Report on Zyban Side Effect and Usage by AskDocWeb
Contents
About Zyban
What is Zyban?
Zyban is the brand name of the anti-smoking drug, bupropion hypochloride, pronounced byoo PROE pee on. It’s manufactured by Glaxo Smith Kline and sold as Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR and Zyban SR. Zyban is an antidepressant, used to help people stop smoking by reducing withdrawal effects. It was approved by FDA in May 1997. Zyban is a pill, not a gum or a patch. The thing that sets Zyban apart from other stop smoking aids is that it contains no nicotine and it’s cheaper than many other smoking cessation methods.
It’s also used to relieve symptoms of depression and to treat Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in children.
Bupropion was initially marketed as an anti-depressant (Wellbutrin), but it is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other anti-depressants. Chemically, it is related to phenylethylamines and has a relative molecular weight of 276.2.
How does Zyban work?
Researchers are still debating just how Zyban works to curb nicotine addiction and obesity.
Zyban sustained release tablets are taken in a daily 150 mg dose for 3 days, then 300 mg thereafter, for total treatment period of 7-12 weeks. You are supposed to quit within the first 2 weeks of use. Seperate dose intervals by at least 8 hours.
There is speculation that the drug works on the brain’s neurotransmitters to reduce craving and the effects of withdrawal from nicotine addiction. The active ingredient, bupropion, is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. That means it combats the craving. Zyban can be combined with nicotine replacement therapy like patches or gum.
What are the Side Effects of Zyban?
The main known side effects of Zyban are shakiness, skin rash, dry mouth, confusion, anxiety, anorexia and dizziness. There are a few other side effects, that may go away during treatment, include restlessness, agitation, dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, change in weight, confusion, anorexia, anxiety or tremor. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. Zyban may cause manic episodes with bipolar manic depression.
The rate of other side effects is controversial. We didn’t find exact information on the number of people who experience seizures or serum sickness (a feverish state in which the person experiences joint pain). We did find concerns about the drug’s interaction with alcohol and other medications.
The chance of seizure increases if you use alcohol, sedatives, cocaine, over the counter stimulants or if you have a seizure disorder (like epilepsy), an eating disorder (such as bulimia or anorexia nervosa), take more than the recommended amount of this medicine, or take other medicines with the same active ingredient, such as Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR.
You can reduce the chances of experiencing a seizure by following your doctor’s directions.
What are the symptoms of overdose?
About 1 out of 1000 people who take this medicine has seizures. If overdose is suspected, call 911 or contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include blurred vision, light-headedness, confusion, nausea, and seizures. Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you experience confusion, rash, itching, or seizures.
If you miss a dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Storing Zyban
Store this medicine at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, in a tightly closed container, out of the reach of children.
Contrary Conditions
Tell your doctor if you have a history of, or other medical condition such as one of the following:
Allergies
Pregnancy
Breast-feeding
Use of this medicine is not recommended if you have a history of muscle or nerve conditions or seizures. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about using this medicine.
For women: this medicine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine.
Contrary Medications
Tell your doctor if you are taking tramadol.
Some medicines may interact with this medicine. Inform your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking.
Do not use this medicine if you are also taking HIV protease inhibitors or a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Notes on Zyban
This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Read it carefully. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine.
Swallow whole. Do not break, crush, or chew before swallowing. If you are taking more than 1 dose each day, allow at least 8 hours between doses.
We found a verity of studies on the effectiveness of Zyban. The percentage of people who quit smoking successfully ranged from 20% – 55% in those trials.
Most sources said that it takes 1 week for this medicine to work, although in some cases it took 2 weeks to reach full strength. Don’t stop taking this medicine without checking with your doctor. During the first week of taking this medicine, you should continue to smoke. You should plan to stop smoking during the second week. If you have not stopped smoking by the seventh week of Zyban therapy, it is unlikely that you will quit during that attempt and Zyban therapy should be discontinued.
This medicine may cause dizziness or a change in vision. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medicine.
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.
Common Misspellings for Zyban
Zyban is often misspelled, as many people hear the word verbally, write it down and spell it incorrectly. Here are a few of the most common misspellings for Zyban: Ziban, Zieban, Zyben, Ziben, and Zybane. Bupropion is sometimes misspelled as buproprion.
Zyban Feedback
Mail about Zyban has grown so we had to move it: Read feedback from Zyban users here.
Most recent post: October 29, 2015
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