Day 28 - feeling down!

[kevhalluk]

Hi

I am currently on day 28 of my cold turkey quit and I am still feeling really irritable and down, is this normal? Last week I was extremely short tempered and I really struggled to do my job because of it, but today I just feel really low, no energy or concentration, has anyone else still had this after a month??

I am usually an upbeat happy soul, so I really do hope its because of the quit and not something else.

I have tried to quit a few times but never really got this far before without a lapse.

I have no desire to smoke whatssoever, I am not even having any cravings at all, but I just want to feel like "myself" again.

Can anyone reassure me that they felt the same, even after a month??

Thanks

[StuartH]

I think a lot of people feel low and down at this stage - you have just finished week 3 and for a lot of people it is the 3's (day 3, week3, month3) that cause the biggest problems.

Try not to worry too much and look on everything your body and mind go through at the moment as nothing more than part of the process you have to go through to heal from all the toxins in your body.

There are many phases to a quit, you seem to be in what I call the adjustment phase...
You are past the really physically tough part with the strong cravings and into the part where you are adjusting to a new life without something that used to be a huge part of you and your life. The phsycological part where your state of mind is having to adjust.
It's little wonder that you're feeling a little odd

Hang in there, and I'm sure it will sort itself out soon.

All the best.

[kevhalluk]

Thanks for your reply.

At what stage did you feel like you were no longer grumpy from the quit?

[StuartH]

Originally Posted by kevhalluk

Thanks for your reply.

At what stage did you feel like you were no longer grumpy from the quit?

I went through a very different series of events to you as I used Champix and of course everyone reacts differently anyway.
You really can't compare 2 peoples quit as each one is very different - even if they use the same method.

However, to answer your question.... I did feel odd at times for quite a long time, although the worst was over within 6 weeks or so. It was well into month 4 before I said goodbye to the strange moods and feelings for good.

I promise you that it's worth it though

[kevhalluk]

4 months - woo not the answer I was looking for lol

But like you say I am sure it will all be worth it in the end

[StuartH]

I think theres been a slight misunderstanding.

It improved a lot after about 6 weeks, but I still had some rough times until much later.

But like I said, no 2 quits are the same - and I wasn't cold turkey... chances are you will "heal" faster because you are not using any aid to assist you.

Hang in there, I'm sure you'll be fine.

[margareth]

Hi Kevhalluk

Well done on day 28 CT that's great

The way you feel just now is normal but it will pass I agree with Stuart on this

You body will heal from the abuse you gave it while smoking it just takes time and patience but heal it will Promise

Below is my standard welcome and advice post which I try and give all new members

Welcome to the forum and well done on the decision to quit possibly one of the most important you will ever make and you will be losing nothing but you will regain control of your life and that has to be good

You will find all the help and support you need on here as we all help each other just like a family we are here for you every step of the way cheering the good days and sympathiseing with the bad but the good far outweigh the bad

Read the posts on here you will find a lot of tips and advice and in the signatures of a lot you will find links to other sites just click on them Here are 2 I find very good to start you off www.whyquit.com and www.woofmang.com Read, read and then read some more as the more you read and learn about why you smoked and about your addiction the easier your quit will be

This link is good for the psychological part of quitting
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Symptoms.html

Post often to let us know how you're doing, to rant, rave have a moan whatever you like pretty much anything goes on here OK

Love

Marg

[amsie]

Hi Kev,

I felt a bit crappy around week 4, but im at week 6 now and feel fantastic!!!

Im not sure how much of this bad feeling is in our head, and we attribute any sign of illness or not feeling ourselves to quitting smoking, but after reading a few web pages myself on why I felt crap at week 4, someone somewhere suggested that it might be in our head, and to try positive thinking.

Anyway, im not sure if it was that, or getting past the week 4 slump, but I feel great now like I said.

Regards

Paul

[kevhalluk]

I think there could be something in what you say Paul, I have quit at the same time as a friend and has had no effects at all and laughs and says that it is all in my head, but of ofcourse everybodys bodies are different.

I have woke up again today in such a negative/tired/no energy/grumpy frame of mine, but I am going to go and take a long shower and when I step out I am going to try and stay uber positive and try and snap out of it.

Thanks guys

[Jase180709]

Kev,
See this as just part of the healing process. You've flooded your brain with a drug and have completely cut its supply. Due to the fact that you had spent so long smoking your natural emotions had a sublayer of what nicotine was fabricating to make you 'feel' like things were better.

The problem was that nicotine created an illusion of wellbeing, confidence, activity, routine among many other things.. and you believed it for a long time. Now that you've cut the supply, you are in a state of repair.. the body is a wonderful thing.. as is the brain.. but while you are repairing and getting used to life without feeding the addiction.. your emotions will be up and down for a bit.

Feed on this as being a positive sign that you are repairing.. this is NOT forever.. you will be chipper and whistling in the weeks to come and you'll look back on this time now as being a phase of your quit and be glad you are through it.

Things will definitely be better, be patient and those times will come. Drink fresh orange and as long as you are not nut intolerant, try some nuts with some decent protein in them. It helped me tons.. juice n nuts.. sounds simple? well its meant to be.. dunno why it helped me... but i was glad someone gave me that advice.

Good luck, stick at it.. and read more on the topic of quitting to re-inforce your positivity. You are doing something wonderful here, don't ever forget that.

J