Wellbutrin or Zyban

[Brighty]

A family member is seeking information on reducing cravings and depression since quitting heroin . She has already detoxed and it was recommended to try wellbutrin with an exercise program and counseling.. the whole well rounded package. This will be her initial alternative to trying methadone. What is best to try.. wellbutrin or Zyban?? Are they the same.. we understand that Zyban is a time release form of wellbutrin... but for this young lady's needs what would you recommend ? She smokes and views cutting smoking as a plus but not her primary concern at this time. Also please advise on dosages. Thank you.

[Mike]

It appears to me that there is a "slow-release" form of both brands. It also appears that both drugs have the same active ingredient. I got this information from www.ask.com I'm not sure if it'll help all that much but until the doctor responds, maybe it'll answer some questions. There is more info there, but I only cut and pasted some relevant... - Mike


bupropion
PRONUNCIATION: byoo PROE pee on
BRAND: Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Zyban SR

What is bupropion?

• Bupropion is an antidepressant medication. The exact way that bupropion works is unknown.

• Bupropion is used to relieve symptoms of depression such as feelings of sadness, worthlessness or guilt, loss of interest in daily activities, changes in appetite, tiredness, sleeping too much, insomnia, and thoughts of death or suicide.

• Bupropion is also used to help people stop smoking because it reduces withdrawal effects.

• Bupropion may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.


Who should not take bupropion?


• Do not take bupropion if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine
(Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days.

• Do not take bupropion if you have epilepsy or another type of seizure disorder, or if you have ever been diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia. Bupropion may increase your risk of having a seizure if you have any of these conditions.

• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions such as heart, liver, or kidney disease. You may require a lower dose or special monitoring during your therapy with bupropion.

• Bupropion may be used to treat different medical conditions. You should not be taking more than one product containing bupropion at a time (e.g., Wellbutrin and Zyban). Talk to your doctor if a second product containing bupropion is prescribed for you. Too much of this medicine can be dangerous.

• Bupropion is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. Do not take bupropion without
first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.

• It is not known whether bupropion will harm a nursing baby. Do not take bupropion without first talking to your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby.

[Brighty --- [e-mail]]

Thanks Mike for your assistance. I will also search the site for further info... your time is very appreciated!

[they are the same]

Zyban and Wellbutrin are the same drug, marketed under different names to make more money.Bupropion HCL is the active ingredient in both of these drugs.

[Sandi]

They are the same. but Zyban is a lower dose than Wellbutrin.

[Brighty]

I finally found out from the doctor that Wellbutrin and Zyban are not *exactly* the same. Wellbutrin SR *is* the same as Zyban.. they are both time released formulas. Wellbutrin
( regular, so to speak) is not time released and the medication reaches it's peak in the bloodstream pretty quickly. Wellbutrin(regular) has a higher risk of seizure. I did not learn why the *regular* would be prescribed rather than the time released. However, for the reduction of cravings he favored the time released. And *yes* the Zyban is costlier.

[Barbara]

In the research I did on Wellbutrin and Zyban, I found out that they are exactly the same.  Wellbutrin came first and when they discovered that it made "some" people cut back or want to quit smoking, they scratched their heads and didn't know why.  Still don't know why.  But their heads were smart enough to market the same chemical under another name, directed at smoker's wanting to quit (like me) and charge a lot more for it.  There ought to be a law against this sort of thing.  My friend's husband wanted to quit smoking and was given a Zyban prescription by his doctor.  Their drug medical plan would not pay for it.  The doc changed it to Wellbutrin and the drug company paid for that.  Things are NOT right in the drug industry.  Someone is getting rich and some people cannot afford the drugs they need to keep them alive.  Fortunately, I live in Phoenix and can get a lot of my drugs legally in Mexico.  They just don't have the newest stuff.  I have told my doctors I am doing that and one even said, "Good, anytime you can beat out these drug companies, do it!".

[Plume]

I've just gone on Wellbutrin SR, having tried the patch series (twice), hypnosis and acupuncture.  Browsing I discovered a forum replete with all sorts of horror tales re secondary effects.
So, I am very grateful for the straightforward information in the above listings.