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Give and get support around quitting

ozzymom
Member

NEED to start today but how

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum but certainly not new to trying to quit.  I've been a smoker for almost 40 years and tried to quit more times than I can count.  In fact I actually did quit real cigs about 2 years ago but did it with the help of an e cig & now i'm addicted to that.  In fact, i really think i love the e cig cause i can use it anywhere...which i do.  i vape in the car, my house & even in my office at work.  In fact i vape all day long every day!  Now i'm going to be starting a new job in a month where i can't vape in the office.  My junkie brain is telling me that i need the vape in order to learn & concentrate & that without it, i'll get that foggy feeling i always get when i try to quit & as a result, i'll screw up at my new job.  Talk about pressure!!!!  So i figured i have a month in which to get quit vaping.....or at least get past that foggy brain, can't concentrate part of the quit before i start my new job.

Now i realize this is not the best situation in which to start a quit but the more i think about, the more i realize how badly i'm addicted to this damn vape stick & that if i  was ever going to have a good reason to give it up, this would be it.  Not that the new  job is reason enough....I do want to quit but this will be a motivating factor.

Now the question becomes how.  I've got the patches, gum, plenty of water & day filled with the prospect of working on my taxes to keep me busy but will NRT just prolong my agony?  I'm thinking i should just go cold turkey but when i wore a step one patch the other day, life wasn't so bad.  I made it all day at work without vaping but crashed when i got in the car.  I just want to be past this "can't concentrate...funny feeling in my mouth" phase which makes me focus so much on vaping.  I know once i get past that part I can make it past the "habit" part of the addiction.

Sorry to be babbling but it has been about 10 hours since i've had any nicotine so i guess that "foggy" part has already started.

Any advice or encouragement y'all can offer would be much appreciated 

Thanks

22 Replies
Mandolinrain
Member

Welcome to Ex!

One day at a time.

Read the suggested reading above. Its been said those who understand the addiction and prepare ahead of time have better quit journeys

DonnaMarie
Member

Well, you're already using NRT with the vape device. (I noticed my niece used hers nonstop too!) If your concern is the foggy brain on a new job, stick with the gum, lozenges, and other "socially acceptable" nicotine delivery devices. I personally find cold turkey to be the best way to quit, but many many people have great success with NRT.

Read all the stuff that folks posted above. The people here have been my lifeline and we can all be yours too. Welcome to the site from someone who has also quit 100s of times, but for real this time.

Donna

Day 77

elvan
Member

Education about this addiction is vital and understanding that quitting is not an event but a one day at a time journey is the road to success, support from others who have been where you are is incredibly helpful, the last thing you HAVE to have is commitment.  The fact that you vape all the time is alarming, I have no idea how much nicotine you are delivering to your body.  I quit cold turkey but I HAD done some preparation,  tracking my cigarettes and making plans for things to do instead of smoking.  I made plans to keep busy, to exercise, to eat right.  I smoked for 47 years and have now been quit for over five years.  I am so happy to be free of nicotine.  A long time ago, a doctor I knew told me that people who complain of feeling foggy and unable to concentrate after they quit is because they have forgotten how to breathe.  He said they need to be told to take a deep breath in and hold it and then exhale slowly through pursed lips.  I can tell you that it does help.  My respiratory therapist when I was in pulmonary rehabilitation, told me to get some bubble juice to practice.  If you exhale too quickly, you get not bubbles.  

I can tell you that quitting nicotine is quitting nicotine...there is no short cut but it CAN be done and it is so worth it.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

anaussiemom
Member

 One step at a time .

Breathe....................................................

ozzymom
Member

Wow, thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to my post!!  As I said, I've quit so many times before that this time I'm not even telling anyone for fear of failing again & having to see disappointment on their faces.  Thus I only have this forum for encouragement & you guys really did come through for me!

The weekend was pretty uneventful and although I thought about vaping, I was able to easily distract myself when the cravings came on.

Now that I'm back at work it's a whole different story.  I've been at work for about 4 hours & have accomplished practically nothing.  All I've done is think about vaping!!!!  If I can make it to 11pm tonight I will have 3 whole days under my belt & supposedly all the nicotine will be gone from my body right?  Then it's just the habit, junkie thinking I'm gonna have to overcome isn't it?

OK I'm gonna go take a walk around my office & then try to read some of the blogs you guys suggested.

Again, thanks everyone for the encouragmement

TW517
Member

Yay for you!  Congrats on closing in on 3 days!  A quick walk around the office saved me many, many times.  You are doing great.

0 Kudos
Barbscloud
Member

Hope the walk helped.  They usually do.  Coming here and reading/posting really helped me get through those craves early on.   You're right about the nicotine being out of your system  and the next stage being the nicotine receptors and the psychological associations.  We all have faith that you can do.  Keep vigilant.

BugsNBats14
Member

Its hard. GOOD FOR YOU,!

Step by step, hour by hour, day by day...I am on Day 63.

On Mon, Mar 4, 2019, 2:03 PM Barbscloud <communityadmin@becomeanex.org>

CommunityAdmin
Community Manager
Community Manager

ozzymom‌ Don't forget to set your quit date by following instructions here: Re: How do I get my quit date to show on the community?

Mark
EX Community Manager

EX Community Admin Team
0 Kudos
ozzymom
Member

YAY!!! I made it through my day at work.  Tonight may prove to be tough cause I'm supposed to be celebrating my new job with friends but I'm gonna try my best not to get caught up in the junkie thinking.  I barely have any nicotine in my body now & I sure as heck don't want to go back to day one....

thanks everyone! Y'all really helped today