February 2007

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!

Wow! I have been 100% nicotine free for two weeks now. I have to admit though, it has been the longest two weeks in my entire life.

Strangely enough, the first few days were easier than the second week. I finally realized it was because the second week, although there were fewer cravings, they would catch me totally off guard, when I least expected it.

Thankfully though, I had prepared for those types of situations, and always had something nearby to get me past the roughest moments.

For me, this has been hard candy, especially Tootsie Pops and Charms Blow Pops. I can’t begin to tell you why, but for some reason I am totally hooked on the red ones.

I figure next week I will concern myself with the lollipop addiction. For right now though, the lollipops keep me sane! One of the major things that has kept me from even thinking about lighting up, is knowing that I never want to go through nicotine withdrawal again.

I have already experienced some changes in my daily life. One of those changes is the sudden, almost overwhelming, improvement to my sense of smell. My dogs have had several baths in the last few weeks!

The smell of cigarettes has become almost nauseating for me, especially when someone is talking to me who has just finished a cigarette. This actually surprised me a little, as I expected to feel cravings, but reality has been exactly the opposite.

I have not noticed a significant change in the taste of things, unless of course you count that I think that cherry lollipops are heaven on earth.

I realize that I have quite a ways to go yet, and that many people fail as soon as they think they have it beat. I will likely remain on the CHANTIXâ„¢ and WELLBUTRIN XL for at least 12 weeks.

Both medications can be taken for a second 12 weeks if needed. I have not experienced more than minimal side effects from either of these medications, and of course the biggest benefit for me was that neither involved nicotine replacement.

I may not be there yet, but I am well on my way…

I’m a bit anxious and more than a little irritable. I have had a pounding headache since about noon. The weirdest sensation is a feeling that I am forgetting something very important that I should be doing.

I have no interest in talking, and most noises bother me right now. I would love to be able to fall asleep and wake up in a few weeks, already past all of this.

After nearly 34 years smoking, there just aren’t too many activities that I don’t associate with smoking, so telling me to find different activities to distract me for the first few days is a bit pointless.

I associate everything with smoking.

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that it is easier than I expected. It’s not. Every time I think it can’t get much worse, it does.

The most difficult moments are those when, without thinking, I reach for a cigarette, and suddenly realize that they are not there.

Whoever decided to describe the feeling during those moments as “urges” couldn’t possibly be a smoker. Urge, doesn’t come close to describing the feeling that comes in overwhelming waves periodically throughout the day.

Telling me to chew gum, suck on a lemon drop, or drink a glass of water until the moment passes feels a bit like handing a fireman a squirt gun to put out a fire.

It doesn’t matter though, because the decision has been made.

I will beat this addiction. I will succeed.