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17 years ago 0 506 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Misty- first of all, 24 days is amazing. C'mon everyone- give Misty a hand for that. ;) Secondly,I relate with your experience of the process. I think what people like you and I need to learn most is patience. For me, in my experience, to expect an end of craving after 30 years of really being addicted to smoking....in a month or two is very naive. That's me and that's my opinion. I'm at almost 6 months now, and while I can say it is most definitely better than day 24, I'll be the first to tell you, and I hold my head high on this...that it is not going to be easy. Today I craved pretty badly and it really frustrates me so far into this. But is this such a bad thing, or is it normal given my history( 5-6 months vs 30 years?)? That's the question. I have to be realistic. I have to try and be patient with this. I hope you can too. Good luck and keep posting! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 173 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 6,955 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1557 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 28 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 34 [B]Seconds:[/B] 36
17 years ago 0 2614 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Misty Congratulations on first deciding to quit and second carrying out that desire and staying quit. Please note that this is my response everyone's quit is very different and we all responde and change in different ways. Take what you like and leave the rest. (this goes for all of those who read). If you have something that you feel is medical and needs attention see your doctor, if you have a psychological issue see your counsellor or pastor or your doctor. I (even though I have had my fingers slapped for this) maintain that the craves, urges whatever you might call them contunue for quite some time. I have those urges often and they happen sometimes in a very intense way. I need to get to how I will cope with this quit very quickly. I distract, turn around and just plain go in the opposite direction so that I do not smoke. This quit I have had a lot of chest problems, infections and bronchial problems, some of this is connected to swimming and I believe that my lungs are just fragile. Sometimes I am in a lot of pain and I must do this to remain quit. I had pain when I was hacking and choking from the build up of crap in my lungs. Headaches, dizzyness and other problems psychosomatic? I have no idea. I have had every test in the book and I got a diagnosis of an atypical migraine headache. What do I do, I have to find a way to relax, and not panic over the symptoms that wash over me and erode my confidence. I very much have to remember that no one has ever been killed by quitting. My health is actually better than it has ever been and this is directly related to being quit. Psychological issues arise, how to deal with emotion, how to deal with extra time and how to change habit. I deal with this everyday. I post here often and seek counselling as needed. Please remember that if you are seeking counselling to consider that this is working out of addiction and a specialist in addiction will be helpful and a smoking cessation specialist will be of even more benefit. Beware (as you know) of easy solutions, there are none and if someone is charging you money for an easy solution you will be ripped off. Best advise here in this thread. Learn patience, particularly with yourself. Learn as well to be gentle and care for yourself. As smoker
17 years ago 0 214 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Mistymoon, I am with you. I have always thought the 3 days nicotine is out of your system is very misleading. It makes you think that after 3 days you are going to be over the whole thing. I think you have to look at it and be realistic. We smoke for so many years, there is no way that for most of us, it is just going to go away in a few months. I know it is hard to believe right now, but it does get better. I can say it is better but that did not happen until after 100 days for me. I don't think about it all the time now and if I do I just take deep breaths. I think I have failed in the past because as a smoker even one day without a cigarette is a major achievement. This time I realized that is was going to take time to undo the addiction because it is so involved. That really made me more relaxed about it. The time went by so fast. I can't believe I am almost at 8 months. Just remember you had craves when you smoked too. If you smoke you will always have craves along with all the other crap. If you keep saying no the craves will eventually go away, or at least they will not bother you so much. Don't expect so much so soon and it will be alot easier on you. Iwin [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 231 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,620 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $924 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 25 [B]Hrs:[/B] 23 [B]Mins:[/B] 43 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47
17 years ago 0 989 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
A quitter named Bovary wrote this to me at about twenty days into my quit. Maybe it will help. "Sounds like you are having a pretty hard time of it. But, try and remember how much harder life was when you smoked!! Worrying about getting some debilitating disease like lung cancer, emphysema, or the like, that would ruin the rest of your life for every waking moment. Worrying about when you could have your next cig. The uncomfortable feelings when you had to be in places where you couldn't smoke for extended periods of time, like the movie theatre, a nice restaurant, or at work. Worrying about the example you are being to your children, or other relatives that are children. Thinking about the exorbitant amount of money that you were spending to inhale poisonous gasses into your lungs that affected EVERY part of your body in a negative way. Have you done the online smoking program? If not, start today! It will explain to you why we all feel like we are crawling out of our skin. Nicotine has messed with our central nervous system for alot of years...now it has to heal itself. One thing I try and remember when the going gets so tough is, "I am feeling this way because I have been sick with nicotine addiction for 20 years. Now, my body is healing itself and that is why I feel this way." We didn't get addicted to the nicodemon overnight, and we won't get unaddicted overnight. You WILL feel better. there is hope if you don't smoke. If you go back, what hope do we have? Sickness and pain...it is like a bad abusive relationship. DON�T GO BACK!! I am only 23 days free and it is getting harder for me also. I woke up at 6am and couldn't go back to sleep. What did I have to look forward to this am? I couldn't have a cig with my coffee!! See what pathetic thoughts our addicted mind sends us? Be good to yourself during this most difficult period. get a manicure, buy a new cd, lay on your bed for an hour and listen to it, take as many naps as you need to, anything to stay free from this horrible substance.. 5 weeks!! Be sooooo proud of yourself. If you smoked 20 a day, that is 700 cigs that you have not smoked. You can do it!!!! Be peaceful and free." Bovary [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 483 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B
  • Quit Meter

    $795,480.00

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    Days: 5688 Hours: 1

    Minutes: 43 Seconds: 17

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    45456

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    1,136,400

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17 years ago 0 989 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Oh Misty - what a tuff time you are having. Noone here, I am sure, is trying to lie to you. It really does get better and it really is worth it. And it is different for every single quitter, and so noone really knows how to tell a person what to expect without helping to predetermine their process. The craves do get less, but this does not mean that the emotional battle is over. It is difficult to explain to a newbie that yes it gets so much easier but that the process is certainly not short. On one hand we want to encourage you. The challenge is how to be realistic without discouraging you? The whole process for me took a year. In week one it would have been oh so hard to hear that. I woulda thought that i would have been in hell for 12 months. That is not true. On one hand, it was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. On the other hand, I now wonder what in the heck took me so long. I do not even think about cigarettes most days. That is simply amazing given the level of my addiction and obsession. My old self (except for being fatter) has returned, but I really did need to go through each and every season to experience the freedom. Yeah, occasionally I still have a cigarette thought, but mostly I feel RELIEF, PRIDE AND FREEDOM. I love not being an addict. I feel sorry (not envy) every time I see someone smoking. I think what you are experiencing is in some ways the hardest. The adrenalin and excitement of the new quit is gone. You now sit and wonder is this all there is? Will you ever feel yourself again? Will the depression and teariness and impatience and anger ever go away. You have to go on blind faith here, Misty. As all of us did who went before you. Noone can tell you exactly when it will get better for you. But be assured that it will. And one day (Duffis says it will be some Tuesday ;p ) you will know it too. Best wishes. Please hang in there. This is your life you are fighting for. If you want to live, you have to get through all of this muck. But, it really is so worth it. That is NO LIE!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/15/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 483 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 12,076 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1690.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 67 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]
  • Quit Meter

    $795,480.00

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    Days: 5688 Hours: 1

    Minutes: 43 Seconds: 17

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    45456

    Smoke Free Days

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    1,136,400

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

17 years ago 0 586 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
[quote] To stop smoking, a person must deal with nicotine addiction. The individual also needs to change learned associations, or habits. What are the signs and symptoms of the condition? The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are actually good news. They are signs that the person's body is flushing out the harmful tobacco chemicals. They won't last long, usually from a few days to 2 to 3 weeks. Few people experience all of the withdrawal symptoms listed. For the first few days, the person may have the following: cough dizziness dry mouth or throat For the first few weeks of smoking cessation, the person may have: constipation difficulty concentrating fatigue headaches hunger insomnia irritability restlessness stomach upset [/quote] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/2/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 554 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 11,099 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1977.78 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 58 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 41
  • Quit Meter

    $18,839.27

    Amount Saved

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    Days: 695 Hours: 18

    Minutes: 38 Seconds: 2

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    4843

    Smoke Free Days

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    96,860

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

17 years ago 0 586 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Misty, There's some kind of error on your post and it's not showing up until you hit reply....so hang tough till they get it fixed or until everybody else figures it out :) Like Rob said, 24 days is great. Can you imagine how you'd feel if you blew all that progress. So, Get your mind set, smoking simply isn't an option. Hold on to that thought then... learn to deal with situations like non-smokers do. How long did you smoke? If part of your answer is "years"... 24 days isn't quite enough time to learn how to relearn being a non-smoker. Most of us grew up on the nasty things...so we've never known what it's like to be a non-smoking adult. Give yourself time. Some people do describe something similar to a panic attack when they quit. You might want to search here on the site for posts. I would imagine it has something to do with having to handle things without a crutch but be sure you mention how you feel to your doctor. I can feel so much stress and frustration in your post. Take a little time for yourself... unwind... and regroup. You'll make it if you want to. Tomorrow is a new day... and it really does get better. I promise. NOPE [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/2/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 554 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 11,098 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1977.78 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 58 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 11
  • Quit Meter

    $18,839.27

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    Days: 695 Hours: 18

    Minutes: 38 Seconds: 2

    Life Gained

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    4843

    Smoke Free Days

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    96,860

    Cigarettes Not Smoked

17 years ago 0 763 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
mistymoon.....glad to see that you are still hangin in here....quitting smoking is by no means easy. I went through times like you speak of. personally, I believe it's cause we taught ourselves to use nicotine to handle problems....we used it as a reward to handle even the good times. at least I know I did. I had to totally retrain myself to handle stress, anger, crisis, even happiness. All I knew how to do was "light up" in all those instances. the addiction hangs on for a long long time....watching and waiting for the opportunity to take over your thinking. It looks for justifications to light up. It plays on emotions. Stress and anger leave us especially vulnerable to it's calling. Even after a long period of time....it's like we CAN say no to smoking, but do we WANT to?? We may be left feeling our coping mechanisms are greatly lacking. (in my opinion, this is some heavy junky talk coming at us) as you are discovering the moods come and go....it's a bit like a roller-coaster ride. and it will continue for a while.....the episodes become further and further apart.....weaker in intensity. Don't let yourself 'play' to them......distract....don't give in to the thinking about solving the whole thing by smoking....this is what the junky in you wants....it gives him power and leverage if he can get you to thinking that giving up and smoking is the answer. Please believe me.....at some point, these episodes loose their power.....I still have crisis, anger, stress.....and if it's a lot, I still sometimes think of smoking....but that's all it is...just a "thought" of smoking....it's lost all it's power. I can flick it aside and go right on. and another truth....I now have far MORE patience...stress is no way near as high in my daily life as it was when I smoked. Look at your quitting as self control....learn to feed on that thought....let it begin to empower you. YOU are in control. and lastly...don't forget those rewards! big ones and little ones too. Learn the art of being KIND to yourself. and never look back....always forward....you are on the brink of freedom....don't let go now! ;) Katy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/4/2002 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1697 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[
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    $159,096.00

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    Days: 5347 Hours: 20

    Minutes: 15 Seconds: 24

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17 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Misty, Sorry about all the confusion. I have deleted and edited some posts to get back to the issue at hand. Thanks for coming here :) Hope you are doing better this morning :) You will be receiving lots of advice, so take what you need and keep it close. We have mentioned that everyone's body is different and it will also react differently to the quit. No one is the same and some go through a rougher time than others. The important thing to remember is not to smoke. It doesn't make the problems go away, or release the stress or make your sickness' stop. It will do further damage. It has been noted that around the 30 and 100 day mark members seem to be surprised by craves. The nicodemon sneaks in there for a few more chances :) Get out your coping mechanisms and use your tips and tools if you have to! Protect your quit at all costs and know that you body is going through a tremendous amount of changes. Your body does need time to adjust. Quitting is a slow process, not a quick one :) If something is persisting, than it is a good idea to check with your doctor to rule out anything medical. Do a search under "anger", it may give you some advice regarding the anger and stress you are feeling. I hope I have helped :) Keep Strong, Josie ______________________ The SSC Support Team.
17 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
jojo, You have a lot on your plate and we can help! Use coping mechanisms to keep pushing you and avoid those situations that will tempt you. Your kids will follow by example and you can share the knowledge you learn to hit it home :) Keep Strong, Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.

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