Wish me luck!!!

Well, I haven't had a cigarette in 9 days!! :D I'm chewing gum like mad, but I'm not smoking!!

The psychologist at the clinic determined what each person's usual daily intake of nicotine was (she had a book that listed them all) and she determined that I was averaging 27 mg. per day (.9 mg per cigarette times 30 a day), so she put me on two patches. One 21 mg. and one 7 mg. I'm supposed to slowly get off of the 7 mg. and get down to just one 21 mg. She sent me home with 6 weeks of the 21's and two weeks of the 7's. You're supposed to start off at your "saturation" point. One guy in there who smoked 2-1/2 to 3 packs of Camel unfiltered a day has to wear two 21 mg. patches to start out with! Everyone had a different combination and I think only one person started at the 21 mg. only.

I'm thinking that this may be why I haven't been able to quit with the patch before. I did it the way it says to on the box. Start at 21 and work your way down to 7. I never thought about adding more nicotine to make the withdrawal easier. I get a craving 3 or 4 times a day, but it's not so bad that I want to run out and buy cigarettes again!

So far, so good! :D

Way to go, Leslie!

I'm sure you'll kick it this time!

Peace

Nine days is a good start! Take it one day at a time, as they say, and you'll soon be through the first couple of weeks. Then months. Then years.

I'm going to really make you angry now - it's also nine days since I had a cigarette. Didn't want to say anything till I'd gone at least a week - it was a spur of the moment decision. Quit, cold turkey, just before midnight on my birthday - just decided I was fed up with being a slave to the weed, and haven't had one since. Bought my usual 2oz packet of rolling tobacco on the Saturday (birthday was Friday) and it's still unopened - it's a temptation, but one I'm finding it surprisingly easy to resist so far.

I haven't been grumpy (well, no more than usual!) and I've had a more than usually stressful week - family problems, need I say more? - but I haven't noticed anything like eating more, chewing gum, spending a fortune on mints....

I have had cravings, but I've got round them by one simple method - every time I wanted to put a cigarette in my fingers, I picked up a guitar and started to play.

Anyway, best of luck - keep us updated. If you need to talk to someone, you know my MSN address!

:D :D :D

Vic

Hang in there, EB! We're pulling for you!
If I could do this, you can do this. Promise!
Tim

Vic!!!! I'm thrilled for you! As cool as the hard work EB is doing. I'm so proud of both of you! Now put the money you would have spent on smokes in a jar and save it up for a new guitar :wink:

Kudos to both of you!

Yay for Vic and Leslie. I can't speak for Leslie, but I know that Vic can easily handle a food craving or two - he's the original scarecrow.

Keep on keeping on!

One day at a time :D

Hey Vic,
You can do this. Sorry, I hadn't realized you were quitting too. Being smoke free is great.

Tim

Yay for Vic and Leslie. I can't speak for Leslie, but I know that Vic can easily handle a food craving or two - he's the original scarecrow.

Keep on keeping on!

Well, thanks - I think!

You're right though, Dan, I could easily put a stone or two on before anyone noticed! I've always had that kind of metabolism - able to burn off the calories before they even registered. Heaviest I ever got was about 15 stones, and that was way back in the late 70's/early 80's - these days I vary between about 12 and 1/2 to 13 stones.

Always been fairly hyperactive, too - I never could sit still for long. That's probably the biggest difference the last few days or so - the dogs have had a few nice long walks instead of just the usual "round the block" exercise - it does help that the weather's been fairly nice, though!

:D :D :D

Vic

Hooray, Vic! :D I'm really glad you're giving it another go! I could never do it cold turkey! You have a much stronger will than I do! And, I'll be right there with you every step of the way!!

I'm not noticing eating any more, but I am noticing that I'm beginning to taste actual food again! I bought some apples and cut one into slices and, OMG!, apples haven't tasted that good in years! Can't wait to eat an orange or tangerine!!

That's another thing I'm doing. I've cut out all of the fatty, salty and sugary "snacks" and am now going for the fruits and vegetables instead. Mostly because every time I've tried to quit cigarettes before I gained weight. So, I got rid of all of the weight gaining stuff and bought healthy, less calorie laden things instead. Now that I can taste so much better, I find that I'd much rather eat apples and carrots than chips and cookies! I think I'm accidentally making a lifestyle change!!

:D

So how's it going, Elecktra? I lasted till about the end of June - then I had a ciggie off my daughter at the pub when I'd had a few. It only takes one - now I'm smoking about as heavily as I ever did again. GRRRRRRR!

It's just that one ciggie - refuse it, and you're fine. Take it, and you're hooked again. I'm hooked again!

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Vic

I am quite pleased to say that I'm still smoke free! Just a couple more weeks on both the 21 & 7 mg patches, then for 2 weeks I have to switch everyday, one day I'll use both patches, the next day I'll only use the 21. Then I'll step down to strictly the 21's for a few weeks then do the switch thing for two weeks with the 21 and 14 mg patches until I step down to the 14's only. Do those for a few weeks, then do the switch thing with the 14's and 7's until I step down to just the 7's and eventually off of those so I'll be completely nicotine free!

My habits have been well and truly broken so it's just the addiction that I'm working on now. One great thing about this Smoking Cessation Clinic is that, unless you feel yourself that you're ready to change from one patch to the next, you don't have to do it. You can stay on whatever patch you have a hard time getting over for as long as you need to. You only step down if you're mentally prepared for it!

Food tastes much better! And I can smell things better than before! I had never noticed that my pillows smelled of cigarette smoke until a couple of weeks ago. So I went out and bought new pillows! And, I've been doing "deep cleaning", trying to get the smell and the nicotine off of everything I own! The big problems are the furniture and the drapes and curtains. I used furniture cleaner and thought I did a good job, but a day or two later, I could still smell the smoke. I had no idea how bad a smoker's house smells until now! I've even washed the walls!

When the time is right for you, Vic, you'll be able to do it, too! You have to be mentally and emotionally prepared and you have to REALLY want to quit and you have to make up your mind that no matter what, you're stronger than a cigarette and you just have to set your mind to the fact that YOU DON'T WANT TO BE A SMOKER EVER AGAIN!!! But, until you reach that point, I wouldn't even try because you'll be setting yourself up for failure. I failed three times, but this time I don't want to be a smoker ever again! I get cravings, and when I do I just tell myself that I don't need or want a cigarette and it only takes a few seconds now to get rid of the craving.

I'm the most weak willed, instant gratification now type person you could ever meet, so, if I can ignore my cravings, you can do it, too. I almost cheated once. But I didn't do it! I just smelled the cigarette then put it back into the pack. It was the same brand of menthol's I used to smoke! (Sure did smell good, too!) But the point is, I could have lit it. I could have stashed it and smoked it at home alone and no one would have to know except for me. But, my determination is at the point that I'm not going to let that happen! I used to say that "I will be a non-smoker", now I say "I am a non-smoker!"

EB makes a very good point - a smoker's house reeks of tobacco, nicotine, etc. and everything is covered in brown tar. Until you give up smoking you don't realise just how bad it is.

I suspect that part of the problem with giving up is that you continue to live in a "smoker's house" and breath the stench of it constantly, making withdrawal much harder - a constant reminder of your previous bad habit and a temptation to go back there.

You're absolutely right, Graham! And that's another reason I want to sell this house and move into a new one that's been cleaned and painted and doesn't smell of anything other than fresh paint and freshly steamed carpet. I'm also considering donating my couches and "stuffed" chairs to charity and buying new ones (once I sell this place and get enough money!!). Start off my new non-smoking life without having to live with the lingering smells. (I want to sell my house anyway, but this just gives me more incentive! I don't need to live in a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house all by myself!)