People who want to quit smoking may find the drug Zyban useful in kicking the habit from their system. This drug, which has a generic name of Bupropion hydrochloride, is prescribed by physicians to help patients stop smoking. The drug comes in tablets of 30 and 90 foil blisters. The round tablets are white, film coated and have “GX CH7” coded on it. The tablets need to be swallowed whole and not chewed or cut. The treatment or use of this drug is only short term and its purpose is to curb the patients urge to smoke and possible withdrawal side effects. The treatment usually lasts 7-12 weeks.
The basic drug component of zyban is also used in antidepressant medication. If there are changes in behavior such as depression or thoughts of suicide while taking the drug, it should be reported to your doctor or physician.
One of the adverse reactions when taking in zyban is an allergic reaction to any of its ingredients. Zyban should not be used with patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding has had seizure attacks or epilepsy, a heavy drinker, taking in tranquilizers or MAOIs, those who have an eating disorder like anorexia or a brain tumor. Patients also need to inform their physicians if they are taking St. John’s Wort, or diabetes, or if you have liver or kidney problems.
There are also reported side effects with the use of zyban. The most common of these are headaches, nausea or constipation, dry mouth and difficulty in sleeping. The difficulty in sleeping can be remedied by taking the medication late in the afternoon instead of near bedtime. Other reported side effects of the drugs include dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness, and problems with concentration, visual disturbance in some people so care should be taken when driving or operating machinery while taking the drug.
Zyban does not contain nicotine, so the use of this drug in order to stop smoking has been successful because smokers can still smoke during the initial phase of the treatment. Unlike nicotine patches or gums, there is no risk of over dosage of nicotine. It is also recommended for smokers not to stop smoking until they have passed one week of taking the drug in order to make the treatment successful. Withdrawing from smoking can be done in the second week of treatment.
The tablets need to be taken as prescribed by your physician, which are usually two tablets a day. Never take more than the prescribed dosage and if you miss a dose, never catch up or take double doses. Space the taking of the medicines at least eight hours. Always contact your physician or local poison control center if you suspect over dosage even if there are no symptoms.
It is also important to have a strong support group when deciding to quit smoking. Let your family and friends know of your intent to quit so that they can give you your full support and encouragement. You also have to be firm on your decision to stop smoking in order to make the treatment work.