stopping smoking. advice, encouragement!

[Drogheda98]

something I think I need a place to sort of record my progress.

I went to the docs Thursday and he didn't put me on chantex, instead he wants me to stair step down.

so I'm getting my "smoking breaks" down to 4 times a day, so far today I'm on 3, had a good 6 hour stop between breaks when I could really start to feel the cravings.

I tried the 4 mg patch and it really didn't work, I would get a burnt taste on my tongue oddly enough. so I'm trying the 2 mg patch and that seems to be having some success in helping with cravings, I guess finding the correct method for myself is what works, however, I'm willing to give anything a try for I want to be off nicotene(ecigs) for good in a month or two.

I'm thinking about it in terms of health. I'm working out more and the less I smoke the more oxygen can get to my muscles to promote muscle growth and healing.

I'm also thinking about it in terms of this next college semester. the less I smoke the more oxygen get's to my brain and the clearer I should be able to think.

also been thinking about it in terms of money saved. 8 bucks a day down the hole, if I could get that down to 8 bucks every other day, other other day and so on, that in itself would pay for another vacation, car payments, rent for a house/apartment etc...

been thinking about the Twizzlers thing, maybee replacing a "ritual" with a Twizzlers run instead, or maybee start a ritual that I want to "replace" with Twizzlers at first.

any suggestion anyone has is welcome. in a month I go back to the docs for accountability and I really want to be down a couple of "rituals"

[psychopathetic]

That's awesome!

You can SO do this!!

Have you considered going cold turkey? I think I'd go nuts trying to taper down...though I do realize that different things work for different people...and if this approach works for you, then great!

A couple of things that helped me get through...

Finding an online forum for fellow quitters. I used quitnet.com...the site is WAY different then it was back in 2010 when I joined...but I feel it's still a great place for those that want to use it.
A lot of the times when I'd have a craving, instead of sitting with it...I'd jump online and make a post about the craving or cheer on/help others who were struggling. I'd ALWAYS get at least a few responses, no matter the time of day, and having other people who were currently struggling along side me...as well as members who had thousands of days quit under their belts...made a HUGE impact on me.
But also trying to cheer on and help other people did amazing things for me. It really gave me a ton of strength in my own quit.. It's like the saying goes..."fake it till you make it" or something.
This was the number one biggest thing in my own quit that helped me get through.

Another thing I needed to do...was find something to do during all the times I was no longer smoking. I hadn't realized until I quit...just how much time I spent each day smoking. I was a chain smoker by that time...and I'd smoke before, during, and after, every single thing I did during my day.
Again...quitnet was HUGE in helping with this, as it gave me a great distraction. It distracted my mind from focusing on the craves, and it gave me something to do with my hands as well.
I hadn't just become addicted to the nicotine...but I'd become hooked on the physical parts of smoking too...holding the cancer sticks in my hand, and bringing them up to my face...having something to keep my hands busy was important to me.
I started to walk each day as well. Sometimes multiple times a day. It was amazing to me how quickly I built stamina and how many steps I could put in before getting too winded. Before my quit I was at a point where I couldn't even walk from my car to the doors of a store without feeling like I was going to pass out.
Walking really boosted my motivation, felt great physically, and really helped fill up quite a bit of time.

The last thing I'll mention here...was eating. This is something a lot of people struggle with when they quit...they start eating more and gain weight from it.
This happened to me. I started eating tons of ice cream bars and treats after my quit...they helped a ton with my cravings, but I started eating way too many of them each day...as well as I started eating more food just in general, and I put on quite a bit of weight.

So I do think food can help (like your twizzlers!)...but I do caution you to keep an eye on it.

.......

I hope this post wasn't too long for you. Not sure if any of this can help in anyway.
I've got over 8 1/2 years under my belt at this point...and quitting smoking remains one of the greatest things I've ever done in my life.
It's tough at first. Those craves get so damn intense...but stick with it and I promise it gets easier...those craves get further and further apart, and they stop being so strong or lasting for so long...and you'll be SO proud of yourself!
This is one of the greatest things you can possibly do for yourself!

I'm super proud of you, and I've got no doubt that you can do this!
Great job!!

(((((((Hug)))))))

[Drogheda98]

heh, I remember trying to go off cold turkey and on the second day got the hot flash and like, cone vision, I think that scared me from trying to stop for a while.

however, I'm resolved to stop smoking. I think you are right about the time spent thing, trying to find a time to fill around smoking instead of kicking smoking to the curve and only picking a ecig up when I really feel the craving.

it's just like anyhing, I think, that part of you that knows that the more you struggle the better you get. so, I know that I'm really good at competing with myself, so I can time myself, getting better at utilizing a calander and the alarms on my phone, I can slowly creep the alarm for the next cig by a half an hour and struggle through the craving, I think that will give me the reselience I need.

and thanks pshychopathetic for responding, nah it wasn't along response at all.

[Rebelyell]

Lollypops or twizzlers.alot of people it's the oral hand to mouth affiliation.

[psychopathetic]

Originally Posted by Drogheda98

heh, I remember trying to go off cold turkey and on the second day got the hot flash and like, cone vision, I think that scared me from trying to stop for a while.

however, I'm resolved to stop smoking. I think you are right about the time spent thing, trying to find a time to fill around smoking instead of kicking smoking to the curve and only picking a ecig up when I really feel the craving.

it's just like anyhing, I think, that part of you that knows that the more you struggle the better you get. so, I know that I'm really good at competing with myself, so I can time myself, getting better at utilizing a calander and the alarms on my phone, I can slowly creep the alarm for the next cig by a half an hour and struggle through the craving, I think that will give me the reselience I need.

and thanks pshychopathetic for responding, nah it wasn't along response at all.

I shouldn't have asked about going cold turkey...I'm really not judging you. I absolutely do believe that this method works for some people...I was just talking to a guy in a support group I'm part of that did as you're doing. He's now been smoke free for over 12 years .

[Rebelyell]

Good thing I got diagnosed w ashma last year or else I'd be social smoking tons more.

[Drogheda98]

don't worry psychopathetic, that was a indecent I have never really processed in any real way. it's all good. I've toughened up in a positive way. you are right of course, I've heard about people stopping cold turkey and it working for them like tha, just like with alcohol, I have to tapper down, draw a infographic for myself, pro's and cons, and look at it everyday.

doing my first routine now and then putting on the patch and setting an alarm for 5 hours. going to the gas station to get like 4 of those refills so I can get in the routine of going to the gas station and not buying the refills after that. heh, same with what I did with alcohol.

and while I don't like using the term out of sight out of mind, I will put the refills in an inconvenient spot except for one. I'm thinking this will go more smoothly than I expected sense I'm already thinking about smoking in a new light.

[Drogheda98]

the 2 mg patch doesn't give me a taste in my mouth however, it makes me irritable and effects my thinking. compared to going 5 hours without the patch and no smokes and with the 2 mg is like night and day. 5 hours without the patch I get a little light headed by the end of the 5th hour however, I don't suffer any of the mood stuff or altered thinking that the 2 mg patch gives me. given that this semester is so important, both are important(especially the thinking, calculas AND english, I'm good at math when I get going but need all the focus for english cause, comma, comma, comma and run on sentences keep going.

so I can either try the 1 mg, however someone at college mentioned a health place to stop smoking that pays for chantex.

I've trusted the medical field my entire life, so it just makes sense to me to get on chantex to stop, I've heard all the stories about people just stopping or cutting down to like 1 cig a day and stopping after a months go.

even with mood swings (I do have clonopen) I'm more than willing to give that a go. so I guess I'll go to the clinic this next week and see about getting on chantex. while still trying to stare step down like my medical doc says.

in my english class is a lady I knew from high school who is dying from cancer, spread through her body, lymph nodes and all of that and she has tell December and that stopped me in my tracks, I don't want that to happen and I'm willing to go over my doctors head(meaning go to the clinic) to get on chantex because I am ready to stop smoking.

I would do the almost cold turkey approach (that is, go the entire day with 1 break) if this semester of college wasn't so important, I've dealt with a bit of dileriem from stopping drinking in the past and could do that again especially now that I have better emotional regulation(and clonopen), vegging out and watching movies for 2 months would be no problem while on a clono stuper the entire time.

however, I can not do that. I'm too amped and driven to succeed and keep suceeding and giving it my all, I can't even waist weekends now (that I got to program a mobile app for business club). I';ve heard very little to no one say that chantex effects their mood, the ONLY thing I've heard about going on chantex is that everyone I know who has gone on it has stopped, completely in a relatively short amount of time.

[psychopathetic]

Yeah, I've heard some great things about chantex! That's awesome if you can get it for free!!
I don't know how things work in my state anymore...but back when I quit...if I went through quitnet.com, my state would pay for a premium account at the site (not sure if the site even has an option for a premium account), as well as pay for chantex, patches, gum or lozenges. It was amazing!
By the time I realized they'd pay for gum, I was already 2 or 3 weeks into my quit...so me and my quit coach (which I got through quitnet) decided to pass on them...but the fact my state did that for quitters was awesome!!

I'm too amped and driven to succeed and keep suceeding and giving it my all

(((Drogs)))

You SO have this!

[Emre22]

Buprapion(Zyban brand name as anti-smoking)

Also it is used for ADHD off-label

[Drogheda98]

By the time I realized they'd pay for gum, I was already 2 or 3 weeks into my quit...so me and my quit coach (which I got through quitnet) decided to pass on them...but the fact my state did that for quitters was awesome!!



(((Drogs)))

You SO have this! [/quote]

thanks a lot PSP. really, heh, it feels good to have someone, you know, cheer you(self reflection) on.

how did chantex make you feel and did it give you any like, uhh, distorted thinking (my thinking right now is just for succeeding the best I can this sem in college, so the thinking bit is what I'm really concerned about).

did it affect your concentration? a bit of irritability I can actually use to my advantage (GOT TO GET THIS DAMM CALCULAS DONE BY ALL THE RAGE OF THE STARS!!!!), I've learned to tap into any rage I might build up over time for productive reasons. the 2 mg, isn't really irritability, just sort of... melancholy bleh feeling, I'd rather have a bit of rage that I can aim at studies than that. I tried to do stuff while on the 2 mg and, ya, it just doesn't work.

heh, maybe I should just try going cold turkey light and get it down to 2 rituals a day, maybe I'll try that tomorrow heh.

the other factor is connecting to others, while I can use rage for studies (GOTA GET THIS DAMM HOMEWORK DONE OR I'LL THROW THE BLOODY COMPUTER OUT THE WINDOW), you know, sort of connect it to hyperfocus.... lol, I really don't want to do that to people. I'm happy with the progress on emotional stabalization, self calming etc that I have accomplished the past few months with therapy, if I was just buy myself it would be fine cause I know it would pass, however, I've been alone enough and really trying to reconnect with my friends and loved ones.

I think the clinic had the counselling thing, I think that might be part of the chantex. if not, I can always ask my school adviser (sense I'm seeing her every week for accountability) for that. sense therapy is an impartial observer and I can't stress how much he(uhh, mr x) has helped, I think I want someone directly tied into to my success to be accountable for that(head of the business department, sense my major is business managment)

[Funky1]

I managed to quit smoking cigarettes, but unfortunately nicotine still has a hold of me via a vaping mod. I still think it's better than smoking cigarettes, it tastes better, my breath smells better, my everything else smells better, and no more standing out on my front porch freezing my butt off just to smoke a cigarette. It's just a stepping stone on the path to eventually quitting altogether, but in my opinion it's a good first step.

[psychopathetic]

Originally Posted by Drogheda98

how did chantex make you feel

My doctor actually wouldn't prescribe me chantex, even though I wanted to try it...I was going through quite a bit of depression at the time, and one of the side effects was an increase in suicidal thoughts.

I ended up going cold turkey...but like I said, I had a TON of awesome support from quitnet.

I've heard some good things about chantex though...most people say the same thing, that while they're on it they just don't feel like smoking.

[sarahsweets]

I just registered for quitnet so its a step in the right direction. Do you know if they offer help with nicotine gum? I saw that some insurances will offer help but I do not know if I want my insurance company to know that I smoke. What do you think?

Originally Posted by psychopathetic

That's awesome!

You can SO do this!!

Have you considered going cold turkey? I think I'd go nuts trying to taper down...though I do realize that different things work for different people...and if this approach works for you, then great!

A couple of things that helped me get through...

Finding an online forum for fellow quitters. I used quitnet.com...the site is WAY different then it was back in 2010 when I joined...but I feel it's still a great place for those that want to use it.
A lot of the times when I'd have a craving, instead of sitting with it...I'd jump online and make a post about the craving or cheer on/help others who were struggling. I'd ALWAYS get at least a few responses, no matter the time of day, and having other people who were currently struggling along side me...as well as members who had thousands of days quit under their belts...made a HUGE impact on me.
But also trying to cheer on and help other people did amazing things for me. It really gave me a ton of strength in my own quit.. It's like the saying goes..."fake it till you make it" or something.
This was the number one biggest thing in my own quit that helped me get through.

Another thing I needed to do...was find something to do during all the times I was no longer smoking. I hadn't realized until I quit...just how much time I spent each day smoking. I was a chain smoker by that time...and I'd smoke before, during, and after, every single thing I did during my day.
Again...quitnet was HUGE in helping with this, as it gave me a great distraction. It distracted my mind from focusing on the craves, and it gave me something to do with my hands as well.
I hadn't just become addicted to the nicotine...but I'd become hooked on the physical parts of smoking too...holding the cancer sticks in my hand, and bringing them up to my face...having something to keep my hands busy was important to me.
I started to walk each day as well. Sometimes multiple times a day. It was amazing to me how quickly I built stamina and how many steps I could put in before getting too winded. Before my quit I was at a point where I couldn't even walk from my car to the doors of a store without feeling like I was going to pass out.
Walking really boosted my motivation, felt great physically, and really helped fill up quite a bit of time.

The last thing I'll mention here...was eating. This is something a lot of people struggle with when they quit...they start eating more and gain weight from it.
This happened to me. I started eating tons of ice cream bars and treats after my quit...they helped a ton with my cravings, but I started eating way too many of them each day...as well as I started eating more food just in general, and I put on quite a bit of weight.

So I do think food can help (like your twizzlers!)...but I do caution you to keep an eye on it.

.......

I hope this post wasn't too long for you. Not sure if any of this can help in anyway.
I've got over 8 1/2 years under my belt at this point...and quitting smoking remains one of the greatest things I've ever done in my life.
It's tough at first. Those craves get so damn intense...but stick with it and I promise it gets easier...those craves get further and further apart, and they stop being so strong or lasting for so long...and you'll be SO proud of yourself!
This is one of the greatest things you can possibly do for yourself!

I'm super proud of you, and I've got no doubt that you can do this!
Great job!!

(((((((Hug)))))))

[Andi]

My whole motivation in stopping to smoke was because insurance was going to charge me a huge fee for smoking. The disclosure that year is if you didn't self report and you needed help...wham, dropped. Also, work put up cameras in the smoking area. Yeah...it was time to quit. One of the hardest things I had to do but totally glad that my cheapskate ways inspired me. I hope you find something useful. My fear with the gum is it's not taking away the craving for nicotine and it's the ritual that I was in love with and not just the buzz. Smoke filling my lungs...back and forth of the cig to my mouth...blowing out. I had to find things that mimicked it without going back. I to this day cannot be around it without wanting that feeling of the rituals.

I wish I could help. Perhaps if you start a check point here in your progress that may be helpful.