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Community => Introductions => Topic started by: OconeeDawg on July 29, 2013, 05:21:00 AM

Title: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on July 29, 2013, 05:21:00 AM
After 15 hours, still nicotine free. Woo- hoo, lol. Can't sleep. It is 5:20 a m. Chewing sugar free gum. Let's see what the day brings!
Title: Re: First day
Post by: worktowin on July 29, 2013, 05:59:00 AM
Quote from: OconeeDawg
After 15 hours, still nicotine free. Woo- hoo, lol. Can't sleep. It is 5:20 a m. Chewing sugar free gum. Let's see what the day brings!
Welcome! You have made a great choice being here. What will today bring... Well, it could include a lot of things. But if you post your name in the November group and are a man if integrity, meaning that you keep your word when you give it even if Dick Cheney himself is administering the water boarding - then we know for sure that you won't be wasting any if your money today on an addictive plant that controls your life. And we also know that today will not be the day that plant will give you cancer. Sounds like a damn fine day to me!

Others will surely help you figure out the roll call thing. Don't scoff - it is the most important thing you'll do each day. Join us. If a pussy like me can do this, 218 days in a row, you can too. Enjoy today!
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Rob1985 on July 29, 2013, 08:49:00 AM
Welcome to the 1st floor of discomfort. It's a shitty stop on the way up to the top, but it's the only way.

It's gonna get worse before it gets better. There will come a time where you feel normal again. Chew in gum, seeds, fake chew, a pair of a nuts, I don't care... keep the dip out of your lip!

Post roll every damn day, I can guarantee you will screw up the roll post... but not to worry, that's why us who have been here a little while are here! We will support you. We will fix your roll posts. As long ad you keep trying, you will figure out the system.

Get numbers of those in your quit group as well as quitters.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Erussell on July 29, 2013, 09:29:00 AM
Well I see your bad ass posted roll, hell yes!!!!! You have just given your word to a brotherhood that cares about you and your quit man. We are all quitting with you today. We know your pain, we've all been there, just stay the damn coarse it gets better! I am quitting with you every minute of every hour all day today.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on July 29, 2013, 09:19:00 PM
Seven hours into day 2. I stopped at 2 pm on Sunday when I took 3 new cans, opened them and dumped them down the sink. Starting to feel a little off. Trying to keep either sugar free gum and hard candy or seeds in my mouth for now. Cravings have not been terrible...but they are there and are constant. As a high school teacher and coach, I go back to work on Wednesday, which will be a huge test of willpower. Oh well, hanging tough for now. Good luck to everyone else in the same situation.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: loot on July 29, 2013, 09:39:00 PM
Quote from: OconeeDawg
Seven hours into day 2. I stopped at 2 pm on Sunday when I took 3 new cans, opened them and dumped them down the sink. Starting to feel a little off. Trying to keep either sugar free gum and hard candy or seeds in my mouth for now. Cravings have not been terrible...but they are there and are constant. As a high school teacher and coach, I go back to work on Wednesday, which will be a huge test of willpower. Oh well, hanging tough for now. Good luck to everyone else in the same situation.
No luck bro. Luck implies you are not in control. Eliminate luck from your vocabulary. You don't need luck and neither does anyone else. What you need is Roll Call and the will to honor your word no matter what.

Welcome to the site.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Jayhawk on July 29, 2013, 09:44:00 PM
My man - congratulations on your decision to quit. Nice job. This site has been very important for me in my quit and I hope it is helpful to you.

First, get on here every day - early - and give us your promise you will not use nicotine in any form. Then do what you have to do to live up to that promise. Every day. Then wake up again and do it all over.

It might suck for you. Some folks cruse right through the first 20 days or so. Not so with me. What I am telling you is what I experienced. I hope it gives you a frame of reference. Because as I was going through it, I thought I was going bat shit crazy. But, some good dudes on this site helped paint a picture of what they went through and having that frame of reference was a lifeline that helped me through some shitty days.

You will not be able to sleep. This was weird for me, I would wake up at like 2, 4 and 5 am, every day... on the freaking dot! No idea why. This lasted about 3 weeks for me. Then after that, it came and went some nights but it tapered off after that.

Another novelty you will experience is staring at an e-mail, or even this very paragraph I am writing to you now. You will stare at that bitch for 30 minutes, come back to it and tell yourself to concentrate, then still not know what the hell you just red! Weird.

The physical cravings will only last a few days, but the lack of sleep, lack of ability to concentrate, and maybe even some bitching and moaning will likely last longer.

But get this... IT WILL GET BETTER. I guarantee it. Keep pushing through the fog and don't forget how shitty it was. You only have to do this once, so let's have some fun with it.

PM me if you need anything. If I can do it, you can to. Your a coach, go through this, quit, experience it, then be a model for those kids. Once you go through this shit, I guarantee you that you will be an example that saves a kid somewhere along the way!

I quit with you today.

Congratulations.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Leahy16 on July 30, 2013, 09:22:00 AM
Post roll, honor your word, wake up tomorrow and repeat.

Simple. Not always easy.

Stay busy. Stay quit.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Erussell on July 30, 2013, 10:00:00 AM
Glad to see you posted roll that is awesome. You just took all the luck out of your quit. You are now a part of a brotherhood that keeps our word to each other no matter what. Welcome! I quit with you!
Title: Re: First day
Post by: ParadigmDawg on July 30, 2013, 10:17:00 AM
Real life scenario's, such as going back to work, are always the real testers.

One of my favorite dip times is when I am deep in the woods, on a mountain bike ride and pulled over to soak up some nature. I still get a little sad when I reach for my pocket and it's empty. It's not as difficult as it was last week but it's still difficult.

I honestly still want a dip 100% of the time but the cool thing about guys like you and me is the fact that we are strong and can hold true to our word.

I quit with you.

Greg
Title: Re: First day
Post by: G on July 30, 2013, 10:29:00 AM
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Real life scenario's, such as going back to work, are always the real testers.

One of my favorite dip times iswas when I am deep in the woods, on a mountain bike ride and pulled over to soak up some nature. Because I am an addict,I still get a little sad when I reach for my pocket and it's empty.  But I know it's just the addiction wanting me to forget how absolutely awful being a slave to a can of chopped up cat turds is in the hopes it will make me weak and choose to start feeding the beast again. It's not as difficult as it was last week but it's still difficult.

I honestly still wantcrave a dip 100% of the time but the cool thing about guys like you and me is the fact that we are strong and canWILL hold true to our word.  After all, I posted roll today...so using nicotine is completely off the table.  Period.

I quit with you.

Greg
I made some edits to your post above. In the spirit of making us pause and reflect, not to criticize.

The language we use is important. Let's be empowering. We are not hopeless in the face of our addictions. We have the power to choose. Let's sweep the leg today. No mercy.

PS-Congrats on the decision to quit and WELCOME to the site. Yell if you need anything.

PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: ParadigmDawg on July 30, 2013, 10:43:00 AM
Quote from: gmann
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Real life scenario's, such as going back to work, are always the real testers.

One of my favorite dip times iswas when I am deep in the woods, on a mountain bike ride and pulled over to soak up some nature. Because I am an addict,I still get a little sad when I reach for my pocket and it's empty.  But I know it's just the addiction wanting me to forget how absolutely awful being a slave to a can of chopped up cat turds is in the hopes it will make me weak and choose to start feeding the beast again. It's not as difficult as it was last week but it's still difficult.

I honestly still wantcrave a dip 100% of the time but the cool thing about guys like you and me is the fact that we are strong and canWILL hold true to our word.  After all, I posted roll today...so using nicotine is completely off the table.  Period.

I quit with you.

Greg
I made some edits to your post above. In the spirit of making us pause and reflect, not to criticize.

The language we use is important. Let's be empowering. We are not hopeless in the face of our addictions. We have the power to choose. Let's sweep the leg today. No mercy.

PS-Congrats on the decision to quit and WELCOME to the site. Yell if you need anything.

PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.
Don't F with my head while the fog is on my brain...lol....

I agree with everything you said.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: FIGHTIN-IGNORANCE on July 30, 2013, 10:52:00 AM
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Quote from: gmann
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Real life scenario's, such as going back to work, are always the real testers.

One of my favorite dip times iswas when I am deep in the woods, on a mountain bike ride and pulled over to soak up some nature. Because I am an addict,I still get a little sad when I reach for my pocket and it's empty.  But I know it's just the addiction wanting me to forget how absolutely awful being a slave to a can of chopped up cat turds is in the hopes it will make me weak and choose to start feeding the beast again. It's not as difficult as it was last week but it's still difficult.

I honestly still wantcrave a dip 100% of the time but the cool thing about guys like you and me is the fact that we are strong and canWILL hold true to our word.  After all, I posted roll today...so using nicotine is completely off the table.  Period.

I quit with you.

Greg
I made some edits to your post above. In the spirit of making us pause and reflect, not to criticize.

The language we use is important. Let's be empowering. We are not hopeless in the face of our addictions. We have the power to choose. Let's sweep the leg today. No mercy.

PS-Congrats on the decision to quit and WELCOME to the site. Yell if you need anything.

PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.
Don't F with my head while the fog is on my brain...lol....

I agree with everything you said.
Paradigm.... I notice I get sad once in awhile too. makes me hate the nic that much more. Sometimes I hate her so much when I am thinking about it I want to cry out of anger. That may sound like pussy stuff but I just hate what I have allowed to happen. I hate how damn difficult it is to keep her gone. Freaking lying pain in my ass. She has cost me so much and screwed with my head for 20 damn years. I hate thinking about something I don't even want in my face. AWWWWW 'bang head' Damn mindgame.

Great words Gman...

Paradigm, I quit with you today! QUACK! QUACK!
Title: Re: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on July 30, 2013, 11:53:00 AM
PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.

Yep, born in Athens, Ga., raised in Athens, Ga., graduated from UGA. Great to be a Georgia Bulldawg!

Thanks to all for the support.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Mike_Land on July 30, 2013, 05:45:00 PM
Quote from: FIGHTIN-IGNORANCE
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Quote from: gmann
Quote from: ParadigmDawg
Real life scenario's, such as going back to work, are always the real testers.

One of my favorite dip times iswas when I am deep in the woods, on a mountain bike ride and pulled over to soak up some nature. Because I am an addict,I still get a little sad when I reach for my pocket and it's empty.  But I know it's just the addiction wanting me to forget how absolutely awful being a slave to a can of chopped up cat turds is in the hopes it will make me weak and choose to start feeding the beast again. It's not as difficult as it was last week but it's still difficult.

I honestly still wantcrave a dip 100% of the time but the cool thing about guys like you and me is the fact that we are strong and canWILL hold true to our word.  After all, I posted roll today...so using nicotine is completely off the table.  Period.

I quit with you.

Greg
I made some edits to your post above. In the spirit of making us pause and reflect, not to criticize.

The language we use is important. Let's be empowering. We are not hopeless in the face of our addictions. We have the power to choose. Let's sweep the leg today. No mercy.

PS-Congrats on the decision to quit and WELCOME to the site. Yell if you need anything.

PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.
Don't F with my head while the fog is on my brain...lol....

I agree with everything you said.
Paradigm.... I notice I get sad once in awhile too. makes me hate the nic that much more. Sometimes I hate her so much when I am thinking about it I want to cry out of anger. That may sound like pussy stuff but I just hate what I have allowed to happen. I hate how damn difficult it is to keep her gone. Freaking lying pain in my ass. She has cost me so much and screwed with my head for 20 damn years. I hate thinking about something I don't even want in my face. AWWWWW 'bang head' Damn mindgame.

Great words Gman...

Paradigm, I quit with you today! QUACK! QUACK!
The sadness you say you feel is part of a grieving process. The bitch has been our constant companion for many years. In my case, 36 years. But be sure that that sadness will soon turn to a burning hatred. The bitch never loved us. She only fed us a line of shit, that we swallowed hook line and sinker, leading us to believe that she loved us. She would say whatever it took to keep us tethered to the can and to her side.

Congrats on making the best decision of your life. Keep it up. I promise that the suck will soon end, the fog will one day lift and you will realize you have gained your freedom from the can. In the mean time you need to post every day. Fight the craves with whatever it takes to keep them beat down. I'm here for you and so are a few hundred other quitters. Never give in.

Mike
Title: Re: First day
Post by: G on July 30, 2013, 06:08:00 PM
Quote from: OconeeDawg
PPS-If "Dawg" is for the absolute best team in college football...then: woof, woof and glory glory, my man.

Yep, born in Athens, Ga., raised in Athens, Ga., graduated from UGA. Great to be a Georgia Bulldawg!

Thanks to all for the support.
:FUGators:
Title: Re: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on August 06, 2013, 08:58:00 PM
Question: I am having problems sleeping. Not having dreams, no cravings, just cannot sleep through the night. I have been quit for going on 10 days, so I know this is probably part of the withdrawal. Didn't know if anyone had any ideas to improve my sleep patterns. Being a teacher I haven't had very regular sleep patterns during the summer, so maybe now that I am back at work it will improve, but any advice is welcome. Thanks.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: UnionMech on August 06, 2013, 09:02:00 PM
Im 11 days into the quit myself. I havent had any sleep issues but have felt very tired and dragging mostly likely due to no nicotine. Curious though are you using any of the fake dip products?
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Mjollnir on August 06, 2013, 09:10:00 PM
Quote from: OconeeDawg
Question: I am having problems sleeping. Not having dreams, no cravings, just cannot sleep through the night. I have been quit for going on 10 days, so I know this is probably part of the withdrawal. Didn't know if anyone had any ideas to improve my sleep patterns. Being a teacher I haven't had very regular sleep patterns during the summer, so maybe now that I am back at work it will improve, but any advice is welcome. Thanks.
Union Mech
Quote
Im 11 days into the quit myself. I havent had any sleep issues but have felt very tired and dragging mostly likely due to no nicotine. Curious though are you using any of the fake dip products?
Sleep will take time. It takes some a few days, some much more time. I had trouble for a couple weeks then thought it was all good. Six months later I really began to sleep better. You may notice you are dreaming more often soon. This is also something that happens to many of us. I'm not talking about dip dreams, I talking about dreams period. It is indication that you are healing.

Just give it time. Plenty of water and cardio workouts. (sweat profusely)
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Minny on August 06, 2013, 09:33:00 PM
Quote from: OconeeDawg
Question: I am having problems sleeping. Not having dreams, no cravings, just cannot sleep through the night. I have been quit for going on 10 days, so I know this is probably part of the withdrawal. Didn't know if anyone had any ideas to improve my sleep patterns. Being a teacher I haven't had very regular sleep patterns during the summer, so maybe now that I am back at work it will improve, but any advice is welcome. Thanks.
I would ask yourself the following questions:

-Was chew part of your bedtime routine?
-Other than quitting, are you doing anything differently the last three hours you are awake each night? Some guys used to ninja dip downstairs once the Mrs/gf went to sleep.
-Do you consume caffeine after 3pm?
-Are you spending time in front of an electronic screen before you want to fall asleep? iPad, laptop, smartphone, TV, etc.
-How many hours of sleep are you getting per night?
-Do you consume alcohol at night? This destroys sleep cycles.

Melatonin is a natural sleep aid that many find to be very helpful. Exercise, hydration, warm showers at night, and a copy of War  Peace might help, too.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on August 06, 2013, 10:03:00 PM
Quote from: UnionMech
Im 11 days into the quit myself. I havent had any sleep issues but have felt very tired and dragging mostly likely due to no nicotine. Curious though are you using any of the fake dip products?
Im 11 days into the quit myself. I havent had any sleep issues but have felt very tired and dragging mostly likely due to no nicotine. Curious though are you using any of the fake dip products?

I am. Have bought some smoky mtn. fine cut and pouches. You think that helps or hurts?
Title: Re: First day
Post by: OconeeDawg on August 06, 2013, 10:08:00 PM
Quote from: Minny
Quote from: OconeeDawg
Question: I am having problems sleeping. Not having dreams, no cravings, just cannot sleep through the night. I have been quit for going on 10 days, so I know this is probably part of the withdrawal. Didn't know if anyone had any ideas to improve my sleep patterns. Being a teacher I haven't had very regular sleep patterns during the summer, so maybe now that I am back at work it will improve, but any advice is welcome. Thanks.
I would ask yourself the following questions:

-Was chew part of your bedtime routine?
-Other than quitting, are you doing anything differently the last three hours you are awake each night? Some guys used to ninja dip downstairs once the Mrs/gf went to sleep.
-Do you consume caffeine after 3pm?
-Are you spending time in front of an electronic screen before you want to fall asleep? iPad, laptop, smartphone, TV, etc.
-How many hours of sleep are you getting per night?
-Do you consume alcohol at night? This destroys sleep cycles.

Melatonin is a natural sleep aid that many find to be very helpful. Exercise, hydration, warm showers at night, and a copy of War  Peace might help, too.
Quote from: OconeeDawg
Question: I am having problems sleeping. Not having dreams, no cravings, just cannot sleep through the night. I have been quit for going on 10 days, so I know this is probably part of the withdrawal. Didn't know if anyone had any ideas to improve my sleep patterns. Being a teacher I haven't had very regular sleep patterns during the summer, so maybe now that I am back at work it will improve, but any advice is welcome. Thanks.
I would ask yourself the following questions:

-Was chew part of your bedtime routine?
-Other than quitting, are you doing anything differently the last three hours you are awake each night? Some guys used to ninja dip downstairs once the Mrs/gf went to sleep.
-Do you consume caffeine after 3pm?
-Are you spending time in front of an electronic screen before you want to fall asleep? iPad, laptop, smartphone, TV, etc.
-How many hours of sleep are you getting per night?
-Do you consume alcohol at night? This destroys sleep cycles.

Melatonin is a natural sleep aid that many find to be very helpful. Exercise, hydration, warm showers at night, and a copy of War  Peace might help, too.


Thanks. Those are good points to look at. I do stay on the iPad pretty late. Will try some of these. Appreciate the advice.
Title: Re: First day
Post by: Jayhawk on August 06, 2013, 10:15:00 PM
OconeeDawg - this is the suck. This is the fog. This is the bullshit your body has to endure to get back to normal. Welcome. Enjoy it. Don't forget about it either - remember this.

I wasn't able to sleep for a long time. I would wake up at like 12, 2, and 4 on the dot. Every night. This lasted for weeks. I'm almost 90 days in now and my sleep is better.

All I can tell you is that it gets better. Just trust me - and a bunch of other folks who have been in your shoes - pay the price for this now and you won't have to deal with it again. You just have to endure it.

Here is the good news! If I can do it you can too. I understand you are a teacher and if you are getting back to school, life is probably hectic. Get up, walk around if you have to. Stay hydrated. Get to bed a bit earlier, you need all you can get. But it does get better, I promise!

Keep on fighting my man, there is one thing I can also promise - dip is NOT the answer to your sleeping problems! Stay quit my man!

-Jayhawk
Title: Re: First day
Post by: MannyRI on November 11, 2013, 11:10:00 PM
I got stuck in this exact position when I was quitting. My insomnia was terrible, and I spent my days walking around like a zombie. It was miserable.

I started researching natural alternatives to RX sleep meds,because I didn't want to drop one habit and pick up another! I tried melatonin, Nux Vomica, valerian, and various herbal teas. None of them really made an appreciable difference.

I went to see a naturopath, who sent me to http://naturalsleepformula.net (http://naturalsleepformula.net) to check out their whole food based sleep supplement. I bought it, and was pleasantly surprised. I fell asleep faster, and did not suffer the early waking that I had been stuck with before.

In addition to the supplement, my naturopath suggested a stringent sleep routine:

bed only for sleep and sex
warm shower or bath before bed
warm milk or herbal tea
guided meditation for sleep
cotton (or no) pj's
100% cotton sheets
white noise machine

I'm happy to say that I'm a year out now, but I still follow the same routine and take the same sleep supplement. It is just too good of a combo to abandon.

Good luck to you! Hang in there and don't go back -- it isn't worth having to start back at square one!!!