Looking to quit smoking; need tips

mfleming10

I'm 8 weeks pregnant today and I'm having a hard time quitting smoking, I want to quit for both baby and myself but the cravings are harder to curb than I expected. My doctor prescribed me Wellbutrin which is an anti depressant which has also been known to help many quit smoking. The wellbutrin is like a shot of energy which is good for a little while, but when the crash comes I'm sick to my stomach and then comes cramping. I quit taking the wellbutrin and haven't found another alternative that works well for me. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Schnurette

I would speak to your doc again (maybe you can speak to him by phone) and explain that the wellbutrin isn't working out

It's not very scientific, and it might not help that much, but when my mom quit she found the biggest things were to keep her hands busy (she found it wasn't so much that she was craving the cigarette as it was her hands being used to holding a cigarette, oddly enough) and she would always tell people that she didn't smoke. Not that she was quitting or trying to quit, or used to, just "I don't smoke". Mind over matter stuff.

musictchr25

It doesn't matter if you want to quit. It's necessary that you just do it. 

You're going to go through withdrawals, and have cravings, and it's going to be hard at first, but your baby is way more important than smoking and potentially causing defects to your baby's development. 

While I've never had to quit smoking before and therefore I don't know how difficult it actually is, just suck it up and quit cold turkey. At this point, you're doing more harm than good to both yourself and your baby. Right now your body is for your developing baby - don't be selfish. 

BabyList

I was a smoker when I got pregnant with my daughter. I quit cold turkey as soon as I got my bfp. If you want to quit, you just have to do it. Cutting down doesn't work in my opinion because you still have excuses. I had a very stressful first tri with my daughter and still managed to quit. I told myself that when my daughter was born I could start again if I wanted (which I never did), but while I was sharing my body I would not allow it. Yes, the withdrawals are awful, but you can get through it. Don't make excuses for yourself. You are stronger than your addiction.

lnzu

Decide if you are a cold turkey or cut-back smoker. If you can only do it cold turkey, throw them all out now. Don't "finish this pack". Promise yourself you will not smoke any more. If you're a cut-back quitter, decide how quickly you can cut back. I'd suggest cutting back one every other day. Count out that many. Put them in zip lock bags with the date on them. Never carry with you more than that date. Never buy cigarettes again. Never give up on yourself. It does get easier! It does get EASY. You just cannot give up on yourself. Make today the last day you ever buy cigarettes.

GirPipley

I'm sorry you are having trouble with this. I was a smoker when I found out I was pregnant, and told myself I would quit as soon as I got a BFP. That didn't happen. I kept telling myself "I'll just finish this pack" but then I'd buy another pack. I got down to like 1-3 a day, but I could kick the morning and night smoke. It was driving SO crazy, and I was starting to get sick from the smell.
 
Last Thursday I had 3 left, and told myself, either smoke them all today, or throw them away. Today it ends. I ended up smoking one of them, and threw the last 2 away. It felt amazing honestly. I felt like I took control, instead of letting the addiction take control.

Things that helped me:
Every time I went out to smoke, I would scroll through articles about smoking while pregnant. The guilt really does take over, and I wasn't able to finish a whole cig.

Gum, I have been chewing a lot of gum (non nicorette, just regular gum) it helps with the oral fixation.

Telling SO that I wanted to smoke, oddly enough, this really helped. If I wanted a cig mid day, I would text him and say "I really want to smoke, but I'm not going to" and he would text back something like "I know it's hard, but you can do this, I love you" It was helpful to have his support at all times.

Have you heard of HALT? You are most likely to relapse/give in to a craving when you are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
When you feel the cravings coming, ask yourself which of those you are, and try to fix the problem with something else.

If you're hungry, eat. If you're angry, try to calm down another way. If you're lonely, call a friend who knows you're trying to quit and have them distract you. If you're tired, try to rest or drink some coffee or tea.

I am here if you need someone to talk to, I know how hard it is! I promise, you can do it!

Trampslikeus

@musictchr25‌ while nothing you have said is untrue, it's been very well documented that making addicts feel guilty about their problem does not help and is often counterproductive. I'm sure OP is aware of the health concerns - getting through an addiction is not just about knowing what you're doing is bad.

OP - call your doctor ASAP and ask about next steps. I have friends who swore by acupuncture, but check with your doctor first.

MamaK818

I've never been a smoker but have been close friends with and shared offices with several people while they were quitting. I agree with pp, try gum or hard candy. One friend rolled up a piece of paper to have that feel for when she was really struggling, and she said it was a big help. Get some people who will support your efforts to help keep you accountable. Good luck, you can do it!

beattykid

Suckers!  It is the best way to quit!  Honestly, I smoked for a loooong time and I finally quit this way.  You don't need drugs or nicotine.  That just keeps you dependent on something.  If you have a Sam's Club (and a Sam's card) they sell blow pops and dum dums in bulk.  I bought two boxes of blow pops and that was all it took.  It cost $20.  Cold turkey is the only way to do it.  You will feel like crap for about three days and you will be edgy for a month or so, but the actual physical symptoms will be gone by day four. You will still long to smoke, but every time you do you have a sucker.  I preferred blow pops because they have gum in the middle.  Now, this will tear up your mouth a little bit, but it is worth it.  When I wanted to smoke and had a blow pop instead I would go through the same ritual as smoking, I went outside and sat on my porch and had my damn blow pop.  I'm telling you this works and any cavities are worth it.  Also, since it is getting cold out it it will be awesome to just sit and have your sucker inside where it is nice and cozy.  So that is my advice.  I smoked a looooong time and I smoked a lot.  I would keep smoking for the next day or so until you get your suckers so you can sort of come to terms with your decision, then it is over!  

Good luck!

beattykid

Oh, and tell yourself you can have one again someday.  It isn't forever, it is only right now.  A day at a time is the way to do it.  Hopefully someday will never come and you will have quit for good.  But don't worry about that right now.  Worry about today.  You can go for one day without smoking right? Every day will be a little like that and after three or four days every day will be easier.  

ACWinn

I don't think I would've been able to quit smoking if I hadn't read The Easy Way to Quit Smoking by Allen Carr. I have a lot of friends who feel the same way I do. It's a miracle worker. Best of luck to you!

finchfeeder80

I quit smoking a couple of years ago, so I understand your struggle. I used Chantix, but I wasn't pregnant, either. I wish you all of the best of luck, and if you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen.

babydom2015

I'm actually really surprised the doctor put you on Wellbutrin, this is a class c drug which can be harmful to your baby causing heart defects! Put the cigs down cold turkey and the Wellbutrin! I'm a smoker as well, I quit cold turkey at about 6 weeks, I also took antidepressants and have had to ween down to the minimum dose and eventually off completely because of the risks to my baby. It is hard I know, but you can do it! You are going to be miserable and have mood swings but hey, that's all the fun of being preggers anyway! Lol

abigailburns1992

I gave up the moment the pregnancy test said positive! It's going to be hard there is days that I would love one. But think about your baby. You can do it it's will power and you will feel better for if as well. Change your routine that helps ( as before I would wake up make a tea and have a cigarette ) now I don't have tea I down a glass of milk and empty dishwasher. Things like that really do help. Good luck and trust yourself any one can do it it's all in your head xx

opheliacantswim

Already some good advice here.  I would add that if you don't already do some sort of workout, I would start.  Just a simple prenatal yoga class (or dvd, or video you find on youtube--it really doesn't matter) can work wonders, because you'll be thinking about what your body and your lungs can do--and you won't want to smoke and limit your abilities.  I know that sounds sort of silly, but it really helped me when I was quitting years ago. 

You can do this!

kimmarie1105

musictchr25 said:

While I've never had to quit smoking before and therefore I don't know how difficult it actually is, just suck it up and quit cold turkey. At this point, you're doing more harm than good to both yourself and your baby. Right now your body is for your developing baby - don't be selfish. 

You should try not to give advice on something that you have no knowledge of.

Op, it is difficult. I quit cold turkey. The first 3 weeks were very very hard but it got easier. I still occasionally want a cigarette, preferably with a kettle one extra dirty martini, but it's mind over matter.
You have to do what you need to do to be successful however research shows that cold turkey has the most successful long term rate.
One craving at a time!
Good luck.

MadelineJG

You could always try a vaporizer. You can easily cut down on nicotine by choosing different strengths. The benefit of a vaporizer is you don't get all the nasty tar and smoke.

bee19831

I smoked for ten years, I quit as soon as I found out I was pregnant, was it easy? No ! But for myself I found I just had to do cold turkey, I was a mega bitch for a week, then it got easier . You can do it , I know it's hard! I tried everything gum patches vaporizer, acupuncture , champix, Wellbutrin .... And the only thing that works is cold turkey and will power . Someone once told me every time I take a puff of a cigarette the baby can't breathe , so I found that too help during my last pregnancy 10 years ago.. Best of luck you can do it !

musictchr25

kimmarie1105 said:

While I've never had to quit smoking before and therefore I don't know how difficult it actually is, just suck it up and quit cold turkey. At this point, you're doing more harm than good to both yourself and your baby. Right now your body is for your developing baby - don't be selfish. 

You should try not to give advice on something that you have no knowledge of. 

I'll keep that in mind for your future posts too. 

shahoi

You can do this OP! I've been there and it's hard! I quit cold turkey. My last cigarette was the evening before my BFP. The first week or so was really rough, but it's been 6 weeks now and I don't even think about smoking. Being in the car was the hardest part for me, but sunflower seeds helped keep my mind off of smoking. I feel so much better now, and it's so nice to not be paranoid about if I smell like cigarettes. Being pregnant kept me accountable to quit and not look back. Good luck!!! You got this

jjbdvm

You can do it! It's hard, it sucks, but you absolutely can do it. If you break down and smoke, don't beat yourself up and let yourself smoke twenty bc of the guilt. Get back on the horse. It's for your baby who you love already and want to do everything in the world for. I never ever thought I could quit and the good news is once you get over the addiction hump, you'll go days without even thinking about one, then weeks, etc.

We are here for you if no one else is- my hubbs was extremely unhelpful and it was discouraging. Bitch about how awful it is every day in the symptoms thread if you need to- you are not the only one out there who is going through this.

Be proud of yourself for reaching out and trying to take these steps.

blewis2011

Until my husband and I were ready to try to have a baby we were both pack a day smokers. I had tried to quit many times before and made it a week at most. The month that we started trying the guilt I felt for wanting a cigarette was stronger than the craving itself. I told myself that what I want doesn't matter anymore when it comes to cigarettes. The health and well being of my unborn child comes first.

alawyer

I used nicotine lozenges. They are awesome! I tried nicotine gum too, but hated it. Also chewing regular gum and lots and lots of candy will help. Take a short walk if the cravings get bad. After 5 minutes it should subside. Good luck!!!! You can do it!!!!

gabriellamason93

I'm going through the same thing, I've gone cold turkey since I found out I was pregnant. It's really difficult and the only thing that stops me is knowing that the nicotine and carbon monoxide essentially replaces oxygen so if I smoked I would be suffocating my baby in my womb. As for the cravings I suck lollipops, play with an elastic band constantly and chew gum. When i'm with SO I tell him I really want a ciggarette and his reassurance on how well I'm doing makes me feel good and less whiney

gabriellamason93

MadelineJG said:

You could always try a vaporizer. You can easily cut down on nicotine by choosing different strengths. The benefit of a vaporizer is you don't get all the nasty tar and smoke.

Try not to use a vaporiser if possible, the chemicals in those haven't been tested enough and could just be as bad as smoking cigarettes.

babydom2015

NariaDreaming said:

babydom2015 said:

I'm actually really surprised the doctor put you on Wellbutrin, this is a class c drug which can be harmful to your baby causing heart defects! Put the cigs down cold turkey and the Wellbutrin! I'm a smoker as well, I quit cold turkey at about 6 weeks, I also took antidepressants and have had to ween down to the minimum dose and eventually off completely because of the risks to my baby. It is hard I know, but you can do it! You are going to be miserable and have mood swings but hey, that's all the fun of being preggers anyway! Lol

Most doctors will leave you on a Category C drug if the benefits outweigh the risk. There are plenty of women on these boards who, along with their OBGNY and prescribing physician decided to remain on a Category C drug (often for mental health issues) because the benefit to the mother and the child outweighed the risk of a potential birth defect.

A Category C drug only means that the risk cannot be ruled out in pregnant women- the vast majority of drugs are a Category C simply because no IRB is going to approve an experimental drug side effect study on pregnant women. 

There has been one study done in 2009 (LINK) that shows an association, but not a causative link between bupropion use and left outflow tract defects, but it was a small increase in risk, and the results have not been replicated. 

And from Drugs.com, the information on the research done to assign it to a Category C: 

"Pregnancy Category C. In studies conducted in rats and rabbits, bupropion was administered orally at doses up to 450 and 150 mg/kg/day, respectively (approximately 11 and 7 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD], respectively, on a mg/m2 basis), during the period of organogenesis. No clear evidence of teratogenic activity was found in either species" (source) 

Thanks for that really really unnecessary long response to me @NariaDreaming‌ however I know, I'm On an antidepressant, the original post was that she was prescribed Wellbutrin after pregnancy to quit smoking..that is not a benefit that outweighs a risk!

lmn2008

As much as it sucks to say, cold turkey is how you have to do it. When I first took a home test I was still in denial and just told myself I'd slow down until I knew and wouldn't buy another pack... And there I was the next day buying a pack. Finally after my doctors appointment to confirm, I threw the pack I had out the window and haven't had one since... It is insanely hard and you have to deal with the cravings but it really is the only thing that works. And believe me, every gas station you pass during a craving will make you want to stop... Just have to tell your mind no.

matiekae

babydom2015 said:

babydom2015 said:

I'm actually really surprised the doctor put you on Wellbutrin, this is a class c drug which can be harmful to your baby causing heart defects! Put the cigs down cold turkey and the Wellbutrin! I'm a smoker as well, I quit cold turkey at about 6 weeks, I also took antidepressants and have had to ween down to the minimum dose and eventually off completely because of the risks to my baby. It is hard I know, but you can do it! You are going to be miserable and have mood swings but hey, that's all the fun of being preggers anyway! Lol

Most doctors will leave you on a Category C drug if the benefits outweigh the risk. There are plenty of women on these boards who, along with their OBGNY and prescribing physician decided to remain on a Category C drug (often for mental health issues) because the benefit to the mother and the child outweighed the risk of a potential birth defect.

A Category C drug only means that the risk cannot be ruled out in pregnant women- the vast majority of drugs are a Category C simply because no IRB is going to approve an experimental drug side effect study on pregnant women. 

There has been one study done in 2009 (LINK) that shows an association, but not a causative link between bupropion use and left outflow tract defects, but it was a small increase in risk, and the results have not been replicated. 

And from Drugs.com, the information on the research done to assign it to a Category C: 

"Pregnancy Category C. In studies conducted in rats and rabbits, bupropion was administered orally at doses up to 450 and 150 mg/kg/day, respectively (approximately 11 and 7 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD], respectively, on a mg/m2 basis), during the period of organogenesis. No clear evidence of teratogenic activity was found in either species" (source) 

Thanks for that really really unnecessary long response to me @NariaDreaming‌ however I know, I'm On an antidepressant, the original post was that she was prescribed Wellbutrin after pregnancy to quit smoking..that is not a benefit that outweighs a risk!

I thought the post by @NariaDreaming was very thorough and well stated! As for whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks, that is not your decision to make. That is between OP and her doctor.

OP, hang in there. Everyone's different and what works for one person may not help you at all. My biggest issue when I quit was driving, and I found that when I was frustrated in traffic I would suck through a cut off straw. It helped with oral fixation as well as deep breathing to calm me down. Other than that I just try to avoid my other triggers (luckily golf season is over for this part of the country). You can do this!!

Trampslikeus

@babydom2015‌ Rather presumptuous to be acting like you know better than someone's doctor... Don't you think?

babydom2015

No I'm not her doctor @NariaDreaming‌ but she was not prescribed Wellbutrin as a antidepressant, it was prescribed for smoking cessation. She is replacing one risk for another and that's a fact. Get off your f'ing high horse, just like you I'm allowed to offer my advice when I have first hand knowledge with both stopping smoking and taking a Class C drug. Oh and @Trampslikeus‌ at what point did I say I know better than anyone's doctor?? How about you all out the focus back on the original subject instead of worrying about what I have stated, If she doesn't want my advice she doesn't have to take it, and if you don't like what I have to say keep scrolling and get a life! But at the same time thank you for all the extra attention!

Trampslikeus

@babydom2015‌ You appear to be missing the point. Telling someone that "the benefits don't outweigh the risks" regarding a medication they have been prescribed by their doctor is very different from offering advice or tips, it's crossing a line in to dolling out opinion-based medical information you lack both the qualifications and medical history to be giving out.

avazirian

The day I found out was the day I quit. I know everyone's different my husband is having a real hard time quitting. He wants to its just really hate d for him. Try to quit cold turkey and find something to help with cravings. Like gum suckers something to help. You just have to find what helps you best. The first week is the hardest.

babydom2015

 again @trampslikeus...thanks for continuing to focus on me!

Trampslikeus

Oh you're so welcome. It's definitely alllllll about you!

[Deleted User]

Just here to lend my support. Threw all my cigs out when I got my BFP so I have been smoke free for over a month. It sucks. I also just spent the weekend visiting a chain smoker (very tempting!) I believe in hard candy, gum, and am telling myself that if I really want to, I can smoke again someday. I quit once before so I know it's possible. My mantra to myself is "I just can't smoke right now." Wishing you lots of luck and I say if the drugs work for you, take them.

ashleyrj1982

Most states have a smoking cessation program that is covered by insurance or even free! The programs are proven to work and the CDC backs them. They also have programs specifically for pregnant women. Worth finding out if your state has one!

mikenamy15

I've smoked from 1-2 packs a day for the past 10 years, and as soon that stick said positive I quit- other than taking a drag friend's cig on occasion in three weeks when I'm stuck being around it. Quitting sucks, I crave on my way to work (habit) morning coffee (now decaf) miss having beer after work with everyone else. bottom line is, what is more important you, being happy poisoning your kid or going through withdrawal protecting it? That's probably the hardest thing for me so far. I drink a lot more liquids through the day, I snack more, sip my drink through a straw. You might look into vapor smokers and see if they are safe, I decided to quit altogether. Good luck!

jenwieds33

I'm struggling too. My doctor is helpful, but the medical assistant at the office is super judgmental. How are you coming along with it?

Life&Gwen

There are tons of options, call your doc back, tell them this one didn't work. They will offer you an arsenal of options to combat your cravings. As someone who has provided healthcare to former heroin addicts who also smoke, I can tell you that those ladies say "I survived heroin for X years...but I can't ever see myself quitting smoking" they say it is that addictive. Let your doc know, they'll give you options!

leenziepops

Just wishing you strength to quit cold turkey! It's the right thing to do

jjbdvm

@mfleming10‌ I was JUST thinking about you and wondering how it was going- crazy that this post got bumped! I keep having all these dreams that I start smoking again and it takes me most of the day to realize it was just a dream! I hope it's going ok for you and you are able to stay strong!