I am 43 and a nurse....and having a heck of a time trying to quit intermittently on my own. I have three kids (17, 22, and 25), a granddaughter who is 6, and a boyfriend who chain smokes...ugghhh. So, I joined the "EX" site and am hoping for great results! My history: I started smoking at 13...gulp. I smoked for ten years, quit during pregnancies, then quit when I was 23. I started again by just having one stupid cigarette when I was 33 and very stressed. It was one or two a day for the first year or so, then 3-4, now about ten a day. I'm glad to see there is a supportive site like this and a study that offers help with it as it is a tough thing to get through. I don't know about you all, but when I get a nicotine fit, it last for hours, I get clumsy, and feel terrible. I think using the patch will help wean me gradually to where the withdrawals will be irritating, but tolerable. Hardest part is that I need to be highly functioning and able to think on my feet while caring for my patients, so I feel the patch will help with this transition I am about to go through. I think meditation, a little yoga, along with lots of water and allowing myself to just be will help too. I may take up where I left off with painting to fill the void a little. Take care all and wish you all great sucess! Rachel
