Hi folks,
Although I've known about this website for quite some time now, this is my very first post. As of today, I am 425 days free of smokeless and smoke tobacco. I'm extremely proud of myself as I've been dipping since I was 16 years of age (I'm 41 now). My reasoning behind wanting to quit were simple. I didn't want to get cancer and loose half of my face and judging by the way my body was talking to me (my mouth in general) I was not far off from that.
The insides of my mouth wore torn plum up, I mean it was bad...when it would get that way, I'd lay-off a bit (my idea of laying off at the time was instead of a can a day, I'd do half to 3/4 quarters of a can) and relocate the dip elsewhere in my mouth. The problem was I kept getting those white crinkly patches you get from dipping and they were all over my cheeks. My gum line's were so receded from years of dipping it hurt. I had to constantly move the dip around in my mouth so that I could avoid the pain.
I then decided to quit, I knew I was not far off from being diagnosed with oral cancer (it's just that feeling one gets, ya'll know what I'm talking about). So, the genius that I am, I decided to take up smoking. The white patches were gone and I thought to myself, if I can't dip, then I'll smoke and get my fix. To my amazement, the cigarette smoke made those white patches come back...it didn't matter if it was just one cig or a box of cigs the whiteness would re-appear in my mouth. I was desperate at this point...I knew I had to quit everything all together. My body was telling me no more.
My work had a smoking cessation program so I enrolled and was able to get a few boxes of that nicotine gum, which seem to help a little. I'd take the gum and place it on my gums like you would a dip and chew/suck and move it around like a actual dip for the prescribed amount of time you were suppose to leave it in your mouth. I did this for a few weeks until my throat started hurting (I assume from the nicotine in the gum). I had to move to an alternative, I went for the gum, then the sun-flower seeds, as well as chewing on tootsie roll pops and anything else I could chew on that would keep me orally fixated and busy. I can't tell you the pain I went through. If I had a choice to go through the hell of war in IRAQ and dip again over the pain of quitting I would of chose to go back to IRAQ. It's a hell I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
To be honest with you, I do not know how I've made it this far. At 425 days I still crave nicotine. I still chew on sun-flower seeds and use Smokey Mountain Herbal chew...it seems to be keeping me content. I go into 7-11 everyday, I have no choice but to see that Copenhagen can or that Marlboro package sitting there just staring right back at me saying, "buy me, buy me, buy me." Each time I that I avoid buying them, I pat myself on the back.
You really have to dig down deep. Nicotine in my eyes is one of the worst man-made chemical ever made...I know people that have quit the dipping 10, 15 and 20 years that still crave nicotine...it's as TERRIBLE as CANCER itself. I guess what I'm trying to say is this, it is possible to quit you just got dig dip inside and want it. Nothing is DIFFICULT for those who have the WILL. -- Keep pushing forward!!!
