Smoking Cessation Program Information

The Patients First smoking cessation program offers a superior treatment protocol that eliminates your irresistible urges for nicotine. Our program offers a combination of counseling from our psychologists, nutritional support, and well studied prescription medications that blocks nicotine’s cravings, including an injectable medication, given in our office.

Visit 1: 30 minutes with Dr. Berland

Meet with Dr. Berland for medical clearance. He will discuss protocols, medical history, medications, allergies, family history, and smoking history. We will perform EKG, lung function testing, and tonometry (eye pen test) to rule out heart / lung disorders, and eye diseases that would prevent the safe administration of this program.

Visit 2: 60 minutes with Psychologist

It is absolutely critical to understand what triggers you to smoke, what types of stressors you may have that can lead you to smoke again, and how to recognize and avoid them to remain smoke free. We will prepare you for your quit day, and build the foundation for success.

Visit 3: 60 minutes with Psychologist

Visit 4: Dr. Berland for injection. (This will be done only if transportation is arranged).

We will administer a medication to help you to relax prior to the injection. You will receive an injection behind each ear that will block your body’s cravings for smoking. Following treatment, you will quickly note the absence of nicotine withdrawl symptoms. Nicotine is eliminated in approximately three days, but lesser symptoms may persist for a period of approximately two weeks. Patients are provided prescription medication for ten days to reduce those symptoms. It is recommended that you abstain from alcohol for 7 days after taking the injections to minimize risks of side effects, such as increased nausea, fatigue, or sleepiness. Immediately following treatment some patients may experience side effects, such as dry mouth, blurry vision, lightheadedness, and difficulty focusing. These effects usually resolve in 8 hours or less.

Cost for the program is $400. $200 when scheduling the program, and $200 at time of your injection. While insurance does not pay us for this program, we will be happy to furnish an itemized bill, and you can submit it to their insurance company for reimbursement.

Cost of therapy for other 12 week programs:

Important: You may not qualify for the program if you have glaucoma, prostate hypertrophy or prostate cancer, active coronary artery disease, moderate to severe COPD, heart rhythm problems, sensitivity to any components of the treatment plan.

Benefits of quitting Smoking

• 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate drops. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1988, pp. 39,202)
• 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. (US Surg Gen’s Report, 1988, p.202)
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. 193,194, 196, 285, 323)
• 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection. (US Surgeon General’s report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)
• 1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p. vi)
• 5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5-15 years after quitting. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p. vi)
• 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152)
• 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s. (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990)

Additional Smoking Facts

• Men who smoke are 23 times more likely to develop cancer than men who don’t.
• Women who smoke are 13 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers
• There are 4000 chemicals in burning cigarette smoke. 60 or more of those are carcinogens.
• Cigarette smoking is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths annually.
• Cigarette smoking causes 87% of lung cancer deaths.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke, causes about 3000 lung cancer deaths per year.
• People who quit smoking before age 35 can reduce their risks of developing lung cancer by 90%
• People who quit smoking before age 50 substantially reduce their risk of developing lung cancer.
• 7 of 8 people diagnosed with lung cancer will not be alive at five years after diagnosis.
• Cigarette smokers have a two to three times higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease than nonsmokers, per the American Heart Association (AHA).
• More than 430,000 Americans die every year from smoking-related diseases, including those who have heart attacks
• Smoking during pregnancy is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of all low-birth-weight babies.
• Secondhand smoke is very dangerous for children. It causes between 150,000 and 300,000 cases of lower respiratory infections in children every year.
• More American women die annually from lung cancer than from breast cancer.
• In addition to cancer and heart disease smoking can also cause strokes, hypertension, kidney disease, infertility, slow wound healing, stomach ulcers, and much more.