Feeling really confused
I'm on day 11 today and have been using nicotine replacement therapy but for the last 24 hours have decided to go cold turkey. Well today I feel terrible and can't stop crying - why??? Am I just feeling sorry for myself, should I go back on NRT and is this normal?? I really need some feedback.
Depression is one of the known symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, I had it bad when I tried to give up 30 years ago and they didn't know a lot about it.
My suggestion is to go back on the NRT until you can have a talk to your GP.
This time when I gave up by using patches I had no problems at all, now 403 days.
Thank you Bill44, I've just taken a lozenge and have decided to go and see my doctor. I suppose the thing is I'm scared of becoming addicted to NRT (if that is possible.
Hi Diana, If you felt better using the nrt then go back to it. What you are doing is trying to cope with cominf off both the fags & hrt at the same time. If you want off the hrt sooner then just use the patches for a few hours each day & reduce it slowly. There is no point in putting more stress on yourself. Whatever you do please don't reach for a ciggie. grab yourself a cuppa & watch a funny movie or sit out & enjoy nature. Remember we are all right there with you. 11 days is a great achievement.
Thanks Kavie it's amazing how much better I feel just having vented on this forum and knowing there are people out there who can relate to my situation. I'm not going to have a smoke, although my mind is still in smoke mode and I often find myself wanting to go outside and have one.
Get back on the patches!
The patches have a specific step down so you titrate them carefully. The first step in the patches are designed for those who smoke 20 or so a day. As far as your body is concerned you've just cancelled something it craves - do it slowly. The patches won't kill you but the ciggies will - and I think the risk of you smoking again is higher if you are experiencing the withdrawals you're describing.
Keep going - 11 days is fantastic!
Hi Diana, I'm only a couple of days ahead of you and using the lozenges too. I'm finding they work really well, apart from giving me nasty mouth ulcers, they certainly help the cravings. I've been trying to alternate them with sugar free mints and cut down slowly. Today I've only used three so far, the third one because I was starting to get irritable at work, and realised I needed the NRT. I think they are a great tool to help with quitting, and seriously, if I need to use heaps more tomorrow, its certainly better than reaching for that fatal "just one " cigarette.
Just my theory, but I think in the early days of quitting you have to be gentle with yourself, nothing is more important than not smoking. Can diet later, worry about stopping NRT later, and hey it's an emotional roller coaster. If you're crying, as I was a couple of days ago, give yourself permission to do it. Put on a tear jerker of a movie, or whatever works for you, and get into it!
Thank you everyone for your feedback. Have gone back onto my NRT and am feeling much better. I will worry about weaning myself off them once I'm a confident non smoker.