Oh Well.......I accept it: After failed... - No Smoking Day

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Oh Well.......I accept it

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After failed attempts at cold turkey, I have to accept the fact that I need some help. So, day one, I ave just been to the shop and bought my first pack of 24hr patches.

Damn

Still, on a positive note, I feel better for acknowledging the fact that I need help, I dont need the three month course, as Im starting on step two as a below 20 a day smoker, so Im hoping that three weeks of patches will be enough to sort me out!!

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nsd_user663_5258
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22 Replies
nsd_user663_4786 profile image
nsd_user663_4786

It does not matter how you do it, only that you do, do it, get it? (confused myself there) :confused:

Lots of people around here quit using patches, and they are quit which is the main thing.

Make sure you read loads as that will help as well, and keep posting, keep strong, one day at a time and NOPE.

nsd_user663_5972 profile image
nsd_user663_5972

Don't you fret about that. I did exactly the same. I was finding the CT too difficult so got the 24hour patches and lozenges. It makes things a lot easier.

May I suggest that you sign up to a smoking cessation pharmacy - I know Asda and Tesco do it. Basically you go in, blow in a carbon monoxide thingy to read the levels in your body. Disuss which NRT is best for you. If you pay for prescriptions you then pay for the NRT things you have chosen so or 2 things it would be £14.20ish then you go once a week to blow in the carbon monoxide thingy and so long as you haven't been smoking you get more patches, etc issued free of charge.

It is a 12 week course and they gradually lower your dose of patches, etc and if one thing isn't working for you they allow you to try something else.

Just a suggestion - I just find having to go once a week a bit on an incentive and support that's all.

But don't you worry about the patches - you are still on the quit that is the main.

nsd_user663_4754 profile image
nsd_user663_4754

hi MrVirginia26,

nice one for not giving up giving up :p

tinkerbells suggestion can really help, as long as you live near a pharmacy, otherwise it becomes a pain in the backside.

You can also try a drug called champix if you dont get along with the patches. Its relatively new and the pharmacy wont tell you about it as you need a GP prescription to get it.

It was the only thing that worked for me and I tried everything. Good luck with the patches. Have a look at some of the links in my signature for motivation.

good luck and congrats on the best descision you'll ever make :D

bman

nsd_user663_5972 profile image
nsd_user663_5972

Hi gain - yeah bman is right there is a drug called champix. That is what I was using last year when I attempted my quit.

I can't say it didn't work because it did - it does something to the nicotine receptors in the brain but you still need willpower. I just had a weak moment - thought I could have just that one, which led to another, etc, etc.

Where I am from they will only let people try champix once to aid them with quitting. If a person fails then they won't prescribe it again due to cost - hence why I'm on the patches.

Champix has helped loads of people on here though but I'm sure you'll be just fine with the patches ;)

Let us know how you are getting on :)

nsd_user663_4754 profile image
nsd_user663_4754

to be honest Tinkerbell - the statistics show that by far and wide the most successful method for quitting is what you are doing - cold turkey.

just stoping smoking. full stop!

I have enormous admiration for anyone that can do that. I always lasted about 24 hours max when I tried that. I'm very very weak!

Thats strange about the champix attempts. Ive moved house quite alot being in London so always changing GP's so never really noticed that.

I think that is a flaw in the health system really though, as the price of a champix treatment has got to be substantially lower than the long term burden on the NHS of a smoker. I guess thats only relevant if it works though?

It took my 3rd time on champix for me to crack it, because as you say, you do still need loads of will power. Getting your self mentally in the "right place" to quit is the key I think.

and thats why people like Marg and other long term quitters, who help those just starting out, always come back to the importance of education, education, education.

I wonder if the mods would attach a version of marg's welcome post to the top of the Day 1 room - with all the links and stuff. We could all put the links we think should be on there in a thread and then the Moderators could take all the links and put them in a sticky message at the top of room one? what do you think?

bman

nsd_user663_5972 profile image
nsd_user663_5972

I agree with you bman - Marg and others are fabulous. Marg takes up her own time to welcome everyone and I think that is personal and lovely. It would be great if the Mods could put it as a sticky at the top of this page. MODS?? That is of course if Marg is happy for them to do that.

I aint doing CT bman - I tried but way, way too difficult - I have the upmosst admiration for thos that can do it this way. I'm on the patches and lozenges.

How are you finding your quit bman?

Are you finding it alitle easier now MrVirginia26?

nsd_user663_4754 profile image
nsd_user663_4754

ah - yeah tinkerbell, I misread your sig, sorry.

well yeah, "what ever it takes" was my motto this time round. it doesnt matter how you do it, as long as you do! If you have to hang upside down and eat soil once a week for a year I think most of us would do it in order to be free in the end.

I've started to level out a bit now, although my drinking of booze got out of control after quitting smoking (i think I was compensating for the smokes) and I just transferred my junkie thinking to drinking more, and more and more.

anyway, I am now on a booze free January and am going through some of the same things that I experienced quitting smoking (though much much less severe). Its strange. but getting through that first 3 months of quitting really makes you feel you can overcome other stuff so much more easily.

anyway, 1st of Feb is going to be a massive day for me. Its gonna be the completion of my month off the sauce and 6 months smoke free. I cant believe how healthy I look, my body is still trying to catch up though. I might look fine on the outside but I can feel I'm not right still inside. I feel like I'm healing, hibernating almost. I still havent really balanced out in terms of energy and stuff. Am doing way more exercise but I think that I'd really done some pretty bad damage to my body and its gonna take some time to get it all sorted. I recon by summer, maybe even easter I'm gonna be feeling a million bucks but not quite there just yet.

how you finding it? Its an interesting and incredibly challenging journey isn't it :)

nsd_user663_5258 profile image
nsd_user663_5258

Kind of weird, with the patches I constantly feel like Ive just had a fag, which is good i guess. I know with the patch on that I cant have a smoke, so that will help, dont want to make myself sick. I know with me its the action of smoking, so once i have broke that hopefully in a couple of weeks i will be confident with giving up the patches

nsd_user663_5972 profile image
nsd_user663_5972

Good for you bman - WELL DONE

This quit well it's ealry days and I'e got the usual symptoms - emotional, moody, tired, etc. But I know it's all part of the process and that I'll get to that Penthouse this time, I know I will.

I feel I am dealing with my quit this time, not fighting it.

What have I substituted the ciggies for? Chocolate & this forum. I'm gonna have to lay off both of them a bit though me thinks before I become a slave to something else!!

nsd_user663_5972 profile image
nsd_user663_5972

MrVirgina26 - just a suggestion but how about trying the inhalator. You can use that with the patches and it may help with getting over the hand to mouth action of smoking.

Your doing great!!

nsd_user663_4847 profile image
nsd_user663_4847

Kind of weird, with the patches I constantly feel like Ive just had a fag, which is good i guess. I know with the patch on that I cant have a smoke, so that will help, dont want to make myself sick. I know with me its the action of smoking, so once i have broke that hopefully in a couple of weeks i will be confident with giving up the patches

Good luck Mr V

Just remember never take another puff and to post as much as you need.

Have some strategies in place for times such as when you intend to come off patches, if you think they might be difficult, this way you stand a better chance of remaining quit.

Good luck once again.

M

nsd_user663_4754 profile image
nsd_user663_4754

Kind of weird, with the patches I constantly feel like Ive just had a fag, which is good i guess. I know with the patch on that I cant have a smoke, so that will help, dont want to make myself sick. I know with me its the action of smoking, so once i have broke that hopefully in a couple of weeks i will be confident with giving up the patches

hey MrVirginia26 - yeah the inhalator and the patches can work really well together. You really get a boost after a while when you realise how strong the inhilator seems after a few days and how you dont need it very much at all.

Its a great saftey net device as well. You can carry it in your pocket and pull it out if you find yourself in a danger situation.

plus you can "smoke it" in work or in the pub or whatever :D

nsd_user663_5258 profile image
nsd_user663_5258

I will certainly consider it, I feel ok at the moment, as once the patch is on you can forget it, and I worry that the inhalor will be a constant reminder for me! My head works in a weird way!!

Onwards and upwards, will be day 2 before I know it!

nsd_user663_4754 profile image
nsd_user663_4754

yeah if you got a winning formula already, dont rock the boat! :D

nsd_user663_4149 profile image
nsd_user663_4149

Hiya All. For patches users, don't use more than two inhalator carts a day as well as the patches.

nsd_user663_7254 profile image
nsd_user663_7254

Hi Mrvirginia26,

Noticed your name come up on the New Year Revolutions and just wanted to say Welcome.

It's not easy quitting by any means and it doesn't matter how you do it, you just need to try whatever method suits you and you feel comfortable with and of course more importantly works. I wish I had the will power to do CT but I'm on the 21mg patches and now on day 8 so so far so good, however I did have quite a few lows in week 1 but feeling good today.

Look forward to hearing about your day 2 nearly there now.

Good luck

Shazie.x:)

nsd_user663_5258 profile image
nsd_user663_5258

Hi!

Thanks for all your support people!

Well..... on to day two! I think part of this maybe the psychosematic(?) but I cant even bear the thought of a cigarette with these patches on, I feel like I have just had a fag constantly. I am on the 24hr patch and had to take it off before bed alst night as I felt I had had too much nicotine, as though I had smoked too much! Im definately on the right patch, starting stage two as I was a 10 - 15 a day smoker, but all this aside, it seems to be stopping me light a fag, even if I feel a bit dodgy sometimes!! I am feeling positive.

nsd_user663_6596 profile image
nsd_user663_6596

After failed attempts at cold turkey, I have to accept the fact that I need some help. So, day one, I ave just been to the shop and bought my first pack of 24hr patches.

Damn

Still, on a positive note, I feel better for acknowledging the fact that I need help, I dont need the three month course, as Im starting on step two as a below 20 a day smoker, so Im hoping that three weeks of patches will be enough to sort me out!!

Hi there,

Like yourself, i couldn't do the CT route but didn't want to be on the patches for the full term either, i managed a Month on Patches and used a method involving cutting them to gradually reduce the nicotine in my system and therefore wean off them. that was a month and then i have been CT for a month now... all very good and easy!

If i can do it anyone can, good luck!!!

Zozie x

nsd_user663_5258 profile image
nsd_user663_5258

Patches are working. Only thing Im worried that they are working too well!!

No interest in a fag even with a drink!!

Worried Ill feel like Im back to day one when i give up the patches!

nsd_user663_7318 profile image
nsd_user663_7318

Don't be worrying about that yet Mr V.

Most (from what I gather) find giving up the patches much easier. They come in different strengths as you're aware; once you get to the weakest they can be cut down to reduce the amount of nicotine very very slowly.

nsd_user663_4847 profile image
nsd_user663_4847

MrV

You're doing good.

Don't go looking for troubles, when the time comes you'll know what is good for you and what isn't. Get a bit more time without smoking done. Then start thinking about the next stages.

nsd_user663_4149 profile image
nsd_user663_4149

If your heads ok you will be Mr V. Dead right what the two previous posts said. Unlike Zozie I found no reason to cut short the course of patches. Went from 21 to 14 and then 7, all went seamlessly and finished the programme after just a couple of 7s, I finished with no problems at all.

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