Zyban to Stop Smoking

absolutebounder

suki1964 wrote: »

Champix isnt designed to stop you smoking, its just a side effect of the drug -after a few days of taking it, you lose the desire to smoke and you dont actually get any pleasure from smoking. Its this side effect that is being tapped into to get people like myself who find the actual stopping so scary/ painful/ hard.

That is the sales hype not 100% true but sales hype rarely is

Its prescribed for three months so that you have time to break the psychological addiction.

That is nowhere near long enough for some people and plenty for others

You DO need to want to stop smoking and you DO need will power

The last line is interesting. Why do you need will power if you lose the desire and pleasure?
Champix is by the last report getting better results than Zyban but stll failing more often than succeeding.
I think the importnt point is that you have to believe you can give up.

suki1964

absolutebounder wrote: »

The last line is interesting. Why do you need will power if you lose the desire and pleasure?
Champix is by the last report getting better results than Zyban but stll failing more often than succeeding.
I think the importnt point is that you have to believe you can give up.

Because you only lose the desire and the pleasure whilst you are taking the tablets.


And yes three months is long enough for some - and not so for others. Im not advocating it as a miracle cure, all Im saying that for me and for many like me who find the actual stopping to be the most difficult step - its worked.

I have admitted Im struggling to stay stopped. I stopped taking the champix after 5 or 6 weeks and even if I did take them for the 3 months (even four if my gp thought I needed it) I reckon Id still struggle once the course had finished But Im still not smoking and hopefully I will get through today without smoking

Its all very well saying "You have to believe you can give up" but what about the ones like myself who have tried and tried and tried yet always failed. It got to the point that even setting a quit day would have me in tears with the fear of the struggle ahead - and the failure because that's the way it had always been.I learned to believe that I couldn't give up - and Champix has turned that around and given me that fighting chance.

And as someone with COPD diagnosed at 40, believe me I have reason more then some to want to give up

Please dont knock people for their choice of aid if they believe they need that aid/crutch to stop and stay stopped. When fighting addiction, physical or psychological you do what ever you need to do

absolutebounder

suki1964 wrote: »

Its all very well saying "You have to believe you can give up" but what about the ones like myself who have tried and tried and tried yet always failed. It got to the point that even setting a quit day would have me in tears with the fear of the struggle ahead - and the failure because that's the way it had always been.I learned to believe that I couldn't give up - and Champix has turned that around and given me that fighting chance.

Sorry I wasnt knocking your choice as I have said the underlying point is if it works by whatever method then good.
Essentially you unconcious mind works to protect you and with smoking it is doing the same but on misguided information. To carry on smoking something in your unconcious mind must be getting something advantageous from it. Eg a person could be shy and see other smokers as a club easily joined by offering the fags around. This is the part you have to find and sort out if you want to really give up for good.
What part of you cant stop smoking?
What made you start in the first place.
Another problem is that people often focus on the problem and this exagerates the problem until you give in. Eg a dieter that keeps thinking about what food is ok and hunger etc keeps the cycle of food thought going round in his head so that when he gives up he breaks the cycle for a few minutes but then guilt kicks in and off we go again. Try to focus on the solution. In your case fresh air, execise, a healthier and stronger heart.

suki1964

absolutebounder wrote: »

Sorry I wasnt knocking your choice as I have said the underlying point is if it works by whatever method then good.
Essentially you unconcious mind works to protect you and with smoking it is doing the same but on misguided information. To carry on smoking something in your unconcious mind must be getting something advantageous from it. Eg a person could be shy and see other smokers as a club easily joined by offering the fags around. This is the part you have to find and sort out if you want to really give up for good.
What part of you cant stop smoking?
What made you start in the first place.
Another problem is that people often focus on the problem and this exagerates the problem until you give in. Eg a dieter that keeps thinking about what food is ok and hunger etc keeps the cycle of food thought going round in his head so that when he gives up he breaks the cycle for a few minutes but then guilt kicks in and off we go again. Try to focus on the solution. In your case fresh air, execise, a healthier and stronger heart.

None if this is helping the orginal poster, who asked for experiences of Zyban and then Champix .

But please dont assume to know what MY SOLUTION IS - you dont know me or anything of me

squidge60

no magical wand ....willpower end off been there done that.

gatita

Hi There, I was given Zyban over 5 years ago, I felt DREADFUL but put it down to withdrawal symptoms from the nicotine. I had to go for a routine blood test, the nurse asked me " are you feeling alright?" I replied not too good, but I supposed it was normal. She called the Dr. he said I must not take anymore tablets, and to come to the surgery for the next 3 days to keep a check on me!
A friend also said she was getting worried about me, as I was behaving in a very spaced out way.
My advice, DON'T touch Zyban under any circumstances its not worth the risk, many people have died using this drug.
I am now a non smoker:j I used the patches and the little pipe which became my lifeline for a good year after I had given up smoking! If I have done it anyone can as I was a very heavy smoker:o Good luck

Kirri

Zyban, like any type of medication, can affect people differently. Not everyone gets side effects, I had none bar the first two weeks where it (usually) disrupts sleep, after the first two weeks it goes back to normal I found.

The main thing to note is that it is an anti depressant - it isn't licenced for that in the UK but is one of the most popular ones in the USA.

Also known as buproprion or welbutrin.

It can increase sex drive.

It is given for 2 weeks to stop smoking, but if you stay on it long term it can be very effective. Personally I think a 2 week course if used for stopping smoking, isn't enough. It can be taken long term as it is when used as an AD. Not all doctors will just give you one chance on here, that is obviously down to the individual doctor.

It changed the taste of cigarettes for me and for the first time ever I didn't want to smoke, note I didn't want to give up and wasn't taking it to stop smoking and it surprised the doctor.

moneysaving_pharmacist

Zyban is rarely prescribed nowadays - I probably see one or two prescriptions a month for it, where as Champix I seem to see a prescription every other day. NRT is still the most popular thing with my local GPs though.

Champix seems to be better than NRT or Zyban, and better tolerated. Some people have mentioned about side effects - can I ask you to speak to your GP or pharmacist and ask them to fill out a 'yellow card', no matter how minor the side effect is. If they won't do this, you can complete one yourself at http://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ Post marketing surveillance is really important as it helps us build up a better picture of side effects and how often they occur, and only a relatively small number of people are exposed to a drug before it comes on to the market.

I_love_Airedales

Hello all, I gave up smoking 25th June 07 using Champix. Sorry to say this if you are struggling but for me it was very easy giving up. I was frightened to give up as cigs had been my "best Friends" for very many years. It must have been just the right time for me to give up. The Champix made me feel very sick towards the end and I stopped taking them every day just every other day then tentativly stopped held my breath and I was okay. I also remember having a couple of very strange dreams.
Keep on trying to quit it is worth it you have no idea how much better you are going to feel. I live in South Devon and Dartmoor is only 30 minutes away so 'im indoors the dog and I went tramping over the moor 2/3 times a week breathing in the very fresh air. Very soon we became quite fit and felt great.
So take care all, good luck giving up,
ILA