Unique quitting tips?

Nurses Stress 101

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Specializes in NICU.

Sooo. I need to quit smoking. I really, really do. I work in a NICU, and smoking is very much frowned upon. I've tried so, so many times. I can't take the pills (bipolar) and the patches make me throw up a lot. So I gotta do it on my own.

Help? Please? I can't eat carrot sticks or chew gum on the floor, and smoking is SUCH a part of my routine. Wake up, make coffee, read paper and smoke 2 cigarettes. I time my freakin LIFE by those things. Anyone quit cold turkey and lived to tell about it?

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm not a smoker myself, but I commend you for trying to quit. :)

I've heard wonderful things about hypnosis. I know several people who all quit cold turkey after ONE session.

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Specializes in Neuro.

My boyfriend went to his physician and got a sample of Wellbutrin. Apparently one of its side effects is curbing smoking cravings. It won't totally eliminate the cravings, but he said it lessened the worst ones. He's been smoke free since last March.

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Specializes in NICU.
My boyfriend went to his physician and got a sample of Wellbutrin. Apparently one of its side effects is curbing smoking cravings. It won't totally eliminate the cravings, but he said it lessened the worst ones. He's been smoke free since last March.

I tried Wellbutrin once - precipitated a hideous manic episode, unfortunately. I'll look into the hypnosis thing. Anyone know how much it costs?

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Specializes in NICU.
I tried Wellbutrin once - precipitated a hideous manic episode, unfortunately. I'll look into the hypnosis thing. Anyone know how much it costs?

I think I've heard it's between $50 and $100 for a session, depending on where you live. The people I know who did it said it wasn't too bad, especially since they didn't have to buy cigarettes anymore.

I think they say the reason it works so well is that smoking is more of a routine for some people. That's why the patches and gum don't work for a lot of smokers - they didn't need the nicotine half as much as they needed the routine of lighting up a cigarette. They were hypotized to not even have that urge anymore. It's very cool to see it work with a long-time smoker!

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

when ya find something that works, will ya let me know???

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Get pregnant!! I used to LOVE to smoke. I would look so forward to it. Then I found out I was pregnant and realized that I had to stop. What helped me (although I know you said it wouldn't work for you) was the gum. I would chew that nasty stuff everytime I got a craving. I am kind of good at hiding gum in my mouth without it being seen so noone would guess that I had it. When I went to the bathroom or anywhere where noone would see me I would chew.

Also, my FIL went to the "Mad Russian" hypnotist here in Boston and since then he hasn't smoked. May I add that he also said it cost a lot of money and he is not going to let that money go to waste!

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.

I quit "cold turkey" when I found out I was pregnant. My dh also quit cold turkey 12 years later when his MD told him he was developing emphysema. Now, 25 years further on, he is on medication and O2 for his COPD. But we figure he'd probably be dead if he hadn't quit when he did. He did chew gum. Not nicotine gum, just good old spearmint. He also went to the dentist and had his teeth thoroughly cleaned, and changed his routine to avoid the times that he really had the "craves". For each of us, it appears that the real impetus was a motivating factor that made sense to us.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

My husband gave his "quit day" to our son for his 3rd birthday as a gift. Said son is now almost 5 and daddy just couldnt bear the thought of taking his litle guys gift back! He hasn't had a cigarette since!

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..

I have a "Yahoo groups" Christian stop smoking email loop if you are interested -- also Quitnet.com is very helpful and has chat rooms, quit meters, testimonies, and etc. I've also found some of the principles of AA very helpful!

I have quit a number of times and this time I have almost 4 months.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Quitters}}}}}}}}}}}

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I quit smoking about 3 years ago and really never wanted to pick one up again after I made my mind up to quit. I always said if smoking started to affect my health I would stop. 3 years ago I was diagnosed with ITP, had a platelette count of 2 and was bleeding to death. After being tested one day for cancer and the next for HIV (both came up negative) it was decided that I had ITP. I have never touched another cigarette again. It is mind over desire (also I had said a few prayers and had several people praying for me also.)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Here is what I did:

Got involved and fell in love with a committed NON-smoker

Reduced the times and places I could smoke, such as:

No smoking inside house

No smoking in car

No smoking at meal time

No smoking around non-smokers

Only allowed myself to smoke on patio and only in evening

Eventually there were so few times and places I allowed myself to smoke, I was down to one or two a day and just quit.

Cold turkey never did work for me---and I quit before there were patches, gum and was never into hypnosis. I also quit before bans were in effect in most places, so it was a challenge not to light up after dinner. But I made myself hang with non-smokers and simply disallowed myself to smoke with them

In effect, I weaned myself off them and quit.

Hope this helps?

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