sally4sara Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I quit for two months last fall... I started on wellbutrin for depression and since the drug is also marketing as Zyban- I just quit without intending it! I started again during a stressful time early November:o It's the hardest thing to do. Would you consider help with Zyban? If it gets you through a couple months, it may be enough to stop it. I also lost weight as I was quitting- also a side effect of the wellbutrin. You will have to replace the smoking with something... make it snacking on carrots or something else that is healthy. Good luck! I quit a little over two months ago myself. I had some success some years back with the Wellbutrin but it didn't stick. It wasn't the method though. I was splitting with my ex husband. I used the patch this time. It gave me the jitters like Wellbutrin did, itched like mad, smelled fishy, slightly rashy too, but gave me awesome vivid dreams and nightmares (I like nightmares- free horror movie ). I didn't have to do all the steps. I stopped wearing it halfway thru the mid size ones. I did and sometime still do have the munchies. I will every few days crave a cig but it passes after a few moments but that might just be due to my attention span. I recommend doing the Wellbutrin/Zyban route first if your insurance or wallet affords it. I didn't experience as much munchie or weight gain. Plus no itchies! It got to where I loathed putting that smelly fish patch on because I knew I'd spend the next 30 minutes slapping my upper arm like a junkie to try an alleviate the itch. The patch is over the counter though so you don't need insurance to get it. If your insurance won't cover it, it is a good bit less expensive too. Link to post Share on other sites
motive2002 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Smoked for over 20 years, stopped 6 years ago, never miss it. Read "the easy way to stop smoking" by Alan Carr - excellent book. Good luck. I'll have to add that to my list of self improvement titles. I've tried http://whyquit.com/ I've tried Chantix (which worked really well by the way.. but I relapsed later after "a stressful time") I'm not sure if I'd go back to Chantix. It's really expensive. I may have to go back to the cold turkey method. Things to prepare you for a successful quit. 1. Get rid of ALL of your cigarettes. That means ALL of them. The emergency pack.. the pack you might still have in the car etc. If there are any cigarettes around during the first phases of your quit, it's waaaay too tempting to grab one of them and light up. Trust me, you are not stronger than your nicotine addiction. You just aren't. 2. Bottled water and breath mints. This has helped me out a lot in the past. Are you used to sucking on a cigarette? Try sucking on mints and bottled water. The water has it's own healthful benefit, and the mints transform your once smoky breath in to nice pleasant breath. I also used regular chewing gum. Arm yourself with as much of these little oral distractions as possible. Carry around a tin of mints or pack of gum constantly, as you would a pack of cigarettes before. 3. Avoid watching movies where people light up a lot. One of my favorite movies "Casino".. the Martin Scorsese gangster film.. my god those guys are constantly smoking in that movie!!!! If you aren't sure, just watch some TV instead. People rarely smoke on TV, unless it's old reruns from the 70's or something. 4. Try to avoid as many triggers as possible. Going out drinking would be my guess as the #1 way to relapse from a quit. It's how I have personally relapsed the last 3 times I've tried quitting. If you do go out, try to take in your drinking moderately if possible. Alcohol inhibits your otherwise better judgment, and you know how well drinking and smoking go together already. 5. Don't let a stressful situation bring about a relapse. If you're having a bad time with something, think about how much worse a full blown relapse into cigarette smoking would be? Don't make any current rough phase in your life even worse by lighting up. It's not worth it. 6. Set a date for your quit if you haven't started already. Get support from friends and family and let them know that you're going to quit and when you're going to do it. When you have tough cravings.. reach out. You don't have to go through it alone. If you feel like that isn't a paticularly helpful option, reach out to us on the boards! I'm sure you'll receive plenty of encouragement to quit around here, especially from those like us who have been through it and relapsed... or stayed quit altogether. Hope that helps Link to post Share on other sites
citizen67 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 All really good advice motive2002 - also, if you smoked in the car, get a good car wash - especially the interior. Tell the car wash people you're quitting smoking they will know what to do. Also, once you pick your date, tell everyone you know "I am quitting smoking on February 1st" - it helps to keep you in line. In terms of the stress relapse, if something stressful happens, let's say, an auto accident, you get out of the car, your are shaking you want to smoke - be honest with yourself, how will having a cigarette really help that situation? Of course it won't. So don't Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Time to check in..How are you doing with the no smoking? I'm ashamed to admit, I'm still smoking.. Not that I've tried quitting yet, I've been procrastinating the 'quit date'. Link to post Share on other sites
citizen67 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Hey which way - so what is your quit date? Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Time to check in..How are you doing with the no smoking? I'm ashamed to admit, I'm still smoking.. Not that I've tried quitting yet, I've been procrastinating the 'quit date'. Oh WWIU I want a cigarette like you wouldnt believe Ive only had like six or seven since the new year but I was thinking about going out and getting some Marlboro Lights just now even before I looked at this Its so hard even with the ever present threat of cancer Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Its so hard even with the ever present threat of cancer My father died of lung cancer so one would think I would just able to up and quit.. I haven't picked a date yet, that's how much of a p*ssy I'm being about this. Fear of not being able to deal with a nic fit! How's that eh? Link to post Share on other sites
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