Well now, my interest in maintaining interest seems to have tapered off.
So here we are, 7-8 weeks after the beginning of the process. I still am smoke free, although like 99% of those on a prescription I managed to waylay instructions. I stopped taking Chantix at week 6 as I picked up some nasty flu thing, and the mild nausea that came with the drug was increased very noticeably. That leaves me with two weeks of the drug plus one months refill that I would like to keep around, just in case.
Today that leaves me in an interesting spot. I can once again eat eggs and drink and which may not sound like much, but whose absence often came up. Step by step from then till now...
The initial feeling, minus the sight nausea doesn't seem to do much. For the initial period of one week I smoked while building up Chantix in my system. Nearly immediately the cigarette presents little pleasure. Paired with the slow dopamine feed your brain gives you on this drug, I found I smoke more out of rote than because a feeling of "need". The latter part of this process gives zero pleasure from smoking, with a very nauseated feeling that helped in the last few days with a little negative reinforcement.
After day 7, my quit date, I had no more cigarettes. It's a little hard to explain to non-smokers, but smoking takes on a much more logical light. It becomes a thing that I had done day to day, but could realize it without the addiction itch.
For instance, on smoking:
After an hour I wanted a cigarette. After two hours I wanted a cigarette. After three hours I would excuse myself from whatever I was doing to have a smoke. After four hours I became a very cynical and insulting person. At five plus hours, I was pure negative. From that point I had a constant feeling of need. Something akin to the drunk feeling. One more beer would really be delicious, and then the next and so on. Except it doesn't go away, ever.
On Chantix:
The same constant awareness that I want a cigarette. I was a pretty dedicated smoker, one right when I woke up, two in the car on the way to school, one or two after every meal, basically one whenever I could up to a pack and a half a day. If I happened two be drinking I would double cigarette consumption. With Chantix I could wake up, realize I craved a cigarette and not have one. No bad feelings from not smoking. I would feel just as good choosing not to smoke. This is what made all the difference in the world. Feeling the same before the decision as after. I would like to smoke, but it's ok if I don't.
Today I am very much past the hump and have the same on the drug effect without the drug. After a good three or four days the nicotine is out of your system, and after 25 days you start to disassociate the habit of smoking. I still have cravings from time to time, sometimes really bad. I can at this point pick out why the craving has hit me, as opposed to satisfying the urge. For example, driving to the Springs to visit the Ofolks. About five minutes out I all of a sudden really want a cigarette. This is because I can't smoke in the girlfriends car, but I usually smoke as soon as we stop. Instead of chewing off my own eyelids, I realize the craving without pandering to it, and it goes away soon after. This is huge, and I recommend it for all people attempting to quit via this route. When feel a craving, talk about it right away if possible. Being able to reason through it, and not hiding it are big things to me. I can say 'this makes me crave a smoke, and here's why' without negative penalty. When you start to hide the feelings of craving, your gonna start lying to yourself, and then it's a short jump to I'm not really addicted, I'm just doing it socially. Have the craving and be ok with it.
The bad of this tale. I did have slight nausea. Not too bad. I still crave cigarettes at the oddest times, so habit breaking will take a while. The first week on the drug, I was having crazy dreams and sleepwalking a bit. Cost is a bit high, but smoking for me was way more expensive. I don't mean in the health sense, really the cost of Chantix is far cheaper, dollar to dollar.
There is a lot of bad press around Chantix, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Yes some people go completely nuts on the drug. About 3% of people have these really nasty side effects. More people fail to use water correctly. That's right, water has a higher mortality rate. You just don't hear as much of the good stuff about Chantix. I fully recommend it. It got me through the hump (about 30 days) and now without the drug I am doing fine. As with any habit be aware of what you're feeling and try to associate a new habit instead of smoking.
Finally, thank you chuck. I hope your wife has the same success I had.
All universal moral principles are idle fancies.
-Marquis De Sade |
|
