Day 3... cold turkey

[Mooogles]

Hello, anyone like to join me for support and to share experiences in giving up? I am on day 3, cold turkey. It's going ok all though I have been pretty irritable. I have been here before and failed at this early stage, but conversely have given up for long periods of time (years) before so I know it is possible. Desperately want to kick this habit for good now. Some of my reasons:
1 health - fed up of worrying and feeling guilty
2 kids - fed up of hiding it from them and finding ways to escape for a cigarette, and want to be healghy for them
3 money - want to buy other things - clothes, holidays, not cigarettes

Anyone care to join me?

I can support :-)

I gave up for good January 2013. I will never, ever smoke again.

But I couldn't do cold turkey. I spent 14 months using nicotine replacement (lozenges). Are you sure cold turkey is right for you? Could you have some NRT in the house for if things get really, really difficult so that you don't go and buy cigarettes?

Days 3 and 4 are hardest cold turkey.

If you feel your resolve and willpower slipping - get NRT.

Day 3, well done that's fantastic!

You're nearly over the worst. Put the money you're saving in a jar and watch it mount up. Also keep counting how many fags you're not smoking. There are apps that can track this for you, it's a great encouragement as you watch those numbers grow.

It's a good idea, if you can, to steer clear of social occasions where there will be smokers - just for a couple of weeks, especially if alcohol will be involved. Meanwhile, plan what you'll do if you get a craving in those situations, or any other situations you think might be difficult for you.

If you do slip and have a fag, the thing not to do is go 'oh fuck it, I've failed, might as well buy 20'. Count how many you haven't smoked, plan what you'll do differently next time you're in that situation and get straight back on the horse. You can do this!

If you haven't tried it yet, get the Allen Carr book, it works for lots and lots of people.

Also think about whether nhs services could help you. They can provide one-to-one or group support which really boosts your chances of success.

Good luck!

Thank you for your replies. Fate, Jan 2013 is fantastic. You may have a point re NRT... Can I ask which you used? I could never get along with patches but was wondering about the spray, for when things get desperate...

Plenty.. Thanks for your post. I have read the Allen Carr book. Tried it again recently but it didn't have the same impact. Like the idea of money in a jar.. And actually hadn't thought about an app..,

I have just got through the most difficult part of my day, arriving home from work. Managed not to shout at the kids or DH... Even though they were all being intensely irritating!

Unfortunately, avoiding situations with other smokers is very difficult as DH smokes so I just have to deal with that...

I am just looking forward to tonight being over and it being day 4... Want to get to a the 1 week milestone as apparently most people 'fail' before the week is up..

I actually found giving up smoking without my DH was better for me than if we'd have given up together (he in fact gave up 2 weeks after me, when it became apparent that I was taking giving up very seriously). I genuinely didn't care if he gave up or not, because I wanted to give up and me giving up was then not dependant on him giving up or staying given up.

I used the Nicorette lozenges. They are like mints. Taste horrible but it is not about the taste, it is about the nicotine hit that they give. You put one on your mouth and let it dissolve - which takes about 10 minutes, just the amount of time smoking a cigarette takes.

I could not have done patches when giving up (although I did for about 3 weeks at the end of NRT as a means to wean myself off lozenges). Because I needed the nicotine hit. Patches give you a steady stream of nicotine in your blood. I liked/needed that instant hit like you get with a cigarette, so used the lozenges just as I would smoke. Whenever I wanted a fag, I had a lozenge.

I have zero willpower so never denied myself. It never bothered me in the early days if I had 20+ lozenges a day (recommended amount if 15 max per day), because I viewed it as better than smoking. I was down to below 15 within a week of giving up anyway. I always just allowed myself as much nicotine as I needed/wanted, always viewing it as preferable to smoking.

This may explain my extended time on NRT (14 months), but it meant that my withdrawal from the physical habit of smoking was easier because I never denied myself the chemical addition of nicotine. Then once the physical habit was gone, my chemical addiction was dealt with very slowly and gradually so that it was never a problem or an issue.

I continue to have half a pack of lozenges in the medicine cupboard for just in case. Not needed them, but still view having a nicotine lozenge as far more preferable of the shit hits the fan, something bad happens and I am tempted to smoke. Instead I'll have a lozenge because I recognise that the addiction is to nicotine, not cigarettes.

Good luck!

Get some NRT in the house, even if for just in case.

Morning, well day 4 now. Have survived the morning cravings..

Fate, interesting re your DH, and I need to adopt a similar attitude because my DH is unlikely to give up any time soon.

I actually have been thinking about it in reverse in that I wanted to get rid if the physical addiction first and then the rest should be easier?! Perhaps naïve. Anyway, no work today so is going to be harder than the previous days.

Any ideas how long it will take before I stop obsessing over this?

Quiet thread but it helps me to write down how I'm getting on.. Have been very irritable today.. DH says he wishes I was at work. Still feeling determined though and fighting off the cravings. As advised on this thread, I think I am going to get some NRT.. I will go out in my lunch hour tomorrow

I'm still here reading and being on your side.

Well done on getting through the day! It will get easier every day. Don't beat yourself up using NRT if you need to. It is better than cigarettes.

I am completely bloody stupid. DH just brought wine and cigarettes home and I smoked. I am a bloody idiot fate. Back on it tomorrow.

I don't mean back on it, I mean back off it. I am so annoyed with my stupid self.

Think about how much you haven't smoked, not how much you have smoked.

I would highly recommend getting some nicotine replacement, so that you are not tempted again.

A blip last night does not mean you have to give up on giving up. Just pick up where you left off today. Remember what you are giving up for:

1 health
2 kids
3 money

Think about how much you haven't smoked, not how much you have smoked.

^^ this! You did nearly 4 days - how many fags is that?

Your DH doesn't sound like he's being very supportive. Is he smoking around you? Would he be able to just be a bit discreet about his smoking for a couple of weeks? Alcohol is a major danger point for relapse, especially in the early days. It's not a bad idea to avoid it altogether for a few weeks - it's not for long and stopping smoking is a big thing which will benefit you for the rest of your life, so worth prioritising.

FATE, you used NRT very effectively by using enough of it and using it for long enough. Most people don't do well on it because they don't use enough to effectively deal with the cravings, or they cut down the dose too soon.

If you go the NRT route mooogles, I'd follow how FATE used it. Don't be afraid to double up if it helps, e.g. use a patch for a constant dose and top up with lozenges, gum or an inhalator if you get a strong craving. Also don't worry about going above the recommended dose. Nicotine on its own is a very safe drug at the levels found in NRT and if you've had too much you'll just feel a bit sick or headachy and can cut down to a more comfortable dose.

Thank you all for your support. I have set a new stop date of Monday. Am going to get NRT in and get some social occasions out of the way this weekend, still determined to stop this thing

Best of luck for Monday - and it was only 1 cig you smoked.

Am sure Fate is right about the lozenges.

Good luck for tomorrow

I gave up on 12th May and I used Tabex which I think helped with the cravings. Today is day 64 and it is much easier now. I could still have a fag but it is not all consuming.

I put an app on my phone which helps to show how much money I have saved and how many I have not smoked.

How's it going so far? I gave up - cold turkey - about 5 months ago. I had a few wobbles, especially the first time I went out with smoker friends. I managed to resist (actually got them to blow smoke in my face!) and I don't have any cravings now at all, and didn't after about 3 weeks, which amazed me having smoked for 20 years. Good luck!

I've just decided to give up, tired of the coughing and feeling like I constantly have to clear my throat to speak normally. :/ Although mainly, I'm worried about the health risks. I've managed to quit for 6 weeks before so hoping I manage to stop completely this time!

Hi again. Well I failed miserably to stop last time. But have stopped again now. Currently only day 2 but feeling fine about it, better than last time, I feel like I am really going to do it this time,but I have felt like that before! Jack, when did you stop?

Quick question. What do you think is the best app?

Hi Mooogles, well done for giving it another go. The more times you try the more likely you are to succeed

Don't rule out your local Stop Smoking Services, they have comparatively good success rates, whatever method you are using.