Posted by yxibow on February 27, 2008, at 0:21:34
In reply to Re: Budeprion (Generic) vs. Wellbutrin, posted by grey on February 26, 2008, at 19:57:24
> > I've never noticed any difference whatsoever between the brand and the generics over the 30 years I've been taking medication (and that's about all of them--I'm treatment resistant). They are chemically identical, which means there is no way your body can tell the difference (as long as the generic is identical in all aspects; for example: immediate release, sustained release (SR), extended release (XR or XL), etc.)<
>
> > My guess is that for those that notice a difference, it is either psychological or symptoms that would have occurred regardless. Aspirin is aspirin, regardless of what brand you buy.<
>
> According to the FDA generics do not have to be "identical" in all aspects, such as XL = XL. They only have to be within a 20% range of the name brand sustainable level. That can be higher or lower. The same is true for all different type releases, i.e. XL, SR, ER.
Releases -- is the important word. Once someone is on a stabilized set of medication, it is more of a difference of plasma level. They would have already reached that stage so tolerance of 80-120% under the AUC curve should not be an issue. Personally, some of the releases of Wellbutrin I believe are patent extensions, such as XL... others like ER are important because they have demonstrated a lower seizure threshold. But that's just my 2c.For some people that 20% different can be the difference in a drug working or not. But then, all generics are not the same. Hypothetically, while Bupropion XL might be only a 5% sustainable difference Budeprion XL might be an 8% sustainable difference.
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> A friend of mine who is a neurologist told me that even a 1% difference can affect how someone responds to a drug. He also said that he has seen someone not tolerate a 1st level generic like Bupropion XL (ANCHEN) but can tolerate a 2nd level generic such as Budeprion XL (TEVA)with no problem. On top of that it will also depend what other meds they are on.
That sounds like an extremely isolated case, and may have to do with more than binding. Don't forget, this is a secondary knowledge of a patient of a neurologist, not a psychiatrist. The individual could have much other different problems.Not even some of the -brand- name manufacturers have stamped every pill of a batch will be within 1% tolerance of itself although they should generally.
There are only a few important compounds where there are issues of safety and mortality and are monitored to the Nth degree or are only "original". There is a small list of these types of drugs that the FDA does scrutinize differently, including Synthroid and agents that could be more life threatening.
> The bottom line is that you may have to try several brands of generics to find one that works for you. Most drugs have several generic manufacturers. You might also have to go back to Wellbutrin XL.
poster:yxibow
thread:397165
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/814890.html