Generics sometimes don't do the job

As I have shared previously here, I have struggled with maintaining my mental health equilibrium for many years while my family member has been battling an ED.  I've heard the description "situational depression."  I've also heard PTSD.

Three years ago or so, I finally picked up the phone (for me, difficult to do because I am not a pill person) and called the number of a psychiatrist given to me by my excellent therapist.  What finally got me to the phone was a combination of feeling utter despair because my family member was unable to move forward, in fact had returned to self-destructive behaviors following the latest treatment, and I was reading a book to write a review for NEDA.  The book, by the way, was Crave by Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D.

I had come across a passage that described dysthymia and suddenly realized that the description of the disorder was how I felt.

If you're curious, you can read about my early steps in the anti-depressant world here.

Anyway, I migrated off the celexa which left me not caring about anything having to do with anything (talk about reducing anxiety!!) and started taking Buproprion, the generic version of Wellbutrin.

All went along fine mostly because, as it turns out, the manufacturer chosen by the dispensary used by my health insurance used a formula that worked for me.  As I've also mentioned earlier, my psychiatrist explained to me that any product by law can range from 85% to 125% efficacy of the non-generic.  And, I'll bet there's a genetics piece to this, too.

Then our medical insurance provider suddenly switched to a new dispensary.  The first go-around with yet a different manufacturer of Buproprion went just fine.  However, in the middle of the summer I received a refill from yet another manufacturer.

I didn't think anything of it until about two weeks later when I began to feel overwhelmed with my old feelings.  After one particularly difficult day (the best description I can come up with is not feeling right in my own skin), I reflected that night on my life and what might be different and the only thing that popped to the surface was the fact that the Buproprion I was taking was different.

So, I called the dispensary and reported this the next morning.  I did get an apology but no help so I called my psychiatrist's office.  He immediately understood the situation having been my doctor now for quite awhile and ordered the non-generic from my local pharmacy which filled it the same day - 30 days worth.  I was scheduled to see him in two weeks and that would give me a chance to see if the change made a difference (given how this med works) or not.

Taking the non-generic sure did make a difference.  I felt so much better!  The shocking thing, of course, is that the non-generic isn't covered by my insurance in spite of the fact that their dispensary sent me a worthless (for my genetic make up) version.  So I went from paying a bit under $50 to a bit less than three times as much for thirty days of my med.

I have also learned that many people have struggled with this same problem with the generic of this medication and have had advocates who've managed to over-ride the system so that they can receive the "real thing."  I am hoping to do this next.  [This failed.  My appeal was denied.]

Meanwhile, I had to spend quite a bit of time on the phone this morning getting the dispensary available to me to over-ride the old calendar renewal date for Buproprion and replace the rx with the new one for Wellbutrin sent in at the end of August by my psychiatrist.

It shouldn't be this difficult!!!!