Withdrawels
Hello everyone. Would love some feedback. I am 6 weeks quit tomorrow and am half way through my NRT treatment (patches). Tomorrow I step down to stage 2. I have attempted to quit that many times I have lost count over the past 35 years but this is the first time I've done it relatively easily. I've had no desire at all to light up and up until now only the odd withdrawel symptom. The past week however I've suddenly started suffering terrible anxiety, mood swings and just feeling terrible. It has me worried it's going to get worse once I reduce my NRT but I want to be nicotine free as I don't feel I will be actually quit until I've successfully finished the NRT. Has anybody else suddenly started getting severe withdrawels 6 weeks in and how long after completing NRT will I likely feel better. I still have no desire to smoke it's just the physical effects that have me concerned. I hate feeling this way as I'm usually a calm person but the past few days I've been feeling like I'm having a breakdown. Ive even been in the hospital twice the first with a severe asthma attack that came with no warning (the first Ive had in 15 years) and yesterday after suffering severe dizziness blurred vision heart palpitations, headache, shaking, sweating and almost passing out. After many tests and ruling out any other causes, both times doctors put down to quitting. It's not faltered my determination or made me want to start smoking again but at the same time I hate feeling this way. Anyway as I say any advice on how long this is likely to last would be appreciated so I can stop stressing about what's going to happen to me once I've finished NRT.
It feels like you’re just freaking yourself out. Like the NRT is the real reason you have stopped smoking rather than it intrinsically being you, only because you mention you not wanting a cigarette a lot. So a) your may be lying to yourself, and feel that going off NRT could ruin how far you have come causing anxiety. Or b) you really are kicking goals and you just don’t trust yourself.
Either way. You have one of two choices. A) take up smoking again and be a slave to the disease. Or, b) clock yourself in for some therapy, learn to believe in yourself, and keep kicking your goals.
Further to this, if you think deep down you aren’t ready to come of NRT, then don’t, life’s to short to suffer. If you’re not pumping all the chemicals in your body for the last 6 weeks by smoking, rather you’re using NRT, maybe don’t punish yourself for feeling anxious it could all fall down, and be ok with the fact that you are doing great, you are a non smoker, you’re just taking a little time to get off the nicotine train. You are still a NON smoker. Good luck :)
Yes I definately do not have any desire to smoke. Just several times a day I find myself shaking uncontrollably and feeling like I'm having a breakdown for no apparent reason then I think what the heck was that about? At no time whilst it's happening do I even think about smoking it's just physical. It's only started over the past week and I have had tests to check for other causes and withdrawels is the only thing that makes sense. I'm just hoping it doesn't go on too long that's all.
Give yourself credit for kicking the smoking habit. Look at all the tar and chemicals that you have saved your body from ingesting.
You are strong and can do this NRT is only an aid and once you can mentally accept quitting smoking, the rest is easy. Are you sure that you aren't just looking for an excuse to quit quitting smoking? Only you knows you.
Stop dwelling on the negatives and embrace the positives. I hope you are doing better now, a week later......