What Nicotine Withdrawal Feels Like

[Angeleek]

What did your physical withdrawals feel like, how long did they last,  and how did you get relief?

 

My main physical withdrawal symptom was feeling like I had an electrical current running through my entire body.  It's like my skin was electric. I was really tense, taut like a drum, as if one prick with a needle would pop me.  I felt like I wanted to slap myself or something. Really and truly.

 

This started around day 2 cold turkey, intensified days 3 through 6 with day 6 being the peak and the hardest.  What helped? Carbs, mainly sweets, binge-watching TV, anything physical to take off the edge, and sleeping when I could. Carbs also helped with insomnia which was present on days 2-4. I thought I'd never sleep again, but it went away after 3 days.

 

The feeling tautly wired and electrified was almost constant during days 2 through 6 and increased with intensity during those days.  After that I started to record actual half-hours and hours between electric withdrawal waves...and the intervals between  kept increasing after that.  After around 10 days, I felt considerably better because the intensity and duration of my withdrawal waves started tapering off.  I'm at day 44 now...no more shock waves TG and I'm sick to death of binge eating anything. Now it's totally a mental game.

 

What were your physical withdrawals, how long did they last, and how did you cope?  

 

 

 

 

[jillar]

Wow that's a first I've heard of that Angeleek, glad you're feeling better now. My symptoms were insomnia, foggy head, bleeding gums and my tongue burned for about a week while it was shedding the top coat to become nice and pink again. I also had a month or so of worse shortness of breath which ironically was the exact reason I quit to begin with!

I mainly ate lots of sweets. I was hooked on soft peppermint puffs for a whole year lol. For my gums I used a waterpik and it was probably a good month or so before they quit bleeding. The insomnia was probably the most frustrating and I would take an OTC sleep aid a couple  nights a week just to get some sleep.

[Mee]

I felt very jittery, like I could jump out of my skin.  I was crabby too and constantly bit my poor husbands head off. I was tired so I napped a lot.  Each day without cigarettes does get better.

after the first week.  Just keep looking ahead with confidence.  You can do it!

[Angeleek]

Wow @ the burning tongue OMG!  It's so amazing to note the different ways our bodies rebel and recover when coming off of nicotine.

[Doreensfree]

Mine was insomnia too.....staying awake 24/7.....reading the forum...learning ...

I was so tired and weak ....it settled after a few weeks ....but those weeks were tough ....

My advantages far outweighed the disadvantages.....I was fighting to keep hold of my feet ...

Bad circulation....I was so desperate when I arrived here ....and scared....

[Sazerac]

I felt like a caged animal for a few days, when I wasn't sleeping.

 

Breathing deep and barking at will.  Hollering Free Your Head.  Eating satsumas.

 

Everybody's quit is different, every quit is different (if you have failed quits in the past).

 

Here is what got a lot of us through the First Days Nicotine Free.

 

I hope you add your experience.

[Sazerac]

Here is our friend, Joel Spitzer's, take on this,

 

Resources on What Is Nicotine Really Like

 

 

[Boo]

I remember feeling agitated and unfocused when the cravings hit.  And there was just a general sense of discombobulation (I really need to start using that word more) that came from not quite knowing how to structure a day without cigarette breaks.

 

Physical exercise and deep breathing helped steady the mind and body when feeling agitated and unfocused.  Learning how to live without cigarettes was just a matter time and patience.

[Sazerac]

You know, as momentarily agitated as I felt,  there were longer periods of a calm I had never experienced as a smoker.

There were also shots of jubilance that came with the triumph over a crave/trigger and knowing that I was putting a deadly addiction to sleep.

 

After the first days, when I found Joel Spitzer's and other educational materials,

I began to understand the science of what was happening.

Knowing what was going on, physically and mentally, not only chilled me out, it made perfect sense.

I wasn't floundering in ignorance.

 

So, please avail yourselves to all of our educational materials.  They will help you understand the process.

 

[AndrewAsh]

Wow where should I start ...

 

initially it was insomnia and heart palpitations(couple times).

 

recently it has been a feeling of being tired , strange because it has been about 5 weeks post quit, but have read that it’s totally expected. Also anxiety , anxiety and anxiety. Seems to worry about things much more nowadays. 

 

other minor things , skin breakout and minor headaches.