07/11/2007

Lifestyle adventure: Kicking the nicotine habit
By Bob Lassahn

If someone asked me to fully explain why I decided to quit smoking at this point in my life I likely could not provide a completely coherent answer. Aside from the inconvenience of "taking it outside" and the monetary expense to keep me supplied, I enjoyed my cigarettes, something that I have done (except for a few brief periods) since I was 15 years old. It could be that common sense finally overcame my stubbornness; it could be that I have grown older and wiser, or it could simply be that my loving wife, a reformed smoker herself, finally wore me down.

Whatever the reason(s) during a recent routine visit I found myself telling the doctor I needed to quit. He promptly provided a prescription for the latest miracle drug (fortunately covered by my plan) and instructions to keep at it even if I suffered a setback. When my prescription arrived in the mail I was surprised to find enough pills to carry me through 24 weeks of treatment.

The first hurdle to overcome was familiarization with the medication I was taking. After reading a sheet with a copious amount of very fine print I learned the medication worked by blocking nicotine's actions in the brain. This caused some concern, since at my stage in life I certainly do not need anything that interferes with a brain function. I have enough problems in this regard.

To put my mind completely at rest the sheet informed me the absolute worst I might expect while taking the medication was a fatal drug interaction. Then I read the possible side effects (nausea, headache, vomiting, gas, constipation, trouble sleeping, unusual dreams or changes in taste) followed by a statement that my physician prescribed this stuff because it was judged that smoking was a greater overall health risk than the side effects. I needed a cigarette to help calm me down.

Not to be deterred I started the course of treatment with an initial quit date seven days hence of Memorial Day. The instructions said it is permissible to smoke while taking the pills and if I missed my initial quit date to simply keep trying. I have now missed three different drop dead dates, but must admit my habit is no longer controlling my every waking moment.

At present I am down from smoking a pack or more per day to about three cigarettes a day. To boot, there is no noticeable physical craving for a smoke and probably the only reason I continue at all is the psychological comfort zone I find when lighting up at certain times. Dependent upon what I am doing I might not think about a cigarette for hours on end, although that does not include times when I am enjoying a cold beer and good company. At least I am seeing progress and I hope I will get there before my meds run out.

I should comment that the meds come with support suggestions, including a website encouraging the use of educational materials, a support group and counseling that could be beneficial the effort. After one visit I decided it was not my cup of tea.  On this front I figured the evil looks from the wife would be sufficient reinforcement of the need to attain my goal of being smoke free.

The instructions with the meds also reiterated the importance of regular exercise and maintaining a nutritious diet. I tend to consider the terms "regular exercise" and "nutritious diet" as being completely in the eye of the beholder, so I haven't changed a lot in this regard. I do intend to kick up my physical activity a bit once my wind returns. I have also (almost) completely sworn off the Moon Pies and Twinkies.

As to the side effects of my meds I have not experienced anything too severe. I have noticed a bit of difficulty sleeping at night, but I am perfectly capable of making up for that with an afternoon siesta. I also have experienced some unusual dreams, however I do not consider them a detriment since I might be able to pull together a book rivaling a Stephen King novel from their content.

Stay tuned and I will let everyone know how this great experiment in kicking the nicotine habit turns out. Hopefully I will be off the cigarettes in time to celebrate Labor Day as a non-smoker.