Tomorrow will be one year smoke free for me. Unfortunately it will not be one year nicotine free. In Jan I went off the patch and on celexa, an antidepressant. I was on celexa for 8 weeks and did not feel any depression from going off the patch. I was off the patch for 4 months with no withdrawal symptoms and then anxiety and severe cravings hit. So instead of smoking, like i did last year, I went back on the patch for a couple of months. I have been off the patch for 3 weeks and my mood is all over the place. I am tending towards depression. Has anyone else dealt with this and how long did it last? I am about to go back on the patch. Godbless
Congratulations Marian! A year is awesome! So what if you are on the patch for a bit, my doctor told me it's so much better than smoking!
I quit a little over a year ago and used the patch for 3 or 4 months. I asked my doc for Wellbutrin and I swear that gave me anxiety and depression. I'm still flighting fatigue and depression, but at least I'm smokefree!
You're not alone. I've been very depressed with not smoking. I've heard that it can take a year for the "happy" chemicals in your brain to straighten out. Ugh! I've tried a couple of anti-depressants, but have bad side-effects, so am only taking neurontin now to help anxiety, and lorazepam. When does the craving ever go away? This is soooooooooooooo hard!
I'm sorry you are having a hard time with cravings. Mine are not bad at all. Mainly it is the depression. I can't take antidepressants either. I am on buspar for anxiety with xanax if needed. I hope it lets up soon. Godbless
Today is my quit day for the second and last time, the first time I quit for 3 months than depression, anxiety, mood changes it was horrible, went back to smoking, in the meantime I was diagnosed with Anxiety/panic disorder so I am on anti depression meds as well as xanax so now that I have quit for the last time hopefully by taking these meds will help with some of the withdraw symptoms. As far as the craving It will become a passing thought it did for me the first time I quit. You can do it, all of us can do it.
When I started smoking again after being quit for 9 weeks, my mood was much better. If it wasn't for my sore throat etc., I would still be smoking. So, for now the patches and gum will have to do! Forever, I hope! What a terrible addiction nicotine is - - very hard to get rid of. Let's try to stay positive. Millions of smokers have quit and so can we!
