First attempt

[nsd_user663_4960]

I have been reading this site on and off for a while and have read several of the articles which I've found most useful. This is my story so far:

On Monday I came down with a cold/flu. I felt pretty awful Tuesday night, chesty cough and temperature. By Wednesday night, I felt terrible and my lungs felt blocked and wheezy. I could only sleep sitting up and on the Thursday morning, thought good grief this is simply ridiculous, I have to stop smoking. It's something I've thought about for years but never really tried, but this felt like the day. I got through Thursday easily enough without a cig as I felt like death warmed up, so didn't particularly want one. Most of Friday I was wheezing and coughing up mucus. Consequently, I didn't go to work, partly because I felt too ill and partly because I sounded so disgusting.

Today I feel a lot better and I'm afraid I did get a pack of ten when I went to the shops. I sliced nine of them and put them in the bin as soon as I got home and smoked the tenth one. The first thing that struck me as odd was how strong it tasted. With hindsight, it HAD a taste which when I was smoking 20/30 a day I wouldn't have noticed. After I'd smoked it, I was actually quite glad to put it out as it didn't taste nearly as nice as I had anticipated. I also felt slightly light-headed for a minute or two afterwards.

So I got through 48 hours without a cigarette without needing one because I wasn't feeling well. If there were any physical symptoms I haven't noticed as I've been feeling so **** anyway! I'm pretty confident I can continue from here, but I was wondering about this three days for the nicotine to leave your body thing. I've seen it quoted a number of times, and would like to see the evidence for this if anyone has a link to a reputable source. I only mention it because a doctor friend of mine seemed to think it takes much longer than that for nicotine to be flushed from the body.

[nsd_user663_4786]

Hi and welcome, good to have you on board.

I was a bit poorly last weekend with flu like things, but nowhere near as bad as you by the sound of it, glad to hear you are feeling better.

I also have been told on several occasions that all the nicotine has left your body after 3 days. I am married to a doc, and although he is not an expert in these things he has agreeded with me. Unfortunatly I don't have a link to proof, however I would say that can't trust everything you read!

If we take it as true, that does not mean that the craves for nicotine leave as well, unfortunatly it takes a lot longer than 3 days for those to go.

If we take it as false, then it really does matter either, because it is the cravings that we are dealing with not the nicotine that is still in your body, but the nicotine that your head is telling you to put in your body again.

Hopefully someone will come along and explain it all a lot better for you.

Well done on your quit, and keep going one day at a time.

[nsd_user663_5598]

It is definitely a mind game this giving up smoking malarky!

Both my daughters stopped smoking as soon as they found out they were pregnant and didn't go through the usual withdrawals and cravings. I think this was because of the reason they were giving up....I suppose it was a case of they didn't want to harm their babies in any way.

I do find it difficult to think that I'M worth giving up for but I'm getting there!

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Nox

Well done you for quitting the fags that's great keep it going

First your Dr friend is wrong it takes three day for the nicotine to leave your body and about three weeks for the physical cravings to go completely but they do get much less before that OK

I'm sorry you've been poorly but if it made you want to quit then it may have been a blessing in disguise I think

In my standard welcome and advice post which I shall put beneath this there are some links which I found and still do find very good have a good read of them and find all the proof you need about nicotine addiction and many other things as well

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

This link is good for the psychological part of quitting whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Sympt...

Post often to let us know how you're doing, to rant, rave have a moan whatever you like pretty much anything goes on here OK

Love

Marg

[nsd_user663_5666]

I can think of no better way to start smoking than to be unable to smoke for a couple of days and THEN have the weekend to add a couple of more days to the no smoking total. Heck when Monday rolls around you could be on Day 5 or 6. I want you to stay the course and continue what you have started. Knock that demon off your back.