Will patches make it easier

[nsd_user663_42775]

I had so much willpower I thought, I was scared of any nicotine in my system so I decided to try cold turkey but I felt like I was enduring agony, I told myself I needed to endure it but I went through so many symptoms, I've been crying and felt like I would go insane. I know, I know it's supposed to hard and I need to be strong but I already take tranqs and I'm going through really bad anxiety these days anyway, not much seemed to make it better.

I cracked and smoked, I felt so weak and upset, I know even on patches it's still hard but I am desperate, if they take the edge off the symptoms I feel maybe I can succeed. Has anyone felt they helped much in the very beginning?

I'm not trying to make excuses, I really want to quit but cold turkey makes me feel I'll end up having a breakdown and I already feel close to 1.

[nsd_user663_4558]

Hi RC.

I think the best thing for you to do is get Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking" book. It will explain a lot of what you are feeling and help along your quit journey. It's not the only book or aid on the market but it worked for me and many others. Good luck and keep up with your quit.

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

I'm not trying to make excuses, I really want to quit but cold turkey makes me feel I'll end up having a breakdown and I already feel close to 1.

If you want to make excuses then there's no shortage of them.

I've read some that should have won a prize!

Don't fall into the trap of thinking a CT quit carries any more merit than any other sort of quit. The important thing to try to accept is that an easy quit is preferable to a hard quit.

If you're having an easy quit, yippee, nothing matters, carry on. If your quit is a nightmare then try something else.

This rubbish that CT is 'harder' is complete nonsense.

Let's take NRT as an example.

When you get a subconscious trigger to smoke, a nudge, a crave, that niggling mental pressure to light up then you can do various things.

If you squirt a nicotine mouthspray in your gob it may ease the craving. Not because it has nicotine in it, craves are nothing to do with nicotine, but simply because you've gone through an action and reaction with the crave.

Inhalators, gum etc work the same way. You get a crave and you do something.

Those that say, "Quickmist is brilliant, you MUST try it" aren't lying but they could use a bottle of mouth freshener re-labelled just as happily.

You can make quitting an absolute nightmare and fail as an emotional wreck 6 months down the line, thousands do.

You can also make it an absolute doddle just by altering your mindset.

Sometime you need props and a change of costume to achieve that mindset.

That's allowed too.

What's not needed is willpower. (see other threads)

[nsd_user663_42471]

Hi rock ckick

I am using patches for my quit, and from my own experience they are a god send. If I was to CT I seriously doubt I could go more than half a day. I am on day 9 now and no one is more amazed than I.

Have to say though that this is what is working for me, I have tried, in the past, inhalaters, lozenges, gum, CT, fake ciggies you name it I tried it. Every quit and quitter are different, as you probably already know, don't be to disheartened, try the different mediums, thats what they are there for, and you will find somethings that works for you. All the best RC.

Don

[nsd_user663_42220]

Rock_chick, you need to do whatever is best for you.

I chose cold turkey, some use spray, some use patches, some use lozenges, some use Champix and some use E cigarettes.

The bottom line is getting off cigarettes and, eventually, nicotine.

Whatever works for you is good.

One thing though, DON'T smoke whilst wearing the patches, you could give yourself an overdose of nicotine.

At least you keep on trying, eventually you will get a method that works for you.

[nsd_user663_42775]

Thanks for the replies, well I found out here you can get a patches via prescription for 4 weeks so I'll try that, maybe in the end I will need to go back to CT if that doesn't work but I'll still try. I'll go for a lowish dosage because I'm not sure via prescription you can get differing amounts to cut down so starting large and then going to nothing seems pointless. I did read about people cutting the patches but then read the possibility (however small) that it could be a risk of them not working properly so I'll just leave that alone.

[nsd_user663_41857]

If you want to make excuses then there's no shortage of them.

I've read some that should have won a prize!

Don't fall into the trap of thinking a CT quit carries any more merit than any other sort of quit. The important thing to try to accept is that an easy quit is preferable to a hard quit.

If you're having an easy quit, yippee, nothing matters, carry on. If your quit is a nightmare then try something else.

This rubbish that CT is 'harder' is complete nonsense.

Let's take NRT as an example.

When you get a subconscious trigger to smoke, a nudge, a crave, that niggling mental pressure to light up then you can do various things.

If you squirt a nicotine mouthspray in your gob it may ease the craving. Not because it has nicotine in it, craves are nothing to do with nicotine, but simply because you've gone through an action and reaction with the crave.

Inhalators, gum etc work the same way. You get a crave and you do something.

Those that say, "Quickmist is brilliant, you MUST try it" aren't lying but they could use a bottle of mouth freshener re-labelled just as happily.

You can make quitting an absolute nightmare and fail as an emotional wreck 6 months down the line, thousands do.

You can also make it an absolute doddle just by altering your mindset.

Sometime you need props and a change of costume to achieve that mindset.

That's allowed too.

What's not needed is willpower. (see other threads)

I find your posts so inspiring and educational. I'm sure loads of people read your posts and are spurred on. I think your mindset really reinforces my own mindset. Thank you.

[nsd_user663_43918]

I am on my 10th day of no smoking... I am however using the patch. Nicoderm.

I tried without it and for me, it was too difficult, I had physical symptons, not focusing, sweats, not sleeping, grumpyness, so I started using the patch, and It is just enough to take the edge away and I can carry on with my day. At 7 days I was able to take if off at night and sleep through, but I need to put one on first thing in the morning. Im hoping within weeks I can wean myself off the patch and be completely smoke/nicotine free

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

I keep linking to this post every now and again

forum.nosmokingday.org.uk/s...

not to make any negative statement about patches but to really highlight the difference between having one on and not.

As smokers we could slap on a patch and sure, some things maybe went a little weird, but the bottom didn't fall out of our world.

As non-smokers its a different story.

Whatever our bodies do to tolerate the presence of nicotine, it's sudden removal can, I'm in no doubt, produce a sort of negative reaction to the one linked to above.

Some people just deal with the reaction and let a few days sort it out, others don't want to deal with it at the same time as stopping smoking.

Whatever works for you works for you and might not suit others.

If it's working don't mess with it.

[austinlegro 11 Years Smoke Free]

My advice would be to try electronic cigarettes. It is one of the best ways to quit smoking.

awwwww, that was like a little tiny candle flickering away in the middle of a darkened theatre.

[nsd_user663_43834]

patches are working for me, so please give them a try, it's only day 3 for me but i feel quite good, they have surprised me, not craveing but so miss lighting one up, i used to light one up the moment i opened my eyes, and also if i woke in the night, good luck you can do it.