Been a week.....

[chris2alaska]

How long do the withdrawal symptoms/strange feeling typically last?

-Mild dull headache over eyes (almost like a brain freeze) or feeling like it's "behind" my eyes.  Not severe or debilitating, just annoying enough to keep being reminded 'my head hurts'....

-Vision/focus. Peripheral vision way out of focus. Tunnel vision? Hard for me to describe a lot of these, but assuming they will make sense to others....  Staring at something for a few seconds vs just reading it.  Like the words don't register right away.  Just several vision-related things that I notice are "off"

-Jittery feeling.  Mostly just later in evening, before bed.  Assuming because there isn't work or anything really needing my attention - just sitting for an hour to watch TV to unwind before bed - almost unbearable with the jittery feelings, much less intense other times of day.

-Sleep...Can't fall asleep, stay asleep.  When I do sleep, real weird dreams. Waking up with a very anxious feeling & can't go back to sleep.

-Strong urge for nicotine.  Always some urge, and a little is no big deal.  Always there, but varying degrees and at times is more than I'd just call a craving.  Pretty intense feeling and combines with the jittery feeling and the out of focus vision. Chew some gum, have a snack, cold drink, get up & walk around, some type of distraction until is lets up a bit....I get thru them, but these strong urges hit appx 3x per day and are hard to describe.  It's all the time I "want" some nicotine - but mostly the same way I want ice cream or a winning powerball ticket - would be nice to have but don't really care about not having.  So that kind of "want" is always there 24/7.  Then there's the "my eyes hurt, vision is blurry, jittery dreadful feeling" and pretty intense feeling like I 'need' just a little to get thru it.  So far, these few times a day are pretty sucky, but maybe 15 minutes each tops. This is the part I really want to go away...like RFN....would be great if that stopped. Any trick to speeding up getting past that?

-Appetite....eating more.  I think that's pretty normal & expected.  Trying to be more conscious about it but at same time allowing a few more snacks or junk food as snacks....   

-Feeling "buzzed".....kind of that same feeling after a few beers when you start getting buzzed, but without the relaxed or happy feeling to go along with it. But coordination a tiny bit off, reactions a touch slow, feel a little bit unbalanced, thoughts a little slower to form....kind of like being a little bit buzzed in those ways

Anyway, I was doing fine on the patches.....always had that feeling I wanted a dip, but really mild.  Even though that was a lot less nicotine than 2.5-3 cans/day delivered, apparently was enough.  Monday was day to step down to next lower level patch (step 2?)....but instead of doing that, just didn't put it on at all.  So that makes this 3rd day with 0 nic, about a month no tobacco.  And so far, these feelings haven't let up any.  The sleep and jittery type strong urge seem to get a little worse each day.  So just wondering how long does it typically take for the more intense issues to let up?

Welcome back CMV,

Great job being quit for 3 days.  The nicotine is completely out of your system after about 72 hours.  Then the mental games kick in which is right where you are now.  It is going to suck for awhile until it doesn't suck.  Posting your promise to be nicotine free everyday and having the brotherhood and accountability of the members in a quit month makes it so much more bearable.  It is also the price of membership in this forum.  So go join your August quit group and post your promise today to be nicotine free for the next 24 hours.  Keep your promise and come back tomorrow morning and do it again.  Just keep doing that everyday and before you know it, you will be 469 days quit like me.  I too was a 3 can a day dipper for 31 years.  If I can quit, so can you.  You just have to want to quit.  If you don't want it, you will not achieve it.

Go here to learn about What to Expect when you quit dipping.

I hope you stay with it.  The freedom is so worth it.

Chris

[CMV]

How long do the withdrawal symptoms/strange feeling typically last?

-Mild dull headache over eyes (almost like a brain freeze) or feeling like it's "behind" my eyes.  Not severe or debilitating, just annoying enough to keep being reminded 'my head hurts'....

-Vision/focus. Peripheral vision way out of focus. Tunnel vision? Hard for me to describe a lot of these, but assuming they will make sense to others....  Staring at something for a few seconds vs just reading it.  Like the words don't register right away.  Just several vision-related things that I notice are "off"

-Jittery feeling.  Mostly just later in evening, before bed.  Assuming because there isn't work or anything really needing my attention - just sitting for an hour to watch TV to unwind before bed - almost unbearable with the jittery feelings, much less intense other times of day.

-Sleep...Can't fall asleep, stay asleep.  When I do sleep, real weird dreams. Waking up with a very anxious feeling & can't go back to sleep.

-Strong urge for nicotine.  Always some urge, and a little is no big deal.  Always there, but varying degrees and at times is more than I'd just call a craving.  Pretty intense feeling and combines with the jittery feeling and the out of focus vision. Chew some gum, have a snack, cold drink, get up & walk around, some type of distraction until is lets up a bit....I get thru them, but these strong urges hit appx 3x per day and are hard to describe.  It's all the time I "want" some nicotine - but mostly the same way I want ice cream or a winning powerball ticket - would be nice to have but don't really care about not having.  So that kind of "want" is always there 24/7.  Then there's the "my eyes hurt, vision is blurry, jittery dreadful feeling" and pretty intense feeling like I 'need' just a little to get thru it.  So far, these few times a day are pretty sucky, but maybe 15 minutes each tops. This is the part I really want to go away...like RFN....would be great if that stopped. Any trick to speeding up getting past that?

-Appetite....eating more.  I think that's pretty normal & expected.  Trying to be more conscious about it but at same time allowing a few more snacks or junk food as snacks....   

-Feeling "buzzed".....kind of that same feeling after a few beers when you start getting buzzed, but without the relaxed or happy feeling to go along with it. But coordination a tiny bit off, reactions a touch slow, feel a little bit unbalanced, thoughts a little slower to form....kind of like being a little bit buzzed in those ways

Anyway, I was doing fine on the patches.....always had that feeling I wanted a dip, but really mild.  Even though that was a lot less nicotine than 2.5-3 cans/day delivered, apparently was enough.  Monday was day to step down to next lower level patch (step 2?)....but instead of doing that, just didn't put it on at all.  So that makes this 3rd day with 0 nic, about a month no tobacco.  And so far, these feelings haven't let up any.  The sleep and jittery type strong urge seem to get a little worse each day.  So just wondering how long does it typically take for the more intense issues to let up?

[AppleJack]

Looks like we’ve got another one post wonder.

Sucks to be owned.

[Gunnar]

Everyone on here giving you advise Is fighting the same addiction you are.  Many for the same amount of time or more.  I was a 25 year addict, at 1 can of Grizz a day for the last 10 years of it.  I, like many people you will meet on here, enjoyed dipping.  I loved it the relaxation I thought it provided.  I also hated it, hated the dependency on a damn drug.  Hated the thought of making my kids think it’s ok to dip or smoke.  Quit brother.  PM me and ask and you have my digits.  I’m on day 60 today so I’m still fresh.  You know it’s going to suck for a minute, but that will be a short minute if it gives you 20-50 years of dip free life.  Take the leap but don’t half ass it, what good has every happened in your life while you half ass something?

Oh and it may seem weird at first, but I guarantee if you jump in and go for it, you will not find a group of people that will fight harder or care more about for YOUR life than the people on KTC.

Gunnar

[Dagranger]

If you don’t have the grit to go cold turkey...you don’t have the grit to be rid of nicotine.   Somewhere down the line as you’re  “weaning” off nicotine something will happen.   Out of patches, something goes wrong in your personal life,  you go on a long drive by yourself, etc.   without a doubt something will happen where you will justify “just one” more.   And your quit will collapse.    You know anyone who weaned themselves off alcohol, or heroin, or any other drug?   Why would nicotine be any different?

Quitting sucks.   But tons of people like you have sucked it up and made it work right here using the tools on this site.    If you are tired of being owned by your addiction.   Get on board!

[chris2alaska]

In reading your statement, I'm seeing a complete lack of belief in your ability to do this.  You're talking about dosages, weaning, delays, etc.  That's all crap.  Not having a nicotine patch on your shoulder or a pinch in your lip will not kill you.  Therefore, it is possible and you can do it.  I'm not saying that it won't suck, because it will most certainly suck, but it will only suck temporarily.  You'll get to a point where it only sucks a little bit, and then it won't suck at all.  The only way to get there though, is to embrace that you do have the strength and the desire to make it happen.

If you don't have the strength or desire, then why even bother?  Why go through the misery of trying to taper off with an unsatisfying substitute if you know it's just going to lead back to failure.  Either quit like you mean it, or stop wasting your time.  In your introduction, you stated that dip is part of who you are.  If being a person who is comfortable having his lifestyle, personality and health constantly under the control of a chemical substance, then maybe you're right.  I would challenge you, however, that being Quit can become part of who you are in an even bigger way.  Rather than be that guy who dips, you can be the guy who was strong enough to beat a 30+ year old addiction and claim a new lease on his freedom. 

None of this will be easy, but it is simple.  Commit yourself to this decision, dive into the resources available at this site and post your promise to be nicotine free for one day.  Keep that promise and repeat.

This guy left you some good wisdom right here...  2,297 days ago I didn't think I could do this either.  But since the doctor told me to quit or buy more life insurance, I figured I might as well give it a try.  Well, I got some tough love handed to me, just like you are.

In the past 2,297 days I've seen all kinds of rationalizing on here.  I've seen people talk about measuring Kodiak by the gram and mixing it with fake dip - going from a higher gram % of Kodiak to a lower % over time (those people all failed).  I've seen people talk about their doctors pushing patches or lozenges at them to quit (none of their doctors smoked or dipped or had any idea what the fuck quitting is like) and about 99% of those people failed.  I've also had a friend on this board die of cancer, which was likely induced through tobacco....

The initial quit was horrible.  It sucked.  The first couple of months I really don't even remember.  Then things slowly started getting better.  Then one day, things clicked and life became good again.  Fast forward some more, something else clicked and life became great.  Today, I can do anything I set my mind to - because if I can quit and be happy without something that I thought was as necessary as food, water, and shelter... I can do anything.  This is the best thing I've ever done for me, for my family, and for my life.

The plan that you are on will lead to frustration, painful slow withdrawal, and eventual failure.  The plan here will lead to success.  We quit one day at a time.  We quit together, and we win together.  We post roll as soon as we open our eyes, and by God we keep our word.  We help each other out when the stress and cravings are overwhelming (and for a little while - they will be) and we support each other like a band of brothers.  You are surrounded by winners here who know how to manage this monster that is in your life.  Join us.  Win with us.

So CMV,

These guys have laid it out for you.  Everything they have said is spot on.  Now the choice is yours.  Are you going to be a man, face your addiction and show it who is in control of your life or are you going to wuss out and let a dead, poisonous weed in a plastic can control your every decision?

Do you want to Quit?  Are you ready to Quit?  If the answer is YES, then dive in and drink the "koolaid" this site and its members are offering.  You will not regret it.  If the answer is no to those questions, well then, we got nothing for you.  Come back when you are.  We will still be here, hopefully YOU will still be around.

[worktowin]

In reading your statement, I'm seeing a complete lack of belief in your ability to do this.  You're talking about dosages, weaning, delays, etc.  That's all crap.  Not having a nicotine patch on your shoulder or a pinch in your lip will not kill you.  Therefore, it is possible and you can do it.  I'm not saying that it won't suck, because it will most certainly suck, but it will only suck temporarily.  You'll get to a point where it only sucks a little bit, and then it won't suck at all.  The only way to get there though, is to embrace that you do have the strength and the desire to make it happen.

If you don't have the strength or desire, then why even bother?  Why go through the misery of trying to taper off with an unsatisfying substitute if you know it's just going to lead back to failure.  Either quit like you mean it, or stop wasting your time.  In your introduction, you stated that dip is part of who you are.  If being a person who is comfortable having his lifestyle, personality and health constantly under the control of a chemical substance, then maybe you're right.  I would challenge you, however, that being Quit can become part of who you are in an even bigger way.  Rather than be that guy who dips, you can be the guy who was strong enough to beat a 30+ year old addiction and claim a new lease on his freedom. 

None of this will be easy, but it is simple.  Commit yourself to this decision, dive into the resources available at this site and post your promise to be nicotine free for one day.  Keep that promise and repeat.

This guy left you some good wisdom right here...  2,297 days ago I didn't think I could do this either.  But since the doctor told me to quit or buy more life insurance, I figured I might as well give it a try.  Well, I got some tough love handed to me, just like you are.

In the past 2,297 days I've seen all kinds of rationalizing on here.  I've seen people talk about measuring Kodiak by the gram and mixing it with fake dip - going from a higher gram % of Kodiak to a lower % over time (those people all failed).  I've seen people talk about their doctors pushing patches or lozenges at them to quit (none of their doctors smoked or dipped or had any idea what the fuck quitting is like) and about 99% of those people failed.  I've also had a friend on this board die of cancer, which was likely induced through tobacco....

The initial quit was horrible.  It sucked.  The first couple of months I really don't even remember.  Then things slowly started getting better.  Then one day, things clicked and life became good again.  Fast forward some more, something else clicked and life became great.  Today, I can do anything I set my mind to - because if I can quit and be happy without something that I thought was as necessary as food, water, and shelter... I can do anything.  This is the best thing I've ever done for me, for my family, and for my life.

The plan that you are on will lead to frustration, painful slow withdrawal, and eventual failure.  The plan here will lead to success.  We quit one day at a time.  We quit together, and we win together.  We post roll as soon as we open our eyes, and by God we keep our word.  We help each other out when the stress and cravings are overwhelming (and for a little while - they will be) and we support each other like a band of brothers.  You are surrounded by winners here who know how to manage this monster that is in your life.  Join us.  Win with us. 

[pky1520]

In reading your statement, I'm seeing a complete lack of belief in your ability to do this.  You're talking about dosages, weaning, delays, etc.  That's all crap.  Not having a nicotine patch on your shoulder or a pinch in your lip will not kill you.  Therefore, it is possible and you can do it.  I'm not saying that it won't suck, because it will most certainly suck, but it will only suck temporarily.  You'll get to a point where it only sucks a little bit, and then it won't suck at all.  The only way to get there though, is to embrace that you do have the strength and the desire to make it happen.

If you don't have the strength or desire, then why even bother?  Why go through the misery of trying to taper off with an unsatisfying substitute if you know it's just going to lead back to failure.  Either quit like you mean it, or stop wasting your time.  In your introduction, you stated that dip is part of who you are.  If being a person who is comfortable having his lifestyle, personality and health constantly under the control of a chemical substance, then maybe you're right.  I would challenge you, however, that being Quit can become part of who you are in an even bigger way.  Rather than be that guy who dips, you can be the guy who was strong enough to beat a 30+ year old addiction and claim a new lease on his freedom. 

None of this will be easy, but it is simple.  Commit yourself to this decision, dive into the resources available at this site and post your promise to be nicotine free for one day.  Keep that promise and repeat. 

[RDB]

Welcome.

You are exactly right. You have switched from whiskey to beer and are having the same number of drinks per day.

I did the same thing for 18 days, until I went cold turkey. I thought I was "stepping down", but was really replacing one form of nicotine with another. The good news is that I am now 1,173 days quit. That's completely quit - no nicotine in any form for 1,173 days. It can be done.

You have to make up your mind that you want to be quit, then quit.

You have found THE place for support in quitting smokeless tobacco. The program is simple. Go to your Quit Group - https://forum.killthecan.org/index.php?topic=14117.0

Learn how to post roll. By posting roll, we are making a promise not to use nicotine in any form for the rest of the day. We are promising ourselves, other members of our Quit Group, and everyone who posts support in our Quit Group. We also exchange digits (phone numbers) with fellow quitters. But we don't blow up your phone and pester and nag you. But what you have when you exchange digits is a emergency contact that you can reach out to when you are afraid you might cave.

One thing I will say is - don't join your Quit Group and post roll until you are ready to quit. We don't take half assing it very well here. When you are good and ready to be quit, you are ready to join your Quit Group and post roll.

We quit one day at a time. We promise to not use nicotine in any form for today, and come back tomorrow and do the same thing, and keep doing that every tomorrow afterward, first thing in the day.

I really hope you join us, but more importantly, I hope you join us when you are ready to say good bye to nicotine for good.

[Zeus]

Welcome.

That's a lot of rationalizing, or what we call bullshitting. Simple truth is this: you can't  fight a nicotine addiction with nicotine. You can put all the bullshit behind you by promising no nicotine today, period. That's all we ask for. It won't kill you and won't prolong the madness ad infinitum like you're doing now.

[Keith0617]

No time like the present. here is the link to the July quit group https://forum.killthecan.org/index.php?topic=14117.0.  We post roll early every morning with our promise to stay nic free for the day. then wake up and do it again.

Hi all.  Dipped roughly 30+ years.  Quit last week - kind of.  I say kind of because (1) didn't really want to (keep getting pestered by health insurance company & threats of +$75/month penalty if I didn't enroll in their quit program and (2) Doing the patches and lozenges - so in effect I'm just substituting one for the other and see no real benefit from that yet....

Anyway, in general it sucks.  I forgot my patch this morning and these lozenges aren't nearly same level of nicotine vs a 2.5-3 can/day habit that's for sure.  So Am really kind of feeling it today.....

Oh well.  I think it will be pretty difficult because I really don't have much motivation to quit.  Has always been "someday".... but just never wanted to.  I'm sure you guys get it - just did it for so long kind of like a part of me, part of what makes me ME. 

"Quit for life" is name of program through health insurance.  They sent free patches.  Had an initial phone call with one of  their counselors/coaches, but the program itself is NOT for me.  I'm sure they're great people doing great things, but other than the free box of nicotine patches and some basic general info, as far as I can tell they just nag you to quit.  Nonstop blowing up my phone with texts, random unscheduled calls from coaches asking if I have "15-20 min free" which of course I don't.... But overall it doesn't feel like help or support or coaching - just a metric butt load of pestering me.

SO anyway..... thought about it some & figured may as well make it work.  Even if I've only "fake quit" so far since I'm still getting elephant's dose of nicotine between step 1 patches & lozenges, Today is 7th day of no tobacco.  And overall it hasn't been terrible.  I keep reaching for a can out of habit, but don't feel like it's consuming my thoughts, and on a scale of 1- 10 where 1 is least, I'd say I'm about at a "2" for feeling like I'm missing it.

I don't have the grit to just say 0 nicotine period & suck it up.  Part of the info/suggestions from Quit for Life before the patches arrived were just to delay a dip.  Since denying yourself is part of quitting, when you want a dip, wait 15 min, then 20, then 30, etc & get used to dealing with that feeling  of "I want it, but can't have it".  20 minutes was no big deal.  But once I started going 30 minutes it was starting to get pretty irritating.  I don't think I ever went more than an hour delaying and needed a pretty good distraction - no way I could just sit at my desk doing normal work with a can right in front of me and leave it alone for > an hour after I felt like I wanted a dip.

So not sure how this will play out.  I could go on indefinitely with the patches + lozenges - that's at worst a "minor inconvenience/barely noticeable discomfort" is best I can describe it.  But when time comes to start stepping down & weaning off one or the other, I don't see that going well.  Hard to explain....just have this voice in the back of my head telling me I'm going to fail and I'm fooling myself right now just getting same amount of nicotine (I assume same amount - no idea how much you actually get in a day from dipping) as I was before - just doing it a different way.  Still just as hooked as I've been for decades, just pretending I'm not.....or pretending I'm making some sort of progress or heading in right direction.  Like an alcoholic switching from whiskey to beer but having same # of drinks per day and acting like that's progress - that's what I feel like I'm doing.....but sadly I don't know that I could tolerate much more than that sadly.....

[Batdad]

Thousands of us just went for it.... you can to!!

Why prolong it? Why drag it out and be miserable longer?

Lets do it! Let's go nicotine free RIGHT NOW!! If I can make it, you can to!!

[CMV]

Hi all.  Dipped roughly 30+ years.  Quit last week - kind of.  I say kind of because (1) didn't really want to (keep getting pestered by health insurance company & threats of +$75/month penalty if I didn't enroll in their quit program and (2) Doing the patches and lozenges - so in effect I'm just substituting one for the other and see no real benefit from that yet....

Anyway, in general it sucks.  I forgot my patch this morning and these lozenges aren't nearly same level of nicotine vs a 2.5-3 can/day habit that's for sure.  So Am really kind of feeling it today.....

Oh well.  I think it will be pretty difficult because I really don't have much motivation to quit.  Has always been "someday".... but just never wanted to.  I'm sure you guys get it - just did it for so long kind of like a part of me, part of what makes me ME. 

"Quit for life" is name of program through health insurance.  They sent free patches.  Had an initial phone call with one of  their counselors/coaches, but the program itself is NOT for me.  I'm sure they're great people doing great things, but other than the free box of nicotine patches and some basic general info, as far as I can tell they just nag you to quit.  Nonstop blowing up my phone with texts, random unscheduled calls from coaches asking if I have "15-20 min free" which of course I don't.... But overall it doesn't feel like help or support or coaching - just a metric butt load of pestering me.

SO anyway..... thought about it some & figured may as well make it work.  Even if I've only "fake quit" so far since I'm still getting elephant's dose of nicotine between step 1 patches & lozenges, Today is 7th day of no tobacco.  And overall it hasn't been terrible.  I keep reaching for a can out of habit, but don't feel like it's consuming my thoughts, and on a scale of 1- 10 where 1 is least, I'd say I'm about at a "2" for feeling like I'm missing it.

I don't have the grit to just say 0 nicotine period & suck it up.  Part of the info/suggestions from Quit for Life before the patches arrived were just to delay a dip.  Since denying yourself is part of quitting, when you want a dip, wait 15 min, then 20, then 30, etc & get used to dealing with that feeling  of "I want it, but can't have it".  20 minutes was no big deal.  But once I started going 30 minutes it was starting to get pretty irritating.  I don't think I ever went more than an hour delaying and needed a pretty good distraction - no way I could just sit at my desk doing normal work with a can right in front of me and leave it alone for > an hour after I felt like I wanted a dip.

So not sure how this will play out.  I could go on indefinitely with the patches + lozenges - that's at worst a "minor inconvenience/barely noticeable discomfort" is best I can describe it.  But when time comes to start stepping down & weaning off one or the other, I don't see that going well.  Hard to explain....just have this voice in the back of my head telling me I'm going to fail and I'm fooling myself right now just getting same amount of nicotine (I assume same amount - no idea how much you actually get in a day from dipping) as I was before - just doing it a different way.  Still just as hooked as I've been for decades, just pretending I'm not.....or pretending I'm making some sort of progress or heading in right direction.  Like an alcoholic switching from whiskey to beer but having same # of drinks per day and acting like that's progress - that's what I feel like I'm doing.....but sadly I don't know that I could tolerate much more than that sadly.....