL? My H. is on it but it is very expensive and I would like to request his Doctor to change to a generic type. The Celexa is much cheaper and he is in the donut hole. I called the Pharmacy this evening and he said those two are different types.
The doctor recommended Lexapro for Sid, but my insurance company wouldn't pay for it because it is so expensive, so the doctor subsituted Celexa, and we got the generic of that. If Wellbutrin XL doesn't have a generic, you'll have to call the doctor and ask him for a generic of something that is similar to Wellbutrin. I'm sure he gets those requests all of the time.
The generic form of Wellbutrin is not XL and Dr. told him to take the second pill before 4 so it wouldn't keep him awake at night and we tried it, bkut I would forget to give it to him because he doesn't take any other meds mid day.
I get to agree with a Dr. My understanding is that buproprian is a substitute for Wellbutrin. My wife started out on Wellbutrin but we soon switched to buproprian and I didn't notice a diff. As an anti-depressent, it is a priority that it is the first pill she takes in the morning. As I've experimented with her meds and am certian at some point we'll be OFF all the ALZ med's, the buproprian has been a godsend and will NEVER go.
My DH is on Buproprion 300mg twice per day and Lexapro 20mg per day. This is the max for both drugs. We were strongly cautioned about not taking 300mg of Wellbutrin (or Buproprion) all at once. The XL is okay because it is extended release. We tried the Wellbutrin 300 XL, but it didn't work as well as Buproprion 150 mg twice per day. My DH takes meds twice per day, so remembering isn't a problem (no pun intended). Even with both meds, depression is still a serious struggle. I agree with thenneck...these will be the last meds to be discontinued. In the earlier days my DH was discouraged about taking anti-depressants and the connotations. At one point I just told him...if you aren't going to take them, then give them to me. One of us HAS to take them! (lol and kidding).
I take Wellbutrin XL - I am the caretaker. I have been taking Wellbutrin for years. As I understand it, it has more of a stimulant effect - more alert, more energy. The ones in the other categories known as SSRI's (I think I have that right) All make me very tired, sleepy during the day and I can't function. I have severe GI problems and I could not take the generic. The coating on the generic - for me - broke down in my stomach much too quickly and I was getting too much med at the time. They may have changed the coating by now as this was in the very beginning. My physician and pharmacist at the time said that was a problem the generic had. My husband with AD (we are a house of crazy people) was taking Celexa for years with pretty good results. His problem was irritability and acting out. They changed him to Lexapro and he is much calmer, more his usual self so we are staying on it. My own experience with medication is very unusual for all meds - what most people can take, I can't and just the reverse. So, my experience would not apply to most other people. Just wanted to offer our experiences since we both have been on those meds for years.