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Pharmacotherapy for Quitting Smoking: NRT, Chantix, and Wellbutrin

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What's the Best Way to Quit Smoking? - GoodRx

Quitting doesn’t look the same for everyone, which is why there are so many different strategies and remedies to assist people with reducing, and eventually quitting smoking all together. I want to present the whole “menu of options” of pharmacotherapy to you, so that you are best equipped to make an informed decision that is right for you and your goals with your tobacco use.

First, let’s do a general walk through of pharmacotherapy and how it can be helpful

What is pharmacotherapy?

Pharmacotherapy is the use of FDA regulated medication to assist an individual with medical conditions, such as addiction. Regarding nicotine dependency specifically, there are two types of pharmacotherapy: nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and medication in the form of a pill.

Evidence-based studies have proven that people who use tobacco products are two times more likely to be successful in their quit attempt if they combine nicotine dependency counseling with some form of pharmacotherapy, compared to using either pharmacotherapy or counseling alone.

There are many factors at play that make quitting so hard (societal, cognitive, the length of time someone has been smoking, etc.) but today we are going to focus on nicotine withdrawals and utilizing pharmacotherapy as a means to reduce the negative effects caused by withdrawals. Nicotine withdrawals can be a lot more difficult than most people think, and are a huge barrier to quitting tobacco use due to the extreme discomfort they can cause. For this reason, it is crucial that you know your options as someone who is trying to quit using tobacco products.

Chemical formula of Nicotine with spilled tobacco - Buy this stock ...

What are nicotine withdrawal symptoms and why do they occur?  

Nicotine withdrawals occur as symptoms of your brain adjusting to the new “normal” as nicotine levels fall within your brain, and eventually leave your system. Nicotine can leave your body entirely within a few days, thanks to the short half-life of the drug. It is important to note that just because the nicotine leaves your system so quickly does not mean that withdrawals will leave as quickly. Most people who quit smoking experience extreme symptoms to nicotine withdrawal for 1-2 weeks with withdrawal usually reaching its peak by day 3, and it can take a few months for them to be gone entirely. This is because it takes up to 3 three months for your brain chemistry, specifically dopamine receptors, to return to “normal” pre-smoking levels.

A more thorough explanation of how withdrawal happens, and why it takes so darn long for things to feel “normal” or for life to feel good again after quitting

Before you smoked, your brain created its own pleasure response (flood of dopamine) to daily activities such as spending time with people you enjoy, eating, having sex, and plenty of other activities. When you start smoking, your brain “doubles down” on the pleasure response thanks to nicotine increasing the volume of the pleasure response that becomes available to you as you smoke (or chew).

happy man funny sticking tongue out

Over repeated use, your brain drastically reduces the amount of pleasure response that is created on its own, without cue from nicotine, since the nicotine makes it so readily available anyways. Think of it this way- if you have a child who regularly cleans their room every day, but you start cleaning their room while they’re at school, they will stop doing it themselves. This is what your brain is doing (or not doing) as nicotine triggers the release of dopamine When you stop using tobacco products, your brain doesn’t catch on right away, so you are receiving much less pleasure response (dopamine) than you were when you were using tobacco, but now you’re also receiving less pleasure response than before you started smoking in the first place. This results in life feeling less satisfactory in a variety of ways.

After increased abstinence, your brain plays catch up, and the dopamine levels in your brain return to the pre-smoking levels. Life is bearable, and even enjoyable again. Understanding this aspect of nicotine withdrawal can help make the experience much less daunting, and give hope that better days really are to come and that all pleasure is not lost once you kick the cigarettes out of your life.

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Below is a list of common nicotine withdrawal symptoms:

  • Cravings (can be general, also the sense of needing something in your mouth constantly)
  • Irritability
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Anxiety
  • Depression/crying spells
  • Increased hunger/ weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Headache

Now, time to see all of your options for keeping the above withdrawals at bay during your quit journey.

Your Guide to Pharmacotherapy for Reducing or Quitting Tobacco Use

***This information is purely educational, so that you understand what all of your options are and how each works. It is always wise to consult with a doctor or tobacco treatment specialist when utilizing any medication to help with reducing or quitting smoking in order to make sure that the dosing and recommendations are safe and make sense for your unique smoking pattern and nicotine dependency.***

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

There are many options for someone who wishes to utilize nicotine replacement therapy, and nicotine replacement therapy seems to be the most popular form of assistance from my clientele base. There are five different types approved by the FDA, outlined below.

The Patch

How you use it: The nicotine patch is a transdermal patch that you put on each day (most people find it easiest to remember by replacing it each morning) and keep on throughout the day. It gives you a steady stream of nicotine throughout the day, in order to help stave off withdrawal symptoms while reducing or quitting.

How it works: The nicotine patch is the only NRT that is slow acting. What that means, is that the patch slowly releases an equal amount of nicotine into your bloodstream for the full day that you wear it. This is important, because the slow and steady release of nicotine into your system helps your body fight the nicotine addiction by making its presence less enforcing as you are no longer self-medicating as a direct response to triggers that may have effected your smoking patterns in the past. It is encouraged to pair a slow acting and quick acting NRT together to maximize success in quitting.

Dosing: Depends on recommendations made by your Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) or Physician, but most people who smoke 1 pack per day or more utilize the 21mg patch to start. It also comes in 14mg and 7mg quantities.

Cautions: Using the patch can be very helpful as a means to help individuals reduce their tobacco use but please utilize caution and consult with your doctor or TTS if you are using the patch while still smoking. Nicotine poisoning can cause rapid heartbeat, nausea, and in  severe cases, result in a heart attack.

Nicotine Gum

How you use it: You chew the gum until it begins to taste “peppery” or not enjoyable. This change in taste as you chew it is the nicotine being activated to be released. Once the taste changes, you “park” the gum between your lip and your gums and keep it there for 15-30 minutes as the nicotine being released will then be absorbed by the mucous membranes that line your cheek.

NRT Gum AND Patch

How it works: The nicotine gum delivers nicotine to your system within a few minutes. It is a fast-acting NRT, meaning that it kicks in relatively quick. The dosing is quite small, making it a great companion to the patch when you quit. I usually recommend that clients utilize the gum in addition to the patch, as something to supplement getting through mornings or rough triggers, as they are waiting for the patch to kick in. Even with the gum delivering nicotine to your bloodstream within a few minutes, it is helping your body kick the withdrawals while also continuing to eliminate the positive reinforcement of smoking/utilizing nicotine as a stress response. This is because the delivery of nicotine to your bloodstream within a few minutes is still relatively slow when compared to the 7 seconds that it takes for nicotine to be delivered to your bloodstream when you are smoking a cigarette.

Dosing: The nicotine gum comes in 4mg and 2mg doses.

Cautions: Please make sure that you do not continue chewing the gum past the peppery taste and NEVER swallow the gum. Spit it out into the trash when you are done. With the dosing being so small with the gum, the chances of getting nicotine poisoning are extremely low, but you’re in for a nasty stomach ache and/or nausea if you swallow the nicotine gum directly.

Nicotine Lozenge

Nicotine lozenge

How you use it: Move the lozenge from one side to the other side of your mouth often, allowing it to slowly dissolve for about 20-30 minutes. Avoid chewing the lozenge.

How it works: The nicotine lozenge acts very similar to the Nicotine Gum and delivers nicotine to your system within a few minutes. It is a fast-acting NRT, meaning that it kicks in relatively quick. The dosing is quite small, making it a great companion to the patch when you quit. I usually recommend that clients utilize the lozenge in addition to the patch, as something to supplement getting through mornings or rough triggers, as they are waiting for the patch to kick in. Even with the lozenge delivering nicotine to your bloodstream within a few minutes, it is helping your body kick the withdrawals while also continuing to eliminate the positive reinforcement of smoking/utilizing nicotine as a stress response. This is because the delivery of nicotine to your bloodstream within a few minutes is still relatively slow when compared to the 7 seconds that it takes for nicotine to be delivered to your bloodstream when you are smoking a cigarette.

Dosing: The nicotine lozenge comes in 4mg and 2mg doses. It also comes in a variety of flavors (mint, cinnamon, fruit).

Cautions: Do not chew or swallow the lozenge, as this can cause a stomach ache and/or nausea. It is advised to not use more than 1 lozenge an hour- especially if you are already using it with the patch.

Nicotine Inhaler

*This product is only available by prescription from a doctor

How you use it: You should not begin to use an inhaler until after you have stopped smoking (on your quit date). It is also advised to not eat or drink 15-30 minutes before using the inhaler, to avoid irritation of the mouth. Once you put a nicotine cartridge into the inhaler, you inhale similarly to using an asthma inhaler, slowly letting the nicotine vapor absorb into your mouth and throat area.  nicotine inhaler

How it works: The inhaler mimics the look of a cigarette and contains a cartridge that fits in the inhaler, containing nicotine. Since you are absorbing the nicotine through your mucous membranes (inside of mouth, throat), you do not receive the same “hit” in your lungs like if you were to smoke a regular cigarette. The nicotine inhaler does not deliver nicotine to your brain as quickly as smoking a cigarette which helps prevent the positive reinforcement of nicotine consumption, allowing you to slowly taper down your use and prevent the onset of extreme nicotine withdrawal. The inhaler is great for heavier smokers (1-2 packs a day), as it helps you slowly ease out of your routine of grabbing a cigarette and putting it to your mouth.

Dosing: One nicotine cartridge contains enough nicotine for 20 minutes of “puffing.” It is recommended to use each cartridge in four separate five minute sessions, and to stick to less than 16 cartridges a day unless otherwise advised by a doctor. Most people end up using between six to ten cartridges a day.

Cautions: Make sure you dispose of the nicotine cartridges safely when finished, as there could be lingering nicotine inside that could harm pets or small children that come in contact with it. Discontinue use after six months. The mouthpiece should be regularly cleaned and disinfected to prevent bacteria build up.

Nasal Spray

*This product is only available by a prescription from your doctor

nicotine nasal spray

How you use it: When you have quit smoking completely, you may start using this product (quit date and beyond). You use this product just like you would use a nasal spray for colds/nasal congestion. After washing your hands, you should blow your nose in order to clear your nasal passageways.

How it works: This nicotine replacement therapy enters the blood stream quicker than the other forms of NRT due to it being absorbed through the nasal passage way. This increases the chance of the nasal spray being more habit forming than the other methods.

Dosing: Most people start with one or two doses an hour, but this can vary based on how many cigarettes you smoked a day before your quit date. Never use more than five doses an hour, or 40 doses within a 24 hour day.

Cautions: Wait at least five minutes after use before driving or  operating heavy machinery. Use the nasal spray regularly to help your body adjust to the following side effects that most people experience within the first week of us: hot, peppery feeling in the back of the throat or nose, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes or runny nose. If you are recovering from drugs that required a similar method of use, this product might not be right for you.

Quit Smoking Medications

There are currently two types of medications that have been approved by the FDA to assist individuals with quitting smoking. They are proven to be as effective as NRT.

*Both of these medications require a prescription by a doctor

Chantix (Varenicline)

chantix

How you use it: You can start taking Chantix before you quit smoking, as it takes some time for the medication to build up in your system. Some people take Chantix a week before their quit date, and others try an even more gradual quit approach and take Chantix for 12 weeks as they are working towards quitting and then remain on Chantix for an additional 12 weeks after quitting. When you do start taking Chantix, there is a specific protocol that you will take so that you can slowly increase the dose over the first week. It is advised to take the pill after eating a meal with a full glass of water.

How it works: When you start taking Chantix, as it builds up in your system, it attaches to the nicotine receptors in your brain. This makes smoking less enjoyable as the nicotine receptors are blocked in your brain and the nicotine is unable to release the flood of dopamine that usually occurs when you smoke. In turn, this helps break the reward cycle of smoking, which ends up lessening your urges to smoke. And if you do smoke while taking Chantix, the effect is significantly less pleasurable. Additionally, since Chantix is now binding to the nicotine receptors in your brain, it does produce a small amount of dopamine to mimic the effect of smoking… only on such a small level that it is not addictive, and just to serve the purpose of easing nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Dosing: The dosing schedule can vary based on specific needs, but generally follows the following protocol: Days 1-3 you take 1 white pill (.5mg) daily, on Days 4-7 you take 1 white pill (.5mg) in the morning and 1 in the evening. Finally, on day 8 until the end of your treatment regimen you take 1 blue pill (1mg) in the morning and 1 in the evening. This allows the medication to slowly build up in your system in a safe way.

Cautions: If you have a history depression or other mental health conditions, or a history of seizures, this may not be the best option for you. A variety of side effects can occur with this medication and it is important to discuss these with your doctor if you are thinking about using this method to quit smoking.

Zyban / Wellbutrin (Bupropion)

bupropion

How you use it: Most people will start taking Bupropion 1-2 weeks before their quit date, or as they are reducing, to allow the medication to build up in your system before you officially quit.

How it works: It is still unclear precisely how Bupropion works, though it has been proven to be effective in easing irritability, concentration problems, and the urge to overeat while quitting smoking. Researchers do know that Bupropion blocks some of the chemicals in your brain that interact with nicotine, making smoking and other tobacco use less re-enforcing, leading to reduced cravings. Bupropion is also commonly prescribed as an anti-depressant.

Dosing: Days 1-3 you take one 150mg tablet each morning, day 4 to the end of your treatment regimen you take one 150mg tablet twice a day- once in the morning and once in the evening (about 8 hours between doses).

Cautions: If you have a history of anxiety, anorexia, binge drinking, or seizures, this medication might not be for you. It is important to discuss your medical history with your doctor if you are interested in taking this medication for smoking cessation.

Additional Notes

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If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or are under the age of 18 you should consult with a doctor before using any of the above medications or NRT.

Get a prescription anyways and save your money to use on other things that will assist your reduction or quit, such as gum, sugar-free candy, toothpicks, etc.

Although you can get the patch, gum and lozenge over the counter at most stores, they can get quite expensive. Especially if you plan to use them for 6 months (the maximum amount of time suggested to help prevent relapse after quitting). With a prescription from your doctor, you can receive these products for free or a substantially reduced price, as many insurance companies will cover the cost to help individuals quit smoking with evidence based interventions. Why pay for it if you don’t have to? In the light of COVID-19, it might not be possible to go into your doctor’s office physically. Instead, you can schedule a virtual “telehealth” visit or try calling the office to explain your situation.

QUITLINE

 

If you are uninsured or underinsured, call the Michigan Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to see how you can get NRT mailed directly to your door.

 

Feel like you need to adjust your tobacco treatment plan due to COVID-19 or just interested in finding out more about Unified’s Tobacco Reduction services? Contact your local Tobacco Treatment Specialist:

Detroit:
Amber Jager – (269) 350-3826
ajager@miunified.org

Ypsilanti/Jackson:
Caitlyn Clock – (734) 489-9916
cclock@miunified.org 

 

Time Management and Tobacco Reduction: Tips to Get Started

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What is Time Management?

In our first tobacco workshop of the year, clients discussed the idea of looking at time management in two different ways:

  1. Having too many tasks, appointments, etc. and feeling as if there isn’t enough time to get them all done.
  2. Having too much free time and not knowing how to fill it.

Both of these situations can be overwhelming, and both can lead to an increase in feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, and loneliness/depression. Which can result in an increased want or need to use tobacco products. Stress, in particular, is a commonly cited barrier for people attempting to quit their tobacco use, and often plays a role in slips and relapses during quit attempts. 

So how can one start to utilize time management skills in their daily life? Something I noticed when exploring ideas for this month’s blog is that most articles and blog posts offering time management tips revolve primarily around productivity and efficiency in the workplace. While productivity-based skills can be incredibly useful in many settings, they often don’t prioritize an individual’s overall wellbeing. The following list includes my top time management tips.

  • Start Small. It’s important to remember not to overwhelm yourself with major changes, even when they may benefit you in the long run. Scheduling every minute of every day is unnecessary and likely to increase negative feelings if you’re unable to meet those detailed time frames. Start with marking down important appointments and deadlines, and see what else would be helpful from there. 
  • Use a Planner or Calendar. While it seems obvious, using a calendar or planner can help you keep track of appointments, events, and other commitments. Keeping track of these will allow you to make appointments as needed while also helping to prevent you from double or overbooking yourself. Having these things planned out will also allow you to prepare for them.
  • Become a List Maker. Using lists can be incredibly helpful when you feel like you’re just not getting things done that you need to. Not only can they serve as a reminder for what needs to be done today (or tomorrow, or this week, etc), crossing off tasks as you complete them will provide you with a visual of how much you’ve accomplished.
  • Break Up Your Big Tasks. Oftentimes major tasks can seem intimidating and we can end up putting them off to avoid feelings of failure and anxiety. By breaking these big tasks up into multiple smaller ones, you can gain confidence in getting through your to-do list without trying to put them off. 
    • For example: You were sick in bed for a week and missed multiple appointments with your doctor, your case manager, your tobacco treatment specialist, your therapist, and a class. Rather than trying to reschedule everything in one sitting, space the calls (and the appointments) out with breaks in between. 
  • Prioritize! Though time management skills can certainly be helpful, they can’t change the fact that we only have 24 hours in the day and seven days in the week. Take time to determine which tasks are the most important, and which one(s) can wait until you have more time available.
  • Make Time for Yourself. While making it to your appointments and other commitments is important, remember that it’s equally important to set aside time for yourself to do things you enjoy whether that’s reading, taking walks, spending time with loved ones, or watching movies. 
  • It’s Okay to Say No Way. These tips and skills are supposed to help reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration in your daily life. Recognize that it’s okay to let people know when you have enough on your plate for that week and need to schedule for a better time in the future. 
  • Celebrate! With any change in your life, it’s important to remember to recognize your accomplishments even if they seem small. Made it on time to an appointment you’d missed and rescheduled a few times? Have a small treat! Completed a major task that’s been looming over your head for weeks? Give yourself a night where you can focus on relaxing and doing activities you enjoy.

As you begin to plan ways to put some of these tips to the test, remember that different things work for different people. Maybe most of these will work for you, or maybe only one will. Don’t be afraid to adapt these tips to benefit YOU and your time management needs. Ultimately, the goal is to find ways to help manage feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, depression, and boredom that might lead to an increase in your tobacco use. 

Interested in finding out more about Unified’s Tobacco Reduction services? Contact your office’s Tobacco Treatment Specialist:

Detroit: 
Amber Jager – (313) 446-9800 
ajager@miunified.org

Ypsilanti/Jackson: 
Caitlyn Clock – (734) 961-1077
cclock@miunified.org

Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Keep the weight off! Part 3

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So far we have covered nutrition and exercise as tools for a healthy weight and lifestyle. Now, third but definitely still just as important as the former two, is sleep! We often disregard or forget about this oh so important factor altogether, in the go-go-go lifestyle that comes along with our society. Sleep is one of the most crucial ingredients for health and well-being. Sleep is what regulates your hormones, repairs your body, promotes a healthy mental state, and so much more.

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If weight loss is your goal and you’re eating healthy foods and working out but not seeing much progress, it is time to evaluate your sleep. Not only will your “gains” from working out be lost if you are deprived of sleep, but your body will crave more food to help fuel your body as it goes into “overtime,” and usually the foods we crave are not the foods we need for proper nutrition. Let’s dig a little deeper, here, and see what else is effected by sleep and HOW to get the most out of your sleep!

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In addition to getting enough sleep (a recommended 6-8 hours for adults), the timing of your sleep is also crucial. Research shows that your body starts to release melatonin in the evening as it starts to get dark out, then begins to release cortisol as the sun begins to rise. Melatonin is the sleep hormone responsible for putting your body at rest and cortisol is the sleep hormone responsible for waking your body up. An optimal sleep schedule is to sleep from 10pm to 6am (8 hours), as 10pm-2am is the time in which your body reaches its peak hormone balance to promote optimal restoration for your cells. When you stay up too late, or sleep in too late, your body is thrown off by hormone dysregulation. This can explain why you may still feel tired even after getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep, because getting 8 hours of sleep from 12am-8am, is not the same as a 10pm-6am schedule. When you go to sleep at 12am you have already missed the first two hours of REM sleep. Dr. Oz has a great article going deeper into the science behind the 10pm-2am cycle of restorative sleep here if you’re interested in learning more.

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What happens to your body when you get a good night’s sleep? A ton of great things, such as:

  • Blood sugar regulation, important for preventing type 2 diabetes
  • Your muscles rebuild themselves, utilizing essential amino acids that you have digested throughout the day (making your workout actually worth it!)
  • Your body repairs itself from internal and external stressors (inflammation reduces, mood regulates, free-radicals that cause disease are removed, all thanks to the antioxidant properties of melatonin)
  • Long-term memory is reinforced, helping you perform cognitive tasks more efficiently

All of the above (expect for the last point, which should still be an important factor for people) aid in weight loss. When you don’t get a quality amount of sleep, the above either will not happen or will occur at a much less efficient rate.

So, get those ZZZ’s because they’re a lot more important than you think!

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Setting a routine for better sleep

Now, let’s address HOW to get this restorative, restful sleep, because as we all know, insomnia can be a withdrawal for many smokers who begin their quit journey.

family of three lying on bed showing feet while covered with yellow blanket

  • Only use your bed for sleep and sex. When you do other activities in your bed (such as reading, watching tv or eating) your brain does not associate your bed with sleep as strongly, and your bed should only be associated with relaxation.
  • When you can’t fall asleep, get out of bed. This might sound like bad advice, but it goes along with the first tip. If it is taking you up to an hour to try to fall asleep, get out of bed and read on the couch or stretch until you feel sleepy, then hop back in bed. When you can’t sleep and stay in bed, feeling anxious or upset that you can’t fall asleep, you are unintentionally associating your bed with negative emotions.

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  • Exercise early in the day, if possible. It is proven that moderate exercise (try for 30 minutes a day, even if it’s just walking) will help adults get a better night’s sleep. Even further, if you exercise before 3pm you will be getting the most from this benefit as it is also proven that exercising after 3pm can cause your sleep hormone production (melatonin and cortisol) to get post-poned, potentially making it harder to initially fall asleep.
  • Consistency is key. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night, and wake up around the same time each morning. Building a consistent routine around your sleep schedule helps keep your hormones in check and makes it easier to fall asleep (and stay asleep) at night.

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  • Unplug! This one is so important in our busy, always accessible society. At least an hour before going to bed, stay away from your cell phone, computer, tv, or any other electronic device. Read a book, stretch or find another relaxing activity that you can participate in each night as part of your routine to help your body unwind and relax. This will help you rid yourself of your racing thoughts, as well as give your brain a rest by intentionally reducing the blue-light that you are exposed to. Blue-light interferes with our internal clock, which controls our sleep hormone (melatonin), causing hormone imbalance, anxiety and stress.
  • Ditch the late night snacks (or meals). Eating later in the evening and at night is tough on our digestive system. Historically speaking, when the sun goes down, so does our body. And with it, our bodily systems, such as digestion. Remember earlier when I said that our body repairs itself when we sleep? Well, when you eat a meal less than three hours before going to sleep, your digestive system is still doing a lot of work while your body is trying to rest! This might be why you wake up multiple times in the night to pee, can’t seem to get a deep sleep, or even have trouble falling asleep. Do yourself and your digestive system a favor and try to abstain from eating at least three hours before sleeping, four if you’re able to eat dinner earlier.
  • Dim your lights. Our sleep hormone, melatonin, is produced by our pineal gland which gets triggered to release or not release melatonin based on the light we receive. Similar to the idea of unplugging from technology, you should try to reduce the overall amount of light received as soon as the sun starts to set. In this way, you are mimicking the way nature intended and helping produce melatonin naturally in order to induce a restful sleep by 10pm.

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  • Reduce or eliminate your caffeine intake altogether. Caffeine is a stimulant and it has been proven that even having caffeine in the morning can effect your sleep at night. Try cutting down from 2 cups of coffee to 1, or switch to decaf if you really enjoy the taste. Be aware that a lot of teas have a ton of caffeine in them, so opt for the de-caffinated ones or something light like a white tea.

white bed comforter

Coming from someone who has personally had a bad relationship with sleep from my adolescence through my early 20’s, if you try all of these tips, you will be successful in helping to reset your sleep pattern. I never thought that I would have a “normal” sleep schedule, but the fact is most American’s are not getting a restful sleep due to the rise in technology and just lack of knowledge about how our sleep hormones are regulated and what environmental cues can throw them way off. Give it a try for a week, and be amazed that you will not need a sleep aid or other substances to help you sleep anymore! If you suffer from racing thoughts at night, as a lot of us do, and stretching or meditating is not working for you, you can try getting a magnesium supplement to help relax your mind (it also relieves muscle cramps!) or look into ashwaganda root to take mid-afternoon and in the evening for stress relief and relaxation. Always ask your doctor before adding any supplements to your daily regimen as some can interfere with medications.

Quit Smoking Tip of The Week: Keep The Weight Off! Part 1

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Post cessation weight gain can cause a lot of stress for most people. You don’t want to put on 10-15 extra pounds, especially if that will put you in the overweight or obese category. That’s completely understandable, and there are small changes you can make in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight but most importantly a healthy and active lifestyle.

First, I do want to address the fear of gaining weight while quitting smoking. If you are concerned about the health implications of gaining weight, know that putting on a temporary 10-15 pounds is far healthier than continuing to smoke or use tobacco. This is something I touch on with my clients who bring up weight as a major concern or trigger in their reduction/quit journey. I also like to let clients know that the upside to quitting is that even when you do gain a few pounds, your body is continuing to detox and rebuild its cellular processes post smoking cessation. This means that you will be able to more efficiently burn fat and put on healthy amounts of muscle because you are no longer doing continuous damage to your organs (which must function optimally to lose the RIGHT kind of weight).

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With my background in nutrition and weight loss coaching, I understand that this can feel like an uphill battle oftentimes, but rest assured that all you need is patience and dedication and there is no reason that you won’t be able to prevent or remedy weight gain after quitting. The best thing you are doing for your physical health and appearance is quitting smoking. Let’s face it, it’s hard to be fit and also a smoker- something to keep in mind.

Okay, so HOW exactly do you manage your weight?

Now let’s get into the details: how do you lose weight or even prevent the weight gain altogether? This is going to be a multi-part blog series, because there is no one magic secret that is going to do the trick. Tons of things factor into weight and how you gain and lose it, and it takes a long time for both to happen. In America especially, we get so caught up in the “immediate results, immediate gratification” mindset that we don’t step back and take a look at the whole picture.

Two Major Components: Exercise and Nutrition

These are the most well-known components to a healthy weight and lifestyle, yet most people are still not eating the right types of foods and either not exercising enough or exercising too much.

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A healthy diet includes a diet consisting of healthy fats, proteins and vegetables and a moderate amount of complex carbohydrates, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mayo Clinic offers a great, easy to follow guide here.  One of the most important things that you can do for yourself regarding weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight is to eliminate as much processed food from your diet as possible. This includes chips, donuts, cereal, etc. This doesn’t mean that you can never eat these types of foods, but it’s encouraged to limit these to a “once in a blue moon” snack and not a daily (or even weekly) item to have.

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Now it’s time to touch on physical activity. You should strive to get 20-30 minutes of exercise each day at minimum. These guidelines are from the American Heart Association. This includes walking, so don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t have time (or the strength) to hit the weights every day. If you work, try to get up every hour or so to do a lap around your building. Take the long way to the restroom. Even park farther away (or, if you utilize public transportation and live in a safe area, try walking to your destinations as much as possible). Walking and more intense forms of cardio can be wonderful for jump starting a weight loss journey. But if you stick to JUST cardio, it will be just that and only that: weight loss. Not fat loss. Excessive cardio eats away your muscle, so you want to be careful to not overdo it. Muscle is what you want to keep, and build, in order to actually loose fat. The more muscle you have on your body, the higher your resting metabolism. It’s important to mix up your routine if you’re looking to lose fat rather than maintain your weight. Work on building strength, and the weight will come off (as long as you stick to a healthy diet—trust me, I have personal experience from years of learning that you can never out train a bad diet! Fat loss starts in the kitchen). Next week, we will go a little deeper in proper exercise and nutrition as well as touch on another important, but often neglected factor in healthy weight and lifestyle.

Tobacco Reduction Program Services

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Happy New Year, everyone! As we enter 2019, most of us have goals of renewing ourselves and refocusing on our health- whether that’s mental or physical. Along with those goals may be a big one: quitting tobacco or continuing to reduce your tobacco use as we enter the New Year. Whether you have never quit before, or have been quitting for the past year, the Tobacco Treatment Specialists at UNIFIED want to help you quit and stay tobacco free- whatever that looks like in your life!

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You may be wondering “Do I qualify for these FREE services, and if so, what exactly do these services provide?” To qualify for the Tobacco Reduction Program at UNIFIED you need to be an individual living with HIV/AIDS, qualify as low-income and live in either the Detroit, Ypsilanti or Jackson area. If you have never received case management services with UNIFIED before but fit the above qualifications, you still qualify for these FREE tobacco cessation services!

So what does a tobacco reduction counseling session consist of, anyways? The short of it, is that it is different for everyone and up to you what you want your reduction and quit plan looks like. We, as tobacco cessation counselors, are here to offer proven-strategies, non-judgmental support and accurate information to help guide your journey to a successful smoke-free life.

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When I meet with my clients, I think of it as them driving the car and me simply navigating the route for them. Most smokers know what they need to do to quit, but need a little guidance to create an individual and effective game plan to get there. That’s where Tobacco Treatment Specialists come in!

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Not ready to quit or reduce, but a little concerned about the health, social or personal implications of tobacco use? Come talk to a cessation counselor! We respect the boundaries of our clients and don’t push when an individual is not ready to make this big change. What we will do is offer information when appropriate, have open conversations about the pros and cons of smoking, and help you decide if it is the right time in your life to quit and give real feedback on what tools (mental coping strategies) you will need when you decide you’re ready to work towards reducing or setting a quit date. There’s nothing to lose by speaking with a tobacco cessation counselor, except maybe a pack of cigarettes or two!

Give us a call today! For our Detroit location, reach Amber Jager at (313)446-9817 and for our Ypsilanti and Jackson location, reach Erin Suprunuk at (734)572-9355.

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Tobacco Reduction – What’s In A Quit Kit?

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By: Kayla Gamino (UNIFIED Tobacco Treatment Specialist)

An ample part of UNIFIED’s tobacco reduction program includes creating quit kits for clients.  During the initial assessment, we bring out the quit kit while discussing possible quit dates.  Each client accessing tobacco reduction services receives 1 quit kit for their time working with the tobacco treatment specialist.  Each quit kit includes: a journal, pens, candy/gum, educational tools, and fidget toys.

Journal- The journal is an especially important piece of the quit kit.  The journal is a good tool to help keep track of a person’s smoking habits prior to their quit date.  Many clients use it to write down when they have cravings, what they are doing when they have cravings, and how they are feeling when they have a craving.  This will help the tobacco treatment specialist and client to better come up with coping mechanisms and a quit plan together for when the client experiences cravings.  For example, if Mike records that he has a craving every time he is feeling bored then coming up with things for Mike to do while he is bored can help combat cravings.

Originally posted by gerimagsakay

Pens- The pens are good for when the client needs to journal.  We put 2-3 different colored pens in each quit kit to make it easier for the client to be able to journal. Pens can also act as a fidget toy.

Candy/Gum-  Each quit kit comes with a variety of candy.  We use Twizzlers, Life Savers, and mints normally.  The Twizzlers can help with the hand to mouth habit of smoking.  It is a similar shape to a cigarette.  The Life Savers, mints, and gum are good at combating the oral fixation that often comes with smokers.

Originally posted by fadedmapdots

Educational Tools-  In each quit kit, we put a pamphlet for the Michigan Tobacco Quit Line.  In the pamphlet, it gives little facts on how smoking affects the body as well as the number to the Quit Line for clients to utilize.  We also include a UNIFIED Tobacco Services palm card that has contact information and HIV and Tobacco use facts.  As an added bonus, we include the Michigan HIV/STD Hotline number.

Fidget Toys-  Each quit kit includes rubber bands that are used by switching wrists when a craving occurs.  It helps to keep the hands and mind busy.  Additionally, each client gets to choose another fidget toy.  We have two different options.  One is a bike chain fidget toy that is small enough to fit in a pants pocket.  The other is a Bendeez toy that can be molded into different shapes.  Both are used to help combat boredom and keep the hands and mind busy.

Originally posted by cracked

All of these items have gotten positive feedback from current tobacco clients.  If you are a current tobacco user and you think that a quit kit would be beneficial to your quit/reduction attempt, please contact UNIFIED- HIV Health and Beyond to meet with a Tobacco Treatment Specialist!

Introduction to UNIFIED’s Tobacco Reduction Program

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By: Kayla Gamino (UNIFIED Tobacco Treatment Specialist)

A session with the tobacco treatment specialists is different for everybody.  We meet you wherever you’re at and will continue to be there for you every step of the way.  It all starts with a referral from your case manager.  At each visit, they will ask about your tobacco use and assess your readiness to quit.  If you both decide that you are a good candidate for the tobacco program, the case manager will fill out a referral form with you and give it to the tobacco treatment specialists (TTS).

So how is your readiness to quit determined?  Through The FIVE A’s; ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange.

  • Ask- Your case manager is required to ask every client about their tobacco use at each visit and record it in our records.
  • Advise-  If the client answered that they were a tobacco user, then the case manager will advise them to quit their tobacco use and discuss the benefits of doing so.
  • Assess-  Next, the case manager will assess the clients willingness and readiness to make a quit attempt.  If the client is interested in talking to the TTS about tobacco reduction, the case manager will then make the referral to the tobacco treatment specialist.  In some cases the case manager will refer the client, with the client’s consent, to the TTS before they are considered “ready” in order to get the client thinking about quitting and to help establish the relationship between the client and the tobacco treatment specialist.
  • Assist- At this point, the case manager and the tobacco treatment specialist have touched base and the client is now being assisted by completing sessions with the TTS.  During the sessions, the client and TTS will discuss reduction strategies and possible nicotine replacement therapy options.  These sessions can go many ways depending on the clients needs.  Some clients need to talk about outside sources that are affecting their tobacco use, while others simply want information on tobacco and health.
  • Arrange-  The TTS will arrange follow-ups with the client.  Depending on the clients stage of change and the client’s schedule, the TTS will likely meet weekly or biweekly with the client.  These follow-ups can be by phone or in person.  In some instances, the TTS will also meet the client at their home or a local business.  This is the point in the treatment where the TTS tries to meet the client wherever is easiest for them in order to help make the client more successful in their quit attempt.
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Originally posted by firelordasami

How we assess a client’s stage of change:
The Transtheoretical Model

The transtheoretical model is a behavior change model that was specifically created with tobacco cessation in mind.  The 5 stages of change are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.  It is important to know that the stages of change are not linear (that they don’t go in a single straight order).  Someone can go from being in action to contemplation in an instance.

  • Precontemplation- the client is not ready to quit or is not even considered quitting.
  • Contemplation- the client is considering quitting in the next 6 months.
  • Preparation- the client is ready to quit within the next 30 days.
  • Action- the client is currently on their quit attempt.
  • Maintenance- the client has successfully quit for 6 months.
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Because the transtheoretical model is not linear, a client can attempt to quit many times before being successful.  It is important to know that the tobacco treatment specialists are aware that not everyone will be successful right off the bat.  The specialists are there to help the client every step of the way in a completely non-judgmental environment.  Whether you’ve been working with them for months and relapse, or you met with them once and decided the program isn’t for you, they will always be there for you when you are ready to talk again.

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Want to learn more about UNIFIED’s tobacco reduction program? Visit us online at http://miunified.org/Get-Help/Services/Tobacco-Reduction-Services for more information.

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Introducing UNIFIED

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INTRODUCING: UNIFIED – HIV HEALTH AND BEYOND

Detroit, MI, December 1, 2015. World AIDS Day.  Today, on World AIDS Day, AIDS Partnership Michigan (APM) and HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC) introduce the name of their newly merged organization:

UNIFIED – HIV Health and Beyond.

In order to strengthen the response to HIV in Southeast Michigan, AIDS Partnership Michigan and HIV/AIDS Resource Center have merged and will now be known as Unified – HIV Health and Beyond. The merger will enhance capacity in key areas, including programming, access to funding, community-based research and delivery of HIV-related healthcare services. Programming will be expanded for greater impact through shared resources, services and expertise to provide a comprehensive network of support for people at risk for or living with HIV across the region. Unified – HIV Health and Beyond will serve ten counties with a population of nearly five million residents and where 63% of people living with HIV reside. Services will be delivered from the three existing offices in Detroit, Ypsilanti and Jackson.

Rooted in the history of its fight against HIV, UNIFIED – HIV Health and Beyond advances prevention, access to healthcare, community research and advocacy.  The vision for the future is to become a nationally recognized multi-service center creating positive change through regional impact, innovation, and sustainability to promote HIV health and beyond.  UNIFIED will use innovative approaches to help residents of Southeast Michigan living with or affected by HIV achieve optimal health through compassionate direct care, support services, prevention and education.  UNIFIED – HIV Health and Beyond will be an effective and powerful voice, providing leadership and advocacy for the communities it serves.

UNIFIED – HIV Health and Beyond will continue to fight HIV at the grassroots level in both urban and rural communities where it is most prevalent, especially for young people, people of color, men who have sex with men, and injecting drug users.

The following comprehensive HIV services remain available and accessible to all who need them.

• Community Mobilization Campaigns
• Healthy Relationships/Prevention for HIV+ Individuals
• HIV Counseling and Testing
• Hepatitis C Testing
• Medical Case Management
• Medication Adherence Counseling
• Behavioral Health Services
• Tobacco Reduction Services
• Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance
• Michigan HIV/STD Hotline/Website
• Syringe Access and Overdose Prevention
• Peer-Designed Prevention Programs
• Prisoner Re-Entry Program
• Housing Assistance and Homelessness Prevention
• Support service including:
o Food and cleaning supplies pantry
o Emergency financial assistance
o Transportation for medical appointments
o Support groups

By joining together, HARC and APM see themselves as being better prepared for the future and proudly embrace their new name: UNIFIED – HIV and Beyond.  It is only fitting to share this exciting news on World AIDS Day, a day for renewing our global commitment to fighting HIV.

AIDS Partnership Michigan (APM) was formed in 1996 through a merger between Wellness Networks, Inc. and AIDS Care Connection. APM was established to better address the emerging AIDS epidemic in the Detroit/Metro area. AIDS Partnership Michigan has always worked by providing education and services to help prevent the spread of HIV and to help connect people living with HIV to needed services

HIV/AIDS Resource Center (HARC) was founded in 1986 by a group of volunteers to provide HIV/AIDS related services to the people of Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, and Washtenaw counties. Over the past decade, HARC has developed into a leading HIV/AIDS services provider in Michigan.