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Do you want to quit smoking? …Here is what to expect
Health Facts
By Rehanna Ramsay
Kaieteur News – Are you trying to quit smoking? If your answer is yes, chances are you are not alone. In fact, seven out of 10 smokers globally want to shake the bad habit but tend to end up in a cycle of only attempting to quit. Today I will share with you some helpful information on what to expect in your journey to cessation.
First off, I must inform you that the drug store options available locally to help quench your craving for tobacco or nicotine is in limited supply. Added to that only a handful of local pharmacies or drug stores offer the supply of gums patches and other smoking cessation aids.
Please note as well, that these medically approved aids cannot be obtained in the public healthcare sector. I visited a few drug store workers, who listed some of the smoking cessation products available on their shelves. This includes the nicotine gum or patches, the quit 4″ gum, and lozenges.
Among the items listed, Nicotine gum is the most popular, it helps smokers by providing nicotine to their body to decrease the withdrawal symptoms experienced when smoking is stopped and as a substitute for an oral activity to reduce the urge to smoke. In Guyana it is also recommended that persons who wish to quit should seek some form of therapy or counselling since smoke is so addictive, a smoker trying to get off the habit will find him/herself going through similar hardship as a drug or any other addict.
According to a medical research paper published by the US-based VeryWell Mind-an online medical journal, after the first 72 hours, your peak withdrawal symptoms will start to decrease, although the cigarette cravings can still persist.
The medical journal notes that by the end of week six, withdrawal symptoms (including anger, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and restlessness) will have less impact.
Over the course of the first few months, you will experience many of the more obvious improvements in lung function.
While these improvements may not be as dramatic moving forward, they tend to continue gradually in people with mild to moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and remain relatively stable for them.
Additionally, it was noted that weight gain is another common concern among ex-smokers. One 2012 meta-analysis showed an average increase of roughly 8.8 to 11 pounds after 12 months without smoking,
There is some variation among individuals, but if you’re concerned about gaining weight, try taking steps to curb eating and increase exercise.
Stay hydrated: keeping hydrated is helpful for your entire body, including your lungs.
Further, it was noted that cessation is the best way to avoid the lung damage associated with smoking.
As such, the paper recommends ensuring you’re getting enough exercise: Exercise helps to strengthen your lungs and heart, allowing your body to move oxygen around more efficiently.
The research paper added that the health benefits of smoking cessation appear to continue over time.
After five to 10 years, your stroke risk is reduced and your chance of developing certain cancers is halved. After 10 years, your risk of lung cancer is about half of a current smoker’s. After 15 years, your chance of developing coronary heart disease is similar to a non-smoker’s.
Your long-term health outlook depends on a variety of factors, like your overall health, how long you’ve smoked, what age you quit, and your other health-related behaviours. Quitting at a younger age can further reduce your risks of developing health issues, the paper added.
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