So I had been chewing since my senior year of high school. I was a baseball/football/rugby player. So dipping was awesome for downtime. Well what turned into a casual leisure, became a habit, and ultimately-an addiction spiraling out of control.
Today I'm 25, recently engaged, and starting a new chapter of my life. Chew was something I didn't want to bring with me. I was sick of feeling controlled. Two months ago I was dipping a tin and a half of Grizzly Wintergreen longcut a day. I had enough, it was time to stop. The quit scared the crap out of me. I have tried to quit numerous times-cold turkey, patch, nicotine gum. I just couldn't afford the awful withdrawls that come a long with it, especially at work. I wouldn't be productive. I wanted other alternatives.
I read up on Wellbutrin, a pill that I was told by an athletic trainer that a lot of MLB players use to quit chewing tobacco. I talked to my doctor, told him the patch wasn't an option nor was cold turkey. So he wrote me up a prescription for Wellbutrin, 150mg twice a day.
If you don't know Wellbutrin is-it's an anti-depressant taken for depression, and also works as a nicotine cessation.
So a month ago and a half ago I started Wellbutrin. My doctor told me it could take me up to two weeks for the medicine to actually take effect. So a few days went by-nothing noticeable. I still had the exact same urge to chew as I did before. I didn't feel the medication kicking in whatsoever. This remained for a few days. About the 7th day on my medication, I started to notice that my dip tasted weird and somewhat unpleasant. I wondered if the medicine was kicking in, and it was. Even though the dip was starting to taste awful, I was suddenly only chewing half a tin. Much less than what I was chewing before. Then down to a couple pinches. Then the taste became so foul, I didn't want it anywhere around me. The 11th day, the Wellbutrin hit me the hardest. I was hazy, irritable. Almost like nicotine withdrawl, but it was different-not as irritating. Nonetheless, it wasn't a pleasant experience, I felt like I almost had the flu coming on.
I woke up the next day-felt great. Took my medication, still was feeling great. What I'm about to tell you is the best part of my quit.
I've had absolutely no urge to chew since. Not even out habit. It's unappealing. Even on my drives, watching TV/computer, etc. Ever since then, I haven't had one dip, or even one single craving. It was literally like someone hit an off switch. I was feeling great. So great I made it a double whammy to get back in shape. I've already lost 10lbs and back to lean fit, chew free. It's like I'm a totally new person.
I wanted to share my experience with Wellbutrin, and how I believe it has literally, saved my life. I strongly urge those trying to quit, to talk to your doctors about trying it. From what I've read from other people, it has worked wonders for them. I can't recommend this product enough.
