Stop Smoking?

[unervangutt]

hi guys!
how can i stop smoking? i tried to quit many times now but somehow i start it again and again..
who knows some tricks? someone tried hypnosis or s.o. like that? i don't believe in a 'magic pill'
but there must be a way.
thx unervangutt

[RO56]

There's a number of good threads, so check the SEARCH function.

Bottom line: You're not going to quit until you are READY to quit. When you are READY to quit, you don't need any gimmicks, pills, patches, or what not. You just STOP. After 20 years, that's what I did. That was 5 years ago.

[jvale00]

Why is this posted in Federal Questions?

:confused:

[Rabbit23]

hi guys!
how can i stop smoking? i tried to quit many times now but somehow i start it again and again..
who knows some tricks? someone tried hypnosis or s.o. like that? i don't believe in a 'magic pill'
but there must be a way.
thx unervangutt

You may want to try to put some failth in that "magic pill."

I smoked for 15 years and tried everything from the gum to the patch to hypnosis to the inhaler, cold turkey, lozenges, and even the pill.

I tried at least a dozen times. Then I was speaking to my doctor about something he read in a medical journal that showed the pill (Zyban or generic wellbutrin) in conjunction with the patch had remarkable results for some who had difficulty stopping.

It worked for me. No cravings or anything. I have been smoke free for 14 months now. I have told at least 2 other former co-workers who have had the same results.

Give it a try and see what happens.





P.S jvale00, No clue as to why it's in Federal questions.

[Mike Romeo]

I stopped smoking the night before I was hired by my department and haven't smoked since (Feb 05). I used "Smoke Away" to detox me of nicotine and take the edge off. Worked really well for about 50 bucks (at the time).

[Kimble]

Why is this posted in Federal Questions?

:confused:

Agreed, and moved. ;)

[highwayman]

hi guys!
how can i stop smoking? i tried to quit many times now but somehow i start it again and again..
who knows some tricks? someone tried hypnosis or s.o. like that? i don't believe in a 'magic pill'
but there must be a way.
thx unervangutt

I used to smoke, started when I was 30 and quit at 40, and guess what, it was during my marriage.
After the divorce I didin't feel the need to smoke anymore and just gave it up.

[citcop]

One word.....Chantix

This stuff is amazing. You have to go see your doctor to get it, but it's worth it.

[topofthecop]

I have heard great things about Chantix as well.

I quit Dec. 4th after almost 15yrs of a pack a day. My worst 'threat' was the withdrawl symptoms and not actual nicotine or even behavioral cravings. For me, the withdrawl was so frickin painful (and unknown to me) that I wanted to smoke to make the pain stop! I was sick for a month. Google Nicotine withdrawl symptoms to see what you may have to deal with. Knowing that it will pass soon may help you hang in there too. Lots of luck.

[ruby0711]

Chantix is a beautiful thing...

It prevents the nicotenic receptors in your brain from wanting the nicotene that they have gotten so used to. In theory, that simple action prevents withdrawel symptoms.

Those withdrawel symptoms are as strong as someone going through opiate, alcohol or amphetamine withdrawel. Detox is detox no matter which way you look at it.

I smoked for 20+ years...when I took chantix, I beat it and am remaining smoke free. (with NO bodies buried in the back yard...)
However, you also have to address the behavioral issues that surround the ACT of smoking before you start taking the meds...do the research and take your time quitting.
Good luck!! And Chantix IS the magic pill....(DO NOT use the patch with it, no need to)

Wellbutrin is effective, however it is only a partial nicotenic receptor blocker...while quitting may be a BIT easier, and has worked for others, Wellbutrin has WAY to many side effects that are...well, interesting to say the least. It increases anxiety, and buproprion (generic name) is also used to treat the sexual side effects often associated with the use of SSRI's..
In other words; for woman, it is the equivalent of Viagra. um, yeah..sounds fun..and it is fun, for about 5 minutes...

Chantix is the way to go...

[Titansfanmjfink]

I'm a strong believer that people can quit smoking, lose weight, etc. only when deep down they want to. A lot of people say they want to quit smoking, because they know its bad for them, but deep down inside what they really think is "I know its bad, but I'm willing to sacrifice the health risk for how good it makes me feel."

So the first thing you have to do is you have to really know you are ready to quit smoking. Secondly, sit down and think about when you smoke most... is it when you are stressed, when you're bored, when your nervous, anxious, excited, etc... generally there is some psychological stimulus that triggers the "urge" to smoke.

Once you figure out when and why you smoke you have to make behavioral changes to make it easier for you. For example, say you smoke when you are stressed. Find another stress reliever that will take your mind off of the urge. I.e. maybe crank out some pushups or situps, put on some headphones and listening to whatever music relaxes you, etc. So what you are basically doing is replacing aa bad habit with a healthier one. You could even keep a list of possible "replacement behaviors" and it might look something like this:

-exercise (pushups, situps, squats, or whatever you can do to lower stress)
-kick back and listen to music
-clean (its a stress reliever for many)
-now don't laugh at this but I've seen it suggested by Psychologists and psychiatrists before - masturbate (if you're somewhere where you can, its a good stress reliever).
The key is to find many options to relieve whatever psychological feeling is causing you to want to smoke.

Once you've established these behaviors and when they will be effective for you, make additional life changes that will decrease the urge. For example, when you go to get gas, pay at the pump rather than inside, this eliminates the opportunity to purchase the cigarettes. Obviously if your co-workers take smoke breaks, don't take a break with them or the urge to smoke will be insane.

The simplest way to put this is... when you began smoking you adapted and replaced certain behaviors in order to smoke, so you must do the same to stop.

Hope this helps

[RemyG]

chantix, or wellbutrin + patch would probably work.

The one thing about being on wellbutrin would be that you're on an anti-depressant. Wouldn't know if that kind of thing would bother you or not.

edit: oops, after reading when this was posted, i was fooled by the 3 above me posting today :D

[topofthecop]

Yeah, I noticed the original post date too but I figured it was a useful thread to resurect. And its not too often that I get to give advice :D

Any word on whether he was able to quit?

[topofthecop]

I just saw a commercial from a law firm re. Chantix so I googled it and this is what I found:



Pfizer updates Chantix label in U.S. to include warning

By Peter Loftus
Last update: 9:25 a.m. EST Jan. 18, 2008

Pfizer Inc.

4:28pm 01/18/2008



PFE warned Friday that users of its Chantix smoking-cessation drug should be monitored for suicidal behavior, depressed mood and other potential side effects.
The New York drug maker updated the product label for Chantix to more prominently display post-marketing reports of adverse events that had been added in November. Pfizer said Chantix users should be observed for "serious neuropsychiatric symptoms, including changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior."
Pfizer said it made the label change after consultation with the Food and Drug Administration.
"A causal association hasn't been established based on the data," Ponni Subbiah, vice president of medical affairs at Pfizer, said in an interview. "However, in some cases, an association could not be excluded."

Article in it's entirety:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...9476AA6F636%7D


*I wonder what other meds these people were on and if it could be a volitile drug reaction

[ruby0711]

I just saw a commercial from a law firm re. Chantix so I googled it and this is what I found:



Pfizer updates Chantix label in U.S. to include warning

By Peter Loftus
Last update: 9:25 a.m. EST Jan. 18, 2008

Pfizer Inc.

4:28pm 01/18/2008



PFE warned Friday that users of its Chantix smoking-cessation drug should be monitored for suicidal behavior, depressed mood and other potential side effects.
The New York drug maker updated the product label for Chantix to more prominently display post-marketing reports of adverse events that had been added in November. Pfizer said Chantix users should be observed for "serious neuropsychiatric symptoms, including changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior."
Pfizer said it made the label change after consultation with the Food and Drug Administration.
"A causal association hasn't been established based on the data," Ponni Subbiah, vice president of medical affairs at Pfizer, said in an interview. "However, in some cases, an association could not be excluded."

Article in it's entirety:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...9476AA6F636%7D


*I wonder what other meds these people were on and if it could be a volitile drug reaction

There have been exactly 3 cases of people on Chantix that have hit psychosis. 3. The media and lawyers are jumping on it like you would not believe.

More people have had psychotic reactions taking antidepressants such as paxal and other SSRI's. (yes, there is, as there should be a black-box warning on them..)
What I am trying to say, is that the 3 people with the reaction; because of HIPPA laws, we do not know what state of mind they were in, nor do we know if other drugs were taken with them or if they were pre-disposed to mental illness.

Please question everything the ambulance chasers and media sais about meds such as these...the fact still remains, the benefits far outweight the disadvantages with this med.

But, any med that changes brain chemistry is suspect to this type of behavior.

When you quit smoking, your metabolism changes drastically, and we absorb everything we put into our body differently..so, when it comes down to it, when you deprive your body of any substance that the body has needed to survive, you run the risk of making things worse.
If you drink, then decide to quit smoking, your body will metabolise alcohol differently..as well as asprin....and vitamins...ect.

Just my .02!!