I have smoked on & off for years and have quit before for months but always start back. Usually because I gain weight or start having cravings for other things that I have quit and always feel like smoking is the lesser of the evils. I had never used the patch or the gum or the losenges before. This time, I quit on Sept. 2nd, 2005, I decided to try the commit losenges and they work very well for me. I really like them and think it's great that I can get my nicotine fix anywhere now--church, work, all non-smoking places. I really haven't missed it at all BUT I wanted to be off of the losenges by this time--almost 4 months and I can't seem to quit them. I always say this will be my last box but when my box gets low, I always buy another one & it's more expensive than smoking. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to now quit the commit losenges without smoking or worse?
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How to quit the products that help you quit
- Thread starter Serenity432001
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Evie1980
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- Sep 30, 2005
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Hmm that is a difficult one. I never wanted to quit using a substitute because I know that I would get addicted to the substitute! Ok well um here goes - try switching to gum or something that gives you the nicotine hit but is really gross. The problem with lozengers is that you actually enjoy them (and they are convenient) so I would also replace the lozengers with other non-nicotine ones every once in a while. As you would still be doing the sucking motion your body will think that you are having nicotine when you are not and then after a while you will get used to having no nicotine so you will be able to not use any at all. That's all I can sugggest as I have never been in that position so I will pray for you because that is the best advice that I can give. God bless, Evie
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I have that same problem Serenity. As soon as I don't buy a box I end up bumming a smoke at work and it starts all over again. I'm just about positive that cold turkey is the only way. Not that I have done it yet. I'm working up to it. (ya right) One day I will be free. Just don't quit trying.
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HI SERENITY,
You may already know that the lozenges contain a hefty dose of phenylalanine, wich has a stimulant effect and is also habit forming. You might try swithing to gum that contains phenylalananine, since you body is probably acustomed to the high it supplies, you then can ween of the gum to chemical free gum. Just a personel note, I have tried the lozenges but cannott tolerate the phenylaalanine because it overstimulates me, anyway hope this info was useful.
Daryl
You may already know that the lozenges contain a hefty dose of phenylalanine, wich has a stimulant effect and is also habit forming. You might try swithing to gum that contains phenylalananine, since you body is probably acustomed to the high it supplies, you then can ween of the gum to chemical free gum. Just a personel note, I have tried the lozenges but cannott tolerate the phenylaalanine because it overstimulates me, anyway hope this info was useful.
Daryl
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Frangible
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So, why are you buying more? Is it just the use of nicotine as an appetite suppressant? Or is there something more? Are you using it for energy? Focus? Concentration? To "clear the fog"? If so you may have ADD, and a very high percentage of smokers do have ADD as those with ADD are predisposed to stimulant use to gain a normal level of functioning. Nicotine is actually very effective in treating ADD, one study showed a patch had equal efficacy to methylphenidate (Ritalin).
And aside from cost... so what? Nicotine isn't really unhealthy, nor does it cause cancer (that's the tobacco). Patches are probably cheaper, just switch to those. If this drug is benefitting you, and is not causing you harm, why quit? I cannot find any medical reason. Is your use of it really so different than most people using caffeine?
Regarding hunger, yes, nicotine is an excellent appetite suppressant. Unlike the phenethylamine family (amphetamine etc) you never truly develop a tolerance to nicotine's appetite suppression... that's pretty cool in this day and age of record obesity.
I would argue that you do not need appettie suppressants. If you have a hunger problem, you have a diet problem. Split your meals more and eat more satiating things. The modern American diet is not very satiating per calorie.
Eat more vegetables! Vegetables are very filling and have almost no calories. Are you getting 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day? That's not many calories, is very healthy, and quite satiating. Rethink your entire diet.
I think if you restructure your diet you won't need an appetite suppressant.
Oh come on. There are 404 mg of phenylalanine in an 8oz glass of milk, it's an essential amino acid found in almost every protein that you need to live. There's 3.4mg of phenylalanine in the Commit lozenges. You'd have to eat over 100 of them to get the same as a glass of milk, and you'd die of a nicotine overdose if you ate that many. Heh, what's the LD50 of nicotine again?
If 3.4mg of phenylalanine were that stimulanting as you claim, it would make methamphetamine look like a depressant, and a glass of milk would kill you.
While it is true phenylalanine is stimulating, it is only stimulating in extremely high quantities (several grams at least) and all studies show a tolerance quickly develops as the catecholamine stores in the chromaffin normalize. There is simply no data at all to suggest it is such a potent stimulant, and I invite you to use PubMed and reserach it.
Besides, you know someone would be abusing it if it was that powerful. I haven't seen anyone doing lines of NutraSweet lately
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