My Stop-Smoking Attempt Gets Serious, Now The Hard Part Starts...

[JeffreyWilliamson]

The Saga began here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4864973

Wish me luck, I gave up smoking to celebrate the Inauguration!

The best run I've had was two years ago. I used the gum, but the bills got tight so I had to go cold turkey. I had a few patches left over from the year before, so I used them for a few days to help ease the transition. After those patches ran out, and after a very difficult weekend, I made it to the other side. That time it almost stuck--9 months.

And continued here, during a debate on tobacco taxes that was happening in GD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4993086

The re-do of that difficult weekend is ahead. Saturday I will use the last patch, and Sunday I will be nicotine free. The first three days, from what I remember, will be a living hell of sorts, but after that, it will become easier. I have friends coming down for Mardi Gras the weekend of the 21st and hope to impress them. I'm confident by then I will have come out of most of the withdrawal symptoms. It is my hope that, as with the last time, cutting my nicotine intake in half each week for two weeks will help cut the withdrawal pains...

Friday night, (a day early), before bed I removed the last patch, (I still have two extra, to hold in reserve), and awoke this morning early. I'm a bit of a nightowl, so in the end I had only slept for 3 - 4 hours. I made coffee, walked the dogs, and hit the news and, eventually, DU, to continue a spirited discussion of my angst against Harry Reid in GD/P.

About Noon, the partner started complaining for lunch, and came in and asked me if I would make a box of Macaroni and Cheese for him, (yes, I know, he could burn water, but I'm used to it after 5 years). By the time the pasta was ready, I felt dizzy and nauseas, so I finished the food and told him I was going to lay down in the spare bedroom for a while because I wasn't feeling well.

I woke up at about 5:00pm, got something to drink, and went back to bed. I woke up again at 9:00pm. I took a shower and we went to the grocery store for a few things, and came home and made dinner. During this time, my thoughts began to get cloudier, and my stomach is killing me. I just want to go back to bed, but I'm not tired. I have this nagging feeling.

Then, about 10 minutes ago, it finally registered--I'm not sick. This is it. I've just completed the first of what should be 3 days of withdrawl hell, and then I WILL BE FREE.

48 hours left, and then it gets easier. My thoughts will start to return, my sleep pattern will get back to normal, and by this time next week, while I will likely have a few cravings here and there, for the most part this will be over...

[roody]

1. Don't give up! You will be free!

[michaz]

16. Last week I went to a smoking cessation workshop. What I learned was amazing.

This was funded by NYS and the gal that was running it is a lawyer and her specialty is tobacco. Not many of them in the country. I learned that smoking light cigarettes is much worse than cigarettes with no filter. There are many more chemicals in the filters of cigarettes added to the 250 chemicals in the main part of the cigarette. Smoking a non filtered cigarette is better than one with a filter. The light cigarettes are worse yet as they cause you to inhale deeper. The worst of all are the "reservation brand" cigarettes. They use even more chemicals. We were also told that 26% of smoking is addiction and 74% is habit and that is why changing our ways is so important. They found that using a combination of aids works the best for quitting. The patch is for the withdrawal symptoms and the gum or lozenges work for the cravings. She told us to put in the lozenge when you have a craving but to leave it in no longer than 1 minute, take it out and put it in a pill container and use it again the same way for each craving. One lozenge can last a day or 2. The quitting rate was much higher for people that used this combination. So, after smoking these damn things for 40 years I am about to set a quit date. I wish you the best of luck with this great choice you have made. I guess nothing worth while is easy.

[1]

2. sack up, JeffreyWilliamson!

you can do it. we all know you can do it!

indeed... and a well deserved (before the fact) well done.

[BlooInBloo]

3. Rood ruck!!!!

[Norrin Radd]

4. Good for you. It'll be worth it.

[EFerrari]

5. Remember there are all kinds of things you CAN have during this period.

A little melatonin for sleep, candy or veggies to chew on, all the ice water with ice cubes you can drink, deep slow breathes to help you relax. The concentration comes back and so does the sleep pattern. Good luck, Jeff! :hug:

[Warpy]

6. Right, and using any nicotine source during that period

will just stretch out the time your brain doesn't work right because it's not getting smoked up every half hour or so.

After that, you'll get cravings, most of which will last a short enough period of time that taking a walk, taking a shower, doing a series of exercises, or just doing anything at all physical will distract you from them. They'll lessen in frequency and severity as time goes on.

Habit is another thing altogether. I've used whole licorice root for some friends and they've told me it did help. It's the right shape and size and tastes vaguely sweet. It doesn't taste like licorice and doesn't turn your teeth black. Just keep it in a sparkling clean ashtray where you'd normally reach for a cig---with morning tea or at the puter or next to the phone.

Other people have reported great success with cutting a straw to the right size and shape and "smoking" that when they're doing anything they've always associated with cigarettes. Straws just don't taste as good as licorice root.

Everybody seems to have a different way to quit. The right way is the one that works for you, whether it's cold turkey, patches, gum, antidepressants, Yoga, acupuncture, hypnosis, or being stuck in a no smoking hospital after a serious illness. The right way is the way you're doing it at any given time.

Good luck! We need all lefties out there, healthy, and with strong lungs to YELL at these right wing bastards.

[sce56]

7. It is all in your mind find something else to think about .

I know I went cold turkey after 20+ years no patches gum or anything else! that was in 1995 been free of it ever since. You know when you are feree it is when you smell a person that has been smoking and it gives you a feeling of retching! Best of luck to you and all others but put mind over feelings.

[Political Heretic]

8. I quit six weeks ago.

I'm doing fine now.

I'm sure everyone pace is different, but if you're still feeling sad about not smoking, I can promise you that it gets better.

For a while, even after the chemical cravings were gone, I was afraid I'd have to deal with the sadness of not smoking at certain times for the rest of my life.... but it goes away. It really does.

Now I'm damn glad I don't smoke.... there were so many more times when I smoked by force of addition when I really didn't want to be.

In the rare instances where I would like a smoke, the thought is minor and passing, and easily put down by the fact that I would RATHER have all the benefits that come with not smoking... much more emotionally satisfying to me.

[Tunkamerica]

12. I'm at about 3 mos and concur n/t

[burythehatchet]

14. we're on the same schedule. I last smoked on thanksgiving day

[jimshoes]

9. I went through bags and bags

of Wurthers candies for a few weeks. In time you'll get past the urge. It's been over 5 years for me now. Good luck.

[TheDebbieDee]

10. Have you tried hypnosis? I had my last cigarette

May 17, 2003.

[Grey]

11. I am so glad i quit and....

you will be too. I smell so much better now,
One less thing for 'those people' to beat me up over.
Congratulations

[ima_sinnic]

13. accept that you're not going to be "you" very temporarily.

give in to the urge to sleep, your body is repairing itself and your brain is unaccustomed to blood untainted by nicotine. suck on hard candy. take a lot of showers.

whatever you do, do NOT give in to the urge for nicotine in any form. those urges pass after a minute or two. distract yourself.

exercise. walk a lot. in a couple of days, go to a health club and take a sauna, or just run your shower really really hot if you can't afford that. the nicotine will pour out in your sweat.

suck on hard candy, chew on carrot and celery sticks. avoid bars for a while. take up a hobby that uses both hands.

consider yourself a nonsmoker NOW. your hair is clean, your teeth are clean, your breath is clean, your heart and lungs are cleaner and will eventually be restored to their original condition. visualize your friends finding you smoke-free on the 21st, a nonsmoker.

I've been smoke-free for about 15 years now, after a 30-yr, pack-a-day habit. the urges do go. after a while you completely forget about smoking and, looking back, feel regret that you ever did that to yourself. At least I do, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it now except feel fortunate that I did lengthen my life and my capacity in life by finally getting control of that which was controlling me.

hang in there.

[JeffreyWilliamson]

22. Sleep has been my savior at this point....

Day 2...

I slept for about 2 hours last night, so by Noon I was a zombie. I decided to take a nap, and after lying there for 2 hours I finally feel asleep and woke up a couple of hours ago.

My head's starting to clear, (it was pretty cloudy for the last day-and-a-half). I'm definitely more edgy today. I feel raw.

Someone downthread describes it as quitter's flu. That's what I'd call it as well.

I'll try the shower thing, thanks.

Within the next 24 - 48 hours I expect the withdrawl symptoms will gradually begin to reduce themselves. Suffice it to say, I'm really looking forward to Tuesday...

[1Hippiechick]

15. Some links to discourage smoking and encourage your quest

Sometimes becoming repulsed at what cancer looks like inside your body or becoming sufficiently scared of possible repercussions helps:


http://www.presmark.com/htmlfile/pictures.htm

AND this timetable should provide encouragement about how quickly your body responds to cessation of smoking:

Stop Smoking Recovery Timetable

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Benefits_Time_Table.html

[JeffreyWilliamson]

24. Thanks for these...

The ones that have also helped me are those that outline what the stages of nicotine withdrawl and the general timeline of symptoms. I've found in the past that being able to visualize that what I'm feeling is finite and will go away helps keep me on track.

It's one thing to suffer through it, but quite another thing if you can say to yourself that you will probably only be suffering through this part for XX more hours.

[Starry Messenger]

17. Sound's like you had "quitter's flu" for a bit.

It's normal. I went through the insomnia and nausea, too. Good for you for not picking up a cig. This will pass soon. Hard candy helps, and my partner finds that sucking on toothpicks helps him...he likes to have something to hold and twirl. I hate to tell you this, but giving up coffee for a week or two helps somewhat, too. Evidently, the ability to metabolize coffee is helped by smoking. It may take you awhile to to rebuild your caffeine tolerance as a non-smoker. Oh, and :hug:

[wuvuj]

18. Quitting....

I quit quite a while ago after several tries. IMO...it takes several years to actually get over the hump...that is when you are not really tempted to smoke again. Smoking is both physically addictive and psychologically addictive.

Like everything else in life...it is one thing to say "I want to make a change" and another to actually do it. Changing anything requires a continual commitment to the change...not just a decision.

Eventually you realize that you are getting nothing but expense and trouble by smoking. A lot of cost...something to do with your hands...a good cough...a nice chance for lung cancer and heart disease. What more could you want?

[TWiley]

19. why not make it easy on yourself?

Why attribute your bad feelings to not being sick? You ARE sick. Your psychologic response actually says "a butt will make me feel better, and not having one will make me feel worse" You equate cigarettes with medicine.

You are sick because cigarettes made you sick, and having another one will not make you feel better; it will make you feel worse. A deep breath of fresh air will make you feel better. A nice cold glass of water will make you feel better. Anything butt a cigarette.

Repeat after me. I AM THRILLED TO NOT SMOKE. and as it turns out ..... I truly am.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. 2 months yesterday - quit after 42 years of smoking

.
.
.

more energy

vehicle and clothes smell better

cabin smells better

I smell OTHER things now I haven't noticed for decades

oh

and more pocket $$$

[Mike 03]

21. A couple of thoughts...

I was never a smoker, but I was addicted to snuff and mostly the gum.

It took me six attempts to quit the gum. The snuff was easier, because I knew it was really dangerous.

Zyban really helped me. It works on the Dopamine receptors and it really helped kill my desire for that nicotine rush.

Think of all the good you are doing for your body when you get off nicotine. Within four hours your blood pressure will probably drop ten points... The healing starts pretty quickly.

Good luck.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. June 3, 2001.

You CAN do it. It sucks ass but I don't have to tell you about the good side.

Something that helped me?

Boxes and boxes and boxes of Tic-Tacs. It's that whole hand-to-mouth thing.

[JeffreyWilliamson]

26. I'm about to go to the store for another tin of Altoids mints...

They've been pretty helpful through this.

[Maru Kitteh]

29. Tic-Tacs are cheaper and you can buy those huge packages with like 10 boxes in them

You could have filled an oil drum with the Tic-Tacs I went through, LOL.


Best of luck to you, we're all pulling for you. :-)

[JerseygirlCT]

25. Oh lots and lots of good luck! Stay strong! nt

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

27. Is nicotine gum more expensive than cigarettes?

[Starry Messenger]

28. Not if you shop around.

I got a good deal from an ebay seller.

[JeffreyWilliamson]

30. It used to be cheaper where I'm at...

The price has come up since the last time I quit, about 2 years ago. This time I noticed the patch was much cheaper, the gum was slightly cheaper, and the mints were almost the same as I was spending on cigarettes.

I didn't go through the whole regimen of picking a method and very gradually stepping down though--I only used them to kick start the breaking of the psychological habit and help cut the pain of going totally cold-turkey, so while much more "intense" an experience, it didn't cost as much as I was already spending on the cigarettes themselves. Had I stuck with the mints it may well have. The gum less, the patches about half or a little less than half.

I've never tried any prescription aids.