Worst cravings ever!

[Gwenivere]

I seem to have hit a phase of cravings that are so intense they don’t pass in a few minutes, even with the lozenges or if I take a couple drags from my allotted cigs for the day (4).  This maddening.  I’m also sleeping too deep and still get head rushes when I turn over.   I’m under a lot of stress right now so am wondering how much is physical and how much emotional.  I know I’m dehydrated so that isn’t helping.  I can’t walk them off because of hip pain.  I was getting used to finding ways to get thru the cravings as I didn’t have time to make a quit plan or choose a date.  This phase is throwing me for a loop.  I’ve gotten all the advice about addiction, still using nicotine and such.  I have chosen a tapered quit as cold turkey is out for me.  I don’t even really like cigs much anymore which is something I never thought would happen.  Thus s a long way to ask are there times the cravings don’t subside in a reasonable time? 

[maryfreecig]

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear that you are finding support here and setting aside what you don't need!

[Gwenivere]

Thanks, Mary.  Now, how DO you put in a smiley?  I’ve been told a couple of ways but can’t get it to work.  Copy and paste from. Some other site maybe?   

[Gwenivere]

Nope, that didnt work.  Arg!  Smileys are a part of online life?   (Insert one here)

[maryfreecig]

Welp, you can go to the  edit bar in your reply or comment window,

click on the   ...

then click on the smiley face,

which will show a menu of faces, 

click on the one you want,

once you click, the face will appear in your reply or comment 

[Gwenivere]

I don’t see an option to edit and I’ve tried alll the icons.  The only 3 dots I see are for my bookmarks and outside the reply window.  Ah well.....bigger issues to deal with.  I just have smiley envy.  *smile*

[Gwenivere]

In my case, I don’t agree, Karen.  I don’t even really like cigs anymore.  I do like the lozenges.  I’ll smoke some of an allotted cigarette and put it out quickly.  It’s the ritual I miss but I like not carrying them anymore.  Lighters are for candles now.  Only time I miss them is with my wine before bed.  Even seeing people smoke doesn’t bother me. That wa was pure hand in glove go together relaxation. This could change.  Lord knows this journey has the oddest twists and turns.  

[elvan]

Gwenivere‌ Try blowing bubbles, sucking on straws, taking deep breaths.  You might want to forego that glass of wine for a while when you do quit, particularly since you associate it with smoking.  Alcohol and quitting do not go well together at least until the quit is solid and then alcohol has to be in very small amounts to protect the quit.

Best,

Ellen

[crazymama_Lori]

it sounds like you're overdosing on your nicotine.  Each cigarette contains 1 mg of nicotine, thus a pack is around 20 mgs.  I would highly suggest that you stop lozenges, go buy yourself some cheap walmart patches.  The trick is figuring out what step you should be on.  count how many lozenges you are using per day, look at the mg per lozenge add 4 for the cigarettes you are still smoking and that's approximately what you are taking in every day.  The patches are 21 mg, 14 mg, 7 mg.  Nicotine Patch Users‌ is a place to go when you have questions.  When you find you forgot to put one on for a day, then you don't need them anymore.  Know that whatever you use to quit will never keep you quit, make you quit.  only you do that, but it sounds like you already know that.  While you are on the patch, simply cut up some straws the length of a cigarette and puff on those when those intense cravings hit.  I also chewed on flavored toothpicks.  That will take care of the hand to mouth association.  Those waves don't last forever and will get easier and further apart as time goes on.  I know I had them for well over a month, but I was a heavy smoker for 43 years

[stAn3]

Smoking while using lozenges can make you feel the way you feel.

I quit cold turkey before. This time I needed to quit right away. I used the patches because I developed a new addiction pattern from the lozenges. I’d use them according to the instructions, then relapse on smoking almost immediately after getting off the lozenges. There were a couple of years where the lozenges were my primary addiction. This was an improvement over smoking everyday, but it didn’t help me break free of my nicotine addiction. Someone on this site recommended I use patches instead of lozenges because I was using the lozenges just like I was using cigarettes. With patches you put them on at the beginning of the day and forget about them. You break the pattern of rising and falling nicotine levels which trigger cravings. Having quit using patches, I will never go back to lozenges. If I had to, I’d quit cold turkey but that would involve a lot of weird withdrawal symptoms the first 2 or 3 weeks. Anticipating those withdrawal symptoms kept me smoking. 

In in your case, you never know what’s going to happen unless you try. It seems you have a pre-conceived idea of what quitting will be like based on past experiences. Every quit is different. And it’s a lot easier with education and support. When I quit this time, I came here everyday and read the posts even though I was still smoking. I also read the info at whyquit.com. He’s against nicotone replacement. I ignored that part. The rest of the info on the site was really useful. I hope we can help you along in your quit journey.

[Gwenivere]

I don’t think I could be OD'ing on nicotine at  6 2mg. Lozenges and 3 and a half real cigs now.  That’s about 10mg. a day from my allotted 14.  Something funky is going on tho.  I’m guessing delivery method obviously.  I am leery of patches since I have a panic disorder.  Afraid they may exacerbate the attacks.  Before anyone says there’s nothing to worry about, it’s just part of the disorder.  I guess the best I can do is try the lowest on a day I don’t have to be anywhere.    I’m not going to add giving up my glass of wine.  Just the cig at that time.  I’ve given up so many things since being sick, there is barely anything left to enjoy.  

On a side note, I was talking to a neighbor I knew had stopped smoking and found out he is using NRT and has for years.  I then remembered my dentists assistant uses the gum every time I’ve been in there.  Goals for them were to just give up the smoking.  Ya just never know til the subject comes up.  Mentioned it at my vets office and heard stories too.  Some people off totally, some just off the cigs.