So you’ve stopped smoking. Congratulations! But nicotine is very addictive and you will face a lot of temptation in the weeks ahead. You might even succumb to it and light up. Remember that thousands of people - about half of all smokers - have quit once and for all, and you can too! Find out what’s in store once you stop and how to win the long-term battle.
Withdrawal Symptoms
There’s no doubt about it. Quitting smoking is not easy. But think of the benefits! Look not-so-far into the future when you will feel so much healthier. Still, tobacco withdrawal can trigger a range of unpleasant and stressful symptoms.
They can include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Falling heart rate and blood pressure
- Fatigue, drowsiness, insomnia
- Irritability, difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety, depression
- Increased hunger and energy intake
- Increased pleasantness of the taste of sweet foods
- Tobacco cravings
Hang in there! Most withdrawal symptoms are at their worst 48 hours after quitting smoking, and disappear completely within six months.
Falling Off the Wagon
You’ve set a quit date, stopped smoking and then… suffered a relapse. You’ve started smoking again. It’s not the end of the world and it does not mean that you’ve failed. Consider it a small setback and get ready to fight the fight again.
Many smokers give it several tries before they actually manage to stay off smoking once and for all, so don’t panic. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle for many people - just climb back on and try again.
There are several reasons why you might not have succeeded this time around:
- Bad timing. If you picked a time to quit that is more stressful than usual, or if something unexpected has happened, it may not be the best time for trying to quit smoking. Just pick another quit date and try again.
- Not the right method. There are many ways to quit smoking. You might have chosen a method that does not work for you. Remember to form an action plan, ask others who have succeeded for their ideas and make use of every support system you can. In time, you will find something that does the trick. Call the Canadian Cancer Society’s Smokers’ Helpline (1-877-513-5333) or visit Smokers’ Helpline at www.smokershelpline.ca.
- Lack of support. Your family and friends might not support your decision whole-heartedly. If you have smokers in your life who plan to continue smoking, in the face of your efforts to quit, and the smell of their cigarettes may be too tempting for you. You need to speak to the smokers in your life about the effect their smoking is having on you, tell them you are serious about quitting and explore ways they can help you succeed.
- Difficulty managing withdrawal symptoms. Just knowing what you might face during withdrawal - and that it is temporary if you can just tough it out - may help you manage your symptoms. If not, there are many ways to counter the feelings of withdrawal - from therapy, group counselling, drugs and patches to hypnosis and acupuncture. Explore the possibilities. • Lack of a clear reason to quit. Sometimes, your quit-smoking idea fizzles because you haven’t figured out exactly why you want to quit. Write down all the ways smoking has affected you in the past - good and bad. Then write down all the ways it is affecting you in the present. Next write down what you see for the future if you are not a smoker. Cover all the areas of your life where smoking has had an impact - your family, loved ones, job performance, career path, social life, health, time, and money. You may find your will to quit is stronger, once you’ve put it all down on paper.
- Lack of a clear reason to quit. Sometimes, your quit-smoking idea fizzles because you haven’t figured out exactly why you want to quit. Write down all the ways smoking has affected you in the past - good and bad. Then write down all the ways it is affecting you in the present. Next write down what you see for the future if you are not a smoker. Cover all the areas of your life where smoking has had an impact - your family, loved ones, job performance, career path, social life, health, time, and money. You may find your will to quit is stronger, once you’ve put it all down on paper.
Managing with Medications
A variety of medications can help you to quit smoking and maintain your independence from addiction. Experts agree that medications work best for people with “moderate to severe” tobacco dependence. Talk to your doctor about which ones might work best for you. Everyone is different in how they react.
However, keep in mind that most successful attempts to quit smoking occur without drugs. For pregnant women, adolescents or people who generally have difficulty with medication side effects, it may be best to hold off and try to quit without drugs before turning to these methods..
For those who feel they do need the support of medication to quit smoking, there are three types of medical interventions. They all work differently and should be used one at a time at first. There are a few drugs (nortriptyline, clonidine, selegiline and rimonabant) that have been successful as second-line treatments for smoking cessation, but they are not yet proven therapies. Again, consult your doctor. He or she knows your health history best.
The three types of medications are:
Nicotine replacement is the most common type of medication. And now that the Ontario government has removed the provincial sales tax from all nicotine replacement products - in an effort to support smokers who wish to quit - these products are even more affordable.
Nicotine replacement therapies are designed to cut down on cravings by gradually reducing the dose of nicotine in your system during the withdrawal period. Gums, patches or inhalers ease withdrawal symptoms and are not in themselves addictive. And they don’t deliver all the other substances you get along with cigarettes - like tar and toxins.
- Nicotine patches allow nicotine to enter the bloodstream slowly through the skin. You cannot smoke when you are wearing a patch, for safety reasons. The patches come in different strengths. You start out with a strong dose of nicotine and gradually progress to lower concentrations as you body gets used to it.
- Nicotine gum is another form of nicotine replacement. It works in a different way. Patches work slowly and steadily, but gum lets you choose when you want a ‘hit’ of nicotine. Instead of lighting up, you chew a piece of gum.
- Nicotine inhalers are another option. As you inhale through the device, nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth and throat - and does not go into your lungs. This is not the same as smoking - since you are getting only nicotine and not the other harmful chemicals that come with cigarette smoke.
Pregnant women should be aware that the nicotine patch is considered safe to use, with a doctor’s approval and supervision. For women unable to stop smoking on their own, the patch eliminates the fetus’ exposure to carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals that can contribute to pregnancy complications
Bupropion is an antidepressant, which also seems to work very well in smoking cessation, even in people who show no signs of depression. In clinical studies, it has been shown to be as effective as nicotine replacement therapy, and can be used in combination with nicotine patches and other devices. Or it can be used to prevent relapse. It should be used cautiously in smokers with cardiovascular disease.
Varenicline is a novel medication, available for the treatment of tobacco dependence. It works on the nicotine receptors in the brain and seems to interrupt the reinforcing effects of nicotine and somehow compensate for withdrawal symptoms. It also seems to work for some people in preventing relapses About one-third of the patients in the clinical trials, however, have reported some nausea with varenicline - that is its main side effect.
In Conclusion
The road to becoming a non-smoker isn’t an easy one and you should give yourself high marks for even embarking on it. Do not be discouraged if you stumble once in awhile and light up. Just renew your resolve, regroup and try again.
With luck and a lot of support - which you will find all around you in a variety of places - you will eventually succeed.
Your Body on Nicotine: The Inside Story
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Smoking and Your Teenager
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Quitting Smoking - Making the First Move
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Resources
Quitting Smoking - Making The First Move
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The Canadian Cancer Society’s Smokers’ Helpline
1-877-513-5333
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Canadian Cancer Society
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Smoke-Free Ontario
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Health Canada
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Cost of Smoking Calculator
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