Tablets to help stop smoking from the doctor - Zyban

[Wobbles]

Anyone used them?

Did they work for you or not?

Were they Zyban or another?

 

[Justme]

I work as a dispenser in a pharmacy and must say that we rarely dispense this drug to people trying to give up smoking,where as we do dispense alot of Champix (varenicline),Im not sure whether this is just the Doctors/smoking nurses preference over the Zyban or what,will ask the pharmacist at work tomorrow about them.
My dad and friend used Champix last year to give up smoking and it worked well for them,they have both not smoked for over 9/10 months now.My dad's only side effect of the Champix was that it would interupt his sleep,he would randomly just keep waking up around 4am each night and not be able to get back off.He swears by them now though as he's tried to give up in the past before but been unsucessful.

 

[Wobbles]

Thanks

I need to go see the quack and ask to do this so it might not be these I mention ...

I really need to try and quit.

 

[ILoveShoes]

Hey there,
Champix gets used more these days as it's newer, and has less side effects and contra-indications. It was also designed specifically as a Stop Smoking treatment, where as Zyban was originally an anti-depressant (people then noticed that they quit smoking while they were using it!)
Champix is a 12 week course of tabs, and you carry on smoking for the first week, but set a 'quit date' anywhere between your 8th and 14th day.
The most common side effects are nausea, sleep disturbances and weird dreams (!)
The doc might be reluctant to prescribe it if you have ever suffered from depression, or taken anti-depressants.
PM me if you need any more info
Hope this helps.
xx

 

[belladonna]

Hey there,
Champix gets used more these days as it's newer, and has less side effects and contra-indications. It was also designed specifically as a Stop Smoking treatment, where as Zyban was originally an anti-depressant (people then noticed that they quit smoking while they were using it!)
Champix is a 12 week course of tabs, and you carry on smoking for the first week, but set a 'quit date' anywhere between your 8th and 14th day.
The most common side effects are nausea, sleep disturbances and weird dreams (!)
The doc might be reluctant to prescribe it if you have ever suffered from depression, or taken anti-depressants.
PM me if you need any more info
Hope this helps.
xx

Please, please do not take Champix! My mum started taking these last year and whilst they did stop her from smoking, they turnt her in to a completly different person. She has never, ever suffered from depression but when she was taking these she was a complete wreck. They basically stop your brain from producing dopamine- which takes away any 'pleasures' from your life including food, sex, anything that you may enjoy.

My mum stopped sleeping and eating and was constantly crying. It was heartbreaking to see her like that. Her teeth started to fall out which both the doctor and dentist said was something to do with the sudden decrease in nicotine.

When she fianally went back to the doctor after much persuading from me and my dad the doctor (a different one from the one who prescribed it) asked if she had any suicidal thoughts as this is one of the side affects. She stopped taking them straight away as she said that although she hadn't had any thoughts about actually going through with it the thought had crossed her mind.

It took about 2 months for her to go back to her normal self and I can honestly say that I would rather my mum smoke and be here than give up and then kill herself.

Talking to others afterwards we have found that a few friends and acquaintances have taken them also (I think the doctors in our small town got a bit too happy handing them out) one man left his marriage of 25 years, which, up until he started taking champix was very happy. Another friend of mine said that she had terrible dreams about hurting her baby which she said she knows she would never do but they scared her so much. She actually finished the course but started smoking again shortly afterwards.

Please, please do some research before you consider taking champix- if you google it you will find loads of similar stories. I know that there are side effects from any medicine you take- but its just not worth it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-509683/Champix-Is-smoking-pill-safe.html

 

[Kimboowee]

My mum quit with Champix. When I feel ready to give up and struggle on my own I'll defo be asking fir them

 

[Wobbles]

Thanks girls x

Wow Belladonna I think something I would definitely have to discuss then. I have suffered depression and taken medication but I last took one about 10 years ago!

 

[purpledaisy2]

I quit using Champix, they really do work.

However I experienced quite a few side effects, I too felt like a different person, I felt sick for about 6 hours after I'd took them everydy and the only way I can describe I felt is "fuzzy" I couldn't concentrate on anything and really was down in the dumps.

I had to stop 4 weeks into the course of 12 as I fell pregnant with LO.

If you could cope with the side effects I'd say go for it, I didn't think about smoking once on them.

 

[ILoveShoes]

Good luck with quitting.
x

 

[purpledaisy2]

Seeing this reply has just reminded I was meant to pm you ^

Doing it now x

 

[ILoveShoes]

Seeing this reply has just reminded I was meant to pm you ^

Doing it now x

Ha ha. Oki doki. x

 

[Wobbles]

Eek I really don't think I could cope with those side effects esspecially with a 1 and 2 year old to care for!

x

 

[belladonna]

The worst thing was that the doctor who prescribed them didn't let my mum know of any of the side effects- so she just thought she was going crazy.
I think willpower is the most important thing- hopefully with jellybean arriving soon that will give her the extra incentive.

Good luck Wobbles with giving up- I know that it must be really hard but if you really want to do it you will.

 

[Wobbles]

My willpower is next to nothing and I've tried everything! The amount of cig I smoke since having the LOs are slowly getting more per day! My Aunt has had some news lately of her health that could be or not connected to her smoking but its the most common reason and my Nan died of the same early 50's the thought is eek!

I thought this option may be one I have left (I've done patches etc etc) but I'm really not liking the sound of all this.

x

 

[purpledaisy2]

If I'd not of fell pregnant with LO I would have carried on taking them. Regarless of the side effects, they worked and I didn't even think about ciggies, not once.

To me 3 months of feeling crap would of been worth it for being smoke free for the rest of my life, but saying that I didn't have LO's to look after then.

You're not guaranteed to get the side effects, you can start them and see how they go, if they don't suit you the doc will take you off them anyway.

Good luck quitting/deciding what to do

 

[Wobbles]

Yer it would be more the fact I have the LOs ...I guess I could take this onboard and have my OH aware of it too and stop if needs be.

x

 

[pip holder]

I stopped wit zyban - no probs
and I was a realllly good smoker >25 a day at least but when met OH and he never smoked - I felt horrid everytime I'd just had one, plus knew I wouldn't want to smoke if fell pregnant so got the zyban, picked a date and just did it ( illegally used a patch several times once the zyban course had finished when had a bad time ) but personally for me there were no horrible side effects. Haha remember being gutted cos one of them was meant to be weight loss

 

[Wobbles]

Its good to see someone who didn't have these effects.

I think I'll book my appointment soon (preparing the mind atm) and keep all your experiences in mind.

x

 

[kiwimama]

my OH took zyban to help him quit smoking. He didn't have side effects apart from strange/ vivid dreams which he said he actually enjoyed... He managed to quit for about a year but has started up again at work cuz of the stress he has there and everyone else doing it around him. He's on zyban again and cut back heaps, but still not managed to cut them out altogether.
I'd have a really good talk with your doctor about which one will be better for you. Hope it goes well and you manage to quit!