Patch Step 1
BessieBee
spent the better part of 2 hours previous posts... I think I'm going
to like this group.
As my meter shows I've been smoke free for over three weeks. Never
thought I could do it, but here I am! I was kind of forced to quit
smoking when I unexpectedly went into the hospital for a few days. I
didn't think I was sick, but my doctor knew better. (I'm fine now.)
Anyway, he wrote in my chart that I was not permitted to leave the
floor because he knew I'd head right outside to have a smoke.
Instead, he gave me the patch, step 1, 21 mg.
After smoking 3 packs/day for almost 35 years (why am I still
alive???) I've found that the patch is working a miracle for me. I
wear it 24 hours/day (despite the totally weird dreams I have at
night) and other than a few times when I was climbing the walls for a
smoke I've found it pretty easy, and it gets easier every day.
What can I expect when I start Step 2? I've got a few of Step 1
patches left and will finish those, then on to Step 2.
The biggest surprise for me when I quit? People who smoke really
stink! :-)
Here's my brand new meter - can someone tell me how I can customize
the message? Thanks!!!
Three weeks, three days, 6 hours, 32 minutes and 40 seconds. 1456
cigarettes not smoked, saving $182.04. Life saved: 5 days, 1 hour, 20
minutes.
BessieBee
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO what a ride!"
Bill McCartney
down. I'm glad your hospital stay went well, I smoked 3 packs a day also
and have been on the first step patch for nearly 6 weeks. I agree with you
about the smell, & I like the new smells. Best of luck to you, and we can
look forward to the day when we don't have to even think about smoking.
Bill McCartney
One month, one week, five days, 40 minutes and 34 seconds. 2101 cigarettes
not smoked, saving $508.54. Life saved: 1 week, 7 hours, 5 minutes.
"BessieBee" <bot...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf4mn01crpdv2erb8...@4ax.com...
scotty
I am on the last 2 days of step 3 and I am ready for the end of the patch.
The weird and vivid dreams are part of the gig. I still get them. I think
when your body goes through a drastic change it tries to freak you out with
wierd drams. For the first day or two on step 2 you might feel a little
anxious but it WILL pass, I promise, it's all part of the weaning process. I
would rather feel a little anxious than put that cancer-causing, breath
stealing 4000 toxins in to my body.
And yes, people who smoke...really DO stink!!!
Keep on quitting Bessie, you're doing fine.
5 weeks, 3 days, 14 hours, 33 minutes, 9 seconds, 965 of those disgusting
sticks not smoked, saving 405.30 for my sons college fund. Giving him a
father to help him through some of lifes toughest challenges.
Scotty
"BessieBee" <bot...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf4mn01crpdv2erb8...@4ax.com...
Lane Baldwin
around...this place is a great QuitAid®.
--
Stay strong. Stay focused. Stay committed.
Lane - DDOF , f3as3, Agent 8.5 & Stuff...
Cigs not smoked - a ton Money saved - a truckload.
Quitting Stuff - www.diaryofaquitter.com
Writing Stuff - www.alifewithspirit.com
Bass Stuff - www.laneonbass.com
"BessieBee" <bot...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf4mn01crpdv2erb8...@4ax.com...
Bern
need to keep quit despite the recommendations. What's worse, going back to
smoking or wearing the patch longer? Although I don't have the research
handy, I do beleive that success rates are about the same for both NRT users
and cold turkeys over the first 3-4 month period. Makes sense. Do you
think that you can eliminate a 20, 30, 40 year addictive habit in as little
as 3 months?
You're doing good so far so keep doing what you're doing and keep up the
great work!
Bern
"BessieBee" <bot...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf4mn01crpdv2erb8...@4ax.com...
BessieBee
wrote:
>If you get into trouble stepping down, then step back up! Do whatever you
>need to keep quit despite the recommendations. What's worse, going back to
>smoking or wearing the patch longer? Although I don't have the research
>handy, I do beleive that success rates are about the same for both NRT users
>and cold turkeys over the first 3-4 month period. Makes sense. Do you
>think that you can eliminate a 20, 30, 40 year addictive habit in as little
>as 3 months?
Oh, I intend to use the patch as long as I feel I need it. I'm
wearing the step 1 patch 24/7 and think I'm ready for step 2. I
change the patch every AM, but yesterday I forgot (!!) and ended up
wearing the same patch for 48 hours. I was a little crankier than
usual yesterday, but don't remember the cravings being any stronger or
more frequent. I changed the patch this AM and for the first time
since starting on the patch I've got a headache - not bad, but still
there. I think my body is reacting to the smaller amount of nicotine
it got after using the same patch for 48 hours.
Funny thing is, when I got home from the hospital my husband went to
the drugstore and bought my first box of patches. When he got home I
freaked about the cost: $48 for 14 patches! Holy cow, they're
expensive! No...wait a minute. How much would I have spent for 14
days worth of cigarettes? Quite a bit more than $48! :-)
>You're doing good so far so keep doing what you're doing and keep up the
>great work!
Thanks for the encouragement!!
BessieBee
It's been Three weeks, four days, 27 minutes and 22 seconds since I
picked up and smoked a cigarette, not even a single puff! 1501
cigarettes not smoked, saving $187.64 towards some new jewelry. Life
saved to spend with my (way in the future) grandchildren: 5 days, 5
hours, 5 minutes.
BessieBee
<la...@NOdiaryofaquitterSPAM.com> wrote:
>Welcome, BB. Can't offer you advice on the patch, but many here will. Stick
>around...this place is a great QuitAid®.
Thanks for the encouragement, Lane. I found your websites to be quite
informative. Didn't read your entire diary, but skipped through it
and really got a kick out of what I read. Maybe I'll start my own
online diary.
I also enjoyed your pages on playing bass. My 15 year old son plays
the stand up bass in his school's orchestra and electric bass in our
local municipal band. He's quite good and I enjoy reading about other
people's musical experiences. I play flute & piccolo and now I can
play more than just a few measures without breathing! Cool!
Lane Baldwin
> On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 00:51:35 -0600, "Lane Baldwin"
> <la...@NOdiaryofaquitterSPAM.com> wrote:
>
> >Welcome, BB. Can't offer you advice on the patch, but many here will.
Stick
> >around...this place is a great QuitAid®.
>
> Thanks for the encouragement, Lane. I found your websites to be quite
> informative. Didn't read your entire diary, but skipped through it
> and really got a kick out of what I read. Maybe I'll start my own
> online diary.
>
> I also enjoyed your pages on playing bass. My 15 year old son plays
> the stand up bass in his school's orchestra and electric bass in our
> local municipal band. He's quite good and I enjoy reading about other
> people's musical experiences. I play flute & piccolo and now I can
> play more than just a few measures without breathing! Cool!
>
> BessieBee
>
Cool! Thanks for all the kind words. And, definitely, a LOT of people have
found a diary to be helpful, whether on paper, disk or web. Tell your son
that, if he chooses to continue in music, he should definitely keep his
upright chops together...lots of work out there for upright players, in
addition to electric. I get pretty close to an upright sound/feel on my
fretless, but still...
My oldest niece played flute/piccolo throughout HS and college. Don't know
if she's found a local unit to work with out in Boulder. I should ask her
next time I e-mail.
BessieBee
<la...@NOdiaryofaquitterSPAM.com> wrote:
>
>My oldest niece played flute/piccolo throughout HS and college. Don't know
>if she's found a local unit to work with out in Boulder. I should ask her
>next time I e-mail.
I sure hope your niece can find a group to play with in Boulder.
Would imagine a university town would have lots to offer... I don't
know what I'd do without my music. I've joked for years that it's my
"free therapy" and after the past few weeks that's more true than
ever! (Besides, the band is full of non- and former smokers so
they're a great support group!)
clearasquartz
Congrats on the 3 weeks Bessie!!
Keep posting okay?
LittleCrystal :D
On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 02:33:22 GMT, BessieBee
<bot...@rocketmail.com> had written:
BessieBee
<trans...@REMOVETHISyahoo.com> wrote:
>WOW!
>Congrats on the 3 weeks Bessie!!
>Keep posting okay?
I intend to. There's nobody around me going through what I'm going
through right now and this NG is a god send! My husband still smokes,
although he never smoked as much as I did, but he now does it outside.
He is smoking less and less, and hopefully one of these days, when HE
decides the time is right, he'll quit also. I can only hope. :-)
It's been Three weeks, four days, 7 hours, 4 minutes and 14 seconds
since I picked up and smoked a cigarette, not even a single puff! 1517
cigarettes not smoked, saving $189.71 towards some new jewelry. Life
saved to spend with my (way in the future) grandchildren: 5 days, 6
hours, 25 minutes.
Rebecca Hutchins
Congrats! You are doing great!!!
I've been on Step 1 for 6 weeks. I'm moving on to Step 2 tomorrow
night. I'm using the 24 hour patches... I tend to sleep weird hours so
I knew the 16 hour wouldn't work. Plus I'm using 1 or 2 cartridges in
the inhaler each day.
Rebecca
One month, one week, four days, 13 hours, 35 minutes and 17 seconds.
2493 cigarettes not smoked, saving $177.07. Life saved: 1 week, 1 day,
15 hours, 45 minutes.
On Sun, 24 Oct 2004 02:33:22 GMT, BessieBee <bot...@rocketmail.com>
wrote:
Rebecca Hutchins
You are doing great!
You're just ahead of me... I was also a 3 pack a day smoker... I'm
stepping down to Step 2 tomorrow night. But since I'm also using the
inhaler I know I can add an extra cartridge or 2 to make up for it.
Rebecca
BessieBee
wrote:
>Hi BessieBee,
>
>Congrats! You are doing great!!!
>
>I've been on Step 1 for 6 weeks. I'm moving on to Step 2 tomorrow
>night. I'm using the 24 hour patches... I tend to sleep weird hours so
>I knew the 16 hour wouldn't work. Plus I'm using 1 or 2 cartridges in
>the inhaler each day.
>
>Rebecca
Hey Rebecca!
I've read a few of your posts where you've mentioned an inhaler.
What's the inhaler? Can't say I've ever heard of it. Is it OTC?
Prescription? Does it help a lot?
I'm wearing the patch 24/7 because the worst time I have is first
thing in the AM. Used to be that I'd be reaching for the pack &
lighter before my feet even hit the floor. Now all I do is make a run
for the coffee pot!
One of these days I'll start a thread about the dreams I've had while
wearing the patch. Most of them are as vivid now as they were when I
was having them. Completely weird! (One of them involved boarding a
plane and the jet way was a slip & slide. The plane itself was huge
and was a convertible.)
It's been Three weeks, four days, 9 hours, 48 minutes and 40 seconds
since I picked up and smoked a cigarette, not even a single puff! 1524
cigarettes not smoked, saving $190.56 towards some new jewelry. Life
saved to spend with my (way in the future) grandchildren: 5 days, 7
hours, 0 minutes.
Rebecca Hutchins
cartridge. Each cartridge is the equivalent of 4 cigarettes. The
insert for it states that it can be used to cut down, by itself, or
along with other NRT. When using it alone they recommend you use 6-12
cartridges per day. It can also be used during times when you can't
smoke.
I started by using it when I spent 2 weeks with a friend where there
was no smoking in the house. I smoked a pack a day instead of the
usual 3 and used the inhaler the rest of the time. Once I got home I
only smoked in 1 room of the house for the next 5 days and then I put
on a patch and quit.
You need a prescription to get the inhaler here in the US. None of my
doctors would even discuss helping me quit smoking so I ordered mine
from New Zealand. They are OTC everywhere else! I never would have
quit without it. I always said that there was no way I was going to
stop smoking. Once I tried the inhaler I knew that I really could do
this. It works great for me... I have no craves.. and don't miss
smoking at all.
But I do believe that I have switched my addiction to the inhaler...
for me it is worth it. I don't care if I have to carry the darn thing
for the rest of my life. Not smoking is my only goal for now.
My husband quit smoking a year ago. Knowing that I was jeopardizing
his quit is what made me start thinking about stopping.
Rebecca
One month, one week, four days, 17 hours, 8 minutes and 8 seconds.
2502 cigarettes not smoked, saving $177.70. Life saved: 1 week, 1 day,
16 hours, 30 minutes.
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 05:49:30 GMT, in alt.support.stop-smoking you
wrote:
padders
Congratulations on your WWW's WTG GIRL! My advice for the patches is not to
worry about it yet, don't step down until you feel completely ready
<mentally> and you shouldn't have anything more than a couple of days when
you feel a little antsy or irritable.
Post as much as you like, rant, rave, scream, shout, laugh and cry with us,
we all know how it feels. Make sure you flash your meter often as we love to
jump and cheer for you along the way :)
Nice to have you with us :)
hugs
padders (º¿º)
---
6m 3w 5d 10:36 quit,
3,153 cigarettes not smoked therefore not killing me,
£621.14 of loverly dosh saved, well maybe not saved but not wasted on cigs
1w 3d 22:45 life saved - because I'm worth it!
"BessieBee" <bot...@rocketmail.com> wrote in message
news:cf4mn01crpdv2erb8...@4ax.com...
Lynn Hefler
I am sure your question was answered by now by one of these lovely folks but I just wanted to pop in and say Hi. :) lynn