Ways to Quit Smoking – Discussion

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Ways to quit smoking – which are the most effective? This is the question that many people ask and never get a straight answer. Nowadays we have different ways to quit smoking. Some of them are more effective, some less, but they all can help a person in a smoking cessation process.  All of them are just ways to quit smoking; they couldn’t without your desire, willpower, and strong intention.  These ways to quit smoking have a different rate of success, but not fully accurate. Here are some of them which can help a smoker to quit:

Self Help:

There are many types of self-help ways to quit smoking available to smokers (e.g., pamphlets/booklets/mailings/manuals, videotapes, audiotapes, referrals to 12-step programs, reactive telephone hotlines, helplines, computer programs/Internet, and community programs) but they have not been found to be very effective. Bellow in this article will discuss

Counseling:

              Two types of counseling and behavioral therapies result in higher quit rates:

• providing smokers with practical counseling (problem-solving skills/skills training),
• providing support and encouragement as part of treatment.

These types of counseling should be included in smoking cessation interventions. Telephone quit-lines, which may include call-back counseling and proactive interventions by quit-line counselors, are the most common form of counseling.

Bupropion:

Bupropion SR was the first non-nicotine medication shown to be effective for smoking cessation and was approved by the FDA for that use in 1997. It acts on chemicals in the brain that is related to nicotine craving. It can be used alone or together with nicotine replacement. It is contraindicated in patients with a seizure disorder, a current or prior diagnosis of bulimia or anorexia nervosa, use of a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor within the previous 14 days, or in patients taking another medicine that contains bupropion. Bupropion SR can be used in combination with nicotine replacement therapies. It is available only with a prescription.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy as One of the Ways to Quit Smoking:

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications deliver nicotine with the intent to replace, at least partially, the nicotine obtained from cigarettes and to reduce the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Different forms of NRT (such as gum and patch) may be used in combination, and NRT may also be used in combination with Bupropion SR. NRT should not be used by pregnant women who try to quit.

Nicotine gum is an effective NRT smoking cessation treatment that patients should be encouraged to use. Highly dependent smokers should use 4mg instead of 2 mg. Nicotine gum when chewed delivers nicotine to the blood and then to the brain in minutes. Long-term use (more than 14 weeks) increases the likelihood of quitting. It is available only over the counter.

The nicotine inhaler is an effective NRT smoking cessation treatment that patients should be encouraged to use. Nicotine inhalers are a thin plastic tube with a nicotine cartridge inside. When you puff on the inhaler, the cartridge releases nicotine vapor. In terms of behavior, the inhaler is the closest thing to smoking a cigarette, which some smokers find helpful. It is only available by prescription. Quit Rate: 25%

The nicotine lozenge is an effective NRT smoking cessation treatment that patients should be encouraged to use. The lozenge is a tablet that dissolves in the mouth and releases nicotine. It is available only over the counter. Quit Rate: 24%

Nicotine nasal spray is an effective NRT smoking cessation treatment that patients should be encouraged to use. The nasal spray delivers nicotine to the bloodstream as it is quickly absorbed through the nose. It is available only by prescription. Quite Rate: 27%

The nicotine patch is an effective NRT smoking cessation treatment that patients should be encouraged to use. Nicotine patches deliver nicotine through the skin. The nicotine dose is gradually decreased by switching to lower nicotine dose patches over the course of a few weeks. Use of high dose (greater than 25 mg) patches increases the likelihood of quitting. Patches are available both with and without a prescription. Quit Rate: 23-27%

Varenicline:

Varenicline is sold under the name of Chantix in the US and Champix in other countries. It is one of the effective ways to quit smoking that patients should be encouraged to use. It is a non-nicotine medication that was approved by the FDA for the treatment of tobacco dependence in 2006. Its mechanism of action is presumed to be due to its partial nicotine receptor agonist and antagonist effects. It is well tolerated in most patients. In February and May 2008, the FDA added warnings regarding the use of Chantix. Specifically, it noted that:

• the most common side effects reported among Chantix users include nausea (30%), sleep disturbance, constipation, gas, and/or vomiting
• depressed mood, agitation, changes in behavior, suicidal ideation, and suicide have been reported in patients attempting to quit smoking while using Chantix
• some Chantix users report vivid, unusual or strange dreams.

The FDA recommends:

• if a patient who is taking Chantix, or their family or caregivers, notice agitation, depressed mood, or changes in behavior that are not typical, or if the patient develops suicidal thoughts or actions, they should stop taking Chantix and call their doctor right away,
• that patients tell their health care provider about any history of psychiatric illness prior to starting Chantix
• Patients should use caution driving or operating machinery until they know how quitting smoking with CHANTIX may affect them
• that clinicians monitor patients for changes in mood and behavior when prescribing Chantix.

In light of these FDA recommendations, clinicians should consider eliciting information on their patients’ psychiatric history. It should be used with caution in patients with severe renal dysfunction. Chantix is not recommended for use in combination with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). It is available only with a prescription. The quit rate presented here is for 2mg/day dose; a lower dose also has a lower quit rate.

Medication Combinations:

Evidence exists that combining the nicotine patch long-term (> 14 weeks) with either nicotine gum or nicotine nasal spray, the nicotine patch with the nicotine inhaler, or the nicotine patch with bupropion SR, increases long-term quit rates.

Counseling & Medication Combination – Effective ways to quit smoking:

The combination of counseling and medication is more effective for smoking cessation than either medication or counseling alone. Therefore, whenever feasible and appropriate, both counseling and medication should be provided to patients trying to quit smoking. There is a strong relation between the number of sessions of counseling, when it is combined with medication, and the likelihood of successful smoking cessation.

E-Cigarette:

An e-cigarette, one of the most popular ways to quit smoking is an electronic device that delivers nicotine in a form of vapor. This allows you to inhale nicotine without most of the harmful effects of smoking as vapor contain no carbon monoxide. Research had found that e-cigarettes can help you give up smoking. So, you may want to try them rather than the medications listed above. As with other approaches, they are most effective if used with support from an NHS stop smoking service.

There is no e-cigarette currently available on prescription. But once medicinally licensed e-cigarette products become available, GPs and stop smoking services will be able to prescribe them.

For now, if you want to use an e-cigarette to help you quit, you will have to buy one. Its cost can vary but generally, they are cheaper than a cigarette.

Know Your Triggers and Avoid Them:

Write down the things that make you want to reach for a cigarette and how you can manage each situation. And avoid people, places, or routines that normally make you want to smoke, especially during the first 3 months. This is when you’re most likely to start smoking again.

Know That First Few Days Are Toughest:

You’ll probably feel irritable, depressed, slow, and tired, especially if you’re quitting cold turkey. Have a quit-smoking support group available. It can be a good friend or a quitline you can call. Once you get past those first days, you’ll begin to feel more normal (though you’ll still have cigarette cravings).

Don’t Give in to your Cravings:

Every time you don’t smoke when you have a craving, your chances of quitting go up. Change your habits — replace the urge to have a cigarette in your mouth or hands with something else, like chewing gum or playing a game on your phone.

How Hard Will It Be to Quit:

              Everyone is different, and how tough it will be for you depends on:

• How many cigarettes you smoke a day
• If your friends and family members smoke
• Why you smoke

Focus on the benefits when you chose your ways to quit smoking. Within hours of stopping cigarettes, your body starts to recover from the effects of nicotine and additives. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature all of which are higher than they should be because of the nicotine return to healthier levels. You can breathe easily. The levels of poisonous carbon monoxide in your blood-drops, so your blood can carry more oxygen.No doubt about it: Quitting helps your whole body. It can even improve your looks: You’ll be less likely to get wrinkles when you’re still young. And you’ll save money, too.

Conclusion:

Although all these ways to quit smoking are available, these all are not too much effective that one can get complete cure from these treatments. After all these, yet people are not ready to quit smoking. Because this includes nicotine which is sources of pleasure for smokers. After inhaling nicotine, their brain gets relaxed and they feel a great rest & pleasure. That’s why they are not ready to quit smoking.

Holistic ways to quit smoking in Philadelphia PA

In Philadelphia, you can choose from different ways to quit smoking. Some of them more effective, some less, but if you google for best ways to quit smoking Philadelphia Quit Smoking Center will be #1 according to customer reviews. Contact Philadelphia Quit Smoking Center (267) 284-4145 and meet Dr. Tsan to discuss your personal case and the optimal ways to quit smoking customized for yo