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Getting Coaching with Medicine
There are seven medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help you quit. They work in different ways. All have been shown to be safe and effective for adults who smoke cigarettes.
These quit-smoking medicines include nicotine replacement medicines (the nicotine patch, lozenge, gum, oral inhaler, and nasal spray) and pill medicines (varenicline and bupropion SR).
Some other strategies, with or without medicines, can help you quit as well.
Using any of the 7 FDA-approved medicines will help you quit.
Talking with a quit coach, a healthcare provider such as your doctor, or a pharmacist will help you get the most out of the medicines you are using. Also, they can give you other tips about ways to deal with urges to smoke. They are experts who want you to succeed.
✓ Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW
When you call a quitline, you will be connected to a quit coach. They have been trained to support you by listening and providing quitting tips and tools. Best of all, it’s free, and sometimes quit coaches can help you get free quitting medications as well. Many quitlines also offer digital support, including texting and web-based programs. Here are 5 reasons calling a quitline can be key to success.
✓ Talk with your doctor or other healthcare professional.
Talk with your doctor or other healthcare provider: Your doctor will be glad to hear you are interested in quitting and will support you in your quit attempt. You can ask them for encouragement, suggestions, prescriptions if needed, and referral to other support resources. They can also share with you how quitting smoking will dramatically benefit your health.
✓ Check out free web, texting and app programs.
- Getting coaching support while using a medicine increases your chance of quitting.
- Coaches can give you other tips about ways to deal with urges to smoke and other challenges you may face quitting.
- Coaches can help you choose and use a medicine the right way.
- Coaches may have ideas about how you can lower the cost of getting medicine. Many insurance companies cover some or all of the costs of quit-smoking medicines, and some quitlines provide free or reduced-cost medicine “starter kits” from time to time.
- Coaches can help you solve problems you’re having with quitting or with a medicine you’re using.
- Some coaching is free, such as calling 1-800-QUIT NOW.
- Coaching is confidential.
- It takes some time to contact and get help talking with a quit coach or healthcare provider.
Possible Side Effects (and what you can do about them):
- None.