Hi all:

I've smoked on and off since I was around 19. Over the past few years, I've been an "occasional smoker", like when I am drinking or under a tremendous amount of stress. It's usually 3-5 a day, usually 2 times a week, usually less. My DH smokes, and has no thoughts about quitting, so we isolate the smoking rooms in the house. (Basement and one other room, where I never go.)

So, over the past few weeks, I have found that I am craving nicotene in the evenings. This was my usual smoking pattern years ago.I've never been a morning smoker, or with lunch, just a few at night as I am winding down. I am now smoking nightly, and it's driving me nuts! The urge does hit as my last dose of IR is wearing off, around 10-11 PM. Anyone else have this happen? Any ideas on what will help? I already know I don't smoke enough for the patch, darn it, so I think I need to quit cold turkey. Ugh. Not easy around here. :(

emmie, this is too wierd. I had quit smoking 4 years ago and was real proue of myself. In May of this year, I had no idea why but I wanted some cigarettes so badly that I walked "the camel mile." TO get some. I told my, counselor, who I got to call my doctor and that is how they FINALLY figured it out and diagnosed me with ADD. You gave me another idea now. We will do in PMs though, O.K.? Maurice

Amphetamine reduces ACh (acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps with learning, functioning, self-control, etc.) while nicotine "somewhat" of an ACh (nicotinic acetylcholine) increaser, hence your cravings to smoke cigarettes.

Thanks, bookofmatches! I feel like that explains why I feel the need to smoke even more acutely at night, when the meds are wearing off.

I too have seen my cravings for nicotine go through the roof since I began adderall.

I've been on nicotine tablets for a while now since I quit smoking a year ago. And before I began the adderall, I was gradually decreasing the number of nicotine tabs I was taking each day.

Now I'm off the charts! ... I'll end up spending double this month on nicotine than I spent last month ....I wasn't sure if this was the adderall or just my imagination ... But now I will talk to doctor about this .... maybe time for med change.

I have smoked like a freight train since starting Adderall. When I am off the meds for the weekend, I do not smoke as much as I do during the week.

I'm glad you brought this up ... this was totally off my radar. I was thinking that maybe it's just my willpower has declined, etc. But yes, my craving for nicotine went up with the adderall.

By the way, to the adderall smokers: how does adderall affect you. It's calming or energizing? .... I wonder if there is a pattern here .... Adderall sort of slows my mind down. It quiets it. It doesn't help me with order or with detail.

I'm glad you brought this up ... this was totally off my radar. I was thinking that maybe it's just my willpower has declined, etc. But yes, my craving for nicotine went up with the adderall.

By the way, to the adderall smokers: how does adderall affect you. It's calming or energizing? .... I wonder if there is a pattern here .... Adderall sort of slows my mind down. It quiets it. It doesn't help me with order or with detail.
In the morning I usually get a calming effect (physical feeling of almost a "calm") with the first cigarette. This is quite possibly because nicotine's half-life is only 30min-1hr and that first adminstration of nicotine via cigarettes in the morning is breaking your nicotine-withdrawal state that you were in while sleeping.

This basically means with that first cigarette your blood plasma levels of nicotine spike up quite high. After that first couple smokes of the day I tend to only get some cognitive improvements with it, as remember cigarettes not only increase acetylcholine via nicotine, but cigarette smoke also has MAOI properties (albeit very minor.) This can increase amphetamine's MAOI properties and therefore increase (supposedly) amph's effectiveness.

Although I really wouldn't count on it on the MAOI properties of cigarette smoke (because, as I said, it's very minor.)

chew some nicotine gum instead of having a cigarette, it's way healthier and you don't want to get into the habit of having smoke.

Nicotine gum is quite nice it's a bit expensive though

Nicotine gum is quite nice it's a bit expensive though


True. I was lucky the other day, found a 96 packet of nicotine gum for $2 :D what a deal! Expires in 3 months but it shouldn't really matter with things like that.

Stimulant meds relapsed me to smoking too.

I am off everything as I am currently pregnant and don't want an ADD or LD child to come out of this pregnancy should I have continued puffing. :S

NB I have seen people selling nicotine gum and patches on EBAY for cheap. Look there...