First day on the nicotine patch...any advice?

Question

Hi..it's like my 20th time trying to quit smoking - I have tried just about everything and now am attempting the patch. It's been only just a few hours since my last smoke and I am going nuts (just typing this I thought about a cigarette at least a dozen times).

Does any one have any tips or advice to offer a newly liberated non-smoker stay clean? Have you or someone you know successfully quit smoking? If so, how did you cope with all the stress, anxiety, and cravings ? When can I expect the cravings to drop (even if just a little bit)? I have been a smoker on & and off for over 12 years.

Answer 1

Wow! This question really couldn't have happened at a better time. I just quit on the 19th of July but not because I wanted to. It's because I had to. I had lung cancer. Was admitted in the hospital and had many different uncomfortable testing before my surgery on the 20th of July. I had to have partial removal of my right lung. Lower right lobe. Never have I been in so much pain in my life. I was in the hospital for 8 days and sent home with pain meds that do not work. I am still in a great deal of pain and it has been 1 month and 7 days. Been back and forth to the ER 4 times since my surgery. This all happened because I smoked cigarettes. I am 52 and I smoked since I was 13. Think of me every time you want a cig. That will help with the cravings a bit. Think of my operation, the cutting, the separation and cracking of my ribs and muscles and the terrible pain that I am in and will be for some time to come. If you have to wear the patch, wear it. My friend wears the patch but puts it on right before bedtime and says she doesn't have the cravings in the morning. Try to deal with the stress, anxiety and cravings. They are defiately alot better then someday going through what I have. They will pass and you will feel so much better. Just think how much better food will taste and how much better you will smell to others around you. Don't let it take your life like it almost did mine. Be stronger than the cigarette. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

You've made the commitment to stop smoking. Congratulations! If you feel like having a smoke, go do something else. Prepare a list of things you can do when that urge hits ..... brush your teeth .. go outside and run around the block ... anything. You are not craving nicotine now, you are getting that from the patch. You are craving doing something with your mouth and hands. It won't take but three or four days to get over this hump. Stay strong. Keep your eyes on the prize!

Answer 3

I found it quite easy to quit smoking. I quit 8 times last year!

Just don't give into the craving and smoke while you have the patch on for that can cause a heart attack. When I tried that route it took two patches a day to reduce the nicotine craving. (Not both at once- 12 hours with one and then put another patch on)

Good luck and hope you succeed in your effort!
Have a great day!!!

Answer 4

The alternative is to forget the patches altogether. In my view although patches are harmless they prolong the addiction to nicotine. This is what the Nicorette people want of course as they get paid. You refer to cravings as though they are difficult to overcome and past failings. Well if you want to stop smoking you will handle it. If you play at it you will fail. My driving force was the thought of a miserable premature death. Isn't that enough for you?

Answer 5

Been there done that...a hundred times! Try using a straw to take the place of a cigarette....definately try to stop thinking about it...that's the hardest thing to do....the patch is supposed to help stop teh anxiety and cravings...if it's not your probably on the wrong dosage. If you can get through 2 days without a cigarette your doing great and keep telling yourself how bad it is for you, how it makes your clothes and hair stink! your mouth feels and tastes like a full ashtray...think about licking that full ashtray...yuck...think about the horrible things...how your lungs look...check out pages on the internet of good and bad lungs...how do you want your to look? do you want to be carrying an oxygen tank around the rest of your life? It's a very hard addiction to overcome but keep telling yourself you can do it and you will.....very good luck to you and god bless you

Answer 6

my only advice is make sure that you switch up the place that you put it. It works really well, but ya I know it won't stop you thinking about it :/ What I remember most is that it was really itchy at first, but not bad after a couple hours....but if I put the next day's patch on the same place, it started to burn - kinda scary. Good luck and good for you for keeping at it!

Answer 7

Listen, it is so vital that you use self-affirmations every single day of your life. Once in the morning, afternoon and just before bedtime....you must say to yourself "I'm winning, I'm finally quitting smoking, thank God, I'm getting healthier and healthier" Add other affirmations. The thing is, if you say this every single day, you'll condition your mind to think new thoughts, thus re-wiring all the negative thoughts you may have had prior....and to say nothing of improving your health. Add these affirmations as well...."I'm feeling great, I'm looking good and healthy". Again, affirmations are the beginning of everything we do....I guarantee you you'll see and feel physical results in less than two weeks.

And finally let me just say this....two uncles and an aunt all died the same year of lung-cancer from smoking. It was a difficult year for us. Please think about your family members too. Your future grandchildren would love to see you as a healthy adult in their lives.

Answer 8

You can smoke while on the patch. Look at the directions, it will tell you how much you can have. I think it's one or 2 cigs a day.

I konw it's bad advice, but will help you while you find other ways to distract yourself.

Go for walks, read, distract yourself, you'll be fine in a day or two.

Good luck to you and hope you succeed.

Answer 9

Off the bat, I would just say chew gum, and let your body get used to the patch.

Second-hand, seeing you've been on and off for 12 years, and you've quit 20 times, I'm thinking you should just follow your own leads. You're well-experienced at this. You know how your body reacts to cigarettes, and quitting them.

Answer 10

Hey, good luck to you! I'm in the same boat. Had my last smoke last night and started using the lozengers this morning. I really want to go to the conveniece store and get a pack, but I know I shouldn't. I just put up new wallpaper for my backdrop and I think it might help...it's a smoker's lung compared to a non-smoker's lung (see link below).