"You Can't Do It"

[blas]

Ok now that's just plain odd....I will not be doing that. lol.

I went to the doctor this morning....unfortunately, I got another one of those "My beliefs are how I do my job" doctors (gotta LOVE that!) and he said that he never prescribes anti-depressants for smoking cessation, and that I needed to give Chantix a try.....

Oddly enough, it was cheaper than I thought. Maybe because so many people from my place of work have been on it, or maybe because it isn't so new anymore? Now all it costs is my regular copay plus $10......

So right after I finish eating, I take my first Chantix....the first 3 days you only take one pill a day, and they are the lower dose.

[TTAZ]

You're doing it differently than I did. I did 1/2 tab x 3 days, then 1/2 tab twice a day for 3 days, and then my quit date I started on 1 tab twice daily.

You will feel mild nausea for the first 3 days or so. It's bearable.

Do not be surprised by the dreams. After you've been on the full dose for a while if you experience not just vivid dreams but nightmares, do not be afraid to call the doc or speak to your pharmacist. I had to cut my dose down to 1 tab a day and I am still doing great. Next Tuesday will be your quit day, so the infamous 3rd day will be next Thursday. I hope it's a day off, or you can take it as a day off. I've already explained that one.

Good luck Blas! I recommend signing up to the online support system and the attaboy phone calls. If you have any questions about the drug stuff, feel free to PM me.

[blas]

I already had the infamous day 3 on Monday morning, but since I was on the patch and gum, I wasn't going through nicotine withdrawals, I was going through a lot of built up mental anguish....once I got to work, I lost all incentive to keep up with quitting. Work is sometimes such a mental chore that I didn't even know if I had the energy to get through it even when I was a full time smoker.

I'm starting out on the 1/2 tablets for the first 3 days, then I think it's the regular dose once in the morning and once at night from then on.

Hopefully the nausea isn't too bad. I already get psychosematic (sp?) nausea anytime that I worry or stress too much, and I've already got some interesting digestive issues....I'm a little worried about the dreams too, because ever since I've worked nights, I've been plagued by the weirdest, craziest dreams a person could probably have. Just from not sleeping at night......and some of my coworkers are the same way. Most of the time, our first break every night is spent sharing what bad dreams we had that day, unless something dramatic happened in the first few hours at work and someone needs to vent.

[TTAZ]

I hate to say this but you will likely have another Day 3, this one from physical withdrawl. You can do it though. I'm on day 26 now with not one cig, and I smoked for 14 years, literally half my life. It is possible.

On a somewhat funny note, my "Attaboy Call" from Chantix hung up on me tonight. Must be something wrong with their recording stuff. I just kind of looked at the phone and said "They hung up on me, my nightly recorded Attaboy Call, Hung. Up. On. Me. Well, I'm so let down I may just email them and tell them they need to reimburse me for mental anguish. A pack of Winstons would do."

I thought my mom was going to puke she was holding in so much laughter.

The tough part is in the beginning, after that, you will not believe how easy it is.

Remember we're here for ya.

BTW- where's RPG? Is she still on the wagon?

[SengaKitty]

-sigh- I really feel like I'm failing (so I know where you're coming from Blas). I'd done so well today and went all day without a cigarette. Then around 7:30pm, it hit. Maybe it helped that I slept all day. But I got to the point that the twizzlers (I got them for that hand to mouth need), and the gum (not nicotine gum) just weren't cutting it. So, I talked to the fiance (who seems to have had incredible success going pretty much cold turkey, with just one piece of nicotine gum a day) and we figured, if I can smoke just one or two a day at work, at most, I'll definitely be able to quit within the next week or so.

[blas]

Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. I'm working on that same thing. Right now, I'm smoking at work and maybe one or two at home. But the best feat is that I no longer smoke in the car. Ever. Not since Friday night. Tomorrow I'm going to Armorall the shit out of everywhere there's still ashes and messes from smoking.

Day 2 of Chantix.....I don't take my pill until I get up and eat supper, though.

[ditchdj]

The biggest thing you'll initially notice is you have more money. I thought it was ridiculous when I had to pay $1.80 for a pack of Marlboros and Michigan was already charging $2.20. That was back in late 2000 when I quit. Now how much does it cost a pack!

[blas]

They are just about $6 a pack around here, at least for Camels and Marlboros. Don't think buying cheaper is really cheaper......the cheapest ciggs are $5 a pack.

[ditchdj]

There ya go!

You have more of a financial incentive to quit. You smoke a pack a day??? You'd save almost $200 a month, enough money for a monthly payment on a decent car. Not only that, the car you'd have would always smell fresh and not like a stale ashtray. When you quit smoking long enough, you'll be able to smell that particular odor.

[blas]

This may sound unbelievable, but last weekend when I was on a roll, I was already getting keen on smelling smokers.....especially the heavy ones who don't wash their jackets or are the type who sit in the same place all day chainsmoking. Someone at the movies Saturday night just wreeked of smoke....and it made me feel gross.

I was all worried for a second, wondering "Do I smell that bad when I smoke?"

[XCashier]

Seems like work is your biggest stumbling block in your smoking cessation. I'm sorry that work is so stressful for you. It's true that jobs are nigh-impossible to find right now, and that job hunting is stressful as hell, but you may want to think about getting a few resumes handed out.

You are doing much better. I'm very glad you've cut down. Some people can quit smoking cold turkey, others need to take small steps. You're doing what is right for you, and I really believe you will succeed!

[blas]

Thank you for your kind words. I really, really do NOT want to do this anymore. I do enjoy smoking very much, but I am to the point where I know that I cannot afford this anymore, I just CANNOT do this anymore, and it's going to end.

I'm really proud of the progress I've made so far. I do agree, work is going to be the hardest part. It's so relaxing and relieving to light up a smoke and have a soda on break, when we dish about all of our Ann problems or whatever have you....it's so hard to do without a cigarette or being outside.

[ditchdj]

Thank you for your kind words. I really, really do NOT want to do this anymore. I do enjoy smoking very much, but I am to the point where I know that I cannot afford this anymore, I just CANNOT do this anymore, and it's going to end.

That's how I am about tobacco. In fact, I still like to enjoy the occasional taste of a good stogie or vanilla-flavored cigarillo. I just dont inhale them. The biggest factor in me quitting is because I feel like the cigarettes had control of me. You can't control anyone else, but you CAN control yourself.

[blas]

Well, they say you have to truly want to quit. I am very determined to beat this. This is not going to control my life and my daily routines and activities anymore.

As much as I may enjoy doing it, I have to give it up. It's killing me, killing my wallet, and killing my self esteem!

Edit to add: Remember my last thread about quitting smoking, and how everyone was saying "Blas, if you quit, Sheriff will never bother you again!".....I just got to thinking of that the other day. I think I've probably already got him thinking and freaking out, because I have only been smoking 1 or 2 ciggs a DAY at home this week.....so when he goes to peep out the window, I'm not there.

[SengaKitty]

So, I've got a new official quit date that I've set with my quit coach, who called me this morning. Next Thursday, I am bound and determined to not let another cigarette touch my lips. That will make it so that I will not be working on day three of the quitting. And I'm so glad I'm not doing it alone! Blas, knowing that I'm not the only one going through this hell of wanting to and feeling like I can't but knowing I can, is really actually helping. I actually found myself today looking for things to keep my mind off of the cigarettes, like my drawing (keeps my hands busy), and just anything, even just talking to friends who are non-smokers about karaoke nights.

Tomorrow, I go to the doctor to have the birth control removed, and there's another incentive to quit. I'm chewing a piece of gum right now (not nicotine gum, of course), and I'm happy to have not pulled out a cigarette as soon as I got home. Blas, we CAN do this!