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I started Zyban Saturday. Once I kick the nicotene I'll have only 2 vices left: Coffee and Chocolate. I can live long and play hard with just those two.
The Mrs. and I have talked about it, tried a few times, and a few times more. Be real nice to spend that cash on something else, like an old truck!
WELCOME TO THE CLUB! Like RHW, I smoked for 23 years. I quit 10 weeks ago and I am still on the wagon. I used the "Patch" and it was a big help for my first week. After that it wasn't so bad. You can definately notice things differently after a couple of weeks.
Good luck and enjoy!
Good luck! I'm sure it'll be hard, maybe that stuff will do the trick. My dad said "it was easy to quit smoking, hell I've done it thousands of times". Good Luck!
Thanks guys!
I've smoked only 19 of the past 44 years. Last time I quit I stayed smoke free for 5 years: From 6 feet away, nothing smells better to an ex-smoker (stupidstupidstupid).
Tried the Zyban before; made good progress, life got chaotic, had to throw money at something else. Doc I have now loaded me up with free samples (Insurance doesn't cover Zyban???), will give me more if need be.
Money aside, it's getting harder to outrun/outplay the kids. That crap doesn't cut it, time for change!
Zyban and other meds like that are, well....two sided. They are also used for depression. If you go to your doc and say that you have been feeling a bit down, then insurance will cover it because it is for depression. A medical need. But if listed for quitting smoking, then it is a medical want and not covered.
I have one bit of advice, this worked for me about 17 years ago. Take the amount of money you would have spent each day on smokes and put it away, like in a dresser drawer. Reward yourself in some little way each day, or when you reach each goal, using this money.
One of the first rewards I "gave" myself was a new mountain bike. Riding the bike made me appreciate being able to breath that little bit better without the smokes! I figured if I could waste the money on smoking, I most certainly could spend it on other things.
Good Luck With it. I quit smoking 5 and half years ago. I used the gum, of corse there was only two flavors then ( one tasted like paper and the other like postage stamps) but it worked.
Hunter, in a former life (1982) it worked for me. While I admit that the replacement tasted much better, it's simply not a consideration now. I watched a movie on HBO called "Methodonia". It chronicled Methadone replacement therapy for Heroine junkies. Jeeeezzzz, talk about getting a perspective. I'll take the nic-fits and get over it.
Week two: I didn't make goal, but I did stay under 40 per day. That's progress, I'll take it! The Zyban is working as expected; I don't want to smoke as often, don't enjoy it when I do light up. Now it's down to breaking the habit patterns, and like Hunter said-make the stretch. Last spring I tapered down to 22/day without medication. I can do this.
Goal for the week: Still less than 35/day. I'm cutting back on the coffee. Probably don't need it since I am bicycling to work. 3 miles, mostly downhill-WOOHOO! The ride home gets me pumped also.
It dawned on me this past week that I'm coming up on my two year anniversary. I quit Thanksgiving weekend, just in time for the fuel prices to go through the roof. It was easy too, remember that big storm that shut down I-80? I damn near froze to death. I hurt from the hypothermia, I hurt from the withdrawls, don't want to try either one again. The website linked in this thread helped my perception of the problem, and the solution.