Help me get thru nicotine free

[Helena226]

Help! I'm day 7 of quitting smoking cold turkey. And I'm an emotional mess. I could just about chew my arm off thing is I am scared shish to smoke ever again due to health issues I need something

[oblivious13]

Things get tough, just always remember that your not alone. Not matter what. And you don't need cigarettes to help you through your health, no. If you want help with your health, that's what we're here for. Put them away, no you are Strong 💪. You can do this. You don't need some chemical loaded plant to help you out no! You cam do this without them! Dont worry, we're here for you. You have the communities support 110%!😊😊

[madametobacco49 in reply to oblivious13]

Excellent Oblivious--you got it--!!

[Maddyg]

Hi Helena, it's hard but you are doing Fantastc a week already. Perhaps you need some help in the way of replacement nicotine. Go and see gp if feel you need help. But you are very strong to go cold Turky well done you. Be Proud of yourself. Don't give in you are doing so well Read the pinned posts on your right, great help. Tune in and keep in touch with us all on here as great support and advice. The first week or so is the hardest

You have made a Great Acheivement already

[Mazzie14 5 MONTH WINNER]

Hi Helena from a fella newbe to this site and a non smoker for 2 weeks - Yea! This is my forth attempt to quit and oh yea hardest thing to do and so a very well done to you for being able to do 7 days cold turkey - don't think I could do a day and have always opted for NRT but caved in at 5/7 weeks - this time I'm using Champix and so far so good - found after a week I switched to an E-Ciggie and stopped tobacco, after two weeks I stopped nicotine, cos I just didn't want it, however it's not a miracle drug as I'm still having to deal with the habit, boredom, trigger points, associations etc, and for me at times it does feel like a bereavement of a lost companion!

I think tho what I'm trying to say is if your suffering that much then go see your GP/nurse and consider support in dealing with the physical withdrawal of nicotine, as Maddy has already said, but having done 7 days cold turkey maybe what you need is the emotional support to know your not alone, what you experiance is shared by so many others, nicotine is a sneaky little bugger that can affect us on so many levels, not just the physical addiction and you'll find so much useful info if you have a wander around this site.

I haven't been here long but have found so many posts to inspire/inform me and sometimes what we need is to just to know we're not alone, our Irrational thoughts are totally normal and even if you post on here in the small wee hours - someone will respond soon and let ya know ya are as normal as the rest of us!

[Maddyg in reply to Mazzie14]

Well said Mazzie. You are doing Fantastic well done. And you are so right sometimes it just helps to know others are going through the same. Our quit family as I call them are so supportive, even if your being negative and feel like you are not winning like I was yesterday, there is always someone on here that reassures me and brings me to my senses that I am not alone. We are all winners

[Rosie0702 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Mazzie14]

1 wk today smoke free. I'm champix too. Are you getting any side effects at all. 1st wk on them was hard going with stomach upset and light handedness. That has passed as long as I eat before ot after. But my god the dreams and the sleeplessness. Thankfully the dreams aren't bad ones I'm just hoping there the only side effects I'll have to deal with as I'm now on so 3 of the tablets. How're you finding them? Oh and well done on 2 wks 😆

[Rosie0702 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Rosie0702]

Haha auto correct....light handedness 😂😂 light headedness

[Mazzie14 5 MONTH WINNER in reply to Rosie0702]

Hi Rosie, I haven't had too many of the side effects, mainly waking up a few times during the night but that is cutting down except the one at 5am which is just soo typical when alarm due to go off at 6.30! Have had some quite vivid dreams but not as bad as when I used the NRT patches so all in all I'm thinking I got off pretty light with repect to the side effect.

I'm a couple of days into week four now and do find that I just don't want a smoke but oh boy is it on my mind a lot of the time, it's kinda reminding me of when you break up with someone and to begin with all you can think about is them, everything you do or where you go seems to remind you of them and so on, but I'm reminding myself that I always got over it and realised I was better off out of it and so that's what I keep remindng myself off when I think yet again about smoking - and that I am far better off out of it and that this will pass and I will get to a point when I think less and less about smoking.

Oh and one final thing I've noticed with the Champix is the effect on my bowls! I am going to loo more often and farting has been somewhat embarrassing on at least a couple of occassions! but thankfully that seems to be reducing as well and my friends and colleagues have a sense of humour - not sure about the lady behind me in the shop yesterday when I bent down to get something off the bottom shelve

Hope that helps but let me know if anything else and bloody well done on stopping

[madametobacco49 in reply to Mazzie14]

Helena what mazzie says is so true----Stay close to the site. you are not alone.Im at 4 mos and im still on here at least 2 hrs a day and i may be for years. Look at how long some of these folks have been on here! It isnt that the suffereing never stops-it becomes a circle of friends that fortify eachoher and remeind one another we are only one puff away from square one--Hang in there Helena--Blessings,MmeT

[NgaireM]

Hi Helena 😀 I know I would love to meet you. You are strong, clever and you WILL win!

Keep the reasons for quitting cigarettes close to your heart, stay in touch on the forum - help is a heartbeat away - and repeat the mantra.N.O.P.E. As often as you can.

I too quit cold turkey, but there are future options if you feel the need for a crutch. My own "desperate" was Nicorette spray inside your cheek - just occasionally and eased a few close calls.

We so often feel worse before we start to feel the benefits of stopping. I think it's just that disgusting Mr. Nic throwing everything possible at us to keep us addicted - this is a big battle, it's hard and it's sneaky!

One day you will realise it's the best thing you have ever done.

I wish you every success.

Love Ngaire xx

[Briarwood Administrator LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Helena and a big warm welcome to quit support😊

7 days quit is brilliant, well done👍🏼

We understand how difficult it can be and how messed up this addiction can make us😩 Have a look at the pinned posts, 5 min craving busters and lots more. Your body and mind are going through huge changes at the moment, so hang in there. You CAN do it and we're here to help🚭🚭 NOPE not one puff ever🚭🚭

[madametobacco49]

Don't let this scare you--it will drive you back to smoking... Relax--Take one day at a time--Sometimes 1 minute--The cravings pass--You just get scared they are going to go on forever...Stay close to site--whine bitch and complain but Do Not Smoke--We will listen and have been there-- It isn't easy--but you will feel the rewards of quitting as days go by and you remain smoke free--At some point you will notice you have more money in your pocket--and then the anger will come and you will say Im not going to be robbed physically,mentally or materially ever again and once you get in warrior mode--you will know its over--and every symptom you feel will remind you of the awful stuff you are getting out of your life--Get this done and only do it once--because it isn't fun -Take your life and strength back--Get going--we are here--and we care--Mme2

[iris8 8 MONTH WINNER]

There's a sayin' isn't there..'there's another relapse in me but I don't know if there's another recovery'. I think many of us on here are not on 1st attempts for quitting (1st proper attempt when I was 28yrs old, now 41). This addiction shows no mercy, holds no favours & presents itself as our best friend but if you look at the qualities; never satisfied, stinks, demanding, can make you put it before everything you love or is important to you, destroys you physically, controls you mentally, has you loop the loop emotionally/telling you all the while "FEED ME, FEED ME". If that's our idea of a good friendship, then we really do need to take a proper look at ourselves without the deluded thinking when we are still a slave to nicotine. This addiction will make us think & believe anything to keep us embroiled and ultimately active. It will wait....Someone posted the word VIGILANCE the other day and there are definite moments I have to be. I'd rather chew an NRT gum than tempt a relapse & that for me has been significant in this attempt which at the core feels fundamentally different. My attitude is more realistic and open, having support involved is proving vital & a real game changer to previous attempts - This for me is a window of great opportunity which I don't know if I'll find on another relapse? The record tells me smoking is quite happy to stick around till maybe I can't! So I'm cherishing this quit, protecting it, nurturing it, celebrating it, being honest in rough times, mad times, revealing myself in a whole new light that has been met unconditionally & without judgement - Now that sounds more like the friendship I want; with myself & others. Do what's necessary to remain SMOKE FREE, the addiction takes no prisoners, so we have to be prepared to go to whatever lengths to claim our freedom, Once an For All! NOPE ~ Keep it Simple & Real. We're doing great whatever the addiction wants to tell us. The folks on here remind us daily & THAT'S THE TRUTH.

[Rosie0702 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to iris8]

Wow thank you that hits the nail on the head.....

Going to screen shot that post and read it when times get tough

[iris8 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Rosie0702]

What's a screen shot Rosie? On your phone or computer ~ Challenging my technophobe complacency!! Best to you :O)

[Rosie0702 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to iris8]

On the phone. It always you to take a picture of what's on your screen. Nothing is safe anymore 😁

[Rosie0702 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Rosie0702]

Ahhh that should be allows you

[Andrew-S in reply to iris8]

Brilliant Iris. You're doing amazing(ly)! 😀

[iris8 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Andrew-S]

Thank you Andrew. Nice to log on & pick up that msg. The support & input on here is invaluable. Best Sunday wishes to you :O)

[Polly-PV LONG TERM WINNER in reply to iris8]

Wow Iris, that's the most articulate, profound, philosophical & TRUE post I think I've read on here so far. Amazing stuff! I love the relapse/recovery quote too. Just goes to show doesn't it; you can say just one thing that may resonate with just one person and it helps them stay stopped-that, to me, is Quit Support in action. So thank you Iris, much love, Poll x

[iris8 8 MONTH WINNER in reply to Polly-PV]

Hi Poll. May it transfer to other areas of my life. Have just bought a coat and very undecided whether to keep it or not?? Ha! 'Good Problems!!' :O) Best Sunday Mother Day wishes to you, ix

[Hidden]

Hi Helena 👏🎉🎉🎉🎉

You're in the hardest weeks... The first month I was physically ill.... Exhaustion... Headaches, sweats, nausea.... Need I go on... Every time you have a craving, just remind your self why you need to quit and don't take that first puff.... Ever

We're here for ya🇨🇦

[monky Administrator 35 Months Winner]

Hi Helena226, a big warm welcome to our lovely quit support community and HEY, day 7 on your quit journey toooo, am just loving it

I see you've met some of our lovely members already and they have given you some excellent advice too Stay focused and remember WHY your doing this

Helena, if you could please let me know your actual quit date, then I can award you with a Winners badge and add you to the Wall of Winners

Hope to speak soon, Pete

[31m3aR 1 YEAR WINNER]

Wow Helena well done you that's amazing keep going don't give in to the cravings - deep breaths a big pat on the back for you - be very proud of yourself

[Andrew-S]

Hi Helena, sorry I was not on here yesterday. See you've had a vast array of very wise, thoughtful and inspirational replies.

Well done on reaching a week that is an amazing achievement. You are winning the war here. One week stage is hell and I totally understand what you're feeling, I remember it well. It passes and it gets better day by day and you feel so much stronger as that turns to week by week.

I have used nicotine patches and gum. If you're struggling I recommend them it helps take the edge off and it's still a valid quit and still hard enough.

Hope you're feeling a bit better today. This is the worst time and you only have better times ahead. 😀