I don’t know if y’all had this problem but I’d get this bad headaches and lack of focus after a couple of weeks of quiting smokeless tobacco. I had done Dip daily for about 12 years. A couple of months ago, I quit, no tobacco for 5 weeks then fell off the wagon and started back for another month and now I’m back on wagon. I’m hoping that someone has some insights. I have been using nicotine pouches in place of tobacco while trying to quit but like I said after a week of no tobacco, I started getting headaches and losing focus. Would tylenol help?
Guys who have quit tobacco successfully, what things did you do to deal with the withdrawls/cravings?
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I started dipping, which is disgusting and I would only do it at home. Once I was only dipping it was pretty easy to stop that.
I manned up and stopped poisoning myself. You don’t need “things” to help. You need discipline and the will to say enough is enough.
If I stopped long enough when I would smoke the taste, smell on my hands and just feeling the tar on my skin made me sick.
So when I had a craving I’d remind myself of how that part feels.
When drinking, though, it kind of goes out the window. So a disposable vape helped with that.
Its odd, but having a solid reason to quit did it. I had tried with patches, substituting with hard candy, some meds, etc. and nothing ever took. Everything I tried led right back to smoking, nothing took away the urge. Then one day a girl I was dating who was ok with me smoking said if I wanted it to be long term I had to quit as she didn’t want to raise kids around cigarettes. At the time I had a ring and was ready to propose so I finished the pack I had and just never touched one again. In my mind I would still love to have a cigar on occasion but I know if I had one, it would lead to smoking and I don’t think I would be able to quit again.
As for your headaches, a pain reliever would help, but so would caffeine. The lack of nicotine is going to constrict your blood flow down to a normal level that your body is no longer used to. Caffeine will help open it back up so you can transition towards normal easier.
I successfully quit smoking after 20+ years.
The way my brain works I had to make some changes to the way I think about things.
First, I had to quit one cigarette at a time.
The weight of quitting for an entire lifetime is quite heavy when you’re having a craving. The thought of bearing those cravings for weeks or months or even years is almost unbearable when you’re in the thick of it. And in that circumstance, it’s easy to convince yourself that one more cigarette or one more pack isn’t gonna hurt anything in the grand scheme of the next 50 years of life. So it’s easy to give in.
So I would just tell myself I’m just gonna skip this one cigarette, and take a walk instead. And I started jogging. At first I could only make it a few hundred feet without wheezing and huffing. But I would jog as far as I could and then I would walk. I would take at least a 15 minute walk every time I had a craving. I would drink a glass of water. I would have a hard candy. But more than anything else, getting that little bit of exercise always helped the most.
I will add that I also had to quit drinking for nine months. Because I knew that I could not drink and refrain from smoking. The two were just too closely associated and I just couldn’t do it. I would lose my inhibition and go buy a pack of cigarettes after only one beer. So instead of fighting that, I just decided to stop drinking for a while.
There are lots of people who recommend Allen Carr’s “the easy way to quit smoking”. I have read it and thought that it had some helpful ideas about just changing your mindset around smoking and tobacco. For me personally I figured out the mindset change that I needed to make and that made all the difference.
I think the first 2-3 days is the worst in terms of physical cravings. In the next 2 to 3 weeks there are moderate physical cravings that come and go. As time goes on the hardest thing is breaking the habit of smoking while you’re doing certain things like drinking alcohol or coffee, or on a break at work etc.
Chantix.
I took nothing. My view was any nicotine will just prolong the withdrawal. My physical withdrawal lasted 10-14 days and after that it was mental. I would try Tylenol and Ibuprofen for the headaches and make sure you’re staying hydrated and that your blood pressure is ok. Wouldn’t hurt to talk to your doctor about it too. The discomfort of getting through the withdrawal will be worth not getting cancer or copd. You can do it.
Use the prescription medicine Varenicline. It knocks out the cravings, stops the withdrawls, blocks the nicotine from even binding to the receptor in the brain so you get nothing out of it and makes the taste of tobacco/smoking putrid. In about 10 days or so, you won’t want to smoke. Stay on the medicine for a few months and you put time and distance between the last use thus breaking the cycle. It’s about learning to live without nicotine. This medicine helps that to happen. Ask your doctor for it.
Quit cold turkey. Never had withdrawals or cravings.
Caffeine will help with the headaches to some extent. Take Aleve/Advil/Tylenol to help. I don’t know if one is better than the other. Aleve/Advil are anti-inflammatories. Headaches are often a sign of dehydration, which caffeine will add to, so drink a lot of water.
If you need something to physically take the place of tobacco, get sugar free mints.
I started smoking “light” cigarettes. They are disqusting and dont have as much tobacco. Pretty soon you dont want them any more.
The patch worked for me, using the steadily decreased dosage method.
Once I got to the point of cutting the patch in two, the cravings stopped, the reflex to grab the box of cigarettes (I step out of the subway, my hand instinctually heads to the pocket to grab a puff), I was good to go.
I never looked back. 25+years smokeless.
I think cravings stopped about 3 weeks in. NGL it was tough, so I ate whatever I wanted and went to bed at 8pm every night lol.
That was 20+ years ago and I’ll never smoke again, despite missing it now and then.
Might not be the best idea, but I smoked weed to quit cigarettes, and it worked.
Cold Turkey, friend. Don’t rely on another crutch. The first week is gonna suck. Second week will suck a little less. You can do it.
I hypothesized the sharp pain in my heart was caused by smoking. I quit and it went away.
So I guess I used confirmation bias.
I never smoked, but two people I know did and cut it cold turkey. Their stories may help you:
– One of my best friends dad had cancer due to smoking too much. They had to perform surgery on him with about 25% chance to live. He lived, but he lost a bit of lung, and they had to take a few fibs and part of his jaw.
– A mate’s dad went to the doctor. They told him that if he wanted to see his grandson’s first anniversary, he had to stop smoking. He got out of the doctor’s and threw his tobacco to the bin. No patches, no 10/12/248 steps, no psychologist, nothing.
I realized that many of my daily cigarettes were out of habit, not necessarily satisfying a craving. Like when I drank coffee, finished a meal, etc.
So the first thing I did was quit the “habit cigarettes” and only smoked when I had a craving. But I smoked those craving cigarettes whenever I wanted so I didn’t feel like I was giving anything up. Suddenly I went from a pack a day to half a pack a day.
When you’re only consuming half the nicotine that you used to, the cravings decrease. Still smoked whenever I had the craving but those 10 daily cigarettes turned to 5, then to 3, then eventually I just forgot to smoke. 🤷♂️
7 years smoke-free. 👍
Drink water, exercise, chew gum, stop drinking, suckers, toothpicks, commit lozenges, keep track of your savings and reward yourself.
At a certain point I just realized that if I didn’t quit, it would end up being what killed me. Once you make it 4-5 days just accept the fact that you already smoked your last cigarette.
I’m poor so all I had were Altoids. I would pop 2 or 3 at a time until the burn made me forget. Other than that I just had to keep busy.
I use the mini nicotine lozenges from CVS. I pop one when I get the urge. I started with the 4mg one and went to the 2mg. I should quit them totally, but I haven’t pushed myself that hard yet.
I started running. Basic logic: i want to lose weight. Running is best to lose weight. How can i run good if lungs ruined by cigarette? Therefore, no cigarette means better lungs, means better run, means faster, more effective weight loss.
Green Tabasco. A few drops on the tongue will kill the cravings. You’re trading one endorphin for another. I was able to quit the first try after 10 years of smoking.
Headaches can be a cause of lack of electrolytes.
I quit smoking after about 20 years or so of it. Took chantix and it didn’t seem to help. It was supposed to make you lessen up how much you smoke each day. That’s what I was told. Well I went to work with about 3/4’s of a pack thinking I would be good. Outside work so we smoked a lot while working.
Fast forward to about lunch time and we carpooled for work. Had about 4 smokes left and was standing by the trash cans half way through one getting ready to ask a buddy to borrow his car to hit the gas station down the street for a fresh pack while it was slow. That’s when it hit me. If I went to get another pack this crap would never stop. Tossed the remains of the pack in the trash and put out the one in my hand.
Last one I ever smoked and that was 15 years ago or so. Still get cravings to this day. It’s hard but it was the realization that if I didn’t man the fuck up I would never quit. The meds probably helped in the early stages of cravings for sure but damn do they still hit sometimes. Especially on a golf course and someone lights one up. It sucks but I also know I am not throwing away that money anymore. That was the deciding factor for me. The money. It was getting too expensive.
I got covid several years ago. It was pretty severe.
After I recovered, I never had any interest in tobacco.
I chewed 2-3 cans of Skoal for well over 25 years
That oral fixation aspect is so real. Snacking or chewing gum definitely help
Am I allowed to answer? If not I apologize and I would be happy to delete this but maybe this might help. My husband quit smoking cigs and vapes after years of use. He slowly started to taper off the nicotine until he was at 0. Then after a while he stopped using it completely. He hasn’t picked it up since. It’s crazy to think about because he always had his vape on him- “Wallet, phone, keys, vape” was the norm. Thinking back it was probably about a 3 year process but it worked.
I used every ounce of will power not to buy it. People will stop bumming you dips and you will be done. It will probably take 6 months until you stop thinking about it constantly and years before cravings mostly disappear. I don’t think cravings totally disappear, it’s been almost a decade for me and a dip still sounds pretty good sometimes. The withdrawals suck, in my opinion, cold turkey is the only way. Cut the body off and make it adapt. Using nicotine or other drugs to quit nicotine just prolongs the misery. I am not a physician.
The good news is aside from desperately wanting a chew, your body will feel amazing. I started in highschool and was 2 to 3 cans a week for probably 15 years.
I didn’t do anything I just stopped and when I had the urge to buy more at the gas station or whatever I just didn’t buy any new vapes or cigs. I’m a weed smoker so that probably helped.
I became a father to twins born at 29 weeks. As small and tiny as they were, I knew that even after showering, I’d still feel bad for having had a smoke. So, my advice: have sex with no condom.
our bodies naturally create and releases nicotine (or a hormone sufficiently similar). It allows our body to relax. My body was too lazy to relax on its own.
quit drinking. Then quit smoking. DO NOT start drinking again. 2-3 weeks later have one beer. Work back into drinking. Do not go to the bar.
jig saw puzzles and video games. Keep the mind engaged on solving puzzles.
healthy snacks.
I’m still addicted to cigarettes even though it’s been 20 years. If I pick it up again I’ll be right back at 2 packs a day.
Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking.
I followed r/stopsmoking and used the stop smoking app to track my progress. I fantasized about murdering my roomate and ate a lot of junkfood. I abstained from drinking for a while and masturbated a lot. Its been over 5 years since I got off nicotine altogether and am so happy that I dont have that albatross around my neck. Godspeed bro you got this! 🫡
I know people who quit using Chantix. It stimulates the nicotine receptors so they’re not always looking for a fix, and it also partially blocks them so smoking is less enjoyable.
Also, be proactive about it. Talk to a doctor or a therapist, get rid of tobacco products, stay out of situations that you usually smoke in. Quitting isn’t always just ignoring the urge to do something. For me, ignoring just makes me want the thing I’m addicted to more. You have to acknowledge the urge, and then make a conscious decision to NOT do the thing.
I smoked a pack and a bit a day. I made the switch to vaping over a week. I vaped more and smoked less until I had maybe 1-3 cigs a day, then it was zero. After a few months of vaping, I had a cig and my stomach hurt for 3 days. The switch to vaping was honestly pretty easy for me.
And then, I quit vaping. I hated having to have juice, batteries and everything on me all the time. My vape essentially lived in my hand. I gave myself a goal, from new year’s eve to my bday (May) I would quit. Plenty of time to quit slowly.I had already been vaping 3mg. Over the next few months, I slowly added more and more 0mg. By Easter, I was vaping all 0mg with literally a drop or two of 3mg. Then I made the switch to no more vaping and if I needed the habit, I had only 0mg. It was STILL rough.
During the withdrawal, I still felt so agitated and energetic. The weird thing is, I always had one of those smart watches. My average heart rate was down at least 10 BPM even during agitated withdrawal
I used nicotine gum. I chewed for a couple of weeks and then realized I wasn’t really craving anymore. And then I just weaned off from there.
Zyns. Before I lose you keep reading – start w 6mg, work your way down to 3mg, and finally mixing chewing gum in 5050 throughout your day (aka, grab gum stick not lip pillow instead). Yes, you’re still consuming nicotine, but this is a method if you would like to not quit cold turkey and have success.
It was kind of a copout, really. I waited until I got the flu, and I quit then. I felt like shit for like a week, so I didn’t really notice. After that, I just drank a ton of water and ate sunflower seeds (with shells. kept my hands busy). I never had headaches or any of that.
My quest to quit started with me picking a day and mentally preparing for the date so i don’t panic. I purchased a smoking relief product smoke free in 30 days. After the first day i just built on the success of the first day and 20 years + later . My break point came once on vacation in Havana Cuba i was purchasing hand rolled cigars . The cigars were hand rolled by the Roller siting at a table across from me.
After a pack and a half of daily smoking for 20 years I ended up quitting. I bought the Nicorette gum pack I would chew one stick to satisfy the craving and then keep it in my mouth while chewing a fresh piece of regular gum. After only a couple of weeks I found myself chewing the regular gum more while having a diminished desire for the Nicorette gum. Once the Nicorette was gone I have never smoked again. It’s been 40 years now.
Zyban prescription for two months.
If you are ADHD it’s going to be a bitch to quit.
It’s easy otherwise.
I not only quit, but quit twice and am currently clean, lol.
I served in the Army, picked up a dipping habit there and dipped for about 8 years.
I wish I could say there was a magic bullet, but there isn’t. Never had a problem with headaches due to quitting. Withdrawal definitely.
One thing I did was carry around a sandwich bag of coarse ground coffee and I would literally pack a lip with coffee grounds and simulating the act of putting a dip in during triggering events like after a meal, gaming, having a beer would ease the suffering.
I would say I was largely fine at around the 6 month mark.
Then 8 years after quitting that I stupidly bought a vape once, and got hooked on and later quit vaping after another multi year habit.
Oddly though, quitting vaping was way easier than dip (A tin of dip is the equivalent nicotine of like 3 full 5% JUUL pods). and I just used basic reusables liek Vuse or JUUL.
With vaping, no joke after years of chain vaping I was pretty much fine, no stupid mental cravings even after a month.
To your point though, I just power through it and remember the first 24-48 hours. Most of what would keep me going is knowing I want to quit and knowing how bad the first couple days suck. You really need to recognize you want to quit, but also that quitting SUCKS and the beginning of quitting is the worst. How many times do you want to repeat that?
Nicotine patch program and Wellbutrin. No adverse effects whatsoever.
When I stopped smoking, I made sure to drink lots of water, and not go outside with the other smokers at break and lunch.
Nothing quit cold turkey…. Except now I’m addicted to Zyns
Smoked for around 20+ years. Went to a “stop smoking” hypnotist after failing to quit repeatedly. Kid you not- haven’t touched a cig since. That was Oct 2005.
I suffered. I used up every single backup i had. Then, I just cold turkeyed it. The cravings haven’t really stopped after 6 months, but they have just lessened in severity.
I did break because I was having the worst fucking cravings all week…. I had a quarter of a left over cigarette. It was terrible and made me feel terrible. There was lots of nausea.
Since that failure, I haven’t had a craving at all for months. It’s like I reminded myself it’s not worth it.
I used to chew years ago. I quit, and then tried it one more time and got hooked again. I finally decided I needed be all the way done with it forever.
I was working nights and slept until around 10 AM. So to reduce how much I did I challenged myself to go until noon without. It was hard for 2 weeks, and then I adjusted. then I pushed back the time by just 15 minutes. I realized I could get used to being tobacco free for the morning, because I knew I could have some at the assigned time. After the set time I had no rules on usage at all. Once I went to bed it reset to the next day.
I kept working the time back, and farther back. I had it all the way back to 5 PM and got stuck there. Then I started reducing the amount I could have. I measured out the amount and that was all.
Then I started setting and end time. No more after 11 PM no matter how late I am up. Then 10:30, 10, 9 8, etc.
Each time I restricted something it did not change the other factors.
Then I moved apartments. Moving day was crazy and I just forgot. I had gone a whole day with nothing. My addiction was so much smaller by now. It was very hard for a few days. I also realized if I stayed really busy in the early evening I would be distracted. Once I got past about 5 days without it was much easier. I would get a really bad craving sometimes, and that was maybe 1 time per month. It would be when sitting at a desk for a long time. If I got up and got active I was distracted and forgot about it.
I went to a two weekend music festival (that I worked, so I was onsite for 12 days, and had so many party favors I was thoroughly distracted from the early stages of withdrawal (which is the struggle for me). By the time I was back to the real world I was past the worst of it.
I did the lozenges for a bit. I went from the name brand to the generic. Eventually I substituted them with cinnamon hot balls. I don’t have one every day, but they’re nice to have around.
I did the math to figure out my rough nicotine intake, bought a vape and a few bottles of juice at reducing levels, split em up and went down them over the course of a month. Then bought some chewing gum to resolve the oral habit.
EDIT: The theory (I know nobody asked but I got bored). A person absorbs only around 10% of the nicotine inhaled, and a cigarette typically has 12mg in it- so people tend to absorb, by that rough math, 1.2mg from a cigarette- meaning I tended to uptake around 12mg/day (1 pack every 2 days). I tried to come up with equivalent dose but back then the rate that nic was absorbed from vape fluid wasn’t exactly well known so I hit a wall and just started at 18mg fluid and worked my way down. I made myself go over the course of a 30-day cycle, but it turned out that by week 4 I was kinda over it anyway.