YOU CAN QUIT TOBACCO USE 877-422-8237 www.chesapeakeurology.com 5/2015 Chesapeake Urology Associates, PA
If you have tried to stop using any tobacco products, then you know that nicotine is a very powerful addiction. For some people it is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Within seconds, nicotine travels to the brain and tells it to release chemicals that make you want more. You may have quit for a day, a week, a month or longer, but then returned to tobacco use. Or, this may be your first try. Whatever your status, your goal is to quit permanently. Quitting is hard. Usually people try to quit several times before actually doing it. Each time you quit, your next attempt is stronger. You will have learned some things that work, Did You Know Smoking is the Single Greatest Risk Factor for Bladder Cancer? Many types of cancers can be prevented to some extent by taking precautions and living a healthy lifestyle. Quitting smoking is the number one thing you can do to help prevent bladder cancer. Chemicals in tobacco smoke are absorbed into the blood, pass through the kidneys and collect in the urine. These chemicals can damage the inside of the bladder and increase your chances of getting bladder cancer. Chesapeake Urology s urologic oncologists recommend that bladder cancer patients quit smoking to help avoid recurrence of the disease. Additional Information and resources: http://smokefree.gov www.lung.org/stop-smoking/how-to-quit/ getting-help and some things that hurt. 2 3
What Quitting Cigarettes Can Do For Your Body The Health Benefits of Being Tobacco-Free* After 20 minutes Blood pressure and pulse rate drop Temperature in hands and feet rises to normal After 8 hours Oxygen level in blood increases to normal After 24 to 48 hours Chance of heart attack decreases Nerve endings start re-growing Improved ability to smell and taste After 2 weeks to 3 months Circulation improves Lung function increases up to 30 percent Walking becomes easier After 1 to 9 months Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease Lung cells improve their ability to clean the lungs and reduce infection After 1 year Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker After 5 years Lung cancer death rate for average former smoker decreases by almost half Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting After 10 years Lung cancer death rate similar to that of non-smokers Pre-cancerous cells are replaced Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases by half After 15 years Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker. * From When Smokers Quit pamphlet by the American Cancer Society. Three Phases of Quitting Smoking Your quitting program has three phases: Deciding to Quit, Getting Ready to Quit, and Staying Quit. PHASE 1: DECIDING TO QUIT Think about the health benefits: Improved sense of taste and smell Gradual disappearance of smoker s cough Better oral health More energy Healthier lungs Healthier heart and blood vessels Better blood circulation Lower risk of peptic ulcer Lower risk of kidney, bladder, and genital cancer Lower risk of erectile dysfunction Think about the social benefits: Friends and family not exposed to your secondhand smoke More control of your life and health Better model for your children No longer feeling like an outcast forced to go outside for a smoke Non-tobacco using friends will include you in their activities Savings of $1800 or more per year (Smoking one pack per day) List your own reasons for quitting below. Carry them with you, and review them often. My Reasons for Quitting 5
Set a Quit Date My Quit Date Is: PHASE 2: GETTING READY TO QUIT One Week Before Your Quit Date 1. Choose a strategy Go cold turkey, and stop suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be intense, but the worst is over in a few days. Gradually reduce the number of cigarettes, or the amount of nicotine in them. Smokeless tobacco users should decrease how often and how much they use. Withdrawal symptoms are milder, but they last longer. This approach is discouraged because you are in continuous withdrawal. You still have to set a Quit Date. Consider tobacco cessation aids: pills and nicotine replacement products such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenge, nasal spray or inhalers. These can assist with withdrawal symptoms. Check with your doctor about using any of them, so that the two of you can decide which product is the right one for you. 2. Keep track of tobacco use. 3. Decrease amount of cigarettes or tobacco. 6. Pack a Survival Kit. Fill it with low-calorie snacks, sugarless gum or mints and a paperclip to keep your fingers occupied. 7. Identify a support system of friends, family or a stop-tobacco use group who will be there when the going gets tough. PHASE 3: STAYING QUIT First Week of Being Tobacco-Free 1. Get rid of ashtrays, lighters, cigarettes or any other tobacco products 2. Cope with cravings by: Breathing deeply Drinking lots of water Doing something to get your mind off the craving Staying away from any tobacco use Taking a walk 3. Identify withdrawal symptoms and know how to cope with them: Relieve irritability Soak in a hot bath, practice relaxation, get a massage, exercise. Satisfy food cravings Chew sugarless gum, snack on vegetables and fruit. 4. Wait five minutes before using any tobacco product. 5. Identify your triggers. Triggers are people, objects, or events that cause you to use tobacco. For example, you might use tobacco after a meal, during a stressful situation, or to socialize. For a 24 hour period, keep a record of every time you smoke a cigarette or use smokeless tobacco. Write down the trigger and your thoughts or feelings. 6 7
Stop coughing Suck on cough drops or sugarless candy; drink warm herbal tea. Relieve headaches Take a warm bath or shower. Handle constipation Drink more water or fruit juice. Add fiber to your diet. Reduce sleep problems Try deep breathing or relaxation techniques. Do some physical activity during the day. Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime. Relieve dry mouth and sore gums, tongue, or throat Use warm saltwater rinse, mouthwash and brush teeth & tongue frequently. Sip ice water or cold fruit juice. 4. Start a money jar Put the money you would have spent on tobacco in your money jar. Use it to treat yourself. 5. HALT Don t get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. 6. Avoid any tobacco use. Remember One Will Hurt! 7. Stop an urge as quickly as possible. 8. Practice relaxation techniques. 9. Use positive affirmation to reinforce that you are now tobacco-free and choose to stay that way. I am comfortable being tobacco-free. I have more energy. 10. Accept withdrawal symptoms as signs of progress. First Month of Being Tobacco-Free 1. Remind yourself why you quit. Carry your list with you. 2. Plan alternative activities: Avoid places where you can use tobacco. Stay away from certain people or places for a time. 3. Reduce or eliminate alcoholic beverages or drinks with caffeine. 4. Find new habits Make smoking difficult Swim, jog, work in the yard, do the dishes Do things that require your hands 5. Change habits that might trigger an urge. Take a different route to work, or sit in a different chair to watch TV. 6. Get plenty of rest. 7. Reward yourself for being tobacco-free. Go to a movie, buy some flowers or have dinner at a favorite restaurant 8. Avoid gaining weight by: Eating healthy snacks and meals Cutting back on fat Getting some kind of daily physical activity Drinking plenty of water and fruit juices Maintaining a Tobacco-Free Lifestyle Stay focused on why you quit. Carry your list with you. Refer to it often, especially when the urge hits. Reinforce your commitment to staying tobacco-free. Recognize when you are making excuses. Just one will hurt! Think about trigger situations and be prepared to overcome them. Review your trigger lists. Learn and practice relaxation techniques. Breathe deeply and slowly. Use your support network. Talk to someone. Friends and family offer encouragement and support. Reward yourself for staying tobacco-free. Make sure the reward is meaningful to you. Treat yourself frequently and well. 8 9
Record your progress. Plan celebrations on special dates: one mouth, three months, six months, 12 months. Continue with your money jar. Plan how to use the money you are saving by staying tobacco-free. Make a list of all the good things that have happened since you stopped. Review it often; especially when an urge occurs. Let your supporters know how much you appreciate their help. Celebrate your tobacco-free milestones with them. Appreciate your own accomplishment. This is a major step in choosing a healthier lifestyle. Slips and Relapses Most slips occur within the first few weeks, when withdrawal symptoms are strongest and your body still needs the nicotine. Many people have relapses before they are successful in staying tobacco-free. It is important to reaffirm your commitment to stop. Recognize that you have had a slip. One slip doesn t mean you have failed forever. It took time to become a regular tobacco user, and it will take some practice to become a comfortable non tobacco-user. Renew your commitment to being tobacco-free. Stop all tobacco use immediately. Smoking Linked to Erectile Dysfunction in Men Studies have shown a link between smoking and erectile dysfunction (ED), giving men an added incentive to kick the cigarette habit. Both smoking and ED are associated with plaque build-up in the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis. This build-up of plaque obstructs blood flow through the blood vessels, which is a leading cause of ED. In one study of 4,764 Chinese men of an average age of 47 years who completed a health survey, researchers found: - Smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day gave men a 60% higher risk of erectile dysfunction, compared to men who never smoked. - Men who smoked (or used to smoke) were about 30% more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Additional information on erectile dysfunction: ed.chesapeakeurology.com Identify the trigger that prompted the slip. Review your list of how to overcome the trigger. Begin practicing the skills you learned in Staying Quit. Sign another contract with yourself. Stay in close contact with your support network More than 4 in 10 (42.7%) adult cigarette smokers had made an attempt to quit smoking in the past year. Approximately 100,000 U.S. smokers are expected to stay smoke-free for good. 10 11