ANNOUNCER:
Susan is cutting back on her smoking as she prepares to stop for good. Already she’s feeling the symptoms of withdrawal.
Susan, Has Decided to Quit Smoking:
I am irritable and I’m stressed out because I’m not smoking, and I’m a little bit more snippy than I normally am, and that’s just something everyone around me is going to have to deal with for a little bit.
Donna Shelley, MD, Smoking Cessation Specialist:
All smokers, when they quit, will experience withdrawal symptoms, because they’re withdrawing from a drug, the drug being nicotine. I think one of the main reasons why people relapse within 24 hours of trying to quit is because they’re not taking nicotine replacement therapy.
ANNOUNCER:
Nicotine replacement therapy is a major weapon in the fight to quit. The F-D-A has approved five types: the nicotine patch, gum and lozenge, which are all over-the counter options, and the nicotine inhaler and nasal spray, which are available by prescription.
Donna Shelley, MD, Smoking Cessation Specialist:
It’s very important that you talk to either your physician or the pharmacist to explain to you how to actually use these medications so that you can succeed. One of the most common reasons for relapsing is the misuse, actually, of these medications.
ANNOUNCER:
Many smokers are also afraid of getting hooked on the nicotine replacement. But experts say that’s rare
Donna Shelley, MD, Smoking Cessation Specialist:
The patch, the gum, the nicotine lozenge, the inhalers -- none of them deliver nicotine at the speed that the cigarette does. So none of them are as addictive.
ANNOUNCER:
There are also two prescription medications without nicotine to help smokers quit, Zyban and Chantix.
Donna Shelley, MD, Smoking Cessation Specialist:
So people say when they take Zyban, and true for Chantix, too, they don’t feel like having a cigarette, and that’s really important, because that’s one of the biggest reasons for relapsing. More and more, the recommendation is to use more than one medication. That’s because they do work slightly differently.
ANNOUNCER:
The bottom line is smokers don’t have to rely solely on willpower.
Donna Shelley, MD, Smoking Cessation Specialist:
It’s not about willpower, and it’s about getting treatment for a nicotine addiction. And if they can change that thought process, they’re much more likely to succeed.
ANNOUNCER:
Thanks for joining us on today’s Once Daily.
