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Give and get support around quitting

Baby-J
Member

How am I doing?

I've been on Chantix for 19 days and today is my 6th day smoke free. I am super proud of myself and today I had only one minor crave I dont even know if it was a craving as much as it was a passing thought and quickly went away. My question is how much is me doing this and re learning how to go through day to day without smoking and how much of this is the medicine. Because right now I am proud of me...but should I be? Is this just chantix doing all the work? And if so what is life like after chantix. Do the cravings and urges come back? How will I cope with those without chantix on my side? I am just so happy to be in this space I am right now I feel so good but I am just so worried about down the road. I am asking past chantix users how did you cope without the medicine? Did urges come back and how did you stay smoke free? Thank you all in advance. 

21 Replies
JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Congrats on 6 days smoke-free. You are doing great.  Chantix only takes the edge off as you stop smoking each day will get better.  As each person is an individual so is a quit. I used wellbutrin for 90 days. You still have to do the work when you get those little urges and not let them grow just like you are doing.  Keep up the great work. One day at a time.  Count your blessings. Some days can be easy others can be hard.  Never give up NOPE with keep you free.  NOPE not one puff ever. 

Giulia
Member

Don't ask me.  I never used Chantix.  But as a supporter on here, I'm chiming in anyway.

6 days is great!  How many "day one" quitters here wished they had 6 days smoke free under their belts.  You were one, 6 days ago.  Tomorrow you'll have your first smoke-free week.  That's pretty cool in my quit book!

So - should you be proud of yourself?  Oh YEAH!  Chantix isn't doing all the work. Really.  But if you're concerned that it IS, then do more homework for yourself.  Go to Relapse Prevention‌ and read through the stuff in there.  

You know, I went to knee surgeon a year or so ago and he was talking about morphine after the operation and I said I was concerned about that because I think I have an addictive personality.  You know what his response was?  "The fact that you're concerned about it tells me I don't have to worry about it and neither do you."  If this response makes sense to you, then you will also have your answer regarding Chantix.  

The questions you need to ask yourself are - OK, suppose the urges DO come back, how will I remain free?  That's just homework here.  How much of it is you and how much of it is the medicine...  THAT,  I think, is totally as you make it for yourself in your own head.  We create our own journeys.  Do you want it to be more you?  or due more to the medicine?  I'd suggest thinking in terms of more "YOU" and your mindset.  Sure the medicine helps, but it's not the medicine that conquers this addiction, it's our own minds.  You actually HAVE the answer, I think.  Don't question so much how you got through day six, just move on to day 7.  You're succeeding at this.  That's all that matters, really.  Right?

And when you taper off Chantix and maybe have cravings - so what?  You've made a decision to quit.  Right?  Just learn how to deal with cravings through the many blogs on here that teach you how.  No reason to be afraid.  All the tools and support are right here.

Be super proud of yourself.  WE are!

Barbscloud
Member

Big congrats 6 day smoke free.  I also used Welbutrin and NRT this time.  If you read about how Chantix works:

"Chantix works on two levels. First, it partially activates sites in the brain known as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that are affected by nicotine. ... Second, Chantix has the unique ability to stop nicotine from attaching to those nicotine receptors if you smoke while using it."

it's an aid to "get you started" on your quit.  You still have to do the work and change your mindset, associations with smoking, etc.  Don't worry, just keep up the good work that you're doing.  It's called success!

Barb

Well you should be 7 days smoke free by now so huge congratulations on kicking "Hell Weeks" ash! You've got this.

M n @ Signature 002-5.JPG

The Chantix isn't making you not smoke.

Not smoking is a choice.

It's a choice every time you think of smoking.

In time, the thoughts just fade away

sweetplt
Member

Hi and Welcome  to Ex’s,i am so happy you found out support site.  6 Days is great, be proud ... you are almost done with hell week.  I don’t know a lot about Chantix ... but I don’t think it is doing all the work.  I hope, if you didn’t already, but, read My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX ... this will help you be Knowledge about this journey and plan ahead for craves and triggers... keep close to here to give and get support ~ Happy Thursday ~ Colleen 122 DOF 

YoungAtHeart
Member

This addiction has two parts - the physical (nicotine) and the psychological - associations/triggers built up over years of smoking.  The nicotine is now out of your body.  It takes a month or two for your body to adjust to life without it, then it's learning to deal with the associations/triggers without smoking.  When we smoked, we hid from our emotions behind that cloud of smoke; when we quit, we have to learn to deal with them.  We used a cigarette when we were lonely, tired, hungry, bored, happy, as a reward for a job well done, etc.   A huge part of this journey is learning to deal with these without smoking.  You ARE learning to get through them all without smoking while using the Chantix.  I would take the drug for the recommended amount of time, wean yourself off of it, and use the lessons learned when you stop. 

Change up your routines!  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.  Get the idea? 

To answer your question - you are doing GREAT!  You have almost completed H#ll Week - now on to Heck Week, then to a month, through No Mans Land - and on to forever. 

Nancy

maryfreecig
Member

Chantix is helping you one way or another. Even as it is doing its job you are unlearning smoking. That's something to keep working at--smobering up. There is no sainthood in cold turkey--quitting is quitting. Give yourself all the time and help you need to create a good quit.

I am very Proud of You!

You made decision after decision to not smoke! That is a huge achievement! Will you continue to have thoughts once in a while? Yes but you now have coping skills to overcome the thoughts and redirect your mind. Dopamine is a giant part of rebuilding your smoke-free self. Keep finding ways to get dopamine - like celebrating your Days of Freedom! That is the brain chemistry element that chantix helps you with now but that you are also learning to find on your own. 

How are you doing?

Fantastic!

Dopamine - the Double Edged Blade