Zyban

[Serendipity]

This is how it all started . . .

My work mate and I are standing outside the back of our offices having a smoke, when our mutual Doctor drives past . . . can you believe he stopped, turned around

parked his car etc then comes up to us and says "I didn't know you two were drug addicts"

WOW we were both shocked - anyway he said, come see me and he will put us both on Zyban to help us stop smoking

I am keen, my work mate has her appointment with him on Monday and my hubby might go with me later in the week.

My question is: Has anyone used taken them and how did it work, were there reactions etc etc???

CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR REPLIES

[Kay j]

Hi

Zyban was orginally designed and marketed for people with depression. It was then discovered that it could assist them "Kick the habit". Since then there is a newer drug purpose built to assist people stop smoking - CHAMPIX by Pfizer. It reduces cravings and withdrawal. I have decided to take it after seeing very good results that my clients have had. As with all drugs there is a potential for side effects.

Zyban often causes headaches and Champix insomnia. If you google them there is a long list for both. I guess the long term effects of smoking are more harmfull generally : )

Good Luck!! I will let you know how I progress will be starting in 2 weeks time.

[AndreaL]

Hey Serendipity

I am thinking of quitting. Quite a few people I know have stopped with Champix.

I spoke to my Dr last week and he recommended Champix over Zyban ( I believe there are more side effects)

I would suggest you look into both and see which you would prefer.

Or you could just make sure he doesn't spot you on your smoko!

I am sure he must have a vice or two

[Ajay]

Wow - full on doctor or what!

I quite 10 years ago cold turkey, but I know a few people that have used the various things available on the market. They all have side effects, but the bottom line is that I guess none of them are as bad as the side effects of smoking

Good luck!

[SANZOZ]

Friends of ours used Zyban about 4 years ago and still going strong. My aunt is now in her 60's and has the beginning stages of emphysemia but will not admit its due to smoking for about 40 years. She cant walk up a flight of stairs and she needs to sit on a machine for an hour every morning in order to make it through the day. Its a serious thing guys, give your lungs a chance.

[Gizmo]

Friends of mine have successfully given up smoking with Zyban, however, my brother was a 'victim' to one of the side effects. It gave him an epileptic fit (and he is not an epilepsy sufferer). His doctor immediately took him off it.

[Mara]

Matter of interest, I saw on TV, I think last night, that the 'patches' will be on the medicare list as from 1st February 2011 and it will then cost you about $5 per month!

My husband stopped smoking by using the patches, it worked for him.

[Mikimont]

I couldnt take them , they reacted so badly with my bipolar meds

[Janneman]

The mere decision to quit smoking, and being serious about it, is in some ways a bigger achievement than kicking the habit itself.

Also, if one's efforts are halfhearted it will not work, regardless of the pharmaceutical aids used. Just think of all the failed diet efforts the world over because of that reason.

I used Nicorettes, but whatever it is you are going to use, as long as you motivate yourself to stick to your decision.

And if you fail the first time, try again and again until you succeed. It can be a very rough ride for some, but don't give up. It can be done. Good luck!

[rozellem]

Of all my friends who stopped smoking most people had success with the Allen Carr book or seminar. www.allencarr.com.au

I believe there is a money back clause. I could not say as I have never smoked myself but, it seems that you need to make a concious shift in your brain and decide for yourself that you dont want to smoke anymore. Wouldnt drugs just skim over the cracks?

[Jill]

Just be careful with champix, I have never smoked so I am so glad, but I know being a smoker and wanting to quit is really tough, hubby is a smoker, always smoked since I met him donkey's years ago...but back to the champix, my friend used them and had really bad side effects..she has stopped smoking but they gave her the most horrific nightmares...and after she finished the champix course, also battled that issue...

Good luck to all the smokers...

[sbhennops]

Hi. I have tried Zyban and it didn't work for me at all. I then tried Champix and have quit and never looked back. It has been a year beginning November this year.

Champix can have side effects but it is different for everyone. It can range from insomnia, nausia, constipation, nightmares and sometime just nothing.

I had nausia for a couple of weeks but to be honest i would go through it again if it meant quitting with such eaze. I would really recommend Champix over Zyban. But that was my personal experience. Good luck and finnish the program if you want it to be successful. lol

[SANZOZ]

Of all my friends who stopped smoking most people had success with the Allen Carr book or seminar. www.allencarr.com.au

I believe there is a money back clause. I could not say as I have never smoked myself but, it seems that you need to make a concious shift in your brain and decide for yourself that you dont want to smoke anymore. Wouldnt drugs just skim over the cracks?

I wanted to mention this guy as well but couldnt remember the name. A friend of mine in NZ quit after attending his seminar and now has a totally different outlook on smoking. So its totally worth a shot!

[sbhennops]

The best thing you can do if you want to quit is talk through all the options with your doctor. The reason i would suggest Champix is basically that i bought it for my Mom as a gift when she visited me and she had been a smoker for 45 years. She quit end of August and has stayed that way since. Also if you do go for Champix it is goverment sponsored and alot cheaper. (check if you qualify.) If you still want it, then just ask your doctor for a script and order it over the internet yourself as it is made in Australia, that way you save $150.00/$200.00 easy. Zyban works for some people, patches for others. Me i found using Champix was the most stress free experience in quitting i have experienced and i tried to quit 5 times before. The best was i changed my mindset and eating habits with the program and did not gain a single kilo while quitting Books and seminars can work for others, depending on your attention span, so best thing is make a list of options tried and failed and option still untried and discuss the pros and cons of them with a doctor before you decide. Good luck i hope you are successfull in your quest

[KathyW]

I am so confused now I was taking the Champix, must admit I did feel hugely depressed and emotional but the tablets were doing the job.

Then on the same day that I heard on the news that they were recalling Champix because of 2 suicides in WA, my doctor told me to stop taking them, so I did.......

I think I am going to wait for the Patch promise in February, I work with somebody who did the Patches and the puffer as well, and have given up, this person was a heavy smoker as well, but just had the puffer to walk around with and eventually starting forgetting to puff.....

[sbhennops]

Hi Kathy

I get what you are saying. My mom had a huge bout of depression in the last month of the coarse. My poor brother coped the worst of it and let me have it at every opportunity. She stopped and is back to normal and happy she quit. When i asked her what she thought of when she was depressed and she said after 45 years she felt like she was loosing her best friend. It affects different people in different ways. Hope you can quit without to mush stress.

[Mandylee]

Hey KathyW,

How are you? My husband and I are going cold turkey on 26th December. We thought we would allow Christmas day to puff like chimneys, then Sun 26th, wake up, and just not light up.

It worked for him a few years ago so he is sure he'll manage. I am determined too. As for Champix, i started taking them a few months ago, then googled about it and was horrified that the stuff plays and fiddles with your brain waves. I didnt fancy anything playing with my brain, so i tossed all my tablets in the bin.

If our cold turkey stunt doesnt work, I'm going for the patches in February.

Keep well,

Mandy

xx

[Bosch x 2]

This is how it all started . . .

My work mate and I are standing outside the back of our offices having a smoke, when our mutual Doctor drives past . . . can you believe he stopped, turned around

parked his car etc then comes up to us and says "I didn't know you two were drug addicts"

WOW we were both shocked - anyway he said, come see me and he will put us both on Zyban to help us stop smoking

I am keen, my work mate has her appointment with him on Monday and my hubby might go with me later in the week.

My question is: Has anyone used taken them and how did it work, were there reactions etc etc???

CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR REPLIES

My wife and I quit smoking - almost 2 years now. We were on Zyban. We had no reactions whatsoever!! Zyban has saved us a lot of money

[Serendipity]

Update: We finally got to the doctor today and have our scripts for Champax / Champix whatever its called

They don't prescribe Zyban as freely anymore due to side effects people were having. So tomorrow i collect our drugs and Sunday we take our first one

Excited about the propect of no longer smoking but so worried about side effects and insomnia, as mentioned in an earlier post.

I get very little sleep as it is so taking more away from me - AND MY SMOKES - will turn me into one huge rat bag!

Only time will tell

Thanks everyone for your VERY helpful replies, i will keep you posted.

[AAAZR]

Fingers crossed you won't experience ANY side-effects.

Please let us know how you are coping. Good luck!!

A

[Nilo]

Champix is great for some and a nightmare for others. I am a others!! Yes I did stop smoking for 8 months, BUT it made me ill as!! I was nauseous I was depressed, I was moody (beyond compare) I got Panic and GAD (which until today I am 'struggling' with) I had all the side effects in the book except (thank God, seriously) the suicidal tendencies.

It messed with everything in me it could. My Dr took me off it straight away.

I am (sadly) a smoker again, I so would like to stop but after my experience in 2009 with the devil pill I'm actually scared to do it any other way but cold turkey. Going to have a look into the Carr way of doing it. Here's hoping.