Goodbye week 2

[nsd_user663_61085]

And bring on week 3

Last few days have been real easy - largely due to a vile sore throat limiting the need for will power and keeping me in bed

Decided to go patch free now so hoping this step isn't too early :eek:

Mina

[nsd_user663_61085]

Will let you know how patch free goes - apparently it only takes 72 hours for nicotine to leave the system, something I find hard to believe but we'll see!

I am not so stupid as to have no NRT available should the cravings hit me overly hard, perhaps I am fooling myself in believing my biggest hurdle has always been about trigger points, habits and behaviours :confused:

We'll see - funny coincidence about the green fields too - have an Easter break booked in the Lakes -a target/milestone I set myself was hoping to get up on the Fells again like I did way back when I my lungs were healthier :D

[nsd_user663_61085]

And thank you Kat - rest assured my throat will be ready to whoop you into the Penthouse shortly

xxx

[nsd_user663_61233]

Fantastic, Mina...keep it up...

[nsd_user663_60964]

Well done Mina

If it is any help to you, I gave up on the patches after 3 weeks (mainly because they kept falling off anyway :)) and apart from a day of feeling vaguely 'twitchy' it was fine. I used the 1.5mg mini-lozenges off & on for a further week but haven't needed to since (though I stil carry them with me in case). I think you'll be OK- just make sure you have some emergency NRT at hand should dire need arise.

Onwards and upwards!!

[nsd_user663_61170]

Hi Mna

Well done im 4 days behind you;), im also on patches and thinking of coming off

them when iv done a month.

Will be interesting to see how you get on good luck keith.

[nsd_user663_61085]

OK peeps - this is going badly at the moment.

I made it through work but bought 10 ciggies on the way home since it seemed reasonable to me that if nicotine is the issue then smoking a 2mg cigarette has to be better than a 24mg patch.

Partner (who has never smoked) disagreed with this and soaked the 10 with water....I have really been horrid to him about this!

Pathetically I have now taken a hair dryer to rescue them - I am in a place where I really really really don't think that one cigarette would count as a fail -

it seems to me it would be fine as a temporary fix

Deep breath and waiting.......

:eek::eek:

[nsd_user663_54305]

...it seemed reasonable to me that if nicotine is the issue then smoking a 2mg cigarette has to be better than a 24mg patch....

So, if nicotine IS the issue, then by that logic, probably best to just carry on smoking!!!!

But you don't want to do that do you????

I don't know if you've ever had a significant quit before, but remember that EVERY failed quit started with the thought that 'just one won't hurt'. If you smoke one then just go into it with your eyes wide open to the fact that you're taking back the tens of thousands of cigarettes that come after that 'just one'.

To succeed in your quit you need to get your mind completely clear that you're not depriving yourself of anything; you're breaking free from self-imposed slavery.

You are a drug addict, a slave to one of the most addictive drugs there is - we all are; and like any addict, you MUST accept that you are facing an all or nothing choice. There is no in between; 'just one' is simply not an option.

I TRULY hope your quit is still intact; if not, see you back in day 1 sometime:eek:

[nsd_user663_61054]

Well no, nicotine isn't the issue. At least, it isn't the primary issue. The primary issue is smoking cigarettes and the carcinogens they contain. Nicotine isn't going to harm you via patches, nicotine via smoking a cigarette is. Good on your partner for soaking them, and they will be MINGING if you smoke them after drying them so good luck with that Hopefully you either thought better of it, or you tried it and thought it was fecking disgusting!

[nsd_user663_61085]

Soooooo.....

OH took a pair of scissors, cut a patch into 8 pieces, stuck a piece on my arm and said

"now what excuse will you use? Just go to bed"

So I did and couldn't be happier this morning - I'm looking at my mini patch and seeing it as a mark of love :D

Week 3 I'm here

Mina

[nsd_user663_61170]

Hi Mina.

Brilliant couple of post, they are very entertaining

Can't wait to see what happens next

Just don't light up.

[nsd_user663_60964]

Hurrah for your OH, Mina

Stick with the patches for a while longer and hold on in there. You've had a narrow escape but it sounds like you've come out the other side intact. Don't blow it now- it would be such a shame after coming so far. I think you just weren't quite ready to go completely nicotine free.

[nsd_user663_61085]

Actually on reflection, Aneggisanegg nailed it for me - I need a change in my mind set - at the moment I really, really do still feel that I'm depriving myself of something I like - which obviously is going to make it uphill! And I don't really know how to stop that kind of thinking - will work on it though :mad:

Madness!!

Mina