I quit almost 10 years ago (March 13, 1998) after trying for more than a decade. Like the other poster I did it with Zyban (Wellbutrin) but added nicorette. I was on Zyban for 16 weeks and used the Nicorette for about 20 weeks. I think the suggested time for each is 12 weeks but I stayed a little longer. In the last 6 weeks of Nicorette I was only using one or two pieces a day and then I tapered off.
After I started the Zyban (it takes 3-6 weeks to start working), I started to cut down on my cigarettes. I never thought tapering off would work and that only cold turkey would work but as the Zyban started to affect my system, I was able to gradually reduce my cigarettes.
At week 3 I introduced the Nicorette (which tasted horrible but you get used to it) and would pop a piece when I was having a nicotine fit (like after an hour or so at work). It really helped to get the boost of nicotine and not have to go outside to smoke! That is what hooked me almost immediately. Plus I didn't smell like cigarettes (and if you think you don't smell from cigarettes, you do...this was a
HUGE motivating factor for me...when someone told me that).
So for the next 3 weeks I substituted a piece of gum for a cigarette 3 or 4 times a day and brought my cigarette consumption down. You're not supposed to chew the gum and smoke so I waited 4 hours between cigarettes and/or pieces of gum. By Week 6, when the Zyban was fully absorbed, I was only smoking a morning cigarette (first thing) and the rest of the day was Nicorette.
I did the morning cigarette for about a week and then picked a date to quit completely. I was flying home from Europe on March 13th so I picked that day as my last cigarette. I got up at 4 am and smoked a cigarette, put it out, got on the plane 3 hours later and never had another cigarette since. Since it was still March 12th in the US when I had my last cigarette, I consider March 13th my anniversary date.
I used the Zyban for another 10 weeks and used the Nicorette until September when I had my last piece driving home one night and it made me dizzy (I was obviously completely off the nicotine at that time but popped a piece for old times sake).
I've had next to no urges over the last 10 years. I have had them but they are rare and the smell of cigarettes makes me sick so I'm grateful for that. Whenever I think about picking up again I remember how hard it was to quit and think again.
I tried cold turkey, the patch, hynosis (twice), and each time stayed quit for a while but it wasn't until I did the Zyban/Nicorette combo that my desire to smoke went completely away. I was so frustrated before I finally quit. I hated smoking and hated myself for smoking...but I kept trying different things and finally something worked!
Keep trying! You will find something that works for you!!!
Linear Mode
