Throughout my ordeal with this I did not smoke. I am now feeling better (not great) and broke down and started to smoke again. How many smokers with this are there out there and do you notice much of a difference if you don't smoke? I have not noticed any changes since I have started smoking again (about a week and a 1/2 ago). Just curious..... Thanks! Lori
Me too - I stopped smoking about 6 weeks ago, and saw absolutely no difference with my symptoms. My doctor told me the lump in my throat would not go away as long as I was smoking (supposedly smoking makes more acid).
Well, unfortunately, I got weak (mostly because of the stress of LPR) and have been smoking this past week. I'm pretty upset with myself, because I had been wanting to quit for so long. I finally get 5 weeks without cigs behind, and I stupidly pick up a cigarette. I have quit again now and hopefully I'll stay away from them forever.
Don't get mad at yourself for relapse smoking. I've quit many many times and started back up, even after 2-3 years. It's VERY addictive and difficult to quit, so give yourself credit for the weeks you've stayed away and just keep quitting if you relapse. I just quit about a week and a half ago and I've actually felt a lot better (my throat and chest), but I took my mother to the casino last night and that's a trigger for me. So, I smoked while I was there, but I haven't since I got back home and I don't feel like I want to either. I don't mind doing it every once in a while, but I hate being hooked on it every day, so I feel good that I've stopped, only did it at the casino and now back home I am smoke free! I find the nicotine gum works good for me. Just keep on quitting, don't stress!
I had quit smoking about 13 years ago - for 1 1/2 years. I started out just having one cigarette every now and then - within 2 or 3 months, I was back to a pack a day. I don't want this to happen again. I'm on Wellbutrin for smoking cessation - it really cuts down the cravings.
I get down on myself about it because it bothers me that I'm so weak in this area - and it's a pretty bad area to be weak in!! Smoking can lead to nothing good, and as I get older I get more worried.
Yes, you can take Wellbutrin with Nexium. I did, and it was okayed by my ENT. I recently went off the Wellbutrin because it was making me breakout like crazy. I'm looking into having the laser done for stop smoking - it's supposed to be very successful. I haven't smoked more than 4 cigarettes per day, but I know it's only a matter of time before I'm back to a pack if I keep this up.
According to my doctor, smoking is one of the worst offenders for GERD and LPR. Supposedly every cigarette you smoke causes you stomach to make a lot of acid. My ENT told me if I didn't quit, the lump in my throat would never go away, regardless of the Nexium.
Yes, this is initially why I quit smoking. I was smoke-free for 5 weeks, and did not see any change whatsoever with the lump in my throat. I became stressed out from the GERD/LPR, being that I felt the lump 24/7, and started smoking again. Like I said before, I only have been smoking 3 cigs a day, but want to quit totally, regardless of the GERD/LPR - I hate it and don't want to be unhealthy. Believe it or not, I've been feeling a lot better, but I'm sure that's due to the Nexium, and not the smoking!!!
The lump in my throat was so bad that I thought I was going to die!!! I had been to the doctor and she prescribed Wellbutrin for smoking cessation. I was supposed to start out with 150 mgs. and then after 2 weeks go up to 300 mgs, and this is when she said that I will be able to stop smoking (at 300 mgs) - I think the 2 weeks at 150 mg. is to get the medicine in your system.
So I started the 150 mgs. and 2 days later, the lump in my throat was so bad that I felt like I couldn't swallow - I panicked (I was in the car with my husband) and told him to drive me to the hospital. He thought my panicking was making my throat worse so he suggested to go home and call the doctor. I called and that is when the doc said that as long as I keep smoking the lump will not get better. So the next day, I finished the 4 cigs that I had left, and gave it up. I have to admit that the Wellbutrin helped with the cravings.
When I went up to 300 mgs. it REALLY took the cravings away - it was quite amazing. However, I had a very rare side effect from the Wellbutrin - I started breaking out with cystic acne, which hasn't happened to me in 15 years. So I went off the Wellbutrin, and instead of fighting a little urge to smoke (which I knew would go away in a few minutes) I broke down and smoked. BIGGEST MISTAKE.
I would definitely recommend the Wellbutrin to stop smoking. You usually stay on 300 mgs for about 3 months and then go off of it. I know many people who have stopped with this method.
My doctor now has suggested using Laser to stop smoking - apparently it is new, but has been getting great results for taking away nicotine cravings. I'm going to set up an appointment to have it done.
And this goes without saying, nothing will work if you really don't want to quit.
How frightening to have the feeling of a big lump in your throat. I'd probably panic and go straight to the ER also. I guess the lump was just your throat in a spasm or something? Have you tried a nicotine patch or would that cause the same problem with your throat? Laser treatment sounds a lot more healthier and maybe it doesn't have side effects. I didn't know that Wellbutrin was used for nicotine addiction. It seems like quitting smoking is very hard to do and I wish you luck with it.
Quitting smoking is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. It is a horrible addiction. I will be happy when it is behind me.
The lump in my throat has been constant since December, 2005. Some days were a whole lot worse than others, but it was ALWAYS there. I was initially very scared to go to the doctor - I didn't want to know what it was. But then I couldn't bear it any longer. I was shocked to find out it was LPR (Silent Reflux). In fact, I didn't believe the first ENT, and went to get a 2nd opinion. I received the same diagnosis from the 2nd ENT as the first. Then I started researching about it on the internet, and was more than surprised to see how many people had the symptom of the lump in throat.
Today I felt the best that I have been since December. I think that the Nexium is finally kicking in. I've been on it for 25 days now.
I had quit smoking too because the lump in my throat was so bad. Scared me half to death because no one took me serious at first (it was flu season and everyone I saw blamed it on that) Now I am smoking almost a pack a day again and the lump is back big time. I was on wellbutrin to try to quit smoking when all this happened so I quit taking everything (wellbutrin, advil, and allegra) I thought maybe I was having an allergic reaction to something. I think I'll give the wellbutrin a try again. Just the thought of quitting smoking again stresses me out. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Thanks! Lori
I wish you the best in quitting smoking. I have an appointment scheduled for Monday to have the Laser done to quit smoking. They have had great success with it in Europe and Canada for the past 30 years!!! It was just recently approved for the United States. I talked to someone on the phone today about and he said you only need 2 back-to-back treatments and that's it. The cravings are gone - however, as with anything, you have to really want to quit. I'm only smoking about 3 to 4 cigs a day right now, but really want to quit before I climb back up to a pack.
Oddly, the lump has been gone in my throat today and yesterday! I don't want the smoking to bring it back - as you know - it's the worst feeling I have ever felt.
If for some reason the Wellbutrin doesn't work out - you might want to look in to the Laser - its a cool laser that does not hurt at all. I'm in NY - and it cost $300 in total for the sessions. I figure that's about 2 months of smoking a pack a day!! I'll let you know how it goes.
Good for you, Moe!!!!! I agree that the first 3 days are hell. I was fine and did not struggle at all for 5 weeks. My doctor told me that I would start to feel cravings again at 6 weeks but I didn't believe her. And I had already stopped the Wellbutrin - she was right!!
The laser is a cool beam laser (so you don't feel a thing) that hits certain pressure points, and brings your seratonin levels to a higher level than when you crave cigarettes, therefore, the cravings are gone, because the level of seratonin is higher from the laser. For some reason this lasts (I don't know how long - I didn't ask) - and the technician told me that after 2 sessions I would be fine, and wil not feel the urge to smoke at all. I'm not sure, but I suspect that the laser manipulates something physically, which may be permanent?? I'll find out Monday and Tuesday and let everyone know how it goes.
Yeah.. I've heard quitting symptoms comeback after a few weeks like twice or something... I've quit before.. the physical is the easiest... the habitual is the worst... this laser sounds interesting.. where can I get one? Alot easier than SSRI's or ecstasy
