Western medicine has progressed in leaps and bounds in the past century, so much that we are now able to treat a large number of diseases simply by popping the right pills into our mouths. Is it any wonder then, that we have pills to stop smoking? While they won’t actually quit the cigarettes for you, these pills can make life a whole lot easier for people who want to quit smoking.
What Pills Can Help Me Stop Smoking?
The two main FDA-approved drugs prescribed to help smokers quit are Zyban (bupropion) and Chantix (varenicline). Both have been tested in studies that show them to be more effective than simple sugar placebos, which means they do actually work to help you quit smoking.
What is Zyban?
Bupropion was actually created as an antidepressant and continues to be marketed as such under the name Wellbutrin. It is now also marketed under the name Zyban as a drug to help smokers quit. Approved by the FDA in 1997, Zyban helps you quit smoking by making you less reliant on nicotine.
When you smoke, the nicotine you take in boosts levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, chemicals in your brain that make you happy. This is part of what makes smoking so addictive. Zyban can also boost the levels of these brain chemicals, allowing you to get that high without taking in any more nicotine. The idea is to take Zyban instead of smoking, to give your body time to flush the nicotine out. After a while, you should find that your nicotine addiction has diminished or vanished completely, and you can then stop taking Zyban. The boost in the levels of ‘happy chemicals’ should also make withdrawal symptoms easier to cope with.
It is recommended that you use Zyban in combination with some type of program designed to help you quit smoking. Most smokers are able to stop using Zyban within 2-3 months after they first start taking it.
What is Chantix?
Varenicline, or Chantix, was created by drug company Pfizer. It was made specifically for the purpose of helping people quit smoking, and was approved by the FDA in 2006.
Chantix works directly on nicotine by blocking it from interacting with receptors in the brain. This means that any cigarettes you smoke won’t have any positive effect for you, so you’ll eventually stop smoking just because cigarettes don’t do anything for you anymore. You can slip up and light a cigarette if you want, but it won’t do a thing for you.
Which Pill To Take?
Although Chantix has proven to be highly effective in helping smokers to quit, there has recently been some fuss about Chantix possibly causing severe depression in some people. Both Chantix and Zyban also have potential side effects like insomnia and headaches. Make sure you consult your doctor before taking any of these drugs. Your doctor will make sure that you are a right candidate for the use of pills to stop smoking, and help you to decide which drug is better for you.
Sat, Apr 11, 2009
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