Zyban

--Storage instructions...

Store at room temperature in a tightly closed container. Keep out of direct sunlight.

What side effects may occur?

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Zyban.

• Side effects include:
  Dry mouth and sleeplessness

These are generally mild and usually disappear after a few weeks. If you have difficulty sleeping, avoid taking Zyban close to bedtime and ask your doctor about reducing your dosage.

Why should Zyban not be prescribed?

Because Zyban has been known to trigger convulsions, no one with a seizure disorder should take this drug. Also avoid Zyban if you are taking Wellbutrin or any other drug that contains bupropion, Zyban's active ingredient. The more bupropion you take, the more likely you are to have a seizure.

Zyban's seizure-triggering potential is greater in people with an eating disorder such as bulimia or anorexia, and in those undergoing abrupt withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers such as Librium and Valium. If you suffer from one of these problems, never take Zyban. Avoid it, too, if you are taking a drug classified as an MAO inhibitor, such as the antidepressants Nardil and Parnate. Allow at least 14 days to pass between taking one of these drugs and starting your Zyban therapy.

If bupropion or any other ingredient in Zyban has ever given you an allergic reaction, the drug is not for you.

Special warnings about Zyban

In clinical studies, antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. Because Zyban contains the same ingredient as the antidepressant Wellbutrin, anyone considering the use of Zyban or any other antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk with the clinical need. Zyban has not been studied in children or adolescents and is not approved for treating anyone less than 18 years old.

Additionally, the progression of major depression is associated with a worsening of symptoms and/or the emergence of suicidal thinking or behavior in both adults and children, whether or not they are taking antidepressants. Individuals being treated with Zyban and their caregivers should watch for any change in symptoms or any new symptoms that appear suddenly--especially agitation, anxiety, hostility, panic, restlessness, extreme hyperactivity, and suicidal thinking or behavior--and report them to the doctor immediately. Be especially observant at the beginning of treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.