When you first visit our pharmacy or if you are taking certain medicines it is likely that our pharmacist will ask if you smoke. If you do smoke you may be asked if you are ready to QUIT.
But before you start the process we will review any medicines you are taking to see if any of them might be affected by the change in their metabolism that can occur when you QUIT. Chemicals in tobacco smoke increase the metabolism of drugs broken down by certain enzymes so that when you stop smoking the blood levels of these drugs may rise to toxic levels.
If you are not ready to QUIT we will provide you with some information for you to think about. For instance if your do QUIT this is when you can expect to feel the benefits:
Time Benefit
5 days Cleaner breath and hair, sense of taste and smell improved
3 months Blood pressure returns to normal, breathing and lung function improves
6 months Further breathing improvements, reduced infections
12 months Risk of coronary heart disease halved
1–5 years Significant reduction in risk of stroke and coronary heart disease
5–10 years Reduced risk of lung cancer and cervical cancer
We will probably offer you a QUIT kit with information about the nicotine replacement products that can be used to manage the nicotine withdrawal or information to help you deal with the mental aspects of nicotine addiction such as Alan Carr’s Easyway.
If you are ready to QUIT we will ask a few more questions to determine your level of addiction such as:
- How soon after waking do you have your first cigarette
- How many cigarettes do you smoke a day
- Have you had cravings for a cigarette, or urges to smoke and withdrawal symptoms when you have tried to quit?
We then help you:
- understand nicotine addiction
- that it can be a chronic relapsing condition and
- may take many attempts (more than 8–14 times) before successfully stopping but
- and the different methods for managing nicotine withdrawal
- you can learn something from each attempt to help you overcome nicotine dependence.
- set some goals for smoking cessation
- choose the best product to assist you if you choose nicotine replacement
- record weekly your progress
- recommend you access the QUITLINE on 13 7848 or look up Quit Now web-site.
- with a relapse prevention plan by working out coping strategies for high risk situations such as stress, negative emotional states, alcohol and other social cues to smoke.
If you have an iPhone download the my Quitbuddy app at http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/quit-now-my-quitbuddy/id527485761?ls=1&mt=8