Updates

[Brioski]

Hey friends,

 

Since I’ve had a few doozies of days (and probably overshared a tidbit lol), I just wanted to see how everyone else is doing now vs when they were 1-3 weeks quit, or how you’re doing within that 1-3 weeks quit (like me).

 

Today was so much better than yesterday, however my oxygen is still a tad low so I’m going to closely monitor that. My amazing fiancé cooked breakfast, ran out twice to Walgreens for me, did dishes, and vacuumed and mopped the whole house, and cooked dinner I tell him I don’t deserve him, he deserves a younger thinner thang other than me w these health and now mental health things going on lolol.  He just keeps loving me, I don’t know what I did but guess I did something right.  He smoked too, but quit in 2019 when I (me, not him) went to the hospital for breathing issues - I mean the audacity this man has for being the sweetest person ever.  Although he, self admittedly, has his moments too so whatevs.

 

Anyhoo, how is everyone?

 

 

[overcome]

I had some challenges at 1 to 3 weeks, I just was not ready for all the triggers. Just gave them a big NOPE and had a mint. Somehow made it till today and it does get better with time. 

 

I too was struggling with shortness of breath and just feeling terrible, could barely get out of bed. Then I found out I had Long Covid, figured out how to treat it and am finally starting to feel better.

 

Sounds like you have a real man with you, that is awesome, get well soon. 

[darcy]

1- 3 weeks was up and down.

Staying busy helps me. It is the down time that I struggle with and my head.

I do hope you are finding healthy happy ways to BE in your new found freedom.

Keep going one breath at a time. They add up.

 

Truly grateful I am not smoking.

 

 

 

 

[Brioski]

I’m so glad you guys are enjoying your freedoms I think, know, I am too but that stupid romancing the cig thing comes up for me sometimes, not often, but like in the future lol….like oh man it would be nice once it gets warm in a few months out on the deck, etc.  but I say to myself all the good stuff, you’re addiction’s talking, tell it to eff off and were ex smokers/nonsmoker now…etc etc.

Btw I still have shortness of breath and my oxygens going wacko…I went to my dr and he totally put me at ease bc he said it’s normal…some ppl go through it some ppl don’t, it’s all that gunk coming out and sometimes clogging up while it’s coming up.  And it’s different for everyone depending on their situation but just so everyone knows bc I was hella nervous, 95-100 is “A+” oxygen, 90-95 is ok too, 88 for a few hours is like the threshold of uh oh you need oxygen think abt going to hospital.  Just in case anyone else was wondering lol.

 

2 weeks today for me, it sounds good, feels good too.

[Doreensfree]

Congratulations onyour two weeks

Your doing great..

[Brioski]

Just sitting here crying, frustrated at so many things.  A thought of let’s buy a pack today came in my head and I talked myself down.  Just really emotional right now.  Sick of feeling like this at times, sick of feeling out of breath still, sick of looking at myself bc I know I put on weight.  I think this is the point last year when I gave in and bought a pack…on the 16th/17th day.  Ugh wtf.  

[jillar]

Hang in there @Brioski, you're in wtf week and you're seeing first hand why we call it that. Unfortunately the only way past it is through it. But just think you'll never have to do it again as long as you keep your awesome quit

Edited March 10, 2023 by jillar

[jillar]

For you @Brioski  

 

 

[Brioski]

Aww @jillar thank you…made me cry!! (In a good way this time lol)

[DenaliBlues]

Hang in there, @Brioski.  What you are going through is understandable given the magnitude of the addiction. My own first month was:

 

1. Hell Week (White-hot, white-knuckled, relentless withdrawal.)

 

2. Wailing Week (Shock wore off. A deep sense of loss and longing set in. I felt utterly bereft without my smokes.)

 

3. WTF Week (Major brain fog. What now? Will this ever get easier? What has gone wrong with my head? Why has my IQ suddenly dribbled out the bottom of my shoes? How long have I been staring blankly into space? Will I ever poop normally again?!)

 

4. So-Bored-With-My-Coping-Mechanisms Week (This could also have been named “Terribly Tired of Prunes Week.”)

 

After that there were still rough spots and triggers. But the times in between them got longer. It started to dawn on me that the feelings of being incomplete without smoking were addiction-fueled hogwash. I don’t actually need hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia and carcinogens to “fulfill” me. 
 

You’ll find your own way forward. You can do this. Your quit matters. It’s worth fighting for.

[Kate18]

Yes, the first few weeks are tough ones. It sounds as though you have a lot going on, and that you have great support!  

I did the first few weeks several times over a few years, and I can definitely support the plan to only do it ONCE, and get right on to week four, then five, and keep on going.

 

Stay firm with your commitment (so much more easily said than done, I realize), and imagine how great you will feel as those weeks add up. 

 

I've been watching Benjamin Hardy on YouTube lately. He is an organizational psychologist with his PhD. He's written  and co-written several books. He speaks about imagining what your future self is asking you (me, everyone) to do. Imagine your future-self, the person  you will be on the day of hitting the lido deck, your one-year celebration of being smoke free. What does that self say to you to encourage you? 

 

I've been doing this exercise, imagining my Kate-self in March 2024 - what is that future-self asking me to do today? It's caused me to be a fair amount more productive and get to the gym with less resistance.

 

Good luck, and congratulations on your progress!

[Brioski]

Thank you for your posts
 

I woke up this morning, expecting to have the shortness of breath I’ve had for the past 14 days or so, and like magic, it was gone.  Taking deep deep breaths all day. It feels nice, but what does my brain tell me? You guessed it.  Had another day talking at the triggers I was experiencing.  My hunny called on his way home from work and asked if he should pick anything up for me and I said cigarettes!! Lol, half kidding…he obviously skipped over that completely and said, so kfc ok for dinner? (Because cooking has been tough, usually it’s cig breaks in between and w the shortness of breath it’s more than usual takeout)

 

anyway, thanks for listening 

[overcome]

Hang in there @Brioski it does get better and you are worth it! 

[jillar]

Yay @Brioski, I'm so glad that your breathing is better

[Doreensfree]

Its great when you begin to notice changes....

Take in all that lovely fresh air ..soon enough your nose will come alive and you will get to smell everything too..those KFC will seem a whole lot better ..

Kiddos to your hubby for his quiet support ..

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Doreensfree

[Brioski]

Wanting one bad right now.  Overwhelmed with house work, a little tiff w the hubby, I just feel like a failure, why am I feeling this way.  I feel like the only answer is to go get a pack. Screw it all is how I feel. 

[johnny5]

A cigarette will not answer anything @Brioski  I know it is tempting but you will regret lighting up.

 

You are still early in your quit and these really are the roughest days.  Things do get better.  Stay strong and fight through this.  You can do it.

[Brioski]

Thank you, @johnny5, you’re right, it won’t, but the feeling to go back is so overwhelming it almost hurts.  **** this addiction.  I keep reading your two quotes at the bottom by your ticker…

I won’t buy some or smoke some but it’s so ******* hard. I don’t wanna not breathe, but I want to smoke.  How f’D up is that. You guys all went through this and came out the other side? Damn. Some strong frigging ppl here.  I just hope this passes sooner rather than later. 

[jillar]

Stand your ground @Brioski, the addiction is trying to suck you back in but you got this!

You're just as strong as anyone else here is, you just need to believe it!

[johnny5]

3 minutes ago, Brioski said:

You guys all went through this and came out the other side? Damn. Some strong frigging ppl here.  I just hope this passes sooner rather than later. 

 

Thanks for the compliment but most of us went through the same struggles you are going through.  We aren't different than you. 

 

You just need to remember that your cravings will pass, and also that cravings are not a command to smoke.  Remember that smoking does nothing positive and the longer you go without lighting up, the better it gets. 

 

You can do this.

[Doreensfree]

We are not special snowflakes..

We are addicts who had our struggles too...

We fought that Dam Nico monster..

Just like you..

Keep fighting and you will win your war ..

Everyday day brings you nearer to your Freedom .

[DenaliBlues]

I'm sorry things seem grim. Nicotine addiction really wrecked our emotional coping mechanisms and screwed up a lot of other mental pathways for experiencing comfort. It's the addiction that is exaggerating how cruddy you feel right now. Stay strong, protect your quit, and meet yourself on the other side. Remember that you're NOT actually alone, trapped or deprived - those thoughts are the addiction kicking up a fuss. Let them float by like a stinky fart. There are 1000+ things you can do at this moment, just one small (and yucky anyway) thing you can't do: stick something in your mouth and light it on fire. As long as you avoid doing that, you'll pull through and be proud of it.

 

  

 

[Brioski]

Thank you guys…I’m feeling better definitely.  I cannot tell you how much it helps not only posting but reading your replies of support. I can tell you….THANK YOU… .  Truly. 

[overcome]

NOPE - NOPE - NOPE !

Do not give the craving any room in your head, it is a passing thought, give it a big NOPE and move on. 

[Brioski]

Things are definitely….better.  The thoughts and craves are less, but still present.  It scares me that I’ll succeed and it scares me that I’ll fail, weird.  Learning, accepting that I’ll do things without smoking, like cleaning, cooking, driving.  I still use the air straw cig, I hope that’s ok.  I also haven’t drank or smoked leafy leaf since I quit, wondering if anyone partakes in that, after a while hoping I can do that, a few times a week at night, without wanting a cig after.

thanks again for everyone’s help.