Stop Smoking

[Ninja Nurse, ASN]

I recently made my 3rd attempt to quit smoking. I chose to use the zerosmoke product, which at first was fantastic! By day 2, I was down from 2 1/2 packs to 5 cigarettes a day. BUT, by day 2, I also realized I had gone a bit crazy......no really, like koocoo's nest crazy and before I knew it, I was in what I'm now calling a deep dark hole! I was so far down the road of depression(which I am now convinced that until then I had never been there). It took a whole day for me to put 2 and 2 together and realize that this product and it's so called "release endorphins" therapy, along with the act of depriving my body of nicotine, was throwing my chemical balance for a loop!!! I quickly threw the product away and within 24 hours and a lot of smoking, I felt "normal" again. I did have terrible nightmares after the first night of stopping the product.

I don't drink alcohol or use drugs, but I have been addicated to nicotine for 20 years.

Has anyone experienced this type of a psychological reaction while trying to quit? One friend explained to me that when I began smoking at 13, my brain was still under development and that I have "built" my brain's chemical makeup to need nicotine to be well. IS THIS REALLY POSSIBLE? I'm just so freaked out by what I experienced, that I'll smoke forever just to never feel that way again.:sofahider

[TazziRN, RN]

Have you tried nicotine gum or patches? Those help you withdraw slowly, which will avoid the symptoms you had. Another option would be Chantix, it's working for my mother in law.

What you're describing is what people who quit cold turkey go through. My mother went through that when she tried to quit years ago, and for two weeks she was the wife of Satan, I swear. She went back to smoking, and then 10 years ago she was forced to quit after having a stroke. She was scared to death about going through withdrawals again but she was put on the patches in the hospital. She thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. My husband quit using the gum.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

I am one of the RARE ones, but chantix made me "stupid". I was unable to think clearly or concentrate. At work, I was missing things, forgetting things. I had dizzy spells. I didnt think it was chantix until I accidently missed a dose and the side effects subsided. It was GREAT for the smoking, but horrible for my mind. Im going to try the patches. A friend of mine quit with the patch and had no problems at all. I started smoking when I was 15. My dad started when he was in grade school and threw them away when he was in his 50's. He did fine. Good luck, I hope you manage to quit. I hope I do too. Its a horrible thing to do to your body.

[MSTARR]

I'm In The Same Boat, This Is My 3rd Attempt To Quit, I'm Currently On Wellbutrin, Still Smoking Though, I'm Working At A Non Smoking Facility, I Can Go 12 Hours Without One, But As Soon As I Get In My Car, I'm Firing One Up, Still Trying Though

[busy-bee]

I have been smoke free for 14 days....my husband as well. I took Chantix for 3 months and was able to get my cigs down to 8 to 10 per day. Once I ran out of Chantix, I hit the smokes again for about two weeks. Then again took Chantix, for one month this time. I have not smoked for 14 days now and have not had any Chantix for about 6 days. To let you know, I had very vivid dreams with Chantix. I would wake up feeling like I actually ran the marathon that I dreamed I was in. I know also my mood has changed....I am very easily upset and more opt to tell any one about how I feel...not good. Hopefully this will all subside soon. I am dying for a smoke but I am not going to do it.

[Ninja Nurse, ASN]

I appreciate everyones responses. Thank you!!! I have only tried cold turkey, Zyban(wellbutrin), and zerosmoke. I ended up with hives from zyban, lol I'm allergic to anti-depressants!! Or at least that brand. But I haven't tried the patches or gum only because of the fear of becoming addicted to those, as well. I am curious about Chantix. My friend tried it but she stopped using it because she couldn't drink alcohol on it either......priorities!!! Sad. But I don't drink so maybe it would help me. For now, I'm sticking with my addiction and maybe I'll try the patch before I spend all that $$$ on Chantix. It does scare me though that with the patch, it continually releases nicotine into your system.

[Ninja Nurse, ASN]

Have you tried nicotine gum or patches? Those help you withdraw slowly, which will avoid the symptoms you had. Another option would be Chantix, it's working for my mother in law.

What you're describing is what people who quit cold turkey go through. My mother went through that when she tried to quit years ago, and for two weeks she was the wife of Satan, I swear. She went back to smoking, and then 10 years ago she was forced to quit after having a stroke. She was scared to death about going through withdrawals again but she was put on the patches in the hospital. She thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. My husband quit using the gum.

I never new it would be that severe! I almost lost my job and boyfriend in 4 days!!! Thank you for your insight.

[SDS_RN, RN]

I quit during all 3 of my pregnancies and started back up after every child. I can't walk around pregnant all the time! If that were the case I would have an army by now. I tried cold turkey a few times longest I made it then was 5 months. My cousing got married and I was drinking then I started smoking and never quit again after that, that was 3 yrs ago. I would like to quit. I hate the smell, I'm embarrassed by it, I hate hacking up my lungs in the am, however I do like the taste and the feeling I get from it.

MSTARR it's exactly the same for me.

At work I stay busy enough to where it doesn't affect me much but when I'm at home I'm bored so I go smoke. There's only so much you can do to keep yourself occupied at home on days off. Not to mention on my days of I'm a worthless pile because of exhaustion!

I'm Working At A Non Smoking Facility, I Can Go 12 Hours Without One, But As Soon As I Get In My Car, I'm Firing One Up

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Depression can be a withdrawal symptom. You're greiving the loss, so to say.

20 years of addiction is going to throw your body into an odd state that can manifest itself in some physcho social issues as well. I've had depression, mild mind you, upon nicotine withdrawal. This last time I was pretty much a lunatic and went into a manic state, where I slept fitfilly and little, where I had energy to burn, I took up cross-sticthing, and started to jog. I think it was the physical exercise that finishing the physical withdrawal that stablized my mood. I did it cold turkey, and that was 20 years ago.

Good luck. You're going to have to "go through some stuff" and it's going to be your stuff, but you can do it and on the other side it will be so worth it.

[MB37]

I got the crazy dreams from Chantix too - they were so bad, I felt exhausted every morning when I woke up, no matter how long I'd slept. I couldn't deal with that, so I went back to cigarettes. I also had a physical rx when I was on the patch - I literally had every single side effect they listed, racing heart, palpitations, SOB, etc., and I wound up having a panic attack while at work one night. I assume it was from the continuous release, since I tended to smoke a pack plus every night after dark, but only a couple in the daytime. Hopefully you can find a product that will work for you! I still haven't.

[Old_Duffer]

I had posted on another one and one thing I forgot to mention. Read the book, "the power of the subconscious mind" by Joe Murphy PHD. Did that years ago and it helps many things in life, it also helped me kick the butts. Still remember the first real attempt years ago, did ok for 30 days, then went to Disney World, traffic got to me and all I wanted to to was kick the big mouse. Paid the 50 bucks for a pack of smokes that day. Somewhere in 1979. Sure is a personal thing this smoking business and can take a long time to decide it is a bad thing.

Cant count on both hands how many RT people smoke too. Go figure!