The nicotine is out of your system. Now you have to fight your thoughts. Keep going.

Well I admit I'm using nrt so the nicotine isn't totally out. I wish I could say that I'm totally out of the thick of it, but I'm going to be slowly weaning myself off of nicotine for a bit. I've been doing really well on patches so getting punched with such a strong urge caught me off guard. 

Just know that it will pass. I flew through week 1 but week 2 and 3 were harder for some reason. There is a good article on here that talks about the icky 3's - 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months (if I am not mistaken), you should check it out, it may help. 

For me, around that time the cravings were mental, I was using the patch so I had nicotine in me. Each time you fight through a craving you are not only building your muscle memory, you are also one step closer to staying quit! 

yup, you fight your thoughts - your own thoughts - this means you are fighting yourself.  That's what makes it so tough or so easy.  If you tell you, you are happy with not smoking (happy no nic) each time your thoughts wonder in the direction of trying to regain that fix of nicotine or smoke, you can turn the whole experience into a much more enjoyable one.

Be pleased with yourself, pat yourself on the back, applaud yourself every time you get a craving.  Every single craving is an indication that you are winning.  It is a winner's badge.  Tell yourself - well done, way to go.  I am not going to give myself a cigarette  but I am going to give myself a round of applause for not smoking and thank you craving for reminding me how wonderful I am that I no longer smoke.  Way to go self.    

Cheers

Good job Tiny, keep it up! You are doing great! No matter what you are not smoking....... be proud, and when you are ready, you will wean yourself off! Everyone is DIFFERENT, so don’t think because one is doing it, you should.

Again congratulations!

Thanks! I sometimes feel like I'm not doing this the "right" way because many people here have quit without nrt. In the past, I quit for about 7 years cold turkey. For some reason, it's just not working that way now. So here I am, needing an aid and I will do my best to be proud, because like you said: I'm still not smoking. In a little over a month I won't need the patch and I'll be on my way. Thanks for perking me up about it, I feel much better.

  It doesn't matter how you quit, as long as you get it done! The goal is to remove all nicotine from your body, how you reach that goal is of little importance!

  Take Care!

Tiny I’m glad I could help! Remember don’t put yourself down, all of us are 7 years older, and something in the past may not work the way it does now. 
 

I know my eyes don’t! Lol

Well, it's rainy and windy here. I went for a long walk with the dogs anyway, they don't mind and seem to enjoy all the walks we've been taking lately. I'm on day 17 and counting. I've been using a free app to keep track of my progress. It's called easy quit, I think, and it gives you a lot of fun calculations about how long you've gone, money saved, a matching game to pass the time, and a lot of other stuff. If you enter your quit reasons, it will send them to you throughout the day. I got some more patches, as I'm still on the big boy ones, and have a while to go before I step down to the 14. I'm feeling better about using them after some feedback here. I think I agree that I need to do whatever it takes to quit and that I'm doing what works for me, no matter what reading material tells me the opposite. I've been cleaning house and am enjoying the fact that I don't have to burn a candle all day to smell it. And it smells so nice! I can even smell my dogs oatmeal shampoo from the groomer! All silliness aside, I've been much more active since quitting and don't find myself so winded. I do not regret this quit. I know that I stand on a knifes edge, such a fine tightrope between smoking and not. I keep reading and learning from everyone and it's great. 

Tiny,

I use an app as well! It is neat to see the progress made. Mine also has health benefits - healthier teeth and gums, breathing functions, etc. Isn't it amazing that after smoking our bodies will being to heal themselves? If that isn't forgiveness.. I don't know what is! :) 

As far as the NRT goes, do not let anyone/any article make you feel like you are not quitting the "right" way! Numerous people use NRT to quit, and lets be honest, it would not exist if there was not a need for it! Every quit is different and beautiful at the same time, with NRT or without. I too used NRT, and as this thread will tell you, I have successfully weaned off of it! I found that NRT took the edge off while I learned to alter my behavior to that of a nonsmoker - and there is nothing wrong with that!

Kudos to you and 18 days - you are SO close to 3 weeks and a life of not smoking!