I am new to this forum and quit smoking on the 27th October having smoked 30 a day for pretty much all my adult life...I am 62 years old. This was prompted by a heart failure scare following a high blood pressure reading and visit to cardiologist. I feel very determined, and will certainly make full use of this forum and the pinned posts to get an overview of what to expect and for reassurance that any symptoms I have will have been shared by others.
It's all pretty miserable at the moment. I am using stage 1 nicotine patches which are hopefully providing some relief, yet some of my symptoms make me feel like simply starting again:
Headaches, wooliness behind the eyes and forehead, agitated, short-tempered, lethargic, intermittent sleep pattern, stomach cramps, panic attacks, digestive issues, wind, aching in back.
These I assume have all been shared by heavy smokers who have quit and hopefully they will ease off if I take regular exercise and keep on the program as it were,
Anyway, thought I'd share this with you just in case anyone else is also in the same boat.
Thanks
Jon
Written by
Okradon
8 MONTH WINNER
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Well done for making the best decision for your health and you’re well on your way to your first week smoke free, brilliant👍🏼
Unfortunately it’s not easy and all the side effects you’re feeling are very normal. Time and patience are the key things and you can look forward to a healthier future🚭✅
Try changing your routine around as this helps to avoid some of the triggers. Your determination will definitely help you through the tough times. You seem to have a good idea of what’s needed for this life changing process. So many positives👍🏼
We look forward to supporting you on your journey and shout if you need anything, as lots of lovely people here who understand what you’re going through. Just take one day at a time and you’ll get there🚭🚭🚭xx
Hello Jon and welcome to Quit Support. Thank you for joining us. Congratulations on taking the first steps to becoming smokefree.
Many of us were heavy smokers (including myself) but with the support and help on here we do succeed. You say your on patches, but please dont be afraid of using more nrt. like mints , lozenges, or gum for when the cravings get a bit too intense.
Make sure you drink plenty of water too, this helps rid the toxins from your body.
Right I will now add you to our wall of winners and assign you your progress badge (next to your name)
Hello Jon, and welcome to Quit Support, our friendly support community of like minded members all on our respective quit journeys to become smoke🚭free.
Its good to see that you have been using the community already, and have visited the Pinned Posts.
Remember to drink plenty of water to help flush the toxins from the body system and to keep you hydrated,
Maybe keep some sliced fresh fruit and chewy bars in the refrigerator as a cigarette alternative, change your routine so that you dont fancy a cigarette at your usual regular time, like after meals.
Five days smoke🚭free is amazing Jon👏👏👏👏 well done..... its a good start to an ongoing journey for the time being...... and we, your fellow community members are here to encourage and support you in any way that we can, feel free to join in any conversation, there is alway a “Daily Chat” posted each day...... we like to have a laugh, joke, post music videos, enjoy a virtual cup of tea or coffee, who knows, one day you may become as mad as some of our long term members...... me included!
Our community Mantra is NOPE(Not One Puff Ever)🚭
We do not disguss politics or religion, they are both a no no in this community, if you fall off the wagon and are temptedd by a cigarette, worry not, pick yourself up and start over again...... we do not judge others in this community!
For now...... Good luck with your journey to become smoke🚭free.
I am 5 weeks into my quit date. I smoked for most of my adult life,also. I hope you find the tips for your symptoms helpful. Remember the symptoms will pass. I have already noticed my cravings are less constant as the weeks go by. I can even see someone smoking and not feel tempted to smoke. I do have a support person to lean on if I need to. If you do not have one, I suggest you find one or even more if available. It has been so helpful to me. Good luck! Keep the faith...You can do this!
I too had a health scare and had been smoking all my adult life (I am now 60). I gave up 19 days ago and had most of the symptoms that you have now. They do ease and some of them go away but I still have light headedness and other odd things happening to me but I am prepared to tolerate it all as I have to give up smoking. Take your mind off smoking by keeping busy doing other things, I use this site a lot as it really helps and at the same time stops me thinking about smoking. I also do deep breathing exercises which are really beneficial.
Today I watched some people standing outside having a cigarette and I felt sorry that they had the indignity of standing on a street corner in the pouring rain. I didn't feel that I wanted to join them, I felt proud that I was now calling myself an ex-smoker, a really wonderful feeling. Be strong and remember that it is really hard to beat this habit but you are already five days smoke free which is a great achievement.
Don't be too hard on yourself and make sure you look after you.
Well done and keep at it Jon, there is lots of support on this site for you.
Thanks Sharron. It’s comforting to have this positive feedback and I recognise now that this journey is very much a process and will certainly try to keep busy. My dogs are a bit confused because their hour long walks have become two!
Jon, not only will your dogs enjoy the extra long walks, just think how good it is for you too! This site is really great as everyone who has joined it is going through the same process, we all deal with it in different ways but are all there for each other. Think of all the benefits already...no more smoke smelling fingers, for me that is just wonderful. I always hated how my fingers smelt of stale cigarettes! Although that is just a very small thing, it does make you feel good about yourself and in the end that is what it is all about. Keep up the good work Jon, it is going to be difficult but with support and encouragement you can do this.
Hi I am in the same boat 62 years old smoked for over 40 years why did I stop because I didn’t want to die which will happen on average 30/35 years before a non smoker
This was proved to me by medical staff
One day my children both said dad we love you and don’t want you to die I don’t mind admitting I was crying for a week on and off so that the truth
The choice is yours life rough for a while after stopping
Or death is just waiting in the wings
Cigs are the coffin nails that screw down your coffin
Clive, what a wonderful response. I too am a life long smoker and my husband and children have been at me for years to stop. This scare I had was the catalyst to stop smoking for good. How long have you been smoke free? Your badge says "Long term winner".
You have given me a real boost, so thank you so much.
Hi I have been smoke free for over two years plus now just think of this as a sprint up hill but you don’t need to sprint you can walk at your own pace and when you get to the top it’s the best feeling in the world just be careful on your way down you don’t want to slip up
Hello im 63 and smoked for 49 years its not easy I went Cold Turkey on 29th sep tomorrow Starts week 6.I cant believe I have come this far 🙏 I can only say IT is my time to quit I Started to resent the ciggeretts hated the smell the stains on my fingers I even got to hate the smell off others smoking next to me,I think we have to stop the DENIAL and see what were doing to ourselves,everyone says it as hard as quiting Heroin but we would not accept someone smoking Heroin the way we did cigs,Its legal thats the prob Im done with it ive paid enough to the tabaco companys and government,its not having any more from me I refuse to carry an oxygen Machine, I cant let tabaco win,
Hi Jon, small "fix" idea that I received from a hypnotherapist, is to "smoke" without smoking. As an example, he gave me a pen and asked me to "smoke" from it. As it seems, that the most enjoyable/addictive part of the smoking, besides nicotine and all that, is Breathing. We all breath strongly in and out when smoking, which creates a relaxation state.
I found it helps me calm down when I have strong cravings if I do this
Dear Jon, yes, all of those things sound familiar......😜 but the good news is , these will pass😁. Congratulations on your first week, as tough as it is, it's well worth it! Keep us close, we can help you through it all. Stay strong😊💪
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xx 
quitting smoking1 day 
Daily chat Thursday 16th May 2013.
Never want to light again 
Salt Based Nicotine Withdrawals
I feel like i can't do this anymore