eDrugstore.MD | Smoking Cessation Information Center

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Quit Smoking... With a Little Help From Your Friends

You've decided. This time, you're really ready to quit smoking. And you aren't going to take no for an answer. So, how do you ensure that your determination to stop smoking delivers results that last? How do you convince yourself, and everyone else, that this isn't just another cold turkey experiment doomed to end in failure, like those other times? If you've tried going it alone or using quit smoking aids like nicotine gum and patches all to no avail, maybe it's time to try something new... to give yourself a fighting chance. After all, this could literally be the fight of your life.

Do You Need Help to Stop Smoking?

• You probably could use some outside help to stop smoking if:
• You have tried hard to quit smoking or cut back but haven't been able to.
• You want to stop smoking for good, but just keep puffing away.
• You find you need more cigarettes to get the same good feeling you used to get from them.
• When you try to stop smoking, you have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like cigarette cravings, anxiety, irritability, headaches, stomachaches, restlessness, drowsiness and difficulty concentrating.
• You have a serious health problem you know is made worse by tobacco use (like heart or breathing problems) but you just can't quit smoking.

If any of these sound like you, it may be time to ask your doctor about prescription quit smoking aids and how to get the most out of them.

The Facts About Prescription "Helpers": Zyban and Chantix

There are two main prescription-only tablets on the market being prescribed by doctors to help their patients quit smoking: Zyban and Chantix. They are both nicotine-free products taken in tablet form to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But they have distinct differences.

Quit Smoking With Zyban

Zyban works on brain chemicals, reducing your urge to smoke and lessening the withdrawal symptoms. This makes it easier for many users to quit smoking and stay quit. You take a Zyban pill twice a day and then decide on a date to stop smoking, usually in the second week of taking Zyban.

Zyban makes the process of quitting easier by minimizing the withdrawal symptoms outlined earlier and controlling your nicotine cravings. Its active ingredient, bupropion, is also contained in Wellbutrin, a prescription anti-depressant.

It's important to note that Zyban is NOT a magic bullet. It works for about 1/3 of users who were able to quit smoking for at least a month with its help. That success rate drops off over time. Your chances will be increased if you use Zyban in combination with a stop smoking support program or counseling.

Zyban is possibly the best known and most prescribed smoking cessation aid, but a newer product – Chantix – actually boasts a higher success rate.

Quit Smoking With Chantix

Chantix is also a prescription-only medication taken orally to help quit smoking. Like Zyban, it contains no nicotine so if needed it can be used with nicotine replacement products like gum or patches. You take one Chantix for the first three days of treatment, and then two a day until treatment ends.

The documentation on Chantix quotes independent studies that show Chantix is better at helping participants kick the habit: it says 44% were able to stop smoking with Chantix while only 30% quit while on Zyban.

This could be because Chantix is a considerably different product with unique properties. Its active ingredient is varenicline, not bupropion. And it has a dual action mechanism to help stop smoking:

1. Even though Chantix doesn't contain any nicotine, it provides the body with some nicotine-like effects that help ease the cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
2. And Chantix also works to block the effects of nicotine on the brain to reduce the pleasure reward of smoking.

Summing Up

Treatment with both Zyban and Chantix lasts at least 12 weeks, maybe longer if you need additional support to stay off cigarettes. Your doctor is the best person to ask about which product is better for you. He or she will take into account any medical conditions you may have and drugs you currently use to ensure no negative interactions.

If it's time for you to stop smoking, we can help – with information and with the lowest drug prices on the Internet. Follow these links to get more details and to order online:

Learn more about Zyban.

Learn more about Chantix.