Quit date approaching - question to community

[ACT269]

My quit date is approaching on March 5 and this time I have decided to add Nicorette gums. My question is: does anyone have any experience with those? I never ever smoke during the day, so do I even take a gum if there are no cravings. Or, do I just take the gum at the time I ususally  crave a smoke (during 5pm - 7pm)?

Thank you very much!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

if you are going all day without nicotine I don't know why you would put it in your body at night just because you want a smoke. I think your smoking is more driven by habit than nicotine. Unlearn the habit. Figure out something else to do

[ladybug21]

I agree with Dale. I bought a coloring book and crayons, as silly as that sounds, but it works for me. takes me back to when I was young and didn't smoke.  do puzzles, crochet or knit, play cards, clean out your closet if that is fun for you. LOL...do something fun that you will look forward to doing, and when the crave hits....do the fun activitiy... break the nicotine, and you have won !  if you don't smoke all day, you have already half quit !!! look at it that way. you can do this.

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

I think you will understand the advice given above when you understand what nicotine does to your mind and body. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might also want to visit quitsmokingonline.com, and whyquit.com.

After you have completed the readings, it will be time to make your quit pla with the knowledge you have gained in hand, including what quit aid , if any, you will use, and the crave busters you think will work for you. Then you can approach your quit day with a plan in place. 

We are glad you are here!  Ask questions whenever you have them!

Nancy

[cspelliott]

I would suggest reading Allen Carr's book that Nancy is refrencing to before you quit. 

I also agree with Dale in that your smoking may be driven by habit more than a depencency on nicotine.  you may have caught yourself just in time.. (not smoking a pack a day like I was). 

In the past i tried, patches and gum and nither time did i fully quit, i gradually went back to a pack a day (if not more at times).

This time, I went on chantix, and then read Allen Carr's book, I really wish i would have read his book before i quit.  You wouldn't think a book could be so helpful, but it was.

So read the book, then quit, and if you feel, that for you the gum will help, then get some gum, but atleast try doing it without gum for a week.. whats the worst that can happen if you try it without the gum... the gum is a drive to store away.. and to be honest, by the time you get to the store to procure the gum.. your crave will be gone.

anyway, congradulations your on your way.. listen to the Dale's and Nancy's on this site, they have been very supportive on getting me to day 86. 🙂

Scott

[shucknjive]

The nicotine patches didn't work for me, in fact, I ended up smoking with a patch on (very unpleasant). What I've come to understand is that I the addiction is to the nicotine, which you continue with the patches, so it's like pulling off a band- aid super slow. I quit for a year cold turkey a couple years back, and have now quit again cold turkey, today's day 13 for me, and a lot of the physical cravings are gone.

[Barbara145]

Good morning.  Congrats on Quitting.  I am way more of an addict than you.  I have experience with patches and gum.  I personally don't believe I could quit without Nicotine replacement.  I am on day 139 and I am still on both.  I am decreasing them both but I still need them.  If you feel like you do you certainly wouldnt need to use it until evening.

[Storm.3.1.14]

Hey! I really perked up when I read your post because I, too, never smoke during the day at work. My coworkers don't smoke, they don't know I smoke, I can't walk around the office all stinky, I don't want to be seen smoking, and my job keeps me preoccupied and distracted. I've been beating daytime craves for years, successfully.

To get to your specific question: I will be using the nicotine lozenge during the mornings, which are marked by my strongest smoking compulsions. I feel no need to use them at work, so I won't. In the evening, at home, my craves are more mild, so I will be interested more in using my new skills and tools and methods, not the lozenges. They will certainly be available to me, should the urgent need arise, but I will be mindful of using them.

So, yeah...I'm not going to use my lozenges during the day because I never needed help in that area before. Give this a try, too, if that's what you're leaning towards. Believe in the proven strengths you're already demonstrating, and target your nicotine gum at the "weak link" you've identified above.

STORM

[ACT269]

Everyone: thank you very much for your helpful comments!

[Brenda_M]

I missed you. I'm glad you're back.