Hi Jean W...I can identify with you and all your fears about quitting smoking. I went through the same things like ...will I gain weight, will I be able to handle the cravings etc. I had quit smoking twice before (For two years each time) and dumb me, over a period of stress (divorce ) I started up again. Both those times, weight gain wasn't so much a problem but then I was much younger then( first time30 and second time 40). I did it the first time, cold turkey and the second time with the help of hypnosis...Anyway, this time I was really concerned about the awful feeling you were describing with withdrawal. Trust me they can be extreme. I happen to have a severe anxiety disorder and I knew that quitting would trigger an episode. I tried cold turkey in August but after three days I was so out of it , my husband said to find another method to quit. Even though I don't like to admit it to people, I have been in the Pschychiatric ward many times before ( bipolar disorder) and I've been away from it for more than two years now so I sure as heck didn't want to land up there again!!!
In fact my psychiatrist said that smoking for me was the lesser of the two evils!!! Imagine that!
Finally I say enough was enough. My doctor prescribed anti-anxiety medication over my usual and I took a pill whenever the anxiety got too bad. I also went on the patch and followed the program sort of. I didn't go down as drastically as before because sure as heck the severe withdrawals would come back!!! So instead i cut the patch little by little (sealing exposed area with scotch tape) and took my sweet time about it. I didn't care if it took me six months to do it, but I was not going to go through any of those severe anxiety withdrawal attacks. Well lo and behold...I have been smoke free since Sept 1.2003 and I haven't landed in the hospital either!!! So I've overcome that fear at least. Now for the weight gain...
I'm afraid I'm not so successful in that departement...I've gained 13 lbs. so far and I feel so bloated I'm sure I would float!!! My girls (I have four) keep telling me not to worry about the weight gain for now, but I can't help but think if I don't watch it now, what's going to happen???
I tried over the last month to go low carb but I just don't have enough willpower left over for that.
Right now I'm really in the dumps ( typical on and off) and I wasn't even going to write anyway...In fact I felt like unsuscribing to the whole forum.
So in a way, thanks for your letter and others on the thread .t got me going to try and help someonee else instead of feeling sorry for myself! Hope you can do it soon ( but only when you're ready)
Lots of luck!