5 weeks in :D

[nsd_user663_54332]

Hi

Today is the start of my 5th week of freedom from the stinky fags - there's been times when I didn't think I was going to get here, but this forum has helped loads, it has really saved my quit - so I want to say a huge thank you to everyone 'cos I owe you!! :cool:

I'm trying to reduce how much NRT I use - am going to be on patches for the length of the course, maybe a bit longer :eek: but really don't want to risk losing my quit by coming off them too early - but do want to get off the gum if possible, except for emergencies. I haven't been using lots, just 1-3 pieces a day of 2mg gum but I do want it over with if that makes sense.

Anyway I haven't had any gum today, just got my patch on and I have to be honest am really feeling it!! Can't call it a craving 'cos I *really* don't want a cigarette - maybe 'cos I'm so far into my quit? - but I have got withdrawals again and in a really odd way I'm glad 'cos it means the nicotine monster is starving. :cool:

Thanks again to everyone for your support and encouragement!!

Gemma x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Great stuff G-L just think of that vague empty/hungry feeling as death pangs of the nicodemon,cos that's what it is really.If you were to feed that monster,Jeez doesn't bear thinking about,do not go there.

Thanks Max!!

That's how I'm thinking about it and (probably going to make myself sound really weird here) I'm actually sort of enjoying it :confused:

Am battling the pink wafer biscuit monster too - shouldn't have put them in my bag but it's better a packet of biscuits in there than a packet of Marlboro lights :eek:

Gemma

[nsd_user663_53658]

Well done Gemma Lou, you're doing brilliantly!

It's just going to get better and better from here. The bad days are going to get fewer and further apart

Keep up the good stuff

Molly x

[nsd_user663_44570]

Enjoy it!

Thanks Max!!

That's how I'm thinking about it and (probably going to make myself sound really weird here) I'm actually sort of enjoying it :confused:

Am battling the pink wafer biscuit monster too - shouldn't have put them in my bag but it's better a packet of biscuits in there than a packet of Marlboro lights :eek:

Gemma

Gemma-Lou,

You are not sounding weird at all, when I took my patches off I felt like shite for two days but it was well worth feeling the nico demon retreat!

Well done on getting to week 5! It's brilliant. And keep the patches on for as long as you feel you need them.

Nik

x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Well done Gemma Lou, you're doing brilliantly!

It's just going to get better and better from here. The bad days are going to get fewer and further apart

Keep up the good stuff

Molly x

Thanks Molly!!

I've made it the whole day without having any gum, am *really* feeling it now, probably because I stupidly rewarded myself with a glass of wine, but am determined not to give in!!

Haven't had a really bad day in a long time, and it's great!!

Gemma x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Gemma-Lou,

You are not sounding weird at all, when I took my patches off I felt like shite for two days but it was well worth feeling the nico demon retreat!

Well done on getting to week 5! It's brilliant. And keep the patches on for as long as you feel you need them.

Nik

x

Thanks Nik

It is good to starve the nicotine demon - even though it's having a real go at me now thanks to a glass of wine - and even though my tummy's been tied up in knots all day am so glad to have made it through!!

Will be going to bed soon so I think I can say that safely :cool:

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the patches, they are a lifesaver 'cos without them I'd have started smoking again - I tried to quit last year and lasted a morning - am meant to go to step 2 the week after next, but we'll have to see if I'm able to!! Don't want to be stuck on them longer than I have to *but* I'd rather string them out a bit than mess up my quit.

Now if I could visit myself when I was 13 (when I had my first fag) and tell myself all about quitting it would be so much easier!!

Gemma x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Am on the second day with just the patch and I have been craving *but* lol this is a bit embarassing - I've rolled a post-it into a fag shape and "smoking" that zaps my crave!!

It's all in my mind :eek:

Thank god there's only me and my quit buddy in this office :eek:

Gemma x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Haha brilliant!

Stay tough though Gemma,NicDemon has many deadly tricks up his sleeve,the scumbag,don't give him half a chance to worm his way back..

I feel a right prat doing it - even my quit buddy is giggling but it's doing the trick

Still, it shows how much of the "I want a fag" thoughts are more about the act of smoking than the actual smoke if that makes sense?

I'll be going through 20 post-it's a day at this rate

Am definitely not going to give the nicotine demon a chance!!

Gemma

[nsd_user663_52845]

Hi Gemma

sorry I missed this one.

I still have strange feelings.....call them "wants" or "whims"....whatever they are they're not craves as such..

So....confused we may be but wavering we're not!!

Well done getting to 5 weeks, especially as cheerily as you have.

It's marvelous chuck

Keep it going

Take care

Greg

x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Well done Gemma, you're on the way now. The worst is over and as Molly said the bad times will be fewer and further apart.

lostie

Thanks Lostie

I am feeling like I've got most of the work done now - which is great and being off the gum *touches wood* is feel so good although i do still have it in my bag in case!!

Hopefully I should be on step 2 patches before long!!

Gemma x

[nsd_user663_54332]

Hi Gemma

sorry I missed this one.

I still have strange feelings.....call them "wants" or "whims"....whatever they are they're not craves as such..

So....confused we may be but wavering we're not!!

Well done getting to 5 weeks, especially as cheerily as you have.

It's marvelous chuck

Keep it going

Take care

Greg

x

Hi Greg

Am pretty sure I won't have cigarette now - really can't stand the smell and if I'm honest didn't like the taste of them while I still smoked - used to kid myself a different brand would be better but it never was.

I'm on my 3rd post-it note of the day and it really is working to fool my brain - i look a proper idiot sucking on a rolled up tube though!

It has amazed me how much calmer I am since quitting, and I love all the positive things about being a non-smoker. Don't want to jinx it but think this is *the* quit for me - my others have been because I was nagged or guilt tripped into it but this is 'cos *I* want to stop!!

Well done on your quit too - you must be really proud!!

Gemma x

Ooh, just worked it out and it's *at least* 730 fags I haven't smoked which saved me £296 and 438mg of tar hasn't gone into my lungs *yuck*

[nsd_user663_53617]

Woohoo well done Gemma, so proud of you - the weeks seem to have flown by (probably not for you lol)! Keep going, you seem really strong I know you'll make it!

Karen

[nsd_user663_54332]

I've had a stressful morning, had ot deal with some very unhelpful people at work and it's the time I would have smoked more (there's another one, keep finding them) to "calm me down" which it didn't really.

I've had to put coming off the gum on hold today, don't want to lose my quit *or* my job by going off at someone so I'll get back on that tomorrow.

Still not tempted to have a fag though

Whoa! Imagine you were still smoking,smelling etc and someone just came up to you and gave you £296 in crisp tens and twenties

Better still you have banished the pong,aided your health massively and given yourself £296 as a well done.That's what I call cool :cool:

It's a scary thought really isn't it?

All that money - the Marlboros I used to smoke are £8 a pack - just gone in a puff of smoke :eek:

And I haven't got a clue what that amount of tar looks like but the thought of putting that into myself makes me feel sick. Didn't care when I smoked but now I do!!

There really isn't a bad side to quitting smoking!!

[nsd_user663_54332]

Woohoo well done Gemma, so proud of you - the weeks seem to have flown by (probably not for you lol)! Keep going, you seem really strong I know you'll make it!

Karen

Thanks Karen, you're doing brilliantly too!!

Lol, it does seem like a long time, but it's good really 'cos my smoking life seems a long way off now. :cool:

[nsd_user663_54332]

Gemma

You are showing just such great self discipline

You are flying!

Me too-had a training morning at work,class based session-where before I would slide out at coffee break and have a smoke,I didnt even feel tempted.dead proud of myself

This is how much TAR is in a years worth of smoking full strength fags.Jar is like a small jam jar size.

Can you believe anyone would deliberately suck this thick oily goo into their precious lungs? Horrific thought.

Thanks Max

You're doing great too, it's a huge step when you're not even tempted to have one where you normally would have before!!

You definitely should feel proud 'cos it's brilliant!!

Oh that picture - yuck!!

Most of the time I smoked menthols or lights but even so :eek:

Thanks for finding it, am going to save that when I'm at home and if I ever get tempted...

Do remember at school (year 9 ish?) they did some experiment with a fag to show the amount of tar in it and the tubes and everything turned brown with the tar. I only smoked occasionally back then 'cos it wasn't easy getting fags under age in my town - still got age checked up until I quit - and left the lesson thinking I was never going to smoke again, unfortunately that didn't work out.

Again, it's a scary thought.