cpk

Herbs are not for everyone, and as I'm not certified in this area I can't make recommendations. I decided to try Rhodiola as an alternative to synthetic medication for low mood. It's working for me. It's best to consult with a professional. Everyone's quit is different. I have great confidence that as I approach my 3 month mark everything will begin to smooth out, including insomnia. From this site I have learned many, many tips. I collect them all in a little notebook. Of these, the greatest tips of all are 1) n.o.p.e. 2) Patience 3) Time. If anyone is interested, I will post all the tips I have gathered from the good people on this forum.

Renewed confidence.

Please be careful, T. Rhodiola should NOT BE TAKEN BEFORE BEDTIME. It may promote sleep in that it could cause us to move around more during the day, and get more exercise. It is NOT a sleep aid. Should be taken in the morning, start with lowest dosage.

Congratulations, and thank you for never giving up. The difficult quit is a good quit because it assures us that each step forward is to leave this #$%$%@@@#&&*^%$^^^^@@@@*********%%#@ quit journey behind us, right? THIS IS THE STICKY QUIT AND TRULY THE TYME-TO-BE!!! :wub: You are the vanguard and I am following. We can now afford to mix a little dancing in with our marching. :yahoo: :yahoo:

Take in morning, lowest dosage. I noticed immediate difference. More clear-headed, and focused, and foggy feeling lifted. But not like coffee. No jitters.

Roses? Ah, nice. Now you are getting the hang of this, Evelyn! "The quit is hard work and must be paid," so says Mr. Bakon. I am so happy for you!!! And extra happy you are treating yourself so nicely, and honoring your hard work. CONGRATULATIONS, GIRLIE!!! :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: BIG FOUR!!!! BIG FOUR!!!! BIG FOUR!!!!

I feel good.

Update: I have been taking herbs for a week and noticed improvement, with less heaviness and tightness in chest. Taking nettles, and a "lung support" tincture which includes lobelia and mullein. Am also taking vitamins, extra B vits, and Omega 3, and herbal teas. Also took a couple OTC tablets for allergies. It could be that for some of us the physical aspects of quitting do cause some anxiety, and whatever we can do to reduce these physical symptoms reduces anxiety. In my case this seems to be true. I'm going to add Rhodiola starting today. (Mike suggested it, and I read up on it, and it is worth a try.) My physician would prescribe trazadone, but reading up on the side effects is scary. I don't do well on synthetics and chemicals. Herbs work for me. As of today am 11 weeks quit, and feeling much better than I did a week ago.

This looks interesting, Mike. Rhodiola would be great if it worked, doesn't effect liver, or whatever...will check into it. Thanks.

In U.S. pharmacists have warned against herbs since they say they aren't properly regulated. It's a toss up...between herbs, and medications, which for me often have the worse side effects. Maybe drinking a lot of water and exercising, and everything else others have used and suggested here in various combination, along with a lot of patience, will help. Going back to smoking will not help. That has to be taken off the table as an option, and not even thought about. All thinking has to be forward thinking, especially the knowledge that many who have put in over a year have seen a drastic change in their well-being, for the better. Whatever needs to be done to help can be tried. But time will be the greatest healer, I believe.

go home, children, nothing going on here...

nice photo

I agree! Powers that pin, please do yr thang!

A solid quit! Simple and streamlined. This quit's not built on sand, it's got a firm bedrock philosophy. A manly quit, if I may be so sexist! :pioneer: In my book, Larks is a Hero !!!!!!!!!!! :sun_bespectacled:

:wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:

GOOD LUCK TOM AND DD !!!

sorry double post

So, out of the closet! Nice to meet your face, haha. Don't look tired! All that stuff sounds good. Here's the thing with me. I fear being tired because that was one of the triggers for my smoking more than usual. I think I am afraid of being tired. So my new theory is to just experience it and not take naps or mess up my schedule. If I go to sleep and then wake up too early, I'll just get up and be tired for the day. Because I have figured out that's what it is for me. I'm afraid being tired will trigger me, so I take naps early evening and stuff. That's my new plan...to discover I can be exhausted and not smoke. Then maybe my body and mind will relax and I'll naturally begin to sleep better.

The reward thing is because your brain got used to the nicotine releasing a hit of dopamine. Without the nicotine less dopamine gets released. Dopamine is even called the motivator chemical. I have a lot of trouble with this. It was easier once I accepted that okay, the brain has to re-adjust. Also, sadly, nicotine caused a super charge of dopamine that was unnatural. Normally, there isn't such a big charge. Personally I think the saddest part of nicotine addiction is that it hijacks the reward system in the brain. The same thing happens with people on meth, coke, or heroin. TEW, I really think you are on the right track. The reward is already there. You are re-educating, re-training, and re-wiring your brain. It's really good.

I read that after you quit smoking you retain more water as well as having a slower metabolism. The water retention causes pressure on nerve endings and such, and causes irritability. That's all. I don't like extra weight and bloat because it doesn't feel good.

good luck!!!

Yeah, but Evelyn, if you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day...it will reduce hunger. Sometimes I feel hungry when I am really thirsty. It doesn't matter...weight is part fat, part water retention, especially in women. Meds are not any help, I know. But I still stand on what I say and I'm going to do it. Goodbye, Twix and KitKats!

Juniper berries are hard to find. Herb shops carry them. All the running around to get supplies helps reduce bloat. Because walking helps. Bloat is water your body is holding onto because maybe too much sugar or salt. Oh, so, MUST REDUCE INTAKE OF SALT. No chips. No soda. No candy. Run around getting special teas. In one week you can lose a lot. You will be surprised. And you will feel better. I need to do this, too. Let's do it together, okay?

Evelyn, you are so brave to post this. But it's funny, forgive me, because you look so serious, and really, you DO NOT LOOK LIKE A WHALE. I like your sparky top or thingie, and I want to hug you. If I were brave I'd send you a selfie in my leopard print mini skirt, which I fill out very nicely, thank you. Okay, seriously, you may just have some bloat too, which is easily remedied, and you can do it in less than a week. NO REFINED CARBS. NO SUGAR. 8 TO 10 glasses of water every day. There are also teas that help...and you can crush up juniper berries and drink 1 to 2 cups a day. Soup with a lot of parsley. Asparagus. Oranges. NO TWIX, GIRL!!! Eat lotsa protein...fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, salmon. No hard cheese. It has too much salt. I'm going to start this today, put not send a selfie. You are too too brave. You are lovely and okay and BEAUTIFUL. I mean that with all my heart! Cyber-hug! :wub:

I just reread this. I was thinking about the end of my smoking days when I frowned a lot. So you know how we always think that when we smoked we were laughing, and having a great time? Do you remember your last smokes? Mine did not make me laugh!