Health Guide — Smoking Cessation (Maintenance Refills & Skills)
Quit Smoking — Pair the Right Medication with the Right Moves
Combining medication + behavioral support can double or triple your chances of long‑term abstinence. Pick a quit date (or a “reduce‑to‑quit” plan), consider varenicline or bupropion SR with combination NRT (patch + gum/lozenge), and plan for triggers using urge‑surfing and stimulus control. Slips are setbacks, not failures—reset the plan the same day.
Build your medication plan
Varenicline: start 1 week before quit date; titrate to 1 mg BID; continue 12 weeks (extend to 24 weeks if needed). Take with food/water to reduce nausea; vivid dreams are common.
Bupropion SR: 150 mg QAM x 3 days, then 150 mg BID (≥8 hours apart; avoid late‑evening dose). Good for patients with weight concerns or who also need help with concentration; avoid with seizure or eating disorder history.
NRT combo: daily patch for baseline nicotine + gum/lozenge for spikes/after meals or triggers.
Pregnancy: discuss risks/benefits, typically avoid bupropion/varenicline unless cleared; NRT may be considered in shared decision‑making.
Skills that keep you quit
Trigger map: identify “When/Where/With whom” and plan replacement actions (walk, water, call a friend).
Urge surfing: cravings crest and fall within 3–5 minutes—delay, breathe, distract.
Stimulus control: remove cigarettes/lighters; change routines linked to smoking.
Social support: text a buddy; use quitlines/apps; tell coworkers your plan.
Stress plan: 60–90 seconds of box breathing; brief mindfulness or push‑ups/wall sits.
Handling slips
A slip is information. Identify the trigger, restart patch + short‑acting NRT, and message us for a quick adjustment.
Track streaks (1 day → 1 week → 1 month) and reward progress.
Safety checks
Bupropion: avoid with seizure disorders, bulimia/anorexia, or abrupt alcohol/benzo withdrawal; monitor BP.
Varenicline: nausea/insomnia/vivid dreams; rare mood changes—report promptly.
Psychiatric history: coordinate with your mental‑health clinician if depression or anxiety worsens.
Other meds: MAOIs, linezolid, and some antidepressant combinations require review.
How TeleDirectMD helps
We tailor the med + skills combo, renew varenicline/bupropion SR when appropriate, show combo NRT setups, and schedule follow‑ups at 2–4 and 8–12 weeks.
Internal links
Hypertension refills → /health-guides/hypertension-blood-pressure-refills-online
Cholesterol refills → /health-guides/hyperlipidemia-cholesterol-refills-online
Anxiety/Depression refills → /health-guides/anxiety-depression-antidepressant-refills-online
Book your $49 MD video visit for a personalized quit plan and medication refills.
