You Might Feel Like Crap
Everywhere you look, you will find information supporting the fact that nicotine is out of your system about 3 days after your last cigarette. For some reason they associate that timeline with how long people will experience withdrawal symptoms after years of heavy smoking.
You will hear it over and over again, that if you can just make it through the first week or two, you have it made! I am convinced that this particular misinformation plays a major role in why so many people fail in their attempts to quit smoking.
The truth is that if you have been a heavy smoker over a long period of time, you might feel like crap when you first quit.
The problem is that very few people will warn you about this part. They are so busy talking about all of the wonderful things, that they don’t mention that you may experience sadness or depression, and have absolutely no energy. Activities as basic as getting off the couch may require an act of congress!
Your gums, tongue and throat may be extremely sore, and some folks will begin coughing more than ever. You may feel achy all over, as if you are coming down with something.
Although you will hear about people gaining a few pounds, how come no one talks about the never ending ravenous feeling of hunger that nothing seems to fill?
When the doctors mention that you may feel a bit airheaded for a few days, why don’t they come right out and tell you that you might feel so distracted for a few weeks that you may do stupid stuff, like sit at a stop sign waiting for it to turn green? Or, lose the truck at Wal-Mart because you can’t remember where you parked?
Did anyone bother telling you that you may react VERY differently to caffeine after you quit smoking? You may very well have been able to swim in pots of coffee any time of day or night before, and now all of the sudden, just thinking about coffee keeps you from sleeping at night, even though you spent the entire day barely able to keep your eyes open!
Guess what? Some of these things can last well beyond a few days.
If you are not prepared for this, it can be overwhelming. You may start to ask yourself if it is all worth it.
Here is the deal though, it doesn’t last forever.
You will start feeling better.
The alternative is that if you continue smoking, you won’t get better.
Do I want you to know all of this so you will get scared out of quitting? Heck no! I just firmly believe that if you know exactly what to expect, and for how long, you can prepare yourself to face and deal with everything, one step at a time.
I have now been 100% nicotine free for three weeks!
February 6th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I am on my 8th day and FELL LIKE CRAAAP!!
Are you still smoke free???
I am glad I found this, I almost gave up!
Take Care!
Kimzy
February 6th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
UUUGGHH!!! Cant spell either!
I meant, I FEEL LIKE CRAP!
Thanks Again!
April 21st, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Hello, fellow quitters Today is my 15th day of not smoking. The day I quit, I had been on Chantix for 2 weeks prior. It was NOT the drug for me. I stayed sick all day every day I was taking it and I am still sick with some of those symptoms PLUS the smoking withdrawal symptoms. I had a hallucination on that drug that I would not care to repeat… a terrible vivid dream while I was awake. Like ya’ll, I feel like CRAPOLA. I have been researching and it seems loads of people get sick as dogs after they quit. Why the hell nobody in the damned medical profession ever mentions this, I don’t know. My throat is sore, my tongue is swollen and sore, my voice is raspy, I have had crying jags every day, urination problems, I’m bloated like a dead whale….. my husband has been on run out of the room like hell mode for a month. It’s a wonder I haven’t killed him in his sleep my moods have been so nutty. I had so many horrible side effects from the Chantix. That is some bad drug! I had absolutely horrifying dreams every night, that is when I could sleep because it also gave me insomnia. I was afraid to go to sleep for having nightmares. And like I said, I had one daytime hallucination that still creeps me out if I think about it. I felt fine when I was smoking! I felt GREAT! I thought I’d feel better getting off the Chantix but I still have residual side effects plus the smoking withdrawal symptoms.
I just wish SOMEBODY had warned me…. had warned us!
So, Cricket… are you still smoke free? Kimberly, good luck to you!
May 27th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I have quit for just over a week now after 22 years of smoking!!! I went cold turkey! I feel shit! panic attacks! nightmares! sad! moody! but……… I aint going back……….. I have quit and thats it!!
And nobody gives the right advice on stopping smoking!
Stop because you dont want your family and friends coming to see you die of throat/ lung cancer
June 19th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I quit four weeks ago and still feel like crap. My chest is tight and feels like something is in my throat. But I will not go back to smoking. Does anybody have this feeling?
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
It’s been two weeks now, and for the last week, I’ve felt like crap: no energy, headaches, and I feel weak, like you do when you’ve got the flu and you’re joints and legs are all achey. I feel a little sick to my stomach in the mornings, but that might justbe me being peckish (I used to light up a butt first thing upon opening my eyes…)
Argh.
Anyone else feel like this?
July 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
It’s been three months for me and I feel like CRAP. I have been trying to quit smoking for three years, and this is as far as I have come so far. Three Months…and it feels like three years. God Help Us!
August 4th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I don’t know if anyone is still reading these - but folks, all of you are right on!!! I’ve been quit now almost 3 months and I feel like all of you - like CRAP!! You are all right in that the medical profession plays up how good we’re going to feel and downplays how intense the detox really can be. It’s not the climbing the walls, chew your arms off kind of thing - but the body is most defnitely detoxing. I also am bloated like a whale, having GI unplesantries, raspy voice all the time…all kinds of sensations…I know what it is and that has helped. But I think you are right in that because they down play the ongoing detoxing and emotional issues, people get discouraged and say “#&!!” this and go back to smoking. I think it would be more helpful if people knew that it takes from between 6 months to 1 year for the body to release all the toxins from the muscles, tissues, organs and cells. I have been feeling quite discouraged because I don’t feel as wonderful as they said I would. I’m glad to hear people here being honest.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
I wish I would have known this ahead of time. Next time I will.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
hey guys and gals.. I stumbled on this when I was surfing the net. I am on day 13 of being smoke free and I wished my doctor would have told me what to expect , instead of me freeaking out each time a symptom showed up.
I can say my cravings are pretty well gone.. had the sore throat, dry mouth, a bit of a cough, fatigue, no energy.. all the stuff you are going through is normal.
One thing I would like to mention here is this : If you see a bit ..just a bit of blood in your saliva or mouth-relax.. its more likely tissue rebuilding in the throat. I had blood in my mouth 3 times.. twice to the doctor, once to the dentist.. both doctors stated it was nothing more than either a sinus infection or tissue repairing itself. the dentist poked around and found nothing out of the ordinary… so relax if this happens to you.
Another thing that amazed me is how little information / support groups there is online to tell you all the things you will go through when you quit smoking.
Anyway… CHIN UP ! It will all be worth it in the end.