Melatonin & Cigarettes

[Zoe of Tamriel]

Been smoking for years and have been taking three or four melatonins a night just so I can pass out (and even more as my tolerance builds).

The taste of a cigarette disgusts me. The hard hit I loved so long ago now makes me sick and causes me great discomfort. The smell it leaves on my body is making my anxiety worse. The tobacco I inhale the fumes of makes my youthful vibrance in the face deteriorate. The energy I once had is gone -- all because I can't seem to shake this plant. I've tried so many times before in the past to quit and the longest I went was two weeks. Because of that two weeks, I told myself that I can do it again and again and again, as long as it takes. Every time I try to quit, it's pushed out of my mind for a while until I smell it coming from someone else, at which point I'm belittled to a wildebeast and become an animal -- I "need" a drag. Just one. Please, I beg of you. I wake up in the middle of the night only to smoke. I "need" it.

No. What I need to do is stop smoking. I never started because I thought it was cool; I started because everyone around me seemed to have some sort of escape from life and I was hanging onto my last thread with my former depression and a cigarette was only a simple theft away when my Mom was in the bathroom. The only surefire way to stop completely is to put them down, in my experience. That's easier said than done. When I'm in the process of quitting, something creeps into my mind that says, "oh, come on. You can have one. It's only one, you'll be fine." But what my brain doesn't seem to realize at that point is that it's just a cigarette, but it'll soon be only ten, which will soon be only a pack, which will soon be a carton, then I'm right back to square one again. Right now I'm back down to two cigarettes left, and I have school starting soon. I need to stop, completely, for good. I need support, because it's obvious that I can't do it on my own and my family is of no help to me with this ("you made your bed, lie in it" sort of stuff).

Now onto another issue I have -- melatonin. I've always had trouble sleeping; often I find myself lying in bed for hours on end before I finally manage to pass out and when I do, I have to wake up two hours later for work. This has led me to start taking melatonin before bed. I only began with two a night, which led to three, four, five, six, seven, ten, twenty...now I'm dependent on it. I can't sleep at all without my melatonin. If I wake up in the middle of the night, it's not a problem, I'll just take a couple more pills.

I need all the help I can get and I'm asking the people here to help me. Please, I really need to help myself.

[Guest AllisonRae]

Hi Sarah, Well I know we have it in us to quit. I never thought I could. I was a moderate to light smoker for 24 years. I have been tobacco and nicotine free now for over 8 months. I had support from many including friends on this site. I was fearing that I would go to my grave a smoker. This was something I did not want. I had tried quitting for years, had tried the gum but nothing ever worked until I found something that was more important to me than my nicotine addiction. That was finding out who I really was. I quit cold turkey and have never looked back. Was it easy, no. I also started dieting and walking/running at the same time. Today I find myself 50 plus pounds lighter, a non smoker and off of blood pressure meds. I feel better in so many ways now. I also understand the acronym NOPE, not one puff ever. I am still a nicotine addict. I can never touch tobacco again. Plus now I have dangers to my health since I am on HRT. Pardon my rambling but what I am trying to say is that a day will come where you realize that there is something more important than your nicotine addiction. And you will quit. Also being nicotine free will help you sleep better. Hope this helps

Hugs

Allison

[Charlize]

If i can quit anybody can. i was a two pack a day guy. I worked heavy construction and then residential construction with a butt always hanging from my mouth. Last act at night and first one in the morning was a cig. I'm still an addict. I know that "i need a drag" feeling. Problem is one will lead to a carton or more likely a truckload. I now suffer from severe coronary artery disease, have had open heart surgery as well as many other procedures where they go in side of my chest to "fix" things. I have smoking to thank for that.

I only mention my problems to show that it is possible to quit. I like that acronym....NOPE. I tried gum, patches, hypnosis and had a staple in my ear.

What finally worked was what i learned in AA as i battled addiction to alcohol. I could do it if i didn't have one. Not one sip. There was pain at first but it got better. It has been years since my last drink and years since that last cig. The craving is no longer painful or constant. I'm just careful because i know it is so easy to slip and think i can have one now.

You can do it. Posting here can help. It is always easier with the support of others who know what you are suffering with.

Lots of hugs and a still pretty strong shoulder,

Charlize

[Guest Raya]

Sarah, you can do it, you can get over the smoking and sleeping issues.

I do not have experience with the sleep issue, but the smoking- I was at 3 packs of cigs a day, stopped for a while, then "tried" cigars. Right back to smoking all.day.long. So done with it now, 4 months plus.

So, we know it's tough, and we know you can do it. You will find a way to rest too.

[VickySGV]

I have no advice to give, only encouragement that it can be done. I did not smoke, but did abuse prescription drugs as well as drink. I have 6 years and 10 months free from the booze and pills. The others have not said this yet, but if you can seek out an Addiction Medicine care team near you, and they may be able to help with the down side of quitting so that you are not driven over the edge by anxiety. We will do what we can here for you.

[Zoe of Tamriel]

Thank you all for the replies. I've decided to start quitting today after this last cigarette I have. Here's to good luck.

Also, since school started, I've found it's easier to clear my head. Sleeping still takes a while for me but it's better than laying there for five or six hours.

[Charlize]

You can do it!

Hugs,

Charlize

[Cyndee]

I did it 19 years ago, and so can you

"quit the grits"

C -

[Guest Mickey]

I like my nicotine. On December 7, 2013 I went to a meet that a local group of vapers were having. They also had a raffle and lots of people won some cool vape gear and/ or juice. I won some juice and bought a used ProTank2 and a battery for it. I was vaping for my nicotine from then on. I've been cig free for well over a year now and my health is much better as a result.

A funny story about this. When I went to see my primary care Dr, I asked him if I could vape in his office. He said to me, "Please do. I want you to try and convert some of my other patients that still smoke. Vaping is a much healthier alternative." So now I vape for my nicotine right in his office each month when I go for my visit. I've talked to a few people about it and hopefully I've helped get at least one person off the stinky cigs.

[Zoe of Tamriel]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It's still increasingly difficult as time goes on, and I may end up just getting a vape pen so I'm not wired most of the time. Since quitting I've been horribly uptight, lol.

[Guest Raya]

Yeah, the withdrawal...

I used the nicotine gum, it seemed to help a lot. Not just having the nicotine, but having something to "do when I wanted a smoke.

[Cyndee]

Me too Raya the gum worked, and I never even finished the first box of it, because I was so sick and tired of it, being addicted like that. I was mentally DONE and wanted the shackles off.

[Guest clearleeraines]

I cheated, I was locked up for 8 months I did a min prison term. You can't get on HRT if you smoke. I just never went back to anything drinking drugs and cigg's. My health has improved so much, I cleared a hep c infection without any treatment, I had hep for over six years my dr said he's never seen anyone clear after having it that long.

There is NO consequence from quitting smoking NONE! there can however be some pretty bad one's for smoking. I cheated, I don't think i could have done it otherwise. Needing HRT really motivated to stay stopped. I have heard That HRT can really stop the URGE too ? anyone?

GOOD LUCK! Clear

[Guest So-kool]

I switched to Vape as well. It is Sooo much better than cigs! you can do it in the Car. In Bed. In the Bath. and it doesn't stink.

Plus there is a huge variety of flavors and Nicotine levels. I might do a high Nicotine level juice in the morning to get going.

And then mid day I might vape zero nicotine juice. If I start to get nicotine withdrawals, I add a little more nicotine.

It goes well with a drink like a cigarette too.

I don't miss cigs one bit ! funny thing is I don't even feel like I need to try and quit vaping. I really don't feel the need to vape High nicotine much and I feel so much better.

im sure doing nothing is best for your health, but Vaping is a heck of a lot better. It doesn't have to be just the small pens. There is a whole Vape World out there!

Cigarette makers should be VERY Afraid ! Its not like the Vape is " kind of ok" .This is the first thing I have ever found that kicks the cigs donkey.

Do yourself a favor and look into Vaping. My vape costs about $100 and that is about what a good one costs. You can find others cheaper but I already went that route and found the more expensive one to be awesome. I haven't Found that the price of the vape juice made any difference in the quality but some do.

Plus it can be a fashion statement! Mine is Pink and I just Love it.

[Charlize]

I was fortunate to be able to drop all use of nicotine. I wouldn't want to go back and have found i no longer have that need that once drove and owned me. It was beautiful when we were unable to get around to know that food and water was all i needed to feel well. Addiction is always with me but fortunately i have today sober and smoke free. I'm glad i quit before vaping came along or i might have fallen into that one as well.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest Nicodeme]

Seconding (fifthing?) switching to ecigs if you're really dependant on the nicotine, which it sounds like you are. I quit smoking almost exactly a year ago because I was losing lung capacity; I didn't really want to give up the nicotine, and I enjoyed the ritual, so I picked up an ecig instead. (Don't bother with the ones from gas stations. They're nasty and only last about half a pack's worth--making them TWICE as expensive as actual cigarettes)

You can get a decent (though not exactly *great*) set for $20-30. Ego batteries cost $7-20 depending on where you look, and an okay atomizer is about the same. (The REALLY good atomizers are about $30) If you want something that behaves like a normal cigarette there are also 510-style batteries and atomizers. Before you switch, though, find out if you're allergic to propylene glycol. It's in the vast majority of juices.

[Zoe of Tamriel]

I'm looking into the e-cigs now. Tried them with my uncle a few weeks ago and I didn't have any reactions to a few different juices, and I tried a few different ones with other family members.

Thank you all for the information!

[Ravin]

Keep in mind that the two problems may well go hand in hand. Nicotine is a stimulant. Try not ingesting anything with nicotine or caffeine after a designated hour, then work that back gradually to earlier in the day to see if it helps with the sleep.

Unless you're ADHD, it should help.