Mr.Scagnattie
Bluelighter
^^
E-cigs, man. The best quitting option in my personal opinion.
E-cigs, man. The best quitting option in my personal opinion.
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OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Misc How Does Chantix Work?
- Thread starter Jabberwocky
- Start date
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
If you don't want to discontinue using nicotine, of course.
I think eventually most nicotine users will switch to e-cigs, not necessarily for the health benefits, but definitely for the cost savings, especially as cigarette taxes are so very high in some states.
thesameoldfears
Bluelighter
Did you mean people who were taking bupropion specifically/just to quit smoking, or people who were taking it for depression etc? Everyone I know who has taken it says it was the best antidepressant they have ever taken (most effective, least side effects, least withdrawal, etc).
Where did someone say that above? Maybe I am just blind
ReversiblePulpitis posted those success rates a couple posts above me, I didn't quote them exactly but what fell into line with what I had heard before.
And I meant everyone I've ever known who has taken it. I have been through a lot of mental health therapy and I've never known anyone who could stay on wellbutrin because it always had bad stimulating side effects. However, I have heard it can be a miracle drug, just have never seen it first hand. I'm curious about it myself because it seems to cause stimlation whereas all the drugs I've tried for depression/bipolar tend to cause so much sedation which is the last thing I need when I'm already too depressed to move.
I actually met someone in rehab who claimed he took wellbutrin for recreation and was now addicted to it. I don't know how accurate that is, he also said he was addicted to robotussin.
I am surprised to hear there are people who think it has the least side effects. Just goes to show how very different the human brain can be from one person to the next.
Swimmingdancer
Bluelight Crew
Thanks, I can see it now, but I should still get my eyes checked. (I've been procrastinating on it).Swimming,
I posted the approx success rates just a couple posts above, so take another look - otherwise u may want to get your eyes checked
However, I don't think those figures are correct, I think the success rates for both are quite a bit lower than that (according to various studies I've read including the one I posted above).
The doses for Zyban and Wellbutrin are listed as the same actually (150-300mg/day). I'd always assumed Zyban was lower dose too but apparently not.
Here:
Bupropion is a nicotinic antagonist: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/10991997/
It says that it blocks only certain nicotine receptor subtypes with differing binding affinities and that there are some it doesn't block at all. So that makes more sense to me.
The prescribing info says you can use the nicotine patch with it.
That's my opinion too, I know of SO many people who were able to quit smoking that way and e-cigs are way better than nic gum, patches, etc because you still get the feeling of smoking. I quit before using an e-cig but I had to stop because it was hurting my mouth and I went back to smoking.
If you don't want to discontinue using nicotine, of course.
Not necessarily, some people do use them for a short time and then wean off them - like for opioids, you can choose a taper or maintenance. And at least nicotine isn't really bad for if you don't want to stop, it's about on par with caffeine.
Yeah, drugs sure can affect different people differently. I think I'm going to experiment with a low dose and see how it affects me before deciding to raise the dose. I want to be cautious since I'm hearing about some people getting unwanted side effects and they are effects I really don't need right now.
ReversiblePulpitis
Bluelighter
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Goes to show that you definitely cannot believe everything that you are taught. Re: Zyban being a low dose wellbutrin.
Those were the success rates again given to us by a professor, and Im unsure of his source - most likely from the drug companies themselves.
Those were the success rates again given to us by a professor, and Im unsure of his source - most likely from the drug companies themselves.
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
I knew one person to try Wellbutrin as a cigarette smoker and they were suicidal for a half day from the effects of Wellbutrin, and essentially chain smoked for that half of a day. This leads me to believe people who smoke cigarettes shouldn't use Wellbutrin.
ReversiblePulpitis
Bluelighter
- Joined
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- 180
I respectfully disagree with that generalization considering the success rate of Zyban
Swimmingdancer
Bluelight Crew
^I agree, what happened to Captain Heroin's friend really sucks, but just because one person had extreme adverse side effects doesn't mean that side effect is that common. The most common side effect and reason for discontinuing bupropion according to the studies is difficulty sleeping. I know plenty of smokers who have used Wellbutrin or Zyban without much side effects. Everyone is so different and I think it's just important to be aware of potential side effects and look out for them - if you suddenly feel suicidal then you can know it is just the drug and discontinue it. As I mentioned in another recent thread, a common technique used by (good) doctors to reduce the potential for side effects is to start on a low dose and gradually titrate up. It seems like usually the people who experienced the worst side effects didn't do that.
Mr.Scagnattie
Bluelighter
If you don't want to discontinue using nicotine, of course.
I think eventually most nicotine users will switch to e-cigs, not necessarily for the health benefits, but definitely for the cost savings, especially as cigarette taxes are so very high in some states.
Even if you do want to discontinue using nicotine, though obviously not if you want to stop it right away that very second. But quitting nicotine is still the end goal for a lot of people who use e-cigs, they just use the e-cigs to get there. A lot of them come with cartridges that have varying levels of nicotine. So you step down slowly going from the highest concentration to the lowest, and eventually, you can even get them with no nicotine whatsoever, and then stop. How fast you want to do that is up to you, just with any taper plan.
Some people just switch over to e-cigs just because they are so much healthier, but they still want their nicotine fix and act of smoking.
They can be used as a substitute, or a means to taper down and quit nicotine/smoking all together.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
I don't like using Wellbutrin for smoking cessation because of the side effects I encountered, not to mention it hasn't done even half as much for me as the Chantix has (like I literally don't think about smoking, even after a meal, which is something I've NEVER experienced since started to smoke). I'm lucky I haven't had any side effects from Chantix I guess, but then again, other than being dependent on opioids (bupe) I am a very or at least rather healthy guy mentally and physically. Never had any psych issues before.
Everything else aside, here is what I'd suggest (and have done):
Round 1: This is your first serious attempt at quitting. Try using the patches or the gum or e-cigs (in other words nicotine replace therapy)
Round 2: Try Wellbutrin or Zyban or whatever it's called (I'd try the latter over the former though...)
Round 3: Try Chantix
You can never stop trying, and like those fuckers in AA/NA like to chant, it's the desire to quit that's most important. Try try and try again, eventually you'll succeed (or come to terms with not succeeding or die
)
Everything else aside, here is what I'd suggest (and have done):
Round 1: This is your first serious attempt at quitting. Try using the patches or the gum or e-cigs (in other words nicotine replace therapy)
Round 2: Try Wellbutrin or Zyban or whatever it's called (I'd try the latter over the former though...)
Round 3: Try Chantix
You can never stop trying, and like those fuckers in AA/NA like to chant, it's the desire to quit that's most important. Try try and try again, eventually you'll succeed (or come to terms with not succeeding or die
)
THE_REAL_OBLIVION
Bluelight Crew
It works by unnaturally stimulating the same receptors tobacco does, resulting in losing your mind once you get to take 2 x 1mg pills a day, at least for me, and everyone who tried it that I know.
Maybe it was the combo of meds I was on back then, but a night with valium (i take it daily), methadone, and the second day where I used 2mg of champix I saw myself sleeping and more crazy sleep paralysis things. Not surprising as patches make me dream like crazy, I can't use patches now, gives me high blood pressure big time and I feel horrible from the step 1 and bad from step 2, and using step 3 would be a waste of time, they should make 6 strength of patches.
Too bad cos I succeeded to stop smoking for 8 months using patches back in 2007, the only reason I started again, is so damn sad, is that I had developed a make your own freebase cocaine and smoke it euro style in a weed pipe full of cigarette ash, kinda impossible to get crack pipes in northern semi-rural canada (complete upper east side of the windsor/saguenay axis)...yeah, don't do that kids, I wasted a good 15 000 dollars in 6 months on that very high quality cocaine, which I used ever so fast due to the freebasing...I was still looking for peace of mind then, but thats another story.
I gotta stop smoking cigs, i can feel it hurting my lungs now after 7 years of smoking and 6 of weed only before that, need to use a pretty strong inhaler (Symbicort) since I got a pneumonia back in 2010 which slightly scarred a lung...i smoke about 12-15 cigs a day now though, massive improvement. I find that getting mad at yourself works well with nicotine, same as with smoked rock...when you just dont enjoy it anymore and keep chasing that high you wont ever get again, it's getting more costly to smoke a pack a day these days too. I spit a lot of black shit when I take a shower, the humidity in there is opening up my airways and I see that shit that's stuck in me and its pretty scary...a good 3-4 full spits of gray shit everytime, then it's clean though, so I imagine I gotta quit now while still relatively clean. Weird how people can smoke forever and never get more than a cough...I don't smoke weed regularly since 3 years now, its became a totally rare thing, it just gives me anxiety now/not knowing what to do with myself/dissociate... a lot like varenicline...
Maybe it was the combo of meds I was on back then, but a night with valium (i take it daily), methadone, and the second day where I used 2mg of champix I saw myself sleeping and more crazy sleep paralysis things. Not surprising as patches make me dream like crazy, I can't use patches now, gives me high blood pressure big time and I feel horrible from the step 1 and bad from step 2, and using step 3 would be a waste of time, they should make 6 strength of patches.
Too bad cos I succeeded to stop smoking for 8 months using patches back in 2007, the only reason I started again, is so damn sad, is that I had developed a make your own freebase cocaine and smoke it euro style in a weed pipe full of cigarette ash, kinda impossible to get crack pipes in northern semi-rural canada (complete upper east side of the windsor/saguenay axis)...yeah, don't do that kids, I wasted a good 15 000 dollars in 6 months on that very high quality cocaine, which I used ever so fast due to the freebasing...I was still looking for peace of mind then, but thats another story.
I gotta stop smoking cigs, i can feel it hurting my lungs now after 7 years of smoking and 6 of weed only before that, need to use a pretty strong inhaler (Symbicort) since I got a pneumonia back in 2010 which slightly scarred a lung...i smoke about 12-15 cigs a day now though, massive improvement. I find that getting mad at yourself works well with nicotine, same as with smoked rock...when you just dont enjoy it anymore and keep chasing that high you wont ever get again, it's getting more costly to smoke a pack a day these days too. I spit a lot of black shit when I take a shower, the humidity in there is opening up my airways and I see that shit that's stuck in me and its pretty scary...a good 3-4 full spits of gray shit everytime, then it's clean though, so I imagine I gotta quit now while still relatively clean. Weird how people can smoke forever and never get more than a cough...I don't smoke weed regularly since 3 years now, its became a totally rare thing, it just gives me anxiety now/not knowing what to do with myself/dissociate... a lot like varenicline...
HdoubleODeezy
Bluelighter
I took it YEARS ago probably in '08 for less than a month.. i do have a history of suicidal tendencies unfortunately. I have schizoaffective disorder.
Seriously though, this med fucked my mind so bad it isn't funny.
And the dr who gave it to me didn't tell me about the INCREASED risk of suicide during or after stopping chantix and he knew i had previously tried to kill myself in the past and my metal health status.. WTF?
My advice to people who wanna use this is:
If you have any mental problems AT ALL even slight depression or light anxiety which is very common among people these days.. stay away.
Ive been smoking a pack a day since i was 12. im 25 now. 13 years. Yeah, i can't run as long as i used to and keeping up with my kids is difficult but i can't imagine life without cigarettes, i would be even more of a mental case lol. Though there are some studies that show improvement in psychosis's through cigarettes.
My new psych actually told me i would be worse off if i quit smoking.. now that's something you don't usually here from a health care provider.
Seriously though, this med fucked my mind so bad it isn't funny.
And the dr who gave it to me didn't tell me about the INCREASED risk of suicide during or after stopping chantix and he knew i had previously tried to kill myself in the past and my metal health status.. WTF?
My advice to people who wanna use this is:
If you have any mental problems AT ALL even slight depression or light anxiety which is very common among people these days.. stay away.
Ive been smoking a pack a day since i was 12. im 25 now. 13 years. Yeah, i can't run as long as i used to and keeping up with my kids is difficult but i can't imagine life without cigarettes, i would be even more of a mental case lol. Though there are some studies that show improvement in psychosis's through cigarettes.
My new psych actually told me i would be worse off if i quit smoking.. now that's something you don't usually here from a health care provider.
StigmaShadow
Bluelighter
I had read about people getting high off buproprion and what an awesome buzz it could be. So a few days ago I swallowed a 150mg pill to see what would happen...
About 30 minutes after ingestion I became more energized, but with this static energy. It wasn't euphoric at all, a little uncomfortable to be honest. And the need to chain smoke was there. This lasted only 2 and a half hours, after which I fell to sleep. No weird dreams everyone talks about either. But the morning after was interesting. I felt super clean and ready to go in the morning. And the stimulation was still there a little.
About 30 minutes after ingestion I became more energized, but with this static energy. It wasn't euphoric at all, a little uncomfortable to be honest. And the need to chain smoke was there. This lasted only 2 and a half hours, after which I fell to sleep. No weird dreams everyone talks about either. But the morning after was interesting. I felt super clean and ready to go in the morning. And the stimulation was still there a little.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
Funny you mention that HdOD. The psychiatric benefits of smoking have been pretty well documented. In many cases they work better at pacifying shall we say "disturbed" patients and allowing those with mental illness more control over their lives than any pharmaceutical available to them. People with any or who at all predisposed to mental illness need to be very, very careful about using Wellbutrin or Chantix, but especially Especially Chantix, to quit smoking.
Lol, I get a kick out of whenever I see someone say "what an awesome buzz" wellbutrin can provide (not too infrequent). I remember snorting that shit... when I was like 16. I met a kid once who OD'd on like 1.5g of wellbutrin. Him taking upwards of 800mg wasn't at all unusual in his attempt to get a buzz. Such a bad idea, so stupid imho. I mean, it's just asking for a seizure, heart attack, etc
Lol, I get a kick out of whenever I see someone say "what an awesome buzz" wellbutrin can provide (not too infrequent). I remember snorting that shit... when I was like 16. I met a kid once who OD'd on like 1.5g of wellbutrin. Him taking upwards of 800mg wasn't at all unusual in his attempt to get a buzz. Such a bad idea, so stupid imho. I mean, it's just asking for a seizure, heart attack, etc
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THE_REAL_OBLIVION
Bluelight Crew
If electronic cigarettes with actual nicotine in them were allowed to be sold in stores in canada I would have switched to vaping nicotine minus all the fuckin smoke. But nah, the electronic cigarettes at gas stations here contain only propylene glycol..what a joke.
It's legal to import some from internet vendors but it's not particularly cheap. I'll eventually do it though, that gray goo is one hell of a wake up call and fuck varenicline.
And yeah, Wellbutrin is a stimulant antidep, but no way can one have fun with this thing. It does work at making cigarettes taste like absolute ass but the other side effects (raised BP more uncomfortable than from dexamphetamine, cold blueish lips, shakes....just no.).
It's legal to import some from internet vendors but it's not particularly cheap. I'll eventually do it though, that gray goo is one hell of a wake up call and fuck varenicline.
And yeah, Wellbutrin is a stimulant antidep, but no way can one have fun with this thing. It does work at making cigarettes taste like absolute ass but the other side effects (raised BP more uncomfortable than from dexamphetamine, cold blueish lips, shakes....just no.).
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
Ugh, I found the e-cig my buddy got me like six months ago and was smoking it while I was at my mom's this morning doing some work for a foundation she's managing so I can get elected to the board of director's chair of the foundation this next quarter. Anyways I really don't like the one I have - or maybe it's the minty sorta menthol flavored nicotine. I've had some pretty neat flavors before, but this stuff makes my throat and lungs and mouth feel real nasty. Like real cigarettes are so much better I don't want anything to do with the e-cig for a bit, at least until I can get some new flavoring for it.
anniegram
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2013
- Messages
- 11,216
It's really important to find the right flavor for you. I smoked a pack a day and tried the ecig around 2009, hated it and went right back to smoking. 20 days ago I got my new vape in the mail and man this thing is legit. It doesn't LOOK like a cigarette but it certainly gives me what I need. Kanger Evod has a starter kit online for real cheap. I stopped smoking 20 days ago after 12 year nearly straight of puffing away. Lucky me when I ordered online I picked a random flavor out of the blue and ended up enjoying it. If I had hated the flavor I bought I would probably still be smoking.