I am going to start taking Zyban to quit starting on Saturday - has anyone taken this to quit - I here mixed reviews about the side effects. Any input is appreciated.

From what I hear it is very effective. It can lead to some side-effects - drug after all. Main ones being a dry mouth and perhaps sleep disturbances. Hopefully you would not need it for long. Do post how you get on with it.

I don't smoke - am encouraging new bf to quit!

Good Luck. Take care.

Hi - I've been taking Zyban now for 5 days, only side-effect is "cotton" mouth, mints help that out. I don't know if it's psycological, but I really don't crave smokes now - this isn't supposed to happen until after 14 days on the drug. Sleep is great since I'm low carbing as well - started 2 classes a week of aerobics so that will help me with the smoking as well.

HI How are you doing with Zyban?This is my second time on Zyban I tried it last fall. I only lasted for 3 weeks I was feeling sick all the time. It's been 6 weeks since I've been taking Zyban. Five weeks today since I havent had a cig. Some time I do miss it. But I notice if someone is standing near me who just finished a cig. YUCK! They smell.
I havent slept very well since I've been on Zyban so I'm hoping that going a this low carb diet. I'll be able to sleep. What do you do to keep your self from not wanting a cig.?
I was taking a sucker every time I had a craving. The first week I sure was going throw alot of suckers. I was carrying them in my purse, in the car near the phone. I think it was the hand and mouth motion. And now I may only take one sucker per day
Today is my first day on Dr.Atkins diet. NO SUGAR! Now what I've been doing is drinking water and taking in a DEEP breath.What else can I do?

Hi, I stopped taking Zyban, thought it was pointless unless my hubby quit too. Now that the government has kindly raised cigs to $7.50 per pack, it's time again. We've decided that Labour Day will be the day and that we will stick to it together, we both know how bad it is. I've been told that chewing cinnamon sticks will help - suckers are too sweet for me and loaded with sugar. I have also quit low carbing as of this weekend. My hair is coming out in clumps in the shower and I had 2 periods in a month (I was on a stall anyway), so I'm back to 2 shakes, good dinner and a couple of snacks (I was really missing fruit on Atkins). I'll see how I do. Anyway, good look with Atkins, it does work all you can do is keep drinking water and putting $7.50 in the bank a day, that will help your cravings I'm sure.

Sorry to hear your quitting smoking didnt work out. My hubby doesnt smoke, his mother died a few years back of cancer (she smoked) So thats was one reason why I quit plus it didn't help him nagging all the time. And then getting the kids to tell me to quit. I think what really did it for me is a month ago. I was diagnose with Barret esophagus. What's that you ask - I was getting lots of heartburns and Dr. did a scope and found that my stomach lining has been distroyed. I got pro cancer cell. It hasnt gone into cancer but it can. So that is another reason I quit. I hope I dont fall off the wagon. It is really tough. If I did it you also can.
Sorry to hear your hair was falling out. That's not good. Were you taking any vitamins? You need to take care of yourself. That is scary. How long have you been doing the low carb?

Hi notaquiter. Like your family, cancer has affected us too, so we absolutely have to quit the habit, we always think we're infalible. I have been LCing since January 02, I did really well the first couple of months, and due to stress, I fell off the wagon, then got back on, over and over. There is a thread in the newbies section about hairloss, apparently it happens to a lot of people, as do the irregular menstral cycles, I just feel the at this time, I can't deal with side effects. I've never heard of Barret esophegus, but glad you caught the cancer early, it just goes to show us what can happen. Take care of yourself. I will too.

Vikki

<--- Zyban & Wellbutrin (generic version) user!

This would be my 4th attempt to quit smoking.

#1 - The Patch: I discovered I am allergic to them! Wheee!

#2 - Zyban: I quit for 6 months and got stressed out. I had quit taking the Zyban after 3 months. I later found out that was where I messed up. Doc said he had people who had been on it for over a year. I should have continued taking it. I had been stressed out at the time and re-started smoking when I should have started taking the meds again instead. When that first thought passed my mind. The first time I cheated, I should have taken it again.

#3 - Zyban: My heart really wasn't in it. I didn't do very well. I didn't set-up the Zyban like I was supposed to (1 a day for 3 days, then 2 a day for the rest of 2 weeks)

#4 - Wellbutrin: 2 weeks. I flubbed on the 4th of July but only a bit. We shall see! If only I could be one of those people who only want to smoke when I drink!

Side effects for me have been very minimal. I think the Atkins w/ Wellbutrin is kinda uhhh... making me a tad backed up LOL

Other than that, not a problem. I can't imagine quitting now without it. It makes it so much easier!

Funny how they still proclaim that smoking is non-addictive.

Greetings!

Here's my experience with Wellbutrin (not a great one, but I did quit smoking), been smoke free for 5 months now!!!! VERY HAPPY, I put on about 15 lbs. Now starting Atkins today! Wish me luck on LCing...

Started Wellbutrin, 150 mg/day, was supposed to start another 150 mg (300mg total) but couldn't bring myself to it, the side effects were so bad.

Side effects I encountered: cotton mouth, restless sleep, vivid dreams, depression (surprisingly), I cried over nothing a couple times, unability to concentrate/focus, I even had a hard time driving, headaches, I tended to ramble when talking, my heart beat sped up. These lasted for about 2 weeks. I quit smoking after 1 week because I was such a mess from the medication.

Week three I started feeling a little better, still no smokes. Week 4 went to see the doctor, she recommended I stay on the meds for at least another 2 months, I agreed, most of the side effects subsided but still didn't feel myself. After 2 more months on the meds (still only 150 mg), I started new depression side effects and very, very bad vivid nightmares. I stopped taking the medication only to have really bad withdraw symptons. I called the doctor, she prescribed more medications to get me off the Wellbutrin safely. It took another month but I was finally Med. free, & smoke free.

My doctor agrees that I must be very sensitive to the medication. Others that I know didn't have the hard time I did, they may have had a few side effects and quit with no problems. Wellbutrin & Zyban will definately help you quit smoking, I just hope the side effects aren't too much to handle. This system worked for all the people I know that tried it (6 people & me!)

Good Luck to all of you! I feel a TON better since I quit smoking and now I'll feel even better when I lose about 120 lbs!

I'm glad to hear you are Med free and smoke free. It's been 120 days for me as a non smoker. Feels great. I started going to the gym the last three weeks. I think I have lost some weight and inches. I have been doing the Dr. Atkins but the week ends I have been breaking the diet. You know summer is really bad for BBQ's / potlucks, ect... But on Mondays my husband and I are back on the diet.
Keep up the good work and good luck on Dr. Atkins.

I hope you all can help me out, I am not a smoker or dieting, but my boyfriend recently began taking zyban. He has become absolutely different since he started. He has become overly irritable, the smallest, stupidest things set him off, and he has been having wild mood swings, one minute he will seem to be fine and the next he will be livid about something. I don't know if this is from nicotein withdrawl or from the zyban, or a combination of the two. I am really worried about it and it is putting a huge strain on our relationship. Have any of you had this problem, and if so what did you do to correct it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Mike

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about the rough time you and your boyfriend are going through. I strongly suspect that his moodswings/short temper are nicotine withdrawal - I'm not a doctor, but I have great experience in quitting smoking!

I tried Zyban, unsuccessfully, and was finally able to quit using nicotine replacement therapy. It was the only way I could keep from killing my beloved family in the process.

Here's what I did, just to give you an idea:

1 month - Level 2 patch (medium)
1 month - Level 3 patch (lowest)
1 month - 2 mg nicotine gum, as needed. (1-3/day)

It's now the 4th month, and I occasionally chew a piece of the gum. I'm comfortable with the fact that I may have some on hand for the rest of my life.

Just another perspective - good luck!

did you realize that you were lashing out at those around you, or did it take someone pointing it out to you?

Interesting question - at first I really believed I was FINE and everyone else was making me miserable. I thought my short temper was perfectly reasonable. But I've quit enough times to recognize what it really is now - withdrawal. But even KNOWING that didn't make me a nicer person.

It is really awful - don't blame him too much. Better to give him plenty of space until this phase is over.