Nicotine after C/T?

[[Lu...]]

So I have been addicted to nicotine since I was 14 years old and I am 29 now (terrible I know) used mostly chewing tobacco but did smoke a nicotine vape for a couple years but recently have been using zynn nicotine pouches. I have found my symptoms definitely ramp up after I use one now after I c/t of Xanax 4 weeks ago. But I cannot go without it. My question is would it do more harm to quit a 16 year addiction in this fragile state or to do deal with it Ramping up symptoms. Anyone who can maybe relate to this situation please please chime in thank you 🙏 

[[Ma...]]

I totally relate. Nicotine is actually ‘Neuro-protective’, if you can believe that.

All 3 of my doctors-PhD Neuropsychologist, PsyD Health Psychologist and new Mayo trained, NIH fellow, employee at FDA have all said to wait. I believe the last is going to put me on the patch or something because I can’t stand it.

I smoke, it hits the dopamine, fulfills the yoga-like breathing appeases the craving then BOOM, jolt of adrenaline in 40 minutes, rinse and repeat.

I believe Ashton also said to wait to quit because of the side effects. Nicotine is a beast in every fashion.

1 member here ‘doses’ throughout the day and keeps a schedule; I changed to Virginia Ultra Slims (bleach), break them in 1/2 and limit the amount.

So, yeah, I get it.

Edited March 13 by [Ma...]

[[ns...]]

Hi Lucas, hey I had to quit. I only smoked a couple puffs, around 5 cigarettes a day. They caused so much stimulation I had to quit, no choice.

The last puffs I took, I made into the house and fell to my knees.  The stimulation was so intense it floored me. 

It can be done, but if it's therapeutic for u I would wait.

I guess I would say I didn't have a choice!

If u can do it, youll of course be better off in the long run.

Ns

[[Lu...]]

1 hour ago, [[M...] said:

I totally relate. Nicotine is actually ‘Neuro-protective’, if you can believe that.

All 3 of my doctors-PhD Neuropsychologist, PsyD Health Psychologist and new Mayo trained, NIH fellow, employee at FDA have all said to wait. I believe the last is going to put me on the patch or something because I can’t stand it.

I smoke, it hits the dopamine, fulfills the yoga-like breathing appeases the craving then BOOM, jolt of adrenaline in 40 minutes, rinse and repeat.

I believe Ashton also said to wait to quit because of the side effects. Nicotine is a beast in every fashion.

1 member here ‘doses’ throughout the day and keeps a schedule; I changed to Virginia Ultra Slims (bleach), break them in 1/2 and limit the amount.

So, yeah, I get it.

Yes I it’s literally the same for me!! About half hour after I put a pouch in, cheeks and ears  get red, very restless and anxiety increase 10 fold. Depersonalization gets worse and when that wears off I feel depressed. It’s horrible. But if I ignore the cravings I become nauseous and anxious. Truly a paradox haha never ceases to amaze me how much these chemicals can effect our bodies

[[Lu...]]

1 hour ago, [[n...] said:

Hi Lucas, hey I had to quit. I only smoked a couple puffs, around 5 cigarettes a day. They caused so much stimulation I had to quit, no choice.

The last puffs I took, I made into the house and fell to my knees.  The stimulation was so intense it floored me. 

It can be done, but if it's therapeutic for u I would wait.

I guess I would say I didn't have a choice!

If u can do it, youll of course be better off in the long run.

Ns

I think I may have to quit, the side effects afterward are so brutal! I am terrified of what my brain will do without it though. Once again find myself in a chemical pickle 

[[Ma...]]

@[Lu...] I’m afraid to try the patch because I don’t want it going directly into my blood stream, so I’m thinking about the lozenges, as you can spit them out.

Where I live there’s a Quit Line to get them for free, you can also check with your insurance company.

There are also free apps that can be very helpful.

Please keep me posted!

[[Ta...]]

How's the cold turkey going? Are you functional at all?

I quit nicotine years ago, but it was hard...as you know. The worst time for me was after eating. Every meal, every snack, every cup of coffee, I had to have a cigarette. So, I made out a schedule, and I mapped out in a journal just exactly when I ate or drank, and when I would have a smoke. Then I started cutting them in half ONE AT A TIME, and slowly slowly smoked less and less. I also figured in one or two emergency smokes, for stressful circumstances.

I factored in some rewards, Like taking myself out for lunch, (followed by half a smoke!) Little by little the nicotine went out of my system, and when I felt desperate, I looked on the schedule and saw when I could have my next cigarette.

I wasn't going thru withdrawal then, but my life was a powder keg of stress! Towards the end, smoking just seemed revolting to me, and I just STOPPED! I had little ones depending on me, and that helped me to just let the habit go.

Wishing you all the best!

[[Lu...]]

@[Ta...]that is a great and very smart way to quit! Good for you  I am doing something kind of smilair. The pouches come in 3 and 6 mlg and I switched to the 3’s and cut my amount of pouches in half. Saving the ones I am using for mostly after meals and my 45 minute commute to and from work! Even the smaller dose ramps up symptoms I plan on weening off down to zero as well. As for how I’m doing after the CT It would truly matter on the hour you ask me or even the minute you ask me. It fluctuates an insane amount. One minute I go from “omg I am going crazy I’m so depressed and depersonalized and anxious I will never be okay okay” to “wow okay I actually feel like myself for a minute” I’m not sure if that’s normal but it changes so so much throughout the day it’s scary. Half the day usually I feel like I cannot function but I have been forcing myself to go to work and to try and be as present as I can at home with my wife and daughter. But it’s tough. The physical symptoms come and go as well every day is different not sure if that’s normal. Sorry for dumping all of that on you but I felt I had to vent. Hope you’re having a peaceful and healing evening  

[[Lu...]]

5 hours ago, [[M...] said:

@[Lu...] I’m afraid to try the patch because I don’t want it going directly into my blood stream, so I’m thinking about the lozenges, as you can spit them out.

Where I live there’s a Quit Line to get them for free, you can also check with your insurance company.

There are also free apps that can be very helpful.

Please keep me posted!

My father in law was a heavy smoker and said the patch even made him anxious and he doesn’t even have anxiety! Heard that from others as well. Would definitely be very cautious of patch  

[[Ma...]]

@[Lu...] As I suspected. I think I’m going to start cutting them shorter and shorter each day 🤞

BTW, it’s perfectly normal for the symptoms to come and go-even rapidly so. Windows and waves…

[[Lu...]]

@[Ma...] my windows have been so short idk if I can even consider them windows. But I like to think they count   like I was driving home from a very hard day of work this evening where I have to pretend I am 100% fine and in the car I was squeezing the steering wheel as hard as I could and fighting back tears thinking I will end up in a mental hospital or something and that my life is over. And then a song “brightside” by the lumineers came on through my Spotify. One of my favorite songs. I opened the sun roof, put the windows down and sang that song. I felt happiness coursing through me. My eyes welled up from happiness from having an emotion that wasn’t despair and worry and pain. It lasted about 4 minutes my then i fell back into the pit. But that few minutes was glorious!  Gives me some hope that maybe I haven’t fully lost my mind and I am in there…somewhere. 

Edited March 14 by [Lu...]

[[Ma...]]

Lucas, you’re in there! Never doubt that. Any feeling otherwise is a lie. Period.

What a wonderful moment for you to have. Remember it, remember or even right down your little windows-I call them ‘glimmers’- so when it’s brutal you’ll realize it’s temporary.

And if music opened up your subconscious somehow-keep listening!! Apparently it works!!

[[Lu...]]

@[Ma...]thank you for the encouragement and kind words as always  

[[Ta...]]

On 13/03/2024 at 18:27, [[L...] said:

@[Ta...]that is a great and very smart way to quit! Good for you  I am doing something kind of smilair. The pouches come in 3 and 6 mlg and I switched to the 3’s and cut my amount of pouches in half. Saving the ones I am using for mostly after meals and my 45 minute commute to and from work! Even the smaller dose ramps up symptoms I plan on weening off down to zero as well. As for how I’m doing after the CT It would truly matter on the hour you ask me or even the minute you ask me. It fluctuates an insane amount. One minute I go from “omg I am going crazy I’m so depressed and depersonalized and anxious I will never be okay okay” to “wow okay I actually feel like myself for a minute” I’m not sure if that’s normal but it changes so so much throughout the day it’s scary. Half the day usually I feel like I cannot function but I have been forcing myself to go to work and to try and be as present as I can at home with my wife and daughter. But it’s tough. The physical symptoms come and go as well every day is different not sure if that’s normal. Sorry for dumping all of that on you but I felt I had to vent. Hope you’re having a peaceful and healing evening  

One thing I thought of as I read about your experiences, was that when you are feeling good, I think it's really important to take even a few seconds and just "notice" how good that feels. Just stop, and hold the thought of feeling good as long as you can in your mind. Like "Wow! I feel good right now!" And then take a breath and keep it in your mind for a few seconds. Say to yourself "I feel good, this is wonderful." Holding the awareness of feeling good, or even just okay, rewires your brain for happiness.

This has made things easier for me in withdrawal. I am much more tuned in to "the good." Or, even if you are not doing so well, try noticing something beautiful around you. When your daughter explores something new and gets that look of wonder on her face, take special notice of that, and hold onto those positive feelings as long as you can. Doing this makes more room in your brain for the positive. As for the negative, just keep going, and try not to dwell on it. Don't make room in your brain for the negative!

You are doing really, well, Lucas!

[[jo...]]

When my anxiety is ramped up it's like someone has tapped a funnel into my head and is pouring venom directly into my brain. All I can do in these situations is chain smoke. I'm in and out of the back yard every 10 mins. It surely cant be helping but when your addicted to nicotine and feeling really anxious your brain orders you to smoke. It's kind of a little vicious cycle.