A few questions...

[slickdaddy]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice.

I seem to be having a particularly hard time this week but i think it will help to share some annoyances I've had over the past few days since i haven't been able to tell anyone about they.

- I had to tell the girl at the gas station to quit asking if i wanted a can of grizzly b/c i quit.
- I find the at least once a day i forget that I quit 44 days ago. I'll be driving and reach for the glove box... "Got dammit i quit" I'll be working at the computer at night when everyone is in bed and think about throwing on in and... "F**K you quit!"
- I notice other people dipping now...I see the circle in someone's pocket, i see a bump in someone's mouth...things i never really noticed before.
- i love to golf, i play about twice a month, and i haven't gone since i quit b/c i use to have one in for the entire round. that pisses me off
- i keep telling my wife that "daily quality time" will help but she doesn't seem to buy that...

Here are the good things I've noticed:
- my breath doesn't smell like ass hole
- I've been to the gym 6 days a week since i quit
- i'm saving about $30 a week (but spending that on gum, sunflower seeds, and coffee)
- oh yeah and I'm not killing myself daily...

This my rant for the day, thanks for listening....

[Scowick65]

Man that just has to make it even tougher. Everyone knew I dipped so, in turn, I get to be proud about sharing my quit with folks.

Just like this website says to tell everyone so that you're accountable to everyone. A closet dipper and a closet quit... I admire your resolve and can certainly see the added value of this community in that instance.

Slickdaddy,

Let me know if you ever want to chat. I get where your head is. I am 192 days quit and I still have to stay near this site. People understand me here and that really helps me feel not so isolated.

[marjwilliams]

Man that just has to make it even tougher. Everyone knew I dipped so, in turn, I get to be proud about sharing my quit with folks.

Just like this website says to tell everyone so that you're accountable to everyone. A closet dipper and a closet quit... I admire your resolve and can certainly see the added value of this community in that instance.

[Scowick65]

I hid the habit for 10 years so i don't really have anyone to talk to about it - which makes it worse!

Oh man this would make it tough. Good on you for sticking to your quit in spite of it.

I'm 44 days in and still pull the dip card on my wife from time to time when it has me down. I'm not over this shit yet either but it is getting better.

I was a closet dipper. Very very few people knew I dipped. I hid it from everyone I could. I told one of my marathon training friends that I dipped and that I am in the process of quitting. He about shit a brick. I must admit it was very liberating. Have I told others? Hell no. Still my little secret.

[marjwilliams]

I hid the habit for 10 years so i don't really have anyone to talk to about it - which makes it worse!

Oh man this would make it tough. Good on you for sticking to your quit in spite of it.

I'm 44 days in and still pull the dip card on my wife from time to time when it has me down. I'm not over this shit yet either but it is getting better.

[rustaf]

#3.  Do any of us really know what "normal" feels like?  Until I quit I never lived a day of my adult life without nicotine in my body.  I am at 537 and still have shitty days.

I think that is called life. We are all adjusting to a new normal and it can be strange. Especially for those of us that have chewed most of our adult life. Chew was a huge piece of our identity and now we have to figure out who we are without chew.

[LLCope]

I am on day 55 and I am in the August group. This site has helped me out since I joined on day 42. This thread in particular has been very informative and positive.



Thanks!

[MikeA]

#3. Do any of us really know what "normal" feels like? Until I quit I never lived a day of my adult life without nicotine in my body. I am at 537 and still have shitty days.

[Radman]

Welcome to the madness! Embrace the suck, stay engaged in the battle and you can do this. These guys have pretty well summed it up, but here is my take:

1. THere is no normal. Everybody has different symptoms of withdrawal. Many of us lost taste for a number of weeks. When it comes back, it will be better than before. You haven't REALLY tasted food (or anything else) in years.

2. The anxiety/irritation/general pissiness lasted well past 100 days for me, although it tapered quite a bit. Somewhere around 150 a nitwit almost hit me at an intersection and I, for the first time in my quit, didn't have the urge to run her down and set her car on fire. I actually waved, shook my head, and headed on to work. A couple miles later I realized what a big deal it was that I had remained calm. Again, though.... everybody is different.

3. Not sure when "normal" happens, or if it even actually exists, but around 250 I realized the door had closed for me. I am totally disgusted by tobacco of any kind. Just feel sorry for the folks I see still using. No urge to bum one off of them.

With that said, do not get ahead of yourself. If you expect a particular feeling on a certain day, you are sure to get disappointed and that can mean failure. ONE DAY AT A TIME is the only way to succeed. I just shared the experiences above as proof that the withdrawals are temporary, not as a benchmark for your quit. The most important thing is that you are dealing with your rage around your family already. That was big for me. I have 3 small kids and occassionally I just had to walk outside to calm down. Remember: your family did nothing to deserve this, DO NOT take it out on them.

[jaygib]

Normal, save one, for the last 150+ I've wanted a dip. Actually add to that at least the 10 years I was using before that, most of the 2 years I wasn't using before that and the 5 years I was using before that. I hate it that I want dip everyday, it makes me feel like a failure, makes me want to throw in the towel and grab a lip.

But I gave folks my word today I wouldn't, so I won't. I remind myself that I don't get to be normal as I think it exists, my normal is addiction--I'm an addict. My normal is always dreaming of my next fix. Today my normal, as it has been for the last 153 days, is telling me that my next fix will not come today. Today as yesterday the quit will win and the addiction will lose.

Now don't post and run slick, join the community.

[Parputt]

Here are my experiences:

1) I quit with hard candy and lots of gum. My mouth was fucked for the first month or two. Roof of mouth was trashed from all the hard candy and I kept biting my cheeks when chewing gum. I think Monsters suggestion to lay off the seeds a bit is a good one. If you cut back on the seeds and things improve then you know you are good.

2-3) I lumped these together to say this: You are living without your blanket Linus. Your best friend for the last however many years is gone and as Monster said you are learning to handle life without dip (your security blanket). When does it get better? Different for everyone. I am 150+ days in and still get craves, but nothing like they were during the first 100. There are times when I get really down, pissed, etc. when I do want to say FUCK IT and take a dip, but I know I am better off without it. Will I never think about dip, I highly doubt it. My mom is 82 and quit smoking in her 50's. She still gets craves.

Hang in there brother and just keep quitting one day at a time. When things get really bad just remember, all you gotta do is make it till bedtime :)

[Skoal Monster]

Every time i do a search with questions on quitting, side effects, etc. it links to this site so this must be the place to go!

I quit 6 weeks ago today (grizzly straight).  Things are much much better than they were - just chewing a bag of sunflower seeds a day, drinking a ton of water, and going to the gym every night when i feel like yelling at my family for doing some minor thing that really irritates me:)

Here are my quick questions:

1) Immediately after quitting i lost the sense of taste and feeling on the top of my tongue - is this normal and if so how long does it last because the feeling has not come back yet.

2) I still get really anxious at times - the anxiety/irritation doesn't last as long as it did 4 weeks ago but it's still comes on really strong.  This is usually triggered if i can't do what i want to do when i want to do it.  How long does this typically last for?

3) What is the REAL amount of time until i will feel relatively normal again? Is it around the 100 day mark?  I'm fine if it's longer, I'm just hoping there is some light at the end of the tunnel here! 

Thanks for taking the time to read/reply to this.  I hid the habit for 10 years so i don't really have anyone to talk to about it - which makes it worse!

hey slick,

you found the right place. You should get involved by joining a quit group and posting roll call daily. It will help you more than you could imagine. As far as your questions go.

I am no doctor, but I would guess the taste and tongue issue are probably quit related. It seems most guys have some odd symptoms . You may try laying off the sunflower seeds and seeing if that doesn't have something to do with it. A bag of spits will tear up your mouth pretty good, and thats alot of salt.
If your concerned go to the doc and get checked out, thats the best policy.

Anxiety and irritation are a big part of quitting early on. I almost killed a kid in a parking lot because he flipped me the bird and lurched his car torward me. Followed him in to the donut store where he worked and threatened to beat him to death with a box of chocolate eclairs. Gotta love dip rage
READ THIS
http://www.killthecan.org/robs/anger.asp

You need to re-learn how to handle shit without nicotine. Read this link, it explains it pretty well. To directly answer your question, it will last as long as it takes for you to learn how to handle stress without using a chemical crutch.


As for feeling normal? Not sure what you mean. Are asking when it gets easier and your not thinking about dip constantly? That get progressively better day by day. I am 2 1/2 years quit and I can say I go weeks without thinking about having a chew. I still have the urge to dip on occasion. But it isn't anything like it was after 6 weeks. Your body is recovering from one of the most lethal toxins on the planet. It is going to take some time. A great line from a quitter here was " this is going to suck until it doesn't" so just relax and quit just for today. the rest will take care of itself.

Finally, I think you may have overlooked the fact that you are a nicotine addict. You willl never NOT be a nicotine addict. You can learn to stay quit and choose not to use nicotine, you can learn to live with the urges to smoke or dip, but the temptation will always be there. There is no finish line for addicts. Keep in mind that it gets much easier to deal with. My quit is Mario Andrette yours is Mario Carts, just keep quitting and you'll have the relief you want.

sM

[jimmykeeper]

Welcome, Slickdaddy!

I believe your body and brain are re-adjusting themselves to be nicotine/dependency free. Since everybody is different, we all experience varying withdrawal symptoms. I personally haven't experienced exactly what you listed, but others may have.

You are healthier today than you were 6 weeks ago.

I am in your September group, hit me or anyone else up with questions.

[bigbamadan]

Welcome Slick.

First I would encourage you to check out our lovelyWelcome Center

Head on over to August 2011, introduce yourself and post roll. You said you don't really have anyone to talk to about this...well you got more support than you could ever imagine now.

If you have not already check out these links:

What to Expect When You Quit

Symptoms of Quitting

In my case the tip of my tongue did the exact same...don't recall it lasting 6 weeks but I know it did go on for several weeks. Just had a strange tingling feeling.

Anxiety wise...I was a freaking basket case for the first few months.

Like all things quit related they will pass in time. It gets better. I promise. Take things one day at a time and continue to move fwd.

[slickdaddy]

Every time i do a search with questions on quitting, side effects, etc. it links to this site so this must be the place to go!

I quit 6 weeks ago today (grizzly straight). Things are much much better than they were - just chewing a bag of sunflower seeds a day, drinking a ton of water, and going to the gym every night when i feel like yelling at my family for doing some minor thing that really irritates me:)

Here are my quick questions:

1) Immediately after quitting i lost the sense of taste and feeling on the top of my tongue - is this normal and if so how long does it last because the feeling has not come back yet.

2) I still get really anxious at times - the anxiety/irritation doesn't last as long as it did 4 weeks ago but it's still comes on really strong. This is usually triggered if i can't do what i want to do when i want to do it. How long does this typically last for?

3) What is the REAL amount of time until i will feel relatively normal again? Is it around the 100 day mark? I'm fine if it's longer, I'm just hoping there is some light at the end of the tunnel here!

Thanks for taking the time to read/reply to this. I hid the habit for 10 years so i don't really have anyone to talk to about it - which makes it worse!