SOS-after 1 year quit

[Kimberbee]

I quit smoking a year ago, originally because my new apartment complex is non-smoking, so you can only smoke outside. I was using nicotine pouches at first, but since they were so expensive I switched to nicotine gum, which I still use now(and wish I could  stop using). Everything was fine until about a week ago, as my surgery date got closer and closer. I had no idea I was so stressed out about it, but now I'm realizing it because I've been using so much more nicotine gum each day. In fact, I went to the store today and bought nicotine pouches again, thinking that maybe they were stronger. I don't know if they were, and since they're a relatively new product, and from what I understand, there hasn't been much research done on them. So I don't feel entirely safe about using them. Back to the point now! I'm so stressed out about my surgery that I am truly thinking about going back to smoking because I feel like I can't get enough nicotine in my system (like smoking did). This is terrible because I'm actually wondering, "How bad can smoking outside in 20° weather actually be?" (And I was a chain smoker, so basically I would be living outside, smoking, exposed to the elements instead of in my nice warm apartment!) That's addiction for you! Any help would be appreciated!

[jillar]

Sorry you're struggling @Kimberbee, but smoking will only make you feel worse. It also slows your recovery time down so really not good to start smoking again with your surgery coming up.

I don't know what nicotine pouches are but you really need to be careful with the NRTs because taking too much can cause all kinds of problems, even death.

 

[Kimberbee]

Thank you for responding jillar . Yes, when I talked to the anesthesiologist about nicotine gum, he told me that nicotine constricts blood vessels, so regarding healing it's like not getting all the water from the hose to the plant!

About the pouches, since they are a pretty new product, I don't  feel very comfortable about using them, not knowing much about their safety or dosage.  I do want to quit the gum, but I have not yet found a way that would work for me, so the search goes on. The good news is that as soon as I posted my SOS, I began to feel stronger and more reasonable in my thinking. Gathering together the fearful thoughts and ideas about going back to smoking that were wildly running around in my head, and writing them down and getting it out truly helped me. It enabled me to see how unreasonable they really were, and I was able to get my control back. I thank you for your kind support, for hearing and responding to my SOS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Kimberbee

[jillar]

Oh that's great news @Kimberbee, I'm so glad you're feeling better  

Well done posting. Now let's get you off that nicotine gum, a year is too long to be on it...

[WeegieWoman]

Hi @Kimberbee I really thought it was a typo and you meant patches, ive never heard of pouches!  Im so glad you posted an SOS and are feeling better. It sounds like you are stressing about the surgery and somehow your brain made the leap to I need cigs! Its funny how our brains work.  Is this your first surgery since quitting? If so, this is yet another first for you in your amazing one year quit.  Once you get through this smoke free youll feel awesome, theres nothing you cant get through! As you said just getting it out how you are feeling has made you feel better, so please keep sharing.  Is there anything else you can do to try and help, I think id try and do things that help relax me, like some gentle exercise if your health permits, do things you enjoy if you can.

[Doreensfree]

Hi @Kimberbee...

Congratulations on your wonderful 1year smoke free...

I'm thinking deep down you don't want to go back to smoking ....because you came here first ..

Well Done ....

Smoking would only make your recovery longer ....and would only make you sad you didn't keep your quit .

We all have to learn to do all the firsts without our crutch ....this is a first for you ,to have surgery ...

My advice ...stay close to the board ...let the members help you through this difficult time ...

And hopefully help to get rid of the gum ... while you are still putting nicotine in your system ,your body will crave it ...

Don't lose all your hard work ...be proud ...

[DenaliBlues]

Hey, @Kimberbee! So great that you posted here instead of lighting up. Good call.

 

I used NRT (gum, patches, lozenges) quite a bit - as a substitute for smoking in times past, and more recently as a bridge to quitting altogether. I'm now 9 months smoke-free and nicotine-free, but sometimes my longing to smoke is still very intense. So I can relate to the feeling of "can't get enough" that you describe. I don't give in to it, though, because I can see some things clearly now that I couldn't see before:

 

There is no such thing as "satisfying" a craving for nicotine. As @Doreensfree said, the only thing that nicotine - in any form - does is make me want more nicotine. Quitting is hard, but it's profoundly freeing to be off that hamster wheel of always chasing fulfillment that never arrives. It diminished me in ways I couldn't even begin to describe at the time.

 

If I'm feeling anxious, sad or angry about something, those feelings deserve my recognition and attention. Instead, I was trying to drown them in poison. (i.e. nicotine) Not only was that disrespectful, it never worked. Smoking never fixed anything. 

 

You used the word "addiction" and it's a good one - nicotine addictions are truly powerful, no matter the form they take. But they can be beaten... and it's better on the other side. 

 

In the meantime, I really hope your surgery and recovery go well. Take good care, and let us know how you fare!

[Boo]

11 hours ago, Kimberbee said:

The good news is that as soon as I posted my SOS, I began to feel stronger and more reasonable in my thinking. Gathering together the fearful thoughts and ideas about going back to smoking that were wildly running around in my head, and writing them down and getting it out truly helped me. It enabled me to see how unreasonable they really were, and I was able to get my control back.

 

There is a valuable lesson in that.  Anxiety thrives in chaos.  When we slow down and take a few deep breaths things become much clearer and more reasonable.  Some times you need to slow down before moving forward.

 

Sounds like you're in a better place now Kimberbee.  Good job.

[overcome]

Great job @Kimberbee posting here. I have no wise words for you only to wish you the best and quote something out of a book:

 

"The misery of addiction is not relieved by the thing you are addicted to --- it's caused by it."

(Alan Carr) The Easy Way