Quit Smoking? People are often put off by the very title quit smoking, as it does have the implication as you need to stop, straight away.
This is not always the case.
There are a variety of approaches to reducing smoking, and down the road quitting.
Of course there is always the option to stop straight away, with or without a product, however if you do not feel comfortable with the cold turkey approaches, there are other paths to take to the goal of no longer needing to light up.
Most people are familiar with patches and gum.
There are also inhalers and lozenges for those not comfortable with chewing gum, for example it may not be appropriate in their work place.
For others there is a preference to patches which discreetly give the body a suitable dose of nicotine that can avoid cravings.
These are available to wear from morning until bedtime, as well as 24 hours patches that can give around the clock control of cravings.
Which one should you use? The first points to consider is any health conditions you may have as well as medications.
In those instances it is appropriate to seek your GPs opinion, however, you can check with your pharmacist whether those conditions/medications have any impact upon the decision.
If they do, the pharmacist would then advise you to see your doctor before starting to administer any nicotine products.
Medical reasoning aside, it is personal preference what type of nicotine replacement you use.
The important part is to consider how much you currently smoke to then allow you to chose a strength of whatever form you choose.
Simply put, if you smoke a lot, you'll need a higher dose of say gum to start with than someone that smokes less.
In your Smoking Cessation area of your pharmacy, there should be documentation and leaflets indicating who much of a certain product you will need depending on how much you smoke.
There are different brands of the same type of product, so make sure you are reading the right information for the right product.
In general, the concept is to start on an appropriate dose and then gradually reduce at your own pace.
Don't be discouraged if you find you are on nicotine replacement longer than you first thought, as nicotine replacement products are far better to be on instead of cigarettes, as they don't have all the extra additives that cigarettes do that also contribute to the damage done to the body.
There are also prescription medications to assist quitting.
They are not nicotine products but work on the body in a different way to assist reducing and removing cravings.
Have a chat to your GP if you feel you could benefit from that option.
There are also support groups, phone lines and websites that assist your program to quit smoking.
In Australia we have the very helpful and popular Quit line.
It can be very difficult to cease smoking and this is something your pharmacist realizes even if they themselves do not have a history of smoking.
Don't be embarrassed if you say this is my 3rd 5th or 10th attempt at quitting, as this is the case for many people, and it can take a few goes before smoking is removed from your lifestyle.
If you don't quit on the first go, don't give up.
It is quite common for people to try a few times.
Your pharmacist can help you with product selection and can chat with you about why its good for your health.
Yes, we have all heard the links between smoking and cancer, but did you know that they can be relative immediate benefits to quitting smoking that you can actually feel as you smoke less and eventually stop? If you'd like to discuss quitting or a specific product, you may directly ask the pharmacist on the link at the top of the page
This is not always the case.
There are a variety of approaches to reducing smoking, and down the road quitting.
Of course there is always the option to stop straight away, with or without a product, however if you do not feel comfortable with the cold turkey approaches, there are other paths to take to the goal of no longer needing to light up.
Most people are familiar with patches and gum.
There are also inhalers and lozenges for those not comfortable with chewing gum, for example it may not be appropriate in their work place.
For others there is a preference to patches which discreetly give the body a suitable dose of nicotine that can avoid cravings.
These are available to wear from morning until bedtime, as well as 24 hours patches that can give around the clock control of cravings.
Which one should you use? The first points to consider is any health conditions you may have as well as medications.
In those instances it is appropriate to seek your GPs opinion, however, you can check with your pharmacist whether those conditions/medications have any impact upon the decision.
If they do, the pharmacist would then advise you to see your doctor before starting to administer any nicotine products.
Medical reasoning aside, it is personal preference what type of nicotine replacement you use.
The important part is to consider how much you currently smoke to then allow you to chose a strength of whatever form you choose.
Simply put, if you smoke a lot, you'll need a higher dose of say gum to start with than someone that smokes less.
In your Smoking Cessation area of your pharmacy, there should be documentation and leaflets indicating who much of a certain product you will need depending on how much you smoke.
There are different brands of the same type of product, so make sure you are reading the right information for the right product.
In general, the concept is to start on an appropriate dose and then gradually reduce at your own pace.
Don't be discouraged if you find you are on nicotine replacement longer than you first thought, as nicotine replacement products are far better to be on instead of cigarettes, as they don't have all the extra additives that cigarettes do that also contribute to the damage done to the body.
There are also prescription medications to assist quitting.
They are not nicotine products but work on the body in a different way to assist reducing and removing cravings.
Have a chat to your GP if you feel you could benefit from that option.
There are also support groups, phone lines and websites that assist your program to quit smoking.
In Australia we have the very helpful and popular Quit line.
It can be very difficult to cease smoking and this is something your pharmacist realizes even if they themselves do not have a history of smoking.
Don't be embarrassed if you say this is my 3rd 5th or 10th attempt at quitting, as this is the case for many people, and it can take a few goes before smoking is removed from your lifestyle.
If you don't quit on the first go, don't give up.
It is quite common for people to try a few times.
Your pharmacist can help you with product selection and can chat with you about why its good for your health.
Yes, we have all heard the links between smoking and cancer, but did you know that they can be relative immediate benefits to quitting smoking that you can actually feel as you smoke less and eventually stop? If you'd like to discuss quitting or a specific product, you may directly ask the pharmacist on the link at the top of the page