In October, on my way to the hospital to get a pacemaker, I slapped a 7mg nicotine patch on my arm with the intention of quitting smoking. The best I had been able to do was down to three to six each day. Well, it worked. After the hospital stay with a fresh nicotine patch each day, I came home "smoke free"
Now it is February 10 and the euphoria of being a non-smoker has worn thin.
I will NEVER light one up again. This is a triumph I never thought I would attain.
BUT (no pun intendid) I had become dependent on smoking as a stress reliever and now without that, I find myself sometimes ready to crawl the walls with anxiety.
Sorry to say, I really enjoyed smoking once in a while. If I could smoke just ONE a day, I would.
I noticed plenty of help sites to quit but not any to help put the pieces together when you find yourself ....once in a while...coming apart once you have done it.
Oh, I"m even boring myself...:))) Just thought there might be someone out there with a similar problem...........

 

 

There is a link between anxiety and lack of magnesium and the B-6, B-12 vitamins. I take magnesium because it prevents the "thumping" heart I get sometimes.
I did a quick Google search on magnesium and smoking and found this at the top of the list:

http://www.mcvitamins.com/health%20opponents/smoking.htm

More later....
Gary in Hemet, CA

 

Here's a good video with a doctor explaining Magnesium deficiencies:

http://www.cardiophile.com/can-magnesium-deficiency-affect-the-heart

BTW, I am now including 400mg of Mg in my daily diet besides what I get in a 50+ vitamin/mineral supplement and the foods I eat. When I ride my bike for lots of miles each week I may take more Mg that this. Someone on this site said they were taking 1200mg Mg per day plus Calcium.
My brother has been a smoker since his teen days and "has quit" many times. Currently he says he's not smoking at all and is taking a super vit/min supplement with lots of the B Complex vitamins (2000% levels I believe he said).

Stress and anxiety are what gets us into these messes. Maybe Magnesium and the Bs can help?

Whenever I see my brother next I'm sure he will have cheated and smoked. It is a tough mistress that nicotine but I have never been there, never will. It would only slow me down on my bike (cycling, not Harley) rides and I ride with a bunch of guys my age (60) and older...one is 76 and has had a double bypass and still rides better and longer than I do with a pacer.

Good luck in your battle. I hope you win.

Gary in Hemet, CA

 

As a smoker,I also flipped out at the thought of being in the hospital for 2-3 days. What was I going to do w/o a cigarette? As luck would have it, a week before surgery, I ran into a friend who had an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette).You've probably heard the ads about them.... they release a vapor "smoke" that is said to be harmless. She gave me a "puff" and I KNEW I had to try them myself. It cost her around $48. for the kit, which included a recharger & the "juice" that goes in them. The juice comes in flavors like Marlboro & Newport. I went online & found a place where you can order them but they couldnt guarantee delivery before I went to the hosp. But they did have disposable ones that they could send in a day or 2, which cost a little under $10. each. So I ordered several of them and I was shocked! They look exactly like a cigarette, they taste pretty much like one too,the vapor "smoke" is totally unbelievable and the end lights up orange, like a cigarette does. It got me thru 3 days in the hosp.!!! I took a puff as a nurse walked in and she almost died thinking I was smoking! LOL My doctor even took the name of the place I ordered them from and was very impressed! So check it out, it might just help you thru, when you get that urge. If you like the disposable ones, which you throw away after about 300 puffs, you can always order a rechargable one. But shop around online. I found the exact same thing from $50,-$150. And the kiosks at the mall charge on the high end. Here's where I ordered from:
http://magicpuffer.com/

 

I started smoking when I was about 15. Smoked until about 1996 when, after Christmas one year, I got a terrible case of the flu. I was so sick I didn't smoke for about two weeks. Decided it was the best time to go ahead and quit.

I haven't smoked since. But there are still days when I would really like a cigarette. What stops me is: if I smoked even two puffs now I'd get SO SICK! That, in itself, is the best deterrent there is.

What I like the most about not smoking is not having to arrange my life around cigarettes: do I have enough for the whole day; do I have a lighter; does the lighter have enough fluid. Then there's the burn holes in my clothes and on the furniture (no I'm not a slob, it just happens); or the smell in my clothes and in my hair; and those nasty ashtrays; and last, but certainly not least, is the COST! I was in a gas station the other day and noticed that a carton was $47.95! And the man behind the counter said that was for the cheap ones; there are some that are upwards of $60 a carton!!

Why didn't I mention, so far, that they're bad for your health? Because that's too easy to not think about.

Julie

 

Hi...and thank you for your suggestions. It was kind of you to answer.
The best being from Gary...look into Magnesium and the B's.
My battle with quitting is won.
Just need to get control of my stress.
Thanks again.
m

 

My addiction was never really the nicotine. (maybe a little). I've quit on 2 occasions for well over a year. (using the nicotine patch for about a week). I never craved it or had a "withdrawl". I just went crazy with the habit of lighting up with my morning coffee, or with a glass of wine, or after a meal. Not to mention starting up my car, or reaching for a ringing phone, or on a work break. The habit of what to do with my hands and the feel of the cigarette between my lips and the smoke, yes, the smoke, was always more than I could handle. I tried lollypops, lemonheads, chewing gum. chewing on cimmamon toothpicks etc. but after a year, I still craved it every single day. So I always started up again. The vapor cigarettes have given me the crutch I need w/o the actual cigarette. But I will look into the suppliments that you mentioned. Hey, anything that helps up over that horrible habit is worth it. Good luck mhil, and thanks for the info FirstDuely.

 

I'm struggling with this too. I went on Wellbutrin before my surgery & was smoke free for 3 weeks. Then I had to go off the Wellbutrin (because of the different meds I'm on) & started again after I was home & doing OK. I'm so mad at myself.
I quit from age 40 to almost 50 with the aid of the nicotine patch, but the Dr. said DO NOT use that with your erratic heard palpitations. Too much nicotine can amp one up I guess. LOL
So, good luck to you on quitting! I know you can do it!
Liz