Aa
Rebif and quitting smoking
I need to quit smoking (again) I am currently on Rebif and Zyban (which I took last time I quit) is a big "no no" as well are the other drugs my neuro knew of. Does anyone know of a "safe" drug to take while on Rebif in order to quit?
So I ordered the Nicorette gum today with a quit date of October 29. Thanks for all the advice. This is going to be hard (harder than getting used to giving myself a shot). I've quit before and I know I will again. I too am trying the cinammon flavor. The mint never worked anyway.
That is what everyone says..."if they go up one more time I am going to quit!"...then they go up, people adjust their budjets to accomodate their addiction and so it goes...
Rena
Rena
Good lord! Cigarettes here are about $5 a pack - I would have quit sooner at that price!!
Good luck everyone - it can be done but only when YOU are ready.
Lulu
Good luck everyone - it can be done but only when YOU are ready.
Lulu
Some of you have heard this before but I am going to offer it again.
I had tried to quit several time myself...the longest for about 5 months and then I had a breast cancer scare and started again...smart eh, threaten me with cancer so I start smoking again, what an excuse!
So, in June 2007, I decided that I needed to quit, I felt crappy, I smelled crappy, we just has our house painted and new carpet installed and I wasn't going to go outside in -40 degree Celcius to smoke! So I set my quit date as July 17, 2007 and I stuck to it. I got the Nicoderm patch and started on the 14mg patch as the 21mg caused headaches and wildly vivid dreams that terrified me!
I was also advised to SERIOUSLY try the 5 minute rule. When I got a serious craving for a cigarette such as after a meal or on a coffee break I would look at my watch and time 5 minutes from then and waited for that 5 minutes to pass. Well standing around waiting for 5 minutes to pass was foolish and boring so I would usually find something else to do in the meantime. Before I knew it 15 minutes would pass and I would look at my watch again and say..."well I lasted 15 so why on 5 more?" and it worked! Of course there were times I would fall off the wagon but usually I would ask myself prior to actually having that smoke "do I REALLY NEED IT?" and the answer was usually, "nah, I can wait five minutes" and so on.
I am not going to try to tell anyone that there is any magic to any of this but the key thing is that you REALLY HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT! It will not work unless you are really determined to quit. If you do the math, I had my MS relapse in the middle of July 2007...at the same time as my quit date but I stuck to my date and struggled through it and July 17, 2008 was my one year smoke free anniversary! My Mom had bet me years ago that I couldn't quit smoking for one year and if I did she would give me $1000.00. Well on July 17, 2008, she gave me a cheque for $1000.00 and that is what paid for our holiday to Nordegg!
So, if you REALLY WANT to quit and especially if you have support from friends and family I believe you can do it. My husband still smokes as do all of our friends except my buddy Albert and it's great cause he doesn't drink and neither do I...and they others often wonder why the two of us always win at cards! hehe
Good luck to anyone that gives this a try...if you need help, in Canada the Canadian Cancer Society has an online support group that is quite helpful and I am sure there is something similar in the U.S. GO FOR IT...SET THAT DATE AND STICK TO IT AND TRY THE 5 MINUTE RULE! I have faith in anyone that really wants to quit and the money I have saved...at $12.00/pack...1 1/2 packs/day = $8064.00! Convinces me to not smoke anymore! hehe
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
I had tried to quit several time myself...the longest for about 5 months and then I had a breast cancer scare and started again...smart eh, threaten me with cancer so I start smoking again, what an excuse!
So, in June 2007, I decided that I needed to quit, I felt crappy, I smelled crappy, we just has our house painted and new carpet installed and I wasn't going to go outside in -40 degree Celcius to smoke! So I set my quit date as July 17, 2007 and I stuck to it. I got the Nicoderm patch and started on the 14mg patch as the 21mg caused headaches and wildly vivid dreams that terrified me!
I was also advised to SERIOUSLY try the 5 minute rule. When I got a serious craving for a cigarette such as after a meal or on a coffee break I would look at my watch and time 5 minutes from then and waited for that 5 minutes to pass. Well standing around waiting for 5 minutes to pass was foolish and boring so I would usually find something else to do in the meantime. Before I knew it 15 minutes would pass and I would look at my watch again and say..."well I lasted 15 so why on 5 more?" and it worked! Of course there were times I would fall off the wagon but usually I would ask myself prior to actually having that smoke "do I REALLY NEED IT?" and the answer was usually, "nah, I can wait five minutes" and so on.
I am not going to try to tell anyone that there is any magic to any of this but the key thing is that you REALLY HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT! It will not work unless you are really determined to quit. If you do the math, I had my MS relapse in the middle of July 2007...at the same time as my quit date but I stuck to my date and struggled through it and July 17, 2008 was my one year smoke free anniversary! My Mom had bet me years ago that I couldn't quit smoking for one year and if I did she would give me $1000.00. Well on July 17, 2008, she gave me a cheque for $1000.00 and that is what paid for our holiday to Nordegg!
So, if you REALLY WANT to quit and especially if you have support from friends and family I believe you can do it. My husband still smokes as do all of our friends except my buddy Albert and it's great cause he doesn't drink and neither do I...and they others often wonder why the two of us always win at cards! hehe
Good luck to anyone that gives this a try...if you need help, in Canada the Canadian Cancer Society has an online support group that is quite helpful and I am sure there is something similar in the U.S. GO FOR IT...SET THAT DATE AND STICK TO IT AND TRY THE 5 MINUTE RULE! I have faith in anyone that really wants to quit and the money I have saved...at $12.00/pack...1 1/2 packs/day = $8064.00! Convinces me to not smoke anymore! hehe
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
I feel your pain. I have been a smoker for about 25 years now. Yes, i too have played the quit / start again game. The longest amount of time i quit for was two years and that was a long time ago. My Dr. and Neuro have been on me for a while now to quit for good. but it is so hard. I have tried the patch, cherry flavored commit, the gum, wellabutrin (spelling ?) . It's funny that i saw this post this morning because today is the day i am going at it once again. I am trying the new cinnamon nicotine gum. SO LETS PRAY FOR EACH OTHER and all the others out there. We can do this.
I have the sure way to quit - I did it in January cold turkey - that was when I had my heart attack. I wouldn't recommend this extreme tactic to anyone, but the switch in my brain turned off when I was heading to the heart hospital and said no more.
That's not to say I don't still ocassionally crave one (and I tend to hang around smokers just for the second hand smoke when I can!) but I don't see myself ever smoking again. And I was a pack and a half a day smoker for 35+ years.
I am thankful that I don't have to face quitting and MS treatment at the same time... that would be rough.
Good luck to all who want to quit and no preaching to those of you who don't,
Lulu
That's not to say I don't still ocassionally crave one (and I tend to hang around smokers just for the second hand smoke when I can!) but I don't see myself ever smoking again. And I was a pack and a half a day smoker for 35+ years.
I am thankful that I don't have to face quitting and MS treatment at the same time... that would be rough.
Good luck to all who want to quit and no preaching to those of you who don't,
Lulu
Hi all
I have tried giving up many times patches no good for me chewing gum good but I chewed so much my jaw ached and lost quite a few fillings.
ZYBAN now that was great if any one else has been on this you will know you also have to go to meetings there was about 30 of us and out of 30 only two said it didnt work.
Well I thought they were great first I could not sleep so I done my house work at night then I did not want to to smoke great then I didn't want to eat even better loose weight while quitting how cool is that,then I didn't want to talk to anyone then I went into depression other people saw the change in me but I thought it was great then the tears started every time someone said something I would burst into tears and so it went on until I realised this was causing problems and relutantly
I came of them and with in a few days I craved for a smoke all that and it still made me want to smoke arrrrrrr.
Another time I use the cigarette stick that was good but I only done it for a week and
stopped due to things going on at that time so when I am ready to give up again which will be in the next two years I will go onto the stick.
Good luck with what ever you choose.
Terrie
I have tried giving up many times patches no good for me chewing gum good but I chewed so much my jaw ached and lost quite a few fillings.
ZYBAN now that was great if any one else has been on this you will know you also have to go to meetings there was about 30 of us and out of 30 only two said it didnt work.
Well I thought they were great first I could not sleep so I done my house work at night then I did not want to to smoke great then I didn't want to eat even better loose weight while quitting how cool is that,then I didn't want to talk to anyone then I went into depression other people saw the change in me but I thought it was great then the tears started every time someone said something I would burst into tears and so it went on until I realised this was causing problems and relutantly
I came of them and with in a few days I craved for a smoke all that and it still made me want to smoke arrrrrrr.
Another time I use the cigarette stick that was good but I only done it for a week and
stopped due to things going on at that time so when I am ready to give up again which will be in the next two years I will go onto the stick.
Good luck with what ever you choose.
Terrie
HI Contrary,
I don't believe we've met - Hi, I'm Shelly, and I was dx'd last year. I too was on REbif, and I'd really, really like to quit myself.
I'm going to let the others chime in on their thoughts about quit aids, because I've not been successful. I think for me, I've just got to suck it up and do it one day. I do have the nic. gum in my purse, but I've yet to chomp on it in place of a ciggy.
Good luck to you w/that... How are you doing with your MS?
-Shelly
I don't believe we've met - Hi, I'm Shelly, and I was dx'd last year. I too was on REbif, and I'd really, really like to quit myself.
I'm going to let the others chime in on their thoughts about quit aids, because I've not been successful. I think for me, I've just got to suck it up and do it one day. I do have the nic. gum in my purse, but I've yet to chomp on it in place of a ciggy.
Good luck to you w/that... How are you doing with your MS?
-Shelly
Have you looked into the Nicoderm Patch...that is what I used and I have been smoke free for 14 months now...no cravings...not going back now! Check it out...can't be any worse that the nicoteen that is going in your body through the cigarettes! I don't see why there would be any problem and congratulations on your desire to quit..if you need support I can be here for you!
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
Thanks- I just checked and wellbutrin has the same cautions as Zyban. I'll have to keep digging!
Ask about wellbutrin. It is an antidepressant but has the same component as Zyban, in that it makes your brain chemicals that trigger nicotine cravings kind of dulled. I started taking wellbutrin for other reasons and went from a pack a day to about eight cigarettes a day without even thinking of quitting; just stopped wanting them.
Then I quit for good three and a half years ago. Still was on wellbutrin. I am a big believer in nicotine gum. Still chew it. Good luck, Amy
Then I quit for good three and a half years ago. Still was on wellbutrin. I am a big believer in nicotine gum. Still chew it. Good luck, Amy
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community
Top Neurology Answerers
Australia
ON
Queensland, Australia
Queen Creek, AZ
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
