Topic awaiting preservation: The 10th and 6th Day

Caffeine and nicotine. Both have been a part of my life.

I have quit both before, but I would inevitably fail. Basically, it was just too much to give them both up at the same time. This time around, I got smart about it.

Everytime I quit coffee, I would get a massive headache. I knew when it would kick in and I knew how long it would take to get over. Previously, I thought that his coffee headache was in part due to lack of nicotine, but I was wrong.

Everytime I quit nicotine, things would get very surreal. Time would drag and things would move. Sometimes I would see things shoot around out of the corner of my eye. Sometimes, when I closed my eyes, I would feel my limbs moving around and shooting off into space. Not quite Salvadore surreal, but still kind of freaky.

So, like I said, this time I got smart about it.

I gave up coffee and timed my headache to be on my first day off. When the headache started to hit, I laid down and slept through most of it. Done deal. Got rid of the coffee and disconnected the coffee maker.

Smoking was to be next and follow the same basic plan of attack. I've heard over and over again that the third day is the hardest day, so I timed that with days off. When I was down to the last few hours of smoking, I started with the cleaning. At home, I only smoke at my desk, so I scrubbed the shit (literally) out of my desk. Even tore my keyboard apart and douched it. Doing my entire desk was a good 5 hour project.

It's been 10 days since I've had coffee and 6 days since I've had a smoke. As a matter of fact, I barely drink anything but water now. I didn't intend to drink only water, it just kind of happened that way.

But I do have my problems. The urge strikes at the times of habit. The big one being when I'm sitting at my computer. At first, it I could sit maybe 4 minutes before having to get up and walk away. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there.

I do get hit with the occassional random urge, but nothing a my mantra or walking away can't handle.

One of the weirdest things about this whole ordeal is my perceptions. My sense of taste hasn't changed at all, but my sniffer is kicking in big time. And time was really dragging those first few days. I mean, it took forever for 15 minutes to pass. I was expecting my perceptions to change, but I wasn't expecting time to drag.

There has been another change that I was expecting, but it happened at a much higher degree than I was expecting. Lets just say that Woman thinks that I'm trying to kill her. She is having a very difficult time handling the bundle of energy that I have become. Next week it's only going to get worse when I institute some other health changes.

Yeah, it's been fun. Surreal and fun. I was smarter than usual about it and it's been working out damn fine. Matter of fact, nobody has noticed that I quite smoking because it has been going so smoothly.

Ummm...

Time to get up and do something else for a bit.

Good job man, keep moving forward and don't look back. I know how hard it is, smoked for 17 years with many quit attempts myself. Finally managed to actually do it this last April. Hardest part was the same as you, computer. Coding and smoking always went hand in hand, chain smoked when doing work at home and at work that meant lots of smoke breaks. I managed to get there through a phased approach, lopping off those routine smoking times 1 by 1 over the course of 2 weeks (that morning cig with coffee, the 2 in the car on the way into the city, the after meal smoke, etc...) until the only time I actually had the urge was while at the computer. Timing was everything, when I actually finally stopped altogether it coincided with a vacation so when I came back the physical addiction was overcome. Just the pesky oral fixation remained. Sunflower seeds got me through that.

I also simultaneously started a workout routine to give me something else to obsess over. Also does wonders after a stressful day at the office.

As far as the coffee, never drank the stuff. I do tea, and am still on the stuff.

Addiction sucks.

Again, congrats and keep going.

Ram

I quit smoking about 8 months ago. It wasn't that difficult for me really because I wanted to quit and start biking again. Nicotine stays in your system for 24 hours. You've passed that mark and now it's all psychological which is the hardest part ;-)

Working out is a good idea. Don't have to get into body building, just some type of workout. Tony Horton's 10 minute workouts are great. Lots of cardio stuff.

My sense of taste hasn't done anything either but I agree that my sense of smell has multiplied. Not sure about you, but my allergies are worse now though LOL

Good luck to you and stick with it. You're already there Congrats!

Later,

C:\

Good job, that man! You've really committed yourself to achieving liberty from the demons of nicotine and caffeine. I like your approach.

I'm both a coffee drinker and a smoker. I can live without coffee (no headaches or withdrawal issues to speak of) but I think the ciggies and I are going to be long-term partners until the day I realise a genuine desire to be rid of them. I went a week cold without cigarettes once (no tricks, gum, patches - just stopped, experimentally) and only started smoking again because my colleagues said I was behaving psychotically. I seriously believed I was doing okay, but I wasn't myself... o.0

Kudos, warjournal. Good luck, and good health!
_____

I do notice a change in my sense of smell and taste when I don't smoke for a day or so. I discovered that Fanta Fruit Twist, that I used to drink happily, tasted like something miserable and sadistic when my taste-buds were awake. I haven't been able to drink it since.

Another thing is that I become far more aware of the stench of other smokers. Something like that alone should be enough to make me stop...

(Edited by White Hawk on 10-24-2009 17:19)

Great stuff WarJ.
I don't know about packing in coffee, never tried that and I don't think I drink that much anyway, but you've got me thinking now. As for smoking, it took me quite a while to successfully pack in.
I think you are doing well in your approach.
I took a similar approach as you. Analysed the key times I really felt the "need" and then changed my routines in those areas first.

Being creatures of habit can help in this respect replacing one habit with a more healthy one. One of the things I found helped me was this. When I really felt the urge to smoke I did some breathing exercises. Correct posture, slowly breathing in expanding the solar plexus areas first, the bottom of the lungs, until that felt full then, still on the same slow inhalation filling the mid then the top areas or the lung. Try not to lift your shoulders at the last part of the inhalation. Then hold the breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale pushing up the diaphragm. Try to exhale as much of the air as possible without straining.
I found this helped me overcome that "must have now" craving for a smoke.

It's not an easy path you're on WarJ but well worth it. Breaking the habit is a physical and mental challenge and it helps to use both willpower and imagination, a dual pronged attack.
Here are a few links that better explain the process.

http://www.chinese-holistic-health-exercises.com/anxiety-breathing-techniques.html
http://www.berwickheartsupport.co.uk/html/breathing_exercises.html
http://www.yogatohealth.com/Pranayama_-_An_Introduction_To_A_Yoga_Breathing_Exercise.html

Bike rides! I stole a 16 speed bike last summer. It took me quite awhile to fix up. I had to do each link in the chain by hand and things. When I got it ridable, the guy that I stole it from wanted it back. I offered to sell it to him for $50, but he decided that it was time for him to get a car. Go figure. Heh.

I can go a decent distance on my bike. Not too long ago I went for a 5 mile spin and barely felt it. I was a bit winded, but not huffing and coughing and all that. I'm sure I could go a lot farther. I mean, once I hit the wall, I'm good to go for hours before my body notices.

I also have my little weights to toss around. They are currently 15 lbs. each. But I generally only toss these around when I start getting angry and pissed-off.

Tao, I picked up a really good breathing and flexing exercise from my karate days. I've never needed it to stay calm, but it does keep me warm. I can get my hands pretty damn warm. Like, steaming warm in the winter. One time I tested my hands with a thermometer and got it to go up a full 10 degrees F.

Seems like there are a few other things that I wanted to touch on, but my brain is starting to slip.

Anways, now 1 week no smoke.

Nicotine stays in the body for approximately 90 days which is about how long it takes for bone marrow to completely replace your blood supply. And it's about that time, 3 months in, you could well go through one final urge as the last of the nicotine leaves the body... Just a heads up that's all.

I stopped coffee and nicotine at the same time. I swear the withdrawal headache from the caffeine overpowered the desire for nicotine for a minimum 2 weeks... it was not at all pleasant. But so far so good... early December will be 4 years free for me. And I'm back drinking coffee AND beer! That was perhaps the biggest test. =)

Keep it up.... with all the money you'll save you'll soon have enough to purchase a bicycle built for 2 and then you can take woman for another sort of a ride. =)

___________________________________________________________________________
?Privatize the Profits - Socialize the Losses.? Randi Rhodes

quote:

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NoJive said:

Nicotine stays in the body for approximately 90 days which is about how long it takes for bone marrow to completely replace your blood supply.

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nope. Father-in-law is a toxicologist for one of them there big tobacco companies. Nicotine only stays in your system for 24 hours.

Later,

C:\

You are both incorrect - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4753

quote:

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How long does nicotine stay in the body?

From 85?90 percent of nicotine in the blood is metabolized by the liver and excreted from the kidney rapidly. The estimated half-life for nicotine in the blood is two hours. However, smoking represents a multiple dosing situation with considerable accumulation during smoking. Therefore, it can be expected that blood nicotine would persist at significant levels for six to eight hours after smoking stopped.

---

I am kind of surprised that your Father-in-law doesn't know this. I mean, if he is really a toxicologist, he should know his stuff.

And yes, I trust the American Heart and Lung Association more than I would them there big tobacco company employees.

Anyway, a huge congrats to WJ!

Quitting smoking is really tough. I have been free now for over 6 years, and all I can say is that I am forever grateful that I had the willpower and strength to stop and stay non-smoking.

And I can guarantee you that you will ALWAYS have urges to smoke! It never, ever goes away. It gets less "physical", that means that the bodily demand is no longer there, but psychologically, man, it WILL always be there, whispering, urging...

So ignore it. The best medicine that I have found is to remember those 3 days after I had quit. Imagine having to go through them again.

Works for me everytime.

Those three days were HELL.

Can't say much about the coffee thing, because I do drink coffee. I just do not drink that much. 1 cup a day, mostly. Sometimes 2, but that is pretty rare. I never really notice any adverse effects when I do not drink coffee, and I can go without drinking it whenever the case may be. I do notice adverse effects (bodily) if I drink more than two cups in one day, so I refrain from doing so. It makes me feel really ill.

1 cup is kind of nice, in the morning. With milk and sugar.

But if I am understanding you correctly, you are trying to quit caffeine, right?

That means no coke or any other type of drink with caffeine in it. Well, I guess you could go straight to tea.

I wish you luck and strength in your endeavor.

WebShaman | The keenest sorrow (and greatest truth) is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
- Sophocles

Ooh, no... normal tea can be more addictive for some. My dad can't go as long without tea as he can without a smoke.

Drink green tea - no tannin, no caffeine, and rich in anti-oxidants, apparently. *shrug*

Interesting on the half life bit. My info originates with a blood specialist who works with my wife. Regardless, nicotine is one nasty bitch.

___________________________________________________________________________
?Privatize the Profits - Socialize the Losses.? Randi Rhodes

Perhaps they are all right in this case.

I have been thinking about it (obviously).

I think it comes on the dose over time here. If one considers one cig and then waits out the time that the body disposes of the nicotine, I think that the American Heart and Lung Association is right (and probably the specialists would consider that a no-brainer).

If one however compares more than one cig (which is actually more realistic, considering how smoking is), then one comes down to trying to get some averages here vs time.

So there is going to be some disparity between different specialists on what is considered the "normal" time the body needs to dispense of nicotine based on what they consider "normal".

WebShaman | The keenest sorrow (and greatest truth) is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
- Sophocles

quote:

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WebShaman said:

I am kind of surprised that your Father-in-law doesn't know this. I mean, if he is really a toxicologist, he should know his stuff.

---

I am sure he would share some of his research if you like. And yes...he REALLY is a toxicologist.
He knows his stuff. But whatever.

Later,

C:\

Read my post above yours.

No hard feelings.

WebShaman | The keenest sorrow (and greatest truth) is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
- Sophocles

well...hard feelings or not, that was kind of rude IMO.

Anyway, I don't see in the site where it disputes what I said. Here is his response to it:

quote:

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The half-life (time for half of whatever is there) to disappear is about two
hours. If there is no more intake from additional nicotine about half of
this remaining amount disappears in another two hours...and so on. For
most people once they stop smoking their nicotine levels are down to the
levels of non-smokers in 24-48 hrs.

---

So levels of a non-smoker in 24-48 hrs. The site you linked to says

quote:

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Therefore, it can be expected that blood nicotine would persist at significant levels for six to eight hours after smoking stopped.

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It never says anything about it leaving your system or how long it takes. Just that after 2 hours it starts to leave and that after 6 - 8 hours it is still there at "significant levels".

Half life is important here I think. If you want to get real picky about it, can you really say that it ever leaves your body 100% since it is measured in half-life?

Later,

C:\

I've also read that while the nicotine level in your blood is essentially halved every two hours, it can take up to 72 hours for the blood serum to be completely nicotine-free... which means you're both correct, really.

However, I think you're both missing the point. CPrompt said:

quote:

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Nicotine stays in your system for 24 hours. You've passed that mark and now it's all psychological...

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That is plainly wrong. Regardless of how quickly you are free of the chemical, the dependency is physical and neurological for long afterward - it isn't just psychological at this point. The receptors your system has developed as a defensive coping mechanism for the habitual ingestion of a highly toxic natural pesticide (ie- nicotine) are still very much present for some time to come, and that physical dependency is very, very real, as much as anyone might tell you it's all in the mind.
_____

Slightly off-topic, but does anyone else here think that nicotine patches and gums are a complete con - another route for the tobacco companies to generate revenue even while smokers are being reduced in number?

The real statistics seem to suggest (contrary to the advertising claims of the companies that make a fortune out of their 'quit smoking' products) that fewer smokers manage to successfully quit while using gum/patches, and that a substantial number of them remain addicted to the nicotine for months afterward - chewing highly addictive and expensive gum to compensate.

Ah well, at least they're healthier junkies than the rest of us...

quote:

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White Hawk said:

anyone else here think that nicotine patches and gums are a complete conah chewing I man.

---

Long time good buddy is completely wired to the gum. I never looked but he said he found support forums for the chewing addicted. Go figure.

Before the cold turkey method I'd tried everything available and a few that weren't. I did come to enjoy and even look forward to at least one unintended side effect of the gum. Dreams. Oh my were they fun. Sometimes I'd forget to remove the patch before crawling in or sometimes forget to take it off all together. It was kinda like Timothy Leary meets Salvador Dali in a movie by Hieronymus Bosch . A bit unsettling initially but I when figured out the patch was the ticket into this film fest hmmmm my my my. =) The best part my have been no come down.

Stay thirsty my friends.

___________________________________________________________________________
?Privatize the Profits - Socialize the Losses.? Randi Rhodes

Closing in on a month. Pretty soon it will have been long enough that I will have lost track of how long it's been. (Crucial tenses, man. Sheesh.)

I've never really been one to listen to people when they tell me that I can't do something. If I gave up everytime someone said to me, "You can't do that in Photoshop," then I wouldn't be the uber that I am today. Fuck the nay-sayers.

Unfortunately, I didn't have that attitude a long time ago when it came to quitting smoking. People didn't tell me directly that I couldn't, but it was the indirect that had kept me smoking for so long. Horror stories about grumpiness, mood swings, and headaches. I honestly thought that I wouldn't be able to do it based on what other folks said. Bad, WJ! Bad! Go lie down!

When I got to it, it really wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Headache from quitting coffee, avoiding key urge habits, and time dilation... time d r a g g i n g ... that was about it.

Which kind of goes back to something that WS said. Oddly enough, I'm not really getting urge to binge or splurge. It has honestly been more than a few days since my last urge. Two of my biggest triggers have been sitting at my computer and drinking alcohol. The other night I sat right here at my comp, drank more than a little bit of vodka, and I didn't feel the urge to smoke one tiny bit. Two major trigger for a few hours and no urge.

Ha! Eat that, WebS!!

Honestly, though, it really does kind of surprise me. I've never heard of a former smoker say that the urge has totally disappeared. Maybe my brain really is wired differently in more ways than one.

I really am not one to listen when folks say that I can't when I know damn well that I can. Maybe not always right away, but I will get there or get it done. And it's not even an indignant thing with me, it's more of a basic drive to just plain do what I want to do.

I can't do it? Guess what... I just did.

Toodles.

(Edited by warjournal on 11-15-2009 08:05)

Well, good for you!

Just make sure you stay on the wagon.

I know many that were where you are now, saying the same things, and sooner or later they were back at it again.

When you reach your first year, post back.

I am going on my 7th.

Stick that in your pipe and...well, don't

I personally hope you stay clean. I really do not care how you manage it.

WebShaman | The keenest sorrow (and greatest truth) is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
- Sophocles

I second that - good luck to you, and I hope you remain smokeless.

I'm a long way from home this week, working. The smokes here are cheaper than back home, and I fear I may be tempted to smoke more as a consequence. I've rationed myself by not keeping money in my pocket - the logic being that I'll smoke those I have less often if I'm not sure I can replace them in a timely fashion...

The funny little things we addicts do... -_-

Awesome wj.
I'm coming up on 2 years myself without smoking, late December (not counting cigars, which are still few and far between). Still have things that trigger urges, but fortunately that need feels more like a want now. Recognizing that difference I think helps a lot, at least for me. Everyone's different though. Different triggers, different ways of coping. Hopefully you've found yours and you can stay clean.

Caffeine though, I don't really have any desire to give up ::shrugs:: ~1/2 pot of coffee in the morning, iced tea at lunch, hot tea in the afternoon/evening. Water and Gatorade the rest of the time, and of course beer
No cokes/sodas though. Haven't had one in about 7-8 years now.


WH, I completely remember doing that God forbid you were to run out. Couldn't smoke the last one until you're on the way to the store...

--

Any sufficiently advanced bug is indistinguishable from a feature.

I haven't completely given up caffeine and sugar. My biggest way of consuming these has been coffee. I still drink some soda pop, but not nearly as much. As far as drinking goes, I have been averaging a 5-gallon jug per week. So, almost a gallon of distilled water a day. My body still hasn't completely adjusted to that amount of water.

Rationalizations... Woman has a weird one that is smoking related. "OMG, I only have three left so I better smoke them in a hurry while I stil have them!" WTF?

WebS, there is one thing that I have left out, and that is why I quit smoking. My motivation is absolute and drives to the very core of everything that I do and want to accomplish. Smoking again as a habit is not an option. Period.

Not just motivation, but I honestly have not been having urges.

I'll do my best to remember in one year. It's a date!