Re: I WANT TO QUIT SMOKING

Posted By Shari on June 05, 1999 at 10:29:43
: : Topic Area: Smoking
: I AM A 42 YR OLD MALE.  I HAVE HAD TYPE II DIABETES FOR THE PAST 5 YRS AND TREAT IT DAILY WITH INSULIN.  IN MAY 1998 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND IN OCTOBER A HEART CATHETERIZATION DETERMINED THAT I ALSO HAVE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.  MY DOCTORS HAVE CHOSEN TO TREAT MY PROBLEMS WITH ALOT OF MEDICATION.  I TRIED ZYBAN FOR 2 MONTHS TO QUIT SMOKING, AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE REDUCED MY SMOKING HABIT FROM 1 1/2 PACKS A DAY TO ABOUT 1/2 PACK A DAY, I JUST CANT LET GO OF IT ENTIRELY.  WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?????



  _______
scott
You clearly need to stop smoking altogether; doing so will have a very positive effect on your life expectancy.  You would clearly benefit from an education group smoking cessation program, and you should contact the closest branches of the American Lung Association or the American Cancer Society to find out about them if your physician cannot help you locate one.  You should then set a quit date, and once you have quit, consider trying the Nicorette Gum (4mg, available over the counter) whenever you feel like having a cigarette.  I am also quite impressed with a new prescription product, the Nicotrol Inhaler, for which your doctor can give you a prescription.  Read what one of my patients had to say about this product:
"I am finally doing it, I am not smoking ANYMORE! I started the Nicotrol Inhaler System on Sunday night. I have been
smoking hardcore now for well over 12 years. I need to use 2 inhalers daily due to severe respiratory problems. These
medicines, as well as other meds I take, make up quite the cocktail. And so, with that said, I started the long journey of
smoking cessation. LUCKILY, with the aid of the Nicotrol inhaler, I'm amazed that I'm not smoking. When I crave a butt, I
head straight for the inhaler, and I am okay. I get the nicotine that I need to NOT LIGHT UP! So, let me tell you what it is
like.........The Nicotrol Inhaler comes pre-packaged in a box which includes the following:
   1.Plastic Cartridge Container (similar in appearance to a cigarette package)
   2.A two-part inhaler/cigarette holder. This piece is also plastic, mouth piece is similar to a cigar tip. (Great to chew on, you
     know, that "hand to mouth fixation")
   3.Seven strips of packaged cartridges. Each strip contains six cartridges containing 10 mg of nicotine each. The strip fits
     nicely into the plastic container. Hence, a pack of cigarettes, (container, cartridges, and
     mouth-piece.) VERY CONVINCING LOOKING AND FEELING!!! Thumbs up for sure!
"So, let's see, I started on Monday. It is now Friday morning, and I am only on the second strip of cartridges. I have used only 9
cartridges thus far, or 90 mg of nicotine, although the company insists that each 10mg cartridge actually delivers only 4mg. So,
when I do the math I have inhaled exactly the right amount of nicotine for me, especially in the beginning of a maintenance
program such as this. Okay, my advice for the Nicotrol Inhaler is as follows:
"Talk to your Doctor and figure out the proper dosage together.
"Don't over-use the inhaler. However, chewing on the dang thing is just fine.
"Thank you DrSteve for allowing me this opportunity to test out the product. You are the man !!! Thank you. My complaints are
few with one major problem.
"It is extremely difficult to know when the cartridge is empty of nicotine. After a couple of days, I have sort of gotten the idea
that four uses of each cartridge seems to be adequate. I just toss the cartridge and insert another. Side effects are minimal.
When I began the Nicotrol system, I did cough, I had some mouth irritation, but it dissipated pretty much right away.
"So, for now, I am gonna keep on puffing on this inhaler. I think I can do it. Just gotta stay away from that there chocolate
cake!!!"
              
I have had several patients respond just as enthusiastically!
If you are determined to stop and you keep working at it, you will succeed!
All the best,
Steve Adelman, M.D. (a.k.a. DrSteve)

The information provided is for general medical education purposes only, and not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment provided by your physician.

Keywords:  smoking cessation, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler
HEEEEELLLOOOO! smoke free and loving it. i have had asthma all my life...or so i thought anyway. until
recently i was hospitalized one morning after waking up to a blood oxy of
84!!! i thought "this is it..my lungs are fed up." I was there for four days and was sent home with
a prescription of wellbutrin(zyban) and nicotrol inhaler. At first i didnt
think it would work. it doesnt feel like a cigarette in my hand nor does fit in my lips like a cigarette
is supposed to(and why not i asked....this is great if you are quitting cigars i suppose!)
And it did not taste like one. TRUST ME PEOPLE...ITS ALL IN THE TEQUNIQUE!
ok, here's how i did it...first, dont be afraid to use all sixteen of those cartridges if that is what
it takes in a day to stay away from lighting up.....you cant think about saving money right now...besides
ive already saved enough on steroids and quick action inhalers to well compensate for the cost of nicotrol
inhalers. next....if your favorite thing to do was get up and crank up the coffee pot and light up.....go right ahead...
lighter and all...flick that thing on and go through the actions...i even went so far as to thump the inhaler into the yard after
i was through just to make it more real.if you use ashtrays..snub that baby out in a pile of ashes...cant be shy ..all is fair when
your waging this kind of war.
Now.....this was all fine and wonderful but i was still needing more nicotine...still simi-jones'n if
you know what i mean. VERY IMPORTANT!!!: the warmer the inhaler when you hit or puff on it..the stronger
the sensation in the back of your throat..and we all know that is what really counts in smoking..that
wonderful sensation of smoke gliding down your throat both way.
Next...whatever you do..dont fall into the "chewing gum habit" its nothing but a trap. most of us eat
and then MUST have a smoke....chewing gum when your quitting smoking is like constantly
eating and never getting to smoke. you dont want to go there.
Next...have you ever noticed that there is zone which runs from your throat
to just below your sternum that stiffens up..becomes so tight it actually
can put you into real life pain, can keep you from sleeping,concentrating,
interacting with other people if you dont get that cigarette when you need it??
well you will be glad to know that the inhaler will relieve that tension ALMOST
as fast a cigarette. if youll roll the inhaler around in your hands and warm it up between
every hit..inhale deeply and slowly, and exhale the same way...within about
a minute or so youll be relaxed and back to your old self in no time.
also..i put a tiny bit of tape over the ends of the inhaler each time i put it away.
this always makes the first hit stronger.
IT DOES MATTER HOW YOU DRAW,HIT,INHALE,PUFF..etc...
simply puffing it like a cigarette doesnt cut it(at least not at first)so
the way i did it was to let my lungs do the pulling. at first it was tiring going
around constantly sucking so hard but it got easier as my lungs started to get stronger(another benefit)
you would do exactly the opposite of blowing up a balloon only your sucking the air out all at once in
long breaths.
After about two weeks the zyban started to kick in ....nothing but smooth sailing from there. i was
home free baby!! and not jones'n a bit!
then i went out with some friends to a smoke filled bar....SWEAR THIS IS TRUE: my friend was sitting next
to me ..i was a little sheeted....she had this cigarette in her hand and
man it looked good(alcohol is a no-no..could make road kill look good).
she went to the restroom and i reached over and snagged one of her cigarettes ,lit it up, and guess
what...i actually put it out because i PREFERRED MY INHALER OVER HER CIGARETTE!
now is that sad....hahahahahh. yes...in 10 years there will be a "stop nicotrol inhaler"campagne
going on. who cares though...what counts is that i can sprint for the first
time ever in my life! i can tear a stair master clean up! i can wake up in the
mornings breathing wonderfully. my allergies are almost nonexistant except in the spring.
i know im healthy so i dont spend any more time worrying whether or not that pain in
my chest is cancer...my lungs love me man!
good luck with all my heart.marlboro....kiss it square hun!
feel free to email me if you need some support..i check it every day
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Well, I started on the Inhaler 3 days ago and guess what it is workin!!!
The 6 inserts a day was confudindg for me. I seem to only need 1-2 a day. I smoked 1-1/2 packa a day in smokes but the inhaler seems different.
The sensation at the back of my throat isn't bad at all. That is suppossed to be a possible irritant, but I see it as a sign that I am getting the nicotine off that hit. Then the calming effect is the followup reassurance.
I have smoked for 32 years. The longest I have gone for without a cig was 3 weeks (on Wellbutrin).
Today is day 4 and that is REALLY an accomplishment for me.
I tryed everything from Accupuncture to hypnosis to the little computer that beeped to tell you to smoke, to wellbutrin (Which, by the way was pretty good, but I had a terrible itching reaction to it after 3 weeks and had to stop taking it.) That was when I hit the bottom and thought that I would surely die from smoking cuz I saw no other way to quit.
But my doc is great and came up with this inhaler.
Now I know its only been 4 days but Im confident because I don;t crave the cigarette. I LIKE the inhaler!!!
I have one question. Is anyone having stomach cramps with this inhaler?
It's not enough to make me stop using it, that's for sure. But man, my stomach is killing me
If so, does it go away?
Just a question. Would appreciate input.
email  me below. Thabks
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