Zyban

WHY are they so reluctant to give it out here?  Does it cost a lot?  I'm guessing that's it, tbh.

DH smokes.  He has since he was 17.  He has tried the patch.  Twice.  Full course.  Starting from prescription strength b/c he was too heavy a smoker for OTC stuff.  He still smokes.  In fact, he craved the whole time he was on the patch.  He's also tried gum, lozenges, inhalators, cold turkey, Allan Carr's book, hypnosis (twice.  He can't be hypnotised, apparently), rubber band around the wrist, exercise, deep breathing, etc. 

He wants to stop.  He says its starting to taste awful and put him off.

I know that if he were in the US, the next step would be to use Zyban in combination w/the patch, b/c I went thru that myself.

Here, they offered him:  the patch.  Plus, 'run along to the NHS smoking clinic and get some counselling.'

But wait!  There's a wait list!  Until when?  Until April, when I'm back working full time.  He'll be working, too, evenings.  Not a lot of time for counselling, b/c he has two kids under 3 to look after during the day and work in the evening. 

'Counselling works', they say.  Sure.  So does Zyban.  This is a Scotsman we're talking about here.  Yeah, he's SO going to go to counselling - if he had the time, that is!     We can really afford lots of texts and phone calls for 'support'.  NOT.

He was so disgusted, he needed a fag.   

He doesn't have all these 'triggers' they talk about on the website.  His addiciton, like most men's, is more strongly physical than psychological.  He can go w/o a fag after eating, whilst drinking coffee, in a stressful situation, etc.  But try to get him to go more than 2-3 hours w/no cigarette and he's actually shaking. 

So what's he gonna do?  Go back to the GP after he's supposedly finished the patch course until they let him try the f*cking Zyban.

I mean, seriously, the stuff does stop you craving.  I can't see why, even if it's expensive, it wouldn't be an option for a man - no chance of his being pregnant - who could end up costing the NHS way more if he continues to smoke.

I would think the patch would cost more long-term than Zyban.  My mom used it with great success.  I quit cold turkey and after a year (and gaining a lot of weight), I'm finally okay to be around others smoking.  I still miss it though.
I wish your husband a LOT of luck, it takes a lot of strength!

The combination seems to work really well in people for whom the patch has been unsuccessful.  He's given it two good shots. 

WHY are they so reluctant to give it out here?  Does it cost a lot?  I'm guessing that's it, tbh.

Good question!  I'm not a smoker, but was talking to my US physician before I left the States about going on Wellbutrin (aka Zyban) for weight loss purposes -- it has started being used some in the US for this as well (I guess it works on your appetite or some such).  When I asked the doc here if I could get a prescription to try (for weight loss help) --  he looked at me like I was crazy & he had never heard of Zyban being used for that -- it would certainly never be prescribed over here for that -- only for smoking cessation.  A lot of the newer psychotropic meds do cost a lot because they are exclusively patented for a long period & the pharmaceutical companies will milk that for all it's worth -- at least I know that was true in the States (without insurance you're screwed trying to get meds like that)...I wasn't sure how it worked over here though.

I'm beginning to smell a rat here, tbh. 

I just started to do some research on another matter:  childhood immunizations.  In particular, when I took Roisin in for her check up, I asked about Prevenar, the new vaccine for pneumoccocal meningitis.  I was immediately told by the GP and HV this would not be possible for my daughter; that she might qualify for the 'catch up' programme later on, and to jab her up w/DPT right then and there.  I refused, as I'm in the process of changing surgeries and prefer to immunise on the old schedule - starting at 3 months w/2-3 months in between doses.

Also I was completely unaware that the DPT vaccines given to Aillidh back in 2003 had thimerosal in them, a mercury preservative that's been banned in paediatric vaccines for years in the US (for obvious reasons, although they're no better b/c they used up their stocks of mercury containing vaccines instead of destroying them), or that there was a mercury-free alternative available back then - which used to be more expensive, of course.  The difference in cost?  $1/jab.

Aillidh has been late with all her motor skills.  A complete genetic screen and numerous other tests have not determined why. 

It could be lots of things, I guess we'll never know.  But I'd be a liar if I said that didn't stick in my mind. 

Now, of course, the new 5 in 1 jab for infants is no longer thimerosal-containing,  but my trust is forever destroyed! 

So I started to dig around.  I found out from some that I know that a surgery up here in Scotland has a particular budget for particular things, a bit like an NHS trust also has a budget.  So you wind up w/these so-called 'post code lotteries', with some services and drugs being easy to obtain in some post codes or surgeries and impossible in others.

The 'word on the street' is that the Health Ministers will order Prevenar to be made available, but that it's entirely possible, until each place is compelled by mandate, for a surgery to claim all sorts of reasons for not giving it out.

The jab is £35/dose.

So I called a private clinic.  They tell me Prevenar isn't licensed in this country.  So I phone a contact I know.  Who tells me to call some other private clinics in town.  And Bob's your uncle!  All of the sudden, w/the wave of a magic wand, it's somehow become licensed right here in town!

For £168 a course.

Hmmm. 

Let's just say I have a hunch as to why he's not being offered Zyban.

Wellbutrin can be used for weight loss purposes? I thought its for depression?  Very interesting.

I just started to do some research on another matter:  childhood immunizations.  In particular, when I took Roisin in for her The 'word on the street' is that the Health Ministers will order Prevenar to be made available, but that it's entirely possible, until each place is compelled by mandate, for a surgery to claim all sorts of reasons for not giving it out.

The jab is £35/dose.

So I called a private clinic.  They tell me Prevenar isn't licensed in this country.  So I phone a contact I know.  Who tells me to call some other private clinics in town.  And Bob's your uncle!  All of the sudden, w/the wave of a magic wand, it's somehow become licensed right here in town!

For £168 a course.

Hmmm. 

Let's just say I have a hunch as to why he's not being offered Zyban.

I have just heard about Prevenar today while getting Jackson caught up with the US immunizations, since he is going to a mommy's day out program soon here in the States.   I showed them Jackson's shot record from the UK, they told me he was behind and that some of the injections they gave him in the UK are banned in the US, well one of them. Not sure what make of it all.  Poor little guy received several shots today.

Wellbutrin can be used for weight loss purposes? I thought its for depression? Very interesting.

I have heard about this being prescribed for weight loss, smoking and so forth.  It is insanely expensive without insurance in the US.

It is insanely expensive without insurance in the US.

I'm sure it is.  But it definitely can't be more expensive than treating a smoking-related illness.  I mean, those things cost a mint - cancer, COPD, heart disease, etc.

Come to think of it, obesity can cause those diseases, too.  You think it'd be cheaper to see if a drug like Zyban might help a person before they fall ill.

You think it'd be cheaper to see if a drug like Zyban might help a person before they fall ill.

Well put!!  It should be offered to your husband.

Come to think of it, obesity can cause those diseases, too.  You think it'd be cheaper to see if a drug like Zyban might help a person before they fall ill.

Fortunately, my US doctor thought so too!  He was so good -- on top of recent medicine developments like that.  I was also very fortunate to have insurance!  I have a feeling that he was quite possibly the best doctor I'll ever have...and as I was moving over here, he was giving up the practice of medicine & closing his small private practice because he could no longer afford to charge reasonable (ethical?) fees AND pay his malpractice insurance plus other costs.

I hope you're able to get some Zyban sorted out for your hubby, Expat!

Hi expat and everyone!  I'm writing from South Dakota, soon to be living in Glasgow. 

Regarding Zyban - I work in healthcare and found that numerous patients are loosing weight and quiting smoking with just Zyban and not the patch.  However, some use both. 

Zyban, like other anti-depressents in the US is very expensive.  It costs between $80 and $100 a month.  But because the side effects are so minimal, a lot of Paxil users have switched to Zyban or Wellbutrin.  I was told that the UK does not recognize Paxil at all.  Does anyone know if that is true? 

I have a friend who just started using Zyban and the first couple of weeks she felt quite jittery, but was a non-smoker in about 3 weeks.  She continues to stay on the Zyban for her weight loss.  (She smoked more then a pack a day for about 30 years.) 

Cheers!

So, what happens if you are on Zyban for depression here and then you move there? What are you supposed to do?

Upper Yank,

I'm thinking that as long as you had a prescription from your original prescribing GP then you might be able to always get your prescript filled.  Or have them sent to you.  But I don't know how the UK is when it comes to legal prescriptions being mailed into the country. 

Expat - I hate to be the bearer of bad news....

I got Zyban on the NHS for quitting smoking....but I live in England....

Too bad you can't shop around for GP's here! 

I have just heard about Prevenar today while getting Jackson caught up with the US immunizations, since he is going to a mommy's day out program soon here in the States.   I showed them Jackson's shot record from the UK, they told me he was behind and that some of the injections they gave him in the UK are banned in the US, well one of them. Not sure what make of it all.  Poor little guy received several shots today.
I have heard about this being prescribed for weight loss, smoking and so forth.  It is insanely expensive without insurance in the US.

How old is Jackson? I'm planning on having my daughter be in a preschool while we are visiting home, but she needs her TB test done to enroll, does this mean she might need more than just that done? She's gonna be 5 next week and is up to date on all her UK shots.