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G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

Hi @chime. First of all, using patches to quit isn't a cop out. Whatever crutch you need to break the habit of lighting up is valid. Patches, gums, lozenges, etc. are viable options to actual smoking and no one will show up at your house to revoke your quitting card just because you used a legitimate tool to quit smoking. This quit I didn't use any type of NRT so I can't really speak to what type of withdrawal you may get from the patches. However, my research has led me to believe that the nicotine might not be as addictive as the other chemicals in the cigarettes such as the pyrazines so I wouldn't stress about withdrawal from the patches yet. Get yourself off the cigarettes first. You can cross that bridge with the patches when you get to it. There have been quite a few here who did use NRT to quit so I'm sure a few of them will be along soon to tell you their experience. Congratulations on 5 days smoke free. That's a huge accomplishment. Welcome aboard the train. Take a seat and hold on tight. The trip is well worth the price of the ticket.

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NOPE!!

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Hi guys, I'm new to this forum and currently on my 5th day of not smoking. Quit cold turkey a bunch of years ago and stayed off it for a long time until some stressful stuff happened in my life and I was dumb and started smoking again. I've been back to smoking for 2 years and wanted to quit again for almost as long, but could never make it beyond a few days. Finally had enough and decided to try out a crutch, aka patches. Woke up 5 days ago and decided I would just try it, and so far I've been staying strong. Why I'm posting this: I don't really like the idea of the patches. It feels like a cop out, like I'm just prolonging the withdrawal process. At the same time, I work a stressful job in the medical field and worry to not be able to perform adequately at my job while battling nicotine withdrawal at its full force. If any of you have quit with patches: How bad does it get when you stop using them, after however long? Was it as bad as cold turkey for you, or did the time you were on patches improve the experience somewhat? I definitely went through withdrawal symptoms when I switched from smoking to patches, so I have the small hope that maybe I can quit the patches too and the first few days won't be quite as bad with brain fog/getting the shakes/all the other fun stuff. I would appreciate any input! Have been reading the forum a bunch these past few days, and it has helped me. You guys are great!

Welcome aboard the train @chime and congratulations for taking back your freedom I agree with intoxicated yoda, using NRT'S is not a cop out so get that out of your head. As far as the patch goes we have quite a few members who used them at the start of their quits. I didn't so I'll let them give you any clues. I have read on several different posts that as their quits progressed they forgot to put one on in the morning and that's how they stopped using them. I'm glad you've been reading the forums. There's a lot of good info there starting with the pinned posts. I'm looking forward to your success

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Hello @chime! I quit smoking by using the patch. 3 year anniversary the 17th. You do what you gotta do to put the smokes out for good. I used the patch because I suffer from severe anxiety and do not use any medication to treat it so I needed the assist. I started with Stage 2 then after a couple of weeks dropped down to stage 3 and used those for a few weeks until I forgot to put one on one day and didn’t realize it for hours so I was like, “I guess I’m quit.” LOL Not going to lie. The initial 2-3 weeks was very hard for me. I was practically bed bound and cried nonstop for days and days. I could not have survived quitting cold turkey. Sure you have to eventually go through total withdrawal but it isn’t such a big deal on the patch. Like I said, I literally forgot to put the patch on one day. Keep hanging around here and you will have all the support you’ll ever need. Good luck with med school. It is very wise to stop smoking now because there will NEVER be a ‘best time’ to quit. See you around!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

Nope ...no f##ing way

Chicks on a roll!!

Just checking in, Elena. Let us know how you are doing…

Thanks for your replies!! This forum really is awesome! I shouldn't have said patches seem a cop out to me, didn't wanna sound like I disregard anybody's (or my own) success with them, I was just worried I'd end up dragging out the withdrawal phase using them. Sounds like, especially reading your post @Gus (thank you so much for sharing your experience, and congrats on 3 years, that's huge!) that maybe going off the patches won't be like stopping smoking day 1 again. I really worry about that cause I currently can't take time off work, and I'm a nurse so I kinda gotta be 100% all of the time. But when you feel like it's time to quit and you wake up one day and know that it's THE DAY then you really shouldn't postpone it even if the circumstances might not be ideal, in my opinion. Reading your posts made me think that maybe I can get through this and not be a total wreck at work once I stop using the patches. Thank you, for the kind words and support as well, everybody!

Advanced NOPE!!

Belated NOPE!!

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1 When is Recip back from his hols ?

Only coz us sticks are chilling on Sunday.

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Nope...

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You can do this, @chime! Welcome to the train. 5 days without smoking is AWESOME! I used the patches (and lozenges/gum) until I built up my other quitting “muscles.” I was a very heavy smoker and needed to quit asap without lead time to prepare mentally, so some extra reinforcement helped. I ended up accelerating the step-down to get off of the patches because after a few weeks it became clear that the NRT was prolonging my withdrawal discomfort. (Plus they were driving my skin bonkers.) But by then I had developed other coping skills to lean on to make it through that final withdrawal. Wasn’t pretty, but I made it… and 2+ years later am a very grateful nonsmoker. Everybody’s strategy is unique, you’ll figure out what works for you. Every quit that sticks is a good quit! Stay close to the forum, let us know how you progress, and learn all you can about addiction. Knowledge is power and the community here is super supportive. Glad you found us!

hey @overcome Check out Dr. Bryan Ardis. He claims to have helped people with "long Covid" using nicotine patches. makes me wonder sometimes if the nicotine in the cigarettes might have been weaponized to addict the consumer base and just pure nicotine maybe has some medicinal properties. i'm not about to tempt that monster again however so if I get sick I'll just stick with some homemade chicken soup.

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-1 Looks like those chicks are havin some fun.

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

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Thanks @Dianne

Before you know it. it will be one year...two years and more keep at it...you doing great!

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Thanks @Jordan7

Congratulations, QG! The hardest part is behind you and your one-year celebration is on the horizon. Great job!

Thanks @overcome

A little late, but a BIG congratulations to you @QuittingGirl very happy for you and your success with your quit!

Congratulations on the 9 month quit! You have done great and seem to have total control over the cigs. Don`t let up and best wishes.

QG well done you will soon be quit a year and then you will have been through most common triggers and you will have set yourself on course for a smoke free lifetime.