Smoking Cessation Products

March 9, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Quit Smoking Articles

Prashant asked:


1. Gum

The first question which arises in every body mind is how a Gum can be helpful to quit smoking?

Answer to this question is NICORETTE present in that Gum.

What is NICORETTE Gum?

NICORETTE Gum allows people to actively control how much nicotine they use and when they use it.

How does it help to quit smoking?

Nicotine present in tobacco is an addictive substance. People who try to quit smoking often experience unpleasant symptoms and cravings for cigarettes, because they feel dependent on the nicotine present in tobacco.

People who try to quit smoking often experience unpleasant symptoms line irritability, headaches, restlessness, insomnia and difficulty concentrating.

Nicorette microtabs contain nicotine. This is a type of medicine known as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and is used to help smokers give up the habit.

Nicotine replacement therapies work by giving smokers a small amount of nicotine, but without the dangerous effects of inhaling tobacco smoke. This helps relieve the withdrawal symptoms and cravings for a cigarette that smokers gets when they stop smoking, and allows them to get on with breaking the psychological habit of smoking.

Nicorette microtabs are designed in such a way that they easily dissolve under tongue. The nicotine is then absorbed into the bloodstream from the lining of your mouth and it provides relief from cravings.

Nicorette micro tabs are used to reduce smoker’s cravings for a cigarette after they quit smoking completely. The number of tablets they use each day, depends on how much they used to smoke and what strength their cigarettes were. Smokers should not use more than is recommended on the packet.

After quitting smoking completely, smokers are recommended that they should use one to two tablets every hour, for up to three months after stopping smoking. Smokers should then be able to gradually reduce the number of tablets they are using, so that they can use less and less nicotine. Smokers should stop using the tablets when their consumption is down to one or two tablets a day.

If smokers feels that they are not yet ready to stop smoking completely, Nicorette microtabs are also licensed to help them to cut down the number of cigarettes they smoke each day. For this they should use a tablet instead of having certain cigarettes, in order to increase the time between cigarettes and reduce the number they smoke as much as possible. This can make it easier to eventually stop smoking completely.

NRT comes in basically in two forms.

Full Strength 4mg Gum: Suitable for those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day.

Low Strength 2mg Gum: Suitable for those who smoke 20 cigarettes a day or less.

Nicorette microtabs are basically used to get relief of withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking.

Danger!!!

· Nicorette microtabs should be allowed to dissolve completely under the tongue. It should not be chewed or swallowed like normal tablets, as this is more likely to cause side effects such as throat and stomach irritation, indigestion or hiccups.

· Smokers are suggested to take one to two tablets per hour to relieve their cravings to smoke, depending on how many cigarettes they normally smoke and how strong they are. Smokers should not take more than 40 tablets a day.

· Smokers should drink acidic drinks such as coffee, sodas and fruit juices with the gap of around 30 minutes after taking a Nicorette microtabs otherwise it can reduce the amount of nicotine that is absorbed from the mouth, if they drink them in the 15 minutes prior to taking a Nicorette microtab.

· Nicorette microtabs should be kept out of reach of children.

Precautions!!!

· Teenagers aged 12 to 18 years old should not use NRT for longer than 12 weeks without consulting a doctor, pharmacist or nurse for advice

· NRT is not for the patient of disease related to heart and blood vessels.

· NR is not for diabetics. Etc.

Should not be used by:

· Non-smokers.

· This medicine is not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age.

Smokers, who face allergy problems after using this medicine or any of its ingredients, should consult to their doctor.

Women’s Health

· Nicotine in any form should be avoided ideally during pregnancy, as it has shown adversely affect the development of a baby, both in the womb and after birth. However, for pregnant women who can not quit smoking without a smoking cessation aid, NRT may deliver less nicotine in comparison that would be obtained from cigarettes. Thus, it is considered that NRT creates less of a risk to the foetus than to smoke.

Nicotine inhaled in any form passes into ****** milk and is very harmful to the nursing infant. However, for ladies who can not give up smoking without a smoking cessation aid, NRT may deliver less nicotine in comparison that would be obtained from cigarettes. NRT can therefore be used during breastfeeding. Wherever possible, the microtabs should be used immediately after breastfeeding and not in the two hours before breastfeeding, in order to reduce the amount of nicotine that the infant is exposed to.

Side effects

any type of medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. There are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with NRT. These side effects are not faced by every person who uses NRT.

· Headache.

· Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations).

· Dry mouth.

· Abdominal discomfort.

· Dizziness.

· Sore mouth or throat.

· Nausea.

· Mouth ulcers.

· Hiccups.

· Burning sensation in the mouth.

· Coughing.

Can this medicine affect other medicines?

NRT itself does not affect any other medicines. However, the components of tobacco can cause certain medicines to be removed from the body faster than normal. Smokers should inform their doctor that they will give up smoking if they will take the following medicines, as when they stop smoking their doses may need to be changed:

· Theophylline or aminophylline.

· dextropropoxyphene

· flecainide

· tacrine

· olanzapine

· clozapine

· pentazocine

Smokers having diabetes problem need more insulin, as smoking reduces the amount of insulin absorbed into the blood through injection, so if people with diabetes quit smoking, they can subsequently feel a reduction in their insulin dose. Smokers with diabetes should track their blood sugar levels more closely when stopping smoking.



Quit Smoking With a Little Help From Zyban, Chantrix

March 9, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Quit Smoking Articles

Mark Smith asked:


Smoking Cessation Information Center. Quit Smoking… With a Little Help From Your Friends…

You’ve decided. This time, you’re really ready to quit smoking. And you aren’t going to take no for an answer.

So, how do you ensure that your determination to stop smoking delivers results that last? How do you convince yourself, and everyone else, that this isn’t just another cold turkey experiment doomed to end in failure, like those other times?

If you’ve tried going it alone or using quit smoking aids like nicotine gum and patches all to no avail, maybe it’s time to try something new… to give yourself a fighting chance. After all, this could literally be the fight of your life.

Do You Need Help to Stop Smoking?

You probably could use some outside help to stop smoking if:



You have tried hard to quit smoking or cut back but haven’t been able to.

You want to stop smoking for good, but just keep puffing away.

You find you need more cigarettes to get the same good feeling you used to get from them.

When you try to stop smoking, you have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like cigarette cravings, anxiety, irritability, headaches, stomachaches, restlessness, drowsiness and difficulty concentrating.

You have a serious health problem you know is made worse by tobacco use (like heart or breathing problems) but you just can’t quit smoking.



 

If any of these sound like you, it may be time to ask your doctor about prescription quit smoking aids and how to get the most out of them.

The Facts About Prescription “Helpers”: Zyban and Chantix

There are two main prescription-only tablets on the market being prescribed by doctors to help their patients quit smoking: Zyban and Chantix. They are both nicotine-free products taken in tablet form to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But they have distinct differences.

Quit Smoking With Zyban

Zyban works on brain chemicals, reducing your urge to smoke and lessening the withdrawal symptoms. This makes it easier for many users to quit smoking and stay quit. You take a Zyban pill twice a day and then decide on a date to stop smoking, usually in the second week of taking Zyban.

Zyban makes the process of quitting easier by minimizing the withdrawal symptoms outlined earlier and controlling your nicotine cravings. Its active ingredient, bupropion, is also contained in Wellbutrin, a prescription anti-depressant.

It’s important to note that Zyban is NOT a magic bullet. It works for about 1/3 of users who were able to quit smoking for at least a month with its help. That success rate drops off over time. Your chances will be increased if you use Zyban in combination with a stop smoking support program or counseling.

Zyban is possibly the best known and most prescribed smoking cessation aid, but a newer product – Chantix – actually boasts a higher success rate.

Quit Smoking With Chantix

Chantix is also a prescription-only medication taken orally to help quit smoking. Like Zyban, it contains no nicotine so if needed it can be used with nicotine replacement products like gum or patches. You take one Chantix for the first three days of treatment, and then two a day until treatment ends.

The documentation on Chantix quotes independent studies that show Chantix is better at helping participants kick the habit: it says 44% were able to stop smoking with Chantix while only 30% quit while on Zyban.

This could be because Chantix is a considerably different product with unique properties. Its active ingredient is varenicline, not bupropion. And it has a dual action mechanism to help stop smoking:



Even though Chantix doesn’t contain any nicotine, it provides the body with some nicotine-like effects that help ease the cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

And Chantix also works to block the effects of nicotine on the brain to reduce the pleasure reward of smoking.



 

Summing Up

Treatment with both Zyban and Chantix lasts at least 12 weeks, maybe longer if you need additional support to stay off cigarettes. Your doctor is the best person to ask about which product is better for you. He or she will take into account any medical conditions you may have and drugs you currently use to ensure no negative interactions.

If it’s time for you to stop smoking, we can help – with information and with the lowest drug prices on the Internet. Follow these links to get more details and to order online:

Learn more about Zyban here.

Learn more about Chantix here.