Introducing Myself

[Genecanuck]

Hello everyone,

I am a Quitnet oldtimer. I joined that site back in 2003. I have had may starts and stops with my quit and quit again in 2016. The challenge I am now facing is that I became addicted to Nicotine Lozenges. So today, I decided to stop using them. I am using the patch but plan to follow the program to become nicotine free in six weeks.

 

I am looking forward to meeting new friends and supporting others.

 

KTG

Gene

[jillar]

Welcome aboard Gene and congratulations on quitting smoking. I'm glad you've decided it's time to kick the nicotine habit, taking both the lozenges and patch probably isn't recommended. 

Hunker down and stay close and we'll help support you as much as you need or want

[Genecanuck]

Thanks Jillar,

I stopped using the Lozenges today and started the patch. My commitment is to follow the program for six weeks to become totally nicotine free. 

Thanks for your support.

Gene

[garry mhudson]

Welcome Genecanuck!! You can do this and this is a great site for support. Best wishes to kick the nicotine habit for good.

[Genecanuck]

Thank you @garry mhudson

 

I have been down this road before. Taking things one breath at a time.

Cheers.

Gene

[johnny5]

Welcome aboard @Genecanuck

 

You are making a wise decision by putting nicotine behind you for good.  Stick around this site - there is a lot of support and knowledge you can gain here.

 

 

[forestgreen]

Don't let Nicotine rule your life, you are worth more than Nicotine. Treat it like the scourge it is; Get rid of it forever!

[Sazerac]

You are living in constant withdrawal torture.

You have been ever since you started smoking  and ever since you quit smoking.

 

Stop it !  Get yourself FREE. 

 

2 hours ago, Genecanuck said:

My commitment is to follow the program

 

Why don't you make a commitment to follow a 100% successful program ?

 

1. Make a personal commitment to yourself and stick to it,

         A Commitment To Stop Administering  Nicotine

 

In Three days, most of the Nicotine will be out of your body.  

 

 

Please be aware of Nicotine poisoning if you are mixing patches and lozenges or other nicotine vehicles.

 

Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include:

Abdominal cramps

Agitation, restlessness, excitement, or confusion

Breathing that may be difficult, rapid, or even stopped

Burning sensation in mouth, drooling

Seizures

Depression

Fainting or even coma (lack of responsiveness)

Headache

Muscle twitching

Palpitations (fast and pounding heartbeat often followed by slow heart rate)

Vomiting

Weakness

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2020 by Sazerac

[Sazerac]

Here is our friend, Joel Spitzer's, resource page to Prolonging Nicotine Withdrawal

and his video,

 

 

[Sazerac]

From the articles contained in

A Quitter's Dilemma: Hooked on the Cure

 

"So what's the harm of just using nicotine for the rest of your life?

After all, it is not totally clear if nicotine itself is a carcinogen,

and so many medical professionals think that it is relatively harmless when compared to the well established dangers of smoking.

 

The Real Danger is an issue that most people asking this question are not taking into consideration.

The products are keeping the users in a mild to moderate form of chronic withdrawal.

 

These people are never getting free of nicotine and thus free of the demands that their bodies are going to put on them."

 

J.Spitzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Sazerac

[hellkatbaby]

Way to go on putting the smokes down - but yes it's just as easy to become dependent on NRT's. It's like the final release is hard to let go. Even then you will most likely go thru some withdrawls once the NRT program is complete - ridding the nicotine from your system. Sometimes it's just easier to rip that NRT off sooner than later. Keep us updated!

[Doreensfree]

Hello and welcome ...

Congratulations on putting the cigs down and quitting ....but  you have remained addicted to Nicotine ..

Swoping one method for another to get your fix ..There is a risk you will get hooked on the patch ...

My advice....

Forget the patches ....come here ...join in the community.....help others .....

You'll be surprised ....you won't need a patch ....embrace being Nicotine free forever .....

 

[Sazerac]

@Genecanuck,

 

As you can see,  we are really passionate about dealing with nicotine addiction.

 

I hope you take advantage of all the resources here and educate yourself about nicotine.

This will help you understand yourself and what you may experience when putting your addiction to sleep.

We are all here to cheer you on.

[QueenB]

Welcome aboard @Genecanuck You can do this!!!!

[Genecanuck]

Thanks for all your feedback everyone,

 

I do not disagree with anything you are saying. Yes, I know that  I am addicted to nicotine right now. But I also observed that people do become free if they follow an NRT program. I am taking a harm reduction approch to getting rid of nicotine. My goal at this point is to be off nicotine totally in six weeks. I am following the patch step down program.

 

Many thanks for your support.

KTQ

Gene

[Sazerac]

 

I hope you avail yourself to all the information here about nicotine addiction.

Education is a primary ingredient to building a successful quit.

 

Tell us about your step down program and how you are feeling, what issues are coming up for you.

This will help us understand where you are in recovery and be able to point you to resources.

It will also help readers who may be walking in your shoes.

 

We all want to see you succeed and live a nicotine free life.

 

 

 

 

[Genecanuck]

Thanks for all your feedback everyone,

 

I do not disagree with anything you are saying. Yes, I know that  I am addicted to nicotine right now. But I also observed that people do become free if they follow an NRT program. I am taking a harm reduction approch to getting rid of nicotine. My goal at this point is to be off nicotine totally in six weeks. I am following the patch step down program.

 

Many thanks for your support.

KTQ

Gene

[Genecanuck]

Thank you @@Sazerac

 

I am on day 5 of stepping down from Lozenges and Day 5 on the patch. I am using 21 MG right now because  I was using the equivalent amount of MG daily of Lozenges. I appreciate your comments because, speaking frankly, I am feeling embarassed that I am still addicted to nicotine after so many years of quitting smoking. But my main goal is to become Free of Nicotine. I have to hold myself accountable to following the patch step down program to the letter. I am on 21 MG for four weeks, and then stepping down to 14 for 2 weeks and 7 MG for 2 weeks.

 

How am I feeling? Emotionally, almost the same as the first week I stepped down from smoking during a cold turkey quit but not with the same intensity. Yeserday, I was having  a good day but when I became tired, I had a serious craving for a lozenge. Once I started resisting the craving mentally, I felt more tired. 

 

Feeling better this morning  because I got lots of sleep last night.

 

I really apprecaite this site and your support. I use to be an active member of Quitnet a while ago and was disappointed when I found out they closed.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Gene

Edited February 27, 2020 by Genecanuck

[Genecanuck]

HI all,

I am not smoking cigarettes but this 'quit" for me is about getting rid of nicotine. I am still using the patch but I am also counting down from the day that I stopped using nictone lozenges. 

KTQ

 

 

[Sazerac]

Your quit will start the moment you stop administering nicotine.  

 

So, you are taking the same amount of nicotine for four more weeks ?  What is the point in using the same amount , if you want to quit?

 

You have two months of withdrawal to look forward to on this 'harm reduction' plan, and then the final withdrawal from patches.

 

It is going to be hard watching you putting yourself through this when freedom is one moment away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarylandQuitter]

Welcome aboard, Gene.  You came here for support, so I'm going to offer you some.

 

I'm a little concerned with your approach.  I'm not going to say that you're not going to be successful in quitting your nicotine addiction in another 5 weeks, but I seriously doubt it.  You will be no further ahead then, than you are now and it matters not a single bit how much you're "stepping down" administering the drug that you're trying to get clean from.  From what I can gather, you've been unsuccessful in battling this addiction for seventeen years now; seventeen years is a long time to be failing to remain nicotine-free.  I suspect that the times that you did quit puffing on cigarettes that you might have replaced the puffing with NRT.  You went from lozenges to the patch and once you're done with the patch, you'll probably go back to lozenges, gum or whatever delivery method you choose to feed your addiction.  Obviously, the plans that you've been following have not worked. 

 

I know of a plan that will work.  Stop feeding your addiction.  Stop putting nicotine into your body.  You can call it cold turkey or whatever you choose, but it's a wiser choice than failing for another seventeen years.  NRT works for some people and we support the use of NRT for a short period of time, only.  Seventeen years is hardly what I consider short-term.  You're running a very high risk of smoking again which you need to lower immediately.

 

Quit the nicotine.  Let others help and support you and until you have some time under your belt, you're in no position to support others in their quits because you are unable to support your own.  Get serious about it this time and listen to what others here have to say and stay nicotine-free forever.  If you don't want to or don't think you can, guess what, do it anyway. 

 

 

 

[Genecanuck]

Hi all,

 

I hear your feeback. I will not enter into a debate with anyone about the merits of different methods and approaches to dealing with addiction.  The goal for me is to stop using nicotine. The school of hard knocks approach to offering advice also does not work well for me.  There is an AA phrase that I think applies well in life. I will take what I need, and leave the rest.  However, I appreciate the fact that people offer advice and support because they mean well and want to help others quit. 

 

I am happy to report that I am off everything today. Decided to just go cold turkey and take off the patch. 

 

So, today, Day 1 - Nicotine Free!!

 

Cheers

Gene

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Genecanuck

[Sazerac]

28 minutes ago, Genecanuck said:

Hi all,

 

I hear your feeback. I will not enter into a debate with anyone about the merits of different methods and approaches to dealing with addiction.  The goal for me is to stop using nicotine. The school of hard knocks approach to offering advice also does not work well for me.  There is an AA phrase that I think applies well in life. I will take what I need, and leave the rest.  However, I appreciate the fact that people offer advice and support because they mean well and want to help others quit. 

 

I am happy to report that I am off everything today. Decided to just go cold turkey and take off the patch. 

 

So, today, Day 1 - Nicotine Free!!

 

Cheers

Gene

 

 

 

 

This is excellent news, Gene !  You will never regret this decision, ever.

 

Go get yourself some cranberry juice and keep an eye on your blood sugar during these early days.

Remember to reward yourself for every crave and trigger you conquer

The Significance of Rewards

and you may find the next link helpful as well

10 Ways To Effectively Use This Forum To Stop Using Nicotine

 

and think of these wise words from our friend, Sirius

"The next time a craving plunks down on your face ask yourself, "What price you are willing to pay to own yourself?"

 

Stay close to the board and read everything you can, build yourself a strong and sturdy quit. We are all behind you.
 

 

[jillar]

Great decision Gene, and in only three days most the nicotine will be out of your system

[Sazerac]

Here are some resources about Cold Turkey Quitting