Hi, Ally.
First, Zyban = Wellbutrin. They are both bupropion, so they have the same side effects. Here's the history according to my doctor. During the clinical trials of Wellbutrin, some of the subjects in the test (received Wellbutrin) and control (received placebo) groups quit smoking just as a matter of course. The researchers noticed that the quitters in the test group had an easier time and were more successful overall than those in the control group. But Wellbutrin was an anti-depressant and many people who were not clinically depressed didn't want to take it. So they repackaged the bupropion as Zyban for those people.
Zyban works by altering brain chemistry. The theory is that it stimulates the same areas of the brain that nicotine stimulated, thus reducing your need for nicotine. If everyone were the same, then everyone would react the same to it. They don't. Some people loose all desire for a cig and smoking actually becomes repulsive almost immediately. Others go through craves just like someone quitting cold turkey. Some people do fine until they go off the Zyban, then get hit with nicotine craves as if they are withdrawing from the drug. Some become suicidal, some depressed.
I quit using Wellbutrin XL for the first month and a half. I started a week before my quit date and continued for another 4 weeks, or so. Then one day I had a reality perception/vision incident that scared me pretty bad so I reduced my dosage to 1/2 for a week, then stopped it altogether. In retrospect, I do not regret taking it because it gave me a crutch I needed to start.
Talk to your doctor about your concerns. If you do decide on Zyban, let others know so they can keep an eye on you for things such as excessive mood swings, etc.
Shevie
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 305
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,113
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1159
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 56 [B]Hrs:[/B] 23 [B]Mins:[/B] 46 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6
