I've been smoking cigarettes for 48 years (inhaling).
I decided to try to stop smoking on the first of the year.
I have nicoderm patches.
It is now 8 days and I have smoked 22 cigarettes.
I am now out of cigarettes and fighting the urge to go buy a new pack.

I read online about the quitting withdrawal symptoms.
I do not seem to be having the withdrawal symptoms as described and I'm wondering how effective my efforts will be to actually stop smoking.

Normally, in 8 days I would have smoked anywhere from 8 to 12 packs of cigarettes. My severe cravings happen in spurts with no definable trigger. There is no cycle timing to my cravings, they are sporadic.
There is no severity levels that are defined as to the strength of the cravings when I get them. Sometimes they are severe while other times they are less severe.

The nicoderm patches help but they seem to be weak help. When I do smoke a cigarette, I smoke while I am wearing a patch.

Of all the listed symptoms of quitting, I am having opposite results in most. While I can taste my food better, I still have no appetite. Instead of anxiety I feel mellow. I sleep better but I have energy.



One of the benefits I have felt is the ability to breathe easier.
That smoker's cough is gone. My sinuses are draining less frequently. I feel less itchy. It is like having relief from an allergy. I think I might be allergic to cigarette smoke?

I have an overwhelming urge to go buy another pack of cigarettes.
To the point that I know I will. I'm curious if;
After smoking so much for so long I should concentrate on easing down my habit?
A cold-turkey approach is pushing my limits?

I realized, as I was smoking those few cigarettes these last few days that I really don't like the act, yet I lit up, even tho I only lit up a few times. I did not enjoy smoking those cigarettes yet I continue to crave them?
I have been a robot smoker for years. I lit up without thinking about it. Now, I light up with high trepidation. I force myself to restrain myself from auto-smoking. I put my cigarettes where I had to work to get at them. I removed all ashtrays.

I'm open to suggestions.
I know I will buy another pack, probably sometime today.
I know I need to have cigarettes and NOT smoke them to effectively quit. I think if I can do that, I can beat this lifelong addiction.

sounds like you are doing fine with the nicotine part tom
the bigger problem is the physical pattern habits. those can take 2 to 3 times longer to break. it's been 10 plus years for mom and the one cig she still fights with (and wins) is the one right after dinner with her coffee. find something to sublimate that with. lollipops toothpicks or a straw are the most common.

but if you are already at the stage you are feeling better i would say keep fighting the cold turkey fight.

as for allergy? i would say it's more likely that you body is finally done reacting to and trying to remove the smoke just like it removes dust etc my the breathing works

Nicotine is highly addictive. I am a smoker. The habit and nicotine are hard to break

Good for you!

If you believe that you can then you will stop smoking. I admire your strength of will Tom ... mind over matter.

I quit, cold turkey, 23 years ago....yay me!
You can do this! Just hang in there, one day at a time!

Certainly far from kicking it yet but it seems to be getting easier.
I bought that pack. Smoked one...No pleasure, yuck.

I'll know I am making headway when I can have cigarettes here and not smoke them.
I'm kinda curious how long this pack will last?
Its out in the truck.
I have to make a conscious effort to get to them.

My hardest patterns to break are while I am watching movies and while I am typing.

I don't really eat so that after food smoke isn't bad not having it.
I started curbing my waking/sleep habit before I decided to stop.

Keeping my teeth brushed helps. Must brush my teeth 5 or 6 times a day right now. After I have one, I must go brush my teeth.

I've a feeling its gunna hit me hard sometime this week.

You are doing great so far Tom! I really admire you for doing this, My brother is achain smoker and he hasconfided how hellish it is to quit. Wishing you success!

You've probably heard these tips before, but:
limit time spent with other smokers; avoid alcohol if possible; avoid watching anything with smokers or smoking adverts in it like old movies and sport; keep warm;

Get fanatical about your art or hobbies where it is annoying to have to stop for a puff.

Dirty fingers from working on your truck, stinky fingers from gardening and fertilisers (blood and bone/seaweed/manure), sticky fingers from cooking, etc., all make it messy and inconvenient to smoke.

It's been decades since I quit cigarettes, but after a few drinks I still have the urge to fill that empty spot in my lungs, even though I know if I do smoke, I turn green and throw up; but the urge just doesn't leave.

The first few weeks is painful like having the flu. Then you start catching colds, since your mouth isn't such a death trap for bacteria and viruses.

After a month, you should be over the worst, unless you string it out and quit slowly, then it is a long hard slog to get over it.

You can do it! And with the extra money available, you can treat yourself.

I also quit cold turkey Dee, 15 years ago and have not missed it one bit.

Humm lets see as of this month it has been 15 years since I laid cigarettes down never to pick them back up. I was a total chain smoker went through 2-3 packs a day...

I did it cold turkey~~~never believed in using nicotine since I'm trying to get away from it, in the first place... But that is just me I know many it has worked for...

When I quit I was coughing at night so much at times I had to go sleep in my recliner..... Within two weeks that was gone and I was sleeping all night and not coughing half the night...

But ~~~~never use those patches and smoke~~~ that is even worse all at once...Talking about shocking your system~~

Even tho I quit and succeeded, unless you can focus on a good reason why you want to quit smoking and it is what you want. Then it will be a battle to quit them..

I can honestly say that I enjoyed smoking.. flavor and all.. I smoked in my house as well as in my car.

My first grand daughter being born gave me my reason...... never looked back..

When I had cravings I would get up and start cleaning something or just do something..

Best thing that helped me was I cut the big fat straws into thirds and used them like I would a cig in my hand and put a peppermint in my mouth. Just use what ever hard candy you like.. It is the hand to mouth motion that drives most of us nuts. Once I was past the craving I just threw the cut straw away keep extra in my purse, my car & at work...

Now no one smokes in my house nor my car... But I work with smokers and friends that smoke does not bother me at all..

Yesterday I had 3 cigarettes.
Each time it was a decision.
I noticed that I am conscious of the cigarette now.
I noticed I am not 'relieved' by smoking and the after feeling is starting to be "yuck".

Today, I am going to experiment with timing 3 cigarettes and 'force' myself to smoke them all the way. I want to be repulsed smoking cigarettes.
10am
4pm
11pm

I am still not having any withdrawal symptoms as described on the internet.

As it was last year, I would have already spent $100 on cigarettes this year. As it sets, I have spent $5 so far. Right now, I have $95 that I wouldn't.

great job tom.

Thanx, its difficult but not as difficult as I imagined.

if you stay hung on those 3 or 4 a day also try moving the times around to further break up the physical part of the old habits

Just curious why smoke even the three if you are not having any withdraw symptoms?

If you are getting the yuk factor then don't smoke them.. The key is to get away from all nicotine...

And it is not recommended that you smoke with the patch it can have some bad effects on some..

Well Tom,I have nothing more to add.

However, its not just nicotine you are addicted to. Companies add other chemicals to make them more addictive. They also use amonia in the processing that changes chemical form when burnt and is worse than the nicotine itself for you.

If you can remind yourself of the money you'll have by not smoking and what you can do with it, that may be a greater incentive to not want to smoke.

If you must smoke, you are better off buying tobacco in unprocessed form and roll your own.

I quit using Chantix after having a stroke in 2008 within 6 weeks after being a 3 pack a day smoker for 43 years. Best thing I ever did. You will eventually start tasting food differently, smelling things you didn't before, you will feel better. If you have frequent headaches, chances are they will stop. I used to get migraines, they stopped after quitting.

Hang in there... You can do it.

I have smoked for the last 48 years.
My goal is not to just quit by elimination.
My goal is to quit by availability.
Meaning, I want to be able to not want to smoke no matter if they are accessible or not.
Kinda like poisonous green peppers. I can see them, smell them and still not want to eat them. I can watch others eat them and still not want to eat them. I can look at a perfectly formed green pepper and still not want it.

Right now, I spend well under my income. Any additional money will just go into my savings account.

I do believe I have always been allergic to cigarettes, just put off my symptoms to other allergies. Nearly all my allergy problems have gone away, I'm not taking allergy meds anymore.

I was like a person with hay fever living in a barn...miserable with allergies. I think that is my main benefit of stopping. The relief.

WOW so you started smoking at 8 years old??

Cigs could have a lot to do with allergies and smoking in the house makes them worse.....

Once the cravings go away for them you should be good... It took a couple of weeks for mine to go away and never wanted to pick up another...

What I did with all the money I saved on smoking once a month I would take 1/3rd of what I saved and go buy something I needed or wanted just as a bonus for not smoking... That alone I looked forward to at the end of each month... Did that for like 6 months then quit doing that for I knew I would never pick them up again...

It is tough to quit but so well worth it...

I sleep much better, taste food more and sleep a heck of a lot better due to no coughing during the night and first thing in the morning..

Well Tom, I can be around them, in a bar, wherever and just don't want them. It doesn't bother me at all to be around it, with a lot of people that's not the case.

If you're already feeling the benefit by not smoking, in time you'll notice even more benefits besides the allergy symptom relief.

Cheers..

Yeah, I started inhaling at 8 years old, I puffed on them long before that tho.