Healthy Living

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT

• Nicotine chewing gum (Nicorette) can be used to ease cravings during the withdrawal period. The idea, of course, is to taper off your use of the gum gradually as the ingrained habit of smoking diminishes. Problems may include damage to the teeth, dental work, or mouth tissue; nausea; an increased heart rate; and others. Nicocure is a herbal based system that has the ability to make you quit smoking. The benefits of Nicocure are manifold and it can be a life saver.

• Nicotine patches, sold under the brand names Habitrol and Nicoderm CQ, allow nicotine to be absorbed at a steady rate through the skin. As with nicotine gum, this is meant to lessen withdrawal symptoms. You apply a new patch each day and gradually, over a period of weeks, decrease the dosage until your body can function normally without nicotine. Possible side effects of this treatment can include nausea, fatigue, increased heart rate, joint pains, miscarriage, and skin irritation at the patch site.

• A nicotine nasal spray (Nicotrol NS) works in a similar fashion to the patch. This should not be inhaled into the lungs.

• The antidepressant bupropion (Zyban) helps some people to handle some of the symptoms of withdrawal. The combination of bupropion and nicotine patches appears to yield better results than either one alone. Bupropion can interact with a number of other drugs, so discuss your medication list carefully with your doctor. You should not take bupropion if you have seizures or an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, as they increase the likelihood of seizures. In addition to the increased seizure risk, possible side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, insomnia, and allergic skin reactions.

• Behavior modification programs such as biofeedback may be combined with any of the above medications. Ask your physician for a referral. If he or she is unable to supply one, an organization such as the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America may be able to help.