Hi guys

I'm new here and have posted in the May quit group. But I didn't want to scare people on there unnecessarily by holding this discussion on there, so I've hidden it slightly by moving to this area.

Anyways, I am at 3 weeks now, and I wanted to hear some of your experiences about the first week or two of quitting?

For me, I did it without any cessation aids, so it was an unbelievably intense experience. More so than I'd ever imagined it would be. What helped me though was scaling down from about 10 cigs 10 days out, to 1 cig the day before I quit. But despite that, after about Day 2, the waves of cravings were so so intense and so so overwhelming, that I couldn't breath at times. I became a greedy animal during these, scoffing sweets and chocolates like a greedy kid feeding an urge that refused to be satiated; but the desire to smoke remained, like an undercurrent that was gathering the strength needed to become the tsunami that would torture me again and again, until I quit quitting and accepted the beautiful, demonic arms of the burning stick...

But I didn't quit somehow, and the torture subsided after around day 10, and now I am here to talk retrospectively, for now at least... And I want to know, was it hard for you guys also?

Good Morning.  Your writing is so eloquent and you describe it so well.  Yes,. the first couple of weeks are extremely difficult .. however, must admit that I am using the gum and I have 3 pieces of that a day.   But I do not allow myself that until afternoon and my mornings were difficult at first .. but now they are usually a piece of cake.

You can do this and ti will get easier!

Tell us how long did you smoke and how often?  Is this your first time to quit?

Look forward to hearing more.  - Deana

3/5/20 found the path to freedom

Hey, thanks for the compliment :)

And well done you for reaching two months?Is that any different from the 3 week stage? Over here, at this early stage, there is still uncertainty, as the waves do still come, albeit in a way where you don't feel like you are going to drown everytime they hit.

As for the the gum, that seems very minor. Plus the fact that you are not doing that in the morning shows how much you are in control of this. So well done you

I have quit before once and that lasted about two months. However, looking back now, I'm not sure I can count that period as quitting really, because I moved on to vaping at the time. The vaping then actually became increasingly frequent, to the point where I was subconsciously vaping pretty constantly at home, and not far off from doing similar away from home. I guess I didn't recognise and respect vaping as being a problem and an addiction also, and it then overpowered me. I decided eventually that smoking was the more acceptable option, as I had always tried to control the numbers for that (for the cost, if nothing else), and not let it completely gain control of me as vaping did.

Oh, and I've smoked for 28 years straight, pretty much since I was an impressionable young teenager trying to be cool

Yes, vaping certainly has it's problems as well.  

You will get through this quit.  Stick to this board .. read and write .. it has been invaluable to me during this time.

Have a pleasant smoke free Wednesday.  Pledge your daily NOPE (Not One Puff Ever) a thread in the general tip top section .. adding that chain/thread daily is something a lot of us do .. it is ritual that works to keep you accountable for the day .. I have found that an extremely useful way to regroup and recharge every morning as a non smoker.

You can do this!  I look forward to hearing from you.  -

- Deana' 

3/5/20 -- found my path to freedom

Good morning 

I am using  Chantix to quit, and still have the cravings and urges at times. Everyone is different. Some people stop having them after the 4 month mark others say all the way up to a year. It really all depends on the person. 
I think the worst effect I had was the fatigue. Around 6 weeks I was experiencing it really bad. Many people experienced this so be prepared. Adding a multivitamin to your diet may help. Exercise also helps.... and a nice hot bath. 
 

Hope this helps.

Eve 1/30/2020

My god, it does sound like a long road...

Hi there,

In the grand scheme of things, smoking for as long as we did and training and feeding the addict within like we have, several months or a year even really isn’t that long. I’ve smoked for a total of 35+ years. Quit when I was pregnant and that lasted a couple years. Now, to be at 2 and a half months quit is so empowering!! 
Don’t analyze it too much, just keep doing it. Distract yourself. Walk. Drink water. Sleep. So many things to do! You are a good writer. Entertain us!  Entertain YOU! Start a Journal here under the journal tab. There are several there that are pretty entertaining! 
Im 58, and realized I am really too young to keep smoking! Really. I’m very busy and active and smoking is a big monkey on my back that I’m sick of carrying around. It embarrassed me, made me feel ashamed, made me feel a hypocrite...could go on and on. 
Waves and craves pass. They really do. And they get better past the first few weeks!! Most all people here say that. They aren’t gone, but definitely better. 
I failed several times at cold turkey, but didn’t stop quitting and have found the patch and being here are the right combination for me.

Don’t worry about any of your posts scaring anyone. There is such a tremendous amount of acceptance and support here. Everyone here “gets it”. We all are going through it. Some have more time than others and that is a beautiful thing as they jump in and remind us we will get through it. 
Read through some of the other months from the beginning! You will feel right at home anywhere on this forum I’m sure.

Read in the Library on the bottom left tab too.

Just don’t smoke. You will just end up wishing you were where you are now. Just one really does not work. 

It is hard in the beginning, but didn’t mean to scare you! It DOES GET BETTER! I feel better even at 3 months, my skin is better, the bags under my eyes have diminished immensely! I actually have more energy and time. Not thinking of when I can fit a cigarette in my day. One thing has changed is my sleep pattern. Sleeping more soundly and my schedule is completely off. But also may be due to not working right now, due to the pandemic. 
Believe me things do get better...... financially too, I wouldn’t be looking for a new vehicle if that wasn’t a factor. I also want to get the new car for many reasons but one is if I do and have a car payment and insurance goes up, I definitely won’t be able to afford smoking. Which will make myself accountable for not smoking and financially keeping me from not enjoying life. Don’t like living paycheck to paycheck. Done it! Not fun. anyway really hope I didn’t scare you off of a really good thing you are doing. Health reasons are another factor. I use an inhaler because of asthma, yep still smoked, but noticed not using as often! 
 

Hey thanks Loreficent - is that your real name by the way?

I was just about to describe a craving I had this afternoon, which was pretty horrendous, but I think I will take your advice and stop over-analysing my feelings. I will try to indeed go with things, like you say, and will start reading some of what is on here...

Yeah, and I absolutely get the embarrassed bit you mention. I have 3 young kids and I was forever being a child by finding a way to get away from them and squeeze in a cig, which doesn't fit in too great with the adult, responsible persona that I mostly try to portray to them.