dogasu
Stranger
Reged: 06/03/04
Posts: 4
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My husband who smokes three packs a day for at least the last 4 years has finally decided to quit cold turkey. He is Bi-Polar and takes Lithium, Lexipro, Trazodone and sometimes Zyprexa. He is experiencing horrible shakes,stomache cramps, hot and cold feelings and is unbeleivably miserable. Has anyone else gone through this? Has anyone taken anything to ease it? Would Xanax help? I've never smoked so I don't know what to do. I myself take Vicodin for degenerative back pain but very small doses everyday so I haven;t had withdrawal. Hope someone can help. Thanks.
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rocky99
Newbie
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 31
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xanax will help
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hilarylp
Member
Reged: 07/06/02
Posts: 105
Loc: Corporate Droneville
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Given his bipolar diagnosis, is quitting cold turkey really the best idea? Nicotine withdrawl effects everyone in varying degrees and depends somewhat upon how much smoked and for how long. Xanax certainly couldn't hurt, but it takes about 7 days for the withdrawl to end. Once that week has passed, it's just a matter of managing the cravings. As far as the stomach complaints, I have never heard of anyone I know experiencing this, but it could be from the anxiety of trying to quit or simply a side effect of a decreasing nicotine blood level.
I wish you both the best of luck, but if it continues, he should try the lozenges, patches, or gum; and, touching base with a doctor certainly couldn't hurt.
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hilarylp
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dogasu
Stranger
Reged: 06/03/04
Posts: 4
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Thanks for the advice about the Xanax. He'll try it. I also didn't realize it would take 7 days for withdrawal to go away. He decided to quit because he's been getting a nasty cough with Bronchitis. Early this year he ended up in the emergency room because he couldn't breathe. To top that all off our insurance company wouldn't pay the bill because they said he should have used a regular doctor. This happened on New Year's Day. Who has their office open? Also Hiarylp I love your dancing little bean Man. Made me smile.
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MRNUTTY
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 289
Loc: east coast. USA
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i used nicoderm patch 3-4 step method with twice the interval during step 1. haven't touched a cig in 10 years. can't stant 'em. To be honest, the lexapro withdrawl feels much worse that cig widthdrawl.
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deborah7
Journeyman
Reged: 04/16/04
Posts: 51
Loc: Northeast USA
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Dear Dogasu,
I smoked two packs a day for over twenty years. I smoked so much, I never slept through the night. My nicotine habit woke me every two hours and wouldn't allow me to sleep until I satisfied it. Almost two years ago, I got bronchitis for the first time and had difficulty getting rid of it.
I have not smoked a cigarette in 23 months.
I highly suggest he calls his doctor before trying my method. The patch and/or gum may have side effects mixed with his meds.
I used the patch, highest dosage level.
I also chewed the gum or used the lozenges(4 mg highest dosage level) when I experienced huge cravings even while wearing patch.
(I did discuss this with my physician and he okayed me using both because I was such a heavy smoker). He also told me not to worry about the time frame suggested by the patch/gum company. He believed it was too fast a weaning for me.
For two months I wore highest dosage patch and chewed approximately 12 pieces of 4 mg gum per day.
The next two months, I wore the next weaker patch and still chewed approximately 12 pieces a day.
The following two months,I wore the weakest patch and limited the gum to 10 per day.
The following period, about 2 weeks, I cut the weakest patch in half and remained at 10 pieces of gum still 4mg per day.
For a couple of more weeks, I eliminated the patch and chewed 10 pieces of 4mg per day.
I then switched to the 2 mg gum and remained at that limit of 10 per day for a month.
I then would eliminate one piece of gum every two weeks until I was down to 2 pieces per day (morning and after dinner).
I know this sounds complicated and took a long time, but it worked for me
Good Luck,
Deb
p.s. I also experienced the same stomach issues for a week or so.
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MRNUTTY
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 289
Loc: east coast. USA
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use of gum vs patch depends on oral fixation or not. i was only physically addicted to the nicotine, babblering satisfied the rest (actually come to think of it, i was working 10 hours straight listening to the same three CD's (oingo boingo)over and over again on headphones... wow that was a weird time)
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diggsbakes
Veteran
Reged: 09/17/03
Posts: 542
Loc: Mountians
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Quote:
Thanks for the advice about the Xanax. He'll try it.
Given the medications your husband is currently on for a mental disorder, I would definately consult his doctor before throwing Xanax into the mix of pills he already takes.
Xanax can be dangerous when mixed with any tranquilizer especially Trazodone. Also, benzodiazepines have different effects on different people. My buddy was once prescribed Diazepam for anxiety and it only made him more high strung than before, almost to the point that he could not be social what so ever.
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cheetah
Stranger
Reged: 10/14/04
Posts: 1
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I quit smoking three years ago, and I experienced awful gastro-intestinal distress for about a week. In talking with my father about it (quitting smoking, that is), he indicated that he'd had a stomachache for days when he quit.
Not unusual.
As far as adding Xanax to the mix, I agree with what everyone else has posted--he should talk to his doctor first.
Good luck
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