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Just quit.

Was 20 year, pack a day. Bought Prosmoke. Wasn't nearly good enough. Got an EGO with the 510 refillable...

Posted by mikemeemah

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Posted by mikemeemah

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Depression of Smokers

A consequence of smoking that is often overlooked is depression. Symptoms of nicotine dependence are correlated...

Posted by jee4764

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Depression of Smokers A consequence of smoking that is often overlooked is depression. Symptoms of nicotine dependence are correlated...

Chantix and Mental Health

Hello. I just wanted to give a heads up if you decide to use Chantix for quitting smoking Please,...

Posted by whatawonderfulworld

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Chantix and Mental Health Hello. I just wanted to give a heads up if you decide to use Chantix for quitting smoking Please,...

The real reason you don't quit.

The only way to quit is WANTING to quit. Get some self-discipline and man-up. It is all 100% about will...

Posted by paulk1984

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What might work for those who have tried everythin...

Many smokers feel they have already tried everythingâ€¦..cold turkey, hypnosis, patches,...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

Many smokers feel they have already tried everythingâ€¦..cold turkey, hypnosis, patches, acupunctureâ€¦..but still find they are smoking heavily and have almost lost hope of being able to quit. Lets take a not atypical exampleâ€¦.a 2 pack per day smoker who smokes their first one of the day within 5 minutes of waking, and sometimes wakes at night and smokes. This particular case is in their 60s, has already had cancer and cardiovascular problems and some prior quit attempts have lasted for as long as 6 months, but ended with relapse to cigarettes when they stopped taking the patch. If this type of smoker felt ready to have a serious attempt to quit, what might make this one succeed in the long term?

The first suggestion would be to think of quitting as a process rather than a single event. But importantly, go into it with the view that they will continue with the process nomatter what. It doesn't end when they have quit for a month or for six, it doesn't end when they stop their meds, and it certainly doesn't end if they have a cigarette or a pack after a period of abstinence. You will succeed if you decide that you are going persist with this and keep on itâ€¦basically forever. Sure after six months, then a year then 6 years it will require much less effort, but from time to time it will require renewed effort to stay abstinent.

My second suggestion is to initiate the quit attempt along with counseling from a reliable source. By "a reliable source" I mean a health professional who has been trained to help smokers quit, is familiar with all the smoking cessation meds and how they work, and who has been doing this kind of work for at least a year. I feel that quitting along with a group of other smokers is often the best way to get structured support in the first few weeks that are very important, but seeing a health professional for individual weekly appointments can also help, as can regular telephone contacts from a telephone "quitline" where face-to-face is not available. Many people are skeptical about "counseling" or "group therapy" but there is very good evidence that this can increase your chances of getting off to a good start. For the type of case I described above, quitting smoking may be a life-or-death intervention so you have to use all the help that you can get.

Thirdly, a heavy smoker who has already tried most standard treatments should be speaking to their doctor about using "extended combination pharmacotherapy". This means rather than using just one of the effective medicines, like the patch or Chantix, for a couple of months, they should be considering using more than one medication for at least 6 months, and possibly longer. This could be a combination of the patch and 4mg gum or lozenge, or varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion, or bupropion plus patch plus nicotine inhaler. Dr Michael Steinberg and colleagues at UMDNJ in New Jersey conducted a randomized trial comparing standard duration nicotine patch with patch plus bupropion plus nicotine inhaler for up to 6 months. At 6 months the combination extended duration had a significantly higher quit rate (35% v 19%), and it was found to be safe even though all the trial participants had a pre-existing medical condition.

So initiating a quitting process, with counseling plus extended combo meds is worth considering for smokers who have tried many of the standard methods. Keep at it and you will succeed.

View Thread

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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17 days cigarette free and going on forever

Evening everyone, Drink A LOT of water (add a squeeze of lemon for a perk to your senses!) Load up on...

Posted by bodhichicka

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:17 days cigarette free and going on forever Evening everyone, Drink A LOT of water (add a squeeze of lemon for a perk to your senses!) Load up on...

Includes Expert Content

Smoke free

I stopped smoking regular cigarettes and went to electronic cigarettes 7/15/2011. Stopped electric...

Posted by TriciaSimm

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What are the characteristics of effective smoking ...

Many smokers who have tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking on their own start to consider seeking...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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SUCCESS!!!

It's amazing the advice and facts given to me about quitting smoking have all come true. My Father (RIP) once...

Posted by Spesh1

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Caffeine and smoking cessation

Many visitors to this site have commented on the close association between smoking and caffeine...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

Many visitors to this site have commented on the close association between smoking and caffeine consumption, most commonly involving smoking while having a cup of coffee. I have seen lots of good advice being shared about trying to reduce the cigarette cravings that can be triggered by a coffee break by changing the routine, drinking a different drink etc.
But I would like to mention a few other ways that caffeine consumption can interact with smoking cessation. When people quit smoking, their metabolism of certain drugs slows down, and caffeine is one of those drugs. This means that if you normally drink 6 cups of caffeinated coffee per day and you continue with the same consumption after quitting smoking, your blood caffeine levels will build up more and remain higher for longer than before you quit smoking. For example, you may feel like you have consumed 9 cups, even after you had 6. This would not matter very much if it wasn't for the fact that too much caffeine can have some unpleasant effects. For example, even moderate caffeine consumption can cause palpitations, sweating, feelings of anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Sometimes people who were heavy caffeine consumers experience these symptoms when they quit smoking and assume it is caused by the stopping smoking or the smoking cessation aids they are taking, when it is really the caffeine that is causing the symptoms.
It is fairly typical for caffeine metabolism to slow down by around 40% on stopping smoking, but the change appears to be proportional to how heavy a smoker the person was (i.e. bigger effect for heavier smokers) and also subject to large individual differences (e.g. some people will have very little change in caffeine metabolism on stopping smoking, and some people will experience a four-fold slowing in their caffeine metabolism).
My advice to people who are planning to quit smoking is to reduce their caffeine consumption by at least 50%, and to avoid drinking your usual caffeinated beverage completely in situations where cigarettes are available (note, caffeine is present in many common drinks other than coffee, check this link ). So if you feel like you need a caffeine kick to get you going in the morning, and after lunch, that's fine, but change your usual habit. I suggest against stopping all caffeine consumption suddenly as that will likely cause caffeine withdrawal symptoms such as headache and fatigue. Don't buy your morning cup at the usual place that also sells your cigarettes, and don't go for the coffee/smoke break with your smoking buddies at work. Try drinking tea, or some other low calorie drink, or decaf at other times, and don't drink any caffeinated drinks after 4pm in the afternoon unless you specifically want it to keep you awake at night. Stopping smoking can feel stressful enough without experiencing symptoms of anxiety, sleeplessness and having cigarette cravings triggered by unnecessary cups of coffee.View Thread

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Caffeine and smoking cessation Many visitors to this site have commented on the close association between smoking and caffeine...

Nicotrol

I have been quit smoking for 6 weeks now. I usd the Nicotrol Inhler System to help with the hand to mouth...

Posted by bb28728

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Nicotrol I have been quit smoking for 6 weeks now. I usd the Nicotrol Inhler System to help with the hand to mouth...

Quitting Smoking - Cold Turkey

I started smoking when I was a stupid teenager, just 2 weeks shy of my 19th birthday. Thank god, I've...

Posted by An_206775

I started smoking when I was a stupid teenager, just 2 weeks shy of my 19th birthday. Thank god, I've developed into a not-so-stupid young adult and I had my last cigarette and puff of hookah (nargila) on my 24th birthday, January 15 2011.

I've had asthma my whole life, so don't even start to ask why I started smoking. A hot guy made me do it. I had had a few drinks. It was a party. Everyone was doing it. I could continue, but I don't believe in stupid excuses. I believe in people's personal will power. I started because I chose to. No one made me do it.

So I quit. I didn't even smoke that much to begin with. There were times, though, depending on how tough the exam was going to be, or when my father had yet another heart surgery, or when my grandparents passed away, or during a bad relationship and the inevitable breakup... but for the last 6 months or so before quitting, I smoked about a pack every 2 weeks.

After I quit, I was coughing so hysterically for about 3 weeks that I couldn't sleep. Literally. So I went to the doctor and I was given Codeine for the night, and an expectorant for during the day, and an acid reflux pill, along with refills of my nebulizer meds and a few inhalers to have around.

Then I started getting hives ALL OVER - I also have had random outbreaks of hives for my whole life. I went to the ER 3 times. I tried to tell them that Benadryl is marketed as a sleeping pill here in Israel where I live called Nytol, but they still wouldn't prescribe me with it, so I was given Allegra instead. It worked, and I stopped taking all the other drugs and just stuck with my inhaler and drinking lots of water.

I'm still coughing - I can't have a 30-second phone conversation or even kiss my boyfriend without coughing a few times. At least he's very understanding and knows it's nothing contagious. People always think I'm sick, so I say "I quit smoking, it's a good cough", or nosey passersby ask why I spit when I cough sometimes, which I know is very unladylike, and I say "I quit smoking, I'd rather all the crap came out rather than stayed in!"

But I don't crave cigarettes.

I moved to a different city in Israel 2 weeks ago and rode here in the delivery truck. The driver and his buddy were smoking, and I demanded, despite the rain and cold, to open the windows all the way so the smoke didn't bother me, because it irritates my sinuses. I hate the smell. I don't even know why I started!

Maybe I'll mature into an even less stupid young adult and I'll never start again.

Here are some tips:

--Use a sleeping pill (benedryl/nytol worked for me) but really only if necessary, and don't take it during the day because it can impair you while you're driving or at work, or bother you when you're with your family. Also there is a risk with sleeping pills to develop a dependency so be wary of that too.

--Chew something! I like Bazooka gum, it's the best for blowing bubbles. I always have bubble gum with me anywhere I go. At the bar they have popcorn or something, which happens to be quite a healthy snack, so chew on it. If you live in a country like Israel where smoking indoors is OK, then you get extra points for not smoking when you're out with your friends!

--Talk about it with your friends and family. All their support and "pats on the back" will give you that extra boost of energy you need not no return to smoking again.

You'll also like how your clothes, house, and hair smell too. And how happy it'll make your partner! If your partner smokes too (mine doesn't) then it's harder - try to convince them that this lifestyle change is better for both of you, especially if you do it together. Imagine, all that time you spent having cigarettes together, added up, could allow for more time of some other things together

GOOD LUCK!View Thread

Posted byAn_206775

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e lec cigs

I ahd to give up smoking due to health reasons I gave up last sept 21st 2010 And have been using elec cigs I...

Posted by soxtinker

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Exercise and Quitting Smoking

I am finding in my process of quitting smoking that exercise is VERY beneficial to stopping or at least...

Posted by sherberri

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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

55 years of 3+ packs a day I've had it. I did some math and then made a sign and posted it on my desk at...

Posted by crankshaftt5

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Acupuncture

A recent study reviewed all the evidence on acupuncture (and laser therapy etc) for smoking...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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Might glucose help smokers to quit?

We all know that when you stop smoking your appetite increases, and often people get a particular...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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2 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Might glucose help smokers to quit? We all know that when you stop smoking your appetite increases, and often people get a particular...

Staying Quit

Many recent ex-smokers who quit smoking at the beginning of January and are now considering the...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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Quitting Smoking in the New Year

New year is a peak time for quitting smoking. Around now many are planning on quitting in the New...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

New year is a peak time for quitting smoking. Around now many are planning on quitting in the New Year but aren't so sure about quitting right at midnight on December 31st (as they may be partying at that moment). When January 1st and 2nd come around and they are still smoking, many feel that they have missed the moment and give up on the idea for another year. To me, that is a great pity, so here is how I suggest you approach New Year quitting.
First of all, I recommend that you have a plan with a specific date on which you will stop smoking completely. And of course midnight on December 31st is a perfectly good time to quit. However, it is also reasonable to have a plan to START THE PROCESS on the first of January, but accept that it may take a little time to really crack it. So it is reasonable for each person to choose their own "line in the sand" and figure out their own best way to get there. Some people find the New Year period too busy with family things going on to focus on quitting completely that day. Some prefer to cut down gradually. And some who had planned to use a stop smoking medicine like varenicline (Champix) or bupropion (Welbutrin) are just realizing that these medicines require a prescription and should be taken for seven days prior to the quit day. So there may be reasons to take a little more time to get your plan sorted out and quit. But I think it is important to start the process on New Year's day if you havn't already started. Decide when your target quit day is going to be, decide what medicines, if any, you are going to use and do a bit of research on them. But have a clear day that you are definitely going to quit by, and don't make it too far in the distance. For example….Monday January 24th is plenty of time to get over the holiday rush, get any medicines you may want to use, and start cutting down towards that quit date if you want to do it that way. Anything much later than that is just putting it off, and sooner would be better. But the key is to think of stopping smoking as a process, and something you are going to stick at until it really sticks. If you go into it with that attitude you will likely still be smoke-free by the time December 2011 comes round.View Thread

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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Avoiding A Holiday Relapse To Smoking

While many smokers are planning to quit after the holidays, those recent ex-smokers should be...

Posted by Jonathan Foulds, PhD

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Gum vs. Patch which is a better option

I think the gum is a wonderful tool because it allows you to be in a natural state for long periods of...

Posted by quittingcold

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I Quit

I smoked for 40 years. I would get bronchitis about every two years or so. This last time back in January,...

Posted by An_206776

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3 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:I Quit I smoked for 40 years. I would get bronchitis about every two years or so. This last time back in January,...

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