000_0807tfp_ho_eng

Female Patient
Quitting Smoking
About 22% of US women smoke. Every year
174,000 women die from smoking-related diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. The chemicals in cigarette smoke are harmful to both smokers and the nonsmokers around them. A pregnant smoker risks her baby’s health even before birth. I’m convinced that smoking is bad for me, so
why can’t I just quit?
The nicotine in cigarettes causes an addiction that
makes quitting a struggle for many. You may have tried
before and given up. When a person stops smoking,
there are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which may
include restlessness, irritability, sleeplessness, sadness,
anxiety, and/or weight gain.
The good news is that there is help available for your success in quitting. Effective counseling can give you prac-tical advice for lifestyle change, as wel as support to con-tinue with your quitting efforts. Medications are available to help taper down the nicotine dependence and deal with the stress of withdrawal.
What can I do on my own to quit?
Make a list of every benefit you wil receive from quitting
(such as better health, improved sense of taste and smel ,
protecting your family, whiter teeth, saving money—list as
and inhaler. Some are sold over the counter, while oth- many rewards as you can think of), and keep this posted ers require a prescription. You must not use tobacco where you can see it, add to it, and stay motivated by it. Don’t be discouraged by the short-term withdrawal symp- Two prescription medications without nicotine that may help withdrawal symptoms are the antidepressant bupro- Change lifestyle behaviors that are closely tied with your pion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix), a drug approved smoking habits; for example, take a short walk on your work break instead of having a cigarette. Get connected Your clinician can advise which option is best for you. with others who wil support your efforts to quit. State and All medications have potential side effects, so you national telephone quitlines are available to give you advice should consider these when choosing, especial y during pregnancy. A combination of NRT, nonnicotine medications, and/or counseling may be necessary for What kind of medications can
help me quit smoking?
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) provides smal ,
What if I start smoking again?
measured doses of nicotine, which help relieve the crav- Many people make several attempts to stop smoking. If ings felt when abruptly stopping. NRT is less harmful you have a relapse, try again. Speak to a health care profes- than nicotine from cigarettes, and the dosages will be sional to get effective treatment. If you go 3 months with- tapered down as treatment progresses. NRT is available out smoking, there is an excel ent chance of remaining in several forms: gum, skin patch, lozenge, nasal spray, 3/10 The Female Patient grants permission to reproduce this handout for the purposes of patient education.
A downloadable version of this patient handout is also available at: www.femalepatient.com.

Source: http://www.femalepatient.com/pdf/035030049.pdf