Wellbutrin for smoking cessation

as far as i'm concerned, chantix is a miracle drug for quitting smoking. i took it for about 2 weeks and realized one day, i hadn't smoked all day, didn't even think about it. that was 5 years ago.
 
There is a serious need to get your ducks in order before you apply for your medical.

"Forgetting" to report it is considered bad form by many and is just the sort of thing that gives the FAA every thing they need to "Bob Hoover" you.
 
Unless you're currently taking it, why?

I've heard this before, and it doesn't make sense to me. First, if you took it years ago, why does it matter? Second, you aren't required to list every medication you've ever been on, and there isn't even any place on 8500-8 to report past use of a medication.

It's not even a matter of forgetting it, there's no place to actually report it, or any other medication that you took years ago, on the form.
 
Bring letter (next physical) from your doc saying it was Rx'd for smoking cessation and that there is NO OTHER UNDERLYING diagnosis.

You are grounded while on it.
 
Worth being grounded to cure yourself of the curse that is smoking. Good luck. Cigarettes are just slightly more addictive than heroin.
 
I can't remember the FAA's physical questions, but the Chantix regimen is usually one month, maybe two if you need it. After that, you shouldn't need to take it. I wouldn't think there would be any lingering side effects after it's discontinued.
 
rbridges said:
I can't remember the FAA's physical questions, but the Chantix regimen is usually one month, maybe two if you need it. After that, you shouldn't need to take it. I wouldn't think there would be any lingering side effects after it's discontinued.
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Depends, fiancé has been off it for five years and the vivid, often terrifying dreams never went away.

And she still smokes:mad2:
 
Skylane81E said:
Depends, fiancé has been off it for five years and the vivid, often terrifying dreams never went away.

And she still smokes:mad2:
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Had my wife smoked before we were wed we would have never wed. You are a far more tolerant individual than I.
 
steingar said:
Had my wife smoked before we were wed we would have never wed. You are a far more tolerant individual than I.
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After we spit I swore I would never date another smoker, three years later when we hooked back up I figured she was the same smoker so the rule didn't apply:lol:

And you have no idea of the tolerance I must posses for this woman.

But she's worth it
 
Skylane81E said:
After we spit I swore I would never date another smoker, three years later when we hooked back up I figured she was the same smoker so the rule didn't apply:lol:

And you have no idea of the tolerance I must posses for this woman.

But she's worth it
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Add this into your calculation. There's a good chance her smoke will give you cancer. It will definitely make you smell bad.

I'm big on the love/tolerance thing, as is Mrs. Steingar. She has to be. But I draw the line at slow death. Call me picky.
 
cg2112 said:
Unless you're currently taking it, why?

I've heard this before, and it doesn't make sense to me. First, if you took it years ago, why does it matter? Second, you aren't required to list every medication you've ever been on, and there isn't even any place on 8500-8 to report past use of a medication.

It's not even a matter of forgetting it, there's no place to actually report it, or any other medication that you took years ago, on the form.
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Two reasons.

1) If, for any reason, the FAA looks back through your prescription history they will find a discrepancy between your medical records (Wellbutrin) and the "No" that you checked in box 18m. That makes you a depraved liar until you can prove otherwise.

2) The longer you wait to come up with the documentation, the more likely it is that the doctor will have retired / died which leaves you dead in the water in the event of 1) above.
 
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Skylane81E said:
Quitting is a process,

You mentioned something about heroin...
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Oh yeah, don't get me started. My students are due for the smoking riot act on Wednesday. I figure if I can keep one or two from starting, or maybe, just maybe get one to quit, I'll have accomplished something that day.

There are more reformed heroin addicts than reformed smokers. Last I checked, 98% of all lung cancer patients go back to smoking.

If you like you can visit and I can tell you all about the lung damage. I discovered some of the relevant data myself.

The single best thing you can do for your health is to stop smoking.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Two reasons.

1) If, for any reason, the FAA looks back through your prescription history they will find a discrepancy between your medical records (Wellbutrin) and the "No" that you checked in box 18m. That makes you a depraved liar until you can prove otherwise.

2) The longer you wait to come up with the documentation, the more likely it is that the doctor will have retired / died which leaves you dead in the water in the event of 1) above.
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Ahhh... that was the point of my question. So, it might make sense to go back and capture documentation, but it might make sense to hold that documentation unless necessary.
 
Unregistered said:
Ahhh... that was the point of my question. So, it might make sense to go back and capture documentation, but it might make sense to hold that documentation unless necessary.
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Personally, I would follow Dr. Chien's instructions exactly. Word for word on the letter. Exactly when he says. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

bbchien said:
Bring letter (next physical) from your doc saying it was Rx'd for smoking cessation and that there is NO OTHER UNDERLYING diagnosis.

You are grounded while on it.
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This is another example of the FAA wanting dead pilots, not safe pilots. Welbutrin is a disqualifying medication because you just might be depressed. Its on you to find some way to convince them that you just wanted to extend your life.

I think someone ought to sue the FAA for murder.
 
steingar said:
Add this into your calculation. There's a good chance her smoke will give you cancer. It will definitely make you smell bad.

I'm big on the love/tolerance thing, as is Mrs. Steingar. She has to be. But I draw the line at slow death. Call me picky.
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Well, that's all true except for the fact that none of it is. Second hand smoke is the great myth - somehow its more dangerous to inhale other's smoke than it is to inhale it yourself. That's just dumb.

Quit because you need to/want to, don't quit because someone around you thinks you're killing them.
 
steingar said:
Oh yeah, don't get me started. My students are due for the smoking riot act on Wednesday. I figure if I can keep one or two from starting, or maybe, just maybe get one to quit, I'll have accomplished something that day.

There are more reformed heroin addicts than reformed smokers. Last I checked, 98% of all lung cancer patients go back to smoking.

If you like you can visit and I can tell you all about the lung damage. I discovered some of the relevant data myself.

The single best thing you can do for your health is to stop smoking.
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They are all humanities majors! They're gonna smoke!
 
SkyHog said:
This is another example of the FAA wanting dead pilots, not safe pilots. Welbutrin is a disqualifying medication because you just might be depressed. Its on you to find some way to convince them that you just wanted to extend your life.

I think someone ought to sue the FAA for murder.
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Wellbutrin really causes some bad juju. Vivid nightmares, measureable slowing of the executive function, and measureable changes in perception.

You know not about which you speak.....sigh.
 
bbchien said:
Wellbutrin really causes some bad juju. Vivid nightmares, measureable slowing of the executive function, and measureable changes in perception.

You know not about which you speak.....sigh.
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For years after discontinuance?
 
SkyHog said:
For years after discontinuance?
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Nah, while your one it (abnd about six weeks after). Which is why you are grounded while on it.

If your doc is so sh_tty that he can't write that you have no other underlying psychiatric diagnosis, that ain't the FAA's problem, Nick. It's yours. Your attitude toward proper medical care- I sure hope it doesn't transfer to proper maintainence, currency, etc.

It's getting tiresome.
 
bbchien said:
Nah, while your one it (abnd about six weeks after). Which is why you are grounded while on it.

If your doc is so sh_tty that he can't write that you have no other underlying psychiatric diagnosis, that ain't the FAA's problem, Nick. It's yours. Your attitude toward proper medical care- I sure hope it doesn't transfer to proper maintainence, currency, etc.

It's getting tiresome.
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Its not a lack of proper medical care, its the opposite. I have chosen to get healthy. The FAA disagrees with my decision to get healthy, and would rather I just swept it under the rug until I died early. Its cleaner for them. They incentivize it. So because I want to get healthy and live longer, I don't get to fly anymore.

It may be tiresome, but me pointing it out is the only way that anyone sees what the FAA is doing.

Does no one else think is freaking crazy that a pilot's first instinct when something is wrong is to check to see if the treatment for that problem might keep them from flying? The FAA should give incentives toward pilots that want to stay healthy, not the other way around.
 
SkyHog said:
Its not a lack of proper medical care, its the opposite. I have chosen to get healthy.
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So you quit smoking. Good on you. You're off the stuff. So now you recertify. You should have been in the nonsmoking condition to begin with. Then, you would not have this as an issue. All it takes is a properly written doc's note.
It may be tiresome, but me pointing it out is the only way that anyone sees what the FAA is doing.
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They are preventing guys who refuse to spend a $200 deductible to get good care, from flying. I do see that.
Does no one else think is freaking crazy that a pilot's first instinct when something is wrong is to check to see if the treatment for that problem might keep them from flying? The FAA should give incentives toward pilots that want to stay healthy, not the other way around.
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I'm not going to dignify that with a response. Think about the logic of your statement as to WHO is crazy.

Last year 800 pilots had their situations documented and are in the clear. know this personally...This cost about $150 apiece to get'er done.

Last month, a warrior with sleep apnea came home and within 34 days (yesterday) we got him a second class and he's working in Toledo doing medevac.

Minimum of fuss and muss.

It may be your first instinct but most are much more professional. I don't want to be in the position of defending the FAA. But your position is also indefensible.

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bbchien said:
Wellbutrin really causes some bad juju. Vivid nightmares, measureable slowing of the executive function, and measureable changes in perception.

You know not about which you speak.....sigh.
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My brother took it to stop smoking. It made him paranoid, argumentative, aggressive, belligerent, and mad unstable.

I finally told him he'd better try some other way to quit smoking, because at the rate he was going, someone was likely to choke him and make it all a moot issue.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
My brother took it to stop smoking. It made him paranoid, argumentative, aggressive, belligerent, and mad unstable.

I finally told him he'd better try some other way to quit smoking, because at the rate he was going, someone was likely to choke him and make it all a moot issue.

-Rich
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That is why my fiancé dropped the chantix, she was so bat **** nuts that if someone didn't kill her the stress would.
 
bbchien said:
They are all humanities majors! They're gonna smoke!
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So true. I only had two classes in the humanities department while I was in college but they had this really nice garden behind the building for all of the coffeeshop/cigarette crowd to smoke in.
 
SkyHog said:
Well, that's all true except for the fact that none of it is. Second hand smoke is the great myth - somehow its more dangerous to inhale other's smoke than it is to inhale it yourself. That's just dumb.
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Only your description lacks cognitive insight. The smoke exhaled by the smoker still has numerous carcinogens and irritants. It is plenty dangerous, probably not so much as the smoke inhaled in the first place, but still way way worse than no smoke at all. You cannot dispute the epidemiology of this which is just rock solid.

SkyHog said:
Quit because you need to/want to, don't quit because someone around you thinks you're killing them.
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Any reason to stop smoking is a good one.
 
steingar said:
Only your description lacks cognitive insight. The smoke exhaled by the smoker still has numerous carcinogens and irritants. It is plenty dangerous, probably not so much as the smoke inhaled in the first place, but still way way worse than no smoke at all. You cannot dispute the epidemiology of this which is just rock solid.
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I don't disagree. I do, however, find it curious how many people have argued that second hand smoke is more dangerous than first hand. Its ridiculous.

The truth is that second hand smoke is probably dangerous (so is microwaving meat to an extent, and cell phone use), but much less so than most people claim.
 
SkyHog said:
I don't disagree. I do, however, find it curious how many people have argued that second hand smoke is more dangerous than first hand. Its ridiculous.

The truth is that second hand smoke is probably dangerous (so is microwaving meat to an extent, and cell phone use), but much less so than most people claim.
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In a way it is far more dangerous, since the people inhaling it did not choose to do so. My family might have given me cancer by demanding my presence at a dinner table where several routinely smoked cigarettes. They might have also given it to several other family members as well.

Truly you are arguing about small semantic differences. Having smoke in your environment raises your risk of cancer, period. Duncan is correct, it stinks to high hell. Moreover, I suspect smoking is becoming far more limited to the lower socioeconomic strata, thus marking you low rent as well. Sounds like a truly colossal waste of money.
 
Nick, dude, you want to fly. These are the rules the 'man' has in place. Pull up them thar big girl panties and give him the paperwork and words he wants. It really is that simple.

Leave the moralizing for the campfire and the south 40 at Oshkosh. We might agree with it viscerally but its like complaining in the military - accomplishes nothing and can actually be detrimental to morale. You want to change the way the FAA works - get elected Senator and start your crusade. Look at all the damage he did because he wanted to be seen as tough on crime - and get all them MADD votes and money - or whatever freaking reason he had.
 
comanchepilot said:
Nick, dude, you want to fly. These are the rules the 'man' has in place. Pull up them thar big girl panties and give him the paperwork and words he wants. It really is that simple.

Leave the moralizing for the campfire and the south 40 at Oshkosh. We might agree with it viscerally but its like complaining in the military - accomplishes nothing and can actually be detrimental to morale. You want to change the way the FAA works - get elected Senator and start your crusade. Look at all the damage he did because he wanted to be seen as tough on crime - and get all them MADD votes and money - or whatever freaking reason he had.
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Amen. And work hard in the next election. To keep this medical/nonpolitical, see my post in "changes".
 
SkyHog said:
That's just ignorant.
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Dismissing it is ignorant. Heck, just do a simple Google search. There's a ton of scholarly articles about it, and the enrichment of smoking activity in disadvantaged populations is axiomatic.
 
steingar said:
Dismissing it is ignorant. Heck, just do a simple Google search. There's a ton of scholarly articles about it, and the enrichment of smoking activity in disadvantaged populations is axiomatic.
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I could probably find evidence of vegetarians being mostly homosexuals too, but claiming it is true would be ignorant.
 
SkyHog said:
That's just ignorant.
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In a world where perception and first impressions are everything, he isn't wrong.

Being a smoker doesn't make you poor (well it can but that's beside the point here) but it can make you look at the very least less wealthy
 
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