Immediate and delayed quitting
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD
For me the interesting thing was that Chantix and Zyban each improved the proportion who initially quit (over placebo), but Chantix also increased the proportion who managed to achieve abstinence after their initial target quit date. Dr Gonzalez presented a nice diagram showing that the number of patients achieving abstinence continued to increase across the first 12 weeks among those on Chantix or Zyban (although it increased faster among those on Chantix).
Colleagues have remarked that patients taking Chantix are less focused on the target quit day (typically day 8 of taking Chantix) than we are used to. We think that’s because almost all of the patients we treated before Chantix were also using nicotine replacement therapy (sometimes combined with Zyban/bupropion). The NRT (patch, gum etc) is typically started on the target quit day and so patients are very aware of the importance of that day. We don’t typically combine Chantix with NRT (as the Chantix is supposed to block the nicotine receptors in the brain) and so on Chantix its easier to see the target quit date as less distinct from any other day and just continue reducing cigarette consumption rather than quitting completely.
The take-home message for patients is that it still makes sense to select a target quit-date (day 8) and to try to quit smoking completely on that day. However, if you don’t immediately get quit, don’t give up on yourself or on the medicines. The evidence suggests that if you keep trying you will likely achieve abstinence, and that Chantix improves your chances, so long as you keep trying and keep taking the medicine. On the other hand, its important to be clear that the aim of the game is to quit completely, and its better in the long run to throw away the cigarettes and get on with it.
Labels: bupropion, Chantix, cigarette smoking, quit, varenicline, Zyban
13 Comments:
At Mon Oct 15, 04:37:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
my daughter in law is a pharmasist and has quit smoking & remained smoke free with chantrix ! I have been a smoker for 32 yrs now,which makes me ill just thinking about how long I have been inhaling all the toxin's into my lungs,but with that also comes the sickness called addiction! my god ,how overpowering it is, I have been diagnosed with C.O.P.D and been told that I have the lung capacity of a 60y.o woman,and if I don't quit soon I won't be here much longer to see my granson grow & let it be known,even though woman dispise telling our real age, I feel its needed to be said,I am only 48 y.o, so it has added 12 irreversable years to my lungs,heart,skin,blood,oh god, the list can go on ! as I write this I still have a darn cigerette burning in the ashtray, beside' me, so my daughter in law ,son, my daugter, son in law & my life partner, have all begged me to please try to quit again, so she got me set up with some chantrix, i have gum, a list , as to why I want & need to quit and I'm heading in that direction, my journey into trying to be smoke free from these nasty,death sticks ! so wish me luck and I'll check back with you on my journey with chantrix, hopefully this won't be bye, so until I get a hold of this, I'll be back !
At Mon Oct 15, 07:12:00 PM 2007,
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD said…
Dear anonymous of Oct 15,
I think its great that you are going to quit smoking, and that you have the support of your family. Hopefully you will find some useful tips from the other posts on this site. I'd encourage you to discuss your quit plans with your doctor, and to make use of all the support thats going (including telephone quit-line and internet support). Best of luck, and do keep us posted on your progress.
At Tue Oct 16, 02:26:00 AM 2007,
scuks said…
HI good luck, you can do it! I stopped almost four months ago with the help of something called "Bioresonance."
It is such an empowering feeling not to need that crutch anymore. It is a very hard thing to give up, but just take it day by day and you will feel the benefits of clean living.
You need to find a new hobby to distract you when you give up. Something else to focus on that does not in any way relate to smoking or remind you of your smoking days.
My tip is to join a gym, which I did whilst I was still smoking about six weeks before I gave up. I felt healthier by the day and also didn"t desire smoking so much and began to feel fitter so by my "giving up" date I was half way there. Now I"m addicted to excercise!
At Tue Oct 16, 06:24:00 AM 2007,
Kenny said…
I smoked two packs a day for 36 years. My wife smoked the same for for 25 years. Chantrix was the miracle we were looking for. We was so excited about day 8 we couldn't wait. It's been seven months now and we both feel wonderful and the thought of smoking makes us sick. Believe me, as God is my witness, if we can do it anyone can.
Thank you Chantrix we owe our future to you!
At Thu Oct 18, 09:26:00 PM 2007,
nitae said…
I have no doctor or health insurance so how can I go about getting help to quit smoking. I have tried everthing and am have a hard time. I have been smoking for over 30 years and have asthma on top of it. I know I am a prime person for COPD as with my problems as well as my mother had it.
Please help if you can. I really want to quit and chantrix sounds perfect.
Thanks!!
At Wed Oct 31, 04:30:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
its me britstarr,again still on the chantrix,15 days now and up to the 1mg. I have added some of my own personal tips to try to get this demon of smoking of my back ! It is getting cooler out side these days , so I make my self, go outside to smoke, I've found that it is quite boring just sitting there by myself smoking, and its a bit colder out there ! also I am working on limiting my smoking in my truck,so when I get to my location I take a few puffs and throw it out so I can go ahead with my functions,that I came to do , shopping, appts, etc ! yes the chantrix makes you naseous, so it's making me not want to light up ! well thats my 14 days of success at limiting my monkey on my back, so I'll keep ya all posted ,as to how things are going soon. I have some lumps on my breast,and have alot of tests up coming, and I know the pressure will be hard to continue to stop these damn nails in my coffin ! back to ya all soon ! Thanks all of you for all & any more advice!! also to the person who has no insurance call the partnership for prescrption meds van ( the montel williams) support bus that comes to city's !
At Sat Nov 03, 05:16:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
its been a bad week since last thursday evening, alot of bad personal stuff, which in turm has these death nails back in my mouth & hands ! I am so upset that I've let alot of tension pull me backward's again. I really need to find an outlet during these kind of times ! well I'm really trying to get my focus back and get back to where I feel I should be ! wish me luck and some serenity !!
At Sat Nov 03, 05:19:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
to scuks what is the medicine you said you used ? please let me know more about it too ! britstarr
At Tue Nov 06, 07:33:00 PM 2007,
Jonathan Foulds, MA, MAppSci, PhD said…
Dear Anonymous of Nov 3,
Remember that cigarettes don't really help us cope with stress. We mjust come to believe that after years of going into withdrawl without them and having that withdrawal relieved by smoking. You are doing the right thing by trying to refocus and then trying again. Best of luck.
At Thu Nov 15, 07:04:00 PM 2007,
Lee said…
I have been a smoker for 30 years smoking up to 2 packs a day, I started Chantix 9 days ago and my quit day was today its amazing I have not had a cigarette for 11 hours and I do not have any cravings for a cigarette at all, and the only side effects I have had is a slight case of insomnia and gas.
At Sun Nov 18, 06:22:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Lee (of Nov 15),
Did you manage to stay smokefree over the weekend? Any more side effects from Chantix? Just wondering.
At Wed Feb 20, 11:36:00 AM 2008,
Anonymous said…
My quit date was Jan 15th have not had a cigarette and after a couple of weeks didn't really crave one. Am 60 yrs old and smoked since I was 15. Weekends are the hardest when I'm not working, but I think it is more trying to break the habit that is hardest.
At Sun Apr 06, 09:11:00 AM 2008,
Anonymous said…
I've only been on the Chantix for 5 days, and I know it's worked well for friends but the past 2 days I've woken up depressed and I don't like that. I haven't even stopped smoking yet so I'd like to know if anyone else had this problem??
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