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Give and get support around quitting

Calebwomack5
Member

Withdrawals

Today marks the 23rd day since I have quit. Withdrawals are getting better but lately I’ve been having a foggy mind and trouble remembering certain things that I did just a few minutes before or things that happened earlier in the day. Did anyone else have a problem with their memory while they were quitting? 

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8 Replies
AnnetteMM
Member

Yes! So now would be a great time to read all about No Man's Land.

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex/blog/2011/05/24/no-mans-land-days-30-to130-appr... 

YoungAtHeart
Member

Although 23 days is a good start, it is only a start to your journey, and brain fog is a common withdrawal symptom.  I remember that period also being one of lethargy.....

Keep going - it gets better (and easier!).

Nancy

Calebwomack5
Member

So you did have a short memory loss when you were dealing with withdrawals?

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JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Excerpt from www.whyquit.com

Inability to Concentrate or a Foggy Mind

The feeling that your concentration is not as good or that your mind now lives in a fog is experienced, to one degree or another, by almost two-thirds of recovering nicotine addicts. The return of our clearness of mind and concentration levels may seem gradual but within two weeks most begin experiencing concentration levels very close to those of never-smokers.

Poor concentration, focus and thought can also be associated with low blood sugar. It's important to understand that nicotine force-fed us stored fats and sugars with each new puff. It's why so many of us could skip breakfast and/or lunch and yet not feel hungry. Smoking nicotine caused our brain to release adrenaline which in turn prepared us for the "fight or flight mode" by pumping stored fats and sugars into our blood stream (the bad artery clogging fats).

Once we stop putting nicotine into our body the adrenaline fat feedings end. If you continue to attempt skipping meals, your blood sugar will plummet along with your concentration, as nicotine is no longer your spoon. It isn't necessary to eat more food but only to spread your normal daily food intake out more evenly over your entire day. Women would be well advised to put a very small amount of fuel into their stomach about every three hours and men at least every five. During only the first 72 hours (as it can be fattening) natural fruit juices (cranberry is excellent) will not only aid with helping stabilize blood sugar but may actually help accelerate the rate at which nicotine metabolizes just a wee bit.

Here is a good discussion thread on the subject.

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

I do not recall memory lapse or foggy brain s and so far I haven't found anything on-site on that topic but I will look further. Make sure that you are staying hydrated.  If you are feeling or symptoms persist I suggest visiting a medical professional. 

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sweetplt
Member

Hello and Welcome to Ex’s Calebwomack5 

Oh yes...I called it “brain fog”...and I had for the first 40 to 50 days...it gets better ... after the body and mind start to accept the smoke is out of your body...write yourself a lot of notes right now...and wait and see, but the fog will lift...Congratulations on 23 days of Freedom... ~ Colleen~ 305 DOF ~ 

MarilynH
Member

I also had brain fog which made it difficult to remember and concentrate in the first month or so but it definitely gets easier the moral time you have under your belt and it definitely gets better and better without the crutch of cigarettes....

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Barbscloud
Member

Big congrats on your 23 days of success.  This is often a side effect of quitting, but at my age who knows for sure. 

Barb

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