Give and get support around quitting
After 7 full days of wearing a 21 mg patch, having one or two lozenges, and feeling pretty confident about this whole quit, I thought I'd try a no-patch weekend. Weekends are good because I can do whatever I want and there are all kinds of distractions.
Saturday went okay. Walked around the track at the rec center for 20 minutes for the first time in six months. Had one lozenge.
Sunday was a disaster. For no apparent reason, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes around noon and the next thing I knew, I was curled up in bed, sobbing like I haven't done in years, questioning my resolve to go on...my ability to "adult"...my reason for being on earth.
Woke up today much earlier than usual since I was all slept out, and then the battle began. My internal idiot wanted me to make a run to the convenience store. NOPE!
One lozenge and one patch later, I am coping much better. Not smoking is the easy part. Being nicotine-free is not so easy - at least not just yet.
The nicotine is out of your body about three days after you stop putting it in....then it's your body adjusting to life without it for the next couple of weeks ,then it's the associations and triggers you need to get past. I have read of others who had crying jags from the early withdrawal from the drug. It gave you hits of dopamine which you are now missing. It takes a bit for the body to realize it now has to make its own. You can hurry that up in these ways: 10 Best Ways to Increase Dopamine Levels Naturally
You might try reducing the mg in the patches before you go down to zero. 21 mg down to 0 is quite a jump. By reducing the amount of nicotine gradually, the final step down should not be so dramatic.
But the good news is that you didn't smoke!!!
Woo - Hoo!!!
Yup, there will be days like that. And now that you know it, you can be prepared. Pay no attention to the internal idiot. They don't have your best interest in mind. /blogs/Giulia-blog/2016/09/06/a-quit-dialogue-in-iv-acts?sr=search&searchId=2d16eee7-dfaa-40cd-ae51-... Glad you got through it. This is how our metal is refined!
I definitely recommend stepping down to a lower mg patch rather than going from 21mg to 0. It will ease the transition for you. When you do decide to take off the patch for good, just be aware that you will go through withdrawal symptoms. There isn't any way to avoid that all together, unfortunately. My emotions were all over the place when I first quit. That lasted about 3 weeks for me, I think. I wasn't perfect after those 3 weeks, but I wasn't such a crying, screaming mess.
Great job not smoking! You do what you have to do to keep your quit. That's what matters!
Way to go not letting ur internal idiot make bad decisions for u! Be proud...u won that battle Glad ur feeling better!
Yes, it is disturbing how nicotine addiction really does have a hold on the mind. Patches are a proven method of helping a quitter transition. Support is too. Thanks for sharing what happened. You handled it great--you didn't smoke. Went bazerk, but didn't smoke. I quit cold turkey (versus smart turkey) and bazerk was my middle name. No matter what method we use to get to the point of feeling better about smobering up, it's still one day at a time.
I didn't use patches but my understanding is you are suppose to decrease gradually.....not just stop. So try that as everyone above has said.
However, may I also remind you...don't be in TOO much of a hurry to be done with the "quitting". I know we are all hoping that in about a week to two weeks the whole quitting thing will be over and we will be non smokers. But, the reality is we smoked for a lot more than two weeks. So we have to give quitting a lot more than two weeks. You id great getting through a tough period. Stay Strong.
I did not use patches or any NRT but I don't have anything against them. I CAN tell you what I was told over and over again and again..it WILL get easier and it DID. You did great, there is nothing wrong with crying. Getting used to feeling our feelings is part of the journey.
Ellen
You got some great advice above me...it is an emotional roller coaster...and it does get better...I hate you have to go through all of these tough feelings, but we all did it...and eventually the pay off...is phenomenal...one step at a time...} Gotcha in my Thoughts Colleen 420 DOF
I have to agree with stepping down on the patch. Basically you went cold turkey. There's nothing wrong with using an aid - I did, but I recommend following the instruction. Glad you kept your quit.
Barb