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Zyban: All Doped Up

by Isabelle Laurendeau

Ottawa,
Canada

I am 32 years old and have been smoking for 19 years. I was a heavy smoker, 25 to 30 per day. I have tried several times to quit and have tried almost every method possible. Mouthwash that makes cigarettes taste bad; a "Smoke enders" type of routine where you change the entire habitual aspect while lowering the tar and nicotine intake; Nicorettes; the "patch"; cold turkey...the list goes on and on. I haven't smoked in a week, not even one "drag". You may think that this is no big deal but I KNOW that this is it. I have never, not in the 19 years that I smoked, gone one week without even one "hit" of nicotine. I feel GREAT! In order for me to get here, I had to be completely disgusted with cigarettes and smoking. I was washing my hands after every time I smoked, chewing gum after every cigarette, trying to cover the smell. I was so embarrassed about the fact that I smoked that I would often avoid close conversations with people because I was self-conscious about smelling like smoke. This is where I had to be in order to be mentally prepared to quit. I am taking Zyban and also wearing a 10mg patch. I'm all "doped" up, I'm suffering from insomnia (it's 4am right now) and I have the shakes(side effect of Zyban) but ANYTHING is better than smoking. The amazing thing about this combination is that I don't feel the usual nervousness, irritability, crankiness that I have felt in the past when I have tried to quit. I have about 5 strong cravings a day and these are EASILY controllable. I feel fantastic! I feel cleaner and healthier already. For the first time in 19 years, the thought of never having a cigarette again doesn't scare me, instead, it makes me feel liberated! I've finally succeeded! YAHOO!!