20 Carrolls a day, 39 yrs - Day 10 or 5!!

NavanEPS

HI All
Thought I might get some help from anyone who has given up before. These nicotine withdrawals are terrible!! worse than I imagined, but only for a short period of time each day and not when I expected them.

So .... went to a hypnotist on 30th June in Longford, which really helped with "not wanting to smoke", as in I don't physically want to hold a cigarette and inhale. So good from that point of view. Also the CD is great that I was given for relaxing. Recommend it just for that in fact. So the success from the hypnotist has mostly been:
1. Not wanting to smoke
2. the triggers don't seem to be there - driving to work (no problem), after a meal (no problem)
3. Hate the smell, but I suppose once you are not smoking for a day or two that is normal I suppose. We all know they smell horrid.


So what is wrong then?? - well I smoked a couple on Monday 5th and then started again the next day, so no problems there.
The problem is between about 12.30 til 4.30pm every day I am totally distracted. Like being drunk light headed without drinking. You know that feeling when you lie on the bed and it starts spinning?

I thought this nicotine thing only lasted 3 days but apparently it can last up to sixteen weeks :eek:
I am not sure if I can last the pace if this goes on - I want to give up for all the right reasons and am doing OK but am wondering can anyone help with a replacement/assistance for this 4 hour stretch that drives me MAD!!!

I appreciate any suggestions

Also if anyone is at the same stage as myself let me know how you are getting on
As I said above in the title - I USED to smoke 20 Carrolls a day and I am 39 years old.

Cheers

Miss Fluff

So did you quit on the 30th of June and then smoke again on the 5th of July? If that's the case you are only on day 6 then. Even one puff is reintroducing nicotine back in to your system so you start the whole sh1tty cycle again by having a smoke.:( You don't need me to explain why this is a terrible idea. If you have the odd puff you are sentencing yourself to misery as you'll be caught up in the cycle then of always trying to "give up".....it's sh1t I know

It gets easier with each craving. Don't be putting ridiculous time-frames like sixteen weeks in your own head or you'll drive yourself around the twist! Seriously. You deal with each craving as and when it happens, each one is slightly less strong and slightly shorter in duration.

When they are at their worst, take sips of water or fruit-juice. Don't sit there thinking about it, get up and do something. Talk to a work colleague or make a phone-call or take a walk around the block.

You are doing great and you are over the worst of it. I'm a year off them on Wednesday and from someone who smoked really heavily and thought quitting was impossible, it can be done.

Stay strong. And post here for some support and let us know how you are getting on. Also have a read of www.whyquit.com

Good luck, keep it up:)

NavanEPS

Thanks for your reply I appreciate it. I will take a look at that web site today.
Congratulations for being a non-smoker a year now - I am wishing.
I will not take a cigarette again, but I am trying to find out some way of reducing these cravings/withdrawals, thank you for your suggestions

How did you get off the cigs? Cold Turkey, hypnotist, nicorette?

Miss Fluff

I smoked 30 a day. Started smoking at 15 and quit last year at 32. So was really hooked. I set a date (14 July), started the Allen Carr book on the 12th, and that's it. I still consider that I went cold turkey though as my cravings were so bad at one stage I nearly ended up in hospital - body went into shock almost, my neck locked, aching muscles, shakes etc etc.

Those cravings are just your body's way of ridding itself of the poisonous nicotine.

I used to read http://www.whyquit.com/joel/Joel_04_16_just_one_puff.html every time I got a craving. Also used to play an A-Z game in my head, so, starting with A name some countries of the world, or starting with A name vegetables.....usually by the time I got to G or H the craving would be gone.

I think to really get over the cravings you should educate yourself about them. Every time I got one I was able to say to myself that this was just another craving and it was happening because etc etc......

Of course you can find yourself off them in a year's time. Sheer willpower and determination. You are on Day 6, you are well in to your journey, so keep it up!!:)

NavanEPS

Really good article! thanks

When people talk about cravings I am not sure what they mean.
It seems to me that people can "count" or distract their way through them, but my feeling of light headedness, drunk but not drunk, no focus etc etc.. lasts for about 4 hours not 4 minutes, so I am not sure if this is the same thing.
I don't have a craving to physically have a cigarette and feel the inhale or the kick at the back of the throat etc etc. Mine is simply feeling unwell with dizziness and of course irritable. Is this what you are feeling?

Thanks

Miss Fluff

Yes, very similar. I felt really really unwell for about 7-10 days but then it passed. Had an over-riding feeling of nausea, pain, dizziness etc.

One thing that I found tough, and which lasted for the first while, was a loss of focus. Basically my brain went a little mushy so I found it hard to concentrate on things and remember things. I am not entirely sure why, there must be some corrolation between that and oxygen levels in the brain or something.

One important thing to note when you quit is that your perception of time is totally warped. What you think is 4 hours I can absolutely guarantee you is not!

I also found this article very helpful to read when it comes to withdrawls as well.

http://www.whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Symptoms.html

One thing I will say is, and you have to keep telling yourself, YOU ARE OVER THE WORST OF IT. You won't get as bad a craving again and your feeling of being lightheaded etc will only improve, not get worse.

Keep it up!

NavanEPS

What you describe is like what I am going through - so I am not going mad and someone HAS done this before then.....

Thanks - I will read that article with gusto

"I know I can beat this little monster!"

Miss Fluff

Everyone has very different experiences when quitting. A friend of mine who quit about six months ago now also went through what I went through and what you are going through now. Very hard to describe to someone who has not been there.

It's is awful because you think you are going insane and that there must be something wrong to feel so rotten. Just means that the withdrawls are doing their job, that your body is ridding itself of all the nicotine.

Yes, do read that article I just posted as it gives stats and makes you realise you are not alone in beating the little ba$tard!!

Just remember, no such thing as just one puff. Nearly a week done. Brilliant.

judas1369

Yeah, I've been there and its certainly not pleasant!
Read "Never take another puff" by Joel Spitzer as recommended by Miss Fluff and myself. It is available as a free download on the
http://www.whyquit.com/joel/Joel_04_16_just_one_puff.html
Website.
This is taken directly from the above mentioned book. This is page 73 and you'll be no doubt familiar with the scenario as outlined.

Never Take Another Puff It is not that cigarettes put sugar into your blood stream; it is more of a drug interaction of the stimulant effect of nicotine that affects the blood sugar levels. Cigarettes cause the body to release its own stores of sugar and fat by a drug type of interaction. That is how it basically operated as an appetite suppressant, affecting the satiety centers of your hypothalamus. As far as for the sugar levels, nicotine in fact works much more efficiently than food. If you use food to elevate blood sugar levels, it literally takes up to 20 minutes from the time you chew and swallow the food before it is released to the blood, and thus the brain, for its desired effect of fueling your brain. Cigarettes, by working through a drug interaction cause the body to release its own stores of sugar, but not in 20 minutes but usually in a matter of seconds. In a sense, your body has not had to release sugar on its own in years, you have done it by using nicotine's drug effect!
This is why many people really gorge themselves on food upon cessation. They start to experience a drop in blood sugar and instinctively reach for something sweet. Upon finishing the food, they still feel symptomatic. Of course they do, it takes them a minute or two to eat, but the blood sugar isn't boosted for another 18 minutes. Since they are not feeling immediately better, they eat a little more. They continue to consume more and more food, minute after minute until they finally they start to feel better. Again if they are waiting for the blood sugar to go up we are talking about 20 minutes after the first swallow. People can eat a lot of food in 20 minutes. But they begin to believe that this was the amount needed before feeling better. This can be repeated numerous times throughout the day thus causing a lot of calories being consumed and causing weight gain to become a real risk.
When you abruptly quit smoking, the body is in kind of a state of loss, not knowing how to work normally since it has not worked normally in such a long time. Usually by the third day, though, your body will readjust and release sugar as it is needed. Without eating any more your body will just figure out how to regulate blood sugar more efficiently.
You may find though that you do have to change dietary patterns to one that is more normal for you. Normal is not what it was as a smoker, but more what it was before you took up smoking with aging thrown in. Some people go until evening without eating while they are smokers. If they try the same routine as ex-smokers they will suffer side effects of low blood sugar. It is not that there is something wrong with them now, they were abnormal before for all practical purposes. This doesn't mean they should eat more food, but it may mean they need to redistribute the food eaten to a more spread out pattern so they are getting blood sugar doses throughout the day as nature really had always intended.
To minimize some of the real low blood sugar effects of the first few days it really can help to keep drinking juice throughout the day. After the fourth day though, this should no longer be necessary as your body should be able to release sugar stores if your diet is normalized. If you are having problems that are indicative of blood sugar issues beyond day three, it wouldn't hurt talking to your doctor and maybe getting some nutritional counseling. In order to allow your body to maintain permanent control over the amount of glucose (sugar) in your brain ... NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

73

Good luck with your quit.

NavanEPS

Wow I have just read Miss Fluff's recommended link
Nicotine really is a sinister little devil, how it gets in on your system. I didn't know it could control so many other things in your body. I know I am going to sound self righteous and all, but how is this stuff legal?....

Anyhow, the article really helped me to understand more about what is going on and that, to be honest, whatever is happening now is not as bad that has happened already (72 hours seems to be worst), so we are on the upward turn of being smober.

Will read the other article next
Thanks this really is helping the feel good side of quitting.:)

Miss Fluff

You are welcome! I am glad it is helping, it's what got me through that first week. Tbh I found reading up extensively on the topic and really understanding every craving and why it was happening helped. When you are in the depths of a really severe one you think you are going insane and that your symptoms can't possibly be normal so it helps to know why this is happening to your body.

I know, if you were to show the article of a lay-person and take out the word nicotine, you'd swear that the poison the article refers to has got to be something like crystal meth or heroin......shocking what it does eh?

You're on Day 8 - wow!

Bottle_of_Smoke

Mate check out Alan Carr's book easyway. Will cost you less than a pack of 20.

It will help so much with the cravings.

yungwan

Well done on making the first step to quitting.

As another poster said, you have to take every day as it comes.

I gave up fags nearly 6 months ago and I feel great. I gave up cold turkey and havent had one drag since. And I can honestly say I didnt find it as hard as I thought.

What worked for me is I picked a date, we will say in two weeks time. There is never a good time to quit, there will always be an excuse to go back on them but pick a date which isnt too far away and isnt one of the "usual" days for quitting (i.e. New Years, lent etc - I know these are ages away but you know what I mean - its just more stressful and pressurised on these days) and STICK TO IT no matter what.

Dont tell anybody you are quitting as it only adds pressure. Do tell your partner though and if they dont smoke ask them to be supportive of your quitting and explain that you might be a little moody. If they do smoke ask them to consider giving up with you, but if they arent ready ask them to refrain from smoking around you for the first fortnight or so. If you are around other people who are smokers just gently tell them "no you have stopped smoking and wont be joining them today".

It is very hard for the first days, but just take it every minute and then every day at a time and eventually you will think of them less and less. (you really will I promise)

Consider adding to this thread every day and write down all your feelings and how strong your cravings are etc. It helped me so much in the first weeks to read other peoples accounts and add to them myself. People will give you advice and help you, and who knows, eventually you might help someone else!!!

Think about taking up exercise or another activity in the evening to get your mind of the fags and also improve your health even more and stop you worrying about gaining weight. You might not feel like it yet, but I have to say, taking up jogging helped me so much and I am now training for my first half marathon!

This is all achieveable for you too, one minute at a time, one day at a time.

And above all tell yourself you do not need a fag to survive. You will not let that fag win! You're life will be better without them!!

Best of luck and well done so far.

NavanEPS

Cheers - I actually bought that book some time ago, but didn't last later than 3pm as I couldn't deal with the withdrawal - of course i am sure I didn't have the will power then either that I do now. I am off a week today (!)

I will look through it tonight though - thanks for reminding me.

NavanEPS

OK dear diary......

Today is better - I have learnt something more about these cravings and understand them better. Today was strange because they started earlier but didn't last as long, maybe two to three hour period instead of four.
As Miss Fluff has said they do not last this long each, it just feels like a series of them all in one go, but after learning about them more I think I can see when each one starts and stops now which is good news cause I can try and deal with one at a time.

I am quite concerned though about this dizziness/drunkeness. Not sure what to do about this. Tried fruit, Mars bar, chewing gum, water etc. but no relief I can recognise or quanitify. But hopefully like today it will continue to reduce in length and all will be ok

I actually can't believe I haven't smoked in a week. It was just part of me. Everyone who knows me, knows I smoke.
It really feels good to be a non-smoker - not used to this self-righteousness though which kicks in now and again!
One of the reasons keeping me off them today is that I could'nt possibly contemplate going through this again, I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
Cheers everyone for your support

yungwan

NavanEPS wrote: »

it just feels like a series of them all in one go, but after learning about them more I think I can see when each one starts and stops now which is good news cause I can try and deal with one at a time.

I am quite concerned though about this dizziness/drunkeness. Not sure what to do about this. Tried fruit, Mars bar, chewing gum, water etc. but no relief I can recognise or quanitify. But hopefully like today it will continue to reduce in length and all will be ok

One of the reasons keeping me off them today is that I could'nt possibly contemplate going through this again, I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
Cheers everyone for your support

Keep it up!! Week 1 down!!

And you are already gaining the right attitude about it all!
If you have managed to get through the first tough week why on earth would you put yourself through it again!!?

On the dizziness thing Im not sure whats causing that, but perhaps it could be a dip in your blood sugar levels?

I know that when I smoked I tended to eat quite badly during the day and substitute my food for fags and coffee. Maybe you just need to eat more? Try eating little and often, fruit or something. Stay away from mars bars and sugarly food as this will only give you a temporary high and the leave you dizzy again. If it continues for a few more days maybe see your doctor for reassurance but its probably just due giving the smokes up.

NavanEPS

My diet isn't great and as described in some of the literature I have read, I don't eat breakfast, could skip lunch if not in work (working from home or whatever) and simply smoke fags all day.......

So I suppose I must replace this with decent regular meals or the little and often scenario.
This is all new to me and I don't really have an appetite and seem to be eating for the sakes of it, something to do... If I can eat the right things to keep this dizziness at bay then I will do anything.

Might book in with the doc this week and have a chat as you suggest.

If ya'll have any more suggestions I would love to hear about them.

Miss Fluff

Yungwan is band on re low blood sugar, that's what is causing the dizziness. You have to eat small and often. Sipping fruit juice really helped me. Try and eat fruit every couple of hours.

http://www.whyquit.com/joel/Joel_03_21_blood_sugar.html

yungwan

Hows it going for you Navan?!

Still hanging in there?

NavanEPS

Thanks Yung wan - yeah by the skin of my teeth!
Nah only joking - it is going quite well and this is DAY 10 and counting

It seems much longer since I stopped smoking (I know it is slightly longer cause of my little hiccup) but it seems months......

I am still having trouble with the lightheadednes and it is quite serious. Was in Blanch last night and was ready to faint (maybe that was due to the amount of my money my 20 yr old daughter was breezing through!)
On a serious note though I do find that difficult.
I asked about it in the chemist last Saturday and she recommend the Nicorette Microtab - so I bought them, tried one (they taste absolutely revolting by the way) and removed it after about 1 minute. I couldn't deal with it and knew I was simply putting nicotine back into my system, which didn't feel right however sh*t I might feel.

I don't know if you all remember at the beginning of this I was hypnotised. Well after 10 days smoke free I do believe it worked. It didn't rid me of the physical side effects but certainly has helped me
- I don't WANT to smoke
- I don't WANTto feel the smoke going down as I inhale
- I don't WANT to feel that hit at the throat
- I don't WANT to hold one in my hand
- having learned more about what these 4,000 chemicals do to my body I don't WANT to let that stuff give me a hit.
which usually we think of as being "good"/"comforting" things about smoking.
Absolutely ridiculous of course but as a smoker you think that.

Through this web site and the support people have given me and each other, I realise that smoking was ridiculous. Of course I am being totally self righteous about this but when I realise how much CONTROL they had over my daily habits. I had to accomodate 20 cigarettes per day around MY life. So I had to stop whatever I was doing 20 times a day to have a fix. If someone/something else interrupted you 20 times a day, 7 days a week, we would tell them to p**s off!

It is also nice having more money in my pocket. I don't go to the shop as often, so I am not spending anything. I had money left in my purse on Tuesday that I had on Friday!!

A few positives in addition to the main one of not smoking:
- My really bad sense of smell is definitely returning
- My sense of taste is returning
- Cigarettes smell horrible, so why would I take one?
- I have more money in my pocket
- People are surprised that I have managed to give them up and this makes me a bit proud

The main downside for me has been the lightheadedness. So I am trying to eat little and often, but as we all know, smokers appetites are not what they should be so it is difficult to eat like this and change a routine of not eating much at all.

Sorry for going on like this but I suppose I just got it out of my system. I am so happy that I am smober - I can't let the defences down just yet but it does feel good.

Thanks to all who have helped - that www.whyquit.com site was fantastic to answer the questions as a smoker we chose to ignore!

yungwan

NavanEPS wrote: »

I am still having trouble with the lightheadednes and it is quite serious. I asked about it in the chemist last Saturday and she recommend the Nicorette Microtab - so I bought them, tried one (they taste absolutely revolting by the way) and removed it after about 1 minute. I couldn't deal with it and knew I was simply putting nicotine back into my system, which didn't feel right however sh*t I might feel.

Well done you!
10 days is a huge acheivement, and I would assume most of the nicotine should be gone by now.

Well done on deciding not to use them nicotine microtabs. Bad advice in my opinion by the chemist - why in gods name should you put the drug back in your body when you have gotten this far??! Go it on your own I think - you have displayed the will power to get this far, you CAN keep it up.

I do think you should go to your doctor about the dizziness though, I would expect it should be going soon. Try to get out for a short walk this afteroon to clear your head and up your food portions if you are not eatting enough!! Your appetite should be increasing by now also. Dont be worrying about putting on weight, if you increase your exercise you wont need to worry about being better fed! I have actually gained a 1/2 stone since I quit in January but I have began exercising and am much more toned and look slimmer so I think its mostly muscle tone.

And most importantly pat yourself on the back, you have got this far and CAN keep it up.

NavanEPS

Thanks - I went first to the chemist and tried the lozenge YUK!!!
then went to the GP and she gave me something for the lightheadedness. SO hope it works - will let you know.

But all going well today to be honest - easiest day so far.

judas1369

I only just remembered this, I found a spoonful of honey was excellent as a quick pick me up when I got that blood sugar crash/light headed feeling as it is very quickly assimilated by your metabolism.

NavanEPS

THanks for that! I will try it. I am determined to fight these and find a solution.

NavanEPS

Just to note that while talking to the chemist and the doctor - neither of them took much store in this blood/sugar theory, but of course couldn't deny the symptoms were similar, so didn't rule it out, but couldn't or didn't suggest things to eat for it either. Doc said bucket load of fruit if I HAVE to eat but this was more in concern of putting on weight.
To be honest all either of them wanted me to do was take the patches (not lozenge or whatever). Mmmmm.......

But I have decided for the moment not to go the patch route. I have taken on microtab (Saturday) and one lozenge (today) and neither had much effect..

judas1369

The conspiracy theorists among us would tell you that the pharmaceutical industry has a vested interest in this!
Seriously though if you have read the material thats out there,most of it will tell you that the use of crutches will only work for some people and that to truly free yourself of this drug you gotta go cold turkey.
From my own personal experience over several years, I can tell you that I have tried the patch method ,did the programme and was back smoking within 3 months.
Then I tried the inhaler approach, lasted about the same back smoking within 3 months. Tried combined patch and inhaler -same.
Went cold turkey, still off them and counting!
In all cases, I had the same desire to quit but by using the patches etc, I was suffering constant withdrawal symptoms by putting that small amount of nicotine into my system as if you were about 2 days into a cold turkey quit and staying there!
As a side note, a friend of mine gave up cigarettes nearly 2 years ago by using the inhaler- great! you say until you find out that he goes through a box of cartridges every 2 days! So he hasn't given up nicotine but he has given up smoking, a substitute if you will. If that works for you like it does for lots of people then fine, who am I to condemn!However you sound to me like you really want to rid yourself of the nicotine addiction, so in my opinion, stay cold turkey. I know its difficult and seems there is no end in sight, but if you can make 3 weeks - you'll probably stay the course and it REALLY does get easier!

NavanEPS

Cheers for that - I agree with the whiff of consiracy theory re: doc, chemists and paharma!

I will try these tabs from the doc - not nicotine based, simply for dizziness.

Thanks for your support

yungwan

Hope the weekend goes well for ya.
Socialising is often the toughest part so try to stay away from alcohol fo the weekend if you think it will tempt you.

Miss Fluff

A good friend of mine is a pharmacist and I was about five days in and so concerned about the physical symptoms (the dizziness and muscles seizing up) that I phoned him and asked him what I could take.

He said as your friend I advise two paracetamol every six hours, a valium going to bed if you can get your hands on one, and lots of water and fruit juice.

He said as a businessman, he'd advise patches. NRT be it through patches/gum are a huge moneyspinner for the pharmacists and drug companies because the majority of people do go back on the fags if they rely on NRT so you're caught up in a cycle of buying them, going back on the fags because you never lay off the nicotine in the first place, then trying to quit again.

I will personally make a trip to Navan to give out to you if you try the patches or gum NavanEPS!! You are over the worst of it so it would be a terrible shame to have gone through all you have gone through only to put nicotine back in your system at this stage.

You are doing really great, so keep up the good work m'dear!

NavanEPS

Thanks Miss Fluff - don't fancy the valium but might take you up on the rest.
As judas1369 said earlier in the post there is a link between docs, chemists and big pharma - buyer beware!!

I have moved from Navan to Cavan so a bit further for you to come to give out to me, if you actually needed to

Dizziness not too bad today, as in it didn't last as long but had a really bad craving around 11.30am for about 10 minutes only but actually thought a cigarette might fix it. A bit scary too.

Delighted to get to day 11 but you can't let your guard down at all can you? It is a long process unfortunately, you would think because we are doing something "good" for ourselves it would be easier and more rewarding. Dont' get me wrong it is rewarding for lots of reasons but still really tough and the not knowing how long it will last is frustrating.

Thanks again for your support BOARDS

NavanEPS

Day 12.....

Was grand today - cravings NOT now lasting for 4 hours (;)) but about 10 minutes and can just about deal with them. Down to about 3 or 4 a day aswell, so grand. But they do seem more severe. My mind is playing tricks on me though, keep thinking "sure smoking isn't that bad for me, why put myself through this crap". I must read through the literature again to keep me on track.

Dreamt about smoking last night. A couple of things to note though, I don't usually remember my dreams, so this was strange to start. The dream was I was on a cycling holiday (yeah right) and stopped for a cigarette, but knew I was off them. But I realised in the dream that the taste of the cigarette should have been horrible cause I was off them, but it was just normal as if I was smoking again. Real confusing, especially when I woke up and realised that I didn't smoke anymore.
ANALYSE THAT!

Anyhow will go now but will check in soon.
Thanks for listening.