Is it dumb to quit smoking this early into recovery?

[InNeed88]

Some of you may know me, for those of you who don't..im on 9 days clean from 5 years on Norco. .went ct.
Now my question is, I really want to quit smoking. ..but I worry if I quit that now to it maybe taking on to much at once.
What's your thoughts? Am I crazy for thinking of trying this?
If so should I try to taper off cigs, use the patch, or just cold turkey that to.
I see it as if I can go c t off norco this should be a breeze. .but I dunno, I see that as maybe being harder,  especially cause my will for quitting norco was much stronger

[VICourageous]

Hey angie that what the doc told me one step at a time..
InNeed88......by now u had that pizza and movie..I hope u did not get to full..Just think of it..It takes 1 sec to think about a pill and 1 sec to re-direct ourselfs to something other then that...Now if we can do it with the cigs..Yes4Life had a good one..In my nursing field I really was stressed and a bit bored if I traveled so I would smoke more..YEK! Then we go back around people and stink....Like an ashtray YEK...We say to our other half give us a big smokin kiss baby...YEK! .....So we are stinkers all the way around but more clear headed since we dropped our pills..Right?
Gotta loves us anyway...
vickie

[InNeed88]

Aww thanks,  im having a really bad craving for a pill right now and really bad anxiety blah! So for today im still smoking haha
Im super excited tomorrow I see me new therapist,  she's a c.a.d.c so im hoping it helps a lot,  talked toher on the phone and I think she's gona be a great fit :)
Now maybe a movie and some pizza and wings yummm..dude im gonna be 500 pounds herw soon lol not really but im eating like it

[YesLife4Me]

I totally relate to the boredom/habit more than the nicotine part.  If I don't go have a smoke on my break at work or in the morning with my coffee it is almost like I don't know what to do with myself.  That's why its more of a habit for me,  that and my bf smokes, so I go outside to visit with him.. but when taking pills, it was like some people with aclohol...it brang on the cravings.  I've smoked off and on for 20 years.   And I forgot to congratulate you on almost 10 days now too!  Good job!

[Andie015]

Sorry, a little more info, I have been smoking for about 15 years now and for me smoking did go hand in hand with pills. I'm at about 3/4 pack a day...although Chicago cig prices are making it a little easier to put them down!

[Andie015]

I'm still trying to quit almost 5 months in....it's really hard to quit two major vices at once...or close together. What I was told in rehab and months later by my pcp and psychiatrist..you need to focus on one thing at a time and right now focusing on pills was the most important thing. He (psychiatrist) said when you feel more stable with the pill situation then you can try with the cigarettes. I was told it puts too much stress on you mentally and physically to quit both so focus on the more important addiction, although I know cigarettes are pretty important as well. Since you are so new to recovery maybe give it a little while before you try, although if it really feels right and your determined, give it a try. Just don't push it and don't cause any more undo stress. If need be, stick with the smokes for now until you feel more ready for the added stress.

[InNeed88]

O I know what you mean, you would think seeing smoking effect people in a negative way would help us stop but noooo..
What's ironic about mine is , I actually work in the dental field haha so ita not like I don't know better lol

[VICourageous]

OK thats good to hear..Just take one step at a time...I will quit with u...
It is a powerful addiction is it not??? You have been smokeing awhile..
I have to just do it because of it danger..Easy said then done right now..
My mom got mouth cancer and had half her tongue cut so you would think I would think twice and fast about the ciggs...May the lord be with us cig people to get off of this too in time RIGHT???

vickie

[InNeed88]

Ooo and for all of you that suggested the e cigs. Amazing idea thank you.. yet sadly for some odd reason they make me want a real one bad when I try e cigs haha I dunno why. Just not the same to me I guess.  Its weird cause I really think im not as addicted to the nicotine as one would think. My mom comea in to town every ao often and doesn't know I smoke, so can't when she's around,  I only have few cravings. .I think its more of boredom/ habit thing for me...I know im partly addicted to the nicotine thats impossible not to be, but I think its the habit part than the addiction part that will be harder to get over.

[InNeed88]

Thanks everyone for your awesome answers! My problem is the pills and cigs disnt go hand in hand,I sstarted smoking when I was 17 so over 8 yeara now. WOW lol
I feel if I quit ct with the cigs I may just be even more moody and even more hungry lol..I may try to cut back a lot till my quit date.  For now try to go as long as a can till im like I need one NOW lol inste. Of going out to have one out of pure boredom.
I do badly wanna quit, but like a someone said its like parting with a best friend, i dunno if i can part with two friends at once and remain sane enough to not loose my cool. I can be a b*tch of a peraon, my itilian temper gets the best of me.  Don't wanna end up snapping off at people lol

[VICourageous]

Hi I agree with them all...It has a plus and a neg..Now that u brought us out in the regards to the darn ciggs....I started a few here and there when I was Buzzed up on my pills...I would not smoke in the house. I went days without...I am 56 and did this in my 40s...So I went and a dr said take a step at a time BUT yes quit...I also agree 100% with ricart because I know its the ciggs that are hurting my body to feel good...Now cleaninks and I are on the same level when it comes too studing the brain chem so I have been real happy in my recovery, but I know I am a few days away from 6m and I did by a electornic cig...The na smokes them and the aa calles them the crank pipes Ha!!!! Like yes said it is your choice but I know for me I can feel the posion in my body that adds to waking up in a all over body pain...
God Bless I will be with u on this one....Its time to quit...NOW for me...
vickie

[ricart70]

Oh and to add,I quit smoking early in one of my recoveries and it actually helped me to feel better about myself because I was really changing something I had done since I was 12 years old.It felt like "real" change because it was.

[ricart70]

I think that the best time for quitting anything is NOW,as when we put it off until later we will always find some excuse not to do it.  I would try the patch or the gum though.You are addicted to nicotine so they will help greatly.Unlike smoking,nicotine replacement.does not cause cancer,emphysema and respiratory problems.At small doses it also has very minimal effects on the circulatory system. Try it    and congrats on your 9 days!  that is awesome  :)

[dominosarah]

Quitting is always a good thing but i dont want to see you get overwhelmed since you are early in your recovery.  If it was me i would focus on staying clean right now.  Get comfortable in your own skin and then battle the smokes.  I do know alot of people who are doing the E cigs and having good luck.  That might be an option too.

[clean_in_ks]

First off....congrats on your 9 days!!!  I think as an addict, I am prone to  "extremism" thinking. (all or nothing....get r done...and get ALL of it done right now)  I have a lot of difficulty with words like "moderate" and "balanced" lol  So, I totally understand you considering quitting smoking NOW, too, being only 9 days clean.  For ME, quitting smoking right now would increase my chances of sabotaging my recovery from opiates.  Doesn't resonate as "wise" for me right now.  It's definitely a future goal for me, but I have learned that I do better with "bite size pieces"....one habit/addiction at a time.  You may not be like me at all.....some people group certain habitual rituals together and have an easier time stopping all of them at once.  I just don't happen to be one of them.  

Since I began this journey, I have really tried to learn all I can about what is going on in my brain as I heal.  Learning about the function of receptors in my brain, dopamine and norepinephrine (pain) levels, etc.  So I'll share some of my research....and you may or may not be interested.

Personally, about a week or so after I stopped ingesting hydrocodone and soma, I chose to get off antidepressants, too.  In my research about the long term effects of AD's I read a very interesting thing about nicotine.
So, I'll share it with you:

"Nicotine is believed to act as an antidepressant by stimulating the release of dopamine and norepinephrine; additionally, nicotine is believed to exert an antidepressant effect to the desensitisation of nicotine receptors which occurs as a result of tolerance."

So since my neuropathways are already freaking out by eliminating ALL those chemicals, I chose NOT to tackle the nicotine now.  Figure I shouldn't add "just one more" removal of an antidepressant effect on me right now.  

We're all so different......I know of some people that quit drinking alcohol, doing any drugs and quit smoking all at the same time (not that they stayed that way or didn't switch their addiction to food) but.....it happens differently for all of us.
I have learned even with adding a new healthy discipline or habit to my life that I must set "bite size", small, doable goals......or I fail every time.  Example....exercise.....I tell myself......you WILL do this or that....for a MINIMUM of 5 or 6 minutes EVERY day......no matter if my butt falls off!
And 10 yrs later.....I was still doin it.  But I always failed when I said I would do thus and so for 20 or 30 min. or whatever.  I think you get what I'm tryin to say.....it's a cinch by the inch.....and hard by the yard.

[FourJays]

This is a tough one.  I quit 8 years ago - about in the middle of my 15 year opiate love affair.  I had been a pretty heavy smoker (pack a day) for about 20 years.  I remember feeling kind of depressed, like I had lost something or someone; and that feeling hung with me for awhile.  It would be tough I think to quit both at once; you are doing so well going on 10 days clean and wouldn't want you to jeopardize that.  But then again if your desire to smoke is not so high right now, then maybe . . . .  IDK, I agree with Yes, it really is a personal decision.  Good luck to you whatever you decide :)

[YesLife4Me]

Good question.  For me, smoking didn't have the same appeal after getting off the Norcos...and when going through wd thr first week or so, every time I smoked I would start yawning again.  I thought that with that corrallation I might as well quit..but I couldn't give up that vice, mostly out of habit, and quit opiates too.  I wish I would have now since my desire physically to smoke was low while I didn't feel well and the yawning thing.   I certainly enjoyed my smokes more when taking pills.  I think its a personal decision more than anything.