Thanks Paul!  Will do. 

To the new forum member:

Welcome to the About Smoking Cessation Forum

I have been visiting this website for 4 years and have found it extremely helpful in my fight with nicotine addiction. Although not having any long-term abstinence, every time I returned to smoking, I was met with encouragement and positive responses from the community. I am not alone. It makes me feel good when someone responds to my many posts over the years, like they really care.

You will find genuine and sincere people on your side here. Feel free to share any feelings, thoughts, anything that you may be experiencing. No matter what you say, even if doesn't make any sense, people are listening and want to help. 

I could relate to much of your post. I too am a recovering alcoholic (other substances too). I have found nicotine to be the biggest challenge of all. Smoking for longer than anything, my addictions have been with me since I was a teenager. I am now 68 going on 16. Young at heart and willing to do anything that will help me age gracefully. 

Over the years I have tried several methods to quit. Of course, cold turkey, which always ended in short-term failure. Hypnosis, IV drug therapy, books and video seminars, oral medication (Chantix and Wellbutrin), nicotine products such as the patch, gum and lozenges. I never thought any of them helped. I a few months ago I discovered a new substitute called nicotine pouches. These were the only thing that had a similar effect to smoking. I use them more and more each day. 

 I find that I am slowly getting addicted to the pouches. Not a good thing because they help to continue the addiction. My plan is 28 days on the patch with the 8mg pouches and then another two weeks or so on the pouches and then finally two more weeks on the 4mg pouches after which I will be on my own. 

I believe this is a good plan. And as with any plan it has to be followed accordingly. I think I can pull it off. I am ready to make this one stick. I have so many other things I want to do to take care of me (physical, mental and spiritual) I don't want to be bothered with smoking any longer. 

Wish me well. I look forward to any posts that may come my way.

Good day,

Andrew

To the new forum member:

Welcome to the About Smoking Cessation Forum

I have been visiting this website for 4 years and have found it extremely helpful in my fight with nicotine addiction. Although not having any long-term abstinence, every time I returned to smoking, I was met with encouragement and positive responses from the community. I am not alone. It makes me feel good when someone responds to my many posts over the years, like they really care.

You will find genuine and sincere people on your side here. Feel free to share any feelings, thoughts, anything that you may be experiencing. No matter what you say, even if doesn't make any sense, people are listening and want to help. 

I could relate to much of your post. I too am a recovering alcoholic (other substances too). I have found nicotine to be the biggest challenge of all. Smoking for longer than anything, my addictions have been with me since I was a teenager. I am now 68 going on 16. Young at heart and willing to do anything that will help me age gracefully. 

Over the years I have tried several methods to quit. Of course, cold turkey, which always ended in short-term failure. Hypnosis, IV drug therapy, books and video seminars, oral medication (Chantix and Wellbutrin), nicotine products such as the patch, gum and lozenges. I never thought any of them helped. I a few months ago I discovered a new substitute called nicotine pouches. These were the only thing that had a similar effect to smoking. I use them more and more each day. 

 I find that I am slowly getting addicted to the pouches. Not a good thing because they help to continue the addiction. My plan is 28 days on the patch with the 8mg pouches and then another two weeks or so on the pouches and then finally two more weeks on the 4mg pouches after which I will be on my own. 

I believe this is a good plan. And as with any plan it has to be followed accordingly. I think I can pull it off. I am ready to make this one stick. I have so many other things I want to do to take care of me (physical, mental and spiritual) I don't want to be bothered with smoking any longer. 

Wish me well. I look forward to any posts that may come my way.

Good day,

Andrew

Thanks for your post Andrew, looks like our stories are very similar (imagine that—one AA to another!). Today is my quit day, I’ve been encouraged to keep it along with my sobriety date which I plan to do. 
 

I did the express version of the graduated reduction —day 1 was 5x8mg pouch, day 2 4x8mg and so on for days 3 and four. Yesterday was 2x8mg and today nicotine free. So far so good—minimal cravings easily tolerated so far. 
 

Good luck with your plan, looking forward to hearing how you are doing. 

Andrew....

I have been reading your posts, and congratulate you on your quest to beating the nicotine addiction.  It certainly takes a hearty soul to get back up after a relapse.  FriendoBill, welcome to the forum!  It is a great corner of warmth and encouragement, understanding and intelligence.  Best of luck to both of you... In quitting nicotine in order to be your best selves!  We are all on a journey to become our best self, and along the way, as hard as it may be, we must choose health over sickness!  I too, am quitting nicotine lozenges for probably the 50th time.  Day One starts tomorrow.

I know, that for me, nicotine replaces thoughts of eating. Having struggled with eating disorders my whole life, I need to find a new and healthy way to deal with either dieting or binge eating.  I am trying to find a new and healthy balance.

I sucked my last lozenge half an hour ago, and hopefully this time it WILL be the last of them!  I am looking forward to this time around!  I will keep you all posted.  I apologize if I have been away for a while.  Life has been so full and busy.  Blessings!

Wouldn't you know that I just opened up my last jar of lozenges and thought of you and then discovered your post in my mailbox. Interesting ,,,,,

Been wondering how you were getting along. Good to hear that you have decided to give it another whirl. This on again and off again has got to end. Frankly I'm getting tired of the all the energy that I am using to quit. I have far better things I could be doing besides dealing with this problem. 

Four weeks and four days smoke-free. Speaking of eating, I now have a new addiction called chocolate. My waist is growing but interestingly enough I have not gained any weight. I am exercising, walk 2-3 miles a day, water aerobics three times a week and keep busy with projects around the house. I keep on the move as much as possible. 

Cravings? Yes, but not overwhelming. I have not had any "near misses" this time. Even though my wife smokes in front of me, I don't let it bother me as I know that I really don't want to smoke again. The power of positive thinking.

I have been using nicotine pouches daily. At 8mg they are more potent than the 4mg lozenges. My target for stopping both is July 1st.  Wish me luck, the same to you.

Andrew

You can do this Andrew!!  Day One begins.... Now.  It is 7:00am.  Coffee with NO lozenges afterwards.  Yikes!  But I am excited... Really. I am excited this time around.  The last time I quit was because I developed canker sores inside my mouth. So I did that quit out of force.  It lasted 9 weeks, then I gave up because the canker sores left and I began to eat more.  Lozenges have always been a way to help me regulate my eating.  We shall see where the day takes me!  But I am excited and full of hope and new energy!  This time around I am not quitting out of fear but out of a yearning to NO longer be a slave to nicotine.  Oh, and chocolate sounds divine.  Keep on truckin' Andrew!!

Glad to see you are still going Jerthie.  It's a beautiful life.

Ernie

Thank you Ernie .... I am still sucking on the lozenges though.  I quit yesterday for 12 hours then I caved and bought a pack.  I don't know about quitting sometimes. I want to but I don't.  I love the lozenges.  What I don't like is the fact that I am addicted to nicotine.  I might try to cut down tomorrow.  I don't encourage anyone to follow my footsteps.  Stay strong on your quits people!  Hopefully I will join you again soon!!!