start of day 7

[nsd_user663_35121]

Day 7, nothing to say. Still in bed. Should be at work. Not functioning very well

Saw a friend last night who suggested I get some nicotine. In a spray or patch.

Would that help after 7 days of no nicotine??

I will ask the stop smoking clinic tomorrow...but I already know what their attitude is.....take the NRT or Champix. They're not interested in anything else

[nsd_user663_63893]

Morning Elizabeth

Everyone is different and opinions differ on here so you have to do what seems right for you. When I stopped I went 2 weeks cold turkey, mainly because I hadn't planned to give up but had smoked so much one weekend that I thought I would die if I had another and therefore accidentally gave up. It was only at 2 weeks I realised I had given up and panicked and started feeling bereft and full of cravings like you do. I then used patches and I found them really helpful. They took the edge off the craves and I felt I had some 'protection'. I could Pat my arm and think I had a bit of support from my friendly patch. I think you might be making it extra hard on yourself!?

I had an e cig aswell which I used in dire emergencies!! It's a tough road but you have already done the hardest bit, and though you feel insane you have not been sectioned yet ha ha! (Still time....) Get yourself down the shop and get some lemon sherbets (or whatever your tipple is) You CAN do this. We are all right behind you

[Incy_Wincy]

mmmmm sherbet lemons...

I resisted when the stop smoking nurse tried to advise me to get patches and what have you. About six days in, I felt really desperate, but when I rang the helpline and she said 'go to the chemist and get some NRT' I was really affronted and said 'no, thanks, I can do this by myself, and if that's all the advice you've got you can nobble off!' (I may not have been so blunt...). It made me realise I was already being very strong and I COULD keep it up. But if I'd listened to her, I'm sure I'd be singing the praises of patches now!

Gosh, what an unhelpful post I have made...

[nsd_user663_35121]

Hattie and Incy, haha, you've made me laugh

[Incy_Wincy in reply to nsd_user663_35121]

We're here all week Happy to cause mirth! x

[nsd_user663_35121]

Darn....pressed "post" by mistake!

I did indeed feel slightly mad yesterday and went out and had a most interesting evening.

Perhaps I'll tell you about that another time!

I'm going to keep on the no nicotine route for little longer. It's good to remember I could have it, if desperate, without smoking

I think, like you Incy, I also want to show the Stop Smoking advisor (paid for by some drugs company probably....ohh, I shouldn't be cynical) that O can do it alone.

That statement is oh so tempting fate!!!!

Thank you ladies, for your thought. So much appreciated

Ps. I'm using my "smart" phone to write this....and am unable to correct mistakes without deleting all. I wonder if I'm doing anything wrong?

[nsd_user663_35121]

For your thoughts!!! Stupid phone

[Incy_Wincy in reply to nsd_user663_35121]

Now you've made me properly giggle, the cat's giving me looks!

So, 1) tell us of your interesting evening post-haste!

2) I came to exactly the same cynical conclusion as you, Elizabeth.

3) No need for that final correction, Hattie and I do indeed share only one thought most of the time

4) I don't know about phones, but my cat's usually pretty good at working out weird and wonderful things to do with my laptop. Like turning the display sideways. Ask a feline, I say

5) I love how you're posting so regularly - it really really helped me in the early days to keep showing my face and feel I was holding myself accountable. Massive cheer for you!

[Incy_Wincy in reply to nsd_user663_35121]

I don't half seem to harp on about the cat...worrying. I do have a boyfriend, and, indeed, a life, honest!

[nsd_user663_60880]

Are the NHS clinics that unhelpful? I have never been but i would have though they would promote cold turkey?

[nsd_user663_64024]

Elizabeth ct is certainly the best way long term but you need to do what you need to do to stay off those terrible things, I personally don't think going for nrt is a bad thing if you are at a point of choosing, you can always change your mind again, it's whatever works for you is the most important thing, patches or ecigs will still mean that you are not inhaling all the other bad stuff which is what is the most harmful, like I said if you can do it ct that's good if not find an alternative to start with to help you get through, patches do certainly take the edge off but they are not for everyone

[nsd_user663_35121]

Maybe it's a little unfair to say the clinics are unhelpful, but they said to me they couldn't recommend hypnosis or e-cigs....possibly because they have a vested interest in their clients taking 'their' drugs.

They didn't advise me on how I would feel without nicotine in the first few days. They didn't recommend any books, websites or this forum!!! They did tell me that smoking was very harmful.....What!!! Really???

I found them patronising and did tell me anything I didn't already know

[nsd_user663_35121]

And cold turkey was not even mentioned!!

[nsd_user663_35121]

Incy, I like hearing about your cat!!

[Incy_Wincy]

That's lucky Elizabeth!

I agree that they're not exactly unhelpful - but they're more useful if the help you want is to be encouraged to use patches. The woman I spoke to had no advice on handling cold turkey (I did ask) - perhaps because we're all so vastly different and find a million different ways of coping? But all I really wanted was someone to tell me how well I was doing, and she didn't really do that, just said if I'm finding it hard I should get nicotine back in my system forthwith! I felt like I knew more about the side effects of withdrawal and the coping strategies I could use than she did, just from my internet reading - perhaps she was just due some training though!

I think that was the same day I found this forum, and I never looked back Much more positive information available here, in my opinion...

[nsd_user663_60880]

Wow incredible insight as to how they work there.

Im in the same boat as jillibean. I have nothing against NRT / Ecigs - they are certainly better than smoking. I just think it draws the whole process out and makes it more painful overall.