"Chantix vs. Nicoderm: Marketing Meets Science"

Concludes Chantix appeared "just a bit" more effective:

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/07/28/chantix-versus-nicoderm-marketing-meets-science/
From the article:
"So what do we make of all this? Chantix did appear a bit — just a bit — more effective. The finding is accompanied by a large grain of salt–Pfizer’s connection to the research."
Quitting cold turkey builds character. [QUOTE=Thinkthinn]Quitting cold turkey builds character. [/QUOTE]

I'm enough of a character!!

I can attest to Chantix easing the beginnings of quitting.. makes smoking taste like nothing and that it removes the addictive drug from your system because you actually quit on day 8... whereas Nicoderm doesn't and Nicoderm works on breaking the associative actions and habits and then reduces the drug in your system by using it less.

i haven't, thusfar, been successful in my attempt.. I will try again soon.

[QUOTE=Thinkthinn]Quitting cold turkey builds character. [/QUOTE]

That may wll be true for some people. All I know is my mother was unable to quit smoking and died of lung cancer in my early twenties. It seems to me these meds might have increased her chances.........

I have tried them all even hypnosis. Nothing worked for me. I wish they would come out with something that would. I know it takes wanting to quit and will power but right now I have no will power.It's hard to quit! I know! But eveyone I know who decides to do it eventually does quit and it isn't easy but they do it. Lots of things in life aren't easy. I think breaking the associations is the hardest, from my experience. In my grandmother's case, she lost her hearing and didn't have much to replace smoking with and I really believe that made it the hardest for her. If should she could have talked on the phone, etc., it would have been different. I like lostpoet want to quit, but it is so hard. Especially when the pain of this RA hits, unforturnately it is my crutch. I am going to ask my dr. for a prescription for Chantix because my brother and sister in law were able to quit while on it.This says there is a study showing quitting will be good for your spouse, too:
http://www.ra4food.org/2008/07/29/want-to-reduce-your-risk-of-a-strokedont-marry-a-smoker/
More blogging today on cigs! From Dr. Wes:
http://drwes.blogspot.com/2008/07/quote-of-day.html

Yes with this darn Ra it is my cruch as well.I had tried to quit sooo many times. I felt like a real failure. It's like I didn't finish a lot of things that I started and I would try to quit and boom, one small thing would happen and that was my excuse for starting up again. I smoked for 40 years. I loved cigarettes. They were truly a part of me.

But one day out of the blue, I realized how I had to approach this. Number one stop complaining that I cant quit . And Just &&^%&&* quit.
So, I decided I would have to be a soldier fighting against the enemy ( Cigarettes)
Every hour of every day I thought of nothing but fighting that enemy and I was not going to lose this time. I was going to come out the winner for once. I was going toTAKE CHARGE
of my own life.
Every once in awhile I cried. Yes, I just sat down and cried. But I didn't give in. It got easier after 3-4 days and then I didn't have to fight as hard but I kept up with the soldier looking for that enemy to pop up and then just shoot him down.

I would say that this was one of the things I am most proud of. Strangely in the end I gained confidence in myself and was so much more self assured. I thought my goodness where did that come from?
Well, it came from taking charge of my life and not giving it up to anything or anyone else. This whole experience has changed me for good on so many levels.
I don't know if anyone can understand what I am saying but I say go cold turkey. You will get your confidence back in a big way and you will be so proud to have taken charge of your life.
I know the soldier thing might sound childish but I did what I had to do and that was to fight the enemy. I won.
I wouldn't have a cigarette if my closest loved one died and that is the truth.
Quit 6 years now. If any of you need help I am here .
thanks, Thinkthinn.. that's very inspirational.. I scare easily I guess.

When I found out I had RA - my rheumy said she wouldn't give me MX unless I promised to quit smoking - said it can cause lung pleurisy - and proceeded to tell me how bad smoking is for RA.

I quit that day - cold turkey - that was a year and a half ago - haven't thought about picking one up at all. And to make it even harder - even though I quit - my boyfriend didn't. Then he quit this past january - and started smoking again 3 weeks ago (he did take chantix for one month - and he has high blood pressure and asthma)! He was supposed to quit today - cold turkey. I'd like to believe that he will quit - but something tells me this isn't the end of it.

I actually believe that my smoking brought on my RA. No way I can ever prove it - but it will keep me from ever smoking again.

Hugs

~Brenna

[QUOTE=Brennaboo]I scare easily I guess.

When I found out I had RA - my rheumy said she wouldn't give me MX unless I promised to quit smoking - said it can cause lung pleurisy - and proceeded to tell me how bad smoking is for RA.

I actually believe that my smoking brought on my RA. No way I can ever prove it - but it will keep me from ever smoking again.

Hugs

~Brenna

[/QUOTE]

i've read that it takes at least 3 tries average for most to quit.. Hopefully this one is the one for your boyfriend!

I quit on Oct 7, 2007 using Chantix then I stopped taking it 4 days after quitting which can be the hardest days. On Aug 7, 2008 I will have 10 big months smoke free!

Good luck to all. I know how hard it is to quit.

"Chantix vs. Nicoderm: Marketing Meets Science" | Arthritis Information