Evening folks! Some advice please?

[Friezfriend]

My smoking cessation woman sent me a text tonight saying I have to start reducing NRT on my next prescription, I don't quite feel ready yet, I know what Sin, will say! But what do you more experienced quitters think? It's 13 weeks for me last Wednesday?? Have a good evening everyone, off to clean out the rabbit, etc etc. Anyone want a house rabbit, he really does have to go, and not for eating before any heathen suggests it!

[jillygirl Administrator LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Friezfriend, Sorry cant help you with that one. Perhaps you could try reducing and if you cant cope then go back and see her. Perhaps a different sort of nrt may help. Emjay is probably the best one to help you.

As for house rabbit my daughter has just given hers away, just too much to bother about , even though he was lovely.

[Friezfriend 13 MONTHS WINNER]

Alas about the House Rabbit! Yes mine is a little sweetie as well but he is tying, he means I can't travel for work. It's much easier to get the dog looked after. Thanks Jilly I have been trying to reduce and sometimes it fine and then suddenly I really want a full fat one. Don't feel brave enough to completely let go yet, or I suppose have my supply cut off!.

[Hidden]

Can't think what you're trying to say . Well you are only supposed to take NRT for 3 months if you read the instructions on the box but as a user of NRT and at nearly 12 months quit getting pretty experienced I'd say, at 3 months you're only just getting over the really, really miss you stage of stopping smoking. It was at 3 months quit that each and every time I've started smoking again, its the stage where I've said I've had enough of this stress now. This time though I did manage to pick myself up quickly and only smoked 18 cigs before stopping again.

From my own experience of now being just as addicted to nicotine as I've always been I would say perhaps think about cutting down a bit and see how you go? Once we get past January at work (omg if today was anything to go by I'll be lucky if I don't start smoking again, that or walk) I am planning to go to the Doctors and see about going back on Champix again to see if I can get off the lozenges and e-cig because I am so much more fed up of them than I every was fed up of smoking. Well I never was fed up of smoking so I suppose that has made things a lot harder.

On saying all that though, I don't think sending you a text is a very conscientious way of seeing the job through to a satisfactory conclusion, maybe some face to face advice on how to go about cutting down might be useful from your 'adviser'.

[Friezfriend 13 MONTHS WINNER in reply to Hidden]

Yup 3 months has been my break point before but I think only because I let my guard down and kind of thought what a good girl it's ok now, I've been ready for my own personal treachery this time which is why I'm panicking a bit. Walk sin, don't smoke or just bung a bit of NRT everywhere and puff and blow them away!!

[teddy08 14 Month Winner]

Hi

Yes i have the same problem

I have been ciggie free for 10 weeks now and still crave them or nrt

[Hidden in reply to teddy08]

It's quite soon in the grand scheme of stopping smoking to be thinking about giving up NRT isn't it. What do you use teddy?

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner]

Aup Friez

Erm, your lucky gal, at my Chemist, they only give you 8 weeks then they say, you should be smoke free and NRT free !!!

So I have gone on my own this time, well erm, not on my own, cos I've got all of you to help me havnt I But I mean, I am buying my NRT myself, and am using it at my own pace I am 12 weeks now, but am still on patch 2 so flippin what !! I'm quitting at MY pace and not the pace that somebody else tells me to go at eh !!

Everybody is different Friez, and we all have our own pace to quit I had a health check at work the other day, and got chatting to the erm, Doc/Nurse and he said, that he used to work in a prison and he could wean prisoners off drugs, even hard drugs, but he couldnt stop them from smoking Thats how hard it is to quit smoking !!

Sooooo, go with what they say, BUT, buy a few extra bits of NRT yourself to help you get through eh That way, they will be happy and so will you

Speak soon, Pete

[teddy08 14 Month Winner]

hi

thanks for reply

just going to bed

I use lozengers

liz

[EmJay Partner]

Hi Friezfriend,

I can't believe how time has passed and you are at this stage in your quit attempt already

I think it is a real positive sign that you are further down the line and almost at a ready to stop using your NRT.

Unfortunately, most (if not all) local stop smoking services are only allowed to provide products for a set length of time. Usually anything from 12 - 16 weeks. I know that our local service (Roy Castle Fag Ends) provides up to 16 weeks.

However, the recommended time for proper use is for at least 8 weeks.

During the time between setting a quit date and end of use of a product, there should be plans put in place to look to reducing the amount of NRT.

When this time arrives many people do tend to feel quite apprehensive about it. This is normal and understandable. That is why, with any clients that I work with I paint the picture beforehand so that they know what to expect and when to expect it. That way there aren't too many surprises along the way

Remind me what NRT you are using now, is it the Niquitin Mini tabs 4 mg and inhalator? How many a day or how often are you using them? If it is the 4mg that you are on, the next one down is 1.5mg.

When you next go along to see your advisor, why not listen to what she has to say, ask her what your limited amount of weeks are and ask her to help you plan towards the end date. Also, you know that we'll help and support you along the way too

I have complete faith in that you'll be okay and it's not going to be as bad as you seem to think it might.

If you do get to the point when you can no longer receive NRT from your local service and you really do feel that you need to continue using NRT, then as Pete says; there's nothing to stop you from buying it over the counter yourself.

Although there is no evidence that supports the long term use of NRT being effective, there are some smokers who continue to use it to ensure that they remain smokefree.

Long term users tend to have been more dependant smokers.

However long you decide to use NRT for, it is really important for you to understand that although still dependent on nicotine, you are getting it from a harmless product rather than from an extremely harmful one (cigarettes).

Friez, you have done ever so well and no matter what route you take, we will do all that we can to support you to keep you heading in the right direction

[yellowsnowdrop]

I dropped from 18 mg cartridges(ecig) to 12mg to 6mg in about 7 weeks.I think I'm a couple of weeks behind you Frieze but I know personally that I'm NOT ready to give up my NRT just yet, think I'm at 11 weeks now (I loose track of time but I stopped on 6th Sept, WHERE has that time gone??) I know that there are many many arguments for and against the long term use of NRT (and the use of ecigs) HOWEVER I just think if it keeps me smoke free then all is well. Please don't put any stress on yourself to give up the NRT too soon you've come this far don't loose a brilliant quit just for the sake of buying a few weeks worth of NRT.

[Friezfriend 13 MONTHS WINNER]

Ok thanks everyone feel better about it now. I will try to drop a bit I think, just felt like I was being pushed around! As usual I take heart from you all.