Need some inspiration?
Thanks for all your stories, everyone... VERy enlightening... time for plan B (or whatever, did not keep track.) I did notice that the lozenges were only lasting about 2 hours before feeling irritable and anxious again, and I can't seen to go for longer periods. I now know that many others have been on them for years, and that is a real eye-opener as far as my chances of getting off these gradually. So... I have 26 left, and I will split them over the next few days and (the plan is) to then "kiss them goodbye". (I have another reason for the urgency (other than nicotine, although obviously less dangerous than cigarettes with their 2000+ other poisons) is undoubtedly doing harm in numerous ways to my health), and that is that I have noticed that my hips and knees are very painful, and that I seem to have aged very quickly over the last month (hmmm... about the same time that I've been on the lozenges. Interestingly, the gum that I chewed for a month before that did not have this effect (or at least not to my knowledge). Coincidence? I am 64, female, carrying an extrea 15 1bs., and I until today did not make the connection. But I am more crippled each day, and I have a choice here. The lozenges are soon to be history! (A final not on the lozenges. I was fine with 3 - 5 smokes a day, so why am I wanting 8 or more 2 mg. logenges a day? I am more addicted to nicotine than ever!)
This nest tip is for the open minded, and disregard if you wish, but please don't give a bunch of negative feedback until you have tried it. Last year, for health reasons, I read up on the art of "fasting". It was not so much to lose weight as much as for the incredible healing that takes place in your body when it is freed up from the tasks of digestion (huge time-consuming task for the body). I did water only, for 5 - 6 days. (I was very shocked to learn that our bodies are perfectly designed to do this, and that until 100 years or so ago, feast and famine periods were the norm. Now, why I am mentioning this in this site is because... one of the (many) benefits was (a huge surprise to me and not listed on many sites) that on about day 3 or 4 ... all your cravings are GONE.... food, nicotine... gone. (This is when your body start to eat on your stored fat.) I easily quit for several months (and also regained ideal weight which stayed with me for 3- 4 months.) I started smoking again for entertainment, thinking that I could have the odd one and not get hooked, but it happened slowly, and I blocked out the obvious signs, and I got hooked again. Anyway, I have this as a backup plan, foulproof, if necessary. (Lots of excellent sites on fasting... read several and experiment for the best know-how.)
Hope to see you dancing on the beach at 95!
I agree with Red in that nicotine replacement products are to be used short term as a weaning process for those who can't come to grips with doing cold turkey, but eventually you have to anyways. One cigarette contains about 10 mg nicotine but only 1 or 2 mg is actually consumed by our bodies, so in theory you are consuming for nicotine now than when smoking. One puff every 3 days keeps you addicted and craving, and you can only go so low before you cry "enough".
I still think getting up and thinking about every cigarette while we cut down, change habits..... change our thoughts about cigarettes while making each one a disruption rather than a pleasure reteaches the brain. If the psychological is the hardest and longest part, why not do it together? Will another couple of weeks after decades really matter? Eventually cold turkey is inevitable unless you use Champix for a short spell or perhaps Bev's CBD which acts like Champix in attaching to nicotine receptors, but will also reduce cravings according to Bev. I , as many others quit cold turkey with no problem, but could see this as a viable alternative.
Anyone can quit smoking. Choose a plan that will work for you.