Week2 Newbie - Hi all - Herbal fags anyone?

[nsd_user663_4449]

Hi all

Just stumbled on this forum - seems like this could help my fragile mental state. In 5 mins I tick over into week 2 off the nicotine. Initially I was thinking it was dead easy as my newly arrived Allen Carr-induced hatred of smoking coursed through me, but since then I've started to struggle much more. This quitting game really is becoming a bit of a nightmare & I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever gonna feel normal again. Seems like I swing between feeling great & feeling absolutely terrible, with random periods of dizziness & general weirdness in between. also like many people I'm reading about on here my sleep patterns have gone crazy.

I still feel kinda proud & chuffed that I'vemade it this far, but as each day goes by I'm getting more worried that somehow I'm gonna end up back on the fags, even though I know I really don't want to. I've been on them 22-or-so years & I genuinely believe they've started to get their nasty little teeth into my health - only recently though, but I've got high cholesterol & numb toes every night, so clearly I'm desperate to stay off them for the sake of my 4 kids if nothing else.

I confess I've had a few Holland & Barrett herbal fags, which although they stink like sh1t have kinda helped I think. At the very least they stop me thinking about fags for a while, although I cant help but be paranoid that I'll end up dependent on them, which clearly would be no better than the official cancer-sticks. Anyone have any opinions on these fellas? I'm hoping the lack of addictive compounds plus the horrific smell will mean that when I'm finally cleansed of nicotine (or am I already ??) I wont be interested any more. Am I deluding myself here & storing problems for later?

Hell I see how people feel on this forum - once you start typing you can't stop I guess over-all I'm doing OK - I expected it to be really bad but somehow the first couple of days made me feel like it was gonna be really easy... duhh.. I guess I understand why its so universally accepted as being hard now!!

Anyway love to you all - hope this rant of mine doesn't bring anyone down - I'm sure I'm gonna make it one way or another cos I really don't wanna be enslaved by that sh1t any more. Best of luck everyone & keep it up

Chris

:cool:

:confused:

[nsd_user663_4421]

Hi chris, well done for hitting weeks 2 :D. I'm not sure about the herbal cigs, don't think you would become dependant on them, as they have no drug in them to get addicted to. It would be a bit like eating veg... yeah you like it, it stops the hunger, but ya don't need to do it every hour, if ya get what I mean

Personally I wouldn't go down that route, kicking this Nico-demon in the Tits is bad enough without teasing myself!! The hand movements would be the same...etc... and these are the things that we are trying to get our brain adjusted against. Once we have kicked the CIG ASSOCIATION into touch it gets better to deal with. As you will read, the first drink without one, the first meal without one Etc...BUT, that's just My opinion, and if it's helping you...then it's herbal.. can't be doing you that much harm Physically.

Welcome to the forum anyway xx :D... hope to see more of ya

xx slinky xx

[nsd_user663_4373]

hi there and welcome.i too am a newbie to this site.i sort of sat on the fence for a while reading the forums.i am new to forums and felt a bit nervous to have my say.i am so glad i found this place because the people on it are wonderful and we are all in the same boat.i have been free for nearly 6 wks using champix but i had a relapse today and smoked one cig then i felt gutted.a lovely lady called margareth gave me a link to another site and beleive me after looking there you will never want to smoke again.you will be welcomed tomorrow by loads of others,they prob all tucked up in bed by now,lol.hang in there your doing well.x

[nsd_user663_4449]

Cheers for the quick response pal - I suspect I'm going to love you lot within a day or 2 based on the posts I've read aleady!

Starting to think you might be right cos I'm just prolonging the desire to stick a burning bit of summat in my mouth. Its a weird one cos I'm not interested most of the time, but when I have a drink (like tonight I must confess) I just feel really badly like having a tab, so have been going for the herbals. Guess they better than going back to the Demon, but only just I'm starting to think.. Maybe I should kick them too, or leave that for a bit.. hell I dunno.. Just chuffed that I'm off that nasty Nicotine sh1t. Kinda glad I dodged the NRT too, although I guess its early days & I may regret that...

Anyone have any opinions on when I'm likely to start feeling better? At the moment I'm fine for a while, then keep getting really odd dizzy spells & generally don't know what to do with myself other than eat stuff. I guess this is normal but it sure is weird!!

Anyway I'm off to bed now for more strange dreams & general nocturnal oddity!! As people keep telling me its good that I can have a drink & stay off the fags so early, but at the moment I feel like its the only thing keeping me sane through this (although I may be revealing other issues there! - one problem at a time methinks!)

Night all

[nsd_user663_4449]

Thanks mojo

[nsd_user663_4418]

2 Weeks Chris, Your through the worst !!!!:cool::cool:

IMO - The herbals are going to make life harder for yourself, One of the things that you need to get over is the triggers to have a smoke, the herbals are just reinforcing the triggers....

Thats my 2 pennies worth..........

When the triggers happen, I tell myself I am a non smoker by the time I say it the thoughts are away

[nsd_user663_4367]

Herbal cigs

Hi Chris, I tried those herbal cigs once, and was in a pub, I got chucked out because the bouncer thought I was smoking something dodgy, I had No proof as my mate had gone to the loo with my box of herbals, so when she came back I was outside, with no mobile to tell her!! Kaz

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Chris

Welcome to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good

You will find all the help and support you need on here as we all help each other just like a family we are here for you every step of the way cheering the good days and sympathiseing with the bad but the good far outweigh the bad

Read the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off whyquit.com and woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier your quit will be

Well done on 2 weeks already done The only reason you'll go back on the fags is lack of education so read some of the many links around they will help you lots

You're already nicotine free, but I'm afraid I know nothing about the herbal fags but sure someone on here will

All the symptoms you mention are perfectly normal for us quitters I'm afraid but they will soon pass I promise it's all part of the healing process we all have to go through

Post often for whatever reason a rant, a laugh yes we do have them as well pretty much anything goes on here

Best Wishes

Marg

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Mojo

Glad to hear you're back on track after your glitch onwards and upwards

Love

Marg xxxx

[nsd_user663_4425]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forum, as you've already seen, we're a friendly bunch and everyone is so supportive.

Well done on getting to week 2, can't wait to get there myself, I'm currently on day 6 so not long

Keep up the good work

Lottie -x-

[nsd_user663_4449]

Thanks all - gonna knock these herbal thigs on the head methinks.. Starting to feel like its getting harder at the moment but dont thing it is really.. Just the old demons messing with my head I'm sure

Cheers, Chris

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Chris

Glad you're stopping the Herbals as only prolonging the hand to mouth ritual

You say it feels like it's getting harder but like you I think it's most likely the demons just hang in there

Love

Marg xx

[nsd_user663_4449]

Thanks again Marg - No herbals for a good few days now - was always a waste of time. The days are starting to get a little easier now - had a few bad ones as Im sure you can imagine but I genuinely feel like Im coming out the other side although I know theres a lot of fighting still to come. Two weeks tomorrow! Hehee

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Chris

Well done you 2 weeks tomorrow is great Big Hug on it's way just for you

I am so pleased you've ditched the herbals and are finding it easier as you say you will still have to fight at times but the worst is over for you now Promise

Be wary of those sneaky little b......d Nico :eek: Demons though they sneak in when you least expect them

But you've been starving them now for nearly 2 weeks so you know you can beat them off

Love

Marg xxxxxxxxxxxx

[nsd_user663_4464]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I've got a theory on the crazy dizzy spells. Could it be that more oxygen is going round the brain? I may be wrong but I imagine that when I get dizzy and it makes me feel good.

Call me crazy but I imagine the nico monsters to be a bit like the numb skulls from the Beano, and when I deny them what they want they start to die. Oxgen is their enemy, nicotine is their food !

Good Luck

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Hopeful

You've hit the nail on the head there about the dizzy spells yes you've got more oxygen in the blood therefore more to your brain and that can only be good

I love the way you imagine the Demons as Numbsculls from the Beano and how they die when you deny them but, you're dead right about that as well

Nicotine being their food and oxygen their enemy

Love

Marg xxxxxxxx