Smoke free 12 days! Now I need to quit the gum and zen 3

[Maltman]

I smoked for 25 years or more.  12 days without a cigarette is a big deal for me.   I was proud of myself as smoking gradually controlled my life and put my health on a downward spiral.   I used to think of quitting as a huge deal.  Now I’m trying to simplify things and just quit for good.  Power of the mind I guess.   I decided to try zen 3 pouches because I could control the amount of nicotine and the amount of time I used them.  I had the patches but decided against those because I wanted less nicotine per day.  At first I was chewing the gum wrong and it hurt my throat but I figured that out on this site.  Now I feel quilt about using zen even sparingly. I have only had 2-3 pouches per day.  I have been breaking the gum in half.   I’ve been detoxing from nicotine from my quit day 12 days ago.  Today I’m down to 9 mg of nicotine if my calculations are right.   I feel guilty that I am still dealing with addiction.  I want to put this part of life behind me.  On a good note.  Suddenly I’m breathing better, My skin feels cleaner,  I don’t feel like I stink.   Since my quit I've had weird energy, had digestive issues where I was constipated, I can only get 5-6 hours of sleep for some reason waking up at 4am and not being able to sleep again is no fun, I get brain fog.  I’ve been emotional and anxious the last few days.  Even angry at times.   Tomorrow I am going to try to completely go without zen and do the 2mg gum only as needed.  I hope I can get down to 6 mg or less tomorrow.  I am also chewing regular winter fresh gum to delay cravings and keeping myself busy.    I do not want to switch one problem for another.  I am detoxing and I am highly motivated to beat this addiction.  This excommunity has helped tremendously so far.  Happy I found this site.  Thank you all for your encouragement.  I’m also in therapy which is helping.  

[biscuit9 · Accepted solution]

Congratulations on being 12 days quit!!!!  You have some practice now, with saying no to the nic monster.  When I first quit, I was only sleeping 5-6 hours at night, and that lasted for a long time. I was not sleepy during the daytime for some reason and that finally stopped after about 6 mos or so, so hang in there and I think your sleep patterns will go back to normal, mine finally have.  Quit day 483 for me.  So happy for you for noticing some improvements and pushing through and not smoking. You win everyday you don't smoke.  I never used quit aids, but I know many have and I hope they have suggestions on how to use them.  Just wanted to encourage you to stay in this fight for your health.  You are doing great.

[Maki]

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/quitting-zyn-and-other-oral...

[maryfreecig]

Welcome to Ex and congratulations on your decision and hard work to move on from smoking. Usually quitting, not always, requires conscious effort for some time because as smokers we didn't smoke just a little for a little while. There are a lot of triggers, associations, urges, temptations and so on to go through, deal with and get stronger by doing that. I'm so glad you that Ex is helping you move forward. Putting your smoking and nicotine behind you is so doable one step, one day at a time.