Oh god what have I done. I stopped smoking

Nik_B

I'm on the 14mg ones but going to stick with them for 1-2 more months as I wouldn't want to turn to cigarrettes in a crisis. Also I'm enjoying the insanely vivid dreams I have on the patches

Ditch Witch

fnar

Vaudevillevillain

Nearly two years in now, quit in July 07. If you really want to do it - its easy. Deciding that I really did, took me about 5 years though. But you get there in the end.

Not sure what the rules on outside links are here but I would recommend two books, one that actually made me quit - The Nicotine Trick by Neil Casey and Nicotine: The Drug That Never Was by Chris Holmes which basically proves nicotine ins't actually a drug at all. Sounds unbelivable, but its a convincing read.

Nik_B

wow 2 years is amazing!

I'm on week five and day 2 and still on the patches. Had a fair bit of nicoteen withdrawl since dropping down to the medium patches which is difficult and had a single night where I succumbed but it was only once in the whole time so I'm not beating myself up.

I put muy hand through a glass pane in my front door (by accident) and have stiches and some damage to the tendons or the sleve that protects the tendons so I can't do any cycling swimming gym etc and I'm totally cheesed off. Aditionally my chest has been feeling tight the last week allthough that could be asthma related.

sorry for bad spelling/typing

Nik_B

p.s finally got the prescription for the free patches so I am officially saving money now. I was buying tobacco from the airport so it was only costing me say a total of £9 per week or may be less and the patches were costing more!!

Now I am saving around 30-40 quid per month which is definately something!

Ditch Witch

One thing that helped me not succumb was the thought that having even one would mean I had to reset my non-smoking counter to zero. I hated the thought of it.


I understand the morale protection involved in not givng yourself a hard time over a slip up, but I believe (certainly true in my case) that NOT feeling some remorse for doing it may only encourage you to slip up again.


It's worth spending some time thinking about why you had the cigarette and how you could change your thinking to ensure it doesn't happen again

Five weeks is pretty good going

Nik_B

I'm starting to wonder if the patches are that good. I've been on the middle 14mg ones for 2 weeks and constantly feel slightly withdrawn. On the other hand if I come straight off I'll be treated like I've got leprosy!

Six weeks on Saturday not ridden for a while due to work, injury and now my hand. Probably going for surgery as well which is crap.

I would also like to officially complain to god at this point. When you do something good like stop smoking you are supposed to be rewarded magnificently with super human strength and nothing bad should happen at all!! In 3 weeks I've pulled my neck, twisted my knee and sliced open two fingers.

It just isn't cricket!

Nik_B

Woohoo!

Six weeks 8)

Had the stitches ouf of my fingers yesterday as well and the consultant said he thinks I dont need an op. Wont be able to use the front brake or grip my handle bar with my right hand but I recon I might be ok for a road ride this week.

MikeSc

Did you not consider using an electronic cigarette as a bridge as opposed to the patches?

I haven't had a cigarette in over 7 months now but do use an e-cigarette. Whilst you still get the nicotine (which is obviously not good for you) you don't get the other 4,000 odd chemicals the manufacturers find necessary to put into fags.

I know that I am going to have to ditch the e-cig at some point, but I also know that I am never, ever going to smoke another cigarette again as long as I live. Some might say that it is simply substituting one bad habit for an equally bad one, but I prefer to look on it as an easement to giving up completely.

rob_mafia

Well done Nik_B you did the hard bit by saying you wanted to quit. I'm on 18 months now and will never put another cigarette in my mouth, the thought of doing it makes me feel so defeated and I never want to feel like that. I didn't start to feel the financial benefits till after about 4 months because I was spending my fag money on xbox 360 games. I would never be able to keep up with buying mountain bike bits if I still smoked so thats a big enough incentive for me.


Keep it up mate, at the end of the day it's your choice but you've got this far so why spoil it.

SpinningJenny

Well done, Nik. What are you going to spend your saved money on?

Ditch Witch

MikeSc, if you're that committed, then just give up. Seriously, if you want it badly enough, it really is that easy.

Keeping the elec ciggy is maintaining a commitment to smoking.

SpinningJenny

firm but fair, DW

but whatever works, is worth it in the long run....

Ditch Witch

Well, it's just that, having tried for 15 or so years to quit smoking, the only thing that's worked is just quitting. In my case, at least, and I appreciate that everyone is different, using things like that or gum or whatever just prolonged the agony because you still have to think about it all the time.

The most blissful moment in quitting smoking is when you realize you've gone ALLLLL day without thinking about a cig once. Not once. It's awesome. You can't get that if you're still hanging on to it. It's just fear, but if you don't get it or believe it, then it just pisses people off to hear that but that's what it is.

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Ditch Witch

God, if only it were that easy for everyone


Nice work

phil.a.b

I gave up about 6 years now & the best thing I ever done, I didn't find it to hard even though I had been smoking for around 20 years & on about 40-60 a day towards the end, I decided that when a pouch of tobacco went up to £10.00 a would not buy anymore & I didn't. Just keep telling yourself that only weak people smoke, as you are not in control of your life,Tobacco is. take control of your life & never give up trying to stop, as you will never regret it once you have given up.

ratty2k

Nik_B wrote:

I'm starting to wonder if the patches are that good. I've been on the middle 14mg ones for 2 weeks and constantly feel slightly withdrawn. On the other hand if I come straight off I'll be treated like I've got leprosy!

!

Think you need to come off the patches, after 6 weeks the habit side is broken, but feeding nicotine to yorself is just feeding the addiction IMO, the chemical receptors in yer head will get used to it very quickly and that may help...

Nik_B

It will be eight weeks tomorrow.

I would definately like to come of the patches but I am worried than the craving might be too bad. I think I'll wait till I got away to work, its a quieter environment that being at home

ratty2k

But the craving is being fed by the patches now, if youd have gone cold tturkey, you wouldn't be bothered now...
Maybe try a few days without a patch, and see how it goes. Bit of will power, and after 8 weeks it should be hard to think "I give up" and start again...
Hope whatever you do tho works out for you! Best thing you ever did, and me, and evryone else that packed in would agree!

Nik_B

Got my final batch of patches. Will be switching down to the lowest level for three weeks and then it's cold turkey for me.

Will be nine weeks on Saturday. Went for a meal last night and then the pub for a couple of pints. Walked right past people smoking outside without a second glance.

As Ratty said I'm fairly sure I've kicked the habit side just got the addiction to get rid of. That will probably be the easier bit once I am ready.

Ditch Witch

Don't be afraid. You're ready now. What have you been doing for the last 8 weeks?

It will suck, yes, but it won't last long.

Scared ex-smokers want to smoke. Don't be scared, be positive.


By ditching the patches you will finally be completely free and clean. That's something to celebrate, not fear!


Whatever you do, don't put another patch on, once you've made the decision to stop. It will become a mental barrier, obstructing your full withdrawal.

"This too shall pass".

Nik_B

Agreed but after I forgot to put one on last night I thought I'd give it a try today. 16 hours in I thought I was going rather well but at the slightest thing I found myself flying in to a rage. I put the small patch on after that. I'm not exactly sure how I'll approach this but the patches are better than smoking for now.

Nik_B

p.s Did my first ride in 8 weeks now my hand is getting better. Felt crap and unfit which was a shame.

While I am scared DW I'm not scared of going back to the fags but rather scared of losing my temper. I have a 16 year old daughter who could wind up mother terasa!

ratty2k

Cant remember if I ever got really frustrated when I packed in, but it does pass... and only a few days for most people... Stick with it fella, you'll get there in the end!

cerouax

Hi Nik_B,

Sorry if I repeat something already said, only caught the last few posts.

I gave up over 3 years ago now, using the Allen Carr book.

Nicotine only remains in your system for 3 days, so if you've already broken the psychological habit, then, in theory, you should only experience withdrawals for 3 days (cranberry juice apparently may shorten this as I read somewhere that it helps get the nicotine out).

How I feel now is worth three days to a week of a bad temper - I got over this by focussing on simple tasks (diy, gardening etc). That and by riding my bike a lot !

Stick with it, the summer is a great time to free yourself!

Ditch Witch

Nik_B wrote:

p.s Did my first ride in 8 weeks now my hand is getting better. Felt crap and unfit which was a shame.

While I am scared DW I'm not scared of going back to the fags but rather scared of losing my temper. I have a 16 year old daughter who could wind up mother terasa!

I meant more along the line of "don't be afraid of the craving", but I know what you mean about temper.


You're only delaying the inevitable. Do what I did. Tell your loved ones what you're going through, apologize in advance (and every time you lose your rag) and just get on with it.

In one way, it's the best thing you can do for your daughter. My son, after watching me go through it, has sworn off cigarettes for life. He NEVER wants to get like that.

There is never going to be an ideal time. It will only last a few days or a week. Just do it.

Nik_B

After 10 1/2 weeeks decided to pull the plug on the the patches.

Took it off at 9pm last night so was starting withdraw in the late morning. Been tough but doable.

30 hours in

ratty2k

As said, the craving will pass in a couple/3 days. so stick with it, and you wonder what all the fuss has been about on Thursday!

Nik_B

It will be 24 hours without any nicotine in my body tomorrow night at 21:00 hours. Yes it definitely has got easier and easier and while I still crave the nicotine from time to time I can go the entire day and most of the night without paying it much thought.

I have found that drinking coffee is a very bad idea as the caffeine can make me edgy which magnifies my iritability.

I hope other smokers come accross this 3 month long journey and gain some inspiration from this. If I can stop then anyone can!