A. You will live
longer and feel better. Quitting will lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke,
or cancer. The people you live with, especially children, will be healthier. If you are
pregnant, you will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And you will have extra
money to spend on things other than cigarettes.
Q. What is the
first thing I need to do once I've decided to quit?
A. You should set
a quit date -- the day when you will break free of your tobacco addiction. Then, consider
visiting your doctor or other health care provider before the quit date. She or he can
help by providing practical advice and information on the medication that is best for you.
Q. What
medication would work best for me?
A. Different
people do better with different methods. You have five choices of medications that are
currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: a non-nicotine pill
(bupropion SR), nicotine gum, a nicotine inhaler, a nicotine nasal spray, and a nicotine
patch. The gum and patches are available at your local pharmacy, or you can ask your
health care provider to write you a prescription for one of the other medications. The
good news is that all five medications have been shown to be effective in helping smokers
who are motivated to quit.
Q. How will I
feel when I quit smoking? Will I gain weight?
A. Many smokers
gain weight when they quit, but it is usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet,
stay active, and try not to let weight gain distract you from your main goal-quitting
smoking. Some of the medications to help you quit may help delay weight gain.
Q. Some of my
friends and family are smokers. What should I do when I'm with them?
A. Tell them that
you are quitting, and ask them to assist you in this effort. Specifically, ask them not to
smoke or leave cigarettes around you.
Q. What kinds
of activities can I do when I feel the urge to smoke?
A. Talk with
someone, go for a walk, drink water, or get busy with a task. Reduce your stress by taking
a hot bath, exercising, or reading a book.
Q. How can I
change my daily routine, which includes smoking a cigarette with my breakfast?
A. When you first
try to quit, change your routine. Eat breakfast in a different place, and drink tea
instead of coffee. Take a different route to work.
Q. I like to
smoke when I have a drink. Do I have to give up both?
A. It's best to
avoid drinking alcohol for the first 3 months after quitting because drinking lowers your
chances of success at quitting. It helps to drink a lot of water and other non-alcoholic
drinks when you are trying to quit.
Q. I've tried
to quit before and it didn't work. What can I do?
A. Remember that
most people have to try to quit at least 2 or 3 times before they are successful. Review
your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked -- and what didn't -- and try to use
your most successful strategies again.
Q. What should
I do if I need more help?
A. Get
individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you get, the better your
chances are of quitting for good. Programs are given at local hospitals and health
centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.
Also, talk with your doctor or other health care provider.
You're doing
really good with your quit so stick with it. Before you realize it you will start to
feel better and you will be able to reap all of the health benefits from being a
non-smoker!
