[mindyfalcon]

I need help. I'm quitting smoking tomorrow in the a.m. and I need as much support as possible. This has been my crutch for too long. My daughter is, of course, my motivation, but that doesn't change how hard this will be! If anyone knows of any herbs or homeopathic remedies that you can tell me about, please share your info. I think I'll be fine, I just need to breathe, breathe, breathe.

 

[LiamnEmma]

No info on herbs and such, but LOTS of moral support! It sucks to quit. I quit in '95 with my dh and I don't think we interacted during that first week at all. It was hard. You can do it!

Leah

 

[rainbowmoon]

First off CONGRATS on your decision!!!! You can do this! I quit smoking 3 years ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever done, though it's one of the healthiest changes I've ever made in my life!

anyway I would suggest oats..they are a gentle nervine tonic and will help alot to keep you calm and build the nervous system. just eat a bowl of oatmeal a day and your set.

also you could make a nice tea using passionflower,oatstraw and scullcap. chamomile always is calming as well.

When I was trying to quit smoking I used a tincture designed specifically for quitting smoking (got it from mountainroseherbs.com) though I can't remember the exact name or what herbs were in it other than mullien. it worked really well though.

I also used a patch which helped me alot gradullay get over the addiction, then moved onto the herbs to rebuild my depleted adrenals.

I think the most important thing to focus on is *breaking* the habit, and finding healthier ones to replace lighting up.though I know the addiction side is no fun too.

Good luck to you!!!!!

 

[Aster]

My husband's a quitter too...

Try to find a homeopathic remedy...he used one called tabacc and it really helped cut the cravings right out.

sunflower seeds...Sunflower seeds reduce cravings for nicotine by filling nicotine receptor sites. Nettles and oatstraw strengthen nerves and cushion the impact of withdrawal

drink water, lots and lots of water to flush out the toxins

visualize yourself as a non-smoker with healthy lungs, smelling fresh and feeling vital and full of energy

Quote:

Stop Smoking Heart Healthy Hints by Susun Weed Tobacco is highly addictive and you can beat it. Get an extra edge on quitting by nourishing yourself with a handful of freshly toasted sunflower seeds and a cup of nettle or oatstraw infusion daily for 4-6 weeks before you stop smoking. Sunflower seeds reduce cravings for nicotine by filling nicotine receptor sites. Nettles and oatstraw strengthen nerves and cushion the impact of withdrawal. Nourish yourself the Wise Woman Way when you want tobacco: Take an oatstraw bath. Eat a wild salad (even if its only one dandelion leaf). Bring home a flower. Let someone cook dinner for you. Go to a yoga class or a martial arts class. Buy something for yourself instead of cigarettes. Miss your smoke break? Take a break for pleasure! A weight gain of 15 pounds/7 kilos is normal for quitters. Nicotine withdrawal causes constipation. Read, get, buy The No-Nag, No-Guilt, Do-It-Your-Own-Way Guide to Quitting Smoking by Tom Ferguson, MD, Ballantine, 1987

the link's not working right, so i just cut and pasted susun weed's healing from smoking info...it's available on her site as well. http://www.susunweed.com/

edited bc link didnt work

 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

My husband used the patch and gummy bears. I can remember going to the store at 6:30 am (pre-kids so that was really early for a waitress!). He needed them to get past the firs week or so.

With my husband the hardest part was that the cravings didn't go away gradually but in spurts with set backs. I think you should be aware of that. Don't let your gard down during an easy week but also don't let a set back discourage you because it will most likely be followed by a nice easy spurt.

Good luck. Oh, also my husband had is last cig in a cool place. In our case it was with a friend in Turkey on or last night there. (I was also 5 months pregnant). I think he was more dedicated to quitting on that try because he had a memorable last smoke.

(that said...my husband did have a small cheat once but we don't count that. if you have a cheat, don't give up)

What I keep and keep saying to my sil is that she is wasting soooooooo much energy quitting all the time and then starting again. I think the stress of quitting 4X/year is worse than smoking.

Just quit this once and be done. Seriously, good luck

 

[happy_mama35]

Please let us know!

Regarding your question on herbals and things to help, there are some things other than those mentioned that can help. If you have time to go to your local health food store, ask the manager for info on helpful products. There was one supplement (can't recall the name, of course--sorry) that helps decrease the craving for nicotine and helps build up the immune system. It's somewhat expensive (not too too bad). Bought this for my DH and he used it while quitting. One thing to help your body recover quickly while quitting would be to detox (teas are helpful). CoEnzyme Q10 helps restore healthy cellular growth -- important once you've quit.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Marlena]

Congrats on deciding to quit!! You can do it!!!!

As a quitter myself (eight years ago), I strongly recommend the following:

First, rather than just stopping, stop smoking at ALL the times you regularly smoke (eg, when you first wake up, after eating a meal, when you're drinking coffee, etc.). Cut out those times and instead smoke only at random times. Once you're down to 10 or fewer cigs per day, THEN stop.

Second, either cut WAY back on your caffeine consumption, or stop it altogether. Caffeine and nicotine have a synergistic effect. If you cut the caffeine (maybe to one cup of coffee per day, at most), then you'll make quitting smoking much easier.

Let us know how you're doing! And do hang in there - the cravings, as another person here said, wax and wane, and can often come out of nowhere. It took a year for the strong cravings to totally cease (they were intermittent), and I had smoking dreams for years thereafter. But life is much better without smoking, once you're over the hardest parts of quitting!