Are these withdrawal symptoms normal?

[Ljet3245]

Hello, I was up to a full pack per day for past 3 years (ecigs prior for 5-6 years). I just quit on Dec 26th, 2020 and smoked only one each morning and one at bedtime for first 5 days.  I used Step 1 nicotine patches rest of day.  Threw away rest of that pack away on day 6 and decided to use patches only from time I wake until bedtime when I remove it, so been TOBACCO FREE 5 DAYS now, with patches. I am in so much pain!!! Chest pain (bad, tight, feels like pulled muscles in rib cage), congestion, headaches, feet tingling here and there, dizziness few times, ANXIETY and INSOMNIA (less than 2-3 hours per night of sleep).  I want to sleep so badly!!  Been quarantined for months now and COVID free (have chronic lyme disease).  Been using a medical detox used for lyme.  Has anyone else experienced withdrawals THIS bad???  I'm really struggling and my doc seems to think this is NORMAL for some odd reason?  Please help.  Seemed much easier to just smoke!  Is this really normal?  How long does this last if so???

[Bonnie]

Your body is detoxing from nicotine and it is a POWERFUL drug...LOTS of WATER, chamomile tea for relaxation, I got a bunch of different teas and splurged on good honey (couldn't drink coffee for a while--big trigger). I used "CALM" for anxiety (a little packet that you put in a small glass of water...the flavored tastes a bit like orange soda...the unflavored isn't as pleasant)...I took a lot of showers, used aromatherapy (lavendar, Lavendar, LAVENDAR), there's lavendar sprays you can spray your pillow with, lavendar body lotion, etc., really helped me. The restless legs were the most irritating physical symptom I had but it was awful and kept me awake for hours. But it does go way.. Melatonin with L-theanine, I still take sometimes about an hour before I go to bed to make sure I get a quality night's sleep.

Stay the course, you don't ever want to go through this again, do you?  We're here to help you have only ONE day ONE.

Bonnie ~1114 Days of FREEDOM

[Ljet3245]

Thanks, Bonnie!  I'm a work in progress that-s for sure.  I will put tour solutions to use right away...have all of that in my kitchen too.  Just need to repurpose some things; like using lavendar oil to relax rather than only adding to my plant based floor cleaner.  And actually taking the time to pause and enjoy the various Tazo teas and honey I buy for my daughter. Lol

Being smoke free sure freed up a ton of wasted time sitting outside or in my garage when it's freezing out chain smoking.  Thanks, again.  Today is day 30 for me.  One month in, with a lifetime to go!

[Ljet3245]

Hey Bonnie!  Wanted to Thank You again for all of the wonderful natural relaxation remedies you shared with me!  I got a diffuser for my bedroom that emits a soft blue light the very next day and the 30 days of insomnia left the first night.  Seriously.  Add 12 drops of lavender oil, focus on slow breathing and pass out.  Not a sleepness night since!!!  The puppy even began sleeping thru the night in his crate immediately without whining every couple hours.  Our brains now equate lavender scent with   SLEEPY TIME!

I also drink a nighttime relaxation tea and take bubble baths a few evenings each week.  Super relaxing to pamper myself with a simple bubble bath (add lavender epsom salt).  Hadn't taken baths in forever...since my 19 year daughter was a toddler...always rushing around so had gotten used to routine of just showering in the morning, before and after a smoke, of course lol.  Forgot just how wonderful baths are with a nice hot chamo tea and soft music playing!  NOT chain smoking all evening frees up so much time.  Anyway, thanks for all the great advice.  Appreciate the Ex community so much.  Be Calm is awesome and keeps you "regular" too, if you know what I mean. Lol

Almost 2 months in...quit Dec 26th, 2020. 

[elvan]

CONGRATULATIONS on the first of many months to come! You are DOING this. I am so happy for you.

Ellen

[DavesTime]

Big congratulations on one month smoke-free. Glad you have joined us on this life-affirming path of freedom. You are doing great, and I'm sure you are already noticing many positive changes. The addiction is cagey, though, so keep on doing what you are doing. We got 14"  of snow here day before yesterday, and it's 14F outside right now, so I'm glad not to have to go out to smoke anymore. Take care, and have a great smoke-free day.

[Ljet3245]

Same here, Dave.  We had 3 weeks of nonstop snow, ice and cold here.  So happy to have made it thru smoke free!  But have a tiny puppy so still had to go out in it nonstop.  Was fun to run around back yard and play in snow with him while not running out of breath or having chest pains though. Lol. Hope you stayed safe and warm...thanks!

[JACKIE1-25-15]

[Trisha76]

I am at 14 months and I literally lived on this site for the first six months. It was total Pain and I did not believe them but I just kept reading and taking it one day at a time, one day at a time. When you the urge comes you just wait and every day it gets shorter and shorter and it is so worth all the effort that you have to put into quitting smoking.  You do have to work at it and you have to want it and I mean really want it because even now I have all these aches and pains along with foot pain and my back pain has gotten worse and I still do not sleep at night but the way I figure it I just have to keep doing it one day at a time one hour at a time and it’s only going to get better and that is so true. I don’t even miss it anymore but I still have a lot of physical pain that I believe is coming from 50 years of smoking.  I just do not want to ever have to go through the pain of quitting at the start again and I have what I need to say to myself never one cigarette ever, not one puff ever if the urge ever comes which it doesn’t anymore or if it does it’s very rare and it lasts a very short time I hardly even notice it. You have to keep hanging and you have to do it one day at a time and sometimes only one hour at a time. Come here every day and read what these people have to say because they are the ones that will get you where you need to be when you have the urges.