I need to help a friend quit smoking. Whats a good product?

[agame2323]

I heard Smoke Away is suppose to be good. Any suggestions?

 

[Missytara]

I have had four friends successfully quit smoking in the last year - all different methods.

My hairdresser used Chantix to prove to her doctor it wouldn't work - it did.

One of my workmates got pneumonia so bad, he was unable smoke because of his breathing, and decided it was a good time to quit. He did.

The asst. manager at the place where I eat out has a mild case of asthma, but that hasn't stopped him from smoking. When he found out his son was getting asthma from second hand smoke, he quit on the spot.

My last friend, a dear co-worker, used hypnotism, after adopting his two granddaughters recently. They are 4 and 6-1/2. He wanted to do it for them, because he knew they needed him for a long time.

All of the above, did it a different way - but the top reason was motivation. You can suggest all you want for your friend to stop smoking in the way of drugs, but until they are truly motivated - it won't work.

 

[brittsmum1998]

DH and I used Chantix. I never thought it would work. It was so easy, we only took the chantix for a couple weeks or so and then were able to stop that.

We had just bought a second home so the $$$ was a factor but I strongly suggest chantix to anyone who really wants to quit.

 

[englishteacha]

Ummm...zap him/her with a taser every time you see him/her smoke?

Sorry...I guess that's not the help you were looking for. My mom smokes and it drives me nuts because I lost my MIL to lung cancer in 2003. I try to get her to quit but she won't. I agree with a PP that motivation is necessary. The person has to want to quit, truly. My MIL would turn off her oxygen machine to smoke a few cigarettes, then put the O2 back on when she was dying. It made me so mad, and sad, too. I don't want to go through that ever again. Good for your friend to want to quit!

 

[joyjoy]

Chantix worked for me. 20 years of smoking and I haven't touched one since August 6, 2007.

 

[luvsJack]

Chantix worked for me--January 1st will be 2 years!

 

[claudia]

have a friend that smoked for 20+ years...tried a zillion different things....in the end Chantix was the one that worked for her. She has not smoked in 3 years.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

DH and I both quit using hypnosis. It was the easiest thing I've ever done, after trying other methods numerous times, and never succeeding. We've been non smokers for over six years now.

My niece quit using Wellbutrin. She was having problems with anxiety and quitting smoking was just a nice side effect from the Wellbutrin. I had tried Wellbutrin to stop smoking in the past but it had caused me anxiety and I could only take it a couple days.

 

[tinatark]

Chantix is a great rx, but the vivid dreams are a huge side effect.

I was reading in yesterday's paper, some positive thinking things - write a list of the benefits of being a former smoker, and keep them where the cigs would be - take it out when you want to smoke.

 

[darlak]

I've been pregnant 3 times and quit with no problem for the duration of each pregnancy, but other than my pregnancies, I've been a smoker for over 30 years. So I have to agree that without the true desire to quit, nothing is going to work.

I'm still a smoker, but since I started using my Smoking Everywhere electronic cigarette, I am down from over 3 packs a day of real cigarettes to about 1. It isn't quitting, but I can feel the effects of smoking less. In fact, it's made me start to wonder (for the first time, I might add) how much better I might feel if I quit altogether.

I wish your friend luck!

 

[dawson5]

I quit when I got pregnant, haven't smoked in 17+ yrs. Hubby has tried a few times over the years. He tried Wellbutrin and quit taking that when he said he wanted to crawl through the phone line and strangle someone. He then tried using hypnosis, he really thought this would work. He quit smoking cigarettes for about a month but kept smoking cigars and slowly eased back into smoking cigarettes. He finally got sick of hearing me and the boys get after him and tried chantix. He stopped for over a year and I don't know why he fell off the wagon but he did. He did it again at the beginning of the year and hasn't started back up again.

Chantix will give you vivid dreams. He found that when he took it at bedtime, that is when he had the vivid dreams. If he took it at 6:30-7pm, they weren't as bad. One other side effect of it is that he doesn't feel the effects of alcohol. He could drink a case of beer and till feel sober. He would show the outward effects of the alcohol but he didn't feel that he had drank anything. It was odd. I thought they were talking of using it to help alcoholics because of this side. I think it shuts off the pleasure receptors. I would just say follow the instructions if you choose it. They suggest a time period, the first time he did it, he stopped after 6 or 8 weeks. I think they want you to take for 3 months, I forget. The doctor did tell him that most people do it twice because they don't feel the cravings.

Good luck. I can only say how nice it is to kiss my husband and not smell cigarette smoke/nicotine.

 

[Shmily1]

DH used Zyban and it was wonderful!! Good luck!!

 

[famofsix]

Chantix worked for me--January 1st will be 2 years!

congrats!

DH points his patients to chantix but he tells them it doesn't work without a strong desire to quit

 

[tzolkin]

I would strongly caution anyone using Chantix to be aware of the side effects and stop taking it if they become an issue.

My DH used it for several weeks. The dreams were bad if he took it in the evening. When he took it in the morning he would vomit at work-- not a great idea working in an operating room. It was effective for the smoking which is why he kept taking it.

He said he had no desire to smoke, but the real issue was that he had no desire to do anything. This was a man who enjoyed working a full time job plus call, going to school full time, and doing large renovations on our home at the same time. When taking the Chantix he could come home from work, sit down on the couch, and not care if he didn't do anything else.

When he said he had "lost the will to live" he stopped taking it.


I know several other people who had the same effects (and worse) and had to stop taking it.

 

[Docwoods]

My husband and I quit for good (five years now) with a cold laser treatment.Cost was 300.00-worth every penny.The great thing is the desire to smoke is completely gone.No drugs,and no crazy side effects!

 

[brittsmum1998]

I would strongly caution anyone using Chantix to be aware of the side effects and stop taking it if they become an issue.

My DH used it for several weeks. The dreams were bad if he took it in the evening. When he took it in the morning he would vomit at work-- not a great idea working in an operating room. It was effective for the smoking which is why he kept taking it.

He said he had no desire to smoke, but the real issue was that he had no desire to do anything. This was a man who enjoyed working a full time job plus call, going to school full time, and doing large renovations on our home at the same time. When taking the Chantix he could come home from work, sit down on the couch, and not care if he didn't do anything else.

When he said he had "lost the will to live" he stopped taking it.


I know several other people who had the same effects (and worse) and had to stop taking it.

I had heard the side effects could be bad. My dh had horrible dreams while on it. We both took it for less than a month but I could definately see the side effects getting worse if we stayed on it longer.

I'm sorry to hear your dh's side effects were so bad. I hope he is ok now.

 

[tzolkin]

I had heard the side effects could be bad. My dh had horrible dreams while on it. We both took it for less than a month but I could definately see the side effects getting worse if we stayed on it longer.

I'm sorry to hear your dh's side effects were so bad. I hope he is ok now.

My DH was back to his old self right after he stopped taking the pills.

The thing that really bothers me is how many doctors just prescribe the drug for anyone who mentions they want to quit smoking without even considering the side effects. My mom has a long history of mental illness and her dr gave her Chantix. DH and I were very upset and convinced her not to take it. She still smokes, but if she had the same side effects as DH I am certain I would no longer have a mother. (My best friend's father committed suicide as a side effect of another medication and he did not have a history of depression )

 

[Mouse House Mama]

A hammer. Each time she goes to smoke give her a whack on the hand.

Good luck in finding something that works.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I know 4 people who have quit smoking and everyone of them quit cold turkey. I say, good for them