Quitting smoking can lower your chances of getting or dying from heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, infection, or cancer. It can also lower your chances of getting osteoporosis, a condition that makes your bones weak. Plus, quitting smoking can help your skin look younger and reduce the chances that you will have problems with sex.
Quitting smoking will improve your health no matter how old you are, and no matter how long or how much you have smoked.
The letters in the word “START” can help you remember the steps to take:
Your doctor or nurse can give you advice on the best way to quit. He or she can also put you in touch with counselors or other people you can call for support. Plus, your doctor or nurse can give you medicines to:
The symptoms include:
Different medicines work in different ways:
Nicotinereplacement therapy eases withdrawal and reduces your body’s craving for nicotine, the main drug found in cigarettes. There are different forms of nicotine replacement, including skin patches, lozenges, gum, nasal sprays, and “puffers” or inhalers. Many can be bought without a prescription, while others might require one.
Bupropionis a prescription medicine that reduces your desire to smoke. This medicine is sold under the brand names Zyban and Wellbutrin. It is also available in a generic version, which is cheaper than brand name medicines.
Varenicline(brand names: Chantix, Champix) is a prescription medicine that reduces withdrawal symptoms and cigarette cravings. If you think you’d like to take varenicline and you have a history of depression, anxiety, or heart disease, discuss this with your doctor or nurse before taking the medicine. Varenicline can also increase the effects of alcohol in some people. It’s a good idea to limit drinking while you’re taking it, at least until you know how it affects you.
If you take bupropion or varenicline and you have any of the following symptoms, stop taking the medicine and call your doctor or nurse:
Counseling can happen during formal office visits or just over the phone. A counselor can help you:
Studies show that people have the best luck at quitting if they take medicines to help them quit and work with a counselor. It might also be helpful to combine nicotine replacement with one of the prescription medicines that help people quit. In some cases, it might even make sense to take bupropion and varenicline together.
Sometimes people wonder if using electronic cigarettes, or “e-cigarettes,” might help them quit smoking. Using e-cigarettes is also called “vaping.” Doctors do not recommend e-cigarettes in place of medicines and counseling. That’s because e-cigarettes still contain nicotine as well as other substances that might be harmful. It’s not clear how they can affect a person’s health in the long term.
Yes, you might gain a few pounds. But quitting smoking will have a much more positive effect on your health than weighing a few pounds more. Plus, you can help prevent some weight gain by being more active and eating less. Taking the medicine bupropion might help control weight gain.
You can:
If you are pregnant, it’s really important for the health of your baby that you quit. Ask your doctor what options you have, and what is safest for your baby.