Whoever coined the phrase "Get that monkey off your back" sure knew what they were talking about. When it comes to smoking cessation or quitting cigarettes? My addiction is like trying to get a 10,000 pound gorilla off of my back. And that's even with the nicotine patches everyone!
I'm now into the 3rd or 4th week smoke free. I ain't no Pollyanna. Its a ***** quitting. How I've managed this far everyone is I called the state quit line and so far I've spoken with a quit coach 3 times. It does help to have this kind of coach to talk to. I was also sent a couple of boxes of 14 mg nicotine patches. But before I even called the state quit line I called the local V.A. and I was sent a box for a total of 3 boxes.
Most recently, I was sent the smaller 7mg patch but for now I'm still using the 14mg patch I read in the directions not to use it for more than 8 weeks so I intend to use the 14mg until then before switching to the 7mg.
But I still get irritable and I've had those cravings! But so far I haven't had a relapse miracle of miracles!
Something that the quit coach told me was to chew Big Red gum and OMG that does help with the cravings. The gum isn't too bad & Big Red wasn't ever a favorite of mine.
I want to quit cause I want to go running again. I used to run Cross Country & track in high school. I sure do miss those days. I could run like the wind! I seem to have an endless lung capacity I mean it would ache but nothing like now when I even try a light jog.
Well that's it you all out there.
Hang in there keep quitting! Your health will surely thank you.

[optimize990h]

Uh, my antidepressant is Wellbutrin, and it stopped my smoking, but it was never higher than 5-6 a day. patches didn't work for me.

Yeah,
I was prescribed Wellbutrin some years ago & I had some bad side effects, it was for my mental illness & not for quitting the nicotine. That's interesting. I decided on the patch cause well it seems easy & it does work. However like all smokers former & current I've developed an addiction to them that sometimes the patch doesn't entirely erase.
Are you a fan of the Simpsons cartoon? Well an episode from way back had an episode where Krusty the clown was trying to kick cig's and he had nicotine patches all over his body! I fell out with laughter on that one cause at times if I could I would have done the very same thing! Except! that the directions say not to use more than one patch. So I follow it.
I also tried the nicotine gum on another occasion I tried to quit it was around 7 years ago? I don't remember.
I didn't like it. But than again I'm used to regular gum and the nic gum was gross.
It's really hard to quit + its a great stress reliever but very,very bad on the health.
I don't want to end up like that woman on the CDC commercial Debbie.
SHEESH! You'd have to see it to know what I mean. Perhaps you could check it out on YouTube or something cause I can't bring myself to describe her. It brings up a lot of emotion,fear, mostly fear.
Thanks for your reply its great to have someone who reads what I type.