My name is Donna, and I would like to share my story with you. I was smoking 20 cigarettes a day, which equated to £100 per week! I knew I needed to stop not only because of the cost but to also protect my long-term health.
On the 05 June this year, I attended the Lupset clinic, which is based at the St Georges Centre, where I met Julia, the Stop Smoking Advisor. We discussed what the programme was about and the products that could help me with my quit. Julia explained about the carbon monoxide reading, which on that very first appointment, was 53.
After trying various NRT products without success, we discussed the possibility of trying Zyban. I understood that I would need a blood pressure check beforehand and Julia discussed the possible side effects to look out for. After taking Zyban for a couple of weeks, I thought that it wasn’t working as I still wanted to smoke. I discussed this with Julia, and she explained the importance of setting a quit date, which I did that week.
To my surprise, I didn’t crave a cigarette, and proved that it was the habit rather than actually wanting to smoke. Zyban was definitely working and helping with the withdrawal symptoms of tobacco, and I experienced no side effects.
I have been quit for over a month now and I feel it has been such an achievement, I don’t wheeze and cough anymore and I have stopped looking for somewhere to smoke when I go out. I think the face-to-face appointments with Julia have been incredibly helpful as she is amazing and so supportive, along with the CO readings and the motivational text messages.
