Options to quit smoking?!
Question: I'm going to try to quit smoking again (third times a charm). I have tried cold turkey and failed miserably. I tried the patch and it worked great while I was using it but then became dependant. When I do try to quit though, I become uncontrolably and painfully emotional, which is bad enough if not for the physical symptoms of quitting as well. So I have decided I will need professional medical help on this one, but I would like to know what to expect and what options I have for medications or other methods of quitting.
Answers: I'm going to try to quit smoking again (third times a charm). I have tried cold turkey and failed miserably. I tried the patch and it worked great while I was using it but then became dependant. When I do try to quit though, I become uncontrolably and painfully emotional, which is bad enough if not for the physical symptoms of quitting as well. So I have decided I will need professional medical help on this one, but I would like to know what to expect and what options I have for medications or other methods of quitting.
There are MANY options, there are patches and pills, inhalers and chewing gum. There are nicotine replacement therapies and antidepressants. There are many nonpharmacological therapies as well. I can't even begin to cover all of the options here, and there is no one that works best, different methods seem to work better for different people, and many have a hard time no matter what they do. Do go to your doctor and talk to him about the options, he's in a much better position to know what may be best for you than anyone on yahoo answers, but don't get discouraged, I have been told (and I can't say how accurate this statistic is, but it seems to be at least in the right direction) that the average smoker who sucessfully quits relapses 6-7 times before finally stopping for good, not being able to stop after trying once doesn't mean you won't ever be able to.
pick up marijuana
Just stop!
vaporize marijuana instead, no smoke just vapor!
you are just a weak person and there is no help for that, sorry . . really i am.
i think there's a nicotine gum, that could help because gum tends to help control stress anyway, and it would have the nicotine in it for ur nicotine boost.
good for you for wanting to quit, and seeking medical help when other times you tried it didn't work. a therapist could maybe help you too, for the whole emotional factor of it all.
don't listen to the 4 answers above me, they are just being idiots.
good luck!
chantix is so bad ***....it has made quiting so easy for me this time
you're a strong woman.
i dont smoke but i feel for ya!
Cold Turkey, patch, nicorette gum, something else to chew on, weening. It is hard to quit, and it takes a lot of work.
theres this gum....forgot whats its called n...... yea i dont remember but my friend used it and it worked
I have quit a few times I am currently a non smoker. One of the times I quit I was on well butrion which is basically an antidepressant I do think that it helped. The last time I quit smoking I got really sick and the though of a cigarette was awful and I never went back. Good Luck to you it is the best thing you can do for yourself!
Good for you.......I'm still smoking (I quit for 2 years once) ....when I DID quit, I made sure i had a pack in m purse just in case but I have not been mentally capable lately. I hope you can do it though.....a lot of it is in the mind.
you know i tryed all kinds of stuff, i tried to quite about 9 times befor it works, what ended up happening was cold turky, but when i moved, so it broke up my driving/ porch habits.
good luck!
oh I hear ya there. I'm going to try chantix- its a prescription you get from your Dr. it doesn't contain any nicotine. I've heard it works well- when you start taking it you smoke for a week then quit but if you happen to slip up and smoke- continue the pills don't stop. I'm not sure about the moodiness that goes along with quitting but you can talk to your Dr about that also maybe he/she can give you some suggestions. Good luck!
how about. everytime youu want a cig. youu just
pick up a cinnamon candy =)
it works. sounds silly but it does.
and chew cinnamon gum too!
Just an answer from a quitter after 35 years smoking and having my dear husband of 35 years die of lung cancer while I watched and cared for him, as I had another cigarette!
Believe me when I say I know exactly what you're going through and I know exactly what I'm talking about!!
Doesn't matter what you do, how you do it or who tells you what to do. None of it will work until you quit saying "I'm gonna TRY to quit smoking AGAIN".
When you "try", that leaves you an "out" for when you fail. You can always say, "oh well, I TRIED".
Nothing works until you really make up your mind to. I mean you have absolutely no choice left but to quit and you'll be damned if you don't make it work!!!!
You go into it with the knowledge you are going to want a cig.
You go into it with the knowledge that when you want a cig. you will not dwell on it. If you dwell on it you will make
yourself miserable.
The urge passes in less than a minute if you allow it. If you don't, then it will last all day! And you're doing it to yourself.
Like with any addiction....drugs....alcohol, etc. You have to make a lifestyle change. You can't continue the same ole, same ole and expect to succeed.
If you are an alcoholic, you don't go into a bar and expect to not drink!!!! You don't hang out with the same drinking buddies and expect to not want to drink.
You shower, shower, shower, shower!!!!!!
You wash EVERYTHING you wear, even it it was clean in the drawers or hanging in the closet. The smoke in the house clings to everything, clean or dirty!!
You shampoo the carpets, furniture, inside of the car.
You shower, shower, shower. You will stink for about 3-4 days. Drink lots of water. You try all different deodorants.....nothing helps. Shower, shower, shower.
If you used to light up when on the phone, do NOT talk on the phone only if you absolutely HAVE to for about 2 weeks.
Tell your friends ahead of time. After a meal can be rough. Plan ahead of time to do something after a meal to take the place of that cig. Maybe a jog, walk, read your bible for 15 minutes......something different.
Do NOT have time on your hands. With all the scrubbing you have to do, you should drop into bed exhausted and every minute of the day should be filled.
You may not notice the smell of smoke in your house or car. Believe me, it's there and it's telling your subconscious that you want that cigarette. Thus, the urge will come. That is why you have to begin new....fresh. You can't "cover up the smell with sprays.
I'm telling you. After 35 years of trying to quit using everything at my disposal to succeed and failing, the above strategies were the only thing that worked for me and they stand to reason. But even still, these won't work unless you've made your mind up that there is no going back.
Also, the urges subside tremendously after 3 days. They still come but not like the first 3 days. Live one hour at a time, then one day at a time. Then know for the rest of your life, there will be times when the urges hit and you just have to laugh at yourself and say, "not on your life!!!" The urge passes quickly and you go about your life.
Always remember: ONE CIGARETTE IS TOO MANY, AND 1000 CIG. ARE NOT ENOUGH! Never, never, never, out of curiosity do you pick up another cigarette as long as you live thinking you can "put it back down again". It doesn't work that way. That one cigarette will never be enough, I promise you. It's a wicked joke to make you think you can just try one.
I'm telling you, though, you absolutely cannot hang around those who smoke. If they cannot understand that then they are not your friend. Stay away from all smoke!
Cold turkey is the only method. Any of those patches, gum and pills just keep the nicotine in your system longer and you still have that physical addiction to quit and it won't work.
Good luck, remember to pray and shower, shower, shower!!
Smile
I am an RN
Couldn't believe it would work BUT after smoking 30 yrs. 1/2 pack a day, problems with chronic bronchitis, copd... my specialist prescribed CHANTIX. IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM!
It acts on blocking the 'high', good Dopamine effect with every drag. So after a couple of days, the Thrill was gone and i didn't want to spend five bucks on a stink weed. But there are still withdrawal symptoms to deal with. Check with your Doc and you can also get a rebate.
Take green tea pills every morning and afternoon...it helps detox your body and it will remove the want to for a cigarette..i have been quit for 5 months now...green tea will help you clean your lungs out and kidneys. Good Luck!
Perhaps you might have to join a Quit Smoking Clinic.