It is no secret that smoking is a hard habit to break. Although it’s
hard, it is possible. Millions of people have quit successfully, and you can too!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there
are more former smokers today than current smokers. Nov. 16 is the Great
American Smokeout, making now the perfect time to accept the challenge
to quit, not just for a day, but to stay clean from nicotine for good.
If you started smoking before Sept. 1, 1988, and are a Louisiana resident, the
North Oaks Smoking Cessation Clinic is here to help you. The North Oaks Smoking Cessation Clinic provides
free medications and free counseling to qualifying applicants. Counseling
and medication give smokers the best chance to quit. Call North Oaks today
at (985) 230-QUIT (7848) to learn more about the services that we provide
and how we can help you achieve your goals.
Hammond residents Jéan and Judy Lapeyrouse were both teenagers when
they began smoking.
“All of our friends smoked,” explained Judy. “It made
us feel relaxed and calm especially in stressful situations.”
But she eventually became aware that smoking increases your risk of serious
health problems. In fact, more than 16 million Americans are living with
a disease caused by smoking. Quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk
for heart disease, lung disease and early death. And no matter how long
you’ve smoked, or how old you are, you will benefit from quitting.
Judy tried to quit several times, including each time she was pregnant,
but always went back to it. She tried several methods: hypnosis, laser
light therapy, medications, inhalers, electronic cigarettes and quitting
cold turkey. Nothing worked. Her husband Jéan had never tried to
quit, making it more difficult for Judy to quit on her own.
Enter Judy’s cardiologist,
Dr. Jherie Ducombs, who referred her to the North Oaks Smoking Cessation Clinic for help.
Judy discussed it with Jéan and he felt they both needed to quit,
so they joined the program together. They both have been smoke-free since
April, 2017.
The North Oaks Smoking Cessation Clinic offers qualifying applicants a
free, individualized program using a combination of counseling and free
prescription medication or nicotine replacement. The combination of counseling
and crave-curbing products is three times more likely to help smokers
quit than those who attempt to quit without any assistance. It’s
important to realize that withdrawal symptoms like irritability, restlessness,
hunger or cravings for tobacco products are temporary. Most symptoms go
away after a week or so – and then you’re well on the way
to being smoke-free.
The method worked for the Lapeyrouses.
“We were slowly weaned off the cigarettes,” Judy asserts. “The
program helped us to set goals which were easy to achieve. The staff is
so supportive and so eager for you to be successful. Our nurse practitioner
Jennifer Bouffard was always so positive and truly concerned with the progress we were making.”
Jéan agrees.
“All of the staff we came in contact with were very professional
and friendly,” he asserts. “The program is well organized
and didn’t cause any unnecessary stress.”
The Lapeyrouses are confident that they now have the tools necessary to
keep from smoking again.
“We were taught how to replace unhealthy habits with good habits
and how to cope with stress,” explains Judy.
Jéan adds, “It was easier for the both of us to do this together
as we are able to support each other in this life changing endeavor.”
Congratulations, Jéan & Judy!
