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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 General Board Posts >> I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
        
(Message started by: ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:24pm)
Title: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:24pm
to go to the doctor and get a scrip for Zyban. [smiley=smokin.gif]

I desperately need and want to quit smoking. I have tried countless times and have had very limited success.

Has anyone here tried the stuff? Is it a trigger. Will it be a problem to use Maxalt or Imitrex (sumatriptan) along with it if I get hit? Most of all..... Does it help?

I'm trying to get a dentist appointment for the same day so I may also have to watch out for a novocaine trigger too. I've heard that it can be a trigger.

Any thoughts on this?  Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Jeepgun on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:27pm
It's not a trigger, and in fact, will help stave off cluster headaches. It's a mild anti-depressant, but it won't have many (if any) side effects. The only caution is, if you are prone to seizures, it's contraindicated.

I've used it and it works well. Zyban (the brand name) is $$$, so see if you can go with Wellbutrin, which is a little cheaper, or Bupropion, which is the generic form.

Good luck, my friend.

-Frank
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Margi on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:28pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:24:55, ExplodingEyeBall wrote:
to go to the doctor and get a scrip for Zyban. [smiley=smokin.gif]

I desperately need and want to quit smoking. I have tried countless times and have had very limited success.

Has anyone here tried the stuff? Is it a trigger. Will it be a problem to use Maxalt or Imitrex (sumatriptan) along with it if I get hit? Most of all..... Does it help?

I'm trying to get a dentist appointment for the same day so I may also have to watch out for a novocaine trigger too. I've heard that it can be a trigger.

Any thoughts on this?  Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?


I've heard a few clusterheads who've really had problems with Zyban.  Mike tried it once and he was just nuts on that stuff.  MAJORLY depressed and VERY edgy - both the opposite fo what it should do for you.  Maybe it's a clusterhead thing?

And, the novocaine shouldn't be a trigger for you.  If anything, the adrenaline contained in it should have abortive properties.  You can get novocaine without adrenaline though, if it causes your heart to do the chicken (like it can for some folks).
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Margi on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:30pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:27:08, Jeepgun wrote:
The only caution is, if you are prone to seizures, it's contraindicated.


but, um, Frank - doesn't that lead you to believe that clusterheads would be at risk then?  I mean with the current thinking that cluster is closely related to a seizure disorder (thus the prescribing of Topomax, an antiseizure med).

not trying to shoot you down - not at all - just an honest question.  

I'm glad the Zyban worked for you.  I'm toying with trying it too.  Did you put on weight?
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:31pm
Thanks Frank.

I'm not really worried about the cost compared to what I spend on smokes in 1 month.

I'm sure that my insurance company also wouldn't mind paying for a drug that will help me to wuitquit smoking.

I DID have petite mal seizures when I was in my teens and my neuro also pointed that out when he did the EEG/head tests on me. I told him that I haven't had any problems in a long time. (Since I quit drinking heavily.)

Hr didn't seem to be to worried about it and told me he had to at least point it out and ask about it.
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by nani on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:34pm
I've taken Wellbutrin and don't have any problems with it. I also take Neurontin which is anti-seizure (I use it as a CH prevent). It works better on my depression than any other anti-depressant. Go over the seizure history with the doc, though...just to be extra sure. Good luck, Pat!!  love, nani
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:34pm
Margi,

I've never seen anything about cluster beeing related to seizure disorder. I'd like to know a little more about that though. It's an interesting idea anyway.

Are many of us here past or presently having problems with seizures?
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Jeepgun on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:36pm
I don't know anything about Topomax. I'm just going on what the Zyban/Bupropion/Wellbutrin info states. I didn't gain weight using it, and it worked for me, but like a dumb-ass, I started smoking again...  ::)

-Frank
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Ree on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:37pm
Dave took Zyban and it will work if you let it... Good luck...
love ree
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Ree on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:39pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:36:17, Jeepgun wrote:
I don't know anything about Topomax. I'm just going on what the Zyban/Bupropion/Wellbutrin info states. I didn't gain weight using it, and it worked for me, but like a dumb-ass, I started smoking again...  ::)

-Frank

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Dumb-ass!!!
So did Dave........it won't make you gain weight actually it does the opposite so if you need to lose weight it actually curbs your appetite and ups your metabolism...
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by john_d on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:40pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:36:17, Jeepgun wrote:
I started smoking again...  ::)

-Frank


ouch, don't ya hate that.  Happens to me all the time.
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by broomhilda on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:41pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:31:06, ExplodingEyeBall wrote:
I DID have petite mal seizures when I was in my teens and my neuro also pointed that out when he did the EEG/head tests on me. I told him that I haven't had any problems in a long time. (Since I quit drinking heavily.)


Pat, please make sure you go over your history carefully then, seizure disorders can come and go throughout ones life... just be safe K?

Well wishes on over....
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Jeepgun on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:44pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:39:12, Ree wrote:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Dumb-ass!!!
So did Dave........it won't make you gain weight actually it does the opposite so if you need to lose weight it actually curbs your appetite and ups your metabolism...



I'm going to quit again, this year, but I'm going cold turkey, and if/when I do it, it will be my final quit. After that, not one more puff. Ever. Damn sickarettes... If I have one regret in my life, it's that I started smoking. I hate these fuckin' things.  >:(
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by john_d on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:47pm
good luck to all those trying to quit, I just look at the price these days and it is enough for me not to start again.  good grief they are expensive.
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:47pm
I'll definately bring it up about the seizures.

My neuro didn't seem to concerned about it after discussion although the discussion was very in depth before he came to his conclusions about it.

A lot of the problems I had with seizures were self imposed via heavy drug/alcohol use when I was (very) young.

I could also use a slight reduction in weight. I'm a little plump after all of the holiday festivities and the weather has sucked to bad to go out and get any exercise.

Thanks for all of the advice and well wishes everybody.
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:51pm
OK Here's a cool link about Zyban.

2 good things I can see already are..

1) Low chance of sexual side effects, unless you consider making you hornier a sexual side effect.

2) Off-Label Uses: Weight Loss, Bipolar Depression, ADD/ADHD

My wife may have a problem with #1 (Maybe not) LOL but #2 will give me a chance to actually concentrate for a while.

http://www.crazymeds.org/wellbutrin.html
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:55pm
Paddy - I tried Zyban 4 years ago - worked really well for two weeks - then got the worse case of hives they'd ever seen at the emergency department.  I wanted to just peel my skin off and leave it outside!

Good luck with it, but watch carefully for side effects.  Apparently hives are not really common (go figure!) but it can happen.

Me, I think I'll just smoke 'till I die - no willpower here at all!
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by BikerBob on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:57pm
Question about Zyban...

Two of my friends used Zyban to quit smoking. Both of them said that while taking Zyban they had lots of vivid weird dreams. REM sleep is a major CH trigger. Does that make Zyban a trigger?

Bob
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Margi on Jan 24th, 2005, 4:57pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:34:34, ExplodingEyeBall wrote:
Margi,

I've never seen anything about cluster beeing related to seizure disorder. I'd like to know a little more about that though. It's an interesting idea anyway.

Are many of us here past or presently having problems with seizures?


Hi Eye - here's a thread we had over at OUCH Canada about clusters being a seizure related disorder.  It makes a lot of sense, actually.

http://www.clusterheadaches.ca/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=General;action=display;num=1079658484;start=8#8

and, Carol - our secretary here had the same reaction to Zyban, hives EVERYWHERE.  Scary!
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Jeepgun on Jan 24th, 2005, 5:01pm
Margi, I just read that thread. Infantile epilepsy runs in the males in my family. Full-force grand-mal seizures, and then, around the age of three, we outgrow them. Mysterious stuff....

-Frank
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on Jan 24th, 2005, 5:02pm
Thanks Margi.

Time to go home now. I'll see you all on Wednesday.
I hope I"ll be smoke free when I come back.

Pat
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Jan 24th, 2005, 5:02pm

on 01/24/05 at 16:57:45, BikerBob wrote:
Question about Zyban...

Two of my friends used Zyban to quit smoking. Both of them said that while taking Zyban they had lots of vivid weird dreams. REM sleep is a major CH trigger. Does that make Zyban a trigger?

Bob


Y'know until you mentioned that, I'd forgotten about that part.  Your friends are right and if you take the second pill too late in the day (like anything after about 2 p.m.) forget about sleeping - not gonna happen.

Paddy - have you tried the patch?  Might be safer and easier.

Carol
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Jeepgun on Jan 24th, 2005, 5:39pm
Ah yes... It CAN produce insomnia, and I had that little side-effect too. As for being a trigger, I have no idea. I was out of cycle at the time I was taking it.
Title: Re: I'm taking a sick day tomorrow..
Post by Tim_Z on Jan 24th, 2005, 6:54pm
Pat I did the wellbutrin thing, life was great. I loved the stuff, until I started to have seizures. They were bad, I smashed head into the wall and chipped some teeth and broke my glasses. I had a really bad landing on that stuff. I don't know if it was a factor but I also drank at the time. Not trying to scare you, didn't go well for me. Quitting while on that stuff was easy (for about 3 days), I also lost some weight. Good luck, Tim


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