giving up smoking side effects

[dmj]

Hi All, As per a lot of the population, I kicked the dreaded weed on |New Years day, its going really well and I havent even had a puff although I have noticed a few things I'm not happy with!!! 1. Eating like a horse, put on 4lb in a week!!! How can I curb the appetite? 2. skin itchingh all the time and my face has come up in a rash 3. ( This is the most embarrassing of all!) I've developed really really bad wind!!!!!!! I started off cold turkey but now I'm using patches Nicorette 10mg as the stronger ones make me feel ill, . (I cant beleive I am mentioning this!!!! )The reason is my husband is giving up as well and he too has a bad stomach, is this common? can any ex smokers or people who are currently giving up give me any tips on how to get through these first few weeks? Thanks xxx

[D143237G]

Well done for getting so far. Increased wind probably due to increased eating as system not used to it.

Patches are good but don't use the 24 hour ones. A lot of peole complain of bad heads and strange dreams using these. Plus why have a 24 hour patch you don't smoke whilst asleep. See your doctor if rash persists but see him/her anyway so you can get on one of the various courses run by the NHS they are actually quite good fun and you can get loads of patches for the cost of a prescription which is a huge saving on shop prices.

Biggest tip of all! The bad craving only usually lasts for as long as it normally takes to smoke a cigarette. So, if at 10.00 you are dying for a smoke promise yourself that you will wait until 10.30 and if you still want one then you will have one. By 10.30 the craving will have passed. Sounds odd but it is true.

However, I am afraid that it is possible that you will still miss smoking for a long time to come. I have now been a non smoker for over 5 years and I still get the occasional craving. Good news is it doesn't last long. See the above.

[4GS]

First of all, well done so far
I stopped 9 years ago and found that the side effects were
1) Coughing up black gunge, that was my lungs getting rid of the tarry stuff that was sticking to them caused by the fags
2) Cold sores on my lips, caused by the increased blood flow to my extremities when I quit the weed
3) Intense craving for about 3 weeks

As soon as your hubby gives up, get rid of ashtrays, lighters and all the other paraphernalia that goes with smoking and, with the support of each other each day becomes easier and easier.
Once again, well done and keep up the good work.

As an aside, a friend got a 'cash for ash' tin, and each day he put in the amount he would have spent on ciggies, after a month he the took it to his local supermarket where they have those machines where you put your loose change in and you get a voucher here and he got just over �130 back, makes you think eh? all that money was just going up in smoke every month

[4getmenot]

Dreaded weed? Are you on about tobacco or cannabis?

[joannie10]

nibble on carrot sticks or something - just breaking the habit of when normally smoked, keep yourself busy so not thinking about smoking or eating!

[verycurious]

Itchy skin (unless its just round the area of the patch), eating too much, wind etc, I think are all symptoms of stress. Although you may think you feel fine, giving up smoking is incredibly stressful. I am now on my third, or even perhaps 4th serious attempt at stopping smoking. You've just got to find what works best for you and if you fail once, keep on trying, never give up, giving up.

[Athenaofthemoon]

Good decision! I am looking forward for your good health. Btw I had just remember my friend who quit smoking for almost a year and after 1 year added risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker ( ans she saved $3640)Now she is enjoying the stop smoking benefits! Media URL: http://stopsmokinghabits.com/health-benefits.html
Description: stop smoking benefits