Terrible Threes?

[nsd_user663_8421]

I am almost at three months - lunar, calendar, whatever. I am also experiencing really bad craves. They are craves, not just yearnings or idle thoughts. These last few days the argument in my head has been constant. There's a thought that says it'll always be like this so I might as well go back to smoking and get some peace. There's another that says some people just aren't meant to quit and I'm one of them. There's a lot of thoughts. a lot of arguments and I'm really tired of it all. But I'm determined to make it to 90 days and I'm currently on day 84.

[nsd_user663_6090]

Certainly sounds like the terrible threes and the nicodemon arguments thrown in. Try and remember how you felt when you were smoking and desperate to quit, just one puff and you ll be back there.

I believe that there are some times when you just have to grind out the quit, do anything to pass the time and try to take your mind of it. It does get better and I know that, yes I sometimes miss them but i dont want to be a slave to them ever again.

You have done so fantastically to get this far, be strong, Sue, you can do this

[nsd_user663_7762]

Hi Sue,

Hang in there. I'm a couple of weeks infront of you - quit on 12th Jan 2010, so I'm on around day 96 or thereabouts. I too went through what you describe a couple of weeks ago. The constant thought of a sudden bout of craves (sustained over a few days) led me to believe they would never ever go away and it would be always like this.

Of course this is not true! 5 days later and I dont think I've craved at all since!!! But your right it is a bit of a mission, confusing, tempting. Just dont give in. It really isnt worth throwing all your hard work away. You've done great so you should be proud and more determined to ride this current storm.

It does get better. Keep focused and we'll soon both be celebrating 100 days smoke free!

cheers,

paul

[nsd_user663_4964]

They do go away. It's just that in the early days they seem to last a long time. Can you stick with it another day/hour at a time? When you get to 90 days they will probably be long gone.

I stopped craving at all around the 4 and a half month mark.....But then you do still have the odd thought. It's easy now, except i have slipped once today due to enormous stress. I will be giving myself a good talking to and it won't happen again. I didn't crave it particularly, it was just the automatic stress response thing. i didn't need or want to have it, and i wish i hadn't.

So rest assured, It gets better.

[nsd_user663_8421]

quitsmoking.about.com/od/he...

[nsd_user663_8469]

quitsmoking.about.com/od/he...

Thanks for this link ... feel like i am never going to get "me" back but I guess it could take up to a year ... only 9 months to go then lol!

We must try to at least see if we can fully beat this ... i want so much to know what it feels like again to not give a stuff about shxty cigarettes. Thats worth trying for ...

xxx

[nsd_user663_8847]

Oh wow, thanks for that link, I have a definite case of the "icky three blahs". I have been doing OK but this last week I have been feeling dreadful.

Not craving a cig as such but just this huge feeling of emptiness, and feeling irritable and sad. I'm at 10 weeks now so it looks like they have arrived a bit early.

Thing is I'm still on ~8 niquitin minis a day and have been using this since I dropped the patches at week three. I'd like to be cutting that down and drop the NRT all together. So why am I feeling like this when I am still on my usual NRT dose? Should I leave cutting down for a while? I don't want to fail since I've got so far! :confused:

Catherine xx

[nsd_user663_2484]

Oh wow, thanks for that link, I have a definite case of the "icky three blahs". I have been doing OK but this last week I have been feeling dreadful.

Not craving a cig as such but just this huge feeling of emptiness, and feeling irritable and sad. I'm at 10 weeks now so it looks like they have arrived a bit early.

Thing is I'm still on ~8 niquitin minis a day and have been using this since I dropped the patches at week three. I'd like to be cutting that down and drop the NRT all together. So why am I feeling like this when I am still on my usual NRT dose? Should I leave cutting down for a while? I don't want to fail since I've got so far! :confused:

Catherine xx

I'm at nearly 12 weeks of not smoking, stopped the patches nearly 2 weeks ago. TBH I am at the same stage of a feeling of emptiness, definately irritable and sometimes sad. I think perhaps you should cut down on the minis and then stop the NRT alltogether. Perhaps do this over the next week or so. I think there comes a stage when you just have to "bite the bullet". I mean you are still on NRT but feel the same as me and I am off the NRT. If you do get really bad craves though and think you might turn to cigarettes then it is better to have a "mini".

[Atomicguy]

Pleiadas - firstrly well done on getting this far with your quit. It's one of the hardest things any of us can do.

What you are going through is what many of us have - I certainly had a really sh*t time at around 3-4 months. You have to dig your heels in grit your teeth and struggle throught. I'm now at 9 months and believe me it does get better and it will be worth it.

I posted a smoking diary that gave all my 'hotspots' - hopefully it may help or prepare ou for things to come.

Good luck - and stick at it.

AG

[nsd_user663_10279]

God this set of postings is unbelievable....definately a 3 month things cos I'm feeling all those things that others are describing on here...

I'm now off the patches, but tried to give up the gum at the same time and felt really shit and shot away...have gone back to the gum only for a a while...however long it takes me...

Funny how this 3 days, weeks, 3 months thing works...but it sounds oh so true for everyone!!

Glad I'm not alone on this one, not that I'm wishing bad things for everyone else...just comforting to know we are all in the same boat xx