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Discuss different approaches to quitting, including medication

Lake1234
Member

Gum or patches?

What are you members finding more effective-nicotine gum or patches?  I’m quitting in a few days and wondering about this.

12 Replies
Barbara145
Member

Patches are a good way to start.  If you feel you need more you can add the gum.  Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking.

Erika101559
Member

So it is safe to use patch and gum, this really might help me. Thanks 

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YoungAtHeart
Member

Welcome to our community!

I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch.

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 easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware.  I credit it in large part with my success at quitting.   You can search for it online or at your local library.


 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. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

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 used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract.   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.  You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them..  For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum.  For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for several reasons:  the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day,  they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and they are proving to be unsafe.

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
 

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

Annanonsmoker
Member

Thanks I enjoyed your post!

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sweetplt
Member

Hi and Welcome....I am no help since I didn’t use NRT’s...but along using them be sure to do the work suggested by Nancy YoungAtHeart above me...it will help you along this journey...~ Colleen 386 DOF 

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indingrl
Member

Welcome

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Barbscloud
Member

I've tried them all.   I think it's really your preference.  People may have different reactions from them.  I didn't like the gum for two reasons--it made me nauseous and my teeth aren't happy with me chewing any gum.   This time I used Welbutrin and Nicotrol inhalers and this it my longest quit ever.  The support from this site really makes a difference.  Welcome and whatever you decide, educate yourself and plan your quit.  We're here to support you.

Happy Holidays

Barb

marciem
Member

I like YoungAtHeart‌ 's suggestion of at least first trying something that you do not control the nicotine with and go with patches or Rx meds which are a continual systemic, at least to start.  If you are unable to quit with using only those, you might try one of the other NRTs (i.e. gum, lozenge) as an occasional adjunct (when a "kill somebody or smoke" moment hits... as they very well may)

Just my thoughts. 

Be aware that no matter what you use to HELP you quit, you are the one who has to do the work (i.e. nothing "works" to make you quit... only YOU can make you quit!   )  Quit aids are a valuable resource (I call them "power tools") but you are the builder of your quit.

jacob421
Member

I like the cinnamon flavored nicotine gum you can buy it at Walmart for $10 a box