Replies to '01/04 New Year's Resolutions'
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January 5, 2008, 8:43 pm PST
 Quote From: jeffersd
I'll have to admit that I was a bit surprised by the way the woman trying to stop smoking was handled. I've been a smoker for 24 years and not a day goes by that I don't rue the day I started smoking. I've used the patch, gum, hypnosis and recently used the prescription Chantix. That worked for 30 days. But the comment about the first 7 or 8 days will be tough was WAAAY off base. I can tell you from experience that day 30 was much worse than day 8. It's a constant craving that makes it difficult to concentrate on anything, there's this taste that is always in your mouth no matter how much water you drink and the closest thing I can compare it to is...If you had gone 3 or 4 days without water and were dying of thirst and all you had to do was stop at a gas station or super market and buy a ...perfectly legal...bottle of water how long could you hold out. That's the problem. It wears you down.
My doctor told me that it takes up to 90 days to get past the cravings. I'm sure when I can last 45 or 60 days it will start getting easier ...and I will try again. He also said that nicotine is more addictive than cocaine and I haven't seen you telling coke addicts to just quit.
My doctor told me to use the Chantix and 1 and 1/2 patches for at least 30 days then decrease slowly until using no more patches. That this was my best chance of success. Before, I had also been told that after a week it would be much easier. I guess it must differ for different people.
I have to tell you that I do love your show and respect the no-nonsense approach you take with your guests and the subjects you discuss. Just have to differ on this one. Keep up the great work and I'm looking forward to Jay's new show.
Happy New Year. I just wanted to make a quick comment about some of the things you mentioned about quitting smoking. I've been there and done that. I smoked about 1 pack a day for 15 or so years and I can tell you every day I smoked I was sorry that I ever started and terrified that I'd never be able to quit. Finally after cold turkey, patch, gum, etc I went to the doctors and was perscribed meds that are usually perscribed for depression. At the moment I'm drawing a blank on the name but it worked. I haven't smoked in over 6 years. The meds were awful. They made me feel like someone I didn't even know. I didn't care about anything when I was on them. Basically they made me to darned lazy to go out and smoke. I was suppose to take the meds for 6 mos and ended up only taking them for 2 weeks because that's how long it took me to quit. After I quit smoking I just couldn't take the meds anymore. They made me feel wrong. Anyway they did their job. The biggest things I found when trying to quit were that the patch and gum just don't work. It just changes where you're getting your nicotine from and not helping you to not want to smoke. With the meds it actually took the craving away because I was just to lazy to do anything. I did find that I had to set a specific date though or I just hadn't committed in my mind. As far as the cravings when you finally do quit, don't think there is a magical time frame to make that go away. I still have dreams that I'm a smoker and when I wake up it feels very real and then I feel guilty because it was so real that I feel like I smoked. My everyday cravings were better after about 6 mos but there are still things that bring it on after all this time. So, all I have to say to those of you who want to quit smoking good luck. You'll feel good once you do it but it's probably one of the hardest things you'll do and don't let anyone fool you about that or make you feel bad if you have 1 or 2 here and there. Good luck and stick with it. |
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