Trying to quit smoking

[verity]

Hi guys

I have just come back off holiday. I got a really bad sore throat and cold just before I left and I couldnt and didnt want to smoke. I got some patches and I have now gone over a week without smoking.

I have come back home to old routines etc and am feeling like I dont know how I can carry on not smoking. I knew it would be harder once I got home but I am really scared as I am not sure how I am going to handle my anxiety long term without smoking.

It was always an emotional crutch for me and the pyschological addiction is worse than then physical. I know logically that the ciggarettes do not actually help with anxiety and that its just an addiction but my brian associates ciggarettes with helping me through highly stressful times.

I can't really afford to smoke and I am trying to think of my health, I am just struggling this evening :(

[sirworryalot]

get through tonight and tomorrow go to the chemists and get one of those nicotine inhalers - i used the patches and the inhalers - the inhalers really helped - ( its a sucking thing...:)

10 yrs i've been off them now.....once you've been off them a while you'll wish you'd packed in yrs ago - i know its hard but perservere.........millions have done it already!

[verity]

Thanks, I am trying to stick with it. Are you able to use an inhaler with the patches? I thought you couldnt use the two together? I think otherwise I will have too much nicotine in my system lol

[andyr1979]

hi Verity, like you i have given up smoking been 18 days for me, im using patches hasnt been easy but im getting there, the side effects have varied for me but deep down i know i feel better! let us know how ur getting on ?

[sirworryalot]

use light patches and inhalers - hard to od on nicotene patches/inhalers.......i used em both together and i'm still here....just!

[verity]

Light patches and inhaler makes sense, i am on medium paches at the moment.

Well done on 18 days andyr1979, I was unsure what sort of side effects I would get. I deff feel jittery and ratty but I am an anxious person anyway so no real change there lol its just that I cant now pick up a ciggarette in times of anxiety

I do hope I can do this

[andyr1979]

thanks for the support, and you have done really well to come this far, i wont go into the side effects ive got because you no what its like sometimes but if there is anything specific give us a shout and ill let u know what i went through, i found some good resources that help with quitting smoking

[Yorkman]

I quit 11 months ago with champix. I found it quite easy. The hardest day was sticking to a quit date and not smoking that day! After day 1 it was fairly easy IMO.
I had my mind focused on quitting, and the champix helped aswell.
I had failed previously with patches.

[verity]

ARH!! I typed up a reply and my computer went back without me pressing the back button and I lost it!! Yeah I am irritable and adgitated does it show? lol I know I have been highly anxious lately anyway and I wasnt planning on quitting now but due to my sore throat I felt I had to. I may as well carry on as I have managed for a week now. I was on holiday when I quit so was more relaxed and its so much harder now I am home.
I have no idea if what I am feeling is mainly due to anxiety in general? It probably is but I no that I feel worse because I cant just pick up a ciggerette. I am still struggling :sad:
I have looked up the champix, I have heard of it before. I am on two other meds so I am not sure I would be able to take something else otherwise I would be too doped up. I also have a history of depression so I dont think the doctors would chance me on it.
Thanks guys, I am just gonna try another day and see how I go today. I have just put the patch on. I am not at work till Wednesday so am pottering around the house today, that is harder as I get more anxious when I am home alone but I need to rest and do some housework as I have to go out tomorrow.

[musicaldave]

I quit after smoking for 37 years. The Allen Carr method worked for me. One of the important things is that you keep smoking while you learn how the dependence works and when you are ready, you have your last fag and job done. Penguin publish the book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. Have a look.

[janine85]

Hi i quit 17 months ago, cold turkey, smoked 20 a day.

you will ONLY SUCEED if you want to give up and feel fully sure that you do. I know the anx doesn't help.

i believe this to be the case whether you substitutes or go it alone,

you have done so well already for stopping for a week. WELL DONE :D

[verity]

I do so want to stop, otherwise I would have picked one up by now. I have had two horrible days of anxiety. I called the NHS stop smoking line and they also suggest I combine methods so I spoke to the pharmacist and have an inhalator now. Its helping me to pick that up instead of having nothing. I will look up that book too. Thanks guys I am just taking one day at a time

[Gemma T]

Hi Verity.

I recently gave up smoking and its been 8 weeks and 1 day now. The patches are a god send but sometimes you need something extra and i also decided to use the inhalators. Your allowed up to 12 a day and i found i use one a day. I take some puffs then go about my day, then more as and when i need it.

It is not easy to juggle giving up with anxiety but it is do able. Unfortunately I had a 6 hour relapse a week and a half ago but i was back on the righteous path very quickly.

You should go on the nhs stop smoking site. You can order a free giving up pack. Also join a stop smoking group. I joined at my local chemist and get everything free (im out of work).

Good luck and feel free to inbox me if you need a little release or any help x x x

[Hazel B]

I stopped in May last year as anxiety started, I'd also just lost a beloved relative to lung cancer and I was having health issues myself. The hard part for me was making up my mind to stop, that took a few months of churning it over. Once I'd decided I went cold turkey and have not looked back.

I smoked for 20 years and only wish I had quit sooner. There is absolutely no reason to smoke, nothing good comes of it, I used to think it helped stress but it makes it worse as it acts as a stimulator. It took about 2 weeks for my cravings to stop and it's fine now. I looked at patches, gum etc but all they do is take the same amount of money (if not more) and prolong the addiction, so for me they were not an option. They seem to work for others so try things and see what works. At the end of the day, it's your willpower that will do it for you.

Best wishes and hope you quit for good.

[verity]

Thanks guys, its good to know that despite anxiety it is possible to quit! I've had a dreadful day with anxeity to be honest but I have not had a ciggarette! I am so glad I got the inhalator, I do not think I would have got through today without it!

[shackell]

hi guys and well done ive been off them 2 hole days and im not going back i stoped as for a while ive had a bad cough that i cant shake off and its time to get rid of the fags it will be good to keep this going as there seems a few of us are stoping smoking at the same time good luck for the rest of the week guys

[KayleighJane]

well done verity you have made the right decision, all the best with your journey in giving up, you can do it :)

[verity]

Thanks so much for all your support :) it deff seems like a stop smoking thing is going on which is great. It will prob do our anxiety good in the long run as you dont get the ups and downs of nicotine in your brain.

Although this evening (just to round off a crap day lol) I saw a huge spider in the hallway, then I only looked away and back again and it disappeared! I cant find it again and my poor boyfriend who I was on the phone too at the time had to try and calm me down whilst I was sobbing and hyperventilating! I have sucked on that inhalator non stop since! cor dear....