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Cynthiajean
Member

How do I get patches and lozengers, Quit smoking is not helping me?.

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How do I get patches and lozengers, quit smoking is not helping me?

1 Solution

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YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

I am not sure what you are asking.  I believe 1-800-Quit-Now offers a beginning supply of patches; not sure about lozenges.  You can also try a local hospital or your county/State health department to see what free NRT's are offered.    You might start with just patches.  If you do the reading, prep and planning I recommend, you may find you don't also need the lozenges.  Whatever the cost of the patches, it is probably not a lot more, if anything, than you were spending on cigarettes and lighters.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site.
 
 After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort.  I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
 
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...


The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
 
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

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11 Replies
sweetplt
Member

Hi And Welcome to Ex's 

Are you asking how do you get patches and lozenges because you can't quit cold turkey? I will let someone else answer about the NRT's because I do not use them.  I quit cold turkey and with this site.  I suggest you read and participate at 

  • My Quit Plan , it will help you make a quit date and prepare for that day like no other.

Quitting is not easy, but it is doable.  Keep close to the site ... and make the decision to Choose Life over Cigarettes...We are all in this journey together ~ Colleen

YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

I am not sure what you are asking.  I believe 1-800-Quit-Now offers a beginning supply of patches; not sure about lozenges.  You can also try a local hospital or your county/State health department to see what free NRT's are offered.    You might start with just patches.  If you do the reading, prep and planning I recommend, you may find you don't also need the lozenges.  Whatever the cost of the patches, it is probably not a lot more, if anything, than you were spending on cigarettes and lighters.

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site.
 
 After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort.  I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another.  I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.
 
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...


The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
 
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!


 Nancy

Cynthiajean
Member

 what can you do when you are unable to go out and walk due to ankle injury and knee injury. I have a roommate that chain smokes and is very abusive toward me and quit smoke keep saying that they will mail the paperwork out to me to send to my doctor and they have not been so so far what am I supposed to do?

0 Kudos
YoungAtHeart
Member

Can you enlist the help of the doctor's staff to get the paperwork?  Or a family member or friend?  Doesn't matter who they mail the paperwork to as long as you fill it out, I would think.  To get it mailed back, you can leave it at your home mailbox and the carrier should pick it up.

I would ask your roommate (even if they aren't very nice) to smoke outside and keep their supplies out of your sight.  I would not be in the same room with them if they insist on smoking inside.  Second hand smoke  (and even smoke kept in furniture and curtains) is harmful.

Quitting is not going to be easy in your situation, but it CAN be done.  We have folks here who have quit living with spouses who still smoke.  Commit to it and you CAN be successful!

Nancy

karenjones
Member

Patches are way cheaper than smoking.  Unless you are getting ciagarettes for .60Cents a pack.

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

Cynthiajean‌ Yes YoungAtHeart‌ is correct. The best place for you to contact is your state's quitline at 800-QUIT-NOW(1-800-784-8669) or you can visit the state quitline and get their direct number here. Contacting your county health department or your medical professional might get you some assistance however patches and lozenges are both available over the counter.

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
0 Kudos
Jennifer-Quit
Member

Call 1-800-quitnow - I got 2 weeks of patches by calling there.  They also offer reading materials and a quit coach to help in your journey.  Not sure how much you smoke, but the patches are less expensive than smoking.  So even if you have to buy some, you will save money.  Best wishes to you.  

Gwenivere
Member

Check your state’s quit line.  They usually only give patches for 2 weeks.  You would have to wait a year to get more if you failed, but could always call for support after you enrolled.  Patches and lozenges or gum are cheaper than cigs when you do the math.  If you have insurance, it may cover some of the cost.  Worth a call.  Basically, if you can afford cigs, you should be able to afford NRT's .  I know there are knock off brands that are very cheap cigs.  Probably really nasty buggers.  I hope you can find some help.  

DonnaMarie
Member

I totally agree with everything written. Reach out to any local or state or national quit smoking groups, talk to your doctor, write to patch manufacturers if you can't afford them. I also agree that nicotine replacement (patches, lozenges, gums, etc.) are cheaper than cigarettes, so you might want to balance what you can afford with the removal of the price of cigarettes from your budget. 

We're all here to help!