11 days quit

[Shavonda34]

I am on day 11 of not smoking. I am feeling the tightness of the chest as well as anxiety and shortness of breath. I do a breathing treatment to help with the shortness of breath. Im just going day for day hoping it all be over shortly. I refuse to give in. The devil will not win this race this time. Im in control. All encouraging words are welcome.

[aaronallred4891]

Keep going Shavonda!  You got this, and this community is here for you.  11 days awesome, today will make it 12!  Keep your resolve and push through those cravings, I know they are hard, but you got this!

Aaron 65 DOF

[Shavonda34]

Hello Aaron. Im gone push through it. I have my mind made up. Im just going through the toughest time right now. The shortness of breath is the scariest. Not really sleeping all to well. Crazy dreams. But its all worth it. I did this to myself by picking up the habit. 

[Cousin-Itt]

Your doing great at 11 days  The discomforts will go away shortly  Each day Won is So Well Worth It. 

Keep staying strong Shovanda  You got this

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to the community!

Even though you are well on your way (and congratulations on ELEVEN days - that is HUGE!), it's never too late to better understand this addiction to nicotine.  Your anxiety may be caused by your body adjusting to life without the drug.  Any type of exercise, even just swinging your arms, marching in place can reduce it, as well as taking slow, deep breaths (if you can!).  Smoking actually CAUSES anxiety (which you will learn about in the reading I will give you)!

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware.  I credit it in large part with my success at quitting.   You can search for it online or at your local library.

 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  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.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[maryfreecig]

Congratulations on 11 shavonda34! You are doing all the right things, keep up the great work and welcome to Ex. You now have a whole quit community rooting for you.

Below is a great blog about --well the title says it all...

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/thread/27817-getting-better by Thomas

[Shavonda34]

Thanks everyone for the support. Its greatly appreciated. Im not to much having the cravings as I was the first couple of days. I will be going to my doctor in the morning to see what can be done about the anxiety and other symptoms. With everything im going through and feeling there is no way I'm turning back to a cigarette for help. I have made a promise to myself my husband and my only son that I'm done for good and thats what I'm striving for. I will get through this tough time and one day look back on it and say "boy that was rough". Once again thanks everyone for the encouraging words and all. 

[sweetplt]

Hi and Welcome to Ex’s...Shavonda34 

11 days of Freedom is super...keep that beautiful quit going...although it is good you are doing breathing treatments...along with them and/or through out the day be sure to practice “breathing exercises”...really helps the lungs and the anxiety...Colleen 661 DOF 

[Shavonda34]

Thank u. I will start this today

[elvan]

You sound wonderful & like you are committed to your newborn quit. The beginning is rough except for the rare quitter. We are dealing with  addiction & this is a serious & powerful addiction that everyone here understands. You have made it through the first week, referred to as Hell Week & you are more than halfway through the second week, referred to as Heck week. Remember that this is a journey, one DAY at a time or one STEP at a time. There are no shortcuts but coming here as often as possible will help you to strengthen your commitment. You CAN do this & you ARE doing it! Right now, YOU are helping someone who is behind you on the same journey. 
Welcome to EX & keep us posted on what the doc says.

Ellen

[Shavonda34]

I will update once I leave the doc tomorrow. Thanks for the support

[Barbscloud]

This is not uncommon.  You're replacing the carbon monoxide with oxygen.  But seeing your doctor is the wisest thing to do.  Please give us an update and congrats on 11 day.

Barb

[indingrl]

 Yahooooooo nicotine FREEDOOOMMMM

[Trisha76]

Just remember always you just have to do today!  This works for me one day At a time - try never to look ahead - too overwhelming.

[Shavonda34]

Thats what I do take one day at a time. Thats all we can do. 

[SMILINACCOUNTNT]

Welcome and way to go on 11 days! Definitely come here when you need support, it helped me thru many an urge. 

[maryfreecig]

Way to go! One day at a time you are getting smober.

[Shavonda34]

Hello everyone. Today is day 13 for me. I had my doctor visit. Turns out I have bronchitis along with the anxiety so thats why my breathing is off balance. I have medicine to treat both so hopefully within a couple days I will be much better. 

[indingrl]

WAY TO GO

[Barbscloud]

Happy to hear you followed up with your doctor and got the treatment you needed.  

Barb

[elvan]

So glad you saw the doctor and that you are being treated.  Please hang in there, I can tell you that I lost more than one quit when I started to feel better about a physical illness I had.  I would convince myself that it wasn't really the smoking...until it became undeniable.  Nothing makes smoking worth it, it will do nothing FOR you but lots TO you.

Thanks for the update.

Ellen

[Trisha76]

Early days are hard.  Stay in your day - do not look down the road and remember you have the control over your behavior.  Use the breathing and keep moving forward as a winner every night.

[Shavonda34]

Hello everyone just checking in. Today I am 18 days smoke free. 

[elvan]

CONGRATULATIONS, you are doing this. I am so happy for you!

Ellen

[Trisha76]

Keep it up!  Good job - you are on your way to freedom

[Shavonda34]

Thank you

[Shavonda34]

Thank u

[maryfreecig]

Fantastic!!!

[Shavonda34]

Hello everyone just a update. Im 26 days smoke free today and feeling wonderful...

[YoungAtHeart]

YES!

[Barbscloud]

That's fabulous.

Barb

[Shavonda34]

Hello everyone. 33 days today smoke free. Feeling great. 

[SMILINACCOUNTNT]

That's fantastic! Congrats! 

[Shavonda34]

Thank you

[elvan]

CONGRATULATIONS! You are doing GREAT!

Ellen

[indingrl]

[Shavonda34]

Hello everyone just a update. 45 days today

[Barbscloud]

Congrats.  45 days is fabulous.  

Keep moving forward.

Barb