I've just joined the forum and this is my 4th day of not smoking! So proud of myself. I have tried to stop once before but didn't even make it through 24 hours This time i'm lots more determined and i'm finding that the patches are great!
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brilliant brilliant brilliant, day four is a fab goal, all the nicotine has left your body....and the posotive physical signs of quitting will start...they have with me on day 9 and started pretty emmediately.
Well done on day 4 more than 1/2 way through the first week and then it will start to get easier for you
Welcome to the forum we will all help you as much as we can You should also read as much as you can this also helps a lot as the more you understand the addiction the easier it is there are lots of links to be found on posts just click on them 2 I found very good are whyquit.com and wolfmang.com
I'm determined to see this through. I've been reading posts on here since last week and found that they've helped so much, so thank you to everybody! I will look at the links and continue to read as well!
The only worry i've had about stopping smoking is whether I will put on lots of weight. Has anyone found this problem? I've already bought lots of fruit and i'm trying to drink more water so I don't have the urge to snack too much! I've read that the average amount ex smokers put on is around 7 lbs, which isn't a problem for me but I wouldn't really want to put much more on than that if I can help it! I do love my food, especially doughnuts!
A bit of temporary extra padding is a lot better that continuing to smoke. At least you'll be able to shed the extra weight at a later date.
What you say about water is a great idea. Sip a bit of water when you get craves and also keep active...or get active if you don't already.
There was a bit of a craze with frozen grape sucking with some of the quitters last summer. Actually, very cool and refreshing Just goes to show, there are endless different ways to help a person stop smoking.
Keep on coming back in.....and pass the donuts over here :p
Just one thing i wanted to add (or correct if i am being pedantic). Even though you are on day 4, the nicotine will NOT yet have left your system. The reason for this is that you are using patches (which i assume are nicotine patches) and these contain nicotine.
I am not knocking the patches, whatever gets you through it etc, but i would hate for you to think everything was OK and then get a shock when you stop taking the patches and find you have a couple of tough days to go through.
Try reading up on some of the websites recommended in peoples signatures, (mine included) as they are a great help in letting you understand your quit and what to expect and how to deal with various tghings etc. Whyquit is a bit anti NRT BUT it is still a great resource.
I'm also using patches & have found them great as a back up whilst I get my head round the psycology of why I smoked. This is the 2nd time I've quit, the first time I used patches for 2 days, thought I could do it without & failed miserably after ripping my hair out for 2 weeks! This time I'm on day 15 & feel great so don't be put off, this is the way you've chosen so stick with it!
You'll start reaping the benefits quickly so just keep going x
I didn't even last 24 hours the first time I tried to quit and that was with patches! But i'm a lot more determined now. I don't have any cravings as yet due to the patches, so that's ok. It's just like you say, getting out of the habit of lighting up at certain times, like in the morning or after a meal and when i'm on the phone. I'm chewing on wrigleys gum to help with that part!
I am trying to prepare myself for when I do go on to the next stage of patches by keeping focused now. I can already taste my food better and have noticed my sense of smell has improved. I've washed clothes and bedding that smelt of smoke etc.
I quit using lozenges and I found that when I came off them (week 10) I had 3 days of feeling a bit weird then it was ok, but the week after I had the some intense desires to smoke then it calmed town and was no different to when I was on the lozenges.
Since then there have been points when I have fancied a smoke but it now easy to resist.
The reason being that while using the lozenges I got my head in the right place through reading and understanding about nicotine addiction and why I smoked. As John has said Whyquit is a good resource as are the other links in my sig.
In the past I have quit with lozenges then relapsed when I came off them, the reason that many people are anti NRT is that it is a common cycle of quit then relapse as you still maintain the dependence on nicotine. However, if you get the right mindset there is no reason for you to fail.
Thats 100% it! NRT gives you the time to get your head around it.
Last time I read Alan Carr & thought I was ready to go CT as the book was logical etc but obviously I wasn't ready as I failed miserably.
This time with NRT & LOADS of reading up on all the psychology as well as the horror stories & the real damage smoking does, how the diseases etc REALLY get you, I really feel like something has clicked. It's taken about 12 days for it to do that. I just thought to myself on about day 12 - you know what? I'm never putting a cigarette to my mouth again.
I'm praying how I feel will continue & am confident that if I follow the course of NRT it will help me. I know I'm still getting Nicotine but it's more controlled & a lot less than I'm used to on stage 1! There were lots of times I'd have 2 fags in a row So it has to be helping. I know others that have given up with patches etc so that helps, especially as I considered them heavier smokers than me.
It's not the miracle cure, I still get the odd crave & some days are better than others but at least I was up for about 1/2 an hour today before I thought of cigarettes - thats a first!
Remember - your more willful & stronger than the little monster in your head screaming for a hit! I say to myself - 'it ain't happening, so forget it'.
I've adopted the Obama motto - can we do it? Yes we can!
strangely though, for me, the NRT worked for the first week, though this forum was the thing that really helped, then i started to find the nicotine addiction niggled and niggled. Mentally I am there. But I now feel having the patch on is hindering rather than helping! Have sliced this one in half today and intend to be done with them by the end of the week so I can concentrate on continuing mentally to be quit without the little niggling nicotine monster still wriggling around in there! Whichever way you quit is a good way i'd say! As long as you stay quit!
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