Day 18 - Question about the Losenge

[ldny]

Hi all. I am on Day 18, and have not slipped!  I went to a bbq this weekend, where many friends were smoking outdoors, and although I had a craving, I reminded myself that there is no such thing as "just one".  I was at first envious of those smoking (because they "get to" have a cigarette and I "can't")-- but reminded myself that they are slaves to an addiction and felt sorry for them that they aren't taking action to stop destroying themselves. I felt confident and strong.  (But not cocky-- don't worry).  I removed myself from the area where they were smoking and also told everyone that I had quit.

I have been using the nicotine losenge since my quit date.  I have not finished Allen Carr's book yet, but in the beginning, he seemed to allude to losenges / gum being a bad idea.  I am using them to curb physical cravings while I re-learn life without cigarettes.  But sometimes I wonder, is this cheating?  Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are about nicotine replacement therapy. 

[YoungAtHeart]

The only thing you need to be concerned about (and what Carr doesn't want to happen) is that people DO become addicted to the NRTs by not learnng to wean off of the nicotine.  That is the difficulty with aids where the addict controls the dose.  The way to avoid that is to put off using anything for a bit - get busy DOING something - instead of absentmindedly just putting a lozenge in your mouth.  If you work at this over time, you will use less and less of them naturally and eventiually can do without them entirely.  THAT is the idea! 

They can help to curb the withdrawal while you relearn life as an ex-smoker - but you still need to learn that and not continue to use them as a crutch.

Am I making any sense?  Ask me any questions if not!

Nancy

[JonesCarpeDiem]

I think it's fine to unlearn smoking while lozenge allay's the physical addiction.

I think it all boils down to whether your intention is temporary or for life.

If you use it, just don't let it use you forever.

[freeneasy]

Congrats on your quit and it sounds like you have learned a lot about addiction alreadiy! You are not "cheating" by using an NRT or NRTs- They are approved by the FDA  as a medication to help you stop smoking. As long as you do not smoke you're not cheating. I used the patch.,lozenges and gum for 5 months-I'm not recommending that for you or anyone  else. That's what I did. I have been nicotine free for nearly 2 years although I have been smoke free for 2 years and alomost 5 months. You don't want to be addicted to nicotine for any longer than you have to but it's your call and your main mission at this time is to stay smoke free.

[Storm.3.1.14]

Read Freeneasy's comment again.

Now, remember that our #1 Law here is "Not one PUFF, ever." Cigarettes are cheating, medications (lozenges) are not. You're totally on track with your FDA-approved course of temporary treatment. No worries. 

And, this website is an NRT website, so you're on track with EX, too.

[ldny]

Thanks, all.

Nancy-- that makes sense.  I do feel like I've been using them literally as a replacement-- for example, I used to smoke when I walked to the train in the morning.  Now, as I'm leaving the house and remembering I used to smoke at this time, I put a losenge in my mouth instead.  I have not been taking them on a schedule, but rather as my cravings come.  It makes sense what you are saying-- don't automatically pop a losenge, try to distract myself out of the craving first.

Carr calls nicotine addiction "the little monster".  If I have not actually cut nicotine out of my life yet because I am using an NRT, I am in a way still feeding the monster (although, not as much as it wants).  I do think NRT is absolutely necessary to me succeeding right now.  I have FEAR that once I stop taking the losenges, I will have some sort of new, worse "real" withdrawal...

[freeneasy]

You won't have any kind of withdrawals like you described-just slow try to cut back on them. Follow the directions that came with them. Cutting back a litte slower or faster is up to you. When I stopped them it was a nonevent.

[YoungAtHeart]

If you gradually reduce the number and frequency of use of the lozenges OVER TIME -  you will be withdrawing from less nicotine than if you were still substituting them one for one for the cigarettes you used to smoke.  The idea of an NRT is that you gradually lessen the amount of nicotine as you relearn your life as a nonsmoker.  Maybe take a different route to the train?  Go around a different block to start/end your walk?  Change things up so the associations are reduced!  Maybe try skipping some of the way, or listening to music, or sipping on some iced cold water? 

Withdrawal isn't deadly!!!  If it were, lots of folks here wouldn't BE here!  Don't live your life in fear of it!  It's more like a case of the flu - you just get through it.

Nancy

[Terri103]

I asked a similar question, only regarding the patch.  I was worried if my quit counted as much as a cold turkey quit, or if my quit was as valuable.  I was given very similar advice as you have gotten.  The act of smoking can create shame in us, or low esteem.  well, at least in me.  So as I started adding the days, my low esteem monster started whispering that my quit wasn't as special.  I got turned around real quick by the people here who share and care.  I just went from Patch Step 1 to lower Patch Step 2 and didn't feel a bit different.  

Keep working forward!  Great job!!

[hwc]

It's not cheating. If you quit and get off nicotine, then you have quit and gotten off nicotine and it doesn't matter how you did it. It's all the same at that point.

It's just that it's not the easiest or quickest way to kick quit smoking and be  free from nicotine drug addicition. Nicotine drug addiciton is caused by negative changes to your brain chemistry and that part of the healing process can't begin until you stop taking nicotine. If you do it all at once (quitting and nicotine), the whole thing will be over that much sooner. So, you might have made it a little tougher on yourself, but 18 days is fantastic no matter how you got there.

It's like taking off a band-aid. You can try to take it off slowly, but you just end up prolonging the pain. Or, you can just rip the thing off, say OUCH, but at least you are done with it.

The brain chemistry damage is healed in approximately 30 days after you last take nicotine. Once it's healed, you will no longer have the physical drug addiction tugging at you to smoke and you can work through the remaining psychological triggers without having to swim against the current of the drug addiction.

[connect2amy]

I have known a few people that became addicted to the gum. My doctor gave me the green light to use the patch and gum and I have intermittently used the gum for unbearable moments. I primarily use the patch and have had great success. It is an even stream of nicotine all day and I use them exactly as directed, so as I step down to the next level patch I don't even notice any withdrawal or discomfort. I do worry about the gum and the e-cigg because it is perpetuating the oral fixation, but I have seen it work for people! It's not ideal to get hooked on the gum, but it's a hell of a lot better than cigarettes. I suggest talking with your doctor. Mine worked with so many smokers and although she herself has never smoked, she has great advice and insight!