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Medications to help you Quit the Smoking Habit

November 27th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

As anyone who has tried before knows, quitting an addictive behavior like smoking is a very difficult process. Along with support groups and behavior modification techniques, the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved six medications to aid in your quest to quit smoking. These medications help you break your addiction to nicotine and transition more smoothly into a smoke-free life.
The majority of medications to help quit smoking fall into the category of nicotine replacement therapy. These include medications available over the counter in the form of a nicotine patch (also prescription-only, depending on brand), nicotine lozenge, or nicotine gum. Nicotine inhalers and nicotine nasal sprays are available by prescription.
If you would prefer to use a non-nicotine replacement medication, you have several options. Bupropion SR is an anti-depressant prescribed by a doctor. Many people have also found that alternative medicine helps them with the painful process of withdrawal. No matter which medication you choose, if any, be sure to consult with your doctor before beginning or stopping treatment.
* Nicotine patch. A smoker wears a new patch daily on his or her upper body for eight weeks or longer. The patch passes nicotine into your system by transferring it from your skin into your bloodstream. Name brands Nicoderm CQ and Nicotrol are available over-the-counter, while Habitrol is prescription only. If, after the first week of treatment, you have still not quit smoking entirely, speak to your doctor about adjusting the dosage or using additional medication.
* Nicotine lozenge. Lozenges dissolve in your mouth and passes nicotine into your bloodstream through the lining of your mouth. Doses are set at two milligrams for regular smokers and four milligrams for heavy smokers, and are recommended to be taken every couple hours for six weeks. After that point, you can decrease the number of doses through the following six weeks. The brand name Commit lozenge is available over-the-counter.
* Nicotine gum. Like the lozenges, nicotine gum delivers nicotine through the mouths lining. Doses vary between two- and four-milligrams; most users chew between 10 and 15 pieces daily. Nicotine gum should be used for a one- to three-month period, and is not recommended for longer than six months. Probably the best-known brand name, Nicorette, is available over-the-counter.
* Nicotine inhaler. An inhaler works to satisfy smoking urges, as well as strictly nicotine cravings. Looking similar to a cigarette holder, the inhaler gives you a chance to puff, which causes it to give off nicotine vapors. The vapors are absorbed by the mouth lining and delivered to the bloodstream and, eventually, the brain. The brand name Nicotrol inhaler is available via prescription.
* Nicotine nasal spray. The nasal spray delivers its effects more quickly than either the gum or the patch. Nicotine is sprayed directly into the nostrils. After being absorbed by nasal membranes, the nicotine is passed into the veins and to the heart and brain. Known as brand name Nicotrol NS, nasal spray is typically prescribed for three-month periods, to be used for a maximum of six months.
* Bupropion SR. Bupropion SR does not contain nicotine. Rather, this antidepressant increase dopamine levels in the brain, which is the chemical that is boosted by nicotine. Bupropions side effects include dry mouth, headaches, and sleep disturbance. Known as brand name Zyban, bupropion must be prescribed by a doctor and shouldnt be given to patients with a history of seizures or serious head trauma. Other antidepressants such as nortriptyline may be an alternative option.
* Alternative medicine. Although alternative medicine exists in many forms, the ones used most often for quitting smoking are behavior therapy and relaxation techniques. In behavior therapy, a therapist helps you understand why you smoke, develop coping skills, and thereby change your behaviors and thoughts. Relaxation techniques or meditation focus on reducing stress.
Using a medication to quit smoking makes you twice as likely to quit successfully. The most successful form of treatment of all is the use of therapy or counseling in conjunction with medication. If you are thinking about quitting, find out as much as possible about all the quitting aids available to you through this website and others, and consult with your health services provider.For more information on quiting smoking have a look at the quit-smoking-expert

How to Make Nicotine Replacement Therapy Work for You

November 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Smokers trying to kick the habit are willing to try just about anything to beat the addiction. Of the many options out there, the one most frequently sought is that of nicotine replacement therapy. But understanding nicotine replacement therapy, its different forms, and how to use it properly is essential to its success.

Why is Nicotine Replacement Therapy?

Nicotine replacement therapy is the most commonly used medical approach in smoking cessation. It is intended to help ease the withdrawal of nicotine by temporarily providing the drug by a means other than cigarettes. As a result, nicotine replacement therapy helps reduce physical withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, sleep difficulty, restlessness, and headaches.

As a result of the assistance nicotine replacement therapy provides with coping with the physical symptoms, the smoker is better able to deal with the psychological symptoms of cigarette withdrawal, such as an oral fixation or breaking the habit of smoking in response to specific triggers.

Nicotine replacement therapy is considered to be a safe means for quitting smoking. There are, however, certain side effects that some people experience, such as sinusitis, irritability, palpitations, and breathing problems. In addition, pregnant women and those with endocrine, heart, or circulatory problems may experience other complications. Any individuals falling within these categories should be carefully evaluated and tested by a doctor before beginning any form of nicotine replacement therapy.

Type of Nicotine Replacement Therapy

There are several forms of nicotine replacement therapy currently available. Nicotine gum is the oldest type of nicotine replacement therapy and it can be purchased over the counter. Nicotine inhalers, which are similar to the inhalers used by asthmatics, are another form of nicotine replacement therapy. This form of therapy is available only through prescription. The nicotine patch, which is available over the counter and by prescription, is placed on the skin to provide a constant flow of nicotine. The easy to use nicotine nasal spray, which is only available by prescription, is another option for nicotine replacement therapy.

How to Use Nicotine gum

When using nicotine gum, you need to periodically place the gum between you gums and your cheek in order to let the nicotine get into your bloodstream. It is important to keep from swallowing the nicotine because it results in far less getting into your bloodstream and it can also cause gastrointestinal problems.

If you are a heavy smoker, which means you smoke more than 25 cigarettes per day, you should use the 4 mg strength. A smaller 2 mg dose is recommended for lighter smokers. Even if you do smoke less than 25 cigarettes, however, you might find it necessary to use the stronger dose at first in order to wean yourself down to the lower dosage. When using nicotine gum, you should avoid acidic beverages such as tea, coffee, and fruit juice because they interfere with the nicotine absorption.

How to Use a Nicotine Inhaler

Nicotine inhalers provide a small amount of nicotine with every puff. This makes it necessary to use the inhaler frequently. For some people who are trying to smoke, this is an advantage because it gives them something to do with their hands. The effectiveness of nicotine inhalers, however, decreases in temperatures of 50 degrees or less. It is necessary to avoid acidic beverages in order to obtain the full effect.

How to Use a Nicotine Patch

Nicotine patches are available in both 16 hour and 24 hour dosages. Most commonly, light smokers use the 16 hour version while heavy smokers use the 24 hour patch. Those who have trouble sleeping when using the 24 hour patch also choose to use the 16 hour patch because it is not intended to provide nicotine during the night. Some brands of nicotine patches offer varying strengths of nicotine, as well. This allows you to taper off the amount of nicotine you use in your nicotine replacement therapy.

Some people experience skin irritation from the patch. If this happens to you, you should look at using a lower strength or changing from the 24 hour patch to the 16 hour patch. If this doesnt help, you might also switch brands. If you are unable to resolve the skin irritation and it is very problematic, you should look into one of the other forms of nicotine replacement therapy.

How to Use Nasal Spray

Nasal spray nicotine replacement therapy provides immediate relief from cravings. Some individuals, however, experience side effects such as coughing, sneezing, and runny nose.

No matter which form of nicotine replacement therapy you choose, it is important to also participate in counseling or other methods for dealing with the psychological aspects of cigarette addiction. Nicotine replacement therapy should not be considered the cure all for smoking cessation.For more information on quiting smoking have a look at the quit-smoking-expert

Quit smoking side effects

August 9th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most smokers who want to quit fail because of the quit smoking side effects, eliminating nicotine from your body is very hard and the battle can be harder than you think. Most quit smoking side effects are related to the blood sugar levels. Symptoms like inability to concentrate, dizziness or headaches may usually appear in the first three or four days. The quit smoking side effects are also called withdrawal symptoms and their intensity varies with each individual. All known statistics show that ex-smokers live longer and healthier than any smoker, and this should be a strong reason for anyone to quit. The battle with quit smoking side effects is tough particularly during the first days after quitting, you may feel irritable, confused, depressed or anxious. The cause for these quit smoking side effects is the reduced level of nicotine in the blood.

Some therapists recommend the use of nicotine inhalers, nicotine gums or patches since they release a small quantity of nicotine in the blood reducing the quit smoking side effects. Smokers who already suffer from depression or anxiety can hardly quit as they use cigarettes as a relief, in such cases psychological treatment is a must. Quit smoking side effects will be very hard to deal with for people with a stressful life, as nicotine has a relaxing effect on the human body. So in order to avoid severe quit smoking side effects the person should ask for professional help and attend ex-smoker discussions. Other quit smoking side effects which may appear include insomnia or putting on weight.

Specialists say that putting between 5 and 10 pounds of weight after you quit smoking is one of the normal quit smoking side effects. The weight problem is caused by the low levels of sugar in your blood. After smoking the nicotine passes into the blood in a matter of seconds releasing sugar reserves from the body, sugar is vital to the brain normal functioning. But the sugar passes from normal food to the blood in about 20 minutes. One quit smoking side effect is that you will feel the need to eat because your brain is asking for sugar. The problem that people don’t understand is that no matter how much you eat the body will still need 20 minutes to pass the sugar to the brain, so theoretically it won’t be a big difference between eating a candy or ten of them. To find out more about smoking side effects surf the Internet or simply visit quit-smoking-expert.

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