Janna, Sorry to hear you had another tough morning but trust us, your bad mood will pick up again. You're still very early in your quit and likely still feeling the effects of no nicotine in your body. Remember: nicotine told your brain to release neurotransmitters which are responsible for good mood. Now that you've quit, your mood has taken a nosedive and along with that so will your perceptions and outlook. In the days to come, it will be important to be kind to yourself. You also mentionned in your post that writting it out helps so it may also be helpful to you to keep a journal. Better days are ahead, hang in there and keep posting! Danielle, Bilingual Support Specialist

Hi Janna, When I quit I came on this site and listened VERY CAREFULLY to those who had gone before me. My advice now would be this.. 1) Keep coming here, reading and posting 2) You may well feel angry or depressed - if it gets too much, talk to your medical advisor 3) Listen to the likes of me, believe me it DOES get better and there is a lot of light at the end of the tunnel! take care.. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]2/13/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 494 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 14,820 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �3,705.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 79 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 11 [B]Seconds:[/B] 56

Hi Janna, You and Mamakitty are only 1 day apart from each other...and great support for each other. There is never an unstressful time to quit smoking. But, as you said, you are committed now. You would have to go through these first 10 days again. We all have thoughts of leaving our spouses at one time or another!!! Whether we smoke or not. I read in an older post, DO NOT make any major decisions in the first year after quitting smoking. Take life one day at a time, dear. You are a good mother and wife and quitting smoking will make you an even more confident person; more peaceful; more patient. It just takes time to get our equilibrium back. SOOOOO, take it easy right now. Let the dust gather on the furniture if need be, do not stress over housework right now. Buy frozen pizza once in a while so you don't have to cook every night. I was householding with 4 children, so I know how busy, and stressful it is. Watch a video with your kid, let some things GO right now. It is possible. Teach yourself how to relax. I hope that you feel better. PEACEFUL AND FREE. My thoughts are with you. new me [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/26/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 27 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 648 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $135.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Hi Janna, Lainey's right, we all have felt that way. I'm kind of in the middle of similar feelings lately too! Some days everything seems wrong and I'm so uncomfortable that I think if I vent and explode long enough, everybody around me will get sick of it and say -PLEASE smoke! We can't stand it anymore! But? Dream of better things... It's just growing pains. I've given in on previous quits, but not this time. I remember the feeling of how betrayed I felt after I did give in. Life was exactly the same as it was before, but I was trapped back inside my smoke screen routine, risking my health and relationships for an addiction I couldn't seem to break. I normally hate exercise, but I choose to make myself take a long walk with the dog when I feel panicky and overwhelmed. It gets my lungs pumping and throws me totally off my usual routine from the past. Plus, Taffy keeps me entertained and on my toes as we pass rabbits and squirrels:) I'm terrified of gaining more weight too, so the walks are comforting that way as well. When we quit smoking, our bodies do change, and one of those is a slower metabolism for about the first 4 weeks, I think... (check all the info out in the exercisies in your glove compartment. It helps) Anyway, so there is an end in sight and we can not only look forward to returning to normal, but way better than normal! (I'm taking Chantix, but only a half dose a day. It takes the edge off for me right now) Is your throat sore, or do you feel other weird changes? I've had pain in my lungs and chest here and there, and my body is just healing. Yours is too! Hang in there and be extra good to yourself. You're worth it! I'm here for you too, mk [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/11/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 11 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 165 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $38.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 18 [B]Seconds:[/B] 41

HI Janna, we have all felt the same way! Keep your chin up. Worry about your quit first, the weight later. I gained a total of 16lbs, over three months and have now lost 4 of those. So its not so bad. Plus its easier to lose the weight than try to quit again! The emotional ups and downs are all normal too. Nicotine affected our brain chemistry and so now it takes awhile for things to heal! You are healing and it needs some time! Hang in there, deep breathing, girl! You are doing it, it will get better! :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 109 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,725 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,149.95 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 58

Nonic, Thanks. I had another really bad, bad morning. I have gained a couple of pounds since I quit, which really really scares me and this morning I have been beating myself up over it. I have never been thin or one of those crazy nuts who thinks I will ever be a size 3. I am a 12 and normally am pretty happy with it. I usually feel pretty good about myself. I thought I was a great mom, great wife, great at my job.... but this morning I was doubting everything. I was beating myself into the ground that I was fat, fat, fat, and that I was only going to get fatter (I am sure this is the junky saying.."smoke and you won't eat") and that I am moody now so I am not a very good wife and I don't have hardly any energy right now so I am not a very good mother...etc.... This really sucks... I have cried more in the last two weeks than I have in my life. I lost my grandmother (who I loved more than I could ever explain)in November of 2005, my mother-in-law of 18 years in November of 2006 and my father-in-law in April of this year. My father-in-law lived with us the last 5 or 6 months and died in our home. So, I have alot of other emotional crap going on as well. I may not have picked a really great time to quit, but have made the commitment now and I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I am also having a real crazy tight feeling in my chest that I have never really had before. I am sure this is anxiety/stress. I found a couple of posts where other people have had this as well. Just kind of scary. I know I smoked for 20 years, but I did do regular physicals and everything is always perfect. I am never sick and the side effects I am having are freaking me out. I have NOBODY to talk to. My husband smokes and he is really being good now about not doing it in front of me and being as kind as he can, but I can't help feeling resentful. I am angry with him for being able to keep smoking. We normally have a really great relationship. Our friends/family make fun of us that we like each other so much. Now I am having thoughts of leaving him. Isn't that nuts???? I know I never will, but I keep thinking it. CRAZY! Okay - I have yammered on forever... sorry. Sometimes it feels really good to just say everything that I am thinking. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 250 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $50.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5

Janna I am so sorry that you are having trouble today. My heart goes out to you; this can be one terrible tussel. I can only speak to you in terms of my own difficulty with the addiction, however, your words resonate with me. I think I understand. If you can, try not to be frightened of the wonderful decision you have made. You have decided to make your life better. You are making a very big change and the very nature of altering that which we have considered "normal" can be a fearful thing. In the past you and I have used smoking to deal with the inevitable difficulties of being a grown up in an unpredictable and unsettling world. The behavior is so ingrained in our little minds, that we no longer recognize the self medicating cycle we have created by inhaling cigarettes. However, now in this moment you are becoming aware of that process and you want to run as fast as you can back to the "safety zone" of smoking. We want to reconnect to the smokey thin blue umbilical cord that has comforted us in the past This is the grand illusion that nicotine creates. The very thing (smoking) that our minds believe will make it all better, is in fact the seed of our destruction. It is a cruel irony, but one that we can overcome. The truth is that you do not need nicotine to deal with whatever life throws your way. What you need is you. The way I see it is this...The you that you need to rid of nicotine, is the you that has been ignored, denied and buried beneath the weight of addiction. You are on a great archeological dig, unearthing a beautiful and sometimes bewidlered soul that has been denied for a long, long time. Its not accostomed to the sunlight. Give it a chance to grow in an environment free of addiction and I think at the end of the day your "gonna like what you see"...So cry all you want, every living things needs water to grow. nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 179 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,370 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,253.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 32 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 15 [B]Seconds:[/B] 2

Buttout, I notice you are almost at the three week mark which is known around here as blah week. A week marked by recurrence of stronger craves and feeling low. Solution? Instead of thinking about whether or not you should smoke, say NOPE and pick up a reward to help pick up your mood. Remember, this is temporary and it will pass so keep kicking that nicodemon right back to the curb where he belongs! You can do it! Danielle - Bilingual Support Specialist

Lainey is right, buttout. The junkie isn't that smart, just really really irritating. The first few weeks can be a rollercoaster with the moods & the fog coming & going. You will feel a lot better soon & you'll be so proud for getting through this difficult time. Check in whenever you need to. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 38 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 760 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $418.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 23

Hi Buttout! Sorry to hear your having some trouble. If your feeling kind of bluesy, vitamin B complex helps with that. The first weeks pretty much everyone had some blues and some fogginess, and sleepiness. It does get so very much better, so please hang on and keep going, you will be so glad you did! Deep breaths help alot, there are some exercises in the program. Suck on a straw or coffee stir stick, that also helps, lots of hard candy or lots of cold water. Changing up your routine also works wonders when it comes to cravings. Just change your routine around a bit and it really does fool the junky! Hang in there, post lots we will help! :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 107 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,675 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,128.85 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9