Getting off the nicotine patch!

[blueyedgirl5946]

I want to say thank you thank you thank you for your comments about patches and cravings.  I gave up smoking and started 21 mg patches on 17 December when my daughter was pregnant. We 'gave up' together.  I weaned myself down to the 7mg patches and have been using them for about 3 months now. I asked the chemist about cutting them but was warned off, so I have been paying $33 per week for new 7mg patches.  Now that I know you can cut them I will go back to 21mg and cut them so that I can just have a very small amount. 
It is weird that this week I suddenly find the 7mg is borderline -only just doing its thing.  Maybe there is something wrong with the whole packet or maybe it is me. 
I smoked from 17 years until 57 years and thats a long time (40 years). Its been almost 5 months.  I think I will always like the smell of cigarettes and may at any time decide I have to have one, but for now I don't want to waste the pain I have gone through till now. I discovered some non-sugar coffee drops called kopiko that really helped me.  I recommend them as a non sugar alternative, but you can't eat too many.
Anyway I hope to wean myself off the patches and it is probably time I made more effort so I will start cutting them down in a day or so. Thanks again for sharing your experiences, It has really made a difference.  By the way my daughter just gave up - just like that - no problem, no issues.

It is good to see an old thread like this get revived and see how it helps someone. I quit smoking cold turnkey in 1978. It is one of the best things I ever did for myself. I really can't believe I ever did it. Good luck to you Marg in trying to stop this unhealthy habit. You will never be sorry.

 

[harleydiva]

I smoked for 40+ years and quit 1 year, 55 days ago (iphone app keeps track).  The patch, pills, or hypnosis didn't do it for me, the ecig kit did.  I got my kit (from gotvapes.com), tried it and said "I can do this".  I started at 18mg nicotine juice, and still use it at very low or no nicotine.  I had a pack of cigarettes in the car console for almost a year, but never touched them.  Finally gave them to the neighbor one day when she wanted to borrow my car to go get some smokes.

 

[jcat]

The e-cigs are great - I've been using them for three years now. A lot of people have said they've worked when patches, pills and gums haven't. We've got a social group here at TCS: Vapers' Group

 

[di and bob]

I too smoked fro 30 years, and I tried everything to quit a hundred times, the patch, herbs, anything . Nothing worked. Finally the Dr. put me on Welbutrin, an antidepressant that has a side affect of helping people to quit, IT WORKED. I don't think it really lessened the cravings but it kept me from working myself up into a state and smoking again or killing someone! That was my main problem, I became so nasty people would tell me to go back to smoking 

     I did go off the Welbutrin then after a couple of years, now I wonder if I need it for menopause! I TRULY never thought I could quit, I loved it too much. But it's been 10 years now! I still crave it once in a while, but just say no. The cravings do get more infrequent over time.

 

[harleydiva]

I too smoked fro 30 years, and I tried everything to quit a hundred times, the patch, herbs, anything . Nothing worked. Finally the Dr. put me on Welbutrin, an antidepressant that has a side affect of helping people to quit, IT WORKED. I don't think it really lessened the cravings but it kept me from working myself up into a state and smoking again or killing someone! That was my main problem, I became so nasty people would tell me to go back to smoking 

     I did go off the Welbutrin then after a couple of years, now I wonder if I need it for menopause! I TRULY never thought I could quit, I loved it too much. But it's been 10 years now! I still crave it once in a while, but just say no. The cravings do get more infrequent over time.

I still crave a cig once in a while....mostly when I am stressed about something.  That's why I still keep the ecig around....it satisfies the craving and keeps me from ever smoking again.

 

[dejolane]

I'm 51 years old and I don't smoke. The only time I have ever puffed on a cigarette was to start it off for my older brother off a stove. 2 times only. I don't even ever smoked pot either. I think I have the best lungs in my family. My younger brother used to smoke but not much is smoke free too. Older sister and older brother have smoked for a long time.

 

[Winchester]

I started smoking when I was 19 and smoked about two packs a day for about 19 years. I would awaken in the middle of the night and go out to the kitchen to smoke a cigarette or two. It was bad. I tried quitting many times, but I always started in again.

I don't know....one day, I just decided that enough was enough. Smoked a cigarette, looked at the rest of the pack (again), smashed it down with my fist (again) and threw it away (again). And that was that. Except for one time.....when the vet called me to tell me that my kitten, Pita, had passed away during the night. I went up to my parents and was sitting at the kitchen table in tears.  I don't even know why I did it, but I took one of my dad's cigarettes and lit it. Took a long drag and as I was blowing it back out, I just happened to look over at my mother.....and she was smirking. Smirking! I put the cigarette out and haven't touched one since.

That was about 18 years ago, so I've been smoke-free for awhile now. Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. And yet, I could start smoking again......just like "that". I miss it that much. I still awaken in the middle of the night wanting a cigarette so badly I could taste it. And there are times when I would kill for just one more. Even now.

My father died from emphysema....he died a very hard and ugly death, fighting for breath. I don't want to die like that.

 

[dejolane]

With the price of cigarettes these days who can afford to smoke. My older brother and my daughter / her husband too roll their own and saves a bit of money.