[celticcrash]

Feeling a lot better today, the cravings have died down, so have the headaches, Starting to feel a bit confident.
I have been here before and am very aware that this addiction can wipe the floor with me if I become complacent.
I have felt that I had this addiction beat, that the cravings have gone that I had won, only to end up smoking a few days later.
So be mindfull that addiction can be very tricky.
I will be going out tonight with a few friends and I am not going to drink alcohol.
I have a full wedding tomorrow and I am going to enjoy it all.It still is going to be too early to have a drink.
Remember a drink and cig go hand in hand.
Hold on in there everybody,it can only get better.

[Lorri_L]

Hi all, today is day 1 for me using patches. Its not as bad as i thought it would be, although i feel like i've been thinking about them all day.
I'm 24 and have been smoking 11 years, i'm ashamed to say. Or correction, had smoked for 11 years. Have to keep saying to myself I'm a non smoker.
I am dreading Sunday though. Day 3 sounds like hell but i'm confident I can do it.

[username123]

Day 6 nearly over and really looking forward to tomorrow night when I can announce Im a week off them!!!

Please everyone be extra vigilant over the weekend, it will be hard to get through a weekend. I am going to avoid alcohol just to play it safe, its early days yet, Id feel better knowing that Im not taking risks so soon.

[celticcrash]

Day five down. Went out to night with friends. No drink and no cigs.
Found it hard but we have to go through all social occasions to get used of them. Going to bed now, feeling really tired. Hold on in there everybody we will pull through,

[hiDEhi]

Day 5 is over for me too. I'd have to say that the worst seems to be over, so for anyone willing to try it, get this far and you'll be fine. I've had a tough day work wise, the type of day I wasn't looking forward to. I have to admit it was fine, I'll definitely get through this now. Keep up with it everyone, together we'll get there. They're bad for you!!!

[hiDEhi]

Try to stay off any drink. It doesn't help with the cravings. The less cravings towards drink/smokes the better. Try to forget about all the stuff thats bad for you and it will be fine. If anyone is having problems please PM me and I'll try to contact you and talk you though it. Anything else let me know!

HDH

[YumDeiseMum]

Day 8 here, and its been a tough week, a roller coaster of cravings and emotions, not to mention the psychadelic dreams when I have actually managed to sleep!!

But all that said, I feel great and am very proud of myself for getting this far. Well done to everyone else on the wagon with me

[Lorri_L]

I'm on day 3 here and still going strong. Beginning to wonder if i'll ever stop thinking about them 24/7 though.

[username123]

Originally Posted by Lorri_L

I'm on day 3 here and still going strong. Beginning to wonder if i'll ever stop thinking about them 24/7 though.

I wondered that too. I went for an hours swim on Wednesday (Day 4) and Id reckon I thought about them for at least 45 mins of that hours swim. Then I went swimming for an hour on Friday (Day 6) and I didnt think of them once.

The brain kind of 'lets go' of thinking about them after a few days.

[drunky monkey]

day 9 !! so proud of myself ! after day 5 it gets easier honestly !! went out ith friends on friday and had a few drinks was hard not to smoke but not as hard as i expected ! so as the night went on i poped out for a sly smoke !! on the second pull i could taste it and my god it was disgusting !! so happy threw it awaey was out again with smokers last night and it didnt bother me !! the smell off them was awfull !! really happy ive quit and hope i can keep it up !! cravings gone sleep back to normal and mood much better !!

[username123]

Originally Posted by drunky monkey

so as the night went on i poped out for a sly smoke !! on the second pull i could taste it and my god it was disgusting !! so happy threw it awaey was out again with smokers last night and it didnt bother me !! the smell off them was awfull !!

Well done drunky monkey, I couldnt do what you did above though, 1 pull and Id be afraid Id be straight back on.

Day 9 here now too. Finding it alright, quite stressful few days for other reasons but not any harder not to smoke.

[Chuck Stone]

Well done folks.

I finally packed in the smokes after numerous failed attempts several years ago. Watch out for the 3/4 week stage and thoughts of 'sure now I know I can give them up so I can have the odd one'. I got caught that way a couple of times.

Fair play to anyone who frees themselves from that the control of that nasty plant.

[username123]

Originally Posted by Chuck Stone

I finally packed in the smokes after numerous failed attempts several years ago. Watch out for the 3/4 week stage and thoughts of 'sure now I know I can give them up so I can have the odd one'. I got caught that way a couple of times.

Thanks Chuck, its good to have people who have already gone through it come and share the knowledge - I can see how itd be so easy to think 'ah yeah, sure wasnt I off them weeks, no bother, just one or two and then Ill go off them again'.

I personally dont want to get stuck in a give up/go back/give up cycle - I just want out, thats it, final.

[Lorri_L]

Well day 4 here and its a completely different ball game today. So far i've sailed through. Today i could only be described as a quivering hormonal wreck :-( I've alternated between crying hysterically and screaming loony for no real reason. Please please let this pass soon.

On the plus side, still smoke free!

[Pulsating Star]

Originally Posted by Lorri_L

On the plus side, still smoke free!

Stick with it, as long as you can say that at the end of the day it's all worth it.
I was breaking each 24 hrs into 6 hr segments at that stage and at the end of each reminding myself I was still in the game. Keep looking for distractions.