RE: Quitting smoking - First week (Full Version)

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Christina124 -> RE: Quitting smoking - First week (1/11/2007 10:06:10 PM)

I am glad I found this place.

OK, I did it......I quit for the millionth time in two years......but I need to. I HATE the control of this addiction and it's GOT to go.

I am 31 and have been smoking, aside from when I quit for my 3 pregnancies, since age 13. I smoke (ed) a pack a day.

I am on day 6, using step one of the patch and doing great except for this:

Every time I quit I get ulcers in my mouth and acne sores on my face, neck, and chest. I have been to the dentist and my doctor to make sure it was not cancer or some infection. I am fine in that respect but....why is this happening every time I quit. If I start smoking again....my face clears up and no mouth ulcers any more.

I can't wear make-up to cover this up...it just gets worse. Anyone else going through this? Is this just the toxins pushing out of my system? What has anyone done to prevent or treat this (if you have dealt with this when quiting)?

I have tried acne meds and I keep up with my daily dental routine. My dentist gave me advice to not use mouth wash for a while until my cravings lesson because the ulcers could get worse. I am doing that this time...it still came.

My doctor said most of this could be stress related and, last time, gave me Doxycycl HYC of 100MG to take twice a day to take until this acne gets under control. It worked to clear it up last time I quit and I have been using it ever since....now the acne is back.

What is going on? Any tips?



myckey -> RE: Quitting smoking - First week (1/11/2007 10:24:10 PM)

It might be the toxins. Go to whyquit.com and read the article about side effects. It's amazing.

And congratulations on 6 DAYS!!!!!



terrified_turkey -> RE: Quitting smoking - First week (1/11/2007 10:39:44 PM)

This is much easier now. Over a week!



tysdaddy -> RE: Quitting smoking - First week (1/11/2007 10:59:42 PM)

quote:

As far as I have been able to find out and as unpleasant as it seems, the method with the highest success rate remains to be going cold turkey.


Please share how you have come to this conclusion. Reliable references would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.



JimboFletch -> Celebrate Recovery (1/12/2007 8:47:12 AM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 135 Nicotine Free. (Day 232 tobacco free).



JimboFletch -> Celebrate Recovery (1/12/2007 8:54:37 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: tysdaddy

quote:

As far as I have been able to find out and as unpleasant as it seems, the method with the highest success rate remains to be going cold turkey.


Please share how you have come to this conclusion. Reliable references would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.

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

As has been recommended, spend a little time on WhyQuit.com. Lots of help, information, and myth busting.

In brief, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is not intended as a cure. It helps put distance between you and your drug delivery system (cigarettes, smokeless, etc). But at its best, it leaves you in partial withdrawal until you either go back to tobacco for "relief" or you realize you have to go nicotine free to ever hope to be free - then full withdrawal will set in.

NRT can help as long as you understand its limitations and how it works best.



JimboFletch -> RE: Quitting smoking - First week (1/12/2007 11:15:47 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: HallmarkRipoff

This is much easier now. Over a week!

It's all mental past that point!



zingo -> RE: Quitting smoking support thread (1/12/2007 12:17:20 PM)

I did the lazer thing - twice. (One treatment and one follow-up). It kinda helps with the physical withdrawal but does nothing for the psychological struggle. Since the physical withdrawal only lasts about 3 days and I had gone a couple of weeks, it probably wasn't the right approach for me. My struggle is definitely a psychological need more than physical. Anyway, you are the only one who can determine where your battle really lies! Good luck!

BTW, I am now taking a smoking cessation class given by my local hospital...it seems to be far more helpful to me!



JimboFletch -> RE: Quitting smoking support thread (1/12/2007 12:27:27 PM)

IMO, the mental part is re-programming your brain to experience different situations without nicotine. The longer and more you used tobacco, the more situations your mind associates with your former nicotine-delivery system. Remember Pavlov's experiments?

(Many call those situations "triggers")

The good news is that most triggers are eliminated with just one experience when your brain realizes it isn't getting any nicotine. Some are a little more ingrained and take more than one episode to break.



Hischild1994 -> RE: Quitting smoking support thread (1/13/2007 8:44:36 AM)

Congrats to all of you who are doing so well.



JimboFletch -> RE: Quitting smoking support thread (1/15/2007 3:55:19 PM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 138 Nicotine Free. (Day 235 tobacco free).



JimboFletch -> Celebrating Recovery (1/16/2007 9:14:52 AM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 139 Nicotine Free. (Day 236 tobacco free).

IS ANYONE ELSE STILL QUITTING/FIGHTING THIS DRUG besides me?



monamie -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/16/2007 9:20:19 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JimboFletch

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 139 Nicotine Free. (Day 236 tobacco free).

IS ANYONE ELSE STILL QUITTING/FIGHTING THIS DRUG besides me?


I have never been a smoker, but I look at this thread every now and then because I love it that ya'll are quitting. I'm very proud of you all and I'm cheering you on from the sidelines!!!



myckey -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/16/2007 10:49:57 AM)

Today is my first day.



stampinlady -> RE: Quitting smoking support thread (1/16/2007 11:08:00 PM)

Yes, yes, and yes. Dh and I quit 10 yrs. ago and I struggled with the mental issues for a few years. I associated many things with smoking. PTL it's over. All of you can quit.
quote:

ORIGINAL: JimboFletch

IMO, the mental part is re-programming your brain to experience different situations without nicotine. The longer and more you used tobacco, the more situations your mind associates with your former nicotine-delivery system. Remember Pavlov's experiments?

(Many call those situations "triggers")

The good news is that most triggers are eliminated with just one experience when your brain realizes it isn't getting any nicotine. Some are a little more ingrained and take more than one episode to break.



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/17/2007 8:36:25 AM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 140 Nicotine Free. (Day 237 tobacco free).


For my first 5 days, I carried a piece of paper with me to mark off the hours. By then, I could handle counting each day. I look forward to going most or all of a day without even thinking about my quit because tobacco-free has become my "normal" self again.



zingo -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/17/2007 4:06:58 PM)

My name is Zingo, and I am a nicotine addict.
I have stopped nicotine for 2 days, 14 hours, 52 minutes and 48 seconds (2 days).

I've not smoked 52 death sticks, and saved $8.75.
I've saved 4 hours and 22 minutes of my life.

Even with all this information I still want a cigarette RIGHT NOW! Argggh. but I have a cessation class tonight so I am trying to hang on just a little longer!

I love the 'whyquit.com' site. Thank you to whomever first posted it for us. Tons of great stuff on there including these quit meters that tell you how much money and how much life time you have saved by being smoke free.

Still in the race....



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/17/2007 5:59:38 PM)

quote:

Thank you to whomever first posted it for us.

You are welcome. I found it last summer when I was trying to find a timeline for different events in a quit. If I remember correctly, physical withdrawal is over after 72 hours and the 1st 5 days are the toughest. Not that it is easy after that, but after surviving 5 days of being nicotine free, it becomes a mental exercise.



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/18/2007 8:37:25 AM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 141 Nicotine Free. (Day 238 tobacco free.)



stamper_ben -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/18/2007 12:03:39 PM)

I put the patch on Sat morning. I have still taken an occasional puff off a cig or two each of those days. Today is the day I have gone the longest without the puff.



myckey -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/18/2007 12:07:37 PM)

Ben, that's great!!!! I'm still struggling at it. I'm not sure what's holding me back.



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/18/2007 12:51:33 PM)

Like the adage goes, "Inch by inch, anything's a cinch."

When I began my nicotine-quit, it wasn't even intentional. In fact, I had just bought a whole box of nicotine gum (200 pieces) the day before and still had 20 or so pieces from a previous purchase.

Anyway, that day I read online about the dismal success rate of NRT and that 3 months should be about the longest one should use nic-replacement (I was at day 97 on the gum). I tossed out the gum I had in my mouth and an hour later realized I'd just gone 60 minutes without any nicotine. So I took a piece of paper and marked "1" and the date/time. I committed to one more hour and, again, marked "2" when that was over. It didn't take long to convince myself that I could remain free of nicotine and not become a blithering idiot or otherwise embarrass myself. (It was great being able to mark off 8 hours when I woke each morning!!!)

After 120 hours, I tossed the piece of paper and have committed one day at a time since. Don't even think about quitting for more than today - it would freak you out and, besides, you cannot do anything about tomorrow, much less the rest of your life.

BTW, after a couple of weeks I finally got up the courage to throw away the whole new box and the rest of the nic-gum I had.



stamper_ben -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/18/2007 10:07:09 PM)

I made it until I got home. 12 awake hours without any smoke in my lungs. Then my wife got home and I snagged one from her and took two puffs. Since then I've had one cig worth. I know now I used it as a reward. Need to find a different reward.

How does one deal with other smokers in the house? There are three others here who smoke. Yes, they go outside, but with the cold weather we all know what they're doing. Was talking to my Mom the other night. She was suggesting that if I didn't suceed it was the fault of the others here, Lynn in particular. That upset me, as all I need to do is look around at folks in cars and see contented faces as they light up... If I fail it will be because of me alone, NOT anyone else. But the fact remains that if the cigs weren't here I wouldn't be able to snag one.

Anyway... Any thoughts on others in the house who smoke? How do I handle that? And about rewards to use for hitting milestones. (Please, no bubble baths, and since I've cut way back the tire around my mid section is inflating, so food as a reward won't do the trick either. But I'm open to listen...[:)])



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/19/2007 8:32:09 AM)

By God's grace and strength:
I am at DAY 142 Nicotine Free. (Day 239 tobacco free.)



JimboFletch -> RE: Celebrating Recovery (1/19/2007 8:36:49 AM)

quote:

...as all I need to do is look around at folks in cars and see contented faces as they light up...

It ought to make you hopping mad - those people are only feeding a "need" that is created by the nicotine. They are junkies. I got tired of being a junkie, letting a chemical rule my life.

I am and always will be an addict, but I am now a recovering addict.

Ben, slipping doesn't make you a failure. To quit trying to get free is what makes a failure.

BTW, have you spent any time looking over www.WhyQuit.com?



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