I started this year with good intentions, I was going for the whole new year, new me thing, making changes and all that malarkey.
Full of bravado I was like a freshly inflated balloon, that had a pin stuck in it’s arse and promptly deflated.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I was sick on New Years Eve. Not a great start I thought at the time, but I still had hope that things were going to get better. Nope, I’ve pretty much been sick on and off since then. Thankfully not actually physically sick, that’s only happened a couple more times, but there has been pretty much constant headaches and nausea.
On the plus side though, as I had been sick over New Years and not been smoking I thought what the hell, lets keep it up. So on top of everything else I decided to give up cigarettes and now I feel like I have been run over by a bus.
So here I am feeling like something a farmer slides of the end of a shovel and not knowing whether it’s one of the many viruses that are doing the rounds and has visited me twice already or whether it’s the effects of nicotine withdrawal. There has been furious googling of the symptoms associated with quitting and honestly, the flu like symptoms I can handle, but I’m getting mightily fed up with the headaches.
I’m staying hydrated too, apparently it’s a requirement when trying to help your chest get rid of all the gunge, but it’s an absolute bugger when you keep having to cough or sneeze. One needs to remember to clench, if you catch my drift. Ah men, old lady problems, be grateful you probably don’t understand.
All that being said, I don’t really miss smoking and apart from maybe twice, I’ve had no really bad cravings, more than likely because I already feel ill.
I hope this isn’t the way my year is going to pan out, I’m trying to do something good here, give me a break, I just want to get back to some kind of normality.
At least now though, at 10 days smoke free, I am able to take a deep breath and start again. I just hope the withdrawal symptoms feck away off soon and allow me to do so :)
Congrats on the smoking and comiss on the ill stuff. At least if you get all the sickness out at the start of the year you’ll be good to go for the rest of the year when everyone else gets ill :)
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Oh, that’s a great way to look at it, I never even thought of that, thanks :) lol
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I hope you are feeling better. I quit smoking ages ago – it was difficult but 100% worth it! Congratulations on 10 days! Keep it up!
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Thanks, I have to say I’m not missing them at all, well so far so good anyway, but the sickness and headaches is a right pain in the arse!! It’ll be worth it in the end though :)
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Great stuff Juls, hang in there, it will get better,…eventually…
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…lets hope so :)
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Best of luck with the smoking. My dad tried to give them up on multiple occasions but failed everytime. Are you using anything to help quit? Gum,etc.?
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Nope, going cold turkey. I think it’s been made easier by the fact that I feel sick anyway so don’t really want one. Here’s hoping that I can keep this mindset cos I don’t want to be sick all the time lol
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I’m with Steve on this one, starting the year as you have (sick, ill, smoking withdraw) it can only get better. When I quit a few years ago, it was rough for about 3 weeks, then steadily improved over the following 6 months. Two years on and I’m still doing good with only 2 slips due to drinking too much with friends at a bar, so I stopped drinking socially as well. The joy of sipping an expensive bourbon at home or with close friends is so much more enjoyable. Hang in there, it’ll get better :-)
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I’m not missing them at all, but I’ve got cold and flu like symptoms. Thankfully my throat hasn’t been as sore so perhaps everything is levelling out. The fact you told me you felt rough for three weeks is giving me hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel so thanks lol :)
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The no smoking thing does get easier, promise. I’m coming up on 5 months smoke free now and only have the cravings once in a great while. But definitely stay hydrated and definitely clench. ;)
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That’s great, five months is some achievement, well done you! I hope I can stick at it, I’d got to the stage I wasn’t even enjoying smoking anymore.
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That’s a good sign actually, not enjoying it should make it at least a little easier to give it up. You can totally do this! <3
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Sniffle, sniffle, blow.
Ugh.
As for the headaches? Probably the withdrawal – so try to just stick with it – it will pass. And yeah, ummm…. “clench” and “tighten” before coughing or sneezing …. totally sucks when it’s an unexpected hasty moment – and it makes me wonder though – who the hell designed female anatomy in this dumb ass way??? Serious cosmic glitch! And then I think, seriously, aren’t I too damn young???? LOL – anyhow …..
Take it easy and just do what you need to – getting through the beginning stages are the worst bit, and as Steve says, if you get the shite out of the way now, then it should be smoother sailing later.
Hugs, good thoughts and handing over boxes of Kleenex ….
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Keep the Kleenex coming I need them lol Thankfully a few less coughs today, but I’m thinking I might have to invest in a packet of Tena just in case ffs!! lol
I’m thinking like you, we’re fart to young for this shit lol
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I’m guessing typo “fart” to young …. well, be it as it might be …. the typo that is …. it still really works …. “fart” to young indeed! Crap and holy sneezles!
sending you over the multi-packs of extra soft tissues …. far she blows …. just slip into bed and honk away ;)
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LOL That should of course have been FAR too young, not fart, that would have been rude and I would never be rude right ?! lol
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LOL …. rude? rude? you??? nope – generally speaking, not a huge part of your nature …. but when the snark flies, from time to time, it’s always good for a laugh, because you have such a way about your words and perceptions of life :)
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Personally I would like to totally skip 2017 and begin 2018, but I cannot find a calender.
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Uh oh, sounds like you’re having as rare a time as I am. Lets hope it improves then for both of us! *hugs*
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Hey good job, Jules! When I was a smoker I always got my best starts on quitting when I was sick. It sucks in so many ways but the urge to smoke and the jonesing aren’t nearly as strong. That being said, you’re ten days in and so you must stay the course. After two weeks it starts to get easier and after two months you can say you’ve successfully quit. The odd cravings come and go after that, sometimes for a few years, but once you’ve quit it becomes a lot easier to keep that promise to yourself that you’ll never light up again — NOT EVEN ONCE. Slippery slopes and all that talk. I quit way back, on 10 June of 2010 and I haven’t had a single cigarette since, which puts me at a streak of six years and seven months — to the day, look at that. I know you can do it too.
“Quitting smoking is easy. All you have to do is not smoke.” –Andre Reeves, a.k.a. “Tiny”
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I really hope I can stick it out, apart from mabye twice I’ve had no cravings at all, mainly because I feel like crap, that’s the bit I want to get through lol
Why did you not force me to quit way back in 2010….oh maybe cos you didn’t know me then, ok I’ll let you off! lol
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Lol I didn’t even coerce Mme. Ross into quitting the following month, she just didn’t like going out in the snow by herself to smoke!
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lol That’s as good a reason as any.
Did either of you have flu like symptoms or headaches?
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Headaches, yes.
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Crap…how long did they last? lol
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Everyone is different. You should be more or less fine after a month or so, after that the biggest problems are the cravings, the urge to constantly eat, and that feeling like your hands no longer have a purpose in life.
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Mine do, I slap myself a lot for being silly, my hands will never be redundant lol
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There you go, you already have the advantage!
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I didn’t know you smoked. Well, sure, that’s going to add to your grief at first because you’re tossing off your security blanket or life preserver. It’s like being out at sea and waiting for the waves to stop so you can swim swiftly to shore. It will be rough for a while, but eventually, the winds tame and you will recover. Just think you’re in the middle of a bad storm, and, like most storms I know, it will pass. In the mean time, figure out what you can do like you would in a blackout.
Maybe this is a heavenly way of getting you to kick the habit and finally move on in life in a better direction, clear away the old dust and woe. Here’s to good thoughts.
Yes, do keep hydrating, but mix it up, one glass of water, one of juice, and the occasional ginger ale/white soda. And, maybe try the ol’ system reboot diet, aka the BRAT diet, as I often recommend. It’s supposed to help stabilize and restart the internal systems without risk of upset.
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As I said in other comments below so far I have not missed the smokes that much at all. It’s the withdrawal symptoms that are causing me all the problems and not knowing whether it’s related or just one of the many bugs going around. So I’m hoping I’ll be able to stay on my path :)
Sadly being careful of who I share a space with is not an option when you travel by public transport and what seems like the whole of Northern Ireland has had some does of this bug. It’s closed a couple of hospitals. There’s a spell of cold weather coming soon apparently, perhaps that will kills of some of the pesky little bugs.
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Sounds like a plague going around. Eesh. I am not sure cold weather will improve general health. It certainly hasn’t stopped any sore throats, rashes or coughs over here.
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As to the sickness itself, I had a bad year some years back where I had to call in a few days in a row because I could barely stand. My head felt so lousy, I was afraid I might fall and hit my face on the floor. And, if I tried to think too hard, the screw would tighten in my skull. On top of that, I was fighting a sore throat, a recurring bloody nose and horrible sinus drainage. I was a mess. And, I keep doing what I can to avoid that ever happening, again. Be careful when going outside and who you share space with. Wash hands and face when possible.
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I’ve had the crud since Xmas day – still got it but a little less clenching needed. Oh yeah, I know EXACTLY what you meant. Haven’t managed to quit the fags, tho. I was trying to when Spot died – the doc told me let it go for now, too much stress to do both.
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I kinda thought the same what with everything over the last couple of months. I found towards the end when Mum was still at home and getting worse I was smoking more. Being sick was a good opportunity, I’d not smoked for a couple of days and figured I had nothing to lose, but I honestly thinkg this time I was ready because I wasn’t enjoying smoking any more. You’ll know when you’re ready.
This virus thing is really rife up with us, it’s probably the same with you guys too, I dunno if it’s it I have, effects of not smoking or just really bad migraines, but I tell you what I wish it would all feck away off lol
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Yeah, I rarely get THAT ill, unfortunately.
Don’t forget you’ve been under immense stress, too – that does a number on a human body.
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I’m beginning to realise that, wasn’t sick for 4 years the whole time I was looking after Mum and now I feel like I am falling apart lol
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You were holding it together for her. Now that pressure lid is released and you have no idea what to do or feel now. I know, I do.
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It’s been a while since I caught up with what’s happening around the blogosphere and it seems I’ve missed some pretty major happenings. Will backtrack and read previous posts to bring myself up to speed with your posts. By now you’ll be even more nicotine free and how those lungs will be loving you to the moon and back. Keep it up if it’s the withdrawals they will subside soon and if not it’s a virus or migraines, as you diagnosed. Thinking of you and wishing a good outcome for the change of pace for 2017, return to wondrous health and vitality and free from al withdrawal symptoms. Take care :) Linda
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Thank you!
Yes, it’s been an eventful couple of months, I am hoping for some peace, quiet and stability myself lol
I hope you are well and had a lovely holiday season. Nice to hear from you :)
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