So, I finally talked to my doctor and I started Wellbutrin today for smoking. He didn't really give me much information so I thought this would be the place to get the 411. I also bought an ecig for nicotine replacement. Any advice on using this medication or experience would be awesome, yall! Thanks a bunch! Good luck to everyone on their unique journeys to quit smoking! <3
What are you quitting?
Smoking?
Nicotine?
As you read here, you will find the drug should help clam some of the cravings, but you must quit the addiction and the habits yourself. The ecig with nicotine does not stop either habit or addition.
I am sure lots of elders here can give much better information, and suggestions, but you need to really understand your quit!
Greg
Welcome to the site! Quitting is indeed doable as is proven every day here. We all started in the same place at one time or another. I haven't used the med that you're using. I used the patch myself, but we all choose our own best methods to succeed. There's going to be a lot of information thrown your way very soon. I'd read all of it, take some of the many suggestions you'll receive and get ready for a strange ride with a wonderful conclusion.
Take it one day at a time and before you know it, you'll be free!! We're here to help if and when you need it. Please keep us posted on your journey to freedom. Looking forward to hearing of your success!!
ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!
Chuck
Welcome DDfree! Glad to have you walk with us on the wonderful journey! I didn't use any NRT with this quit so no suggestions on the use of them. Do read the Alan Carr book that helped me greatly on this journey.
Welcome to the club of quitters.
I recently quit as well (tomorrow will be 2 weeks).
I also used Wellbutrin. It has helped me a lot.
If you have more specific questions, please reach out. I would gladly share my experience with you.
Wow, I agree with everyone above.
Hey, your here and THATS SO IMPORTANT!
Puffs response truly reflects all my own feelings. Read Carrs book.
I am a cold turkey quitter. I had tried Wellbutrin but it made me have horrible horrible thoughts, or maybe that was the Chantix? Ugh, whatever....I tried it all. Didn't touch eciggs though. I wanted to STOP EVERYTHING that was associated with smoking and that also meant the repetitive motion of putting them to my face .
I wish you well on your quit journey. Please read the book. Read al to of blogs...continue to blog yourself as needed.
Quitting is tuff and we are here for you. So glad you found us. This is a one day at a time deal. Sometimes, one second at a time. There will be an influx of emotions your headed into. Again, we are here, so vent when you need to, just don't smoke.
Welcome to EX!
I like your title.......this truly is a journey and the journey itself can be the reward. Don't become obsessed with how "horrible" quitting will be.......that's a myth that keeps people from quitting. Look at ALL of us.......it CAN be done! Try to enjoy the journey......look.....you already have new friends! You will also have new experiences on this journey; you will learn to handle all of your feelings without smoking. Many,many things will happen on this incredible journey and I welcome you to our community.......welcome to the journey.
Stay Strong
DDfree I would call your pharmacist, I would also look up Wellbutrin on line. I have been on it for years and never noticed any side effects that bothered me but everyone is different and you may experience something I did not. I know that my son and my husband were both prescribed it and could not tolerate it, I suspect that any side effects will likely dissipate with time but you need to let your doctor know if you are having issues. I, honestly, call my pharmacist when I have questions, I don't trust my doctor to know what the side effects of drugs are...seriously, it depends upon how pretty the last pharmacy rep was or how big a lunch the doc was treated to...sad but true. I worked offices before I went to hospital nursing.
They know the side effects of pretty pharmacy reps.; very similar to Viagra.
= )
The information comes with the RX from the pharmacist. You should read it. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that is also used to ASSIST in quitting smoking. It is not a magic pill you still have to do the work in order to stay smokefree. That is never taking another puff. Wellbutrin releases dopamine to take the edge off of wanting to smoke. Please follow the instructions. Where I live they give all the side effects with the RX package. As far as the ecig with nicotine you may be doing the wrong thing by adding nicotine to your system. The idea is to withdraw from it and the addictive hand to mouth behavior associated with smoking. All in all it is your quit and your choice but you must educate yourself in order to make the correct decision. Stay close.
Welcome to EX. 
Congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking. You have come to the right place for a new day and a rebirth. This is all about you and what you are willing to do to be smoke free. Quitting smoking requires hard work. It can be challenging at times but you will learn that it is doable if you adhere to NOPE not one puff ever no matter what.
Start first, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.
Education is the key to a successful quit.
Read: Freedom from Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101
Here are the links: http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html and http://whyquit.com/ffn/
Also Read: Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Easier Way to Quit Smoking”.
The link is here: http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf
Go to http://www.becomeanex.org/how-to-quit-smoking.php#thl and get started.
We will support you. You are on your journey to freedom
Oh No! Not the dreaded e-cig! You don't need it, a plain old straw to chew on will take care of the hand-to-mouth urge. I used Wellbutrin for about 5 days when I quit. Truthfully, the support I got here at this site helped me much, much more, but I needed the meds to "fall back on" the first couple days, to convince myself that I could do it, I think.
This is all much like pulling a bandaid off. It's gonna hurt, but just for a little while. The thinking about it is worse that the actual doing it. Face one manageable chunk of quit at a time - a few minutes, a few hours, whatever you can commit to. You've got this.
I had talked with my doctor who also had recommended Wellbutrin. Ultimately, I decided not to start with it because it can have some similar side effects as Chantix, which I used several years ago and was not nice to me. That doesn't mean it won't work for you. I left the option open if I felt I needed it later down the road. (I'm currently 60+ days into my quit).
I decided to use NRT lozenges to help me work on the psychological addiction first and then wean off nicotine. From my experience, an e-cig, with or without nicotine is too close to the same as smoking cigarettes. I tried it - twice. Both times after awhile, I was like it wasn't as good as a cigarette, so that's back where I landed. Again, that's just my experience. You need to do what you think will work best for you - the most important thing is educating yourself about the addiction, and maintaining a positive attitude. And of course, support!
Doug
I used wellbutrin and had no problems with it, it's an anti-depressant, and I have experienced depression while quitting before, so it helped me. Got hooked on the e-cig when I tried it, went back to cigs. But I know it has worked for others. 25 days today (serial quitter).
I also tried using an e-cig and found it made me want the real thing more!
RE: "So, I finally talked to my doctor and I started Wellbutrin today for smoking. He didn't really give me much information ..."
Shame on him! The most powerful tool you can have in your quit toolbox is knowledge. It's too bad your doctor didn't dispense more of that instead of another drug to replace the one to which you are currently addicted. But you have come to the right place for information. Perhaps you've already read that which I wrote to Ammar so forgive me if I repeat my self here. The two of you have a lot in common. Follow each other. It will be well for you to have someone on the path beside you as you battle your addiction and unlearn the many false associations we've attributed to nicotine-induced dopamine highs.
I've found the more you know about beating your addiction to nicotine, the easier it is to quit smoking. And that really is what this is all about; at least initially. You don't really even want to smoke. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. But you are addicted to nicotine, (all of us here are, or were.) Once you are on to his nicotine's ways and deceitful lies, you will find it within you to say, "NO MORE." Not One Puff Ever = N.O.P.E.
One of the best ways to get educated, in my opinion, is to read the Allen Carr book, The Easy Way To Quit Smoking. You can find a link to the free online version here. I also recommend doing the tasks outlined on this site in preparation for your quit, (even if you've already begun your quit,) because the first couple weeks, as you probably know already, are not what most people call fun, (sorry Mr. Carr.) But if you've planned ahead what you will do instead of smoking, since you won't be doing that anymore, you will get through. Once you beat the addiction, you will still need to master the old associations we wove with dopamine highs. It is a process. It is a journey. The only way to the other side, to the freedom of living smoke-free, is through. You can do this!
There are a handful of members here we all affectionately refer to as Elders; folks with sturdy, steady quits under their belts that hang around simply to help newbies like you along. Read their blogs, take their advice, trust them. They are wise, and they mean well.
Then, hang around here as much as you can. Whine, cry, scream, (wait! hit the brakes! SCREEEEEECH!!! What am I saying?) Laugh, giggle, smile and dance your way through this journey. It really is, as much as anything else, how you look at it. You are not giving up anything. You are gaining everything, from a healthier body, to increased wealth,to greater self-esteem, to a whole new awakening on life! It truly is freedom and it's yours for the taking. Sometimes I wonder if it is not better to be an Ex-smoker than a Never-smoked. You enjoy the same freedoms as they, but having been a slave to the addiction for so many days, you appreciate the freedom so much more.
So welcome aboard. We are all here to walk this journey with you. Educate, prepare, commit, and then quit. It really is as simple as that.