Comment from: terrie, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: August 07
I was prescribed bupropion (Welbutrin) to quit smoking. I have not started the pills yet. I have been reading all that I can about this medicine because I have tried to quit many times and not succeeded. I have been prescribed varenicline (Chantix) in the past twice, and I got severely sick. In turn, I smoked even more cigarettes. I have tried the gum, patches, etc.
I am not new to quitting smoking. I have quit successfully twice: The first time for four years and the second time for 10 years. Life changes bring me back to the nasty habit, such as a marriage to a smoker and a death of a beloved family member. Both of those times I quit cold turkey! I might have to do that this time.
Comment from: Priscilla, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: August 07
I am 63 and have been smoking since I was 17. I finally decided to stop because of the price of smokes in New Jersey and the fact it's such an anti-social habit.
Oh, boy! It is not easy, and now that I have read about the side effects of nicotine gum (addiction to the gum, hair loss, etc.) that scares me even more.
I found that EFT tapping really helps me over the desperation times. I thought it was such a stupid thing until I tried it one day when I was close to lighting up again after three smoke-free weeks. It really helped immensely, though for the life of me I can't understand why and still feel faintly ridiculous whenever I do it.
Comment from: becky, 35-44 FemalePublished: May 20
I was prescribed Wellbutrin in the mid 90s, and I quit smoking the first day I took the pill. It made cigarettes taste painfully awful and it worked immediately. I stopped smoking for five years. However, I am trying to quit again without Wellbutrin and nothing seems to work. My mother and grandmother quit smoking after 40 years by placing Copenhagen in between their toes and wearing a nylon stocking over their feet when they slept or during the day. I thought they were both crazy. Neither has smoked in 15 years.
Comment from: Terri, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: May 20
I have been smoking for 23 years and my husband even longer. We have both tried several times to quit and tried the patches, gum, and Wellbutrin. We are trying the patch again and are doing very well. We have quit now for 15 days. I find it easier with each day. I hope us all success.
Comment from: papa budley, 65-74 Male (Patient)Published: April 08
I smoked for almost 50 years and quit last year. I did it the easy way: I just said no more.
I do not think that nicotine is addictive. Is it a bad habit? Yes, but is it addictive? No. If I want a juicy steak, does that mean that I'm addicted to it?
I wanted a cigarette for maybe a week, and then I just forgot about it. My wife smokes, and it doesn't bother me at all.
Comment from: missy, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: December 17
I have been a smoker for 24 years and have tried many things to help me quit over the years including patches gum home remedies and prescription medications with no success for any length of time, I was encouraged by the results of former smokers who used Chantix as an aid but then discouraged that many insurance companies do not cover this med and the out of pocket expense is quite large for someone with limited resources. Getting help shouldn't be so hard.
Comment from: anna, 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
I was very depressed, (loss of job, deaths of family members), so my therapist suggested I take Wellbutrin (Bupropion). I am now on it about 4 months and it has not helped with the urge to smoke. I have been using the patch for months. Then I buy a pack of cigarettes and smoke them and then put on a patch again. It is absolutely crazy. Now I am using the 'gum'. I had quit successfully for 10 years with the gum, but picked up again when my sister died and am now smoking for 5 years again. I am going to keep taking the Bupropin. Even though there are some side effects, my throat swells and my breathing seems suppressed and my chest feels tight. My GP said these side effects were slight and 'might' get better. I just don't want to be in a depression any more and smoking to make myself feel 'happier'. I hope the gum will help, and by reducing it over time I will be nicotine-free.
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Suggested Reading on Smoking (How to Quit Smoking) by Our Doctors
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other form of cancer. Eight out of 10 lung cancers are due
to tobacco smoke. Lung cancers are classified as either small cell or non-small
cell cancers.
Blood clots can occur in the venous and arterial vascular system. Blood clots can form in the heart, legs, arteries, veins, bladder, urinary tract and uterus. Risk factors for blood clots include high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and family history. Symptoms of a blood clot depend on the location of the clot. Some blood clots are a medical emergency. Blood clots are treated depending upon the cause of the clot. Blood clots can be prevented by lowering the risk factors for developing blood clots.
A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer has been called a "silent" disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does not cause symptoms.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
In the U.S., more than 2,000 people are diagnosed with bone cancer every year. There are many types of bone cancer. The most common forms of bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, fibrosarcoma, and chordoma. Pain is the most common symptom. Treatment usually involves surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Though the cause of stomach cancer is unknown, risk factors for stomach cancer include diet, H. pylori infection, smoking age, gastritis, stomach surgery, family history, and pernicious anemia. Symptoms include stomach discomfort, feeling full after a small meal, nausea and vomiting, and weight loss. Treatment depends upon staging and may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness of the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose. In addition to inflammation of the facial skin, symptoms include dilation of the blood vessels and pimples (acne rosacea) in the middle third of the face. Oral and topical antibiotics are treatments for rosacea. If left untreated, rhinophyma (a disfiguring nose condition) may result.
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy located outside the inner lining of the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. Symptoms include abdominal pain, amenorrhea, and vaginal bleeding. Treatment options include observation, medication, or surgery.
Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the candida fungus. Symptoms of Thrush include pain or difficulty swallowing, a feeling that food gets stuck in the throat, and fever.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a ballooning or widening of the main artery (the aorta) as it courses down through the abdomen. The most common cause of aortic aneurysms is
"hardening of the arteries" called arteriosclerosis.
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Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary
artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical
instability of the heart.
The term oral cancer includes cancer of the mouth (oral cavity) and the back of the mouth (oropharynx). Red and white patches inside the mouth, bleeding, loose teeth, pain upon swallowing, a lump in the neck, earache, and a sore on your lip or in your mouth that won't heal are all symptoms of oral cancer. Treatment for oral cancer depends upon the staging of the disease and usually involves surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
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Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude). Treatment of polycythemia depends on the cause.
Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by a pale-blue-red sequence of color changes of the digits, most commonly after exposure to cold. Occurring as a result of spasm of blood vessels, the cause is unknown. Symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon depend on the severity, frequency, and duration of the blood vessel spasm. Treatments include protection of the digits, medications, and avoiding emotional stresses, smoking, cold temperature, and tools that vibrate the hands.
Esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the esophagus. Risk factors of cancer of the esophagus include smoking, heavy alcohol use, Barrett's esophagus, being male and being over age 60. Severe weight loss, vomiting, hoarseness, coughing up blood, painful swallowing, and pain in the throat or back are symptoms. Treatment depends upon the size, location and staging of the cancer and the health of the patient.
A miscarriage is any pregnancy that ends spontaneously before the fetus can survive. Miscarriage usually occurs before the 13th week of pregnancy. The cause of a miscarriage cannot always be determined. The most common causes of a miscarriage in the first trimester are collagen vascular disease (lupus), hormonal problems, diabetes, chromosomal abnormalities, and congenital abnormalities of the uterus.
A peptic ulcer is an ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Ulcer formation is related to Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach, use of anti-inflammatory medications, and cigarette smoking.
Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.
Emphysema is a progressive disease of the lungs. The primary cause of emphysema is smoking. Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a rare disorder that has a genetic predisposition to emphysema. Aging, IV drug use, immune deficiencies, and connect tissue illnesses are also risk factors for emphysema. Emphysema is a subtype of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COLD). Symptoms include shortness of breath and wheezing. Management of symptoms may be achieved with medications, quitting smoking, pulmonary rehabilitation, or surgery.
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Canker sore is a small ulcer crater in the lining of the mouth. Canker sores are one of the most
common problems that occur in the mouth. Canker sores typically last for
10-14 days and they heal without leaving a scar.
Asthma is a common disorder in which
chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, narrowing the airways. Signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness,
cough and wheezing.
Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction, is a common
problem among men characterized by the consistent inability to sustain an
erection sufficient for sexual intercourse or the inability to achieve
ejaculation, or both. Impotence can have emotional causes but most often it is
due to a physical problem.
The lungs are a pair of organs in the chest, which are
primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide between the air we breathe and the
blood.
What does breathing accomplish?
The cells in the body constantly need a new supply of
oxygen to produce energy. With lack of oxygen, cellular
function is impaired and damage or cell death may occur. As
energy is utilized, waste products are created, one of
which is the gas carbon dioxide. Eliminating carbon
dioxide from the body is just as important as breathing in
oxygen from the air. If carbon dioxide builds up in the
blood it will lead to headaches, drowsiness, coma, and
eventually even death.
What is the structure of the respiratory system?
Air enters the body via the nose (preferably) or the
mouth. The air enters the main win...
I was prescribed bupropion (Welbutrin) to quit smoking. I have not started the pills yet. I have been reading all that I can about this medicine because I have tried to quit many times and not succeeded. I have been prescribed varenicline (Chantix) in the past twice, and I got severely sick. In turn, I smoked even more cigarettes. I have tried the gum, patches, etc. I am not new to quitting smoking. I have quit successfully twice: The first time for four years and the second time for 10 years. Life changes bring me back to the nasty habit, such as a marriage to a smoker and a death of a beloved family member. Both of those times I quit cold turkey! I might have to do that this time.
Related Reading: bupropion | smoking