I used NRT to quit.
I had previously tried to quit over the years.... quit cold turkey the first time....then went back after a short time. Next time I tried hypnosis...that quit lasted longer but still I relapsed. By the time my third and final attempt to quit occurred I had been smoking at least a pack a day for over 40 + years...not something I am proud of. My use of the nicotine patches started w the 21mg they gave me while in the hospital recovering from a stroke...which was due in part to all those years of smoking. I then made a decision to step down the patches when I felt ready. So stayed on each level a few extra weeks. Did lots of deep breathing, drank lots of water and played lots of solitaire online and walked as much as I could. Was feeling pretty good and so happy as the days turned into weeks, then months and then finally got to the Lido deck.....and hit the one year milestone!
The Universe then kicked me in the butt and wasn't done with me yet. Turns out the years of smoking had also damaged the arteries leading to my heart. I would need a CABGx3 which meant a triple bypass was needed and there was no time to waste. Was back in hospital and on the operating table within days of that one year milestone!! Talk about anxiety....but the good thing was that I hadn't smoked in a year and my surgeon was pleased with that and said things would go well. They did and I am doing great now.
I also attribute the fact that online support groups existed at the time of my final quit as a big factor in getting through those first months after the initial hell weeks...and for me they were god-awful times!!!
Smoking damages everything in your body.....teeth, lungs, arteries, skin, etc.
Hope my experience helps someone who may be on the fence about quitting.
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