Smoker or non Smoker

[nsd_user663_8911]

I have not smoked a cigarette for 6 weeks and yesterday I started on the lower dosage patch (14mg). I smoked 40 cigs aday for 35 years. I have four weeks to go before becoming patch free. Will I struggle again without the patches or will it be a seemless crossover? (I doubt it). People congratulate me and say well done, I have a certificate that we have had framed and hung in a very prominent position. Am I a non smoker or just really a smoker getting my fix in a different way? It would be interesting to see how other patch, puffers or tablet takers think about themselves in the cross over period before we become nicotine free. (Whilst writing a tip that might help some of you, I struggled in my 4th/5th week with bad temper and aggression and at one point thought that if I am turning into a nasty horrible person I would rather smoke and be mild mannered and nice, However I decided to purchase a punchbag (Argos, Everlast only £14.95p comes with pump and instructions) it took ages to infllate but I now have it in the back bedroom. If I am feeling tense, anxious or irritable I find that just 5 minutes of bashing and swearing at it really helps.) Best of luck to everyone trying to give up and remember, one day at a time! if one day why not two days, three days or forever.

[nsd_user663_4847]

Think you found an excellent way to get rid of your frustration Jim and congrats on being into your 7th week. I think each person quits differently, I had 4 other quits before I reached a stage when I was truly ready to quit.

A thought that has struck me when I was quitting (because of my nature) is a mantra never take another puff. I also had some pretty rough days during my quit and another motivator has been that I never want to do those days again, so if I started smoking again I would need to do that awful day again. So in some ways fear of having to go through the same day again has also kept me quit.

I no longer feel like a quitter but now feel like an ex smoker or non smoker, I don't think I will really ever smoke again, although theres a dangerous curiosity at times, I know that I'm not the sort of person who could just have one puff or a couple of cigs, I'd be right back at the starting point perhaps with years of heavy smoking in between.

Good luck with your quit, keep posting, never take another puff and congratulate yourself on a excellent job so far.

[nsd_user663_4990]

You ae neither a smoker or a non-smoker in truth.. you are an ex-smoker. I prefer that title as it acknowledges that yes you did smoke at one point and that you need to exercise self-control to ensure you don't lower your guard and smoke one because you think you can get away with just one.

I quit using patches, and followed the guidelines of the patches precisely, 6 weeks on step 1 (21mg), 2 on step 2(14mg), and 2 on step 3 (7mg) and each time i dropped a patch size 1>2 and 2>3 it took a day or two for my mind and body to get used to the lower dose, and when i got to the end of my course of patches, i came off them a day early and had my final patch in my wallet for the 3 days afterwards.

How did i feel after coming off the patches? Ok, honesty is best here, the 4-5 days that followed coming off the patches i experienced a harder job coping than when i switched to a lower patch. The first few days were fine, but day 3 to 5 after the nicotine had left my system entirely I was quite a bit more moody than normal at that point, and cravings were hitting hard too.. BUT!... it was manageable.. the benefits outweighed the negatives.

Once off them patches you will indeed still be a practicing ex-smoker and the lessons you learn while quitting, you constantly keep as knowledge, you learn your strengths and weaknesses all over again, but the journey itself is worth it!

[nsd_user663_3728]

Hi Jim

Well done you 6 weeks smoke free is great

The mood swings are normal at this stage but they will pass

I always thought of myself as a non smoker from the time I stubbed the last ever fag OK

Below is my standard welcome and advice post which I try and give all new members

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 sympathising 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_8873]

2nd week of patches...

Hi JollyJim,

I found your post very interesting and well done you. I'm only just starting my 2nd week of patches following the same program as yourself and although it's a little way off, I've been wondering exactly the same things. To date it hasn't been too bad, but what the hell's gonna happen when I drop the dose?

Thanks Jase, it's good to hear you got through it and I like the tip about keeping that last patch handy for a day or two.

Later....

[nsd_user663_8911]

I can only assume that it must be similar to your patch dropping off I when you go to bed. It happened to me a couple of times early on and I soon realised that they need some good strong sticky tape on them to ensure they can not fall off. I am almost convinced that without the patches I would not have a cat in hell's chance of giving up! The craving for cigarettes has not been a big problem for me its really tension and what seems like sinusitus pains in the head that have bothered me. If I look forward to the day of no patches I am imagining it will be like trying to stop cold turkey if you smoke three or four cigs a day, so probably same as dropping down to the smaller size patches. I am in day three of that and it is a bit of a struggle but not unbearable.

Best of luck and keep at it.

[nsd_user663_7503]

Hey there,

Well done on 6 weeks!! Thats brilliant. Really like your way of getting rid of aggression. I spent those times with Nan from Catherine Tate in my head swearing away and hoping I wasn't doing it out loud lol!

Jase thanks so much for your honesty. I am coming off the patches in a few weeks and now I know what to expect I can prepare and stay at home as much as possible lol.

To answer your other question I very much consider myself an ex/non smoker as I don't smoke any more but do acknolwedge that I am still a nicotine addict. Patches are really working for me. I am doing 6 weeks 25mg, 3 15mg and 3 10mg. Just cos I am being a wuss about the last two weeks.

Wishing you the very best in the rest of your quit but it sounds like you have it sussed

Debsx

[nsd_user663_4026]

Hi. I got to two weeks on patches and found they interrupted my mental ability to quit so I came off them early. Some on here have done that. Some used the whole course. Both types succesfully. Its more the mental thing you need to crack. When I came off them though, I did it cutting a small strip off daily till I ended up with a tiny square. For me, that helped lessen the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Everyone is different though. Good luck and well done x