90 hours in...

[Donaldwilsarion]

  Ok, 90 hours since i quit.... my smoking cessation lady put me on a 21 mg and a 14 mg patch....one on each arm. I was smoking almost 30 a day so she she suggested I wear 2. She also gave me 2 mg Nicorette gum and 2 mg Nicorette lozenges I didn't like the gum but, the first two days I ate 4 lozenges each day.... I haven't had one yet today......this is my third day, creeping up on my fourth.....its been a total struggle.....cant feel any pleasure....just anger and disgust today....need natural dopamine bad.....im quickly learning to hate the feeling of the "nrt" nicotine still being in me.....just delaying the real hard battle ahead.....holy church!!

[sweetplt]

You are going through hell week ... so your feelings are sorta normal...some here believe the NRT’s can make you feel emotional too...I don’t know because I have never used them...hang in there...read here at the blogs about dopamine, etc., take a walk...find other healthy ways to get it...also, this is a great list to have close to you...

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex/blog/2008/05/03/things-to-do-instead-of-smoking  Hope you feel better as the days quit start piling up...~ Colleen 153 DOF 

[indingrl]

WELCOME! WAY TO GO AND CONGRATS ON 3.7 NICOTINE FREE DAYS! I had to ask MY husband for HELP to figure out 90 hours- GOOD JOB! gentle hug

[YoungAtHeart]

Brisk exercise, singing aloud to or dancing along with your favorite music, a bit of chocolate, sex, are all ways to get a hit of dopamine you are missing from smoking. 

The idea behind the NRTs is that you deal with your triggers and associations with smoking - create new routines with less associations to smoking - while still getting the nicotine.  It might be easier to deal with just one part of the addiction at a time.

Hang in there!

Nancy

[Wendy1963]

Finally put the patch on 2 oclock. I Keep feeling like somethings missing. I can do this. i need to remember that.

[Sootie]

Did not use NRT's so can't comment on that but I will say you are at the best online site for support! Reach out whenever.........someone will be here to help.

WELCOME to EX! We are all here for each other.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome, Wendy!

Please write a blog and introduce yourself to the community.  You might include why you want to quit, your smoking history, how much you smoked, and anything else you care to include.  The entire group is waiting to welcome you!

Nancy

[Deena-A-Yenni]

Mmmmm.  I personally feel you've got too much nicotine in you.  One on each arm??  That's wayyyyyy too much.  That might be why you are irritable/angry/have disgust??  Holy Church is right.  Please re-visit that immediately.  Read the packaging?  21mg is the maximum and all you should need regardless of what you had been smoking.  YIKES!!

[Barbscloud]

Welcome to the Ex and congrats on you decision to quit.  I've used the patch in the past, but I'm not expert.  I just never heard of anyone using 2 patches.   Please check the instructions.   Glad you came to the Ex.  We're here to support you on your journey.   If you need help reach out.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

So you are getting 35mg a day with the patches and 8mg from four lozenges or gum.

That's 43mg. You were only getting 30mg from the 30 cigarettes.

All that extra nicotine will not do a damn thing to make you think of smoking less.

The main driver of smoking is routine and memory/emotional connections. The nicotine only keeps you coming back.

Either 60 or 80 mg is toxic. Sorry, I don't recall which it is off the top of my head.

[elvan]

I think it is way too much nicotine too and I don't really understand the philosophy behind advising you to use that much.  I did not use NRT's but I have nothing against them when they are used in conjunction with a plan to quit smoking.  You CAN do this and you have gotten some great advice.  This is a one day at a time journey and you are the driver.

Welcome to EX,

Ellen

[AnnetteMM]

Good grief I totally agree!  Two patches PLUS all that extra? I'm shaking just thinking about it.

[maryfreecig]

At first, quitting can feel like you have made a turn in the wrong direction. But you haven't. There is life after smoking and even at 30 cigarettes a day, smoking was not all you did. Day by day as you put effort into accepting your decision to quit you will find ways to cope with the new and strange feelings of being without a cigarette. Time heals the dependency. 

[Donaldwilsarion]

Ok.....my cessation director explained that we arent really getting all that nicotine that the patches have...really only half what..and also i was an emotional wreck chain smoking the worst cigs they make...newport menthol box shorts......my carbon monxide was 74% even after one hour of not smoking......im about 2 lozenges yesterday and 2 today so far.....im @ about 115 hours since last smoke and only one 21mg patch p/day for 2 days now....i hate having the nicotine in me still.....i live alone and unfortunately everything is a trigger for me....im fighting cravings still, all day... and that especially upsets me because I'm still taking in nicotine from the patch and lozenges. But my main motivation has been reminding myself of how absolutely torturous each cigarette I smoked kept me an anxiety and pit of death stomach panic...im on youtube so you can see what a wreck i am...im kind of a jerk but I blame it all on the years I've smoked really messed me up I'm really trying and fighting I don't ever want to smoke again and I appreciate everyone's help.... here's my link Quit smoking, patches, lozenges, injury and addiction - YouTube 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

So what is a craving if your taking in all that nicotine?

Most people believe a craving is the need for something.

So, what is the need for?

What is a craving about?

Isn't a craving a thought? A memory? A part of your routine?

Isn't it something that if you thought about it, it might not be such a struggle?

Willingness NOT Willpower