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1. cuui

   

   7 posts
   Registered:
   02 Jun 2018
   03 Oct 2018

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   Hi everyone,
   
   I guess I have been smoke free since August?  Just finished the two step nicoderm therapy last week Thursday.  Today is 6 days with no nicotine.
   
   It has been tough.  The only thing that hasn't changed between being on the patches and now is not thinking about smoking.  I don't know why, but I do not entertain the idea of smoking cigarettes...no matter how much I want to alleviate what I'm feeling now.  Perhaps it's due to a lot of my history with nicotine revolving around abusing the lozenges or just some ingrained conditioning I've done to myself to make cigarettes seem like the devil incarnate, but my thoughts only go there for a second then can be easily silenced.  So that's good.
   
   The bad part now is this week has been filled with a lot of insomnia and disturbed sleep, lack of focus & irritability and depression.  I work for a small company, should actually be working right now, but am by myself in the office and just don't have any more in me today.  It's been tough.  I was saying in another thread that I think I let myself believe for a while that doing the 2 step program was going to make this final leg easy, but it's definitely not.  lol.  Not as hard as before when I stopped altogether and literally thought my skeleton was going to pop out of my skin, but it's still hard.
   
   Anyways, thought I'd get some of it out in writing.
   
   Thanks.
2. brieffree

   

   1477 posts
   Registered:
   28 Nov 2017
   03 Oct 2018

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   Hi cuui
   
   Congrats in trying, you need to distract your self from that moment!
   You been free for a wile, you learn how to fight the crave.
   
   Just drink water instead and say go away!
   
3. jenna lee, quit coach

   

   265 posts
   Registered:
   28 Jun 2018
   03 Oct 2018

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   Hi cuui,
   
   Congratulations on your quit!
   
   Glad to hear that those thoughts pass quickly about smoking.
   
   I send a lot of kudos your way for sharing your experience, and am sorry to hear of your struggling. All of those are normal withdrawal symptoms, however, that does not mean that you should not get support for your mental health. Please let your healthcare provider know how you are doing. If you need a distress line as well to speak with someone. Please don't hesitate to call into us at 1-877-513-5333 so we can share resources for this with you.
   
   On another note, nicotine products are recommended to be used up to 3 months after quitting. So if you are open to continue weaning off of nicotine slowly again, that may be another possibility. I just want to mention this as you have quit in August so November would be 3 months. I do hear your concerns about using the lozenges in the past so not sure if this is a good fit for you, but maybe something to explore further.
   
   Please continue to follow-up and let us know how you are progressing.
   
   We are here for you, 
4. treepeo

   

   832 posts
   Registered:
   29 Nov 2017
   03 Oct 2018

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   Hi cuui,
   
   I get it about disturbed sleep.  I quit cold turkey, and found that I could fall asleep, but not stay asleep.  I woke up 2 to 4 times a night.  It was so frustrating.  More than that, it made it increasingly difficult for me to hold onto my quit, because I was just so tired.  But in my case, after the first month, I started sleeping normally again.
   
   Withdrawal symptoms are never fun to deal with.  But thankfully, they do eventually pass.  Do your best to hang in there, cuui.  You have been smoke free since August.  Keep plugging away.  You are doing great, and you will be victorious.  Just take it one day at a time.