4/19/2023
Summary of Noon ET with Margaret
Why quitting is so hard? What do I do if I’m allergic to patches, gum and lozenges.
Margaret responds: Margaret agrees that quitting is hard for several reasons. Partially because tobacco products are highly addictive and cigarette and vaping engineer the product to hit your brain quickly. Peoples’ habits related to vaping/smoking also make it hard to break away. Whether it’s a time of day, while they’re doing a particular thing. Additionally, people use tobacco to get them through emotional and stressful times in their lives.
Margaret recommended looking into Zyban/Wellbutrin or Chantix Buproprion. However, both require a prescription from the doctor. In some cases the state quit lines do offer prescription medications. Check with your health plan/insurance or your state quit line (800-Quit-Now) to see what Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
What do you do if Zyban/Wellbutrin doesn’t work for me the same as last time I used it? Using Mantras doesn’t seem to be working very well like it did previously.
Margaret recommended connecting with your healthcare professional to reassess the dosing to determine if there is a better plan.
What is in your quit kit that helps you?
Gayle responded: Using mantras and applying concepts from AA addiction recovery model. Having a quit buddy has been helpful in the past.
Member asked How do I deal with mood swings and brain fog?
Margaret responded: Sounds like your body is going through the withdrawals. This happens often in the early days
Margaret asked: Are you around people who use tobacco?
A member responded saying that the people she’s inside with do not cause her to use tobacco. Often she is her own worst enemy. She used nature scape audio and listens to music to distract and create a calm environment for herself.
She also does interactive things with her very young granddaughter including incorporating languages and diverse genres of music to expose.
Another member let us know that he smoked for 12 years. Then took up vaping. He hasn’t been on the community yet but he joined the EX Café as a motivation to start his journey. He recently had a daughter that he wants to be a positive impact on.
Margaret recommended making his vape less convenient to access which includes leaving it in the car if you’re at home or putting it in the trunk if you’re driving.
Summary of 9pm ET with Yeimi
We started off the call introducing ourselves.
Chris joined the EX Café. He’s recently joined to quit vaping. He previously dipped and also smoked and is now trying to quit vaping. Currently he is wanting to make a positive change for his own health and also get through a stressful life change.
Liz has used since 2002 and started smoking after a stressful situation when she lived in Brasil. She came to the EX Café to hold herself accountable. She was a previous pot smoker but just as she quit marijuana she know she can quit tobacco as well. She has experience in counseling and insurance and is looking forward to starting a new job in the near future. She also enjoys dancing and including movement in her day. Liz said she focused on her health and rented a dance studio in San Francisco to enjoy movement and her interest in
Chris started using dip tobacco around age 16. Then converted to vaping for around a year before moving to vaping. He has a lot of stressors currently due to life challenges. He’s already taken some steps to start his quit journey. He enjoys playing with his 6 year old and focusing on experiences with his child. Taking bike rides helps with his cravings. He’s also working to improve his eating habits as he embarks on his quitting journey. He also enjoys playing Guess Who with is son. Yeimi explained that it was a good way to connect in his real world with his son and it is a really good distraction that brings joy and is a way of Self-Care.
Yeimi emphasized that introducing friction to using tobacco products. And refocusing on the things that bring joy. Self-care is especially important. Focus on the now and be in the moment.
Liz asked if there was an EX Café every week. Currently the EX Café is twice a month. Noon Eastern and 9pm Eastern on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Liz emphasized the importance of quality eating while quitting. She felt that while quitting it is important to eat and not skip meals during the quitting process.
Chris thinks that healthy eating is important to his quit journey. Bike rides are especially important to him along with using nicotine gum. He is focusing on the process.
Yeimi said that when we feel alone it’s a reminder that we’re not alone. Awareness that you want to quit and acknowledging the importance of your health is a great step. Recognizing that quitting is a process and that it will take time is a something you’ll need to remember throughout the journey.
Chris asked what people put in their journals.
Mark explained that members do a number of things in their journals on the EX Community. It’s a way to document their journey. It could be a way to write down their thoughts during their quit. It could be questions they have throughout the day. Or a direct inventory of what has happened throughout the day. It could be a combination of things. The journal can be anything you want it to be.
Additionally it gives member a way to hold themselves accountable. They’ve posted publicly so they feel more accountability for their quit because they’ve put it out there for others to read.
The EX Community is available 24 hours a day and members can come and post if they need support through a craving.
Chris mentioned that he is a subscribed to the text messaging program and he finds it useful because it checks in with him daily. You can register for text messages by visiting Edit Profile
We'd love for you to join us at the next EX Café on May 17th at Noon ET or 9pm ET. Watch the community for a pop-up that will include links to register for the next EX Café.
EX Community Admin Team
