Day Three

[teaka]

After 23 years of dipping and numerous failed quits, I am on day three of no tobacco.  This is longer than I have gone without it in 23 years..

From reading the posts on this board, it sounds as if many of you disapprove of using nicotine patches.
I guess I can understand the logic since the patch is giving you 21mg of nicotine a day.  However, I have tried and failed to quit many times cold turkey.  Call me weak, a wimp, whatever...  I don't care because it is working.  The patch has (so far) made it manageable to go from 1.5 cans a day of Red Seal to no tobacco at all.

I realize I will have to taper from 21mg to 14mg to 7mg, and then to nothing.  That seems a lot more realistic to me to go from 7mg to nothing than to try to go from the stratospheric levels that I was using to nothing.

I passed a C-store this morning on the way to work and was very tempted to stop for a can.  Instead, I came on into work, and pulled up this site.

Thanks for having this site.  It is helpful.

Welcome to the site, Red.

You really haven't quit. You've merely altered the form of the carrier that brings the drug into your system.

The side effects of quitting will be essentially the same whether you are on the patch (whatever dosage) or still dipping.

The best thing to do is to flush everything, fight through the first weeks one day or even one minute at a time, join your quit group and commit to posting roll every day.

You can do this. If I did, so can you.

Go for it!!

I didn't say that I have quit. I said I was on day three of no tobacco.

From the responses, I see that I have touched a nerve by admitting that I am using nicotine patches. You guys make some good and valid arguments, but I am still not sure that I agree with you.

Here is the best way I can think of to explain my logic:
For arguments sake, lets just say that as a heavy dipper, I was putting 35mg of nicotine into my system. I don't know that that is a valid number, but I know it is higher than the 21mg I am getting on the patch because I still feel strong cravings.

So, switching from snuff to the patch, I have lowered my intake from 35mg to 21mg. After a few weeks, I will lower it again to 14mg. A couple weeks after that, I will lower it again to 7mg. Finally, after two more weeks I will lower it to 0mg.

In my mind, it seems a lot easier and realistic to go from 7mg to zero than from 35mg to zero.
As I said before, cold turkey has not worked for me. Why is it so awful to try things a different way?

I greatly appreciate the responses so far, and I look forward to hearing responses to this. My mind is not closed, but so far I have not heard a good reason to not give the patches a try. Altruistic and sanctimonious ideals are great when they provide results, but sometimes the solution to a problem is ugly and not elegant.

Regardless of whether we agree or not, you guys are doing a good and helpful thing here, and I appreciate it.

I don't really care if someone chooses to use patches or not. All they are doing is delaying the inevitable. You might think you are 'softening the blow' by weaning off the nicotene, but IMO you are just prolonging the physical withdrawal.

To me it is just like jumping into very cold water, versus slowly wading.... or ripping a band-aid of your hairy arm versus slowly pulling back on it. Is it better to feel less pain over a longer period, or have a bit more pain but be done with it fast???


Me? I'll always jump right into the cold water and tear the band-aid fast. Thats just the kind of guy I am.

just my 2 cents.

[ninereasons]

From the responses, I see that I have touched a nerve by admitting that I am using nicotine patches.  You guys make some good and valid arguments, but I am still not sure that I agree with you.

Here is the best way I can think of to explain my logic:
For arguments sake, lets just say that as a heavy dipper, I was putting 35mg of nicotine into my system.  I don't know that that is a valid number, but I know it is higher than the 21mg I am getting on the patch because I still feel strong cravings.

So, switching from snuff to the patch, I have lowered my intake from 35mg to 21mg.  After a few weeks, I will lower it again to 14mg.  A couple weeks after that, I will lower it again to 7mg.  Finally, after two more weeks I will lower it to 0mg.

In my mind, it seems a lot easier and realistic to go from 7mg to zero than from 35mg to zero. 
As I said before, cold turkey has not worked for me.  Why is it so awful to try things a different way?

I greatly appreciate the responses so far, and I look forward to hearing responses to this.  My mind is not closed, but so far I have not heard a good reason to not give the patches a try.  Altruistic and sanctimonious ideals are great when they provide results, but sometimes the solution to a problem is ugly and not elegant.

Regardless of whether we agree or not, you guys are doing a good and helpful thing here, and I appreciate it.

Using patches won't always prevent you from quitting someday. Use them if you feel you must. I tried them. Gum and lozenges, too (blech). Many of us have. In retrospect they seem to be little more than a means of procrastination.

But I learned something else, that's more significant. I'm not unique. Studies back me up:

Even if patches help you quit, they do not prevent you from starting again.

Here's what that means, in practical terms. Before 6 months have passed, after the completion of a successful course to cessation, nearly 9 of 10 have resumed tobacco use. You'll find similar recidivism with all "methods" - (including cold turkey). Quitting is not the problem. It's how to stay quit that matters.

That's why we concentrate on what keeps you quit. It's so simple that people pick it up and start preaching it immediately - it's obvious, and it works. Only one thing keeps you quit, and that's keeping the decision you made to stop.

We can help you to do that. When you need help, let us know.

[bigbamadan]

Here is the best way I can think of to explain my logic:
For arguments sake, lets just say that as a heavy dipper, I was putting 35mg of nicotine into my system.  I don't know that that is a valid number, but I know it is higher than the 21mg I am getting on the patch because I still feel strong cravings.

So, switching from snuff to the patch, I have lowered my intake from 35mg to 21mg.  After a few weeks, I will lower it again to 14mg.  A couple weeks after that, I will lower it again to 7mg.  Finally, after two more weeks I will lower it to 0mg.

'The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!'


I always had a plan to quit. Planed to quit when I got my first real job. Many a New Years...I had a plan. Many a Monday morning...I had a plan to quit, you know after just one more weekend. Found out my wife was pregnant...I had a plan to quit then too. None of those plans ever worked.

I came here and threw all the past plans out the window. Realized all I had to do was give my word and quit for one day. The days somehow started to add up without me ever planing for how I would handle 6 weeks down the road. That is all you have to do too.

[redsealhell]

After 23 years of dipping and numerous failed quits, I am on day three of no tobacco.  This is longer than I have gone without it in 23 years..

From reading the posts on this board, it sounds as if many of you disapprove of using nicotine patches.
I guess I can understand the logic since the patch is giving you 21mg of nicotine a day.  However, I have tried and failed to quit many times cold turkey.  Call me weak, a wimp, whatever...  I don't care because it is working.  The patch has (so far) made it manageable to go from 1.5 cans a day of Red Seal to no tobacco at all.

I realize I will have to taper from 21mg to 14mg to 7mg, and then to nothing.  That seems a lot more realistic to me to go from 7mg to nothing than to try to go from the stratospheric levels that I was using to nothing.

I passed a C-store this morning on the way to work and was very tempted to stop for a can.  Instead, I came on into work, and pulled up this site.

Thanks for having this site.  It is helpful.

Welcome to the site, Red.

You really haven't quit. You've merely altered the form of the carrier that brings the drug into your system.

The side effects of quitting will be essentially the same whether you are on the patch (whatever dosage) or still dipping.

The best thing to do is to flush everything, fight through the first weeks one day or even one minute at a time, join your quit group and commit to posting roll every day.

You can do this. If I did, so can you.

Go for it!!

I didn't say that I have quit. I said I was on day three of no tobacco.

From the responses, I see that I have touched a nerve by admitting that I am using nicotine patches. You guys make some good and valid arguments, but I am still not sure that I agree with you.

Here is the best way I can think of to explain my logic:
For arguments sake, lets just say that as a heavy dipper, I was putting 35mg of nicotine into my system. I don't know that that is a valid number, but I know it is higher than the 21mg I am getting on the patch because I still feel strong cravings.

So, switching from snuff to the patch, I have lowered my intake from 35mg to 21mg. After a few weeks, I will lower it again to 14mg. A couple weeks after that, I will lower it again to 7mg. Finally, after two more weeks I will lower it to 0mg.

In my mind, it seems a lot easier and realistic to go from 7mg to zero than from 35mg to zero.
As I said before, cold turkey has not worked for me. Why is it so awful to try things a different way?

I greatly appreciate the responses so far, and I look forward to hearing responses to this. My mind is not closed, but so far I have not heard a good reason to not give the patches a try. Altruistic and sanctimonious ideals are great when they provide results, but sometimes the solution to a problem is ugly and not elegant.

Regardless of whether we agree or not, you guys are doing a good and helpful thing here, and I appreciate it.

[Keddy]

After 23 years of dipping and numerous failed quits, I am on day three of no tobacco. This is longer than I have gone without it in 23 years..

From reading the posts on this board, it sounds as if many of you disapprove of using nicotine patches.
I guess I can understand the logic since the patch is giving you 21mg of nicotine a day. However, I have tried and failed to quit many times cold turkey. Call me weak, a wimp, whatever... I don't care because it is working. The patch has (so far) made it manageable to go from 1.5 cans a day of Red Seal to no tobacco at all.

I realize I will have to taper from 21mg to 14mg to 7mg, and then to nothing. That seems a lot more realistic to me to go from 7mg to nothing than to try to go from the stratospheric levels that I was using to nothing.

I passed a C-store this morning on the way to work and was very tempted to stop for a can. Instead, I came on into work, and pulled up this site.

Thanks for having this site. It is helpful.

Welcome to the site, Red.

You really haven't quit. You've merely altered the form of the carrier that brings the drug into your system.

The side effects of quitting will be essentially the same whether you are on the patch (whatever dosage) or still dipping.

The best thing to do is to flush everything, fight through the first weeks one day or even one minute at a time, join your quit group and commit to posting roll every day.

You can do this. If I did, so can you.

Go for it!!

[Scowick65]

Looking for an easy way out? Man, I wish there was one. If there were an easy way to quit nicotine everyone on this site could have avoided what you must go through. Sir, it must be done. There is no easy way. Nicotine withdrawal sucks.

Start Now. I did it. They did it. YOU can do it.

If you need personal assistance in this journey I can help. PM me. Those that responded to your post already are all bad ass quitters. They know. Sorry, it is what it is.

[ninereasons]

Nicotine is keeping you addicted to tobacco, which is killing you.

Some day you will quit for good.

You will quit when you no longer believe that you need nicotine for anything.

Today, you think that you need nicotine to help you quit using nicotine.

You can cite a lot of reasonable arguments for talking this way.

To me, an addict, that sounds like an addict talking.

[Parputt]

Well at least you are trying, I will give you that.

When you are ready to put your big boy pants on we will be here for you. Why so harsh you ask? Because the hundreds before you that have quit cold turkey know it is the only way and we do not recognize or support any other way.

So, see you down the road.

[redyota]

These two are right on, patches are no good. They maintain the addiction, albeit in another form. Kinda like drinking Vodka instead of Whiskey.

You say you've TRIED to quit cold turkey, but the problem is in the word TRY. It leaves you open to the option of failure.

I suggest that this time, get your reasons laid out, get your mind right, and just all out, balls to the wall, quit. Failure is not an option.

Repeat after me: "I am quitting tobacco. It is more important than anything else I will do today. It may hurt, may brain may fog up, I'm likely to get more pissed off than I've been in a long damn time, but quitting will not kill me. Nicotine will."

Once you get his attitude, step up to the plate, and we will be your team to help you through whatever may come.

[husker06484]

Red.....

I will tell you this..You wont find a more bad ass quitter than NOLAQ...He is wise and you would be wise to listen....Its the Nic bitch telling you that you cant quit today....Its the nic bitch whispering in your ear that you need her that you cant live without her....This site is full of people jsut like you...Dipped for as long as you, longer than you and less than you....They have one thing in common though..They are quit...They decided to take that first step and just say fuck it I am taking my life back....I am done with being a slave to a fucking can of shit....You dont see it now and you may never see it but trust me....Quitting is so fucking awesome, its freedom that you forgot about and its a choice you will need to make sooner or later.....This site works, being accoutable works....Are you willing to take that first step...Its fucking scary but you will not be alone, you can do it....Get rid of the bitch.....

[Nolaq]

After 23 years of dipping and numerous failed quits, I am on day three of no tobacco. This is longer than I have gone without it in 23 years..

From reading the posts on this board, it sounds as if many of you disapprove of using nicotine patches.
I guess I can understand the logic since the patch is giving you 21mg of nicotine a day. However, I have tried and failed to quit many times cold turkey. Call me weak, a wimp, whatever... I don't care because it is working. The patch has (so far) made it manageable to go from 1.5 cans a day of Red Seal to no tobacco at all.

I realize I will have to taper from 21mg to 14mg to 7mg, and then to nothing. That seems a lot more realistic to me to go from 7mg to nothing than to try to go from the stratospheric levels that I was using to nothing.

I passed a C-store this morning on the way to work and was very tempted to stop for a can. Instead, I came on into work, and pulled up this site.

Thanks for having this site. It is helpful.

Red,

I encourage you to get rid of the patches all together. They are doing nothing more than prolonging the inevitable. At some point, you will need to face your body's withdrawal system. It isn't going to be easier at 7mg than it is today.

I understand you've 'tried' quitting cold turkey, but you're here now. This time is different. You could trash those patches, flush 'em, and be on Day 1 today. Think about it. Why wait to get your life back? It seems simple to me - TODAY! There is a lot of power in 'right now'.

This may not be the most persuading argument. You're about to get a lot more, just watch.

Here's the deal though: This is a STRICT no nicotine site. As long as you are wearing patches, you may post here in the Introductions. You can read all you want, and I encourage that. You can even jump on chat, if you dare...but you may NOT post in any of the Members Only Areas until you are completely nic free. I know you understand.

PM me if you need to, but just so you know, I won't have much to say until you DECIDE to kick this bitch to the curb, and the bitch is living on your arm right now.

Your move.

[redsealhell]

After 23 years of dipping and numerous failed quits, I am on day three of no tobacco. This is longer than I have gone without it in 23 years..

From reading the posts on this board, it sounds as if many of you disapprove of using nicotine patches.
I guess I can understand the logic since the patch is giving you 21mg of nicotine a day. However, I have tried and failed to quit many times cold turkey. Call me weak, a wimp, whatever... I don't care because it is working. The patch has (so far) made it manageable to go from 1.5 cans a day of Red Seal to no tobacco at all.

I realize I will have to taper from 21mg to 14mg to 7mg, and then to nothing. That seems a lot more realistic to me to go from 7mg to nothing than to try to go from the stratospheric levels that I was using to nothing.

I passed a C-store this morning on the way to work and was very tempted to stop for a can. Instead, I came on into work, and pulled up this site.

Thanks for having this site. It is helpful.