Fighting the Urge Everyday

[Tyme2B]

I am new to this site & had my last cigarette a week ago today. I have smoked a half pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years. I was diagnosed in Summer of 2014 for Chronic Bronchitis & mild COPD. I finally wanted to quit smoking. So, a week ago I just did it. No planned date...just did it. I had tried to "cut down" in past month but if cigarettes were in the house I smoked them....so much for my vow to only have one a day. I have not had even one puff in 7 days. It has been hell even with the help of Nicorette gum. Every day I tell myself I am now a non smoker, but I have been feeling awful physically with cravings, insomnia, fatigue & depression. I DO NOT want to go through this ever again so I am committed to sticking with my decision to quit. I was SO tempted to buy a pack today....but I didn't. The gum & spray help but this is so hard. How long will this discomfort last? I have failed in my attempts to quit many times before but this time I have gone a whole 7 days without a sneak puff. I need help with willpower right now & have been reading the tips from others who have gone through the process to become ex smokers....or non smokers....that sounds even better! I know I need support. Thanks.

[BAT]

Welcome T .... I quit cold turkey and it worked. Everybody is different but to me you may as well rip that bandaid off and get the mental part over with. Yeah it can be tough. It can also be easy. It's all mind games. It's as bad as you let it be.

 

I smoked for 35 years and I am the weakest when it comes to willpower, but here it is a year later and I'm still smoke free. So I know for a fact it can be done. I made up my mind and I quit. It's as simple as that.

[Mike.]

Hi, Tyme2B!

 

Seven days, without a puff, is an accomplishment to be commended for, coming from a 40 year smoker. So, congrats.

 

Cravings. A couple of things come to mind.

 

1) they only last a minute or a few minutes each. I try to say "No", with each to reinforce who is in command here, and what I want to accomplish. Quitting, is a process of getting clean and healing from the effects of nicotine addiction, (the physical withdrawal is over, after 2 - 3 days of total abstinence). Not to be confused with the physical healing that takes a little longer. Once a relatively small time has elapsed, from nicotine use, (relative to 40 years of smoking), it becomes again like what it was like before we started smoking, except for the one thing, that we are now addicts, and can never, ever smoke again, without it consuming us with the feelings you are feeling now. So, you have many good things to start experiencing soon.

 

2) Have you considered tossing the nicotine supplements, and getting rid of all the nicotine out of your system now? As I said earlier, nicotine's physical withdrawal can only last up to 3 days, then the physical cravings will end. It becomes easier after that.

 

Nice, to have you here ...

[Colleen]

Welcome Tyme2B :)  For as long as you mourn smoking, it's going to be hard.  You have to let go and understand smoking never did anything for you but hurt you.  You are always going to be an addict, but you don't have to suffer if you are ready to give it up.  Stick with this forum, read...educate yourself on the addiction.  I'll tell you something, I was diagnosed with COPD almost 3 years ago.  When I quit, it got so much better.  Not overnight, but it steadily improved.  Most of the time, I don't have any symptoms any more.    You are past the withdrawal stage, right now it's psychological, associations and such.  Start by taking the NOPE pledge everyday http://www.quittrain.com/forum/4-the-daily-nope-pledge/

[robert]

I made up my mind and I quit. It's as simple as that.

 

It really is that simple ...

[Mike.]

 You are past the withdrawal stage,

 

Not with nicotine, still in one's system.

 

Edit:

 

In case I am confusing you, please read this on nicotine withdrawal, from WhyQuit.com:

 

The Effects of Nicotine Cessation

[beacon]

Hi! It's normal to feel like crap for a few weeks while you withdrawal. I coped with this by reading alot about quitting, reading and watching videos on whyquit. Com, reading The Easy Way To Quit Smoking by Allen Carr, posting here, walking outside, cleaning, eating candy, sleeping, talking it out with family, etc. just getting through each day . Each day added up. Around day 22 something changed. I still had alot of craves, and alot of things to try again as a nonsmoker, but there was relief too. It was all uphill after that to freedom. Every day in the beginning, actively be quitting.

 

Go to you tube and seach on the easy way to quit smoking. You could spend weeks watching

[Nancy]

Tyme, welcome to the board!  Please go to the Quit Smoking Discussions board and read and watch videos about the addiction.  I'm concerned because it sounds like you are using both nicotine gum and spray? Please decide Not One Puff Ever!  So glad you have joined us...let us know how we can help!

[Tyme2B]

Thanks so much to All of you for your responses. You all succeeded! I want to succeed too! I have gone from 6 pieces of nicotine gum a day to 3 pieces per day. I do not want to become dependent on nicotine & I realize this could happen. Not even one spray today either. I will try to stop the nicotine replacement therapy....you all say it should be out of my system....it's a crutch right now that is stopping Mr from smoking but my need IS reducing...it's likely psychological....40 yrs is a long time...I'm likely being a suck. What about insomnia? I realize NRT can cause this side effect but so can stopping smoking. It"s awful....Has anyone suffered from this? I find it hard to stay tough without sleep.

[Tink]

Welcome it's time2be healthier and richer :)

 

On the insomnia question do you drink lots of caffeine? As there is a link with caffeine being much stronger as in more ffective when nicotine is reduced or cut out.

 

One step at at a time and reading and posting will help you, understanding this addiction is half way to beating it x

[Tyme2B]

Nancy I will deffs look at Quit Smoking Discussion. Thank you.

[Devil Doll]

Thanks so much to All of you for your responses. You all succeeded! I want to succeed too! I have gone from 6 pieces of nicotine gum a day to 3 pieces per day. I do not want to become dependent on nicotine & I realize this could happen. Not even one spray today either. I will try to stop the nicotine replacement therapy....you all say it should be out of my system....it's a crutch right now that is stopping Mr from smoking but my need IS reducing...it's likely psychological....40 yrs is a long time...I'm likely being a suck. What about insomnia? I realize NRT can cause this side effect but so can stopping smoking. It"s awful....Has anyone suffered from this? I find it hard to stay tough without sleep.

I had a hard time sleeping for about 2 weeks post nicotine. After that normal sleep patterns emerged. The one thing that I did notice that even during the withdrawal stage when I did sleep, it was a restful sleep. 

 

Welcome to the QT, everyone above has already given great advice so all I will say is stay close to the board. Read and post often, our game section helps to keep the mind off of the craves and the hands busy. Get yourself lots of juice and water to help flush the toxins out of your system and regulate your sugar. Lots of healthy crunchy snacks and minty gum also help the cravings subside. I wish that I could give you a distinct timeline but the truth is that it is different for everyone. :) One thing that I can say is that it does get better. You can do this :)

[beacon]

I smoked for more than 30 years and did the patches. I did not have insomnia. Instead I had very bad dizziness, bleeding gums, indigestion. These went away in about two weeks.

 

Are you having caffeine? When you stop smoking, you need much less caffeine. maybe this is causing the insomnia

 

http://www.sharecare.com/health/smoking-treatment/avoid-caffine-trying-quit-smoking

[Jengelsnew1]

Tyme...stick with the quit and I promise you things WILL get exponentially better. Life is so much more wonderful without that nasty addiction on your back. No pain no gain my friend. Reach out if you need something. I look forward to your 1 year anniversary.

[Tyme2B]

Beacon hi & thank you for your support. No I do not drink a lot of coffee or any other caffeine containing beverages. Just 2 cups of coffee in the morning. No pop or other beverages with caffeine during the day or evening.

[Runfree]

Welcome Tyme2B.  I'm glad you found this place, the support and encouragement is wonderful.  I'm pretty new in my quit and agree with what others have said.  Read constantly (the Quit Smoking Discussions is a good place to start) and watch the videos.  I can promise that once you have the information, education and insight, your desire to be a non-smoker will increase and your cravings, etc. will be managed with less battle because they are better understood.  There are many people here who had smoked for decades and they are now nicotine free non-smokers.  You can do it too.  

 

It helped me to recognize when the junkie in me was throwing a tantrum and trying to rob me from a future that I really wanted.  During those rough moments, I tightly held onto why I wanted to quit.  I came here to post or read.  And I cried when I needed, slept when I needed, took baths, etc.  Whatever it took to get through those 72 hours of my body receiving zero nicotine.  

 

Cravings - yes

Fatigue - yes

Depression - yes

Insomnia - yes

 

And like you said, you made up your mind and are sticking with your decision to quit and that trumps everything.

 

Stay close to the forum, SOS if you need, read as much as you can and know you're doing the best thing for yourself.  Kudos.

[Kristin]

Insomnia is just part of the withdrawal process for some of us. I took sleeping meds to get through it.

[Still winning]

I took cold medicines to combat the sleeping problems. About 2 weeks I think.

 

Good on you for your quit, 1 week is amazing work!!  

 

I would encourage you to read up on nicotine addiction. I don't think many can "give up" smoking, it's an addiction BUT if we flip it on it's head to see what we're gaining and that it's simply bad stuff we let go of....well that becomes an easier one to battle through. The difference I think is perspective if that makes sense.

 

Welcome :)

 

x

[Pippa]

Hi Tyme - welcome to the board :-). You have already received great advice so I will just say read up and stay close - you will find great support here :-). It does get better so ha g in there !

[Doreensfree]

Hi and welcome.....congrats on your great decision to quit.....

I was a 52 year smoker...it is doable.....all you need is the desire and will to quit....

Read all you can.....Allen Carr is a great read....and has helped so many here....

Join our daily pledge ...it a promise to yourself ...you won't smoke that day...

Glad your here....

[sherry]

All great advice above so I'll just say, good morn'n and welcome to the Quit Train family! :D

[Rob]

Hi Tyme2B & welcome!

 

Funny you should mention that you have a lot of discomfort on day 7, check this post I made a couple of weeks back: 

 

http://www.quittrain.com/topic/4259-discomfort-on-day-7/

 

... I hope you find the advice as helpful as I did... and I can confirm that things get a lot better! Looking forward to hearing more about you in due course :)

[El Bandito]

Hey Tyme. Welcome aboard!

 

The days feel tough at the start. I can almost here the agitation in your post!

 

Relax. I can categorically assure you that a crave has never killed anyone. It sucks. But it passes. Great posts above, and some good advice. Read as much as you can, take deep breaths and sip water. You will get there.

 

Congratulations. You quit. Good man!

[Runfree]

Morning Tyme2B

 

Just checkin in to see how you're doing.

 

Something that was essential in my very early days, and still helps me, was to post everyday in the daily NOPE commitment thread and to add a QT Ticker to my signature line.  Two things happened....1) I made the promise to myself that I wouldn't smoke and 2) I was able to see that ticker and be encouraged by the days I had under my belt, the $$ I was saving and how many cigs I'd avoided.  

 

They may seem a bit silly to do but they are surprisingly powerful tools to have in place.  

[Humbled]

Welcome T - sorry I am late on this but you are in good hands no matter who is there at the time of a post - you got great advice already

It is most definitely psychological versus physical dependence - stay close to the board  - and enjoy your quit - it doesn't have to be difficult

at all if you don't want it to be.