Wanna Quit Smoking? Read This

[35Pete]

First of all this drug is so new that my insurance won't pay for it yet so it is costing me 127 bucks out of pocket (tax writeoff). Think that is a lot of money. Divide that by $3.50 a pack and that is the same price (or less) of a pack a day habit.

My Dr. prescribed this to me and it appears to be working well with the physical part. The mental part is all me. That means no excuses. Plus I recieved a little more help. Tell you soon.

Here is the drug

<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/11/health/main1611288.shtml"><b>Chantrix</b></a>

Excerpts (CBS.com)

.....Varenicline works in two ways — by cutting the pleasure of smoking and reducing the withdrawal symptoms that lead smokers to light up again and again....

......Several studies conducted in Europe on about 2,000 smokers and presented in November at an American Heart Association conference showed that a year after initial treatment with varenicline, abstinence rates were 22 percent, versus 16 percent among those given Zyban. Just 8 percent of those given dummy medicines had stopped after a year........



Here is the conversation that I had with Bones today at the Dr's office.

35Pete: Gee Bones, thanks for the stuff. But 22% success rate after a year? That sucks!.

Bones: Yeah. But a lot of that is the mental breakdown. Stupidity after kicking the habit.

35Pete: I'm thinking that I need a little more help. Think I can get a few days supply of goofballs so I don't commit mass murder?

Bones: Huh? What do you have in mind? WTF are you talking about?

35Pete: You know. Some "V"s. Mother's little helper. The chill pill.

Bones: Ohh Valium. Uhhhm. No.

35Pete (Incredulous): Why not??? Do you really want to be on the witness list for my murder trial? Seriously. I'll need something to smooth me out for the first few days of withdrawal. And 22% doesn't sound to optimistic.

Bones: Good point. But I've got a better idea. Ativan.

35Pete: Ativan!!!! Dude, that shit is given to 92 year old gomers in nursing homes that won't shut up at 3 in the morning. Do I look like a demented raisin face to you? Hmmmm?

Bones: Well.....

35Pete: (Eyeing a scapel). Don't push me!! I haven't sparked up in 8 hours now and I'm just a wee bit edgy.

Bones: Chill Pete. I'm just F 'ing with ya. LOL. You'll like this stuff. Valium is for kids. Valium is like a tap on the shoulder while Ativan is like a sledgehammer to the nose. You'll be chill, trust me. Probably save your job and relationships too.

35Pete: Screw them. And you. Just give me the damn dope. I'm flipping out here. Thinking about sparking up.

Bones: Don't be stupid. The pharmacy is 5 minutes away. Here, take this script for a 7 day supply.

Bones: Couple of quick questions for the Ativan though.

35Pete: Shoot away...

Bones: Have had negative reactions to other benzodiazepine?

35Pete: Nope. Always felt groovy actually when prescribed to me.

Bones: Do you have a history of drug dependence?

35Pete: Not as far as you know Doc.

Bones: Have had a stroke, have multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's disease?

35Pete: Uhmm. Where did you get your medical degree? Devry Technical Inst? YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT!

Bones: Are you are seriously depressed?

35Pete: Yeah. I miss my smokes.

Bones: Do you have any brain disorders?

35Pete: Uhmmmmm, welllll, NO, NO doc. I do not. (Hiding noticable hand tic).

35Pete: Later Shiva

Bones: Later Bro.

Ask for Ativan and Chantrix. It does seem to be working as of now. It really does.

<a href="http://psyweb.com/Drughtm/jsp/ativan.jsp"><b>Ativan</b></a>

Ativan (Lorazepam) is an anti-anxiety agent (benzodiazepines,mild tranquilizer) used for the relief of anxiety, agitation and irritability, to relieve insomnia, to calm people with mania / schizophrenia and intravenously as a sedative and for nervous tension or to relieve anxiety prior to surgery. It has less of an effect on the liver than other benzodiazepines, making it better suited if you are taking birth control pills, anti-abuse drugs, propranolol, ulcer medications, or any other drug that affects the liver. Ativan (Lorazepam) may also be used to help in the prevention of severe alcohol withdraw symptoms (Delirium Tremens, or DTs), to treat amnesia, or in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and have severe vomiting. It may be given to children to treat serial seizures by placing it under the tongue.

...more...

[Buffalo1]

ok.

[mighty peace warrior]

just sad

[K-Gun]

you're wasting your money Pete. There's only one way to quite smkoking, cold turkey.

In fact, I'm going to do it tomorrow.

[35Pete]

just sad
No this comment is sad. You just do what ever it takes to get by it. For me the mental part is not the issue. It is the physical withdrawal. Three days from now and that will pass. Problem is that other methods never got me over the worst and like a heroin addict I always was back at the dealer (the corner store) within 24 hours.

Two days of sedation and 125/month for 3 months is nothing in comparison to health. Nothing. And if my humor offended you then please get over it. If you cannot see the sarcasm then don't be such a stick in the mud. :) I am just trying to make light of a difficult situation.

BTW. The counter below is accurate. And honest to God the cravings and crazy withsdrawal stuff ain't there. The Chantrix you gotta take with food though. Lesson learned. And do what I did. Take the Ativan an hour before bed. It will literally knock you out. Slept like a baby, don't feel edgy this AM and just feel "normal". I have serious work to do today so let's hope that it does not cloud me up. It's once a day and I don't feel "doped" which is a good thing. I have day to day stuff to do.

And JK. Good for you tough guy. Best of luck. I also happen to have smoked 26 years. About as long as you are old. Different apples. I do hope that you suceeed because it gets exponentially harder as you get older. My doc recommended this rather aggresive regimine and hopefully it will work for me. Hey, the alternative is heart disease, cancer, and emphysema.

JK want a counter? http://www.quitmeter.com/index.php

[njsue]

This is excellent news for you and anyone else to quit these "cancer sticks".

It might be some what costly. But, it is a smart way to invest in your health and well being.

My mom & dad smoked salems & Kools. 1980 a doctor told my father if you dont quit smoking your likely to have a heartache. He quit. There after nagged my Mom to do the same for years.

Unfortunatly a bad situation has to wake up people to quit.

My mom had a cancer scare back in 1995. Thank God she is cancer free.

When she came home from the hospital. She opened the kitchen drawer and threw out all the salems cigarettes.


To those who are thinking about quitting. Do it. Your life is worth it. :)

[Jayhawk]

I quit cold turkey three years back, it's hard, I still get cravings, but that's why I've supplemented heavy ammount of beer

[njsue]

I quit cold turkey three years back, it's hard, I still get cravings, but that's why I've supplemented heavy ammount of beer

Glad that you quit. If I may add, beer in large amounts is not a solution.

You want to keep healthy. Your young with a big life ahead of you. Don't destroy it. :)


Not saying to quit beer totally. Drink smart dont over do it. ;) OK.

[Woody]

I used to smoke cigs, cigars, chew shred.. I basically wallowed in tabacco. But like others I quit cold turkey. Mental toughness is what it's all about. You gotta want it. If you're mentally tough you can fight off the jitters and the cravings.

Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Look at your nasty teeth.. blow your shitty-ass breath into your hand and take a sniff... ask your girlfriend to tell you how your hair and clothes smell. That should be enough motivation to have you covered. :niterider

[njsue]

Kissing someone that smokes is like kissing an ash tray.


My rule is "lips that touch a cigarette will never touch mine" :)

[Jayhawk]

I have nasty teeth anyway, stupid british gene. and I love the brits :D

[njsue]

I have nasty teeth anyway, stupid british gene. and I love the brits :D


You can have your teeth cosmetically corrected. :)

[35Pete]

I don't care how you do it. That is immaterial. Plainly. Just get it done no matter how you do it.

[Jayhawk]

You can have your teeth cosmetically corrected. :)
yeah if you have money

[Dontdieman]

you're wasting your money Pete. There's only one way to quite smkoking, cold turkey.

In fact, I'm going to do it tomorrow.

the fact is people wont quit unless they WANT to quit.

A positive mental additude will do it.

and staying away from other smokers just makes it worse cause when you are around other smokers (cause it will happen) youll fold like a house of cards.

[35Pete]

the fact is people wont quit unless they WANT to quit.

A positive mental additude will do it.

and staying away from other smokers just makes it worse cause when you are around other smokers (cause it will happen) youll fold like a house of cards.
One thing that a lot of non-smokers do not realize, and it is just plain ignorance is that often people that REALLY WANT to quit cannot with some alleviation of the nicotine withdrawal. Nicotinergic receptors in the brain are overabundant after years of smoking (gets worse, much worse with time). Involved in this process are neurotransmitters GABA, Dopamine, acetylcholine, and nor epinephrine. Severe withdrawal can really toss these substances out of whack and make if difficult, it not impossible, for people to be able to even THINK CLEARLY during the withdrawal phase. Some can get through it. Most can't. The cold-turkey success rate in this country is 5%. Don't tell me the other 95% are just weak. Their mental state gets really screwed up during severe withdrawal and they cannot, no, are unable to process logic clearly. Combined with intense physical discomfort and you have a recipe for failure. Sometimes a little help is needed.

I laugh with disdain and utter contempt at the utterly ignorant that say "just buck up and do it".

Are smokers stupid for ever getting addicted? YEP. We are. Are we weak when struggling to quit? Not necessarily if those first 3 days kill you. But even then you have no excuse. Your doc can prescribe stuff to you nowadays to help get you through it. It is up to you. And if you don't then you really didn't want it that badly in the first place, did you?

[uppy]

Good luck Pete...do what ever it takes.

[г]

Here's a sure fire way to quit


Only smoke after sex
Get married

[K-Gun]

All is well, not one smoke yet today. Had several major cravings, but didn't come close to caving.

[mighty peace warrior]

No this comment is sad. You just do what ever it takes to get by it. For me the mental part is not the issue. It is the physical withdrawal. Three days from now and that will pass. Problem is that other methods never got me over the worst and like a heroin addict I always was back at the dealer (the corner store) within 24 hours.

Two days of sedation and 125/month for 3 months is nothing in comparison to health. Nothing. And if my humor offended you then please get over it. If you cannot see the sarcasm then don't be such a stick in the mud. :) I am just trying to make light of a difficult situation.

BTW. The counter below is accurate. And honest to God the cravings and crazy withsdrawal stuff ain't there. The Chantrix you gotta take with food though. Lesson learned. And do what I did. Take the Ativan an hour before bed. It will literally knock you out. Slept like a baby, don't feel edgy this AM and just feel "normal". I have serious work to do today so let's hope that it does not cloud me up. It's once a day and I don't feel "doped" which is a good thing. I have day to day stuff to do.

And JK. Good for you tough guy. Best of luck. I also happen to have smoked 26 years. About as long as you are old. Different apples. I do hope that you suceeed because it gets exponentially harder as you get older. My doc recommended this rather aggresive regimine and hopefully it will work for me. Hey, the alternative is heart disease, cancer, and emphysema.

JK want a counter? http://www.quitmeter.com/index.php

well i find needing pills to feel "normal" sad, as well as a lack of will power or self control

[mighty peace warrior]

i also find your fascination with perscription pills to be just as sad as someone with a fascination for coke or heroin or meth

[г]

Hillbilly heroin

[mighty peace warrior]

One thing that a lot of non-smokers do not realize, and it is just plain ignorance is that often people that REALLY WANT to quit cannot with some alleviation of the nicotine withdrawal. Nicotinergic receptors in the brain are overabundant after years of smoking (gets worse, much worse with time). Involved in this process are neurotransmitters GABA, Dopamine, acetylcholine, and nor epinephrine. Severe withdrawal can really toss these substances out of whack and make if difficult, it not impossible, for people to be able to even THINK CLEARLY during the withdrawal phase. Some can get through it. Most can't. The cold-turkey success rate in this country is 5%. Don't tell me the other 95% are just weak. Their mental state gets really screwed up during severe withdrawal and they cannot, no, are unable to process logic clearly. Combined with intense physical discomfort and you have a recipe for failure. Sometimes a little help is needed.

I laugh with disdain and utter contempt at the utterly ignorant that say "just buck up and do it".

Are smokers stupid for ever getting addicted? YEP. We are. Are we weak when struggling to quit? Not necessarily if those first 3 days kill you. But even then you have no excuse. Your doc can prescribe stuff to you nowadays to help get you through it. It is up to you. And if you don't then you really didn't want it that badly in the first place, did you?
i smoked once, i decided to quit, and did..
if pretending people are just "ignorant" makes you feel better than have at it.

man up and quit, stop making lame excuses and replacing it with other drugs.

just buck up and do it

[Dontdieman]

One thing that a lot of non-smokers do not realize, and it is just plain ignorance is that often people that REALLY WANT to quit cannot with some alleviation of the nicotine withdrawal. Nicotinergic receptors in the brain are overabundant after years of smoking (gets worse, much worse with time). Involved in this process are neurotransmitters GABA, Dopamine, acetylcholine, and nor epinephrine. Severe withdrawal can really toss these substances out of whack and make if difficult, it not impossible, for people to be able to even THINK CLEARLY during the withdrawal phase. Some can get through it. Most can't. The cold-turkey success rate in this country is 5%. Don't tell me the other 95% are just weak. Their mental state gets really screwed up during severe withdrawal and they cannot, no, are unable to process logic clearly. Combined with intense physical discomfort and you have a recipe for failure. Sometimes a little help is needed.

I laugh with disdain and utter contempt at the utterly ignorant that say "just buck up and do it".

Are smokers stupid for ever getting addicted? YEP. We are. Are we weak when struggling to quit? Not necessarily if those first 3 days kill you. But even then you have no excuse. Your doc can prescribe stuff to you nowadays to help get you through it. It is up to you. And if you don't then you really didn't want it that badly in the first place, did you?

I smoked for about 5 years...started when I was reeeeeaallly young bout 12 i think..

I wasnt the have one smoke a day person I was up to a pack a day when I quit cold turkey

I totally understand that a older man such as your self whos been smoking much longer could have more intense withdraw effects but all that medical shit doesnt hide the fact that most people that say "I'm quitting" are just saying that because it would be "nice" to quit.

Whats the first thing a smoker says when they light up and some one goes "smokings bad"?

"I know I should quit" or "I'm quitting after this carton (or pack)" or the less popular "I like smoking and I'll quit when im ready"

People tend to underestimate human will power.

hahaha pleas exscuse me I'm too tired to finish this. part 2 coming soon.

[uppy]

i smoked once, i decided to quit, and did..
if pretending people are just "ignorant" makes you feel better than have at it.

man up and quit, stop making lame excuses and replacing it with other drugs.

just buck up and do it

I don't smoke..and I don't think its bad to use other things to
help some one stop....not every one is as hard core as a leg:)

[njsue]

Think about the longevity of your life.

[njsue]

tips while you quit smoking.


http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/1stweek.htm

[K-Gun]

I'm still with you Pete, how's it going on your end?

[Mouldsie]

well i find needing pills to feel "normal" sad, as well as a lack of will power or self control
i agree

but i think that makes us ignorant and insensitive

[Mouldsie]

JK, I'm glad you're doing this but I got 20 bucks says you fail once again :D

[35Pete]

i smoked once, i decided to quit, and did..
if pretending people are just "ignorant" makes you feel better than have at it.

man up and quit, stop making lame excuses and replacing it with other drugs.

just buck up and do it
Well we all knew that you are tough. I am just not as tough as you are.
Bottom line is that I want better health. And 7 days of drugs is not really "replacing" one addiction with another.

I guess by your logic an alcoholic suffering DTs should just suck it up too, huh?

By the way. How many pack-years did you smoke? That is number of packs per day times years smoked. Bet you didn't know that was a factor did you?

[njsue]

Well we all knew that you are tough. I am just not as tough as you are.
Bottom line is that I want better health. And 7 days of drugs is not really "replacing" one addiction with another.

I guess by your logic an alcoholic suffering DTs should just suck it up too, huh?

By the way. How many pack-years did you smoke? That is number of packs per day times years smoked. Bet you didn't know that was a factor did you?


:thumbsup: Go Pete Go!!!!!!

[mighty peace warrior]

:thumbsup: Go Pete Go!!!!!!
there is an endorsement pete!!!

you must have really owned me!!!

[mighty peace warrior]

Well we all knew that you are tough. I am just not as tough as you are.
Bottom line is that I want better health. And 7 days of drugs is not really "replacing" one addiction with another.

I guess by your logic an alcoholic suffering DTs should just suck it up too, huh?

By the way. How many pack-years did you smoke? That is number of packs per day times years smoked. Bet you didn't know that was a factor did you?
you are better at making excuses than self control, which is why you will fail.