Smoking Cessation

More than 30 million Americans smoke cigarettes. If you’re one of them and want to quit, consider smoking cessation. At Muskogee Family Practice in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Monica Hoog-Gage, ARNP, CNP, knows that smoking cessation isn’t easy. She can work with you to develop a custom treatment plan that helps you quit tobacco once and for all. To make an appointment, call the office in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

What is smoking cessation?

Smoking cessation uses a combination of patient education, prescription medication, and healthy lifestyle changes to help you quit smoking.

Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or a pipe makes you more likely to experience chronic health problems like lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Enrolling in smoking cessation can reduce the risk of these and other issues while improving your quality of life.

What are the benefits of smoking cessation?

Smoking cessation provides a wide range of benefits, including:

• Improved sense of taste and smell
• Improved fertility
• Reduced risk of health problems, like bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema
• Improved fitness 
• Increased lung function

Quitting smoking can also save you a significant amount of money. Instead of buying cigarettes, you can put the savings toward a vacation or something else you’ve been wanting.

Does smoking cessation present symptoms?

If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, it’s essential to know what to expect. For some people, quitting is easy, but for others, it’s a challenge. 

After you stop smoking, it’s normal to experience various symptoms, including:

• Cravings
• Restlessness
• Trouble concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability or anger
• Depression
• Increased appetite
• Weight gain

Other less common symptoms of smoking cessation include constipation, lightheadedness, and mouth ulcers.

What does smoking cessation involve?

At Muskogee Family Practice, smoking cessation begins with Monica reviewing your health records and discussing your tobacco use, including what you smoke and how often. Answer her questions honestly. They aren’t there to judge you, but your responses help guide treatment.

Next, Monica performs a physical exam and orders lab tests, including blood work and urinalysis. After gathering that information, she develops a custom smoking cessation treatment plan.

The team might recommend:

• Talk therapy (counseling)
• Prescription medication
• Routine checkups
• Healthy lifestyle changes, like regular exercise

You might also benefit from products that contain nicotine, like nicotine patches, lozenges, gum, inhalers, or nasal sprays.

How long does smoking cessation take?

Smoking cessation takes about three months, on average, to work. To ensure a positive treatment outcome, follow Monica’s instructions, attend each checkup, and if you relapse, know that it’s not the end of the world. 

To learn more about the benefits of smoking cessation, make an appointment at Muskogee Family Practice by calling the office today.