Wellbutrin users? - Smoking Cessation Message Board

Hackman · 02-07-2004, 02:32 AM

Greetings to all,

What a great source of inspiration you all are. I have to chime in.

I have been a 1/2 to 1 pack a day user for about twenty of my 41 years.
On Monday of this week,due to a bad cough, I decided to quit smoking for a day.

The one day has turned into five days now. Somehow I have quit smoking for the first time in my life. And I'm afraid it is partially due to the fact that, on tuesday,my doctor suggested I try Wellbutrin. It definitely has helped with the cravings, but as a moderate drinker I am concered about the warnings that suggest I not drink alcohol with the Wellbutrin.

I know that I am capable of quitting smoking (hopefully without Wellbutrin), but I don't want to try to quit drinking right now as well.

I am curious if anyone has any experience with this drug, it's impact, it's influence on drinking alcohol with it, getting off it, and any other of your remarkable suggestions on quitting this bad habit of smoking with or without the aid of drugs.

It's been a very difficult week (ask my wife

) and I need to keep focused. Please help!

Thanks.

Deda · 02-07-2004, 03:47 AM

Hackman--

Well first of all...WELCOME!!! Always happy to see another person quitting smoking.

And I want to say that I KNOW you can quit, because if *I* can quit, I feel anyone can quit. I smoked for 30 years, a pk a day. Would even have a smoke if I got up, (rarely) to use the restroom in the middle of the night. Now how much more addicted can you be than that? Pretty sick, huh? And you'll hear more people say the same, that if they can quit, surely you can too. Don't say you hope you can, say you *KNOW* you can. And then you can!!!

Now the Wellbutrin, you will hear many things about that, good AND bad. I used it for only 3 weeks, as I had some problems with it. I was still smoking, but w/o even trying I had cut my smoking in half! But it caused me to feel depressed, and I was crying a lot and couldn't sleep at all. But that doesn't mean that that will happen to you. We all respond to drugs differently. I've heard of others doing wonderfully on it. As for drinking, I don't know. You probably should ask your Dr. But, even if you have to give up the juice for a while, if you really want to quit smoking, well, it would be worth a short period of sacrifice. I'm finding out since I quit that I've had to sacrifice a few things, but that's okay. When your resolve to quit is strong, you are willing to do just about anything.

Please hang around Hack, I'm sure you'll hear from the rest of the very supportive quitters we have on this group. We may be quitters but we're all winners.

Congratulations as well!!!
DEDA

Hackman · 02-07-2004, 03:34 PM

Thank you for responding Deda. Much appreciated. I am going to try to go off the Wellbutrin today and just see what happens. I am more confident than ever about quitting after seeing all the posting from other quitters. I guess One day at a Time is all I can do. Boy this is hard!

Hackman

Well first of all...WELCOME!!! Always happy to see another person quitting smoking.

And I want to say that I KNOW you can quit, because if *I* can quit, I feel anyone can quit. I smoked for 30 years, a pk a day. Would even have a smoke if I got up, (rarely) to use the restroom in the middle of the night. Now how much more addicted can you be than that? Pretty sick, huh? And you'll hear more people say the same, that if they can quit, surely you can too. Don't say you hope you can, say you *KNOW* you can. And then you can!!!

Now the Wellbutrin, you will hear many things about that, good AND bad. I used it for only 3 weeks, as I had some problems with it. I was still smoking, but w/o even trying I had cut my smoking in half! But it caused me to feel depressed, and I was crying a lot and couldn't sleep at all. But that doesn't mean that that will happen to you. We all respond to drugs differently. I've heard of others doing wonderfully on it. As for drinking, I don't know. You probably should ask your Dr. But, even if you have to give up the juice for a while, if you really want to quit smoking, well, it would be worth a short period of sacrifice. I'm finding out since I quit that I've had to sacrifice a few things, but that's okay. When your resolve to quit is strong, you are willing to do just about anything.

Please hang around Hack, I'm sure you'll hear from the rest of the very supportive quitters we have on this group. We may be quitters but we're all winners.

Congratulations as well!!!
DEDA

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LL29 · 02-07-2004, 08:18 PM

Hi there Hackman and I say if you've already started taking the Wellbutrin and like it - STAY ON IT! Too many people think they have it beat and quit doing what they're doing and BAM - relapse time. If you don't want to take it then DO NOT SMOKE no matter how hard it gets because you will be putting yourself thru cold turkey and day 2 and 3 of that can get pretty nasty.

I think if you have a strong will to quit, then it won't matter. I took wellbutrin/zyban years ago before and it was fine for me and actually put me in a better mood (it's an anti-depressant but for a small % it doesn't do that for others) and of course you don't want to smoke because it gives you dry mouth. Just ask your doctor if you can have alcohol with it and let him know what your normal consumption is. I'm sure a beer or two will not hurt you but if it's a daily habit and more than that then I wouldn't advise it.

Congrats and welcome to the nonsmoking world

Pray on it too but don't ever let your guard down.

Laurie

Hackman · 02-08-2004, 01:57 PM

Thanks Laurie!
Much appreciated advice. I indeed am trying it ,for now, without the Wellbutrin. So far I'm okay. I'm carrying nicotine gum for the cravings. Prayers certainly are helping as well! Take care.

Hackman