ClrwtrQuitter
02-27-2007, 10:50 PM
I'm on day 20 of Chantix and am still smoking. I'm only smoking 2 or 3 a day but just can't give it up. Am I not ready? Am I too weak? Am I not trying hard enough? I've given up the 2 hardest times to go w/o smoking of the day but for some reason I can't quit completely.
I'm probably going to get a lot or responses to just do it. Believe me, that's what I've been telling myself. I hate to admit it but i'm starting to think maybe I should try this again another time? I know it's not a miracle pill, and the smokes do taste pretty bad but i'm not sure i have the will power for some reason not matter how bad they taste.
The doctor wanted to see me in person before giving me the 2nd months prescription to see how i'm doing. That appt is on 3/7. I guess I'll keep trying and see what he says.
I'm probably going to get a lot or responses to just do it. Believe me, that's what I've been telling myself. I hate to admit it but i'm starting to think maybe I should try this again another time? I know it's not a miracle pill, and the smokes do taste pretty bad but i'm not sure i have the will power for some reason not matter how bad they taste.
The doctor wanted to see me in person before giving me the 2nd months prescription to see how i'm doing. That appt is on 3/7. I guess I'll keep trying and see what he says.
Sponsor
Skimmer
02-27-2007, 11:33 PM
Hey Clearwater, fellow Floridian! You can do this, I never thought I could eventually give them up either. You just have to do it, like you said. Smoke the rest of the pack up, and set a quit date. For that day, you will not smoke. If you need to smoke the next day, go ahead. But try for one whole day. I still have 3 packs of smokes unopened in the pantry, but I set my quit day for last Friday night, and haven't smoked one since. Once you get thru that first day, the 2nd day is easier, but if you can't do it, you can't do it.
Are you sure you want to quit? Have you written down your reasons why? Can you tape them to your bathroom mirror so every day you see them and remind yourself why you want to quit! It's hard, believe you me, I never thought it would be a picnic, but I found the Chantix really works for me. Do you have somebody supporting you? I was lucky, my sister, husband and friend all quit at the same time so it was kinda fun asking, "how you doing" - "What are you feeling now" "Can you sleep" Comparing your symptoms and feelings. And knowing you are not alone!!
If you don't have anybody, please, please use this message board!! Everyone here is super friendly, and we've all been in your shoes before. Traveller and MeMaw and Kevin and Mangojunky - I feel like they are my best friends in the whole world!! They are the best for cheering you on and encouraging you to just do it. But you have to be ready and you have to want to quit.
So, go back, regroup, rethink, write it down, and try going for a day without cigs and see how you do. If you don't have any in the house to smoke, you can't smoke them, right? So get rid of what you have and keep yourself busy for 24 hours. Then see how you feel. You might not be ready - but if you are, we're here for you.
I have been quit for 4 Days, 3 hours, 31 minutes and 30 seconds (4 days). I have saved $6.21 by not smoking 41 cigarettes. I have saved 3 hours and 25 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 2/23/2007 7:00 PM
Are you sure you want to quit? Have you written down your reasons why? Can you tape them to your bathroom mirror so every day you see them and remind yourself why you want to quit! It's hard, believe you me, I never thought it would be a picnic, but I found the Chantix really works for me. Do you have somebody supporting you? I was lucky, my sister, husband and friend all quit at the same time so it was kinda fun asking, "how you doing" - "What are you feeling now" "Can you sleep" Comparing your symptoms and feelings. And knowing you are not alone!!
If you don't have anybody, please, please use this message board!! Everyone here is super friendly, and we've all been in your shoes before. Traveller and MeMaw and Kevin and Mangojunky - I feel like they are my best friends in the whole world!! They are the best for cheering you on and encouraging you to just do it. But you have to be ready and you have to want to quit.
So, go back, regroup, rethink, write it down, and try going for a day without cigs and see how you do. If you don't have any in the house to smoke, you can't smoke them, right? So get rid of what you have and keep yourself busy for 24 hours. Then see how you feel. You might not be ready - but if you are, we're here for you.
I have been quit for 4 Days, 3 hours, 31 minutes and 30 seconds (4 days). I have saved $6.21 by not smoking 41 cigarettes. I have saved 3 hours and 25 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 2/23/2007 7:00 PM
paulagizmo
02-27-2007, 11:47 PM
It's very important to (1) set a date to start the pill and (2) a date to 'quit'. I procrastinated for a few weeks to get the Rx filled and then to start. Once I started and thought about my quit date (a Friday) I revised it to the following Monday and made sure 3 people knew my quit date (my live-in bf and my parents (who actually live downstairs). Although I've been extremeley selective with the people I've told, I think it's an important step to at least tell one person---although I 'quit' for me, having someone else know adds a bit to the pressure of 'doing' it. Sounds like you're just procrastinating the 'quit'. You're not enjoying them but it's easier to just keep having that couple a day than fighting the battle you know is to come. Believe me, Chantix makes that battle easier but it's still tough. You need to sit down, write down the reasons you are on Chantix to begin with, pick a quit date, tell someone and then QUIT. You WANT to quit and you CAN quit. For me there were 2 keys to my 2W 2D success thus far: Chantix and this board. You're on the Chantix and you're on teh board. You have the 2 best tools at your disposal. We're here for you. GOOD LUCK AND PLEASE SET A QUIT DATE.
Memaw649
02-28-2007, 03:27 AM
ClrwtrQuitter,
Hi! You seem to be a little nervous to stop smoking. I understand that. I was too. I was terrified!! I had gone 40 years without missing one day of smoking.
Since you are on day 20 of the Chantix, the nicotine is not doing anything for you now. So it must be the habit that you are having trouble with. You are going to have to bite the bullet and not smoke any cigarettes for one day. That is the only way you are going to quit. Please give it a try. I do know how hard that is. The first day without a cigarette for me was terrible. I tried to sleep as much as possible. If I was sleeping, I couldn't be smoking. I also cried that first day. But I did make it through. Then came the second day. I thought WOW I made it one full day without smoking, I can make it two. It was easier after that. I don't know what else to tell you. It can be done. And you can do it!!
Memaw
Hi! You seem to be a little nervous to stop smoking. I understand that. I was too. I was terrified!! I had gone 40 years without missing one day of smoking.
Since you are on day 20 of the Chantix, the nicotine is not doing anything for you now. So it must be the habit that you are having trouble with. You are going to have to bite the bullet and not smoke any cigarettes for one day. That is the only way you are going to quit. Please give it a try. I do know how hard that is. The first day without a cigarette for me was terrible. I tried to sleep as much as possible. If I was sleeping, I couldn't be smoking. I also cried that first day. But I did make it through. Then came the second day. I thought WOW I made it one full day without smoking, I can make it two. It was easier after that. I don't know what else to tell you. It can be done. And you can do it!!
Memaw
KConnolly
02-28-2007, 08:31 PM
Hey Mark, it's great to hear back from you!!! I'm really glad you came back to let us know how you're doing.
First off, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Let's get that settled right up front. Chantix affects every one differently. Even if it's providing 90% of the help you need to quit, then you're off to a pretty good start. I had to wait a whole two weeks before it built up enough in my system. So don't feel too terribly awful about three weeks.
Second off, this attempt to quit has not failed. You're still working at it. You still want to quit. You have not even gotten to the point of starting over. You're just getting there buddy...
Now I'm going to suggest something rather unorthodox, but it worked wonders for my quit, so here goes. (Ok, Ok, don't holler at me too loud...)
I planned a quit date of Monday when I would have to go back to work. (Mondays were busier so I had less opportunity to smoke.) The Thursday before my quit day, I went out and bought some of those "Nicotine Free" cigarettes at the gas station. They are called "Quest-3". There are other makers of nicotine free cigarettes. Some are made with clove. Some are made with herbs. I then came home and threw out all the regular cigarettes I normally smoked. I then smoked nothing but the Quest-3's for the next four days leading up to my quit date.
During the first two weeks of taking Chantix I felt like I was going through nicotine withdrawal. When I switched over to the nicotine free cigarettes, I felt like I was going through another minor withdrawal all over again. Smoked quite a bit of them during those four days, but did not get any nicotine out of them that I could tell any way. They tasted pretty "blah", but I knew this approach was going to help me quit.
When Monday morning rolled around, I had already finished my last Quest-3. I thought about smoking more that morning, but I said to myself, "Hey you already quit the nicotine habit last Thursday. The worst is over already.". I had already been nicotine free for four days. (I.e. The worst days...) From that point on I was simply dealing with the old habit - not the addiction. (I guess you could say I faked myself out.) At that point I simply laid-down-the-law and decided SMOKING IS NOT AN OPTION ANY MORE. Thats it... Good bye... Sianara... Not a part of MY life any more... You have to be good to yourself from now on. The end...
For me, I really had to PLAN out my quit day well in advance. Monday night after work I took myself out to a smoke free restaurant to avoid the smell of smoke in my house. Even took myself out to the movies afterward. That was just a small part of the PLAN that I set up to deal with the triggers. I had a blast!!! I bought some of those electronic Honeywell HEPA air filters and turned them on Monday morning, so by the time I got home the house smelled pretty good. Went right to bed. Did the same thing all over again the next day.
Now for me to get through an entire morning of not smoking was big. So by Monday afternoon I was pretty proud of myself and figured, "Hey, let's keep this thing going." You just take it hour by hour, day by day after that.
Keep in mind the average number of cravings you should expect to have on quit day is usually no more than six and they should not last much longer then 2-3 minutes. I know you might think it seems longer, but watch the clock and you will see they really don't last that long. Gone before you know it. The Chantix helps speed up this process too, so you may find they don't last any longer than a minute.
In short, set a TARGET DAY, make a very good PLAN, keep PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK all during the quit, and by all means keep coming back to chat with us because having a bunch of Quit Buddies takes all the sting out of this exercise. And remember that if you DO quit smoking, you will never want to take another puff and have to go through this crap again.
Wishing you the best of luck...
Kevin__
First off, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Let's get that settled right up front. Chantix affects every one differently. Even if it's providing 90% of the help you need to quit, then you're off to a pretty good start. I had to wait a whole two weeks before it built up enough in my system. So don't feel too terribly awful about three weeks.
Second off, this attempt to quit has not failed. You're still working at it. You still want to quit. You have not even gotten to the point of starting over. You're just getting there buddy...
Now I'm going to suggest something rather unorthodox, but it worked wonders for my quit, so here goes. (Ok, Ok, don't holler at me too loud...)
I planned a quit date of Monday when I would have to go back to work. (Mondays were busier so I had less opportunity to smoke.) The Thursday before my quit day, I went out and bought some of those "Nicotine Free" cigarettes at the gas station. They are called "Quest-3". There are other makers of nicotine free cigarettes. Some are made with clove. Some are made with herbs. I then came home and threw out all the regular cigarettes I normally smoked. I then smoked nothing but the Quest-3's for the next four days leading up to my quit date.
During the first two weeks of taking Chantix I felt like I was going through nicotine withdrawal. When I switched over to the nicotine free cigarettes, I felt like I was going through another minor withdrawal all over again. Smoked quite a bit of them during those four days, but did not get any nicotine out of them that I could tell any way. They tasted pretty "blah", but I knew this approach was going to help me quit.
When Monday morning rolled around, I had already finished my last Quest-3. I thought about smoking more that morning, but I said to myself, "Hey you already quit the nicotine habit last Thursday. The worst is over already.". I had already been nicotine free for four days. (I.e. The worst days...) From that point on I was simply dealing with the old habit - not the addiction. (I guess you could say I faked myself out.) At that point I simply laid-down-the-law and decided SMOKING IS NOT AN OPTION ANY MORE. Thats it... Good bye... Sianara... Not a part of MY life any more... You have to be good to yourself from now on. The end...
For me, I really had to PLAN out my quit day well in advance. Monday night after work I took myself out to a smoke free restaurant to avoid the smell of smoke in my house. Even took myself out to the movies afterward. That was just a small part of the PLAN that I set up to deal with the triggers. I had a blast!!! I bought some of those electronic Honeywell HEPA air filters and turned them on Monday morning, so by the time I got home the house smelled pretty good. Went right to bed. Did the same thing all over again the next day.
Now for me to get through an entire morning of not smoking was big. So by Monday afternoon I was pretty proud of myself and figured, "Hey, let's keep this thing going." You just take it hour by hour, day by day after that.
Keep in mind the average number of cravings you should expect to have on quit day is usually no more than six and they should not last much longer then 2-3 minutes. I know you might think it seems longer, but watch the clock and you will see they really don't last that long. Gone before you know it. The Chantix helps speed up this process too, so you may find they don't last any longer than a minute.
In short, set a TARGET DAY, make a very good PLAN, keep PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK all during the quit, and by all means keep coming back to chat with us because having a bunch of Quit Buddies takes all the sting out of this exercise. And remember that if you DO quit smoking, you will never want to take another puff and have to go through this crap again.
Wishing you the best of luck...
Kevin__
mangojunky
03-01-2007, 09:55 AM
Kevin is right on.......what a great plan - and that makes all the difference in the world. I too decided to quit on a Monday so I would be at work for most of the day, and I made sure I had a project to keep me busy when I got home from work. I had lollipops, gum and water in the car.
Write down why you want to quit, and make a plan for what you will do when you want a cig. Use this board, it has made all the difference to me....
GOOD LUCK - we know you can do it!
deb
Skimmer - DAY 4!!!! WOOOO HOOOOO You Rock!
deb
Write down why you want to quit, and make a plan for what you will do when you want a cig. Use this board, it has made all the difference to me....
GOOD LUCK - we know you can do it!
deb
Skimmer - DAY 4!!!! WOOOO HOOOOO You Rock!
deb
mangojunky
03-01-2007, 09:56 AM
Sorry Skimmer - you must be on day 6 - EVEN BETTER!
deb
deb
Skimmer
03-01-2007, 12:33 PM
Thanks Mangojunky!! Actually I am.......
6 days, 5 hours, 31 minutes, 48 seconds
But who's counting? Oh yeah, ME!! :blob_fire
6 days, 5 hours, 31 minutes, 48 seconds
But who's counting? Oh yeah, ME!! :blob_fire
KConnolly
03-01-2007, 05:36 PM
Wow Skimmer, that's practically a whole week!!! Awesome!!!
Congratulations!!!
Kevin__
Congratulations!!!
Kevin__
jenavive
03-01-2007, 07:10 PM
Ok so is there nothing wrong with me if its been one week and I'm still having a few? The first few days of starting I felt like I didn't care if I had one smoke. I thought this will be sooo easy. Now I feel like I should be done, no cravings or anything. Jen
tampaquit
03-01-2007, 07:27 PM
Jen, are you one week of not smoking? And are you taking Chantix? I smoked the first week of taking the pill, because that was what you were supposed to do. But I still had a few left on my Quit day, so I quit at the end of my quit day if that makes sense. Most certainly there is nothing wrong with you!!!! Make a date to quit. Tomorrow, Saturday, whenever and when you wake up, don't smoke. Eat breakfast and don't smoke. Pretty soon it is lunch and you still haven't smoked, etc. It is a long hard first day, or at least it was for me. Just give it a try and keep us posted.
jenavive
03-01-2007, 07:35 PM
Yes its been one week that I've been on Chantix. It felt stonger the fisrt few days. Now I feel like I could smoke whenever. Its weird. Do the meds get more effective as each day goes on? Today is my day 2 on the second pac. So I guess I thought I wouldn't be having any cravings now?? Jen
tampaquit
03-01-2007, 08:06 PM
Hi Jen, The second pack is double the dose you were on before. I know from reading what everyone else has said, people reacted very different to the med. I knew I was taking something from the first pill. My cigs tasted funny. Other's had nothing until the second week or so. You have to build up the med in your system, which is what you have been doing. What I had to do the last couple of days of smoking was REALLY stop and look at did I NEED this cig or did I want it? Honestly, I never really needed it. It was habit. Over and over. I smoked a half a cig each time the last day. And then just said, this is the last cig, the last puff, the last time I am putting this in my mouth. I even watched TV for a while after and passed up having an evening smoke. You have to want to do it, the med can't change the habit. But the day you stop, completely, for 24 hours, it will be a long day, but you can do it! Look how many people are on this site who smoked for 50 years, 2-3 packs a day, etc. Just put your mind to it and stop, for 24 hours. Once you get past that point, the next day is sooo much easier. And then you'll be a quitter!!
chantypals
03-01-2007, 08:18 PM
Okay.....so I'm going to tell you that I've been where you are at: it took me 2-3 weeks to quit, but it wasn't that the chantix wasn't working - it was that I was petrified of a few things. I was scared to death to pick a quit date and say goodbye permanently to smoking. It was overwhelming fear. Then I was petrified of failing a quit yet again. You know "us" kind of people, once we make a commitment and set our minds to something there is no turning back, but we think - gee am I really ready for that?
It's a fear. It does go away once you make that conviction. I promise you that almost all of us here have felt that fear. You are not alone!!!
:) Beth
It's a fear. It does go away once you make that conviction. I promise you that almost all of us here have felt that fear. You are not alone!!!
:) Beth
Skimmer
03-01-2007, 10:04 PM
Beth is sooooooooo right! Give up smoking? But what on earth will I do with all my free time? OMG - you would be amazed how much time you waste smoking. Yes I was petrified. What was I doing? Was I really going to go thru with this? And like you said, the fear of failing? But - I figured, what do I have to lose? And it might actually work? It worked for lots of people here, it can, AND WILL work for me too! I can do this!! I am Woman, Hear me Roar!! heheheehe......
Good luck to you:angel:
Good luck to you:angel:
jenavive
03-01-2007, 11:02 PM
Ok ...I think my biggest problem is I was a closet smoker. So I thought.....My close friends knew but I kept it from my family. It probably saved me from smoking way too much in a day. The thing is when I had the chance to have a smoke I was psyched!! I started as a smoker only when I drank. Then the past 10 yrs. I would have one on my way to work or at a friends house. My husband and kids are totally against smoking! Well recently they have all said they know that I smoke. That is one reason why I need to quit. The other is I've been diabetic forever and I would like to live to see my boys get married and have kids. Sounds a little sappy but I know quite a few diabetics that have died an early age. So I have to do it, but I don't know what do to replace that thrill of sneeking a smoke? Jen
CityGirl11
03-02-2007, 12:20 AM
ClewtrQuitter: I feel your pain. I am still smoking one or two a day. I'm sorry (appologizing here to no one else but myself) I cant get over it quite either. I went from two packs to one cig - sometimes two, my friends and family are thrilled with these results but I know I have to do better. I've given away 4 cartons in the last week (we used to travel to another state to buy them from an Indian reservation) but I just can't let that last pack go. Last night I almost gave up, said to myself, ok, i am in that upper 40 or 60% of people that Chantrix is not going to work on.. then hopelessly I went to bed.. today at work I had NO cravings. I was so excited, but then tonight I smoked another one -no apparent reason except sometimes I want to challenge the package - you know, that "receptor" thing - that "it changes the receptors in your brain so that nico_DEMON won't affect you like it used to".... I was always a rebel and I think I just want to see the proof in pudding.... when I light up I am not necessarily "craving" or "jonesing" - just would like one... do I derive pleasure ? not really.
Kevin - thank you for your insight and being so patient with Clrwtr - a very intellegent and sympathic response. Sometimes some of us question if this drug is going to work for us - not all of us are model citizens where the NicoDemon is concerned - probably from some underlaying issues - but you are nice to share your dilemna with all of us. Lately I have been taking my second pill when I first get home from work instead of waiting til bedtime - seems to help. Yesterday the cravings were so bad, I took a third pill (Oh my, lions,tigers and bears) - probably not a smart thing to do, but I so dont' want to smoke and I so want this to work.... like I said, dilemas, dilemas....-
Kevin - thank you for your insight and being so patient with Clrwtr - a very intellegent and sympathic response. Sometimes some of us question if this drug is going to work for us - not all of us are model citizens where the NicoDemon is concerned - probably from some underlaying issues - but you are nice to share your dilemna with all of us. Lately I have been taking my second pill when I first get home from work instead of waiting til bedtime - seems to help. Yesterday the cravings were so bad, I took a third pill (Oh my, lions,tigers and bears) - probably not a smart thing to do, but I so dont' want to smoke and I so want this to work.... like I said, dilemas, dilemas....-
Memaw649
03-02-2007, 02:35 AM
Hey ya'll!
I think I know why so many are having a hard time making it to that first day of quitting. We have all tried and failed so many times before that we just don't have the confidence it takes to quit.
Ya'll, the Chantix is different than anything you have tried before.
You have got to take the first step and not smoke. Big step, I know. But in order for you to become a non-smoker, it has to be done. Trust the Chantix to work for you. All the quitters here that have taken the Chantix can't be wrong. It does work!! You will still get cravings but they WILL BE controllable. When one hits you, ask yourself "Do I need one or do I just want one?" There is a difference. The need is the addiction...the want is the habit.
That's just my opinion.
Memaw
I think I know why so many are having a hard time making it to that first day of quitting. We have all tried and failed so many times before that we just don't have the confidence it takes to quit.
Ya'll, the Chantix is different than anything you have tried before.
You have got to take the first step and not smoke. Big step, I know. But in order for you to become a non-smoker, it has to be done. Trust the Chantix to work for you. All the quitters here that have taken the Chantix can't be wrong. It does work!! You will still get cravings but they WILL BE controllable. When one hits you, ask yourself "Do I need one or do I just want one?" There is a difference. The need is the addiction...the want is the habit.
That's just my opinion.
Memaw