I was supposed to take Wellbutrin but my doctor gave me Budeprion SR. Why is it a different name?

You may have heard of generic drugs. These are basically the same as the name brand and have the same effect. For example, your Budeprion SR is a generic equivalent of Wellbutrin. Your doctor is giving you a lower cost copy of Wellbutrin. When any drug is first put on the market by a drug company, they have invested many years of research done by highly-paid scientists in that drug to make sure it's safe for everyone. It is then protected by a patent for a certain number of years. This ensures a profit for the drug company that developed and marketed the drug. After a patent expires, other companies can then market (copy) the drug to sell it themselves. Since they can't use the same name (the name is copyright protected for an indefinite period of time) they think up a generic name. Thus your Wellbutrin is sold under the name of Budeprion SR. The SR simply means slow release.

Wellbutrin and the generic versions (including your Budeprion SR) are used mainly to treat depression. They are a very effective drug when used for most people. Unlike many other drugs for depression, they have few bad side effects and remain effective for long periods of time.