My precription isnt working like it used to?

Question

So about a year ago my doctor put me on Zyban (Wellbutrin) to help me quit smoking. I took the meds for about a month and just like that one day I gave it up! I was amazed and stayed smoke free for a little while, but sadly I started smoking again.

About a month ago I went back to my doctor and got the same precription and have been taking it everyday for a month now but the effects of the meds seem to be less than they were the first time. (Hence, im still smoking and still craving!) It is working a little, I crave smoking less, but nothing like the first time around.

Whats up with this!

Answer 1

Are you doing anything else to quit smoking?  Maybe you could try Chantix or any other anti depressant.

First, you have to understand that the wellbutrin isnt going to make you no longer want a cig.  It helps because almost all addictions are tied to clinical depression.  But even with that bit of help, you still have to make your own effort.

I suggest several different behavioral methods used at the same time.

1..  Smoking Log.  Write down every single time you smoke.  Note what time it is, how many cigs you smoke, your mood before and after and why you smoked (as in were you craving, were you bored, angry, ect....).  Make sure you write down every single time.

2..  It is no longer acceptable to smoke inside the house or car.  This will make it inconvient to smoke at certain times when it may be an automatic response to smoke.  For example, I still miss smoking in the car, because it was just an automatic thing.  I got in the car, I smoked.  In the end, your house and car both will smell better and will have a higher resale value.

3..  Make it further inconvient for yourself to smoke by making a list of things you have to do before you can smoke.  For example, say you have to walk for 10 mins before you can smoke, or you have to do sit ups, or you have to wash the dishes or whatever else.  The more you do between the time you have the craving and the time you go smoke...  you will naturally smoke less because 10 mins after you had that initial craving, most times the craving will be gone.  And if you do still smoke after that 10 mins...  well, then you got a lil bit of exercise or atleast did something productive.

4..  Quit hanging out with the smokers.  It sucks, most people take their work breaks or lunches with the other smokers.  And since you have been doing it a while, these are the people you talk to.  But most people who are trying to smoke cannot handle sitting there while other smokers are smoking.

5..  Ban all smoking at the house, including your porch and yard.  If someone wants to smoke, they have to walk out to the street.  I pulled that one because when my mom came to visit, she would chain smoke up my screened in porch and left her half smoked cigs in the ash tray.  Too much temptation for me.  Now anyone that wants to smoke has to go take a walk.

6..  Think about exactly what it is that you are fighting.  Its not the nicotine, its the actual physical mindless habbit of getting the cig, raising it to your mouth, lighting it, inhaling and exhaling.  That means you need to find another mindless habbit.  I did things like chew on my pen top (which will effectivly stop most people from stealing your pens), and kept a huge stash of hard candies.

In the end its up to you to find what works.  The anti depressants will help, but you still have to make your effort

Answer 2

i have tried to quit smoking to iam on thenicoderm patch the first week wasn't to bad but the second week i started craving for a smoke .i don't understand how something with nicotine in it will help you quit smoking.i think it is just a money grab.