I too am struggling with the 3s

[bobf279]

I have been reading the posts in here and as a result continue in my 3rd week with renewed vigour. I gave up on 21st Jan 10 and have been coping quite well on the invisi patch and inhalator. After 2 weeks I decided to come down from the full strength patch as I was so full of confidence then yesterday I hit a wall.

I decided that enough was enough, cravings were strong and to be honest I wasn't noticing any real physical benefit apart from losing my morning cough. I chose to try going out on the walk/jog route I had been used a few months ago with the intention od stopping at the shop for some cigs if it wasn't noticeably easier. The upshot was amazing, I was able to jog a lot more than I had before and my muscles tired before my breath ran out, first time ever. Needless to say I jogged past the shop to continue home.

Today at work I just couldn't shake the cravings and couldn't understand why. I knew I didn't need or want a cig so googled for some support and found myself here. Reading the comments of others in the same position and the support members gave has helped me through. Thank you all.

(By the way my wife still smokes and the smell of her cigs drives me crazy, although to her credit she has cut down a lot and only smokes in HER kitchen lol)

Bob

[margareth]

Hi Bob

Well done on your almost 3 weeks smoke free I'm sorry you yesterday but well done getting through the day

I'm also pleased you noticed the benefits when jogging and believe me there are lots more to come as yet

You'll find loads of support on here I promise, another thing that helps with the craves is drinking water yes I know it sounds daft it did to me as well but it really helped me why but it did

Maybe your wife will follow your lead and stop when she sees how well you're doing

Below is my standard welcome and advice post which I try and give all new members

to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good

You will find all the help and support you need on here as we all help each other just like a family we are here for you every step of the way cheering the good days and sympathising with the bad but the good far outweigh the bad

the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off http://www.whyquit.com and http://www.woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier your quit will be

This link is good for the psychological part of quitting http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Symptoms.html

Post often to let us know how you're doing, to rant, rave have a moan whatever you like pretty much anything goes on here OK

Love

Marg xx

[Boudee]

Bob if you were ticking along well on the full strength patch but struggling since you've dropped and coming so close to smoking as to head for the shop you might want to think about going back on the full strength patch for a short while

Theres so much to packing in smoking, not just the nicotine addiction but routine, habits, why we smoked ect ect, you've already come such a long way and that's just fab news, now you have some more work to do, some of it heals in time, some of it will heal if you read and understand your addiction, breaking habits and changing the way you see cigarettes all play a part in your bid for freedom

Don't allow your self to go to the edge of losing again, if you need the full strength patch then so be it, staying smoke free is the aim and the only aim at this stage, later on we concentrate on you becoming free of nicotine addiction

You're doing so well Bob, just take each day at a time and soon that light at the end of the tunnel will be yours

[bobf279]

Thanks for your kind words of support. This afternoon I have almost no craving at all and the drinks of water do work. I am determined not to let this beat me, my stop smoking clinic is tomorrow night so i'll get the chance to speak with an advisor and maybe revise my quit plan. I think I was trying to run before I could walk

My good lady wife is working up to stopping and my two eldest children have stopped, daughter on day 4, son on day 2 so we could be a non smoking family by the summer hols

[margareth]

Hi Bob

That's great news your two children both following your example and the wife about to

Please tell them well done from me and tell your wife she'll never regret it

Glad the waters helping with the craves

Love

Marg xx

[barb6374]

Hi Bob

Welcome and a big congrats to you on week 3.

I am using the 21mg patch but just got a prescription for the 25 invisi patch which i will try 2morrow.

Well done on your jogging aswell , that will keep improving as you get even more fitter.

Take care

Barb xxx

[Boudee]

Thanks for your kind words of support. This afternoon I have almost no craving at all and the drinks of water do work. I am determined not to let this beat me, my stop smoking clinic is tomorrow night so i'll get the chance to speak with an advisor and maybe revise my quit plan. I think I was trying to run before I could walk

My good lady wife is working up to stopping and my two eldest children have stopped, daughter on day 4, son on day 2 so we could be a non smoking family by the summer hols

hey you see you're leading the way Bob, how great is that eh? They too are welcome here if they want to join

Drinking water does help loads, travel sweets can be good when it's tough as well, they help with the blood sugar levels which can make you crave when they drop, which they can do when you first quit xxx

[bobf279]

Ah maybe thats where I've been going wrong I have sweetner in my tea and bought sugar free mints, so do I need some full fat sweets?

[Bev]

Hi Bob, I'm so glad to read that you jogged straight past the shop, well done you I am just at the end of my second week of my quit, I saw the nurse today & she asked me if I wanted to drop down to a lower strength patch, I decided to stay on the 15mg ones for now, as worried about what happened to you, might happen to me, I too am determined to stay off the fags for good, atfer trying to quit in the past. Don't worry about needing the patches for now, it's still miles better than smoking, we can deal with the nicotine weaning later.
Great news your 2 children have stopped too, hope your wife follows you all soon.
Let us know how you're all going

[bobf279]

Much better start to today not much at all in the way of cravings but I won't let my guard down. I have stayed on the reduced patch for now maybe I was just adjusting to new level of nicotine. I had been taking the patch off early but last night kept it on for the full 16 hours. I will discuss my approach at the stop smoking clinic tonight.

I am keeping my inhalator close by, alongside my boiled sweets, bottle of water and fruit.

Bev I think you made a wise decision not to step down too early, I was maybe too impatient to wean myself off the NRT.