Advice from ex smokers please!!

[absynthfairy]

I'm looking for a bit of reassurance please if possible.

 

I have quit smoking and have managed 4 weeks and 4 days - I have been using patches and the inhalator all beautifully provided by the Rother Stop Smoking service (which has been wonderful).

 

Now, I was meant to go to collect more provisions on Saturday but for one reason and another I was unable to get there and as I have been dealing quite well with stopping I have been patch free since Saturday morning (having kept my last 2 patches for an "emergency"). I have still been using the inhalator but only once or twice a day cos it gives me heart burn.

 

This week though I have been frightfully weepy, constantly hungry and just generally demotivated and positively miserable! I wouldnt say I want a cigarette but have I come off the patches too soon? And what do i do now? Push on...or go and get some more? I have looked on some websites for guidance but was hoping some real life ex smokers who have gone through this process could advise me...how long will this last????

 

Thanks in advance for replies

[absynthfairy]

Rotherham - sorry, cold fingers and mental blockage.

 

Also - just remembered this isn't facebook and I could have edited previous post. Now I want to cry again at my sheer stupidity.

 

HELP ME!!

[*Peaches*]

Keep going Absynth, I did it 5 years ago today

 

YOU CAN DO IT!!

[Kthebean]

Hello absynthfairy,

 

I am currently on my 5th week of not smoking and feel awful and Ive not been so poorly in ages - headache, cough, persistent cold, over eating. Im told this is normal but that doesn't really help me!

 

I have not used any stop smoking aids so I can't help you as regards them. The only advice I can give you is to try and stay calm and remember why you gave up in the first place. I have found keeping busy is useful too, I have taken up exercising again which is fantastic and I'm sure will keep me on the straight and narrow.

 

One thing that I do which keeps me from smoking which is going to sound grim but it really really works is I force myself to imagine the scenario where I have to explain to my family that I have cancer - I know that sounds awful but it works for me as it reminds me why I am putting myself through all this!

 

I wish you every luck in the world, Im sure it will be worth it in the long run. Maybe you could ring the stop smoking helpline if you want to know whether to get more patches.

[SHYTOT]

I'm looking for a bit of reassurance please if possible.

 

I have quit smoking and have managed 4 weeks and 4 days - I have been using patches and the inhalator all beautifully provided by the Rother Stop Smoking service (which has been wonderful).

 

Now, I was meant to go to collect more provisions on Saturday but for one reason and another I was unable to get there and as I have been dealing quite well with stopping I have been patch free since Saturday morning (having kept my last 2 patches for an "emergency"). I have still been using the inhalator but only once or twice a day cos it gives me heart burn.

 

This week though I have been frightfully weepy, constantly hungry and just generally demotivated and positively miserable! I wouldnt say I want a cigarette but have I come off the patches too soon? And what do i do now? Push on...or go and get some more? I have looked on some websites for guidance but was hoping some real life ex smokers who have gone through this process could advise me...how long will this last????

 

Thanks in advance for replies

 

However bad you feel it is only 1% of how bad you could end up feeling if you don't quit. Keep postitive and keep at it.

[Agent Orange]

I've gone full on cold turkey and my moods are everywhere where I don't want them. Apart from that, I am coughing like crazy and waking each morning to find my nose clogged with gunk. It's not pleasant, but hey ho... that's the prize for coming off something that is highly addictive.

 

I quit smoking years ago and stayed stopped for over 8 years. I seem to recall the illnesses, cravings, over eating and the mood swings lasted a few months. From what I remember, I was feeling fine after about 6 months.

 

Anyhow, I found that exercise was the key to getting through the hard times. It kept my mind off the cigs and food.

 

Good lick in your quest to remain smoke free.

[bladesufc1]

I'm looking for a bit of reassurance please if possible.

 

I have quit smoking and have managed 4 weeks and 4 days - I have been using patches and the inhalator all beautifully provided by the Rother Stop Smoking service (which has been wonderful).

 

Now, I was meant to go to collect more provisions on Saturday but for one reason and another I was unable to get there and as I have been dealing quite well with stopping I have been patch free since Saturday morning (having kept my last 2 patches for an "emergency"). I have still been using the inhalator but only once or twice a day cos it gives me heart burn.

 

This week though I have been frightfully weepy, constantly hungry and just generally demotivated and positively miserable! I wouldnt say I want a cigarette but have I come off the patches too soon? And what do i do now? Push on...or go and get some more? I have looked on some websites for guidance but was hoping some real life ex smokers who have gone through this process could advise me...how long will this last????

 

Thanks in advance for replies

 

STOP USING THE INHALATOR, its BAD for you,

 

when your trying to stop, the last thing you want in your hand is a Cigarette type devise? why do this to yourself, the idea is to stop having the bloody thing in your hand, so why o why to these compnaies make such stupid devises??

 

if you've gone 4 days or so keep at it, well done, the 1st few days after coming off patches is a killer, i've now stopped 120+ days and STILL COUNTING, yes i still want a cig, but i've got rid of the cravings now

 

 

GOOD LUCK

[Berberis]

Don’t beat yourself up for having a few sneaky fags ... just keep at it and you will eventually make it. Having one cigarette is not the end of your attempts to quit.

[medusa]

This is the phase when many people drop off from things which takes strength and self-motivation and it applies to anything which takes discipline and a change in habits, like dieting, giving up smoking and the like.

 

If you think about it, when you get yourself together to stop smoking you've got a lot of self-motivation going on which powers you through any negative parts, but it's really hard to maintain that motivation. As the motivation wanes you hit flat spots where it's really easy to just turn your back on what you're trying to achieve because you no longer have the immediate energy to maintain the motivation.

 

HOWEVER, giving up smoking is a process which you were fired up, motivated and sufficiently invested enough to want to do when you started it 4 weeks ago to put yourself through the process. Don't you think that it would be a shame to not achieve your goal now?

 

Take a step back and look at the goal for which you are striving, be good to yourself and allow yourself to have a bit of a blub if that's what you need, but don't lose sight of the long term goal to be smoke free.

 

Down days are natural and with the changes that are happening to your body giving up a very addictive substance you're more likely to have a few down days than if you weren't giving up smoking.

 

Give yourself a hug, award yourself something really lovely as a treat for making it through your first month and look forward to feeling a bit better

 

Good luck in remembering your reasons for doing this in the first place

[absynthfairy]

Thanks for the replies so far

 

I am actually really pleased that the one thing I dont want to do is actually smoke - i have no desire to actually do that so I am confident I have cracked that habit side of things (touch wood).

 

I am thinking what I am experiencing is nicotine withdrawal - so i think I will just push on patch free and think about happy thoughts.Maybe buy myself a present with the money I've saved! Seems a bit of a backwards step to put a patch on again now!

 

To think I laughed last week when the helpful advisor lady told me I would experience feelings similar to if I had lost my best friend, it's nowhere near that bad, but this week i totally understand what she meant.