Here’s a comment I received recently and thought it would be of interest:

Without a doubt, the new miracle drug Chantix is the best of the quit smoking products. It is available by prescription only. The cost without insurance is about $115.00 which for me was less than what I spent on cigarettes every month.

The reason I loved it was because IT IS NOT a nicotine replacement drug. I think that’s the reason the other drugs like patches fail. (Because you’re still pumping some form of nicotine into your body so you never detox.) The drugs work by blocking the transmitters in your brain that crave nicotine. Just check out the website which I believe is chantix.com The FDA is getting ready to prescribe this drug for alcohol abuse as well because it is the same transmitters in the brain that makes smokers want to smoke.

I smoked for 25 years a pack a day. I took the medicine EXACTLY as prescribed for 8 days and on the 9th day I laid then down and have never touched them again. Never even had withdrawals either even though I understand some people do. Anyway, it’s one of the best things that has ever happened for/to me. PLEASE check it out with your doctor.

Oh and btw, it is a 3 month/12 week prescription. If you feel you still need it after 12 weeks and would like to continue, your doctor can prescribe a 2nd 12 week program.

Good luck to all!

Someone had this to say about using hypnosis as a quit smoking aid:

I was hypnotised 25 years ago to give up smoking - it worked for as long as I was having hypnosis. Luckily, mine was done free by an anaesthetist who was looking for guinea pigs to practice on so he could use it for pain relief for patients. I’m glad I didn’t pay though, otherwise I would have had an expensive habit and an expensive therapy.

I eventually gave up the day my mum died from cancer which was the day after I found out I was pregnant and at the same time as we were really struggling financially. A really bad time in my life. I figured that I was always ‘waiting for the right time’ which never happened, so why not try a really bad time instead. That was 22 years ago and I’ve never looked back.

I get a surprising amount of comments and emails from people who just LOVE to smoke and who defend their pastime to no end.  I used to be a smoker; I understand this!  Smoking seems to relax one, and it’s fun, and you look cool doing it (oh wait, that’s only until you’re 15!).  A lot of people think it’s something they’re in control of, and they like that feeling.  However, anyone who’s actually tried to quit knows that it’s the nicotine addiction that’s in control.

Why stop smoking cigarettes?  Oh, the reasons!  Theyr’re expensive, they slowly kill you, they stain your walls, they stink up your car and clothes, they harm the people around you.  They set a bad example for you children, too, if you have them!

Really, what would your life be missing if you quit smoking?  Nothing!  You would actually gain health, gain life span, have more money and not be so stinky.  ;)  Any day is a good day to try and quit.

Unfortunately, unless your health insurance is going to cover it, there’s not a whole log of free stop smoking medication out there.  There’s some over the counter aids, like the gum, and now quit a few prescription medications available to help one when they decide to kick the habit, but other than cold turkey, you’re probably going to end up spending a few bucks!

There seems to be something new on the market every time you turn around - ever done a quick Google search for New Quit Smoking Aids?  It’s easy to get caught up in every gimmick.  No matter where you look, though, or how much money you spend, you’re never going to be able to really quit unless you WANT to quit.  Smell your clothes, look at your checkbook, take a run; if those things don’t encourage you to take your health into your own hands, no product on the market will be able to.  Good luck!

A success story:

I quit smoking with the stop smoking pill Chantix b and have to admit that I cried a lot, and then I gained a lot of weight (30 lbs) which made me cry some more.  :)  Fortunately, now that I’m a non-smoker I’m finding I have the energy and stamina to actually exercise, and I’ve been jogging or at least walking every day.  I feel great and have already lost half of the weight!  (It’s been about two months.)  I’m finding, also, that food tastes better, and have been eating much healthier as a result.  I can’t believe the changes my body has gone through.  What I’m saying is:  It’s Worth It!  A few weeks of crying and getting chubby were totally worth how amazing I feel now.

I can’t believe how many people have contacted me saying they’re really worried that the stop smoking laser will be painful.  I know it sounds a little scary, but it only takes a little bit of research to see that it works just like accupuncture, only without the scary needles.  :)  If you live in an area where this is available, I definitely think it would be worth checking into.

There are so many different quit smoking products on the market today - more than every before, and so many of them are safe and have minimal side-effects.  There is an aid out there for every lifestyle, from a convenient patch to taking  a pill once a day.  What could be easier than that?

The trick is to really want to quit.  When you have your mind set on not being dependent on cigarettes anymore, when you’ve decided you don’t want to waste your money, damage your body, stink up your clothes, when you know you really want to become a non-smoker, an aid can help you deal with cravings and the subsequent mood swings caused by such.

Talk to your doctor about how to go about quitting.  Make a plan.  Decide to follow it.  Do it!

I think it goes without saying that smoking is bad for you and your baby, so there is no need to lecture anyone about the risks involved with smoking during pregnancy.  The hard part is quitting!  You CAN do it; it can happen cold turkey or with the use of pregnancy-safe stop smoking aids. Just think about a baby being trapped in a smoky bar - that should help!

Claims about how well the stop smoking pill, Chantix, really work, are varied.  I’ve heard from people who swear by it and are thrilled with the results, but then you hear from people who can’t even take it long enough to find out if it really works, because of the side effects.

Leave a comment if you have any thoughts about this!