3 years ago I stopped smoking because I was told it would escalate my ms. I have had the pastilles and the chewing gum. the chewing gum is brilliant but I still crave the weed AND i am still chewing the gum three years later. As a smoker, when I was diagnosed the first thing I needed was a smoke but no, I was really good and forsake it for chewing gum. why on earth do i still crave a smoke all these years later? I have fallen several times but got back up again! Its said dont get stressed with ms so what do people use as an alternative? It wasnt that I was a heavy smoker -10 aday. Help!!!
Hi Sue, my hubby is trying to give up the weed too. His reason was when he was gasping for breath at night! He was very successful…the first time round…17 weeks. Then back to the fags and champix from practice nurse.
Bad side effects from champix…cold turkey…success again.
A month ago, we were told his sis has stage 4 cancer…brain, lungs, liver and bones. She was a heavy smoker…and drinker.
Now hubby`s struggling again. Champix and fags!
He has severe rheumatoid and oesteoarthritis. This isn`t helped by smoking as his blood circulation is hampered by nicotine.
It so chuffin hard, I know.
Sorry but I don`t have any helpful advice. Hopefully soneone else will.
Just thought, all non smokers and ex smokers please dont reply with the health benefit info because I know all that, I’m just one of the sad many who has an addiction problem, experienced answers only please!
Hi Sue, my hubby is trying to give up the weed too. His reason was when he was gasping for breath at night! He was very successful…the first time round…17 weeks. Then back to the fags and champix from practice nurse.
Bad side effects from champix…cold turkey…success again.
A month ago, we were told his sis has stage 4 cancer…brain, lungs, liver and bones. She was a heavy smoker…and drinker.
Now hubby`s struggling again. Champix and fags!
He has severe rheumatoid and oesteoarthritis. This isn`t helped by smoking as his blood circulation is hampered by nicotine.
It so chuffin hard, I know.
Sorry but I don`t have any helpful advice. Hopefully soneone else will.
Good luck
luv POll
Thanks for your thoughts Poll, I am sure many of us ex smokers are in a similar situ .First sign of stress and we reach for the fags, yes I know that solves nothing, i for one am frantically chewing on NRT in similar situations. recently I lost a very dear friend to breast cancer and straight away i was chewing for England… didnt go back to the fags tho… Its just that they are always lurking in the background.
Good luck to hubby Poll, tell him I understand perfectly luv,
I stopped smoking when I was admitted to A&E with transverse myelitis…I thought I was having a stroke.
I was so ill initially that a ciggie was unthinkable. I had known people who had quit by reading Alan Carr’s Easy way to stop smoking and it was invaluable to me as it helped me to realise why I craved the nicotine still.
It changed my perspective from looking at people smoking and envying them to pitying them for their addition.
I have only been stopped 6 months but I’m not tempted.
Very well done, for giving up the weed. I managed top stop 10 years ago, and I smoked 20 a day for 30 years, after trying endless times unsuccessfully. I had been diagnosed a year before and was finding that when I puffed on a ciggie my legs were instantly more wobbly than usual and walking became more difficult for a short time. I made the decision that I wanted to be able to walk more than I wanted to smoke, it was the impetus I needed to finally stop. But it wasn’t easy, believe me, probably about 5 years on the nicorette tablets and then 2 years on the nicorette gum, and even now I’m still chewing ordinary gum. I don’t crave a cigarette at all now, and the time WILL come when you won’t either. Try lengthening the time between each piece of gum, maybe alternate nicorette gum with ordinary gum. For me it wasn’t that I particularly needed the nicotine gum, rather that I needed something, anything, to chew, and still seem to!
You’ve done the worst part - you’ve stopped - I promise you the craving DOES stop. Good luck,
Hi Sue, I gave up,in march after being a 20+ a day, 25 yr smoker. I used the electric cig. I was fine up until 2 days agomwhen the urge for a fag was horrible. So I had a couple of puffs on the e-cig and I felt better. I put it down to the inhale part…that is what I miss. So I have ordered some nicotine free filters. Perhaps rhat might be the answer for you… Xx
Its been years now since I stopped. They were £2.10 for 20 … and when I stopped I was up to 30 fags a day… that was going some… I smoked from the moment I opened my eyes to the moment I closed them at night.
I would hate to imagine how much money I would of spent if I was still smoking now.
Hi,I stopped 12 years ago from one day to the other,after reading Allan Carr’s book.I was quite a heavy smoker and I don’t know if I would have managed without his book.Anyway I did get cravings for a ciggie if I had been out socialising and had had a few drinks.I would have the odd cigarette but couldn’t inhale.I would just put it to my mouth.My friends were horrified,thinking that I’d started smoking again.But anyway,that seemed to satify the ‘urge’ and after a year or so (can’t remember how long exactly-it might have 2-3 years),I stopped doing it.Mind you,I also stopped drinking,which might have helped.Now cigarette smoke makes me feel ill.
Not a day goes by that I don’t rejoice for having stopped.I think that I put on a bit of weight,because I ate more,but it was worth it.
You’ve already achieved the hardest part-stopping,that is.It will get easier.Don’t forget to take one day at a time.Having a craving doesn’t mean you’re going to start again.One day you’ll look back and wonder what on earth possessed you to smoke in the first place.
You’ve had some other good suggestions,alternating the gum with ordinary gum,the e cigarette.Hope you find something that works for you.
I gave up 20 years ago now. The cravings do go but it just takes sooo long. I don’t crave one now unless I am near a smoker and then I get tempted…even now. The only thing I learned is never go back! I gave up for a short time in the early days and thought I would be able to just have the one, but no, I was hooked again so hang on in there. I did the eating thing at the beginning but swapped it for chewing gum and a glass of wine in the evening instead, if I managed to stay puff free. Not sure that is any healthier but it worked! Good luck at sticking to it you sound like you have done a lot of the hard work. Mish x
Its easy all you have to do is say no. I did try weaning etc.but kept going back, I chain smoked roll-ups and was.habituated for over forty years. Ive been off the weed for over ten years and no intention of returning. The benefits are enormous healthwise and financialy. Stick at it, its worth a few weeks anxiety. Frank
I stopped smoking about 10 months ago and I like yourself I can really struggle at times. Different things help different people and used patches, an app called Quitsmoking and not forgetting the fishermans friends.
I think the main reason the patches worked was I’d convinced myself that I’d have a heart attack if I smoked when wearing one, crazy but true. The app works because it tallies up how much money you have saved, I opened a bank account and put the money in. If I wanted a smoke I’d have had to take money out of that account and I can be a scrooge. On the bright side it paid for a puppy a couple of months ago.
Why the fishermans friends work I really can’t say but they did. The down side is I’m two stones heavier and rapidy running out of clothes that will fit me.
It takes all sorts but be assured I and many others are suffering along with you.
Hi, I smoked 20+ a day for over 30 years and gave up when i first got ill 7 years ago. I went to the NHS stop smoking clinics where they told us that we should use two different types of nicotine replacement at the same time. I used patches which helped but I would not have coped without the nicotine inhalator which was very good when the cravings were at their worst.
You should try to take one day at a time - each day without a cigarette is a success and don’t give up. One day the cravings will pass and even if they sometimes come back ,when you least expect them, you will be able to let it pass.
it’s hard work but worth it in the end - so much money saved, and not to be dependent on the ciggies is such a good feeling
good luck and I hope you find something that will help you
thanks for all your very useful comments, it’s given me food for thought. Sort of good to know that I’m not alone in this. I thought the cravings would stop in months, not years, now I know better.
Its not a good thing to have to own up to so I thank you all,