Prescription Drugs
When I first heard of the idea of using a prescription drug to help someone get rid of another drug the idea seemed strange. A little research showed that plant based medicines for this purpose have been around for quite some time, particularly in Russia although I had difficulty in identifying the success rate for these.
It also occurred to me that pharmaceutical companies are businesses like any other and as such they are constantly on the lookout for profit opportunities. The rise and rise of health concerns around smoking meant that literally millions of people all over the world wanted to quit the habit. That became an opportunity too good to ignore and the search was on to find ways of exploiting this market. Soon prescription medication for smoking cessation began to find its way into doctor's prescription pads.
Prescription drugs are now very much part of the "medicalization" of Smoking Cessation.
At least one of these drugs was originally designed as an anti-depressant but found to be helpful in quitting cigarettes. However there were many side effects and quite a few contra indications for this medicine.
When the drug was at its most popular, clients arriving at my clinic, who by definition had not succeeded with it, reported a range and variety of side effects that was concerning to say the least. Symptoms ranged from breaking out in "cold sores" to rashes, to insomnia, vivid nightmares to "going off my head". In many cases, their doctors had subsequently taken them off the drug. It is noteworthy that few clients report using this drug today.
Another popular stop smoking drug was synthesized as an improvement on an earlier plant based medicine and was found to reduce the desire for cigarettes while at the same time ameliorating the side effects of quitting. However studies, including those funded by the manufacturer, indicate that at 24 weeks (or 6 months) the product has about the same effectiveness as NRT - significantly less than doing it cold turkey.
A 2011 review also found that this particular product carries an increased risk of serious negative cardiovascular events and may cause neuropsychiatric side effects and possible suicidal ideation and behavior.
I would add that clients who have tried this drug do not report the same level or variety of side effects, although a similar proportion of clients have reported trying it. However the side effects reported in the literature are serious when they are present and as effectiveness studies indicate that these drugs are no better than NRT one should seriously consider whether it is worthwhile using them at all.
James Jameson is a highly qualified experienced successful Stop Smoking Specialist who powerfully helps clients quit cigarettes in a single one hour session. James would love to work with you either in person or via Skype. For more information please visit James' website http://stopsmokingirl.com
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