Saturday, November 5, 2011

Smoke Count

So. Due to the loving encouragement (with a minimum of dirty looks, sighs, and grumbling, considering the original plan had me quit and rolling in all the money I had saved by now) of my Darlin' Man, I've gone entirely tobacco free.

Not nicotine free, mind. The electronic cigarette is a wonderful thing and keeps the urge to kill people with dull knives, spoons, vehicles, European style deer head mounts, and/or whatever happens to be at hand, at only a slightly higher level than normal.

Now, I'm not saying there aren't some withdrawal symptoms... mostly psychological (it's not a fucking cigarette goddamnit and I want a cigarette!) but a few physical.

When I tried quitting with patches I had about the same level of the symptoms I have now... problem there was the insomnia coupled with vivid, emotionally upsetting dreams when I did get to sleep. We're talking, wake up bawling because your beloved (and dead) relatives are enumerating your many failures kind of upsetting. Farmmom was with me on that run, and she got vivid dreams too, but she got to dream of cinnamon rolls.

Tell me, how exactly is that fair?

Anywho, I got off cigarettes that way, but the lack of sleep and the dreams made me rush the system, trying to get past the chemically induced nightmares. When I decided to take the patch off, my mouth erupted in canker sores. We're talking seven big ones on my tongue alone, with even more all over the inside of my mouth. I couldn't eat, couldn't drink anything but tea (tannic acid numbs mouth sores) for several days. Doc basically said "that's an interesting presentation of nicotine withdrawals," and told me I had to wait it out.

I bought a pack of cigs when I left the doc's office. I can't afford not to eat with my metabolism.

There's been enough of a drop in my levels this time that while my mouth hasn't erupted in sores, the one spot I managed to bite myself in earlier in the week is refusing to heal. Irritating, but not goal smashing.

Another example is the cognitive twitches... my brain isn't working the way I'm used to it working.

For instance... earlier today I told Farmmom I was going on thirty six hours without a cigarette. Only problem with that is that yesterday I was at forty eight hours. Somehow my brain added twenty four to forty eight and came up thirty six, and I didn't even think about it until I started to write this post.

Aggravating. Everything is slightly slower, I'm taking noticeably more time to assess problems and decide on a course of action. Yesterday I locked my keys in my car... which doesn't seem like a big deal except that thanks to the key being chipped I have precisely one key to my car, and I can't get copies unless I drop big bucks at a dealership. So I'm always very careful to make sure I don't lock the keys in the car. Shortly after that I realized that Ford seems to be concerned with the same thing, since the car won't stay locked if the key is in the ignition. Didn't save me earlier since the keys were sitting on the seat, but it's nice to know now.

Anyway. 72 hours later today. They say after the third day things ease up. Here's hoping, cause I sure miss my brain.

16 comments:

Ruth said...

Good luck!

I've never smoked so I can't compare, but the one time my doc tried to get me to quit coffee it didn't work very well. We finally agreed I'd just cut back instead.

randompawses said...

As to the canker sores....get your doc to prescribe tetracycline capsules and viscous lidocaine. Combine the tetracycline powder from one capsule with a little lidocaine and about a teaspoon of water, rinse and spit. Takes nasty, but it does the trick. Do that three times a day, and they'll be healing and no longer sore in just a day or two! (Picked that little tip up from a doc years ago. It's the ONLY thing that works for me when mine get bad.)

randompawses said...

"Tastes" not "takes". Sheesh....

George said...

Best wishes. After many, many attempts, I quit some years back. The only time I miss cigs now is when I'm fishing. It can be done and you've got what it takes to do it.

Peter said...

Go for it! I've been smoke-free for over a year now. I still miss cigarettes, but I know I'm a lot better health-wise for having stopped them.

Anonymous said...

Any good locksmith can make you a copy of a chipped key, for about half the price of the dealership.

Christina RN LMT said...

Good luck, Farmgirl! FWIW, I'm proud of you. :)

TheUnpaidBill said...

Good luck FG. You'll make it.

aepilot_jim said...

You Can Do It! and if the urge to kill gets overwhelming, I know a couple of guys I'm pretty sure no one will miss, much.

JPG said...

Congratulations on your success thus far. Hang in there, sis!

Holly and I began using the electronic cigs just about four months ago, and have managed to be tobacco free since then. I had two sealed packs of menthol 100s in my car and gave them away. I realize I have a full carton atop a kitchen cabinet and kinda hope they haven't gone too stale for a friend to enjoy.

I never suffered any identifiable withdrawal symptoms, other than some serious cravings.
Best of luck.
JPG

Anonymous said...

you don't need a key with a chip in it to open the car door... just to start the engine.

good luck on quitting :)

B-

Old NFO said...

Good for you FG... I know DM will support you. Hang in there!

Momiss said...

I got off the cigs last year with the e cig. Then it got warm and I started again.
Now that it's getting cold in MO I am pulling out my E cigs again.
I found them a great help. But still not cigs.
I blogged about it too, but have never fessed up to smoking again. I might re-visit it again under the subject title Wrestlin' Demons.... ;)
Good luck!

Jennifer said...

You've got plenty of places to hide the bodies...
Best of luck and I'm proud of you.

Evyl Robot Michael said...

LOL! I swear I was not copy-catting your when I announced that I was quitting. I'm just happy to see that I've got some friends that are subjecting themselves to the same misery that I am. LOL! I hope it is still going well for you. I've had more mouth sores and acne in the last week than usual, now that you mention it. Very odd indeed...

EmmaPeel said...

Great Job! If it's any consolation on the time you've made it, nicotine is out of your system in 72 hours. After that, it's all in your head. That made it easier for DH to deal with.