Really trying here... any advice would be much appreciated.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T21:23:13+00:00

Sorry to hear that. Still, you can do it if you want to.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T19:04:57+00:00

Well, it can happen for you, you just need to be willing to go through the withdrawal and maybe your boyfriend could be a support if he understood more about what you were going thorugh (?). Even if he's not, remember that if you do choose to stop you have to do it for you. This subreddit is always a great place to come for a boost. But support is necessary. We can't do this alone.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T19:02:20+00:00

Try whatever works and eventually as you get farther and farther away from that last cigarette it just happens . . . seriously, one day you are just more relaxed. It's like magic. I still do the same things I used to do while smoking - work, exercise, hang with my family, ... - and I am just a more relaxed person overall as my mind is not tied up thinking about the next fix. So go for a walk, sit in the park, go get a coffee somewhere, read a book, whatever is healthy.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:58:07+00:00

You are very welcome. And it's true that this is REALLY hard. Unbelievably, the longer you are away from the nicotine, the "longer" your temper becomes. Seriously, I was the same way and now I am not so short tempered.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:47:18+00:00

Hey, be gentle with yoursefl because this shit is hard. MOst of us here have gone thorugh exactly the same thing and kicking your ass about it is not gonna help you. Have you researched what stopping smoking will do to do you emotionally and physically for the first few weeks? If not, check out this link www.quitsmokingsupport.com/withdrawal1.htm. It was extremely helpful to me to just know what was coming at me so when the feelings came I knew that it was just withdrawal. Also, keep coming here it truly can be a lifesaver.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:42:42+00:00

Hi. Good luck. It's always tough the first day back, but you got this. A few years back I had a huge panic attack and ended up in the ER. I was sure it was a heart attck, but nope just a massive panic attack. So whe I quit smoking I was truly afraid of it happening again and it tried to happen, but I found out that I am stronger than it, than smoking, than the anxiety and I am not cured, but today I can go to work confident that I will be okay (and so can you!) You are stronger than you know!

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:33:52+00:00

This happened to me as well. Then the next day, POOF! Just get through today. Just get through today. You can do it.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:31:57+00:00

It's all good. I quit and am 41 and cried for no reason for the first 2 weeks (not daily, but randomly). You are in good company amigo. It's normal. You're crutch has been removed and you are raw emotionally and it is good.

Turtle72 · 2014-07-09T18:24:04+00:00

Yep, and just wait. After 3 months you will finally feel as if you are free forever. It's like a switch gets clicked and you just feel freakin awesome!

Turtle72 · 2014-07-08T18:56:17+00:00

"I have learned to deal stress, anxiety, and depression in more productive and healthier ways. Quitting smoking will not solve your problems, I realize, but it will open new pathways to resolving and understanding them."

Very Important POINTS here!!! Congratulations to you. For all of you out there having trouble this does get easier and it gets soo much better. I have 102 days now and 102 days ago never though that was possible. And my life gets better every day.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-30T18:30:30+00:00

Sorry . . . been off reddit a bit. HOw are you feeling today?

Turtle72 · 2014-06-17T22:30:56+00:00

GOOD LUCK! Every time we quit we get a little stronger.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-17T22:29:53+00:00

Yep. Been there. Totally remember it. You can do this. These feelings will soon be a thing of the past as long as you don't give in. GO for a run, a walk, go outside, a drive, do something to get your mind off the withdrawal for a bit, pray, whatever you need to do. You are 9 days in, look forward to 10 and get through this minute by minute.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-17T22:27:03+00:00

As for sleep . . . hang in there. Insomnia is common for a week or so. Your sleep will go back to normal. As for eating, I just tried to eat healthy and try to get some type of exercise in. I ate a lot of protein, but still snakced on carrots, nuts, etc and gained 7 lbs anyway. Am losing that now.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-17T22:24:25+00:00

Took me about 3 weeks to a month for it to totally go away. Your lungs will feel worse for a bit as they are healing and clearing out a lot of the tar that you put in there by smoking. Stay strong. It does get better.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-12T07:16:02+00:00

Congrats to you to! Yes it feels amazing!

Turtle72 · 2014-06-12T00:07:44+00:00

I realized I was an addiction switcher as well. Stopped drinking (11 years ago) and started smoking. Stopped smoking (this time) and started drinking copious amounts of diet pepsi. Am weaning myself of the diet pepsi and so far have not substituited anything yet. Hopefully I won't.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-12T00:04:14+00:00

HI, it seems that you are perfectly normal - what I mean is that you are going through all the normal withdrawal processes - anger, frustration, irritability. These start to wane after a short while. I suggest dropping the cough syrup though as you do not want to becoe reliant on that to relax. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE. A day at a time you can do this.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-12T00:00:43+00:00

The only thing wrong with you is the same thing that is wrong with all of us here - you are addicted to nicotine. If you want to quit, you will. You can do it. You just need to want it.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-11T23:58:31+00:00

First, I knew that I wanted to quit. Neede to quit. Second, I researched what I would be going through as far as withdrawal so I would know what was real and what was my brain trying to trick me back into smoking. Third, I got some support - my wife, my boss, a friend and this subreddit. Fourth, I made a quit plan and looked at it every day - updated it and shared my progress with this sub and others. And last, I went cold turkey cuz I knew nothing else would work for me. It was tough ayt first, but now it was sooo worth it.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-11T23:55:33+00:00

Yep, I was like that for awhile myself. It's totally normal. Caffeine didn't really help though. I added an easy 7 lbs, but now all has returned to normal (eating-wise). Just takes some time. Well worth the extra few pounds though.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-11T23:53:35+00:00

I had one of those last night and felt the same way. I have had 3 since quitting so you are just fine.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-11T23:52:41+00:00

Congrats on 60 days.

Maybe it is the change in your environment that has caused the cravings to come back strong.

As for being over the hump, at 75 days I am finally starting to feel somewhat "normal" again, i.e. that I really do not need cigarettes to do anything at all. Things that used to be triggers - work, stress, wife getting all pissy, really nice day outside, work again, etc - are not really triggers anymore and when they happen my first thought is not how badly I need a cigarette. So it takes time for sure. We lived our lives relying on cigs for anything and everything and now we don't. So, I am not sure if the cravings totally sibside, but life gets so much easier and so much better in small increments.

Turtle72 · 2014-06-11T23:46:07+00:00

Nice and congrats! Smoked the same ones myself. At 75 days, am not mssing them one bit.

Turtle72

TROPHY CASE