Using Lozenges Daily - Want to Stop!

[Catnextdoor]

Hello!

I quit smoking a couple years ago with the help of gum and lozenges. BUT! Now I keep lozenges in my purse and snag one when I’m restless or multitasking...or stressed. It’s like they fill a void. Just like cigarettes did.

I finally brought it up to my life coach who is helping me with the unhelpful thoughts associated with this addiction. But I’d love for some feedback from any of you.

I don’t seem to care if it’s 4 or 2mg, but I’ll pop one about every 2-3 hours. I don’t wake up wanting one and never have one in the night. It’s normally during the workday and when I’m out socializing. Often I use them STILL to stop me from buying cigarettes!

This is such a tough addiction and it can feel very demoralizing. I’m excited to find this community to hopefully make me feel like I have a team! I really want and NEED to stop these things!

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome!

You are still dealing with a two-part nicotine addiction - physical AND psychological.  The information I will provide addresses addiction to cigarettes, but the way to quit any of them is the same.

Educating yourself on the addiction and having a PLAN going forward will reduce the anxiety of quitting.  Get busy learning and preparing, and I think you may actually start to look forward to this journey!  You will do this one day at a time, so don't be looking further ahead than that.

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.”    You can purchase a digital version online or borrow it at your local library.  Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: Nicotine and Your Brain

It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.

For the lozenges, try putting a use off a bit while you get busy doing something else, or maybe keep them in a place where you have to go get them. and you can naturally cut down either way.  To begin, leave one in your mouth for a shorter and shorter period of time and use it more than one time.   Then try to sub a mint of a similar flavor for one out of ever five, then four, and gradually work yourself down to every other one.  It will be easier to quit from that point.

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! .  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), 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. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit “Games”: The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the page.

Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke - EX Community

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.

You might want to join other site members by taking the daily pledge when you quit. IT helps to hold yourself accountable and also accountable to others here. Find it at Home (top left), then first blue box.

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

[sweetplt]

Welcome to Ex’s @Catnextdoor 

Can you make a plan to start weaning yourself off the lozenges? And What you will do in place of lozenges? (Ie., drink water, have a mint, etc.,)… You can do this, you just have to do what one does to break an addiction…have a plan, keep busy and keep close to the support site for help…

Start working the site by reading and preparing with the information provided.

Wishing you the best…Colleen 1416 DOF 

[Barbscloud]

@Catnextdoor It's probably best to approach this like you did quitting smoking.   If you didn't use this site to quit smoking, there is lots of good advice and information to help with your quit.  This link will help to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and to create plan to quit.

https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex

Stay close for support on your journey.  We're here for you.

Barb

[Freshair1966bir]

I use lozenges but they sent me gum. The gum lasts longer but I am in my fourth week trying to ween off. My trigger time is early morning. I drink water and then gum butI have another trigger at 4p.m. It is hard to habit to break but I am trying  I go back to sleep. I put a few crackers there too.  I am all messed up I have a lot going on but I just have to say NO to loz. or gum to cut back. I found myself counting them and putting onlyba few in the loz. bottle,and carrying that with me and try to spread the time out during the day.  Hope you understand !!!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

"It doesn't matter whether it's the 2mg or the 4mg."

If that's the case, it's likely more of a mental addiction because you've decided that's what calms you down when you're restless based upon your life as a smoker..

When I quit, I was using the 21mg patch. I could've used the 7mg patch because when I quit,, I was only smoking 5 a day but I had no idea what I was doing.

In any case, I quit on a Tuesday and that Friday, I was out for the day and had forgotten to put on a patch. Rather than panic, I decided to see how i did without it.

I made it through the day.

The next day I was anxious and put on a patch.

The end of my second week, I forgot again.

The following day, I forgot again.

I had gone from a pack a day worth of nicotine to zero two days in a row by simply forgetting to put on the patch, and, I was physically okay with it. 

I put a patch in my wallet with a promise to myself.

I never needed to use it.

My point of this ramble is the word, decided that I underlined above.

Once you decide you don't need the nicotine and accept  that you don't need it, I believe you won't need it.

I hope this helps.

[Barbscloud]

@Catnextdoor You're quit is still pretty new.  Follow the instructions for the NRT and gradually start weaning yourself off.   You're cutting back.  Sounds like you're doing the right thing.

Don't be so hard on yourself.  You're doing great.  

Barb

[diamond01]

Hi, I used the patches, I just had to stop it was just in my head if i had a patch on i wouldn't crave, but that is not true, I don't use anything I do one day at a time, but I know I will never pick up another cig. after health issue, you got this just keep it simple. 

[Benedina]

Dear catnextdoor, 

First, thank you for being so honest and posting this. You have allowed ME to be totally honest about my addiction to NRT. I am terrified of quitting NRT. Like you, I’ve been popping the lozenges like candy, and seriously am addicted to them psychologically and certainly with the daily amount (sometimes 20 of the 2 mg a day, physically. I know that the more we use the lozenges, just like cigarettes, the more nicotine receptors in our brains increase. I started on cigarettes, quit cigarettes ten years ago the NANO minute someone suggested vaping. I started vaping WAY more than cigarettes because I had the vapes by my side, didn’t have to go outside on a cold winter day, and so, as you can imagine, after four years and too much wasted money to admit here, needed to get off those.

I started nicotine lozenges three years ago to stop vaping and am onow fully, dependently addicted to the lozenges.  I feel like a total failure as it’s expensive, but also because it increased my blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, as well as other health markers and I still can’t seem to quit. The Covid years,  its isolation, etc.,.  are what helped increase the addiction exponentially. I JUST joined becomeanex again, today, and was so happy to see someone else with the same challenge. 

Before genuinely thanking you again, as well as thanking all the wonderful people here, would it be impolite to ask how things are going with you? Are you still struggling with the challenges of this horrific ordeal or have you been able to quit?  If so, with either challenge, would you mind posting or a message ? 
I’m sorry this is so long. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you…for the gift of you today. Posting as you did, has allowed and propelled me to at least make a firm decision to try. 

[Barbscloud]

@Benedina Welcome to the Ex.  I hope @Catnextdoor is still here and responds.  I going to repeat what I said above.

"@Catnextdoor It's probably best to approach this like you did quitting smoking.   If you didn't use this site to quit smoking, there is lots of good advice and information to help with your quit.  This link will help to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and to create plan to quit.

https://www.becomeanex.org/guides/?cid=footer_community_linktobex"

You're not a failure.  It's happens to a few quitters, but it's not about failure-you're still addicted to nicotine.  

Approach it as any nicotine quit.  Prepare for quit date by educating yourself about nicotine addiction and have a plan in place to address triggers, cravings, and creating new associations to replace the lozenges.

Look forward to celebrating with you on the 6th.  I'm a March quitter and will be celebrating 5 years on the 7th.

Stay close for support on your journey.  We're here for you.

Barb

[JonesCarpeDiem]

@Benedina 

I just read the responses after I posted this and am mostly repeating myself.  🙂

You likely have quite a nicotine dependence if you are getting 40+mg per day. A pack of cigarettes delivers 20mg.

I chose and used the patch so I wasn't self dosing.

I actually forgot to put one on the 4th day but they were 10 minutes away so i worked through it. The next day i put one on but at the end of my second week I forgot two days in a row and figured if I wasn't missing it for two days, i didn't need it any longer. I did however, put one in my wallet as my safety  blanket with a promise to use it rather than smoke,

As far as I know, the patch is the only NRT that is not self dosing. You have to believe it's working because it releases the nicotine slowly. You may have to move it to a new location every day or so if it causes you any skin allergy. It did not for me.. The strongest patch is 20g but you might start with the 20 and the next step or two down and use both at once for a short time. then you'll have them to interchange as you use less and less. I suggest putting it on desensitized ares that clothes rub on like shoulder blade or shoulder, outer upper arm or leg are probably best.  I believe the easiest way to get off the patch is when you forget to put it on  couple days in a row. 🙂

If you truly want to get off the nicotine, you have three options, the patch,  consciously weaning yourself off the lozenges or, cold turkey.

.

[Catnextdoor]

Hello!

Thank you @Benedina for sharing your story, and for allowing me to create a space where felt safe and motivated to share your experience with us!

I haven't been on this platform since I posted my situation. And I will be entirely honest in my response here now.

I still am using lozenges, but I feel less compulsion for them. I say 'no' to myself when I think of having one, more often now than when I posted. And I have also let go of 90% of the negative self talk that I was doing ("ugh, I'm so weak for using these" or "I'm such a failure"). As I continue feeding myself more empowering words ("I can stop these when I want" or "I am strong and so powerful") I am feeling more inspired to ditch them. But I have not arrived there yet.

As for your current predicament! 🙂 First, I celebrate how amazing you are for quitting cigarettes!! That is SO hard. And then stopping the vape? I'm impressed! So now it's the lozenges. No biggie. You've done this before and have the power to stop them too. But it seems like you may want something to replace them with...?

What is something creative you and I could replace our lozenges with??  

I know you can do this and now I thank YOU for sparking my motivation to dwindle my lozenges down even more, maybe even to ZERO!

[Catnextdoor]

And also, thank you to everyone who has replied with support, suggestion and encouragement. I do appreciate it very much!  It is very validating. Feeling supported by a group, especially with a secretive habit, is comforting and encouraging.

So thank you so much ❤️

[Barbscloud]

@Catnextdoor ( @Benedina )    I'm so happy you responded and a newcomer motivated you to respond for both of you needing support. .   No judgements here.  I know quitters want to break the bond with NRT.  I know I'm in the minority, but it's still better than smoking/vaping.

Wishing you both the best on your journey's.  It will take you where you need to be.

Always here for you.  

Barb.

[Benedina]

Thank you…genuinely, to everyone who has allowed me to feel comfort and connection without judgement or criticism.  The people here truly are amazing and allow me (and others) to not only be honest with postings, but more importantly, to be honest with MYSELF! All the thoughts that swirl around in my head regarding quitting and casting out this nemesis are always thwarted by nicotine’s exceptional talent in turning my thoughts around to support and continue using.  

Connecting here allows me to see and embrace the physical, emotional, mental, and financial damage that’s been done.  Reading the help available, reading the wonderful posts with fantastic suggestions, are building a foundation that is seeping in and edging out nicotine’s arguments for being such a big part of my life.  

JonesCarpeDiem, thank you !!!  I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after you graciously posted.  I’VE BEEN SELF DOSING !!! Yep…that thought never occurred to me at any time while I haphazardly, without a second thought, popped a lozenge into my body, over and over and over, and over on a daily basis.   I have decided my next step will be to buy the strongest patch, which is half of what I currently take, dose wise.  THANK YOU FOR THE LIGHT BULB ! 

As for you Catnextdoor, you are a gift that has allowed me to be honest with myself and feel empowered. I searched and searched for help with lozenge addictions without success. After searching,  I found that Quit help lines and cessation offerings at hospitals and community endeavors only seemed to address active smokers. I’m happy that they are available to those brave enough to seek help for smoking. However, their first approach seemed to be (wait for it) NRT.  I felt alone, I felt defeated, until I remembered this site. Then I grew despondent as postings from those struggling with NRT addiction were few. I hope you know today, how special you are!  Another light bulb moment is your word “secretive”.  Why…why if nicotine is so good, so helpful, so comforting, why are we not singing its praises through the rooftop? It IS a secretive, sneaky little **bleep** (excuse the word) that’s not unlike a tick on a newborn deer, both feeding of me and also injecting a venom that negatively affects daily life. Ok…ok..I’l stop here and apologize (why do especially us women apologize so much, I’m going to work on quitting that, too !)  for this being so long. 
But not before thanking you and others here) one more time. I don’t know if any of you are old enough to remember the wonderful, heartfelt movie “Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe” (I highly recommend it) but you are my Towandas…TOWANDA! 

What does Towanda mean in Fried Green Tomatoes?

“Towanda” is a reference to the alter-ego of Idgie Threadgoods, a character in the movie. Towanda is a word you say when you want to be empowered, such as when Evelyn has had it with being a weakling and repeatedly runs her car into the snobby, highly insulting lady’s car who snuck in and took her parking space, after she patiently waited for a car to pull out.

[Benedina]

P.S. lol, in no way am I advocating running into anyone’s car. No one was hurt. You’d have to see the movie to embrace the full scope of how Evelyn became empowered. 

[chuck03104]

@Catnextdoor, I had a similar experience during a quit I had in 2001. Back then there was much less information available. I hated myself for trading one addiction for another and went back to smoking. Fast forward to 2023. It's been almost three weeks into my current quit and I started chewing NRT Gum on the first day but only had three pieces. The reason I only had three pieces was because I started to delay when I got the urge to smoke. I started this process before my quit date. At first I delayed by five minutes then increased to ten to fifteen minutes. By doing this, I learned that the urge is only short lived and I didn't need to use the NRT Gum. Currently it's been over four days since I last chewed a piece of NRT Gum. As I write this reply it has dawned to me that I have wasted money on cigarettes and now NRT Gum. But, I am happy to have the extra money available to me next month to buy anything I need.

Chuck 

[Barbscloud]

@Catnextdoor and @Benedina Just want to add that many of us have used NRT successfully to quit smoking.   We all have to choose our own paths to quitting, but I don't think NRT deserves a bad rap.   It is important to follow the directions and start weaning off the aids.     For this quit, I used Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers. I've tried everything over the my 50 years of smoking.  No matter what aid you choose, you still have to do the work to be successful.  I learned that when I found the Ex.   

Wishing you both the best on your journeys.

Barb