Smoking Cessation Community

Hiya TinaAndSons!

No going back to ciggys to feel better! (there is so much wrong with that sentence!)
Look I am no expert, but I wanted to share my experience. I quit just once and many years ago and it's the best healthiest thing I ever did for myself. And yeah the bad news is I felt worse before I felt better. I didn't use a patch or gum, so I cannot speak on that, but lots of nicotine came up and out and my body had to get rid of all that I had taken in over the years. You're body has been through a lot and now will be feeling it without the nicotine. Hang in there, I promise over time you will feel wonderful, your sense of smell will be better as well as your sense of taste. Breathing better, it's all good! In the mean time, focus on the big picture, it's the BEST thing you can do for yourself. They don't say it's hard to quit for nothing, but overcome it!!

And by the way, check in when you can, I'm here for support and I would love to know how things are going for you. Hang in there!

Thanks Chris! I know I shouldn't go back to feel better, I am just so frustrated at how awful I feel! You telling me it gets worse before it gets better was a great help....thank you for sharing your experience with me!
Tina

Good Tina! Don't forget to check back here often I'll be sharing tips and resources, posted to the right on this page, to help you all.

Have a good smoke free day!

just an fyi, be carefull on how much nicotine gum you use. i just went through hell with nicotine gum causing me big problems with my teeth, gums and its expensive to boot. chewing 10 a day for way too long, over 9 months. they helped me to stop smoking but depression seems to have set in as i stopped the gum

I have used the gum before but did not experience that. However, I did the shot as well, and all I wanted to do was sleep. I am currently using the nicotine patch which helps a little with the nicotine cravings and have experienced being tired, but I was always tired before hand any way. My doctor gave me a sleeping pill for insomnia, because no matter how tired I am I can not fall asleep. I would say that it is normal and it will take some time to wear off. After all your body is adjusting to not smoking. Keep in mind cigarettes have more than just nicotine in them, so the major part of smoking is nicotine addiction however, the other chemicals are being eradicated from your body as well. Hang in there. The tiredness should go away.

Thanks everyone who responded. It has been 12 days now, I used 2 pieces of gum a day for the first three days, then 1 a day for the next two. I only used it to get me through the worst cravings of the day, I really wasn't planning on long term use because one major point of quitting was to get the nicotine out of my system, not to replace it....lol. The first week.....I truly felt like I was going to die...it was awful. Things are slowly improving, and now that I don't feel so PHYSICALLY awful, well now I am dealing with the mental issues of addiction. Wanting one every time I pick up a phone, or eat, or get in a car, or pour a cup of tea....the list goes on. I have so much extra time in my day that used to be filled with smokin' butts....I have replaced the free time with Wii.....my new addiction!!!!
Hope you all are having great success...and thank you for sharing!!! - Tina

It will be 3 weeks for me tomrrow, after 30 years....I think I'm drinking less coffee and that is why the sudden fatigue. Perhaps the same reason for you....or sleeping just makes it easier to get through the day and past another craving!!! Don't give up!!

I'm proud and amazed to tell you that this is my 12th week of not smoking after 34 years of smoking about a half pack a day. I did it cold turkey because I wanted to cleanse the nicotine out completely AND I was ill with a respiratory virus AND sinusitis and smoking actually hurt.

The first two weeks I let myself eat everything I wanted. Then I made myself diet and go back to exercise. New goal: use the time to get into the best shape ever. I had only gained 5 lbs. but I had wanted to lose 10 anyway. Now I had a 15 lb. goal. The most difficult time for me is still in the evening when I used smoking to NOT eat. Going outside to have a cigarette and talk on the phone is still a huge urge. Even harder is NOT replacing the ciggie with food.

My weight is yo-yo-ing up and down 5-7 lbs. When I get discouraged about my weight loss not catching on after 10 weeks - I remind myself that I should be MOST proud that cigarettes are not longer controlling my life. If I can conquer THAT - then I can certainly reach my weight goals. Hang in there everyone - don't let those cigarettes control us. Every week that goes by I can feel stronger, healthier lungs, etc. At 12 weeks I can tell you it's so much easier to classify myself as a non-smoker. It's a non-issue. I'm also surrounded by non-smokers so it's easier that way. I'd recommend that if you're trying to quit - try to surround yourself with non-smokers. It really helps!

Your energy will come back it's just your body trying to replenish what was lost with a gazillion chemicals flowing through it for years. Once it replenishes look out girlie you will be amped! I too was wiped slap out for a while so I took the rest and reinvented my energy and appearance only after two weeks I feel amazing yeah I miss my old friends and a cig case feels familar but I won't pick up I like smelling clean!

I admire you for quitting. Stick with it and never look back! I quit for a year before and I picked them back up. it was the dumbest thing I have ever done and it has now been 17 years later and I am trying to quit every day! I have tried everything and I have faile every single time! I do not know what to do, I have really lost hope. Depression has set in for me and I am still a smoker. Knowing I am killing myself with this, makes me very depressed. I am 37 years old and want to live. I have yet to live my life due to a serious back inury and I really want to start my life off healthy!!!!! Any have any ideas or suggestions for me? I am out of odeas and feel so hopeless!
Thanks!

well today i finally decided to say enough is enough, i talked to my doctor and he told me that he was waiting for me to make up my own mine to quit. [even though he's been telling me for years to quit> it had to be my idea. now comes the hard part, i've tryed many time but haven't any luck. i hope all my friend on this net will be able to help me make it this time - my doc gave me a scrip for chantix to help, and says that all his pts. have all had good luck with it, although it might be a little expensive it will pay for its self in more ways then one [save me money cause i won't be wasteing buying butt, will be able to breath easyer, probably help me live longer, and won't have the nasty smell following me around all the time. like i said now comes the hard part - been smoking for 50 years [dummy> so lets see if it works AGAIN i'm the only one in my house that smokes and my wife and kids been telling me to quit. looking forward to all your help.

For all of you trying to quit and need some incentive...well it is really hard to give that incentive to someone because we all have different reasons for quitting. Most of us want to quit, but at the same time...fear it. here is what pushed me. First the damn cost, not smoking, I will be saving $300.00 a month. Also my 21 year old son started smoking last year, I thought since he made it to 20, he would be a non smoker...I was wrong. So we made a deal, we BOTH quit..I teased him and told him he couldn't do it so I would get his pride to make him quit. Also I figure it wouldn't hurt to not let my 9 year old see me smoke anymore. He tells me weekly how proud he is of me. I quit on March 1st and on March 24th I received the kidney transplant I had been waiting for for 3 1/2 years....coincidence....or reward...I'll never know!! Keep trying to quit, it doesn't matter how many times you try, just that you never give up!!! Tina

Tina, yeah that is a special reward for you. I hope everything is going well for you since the surgery.