Am I the Only One?

[apple]

I am trying to quit smoking again.  I get real bad chest pain that lasts almost all day long.  My anxiety is at the altimate high and I'm very agitated...all day long.
This is day 2 in the morning and I am so sore from being soo tense, my chest has hurt since I woke.  That crap about waiting 5 minutes and the physical craving will disapear, is a crock of crap.  Yes I do not want to smoke, but my chest hurting and my anxiety being so out of control is makin me want to have some.  I already know 1 doesnt take the edge off, I need a couple.  But I really do not want to smoke anymore!!

I take Gabapentin (pain), cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxer), Seroquel (anti psychotic) and klonopin (anxtiety benzo).  I upped my seroquel and klonopin.

Last time I quit, after 2 months of suffering extreme anxiety and pain, I started smoking again.

Is there anyone else that has had this type of pain that lasts and lasts, but managed to quit smoking?

[britgirl04]

I am always having chest pain (have it right now). Mine is a combination of the anxiety and smoking.
I quit almost 5 weeks ago using Chantix. I was a die hard pack a day smoker but it really helped to be taking the meds.
I must admit I have smoked a few since I quit but now they taste bad and make me feel kind of sick.
I know everyone says this but I really mean it....If I can do it, so can you!
It is one of the best decsions you will ever make for your health.

[apple]

I tried the chantix and after 2 weeks of extreme nausia and dizziness I couldnt take it anymore.  I still didnt want to smoke so I got back on the patch, only this time I actually hit depresssion from it.  Not wanting to give up, I saw an on call doctor, mine is gone until september... and he gave me samples of cymbalta 60mg.  Well last night I was burning for a few minutes then freezing for a few minutes back and forth all night.  And when I woke I had one of the worst paick attacks ever.  I called him and he told me to try 30mg and if needed to see this other doctor on tuesday.  Tuesday??

I do not know if I should take it...if I should wait for my regular doctor, if the depression will ease on its own,

All this cause I dont want to smoke.  It seems that no matter how high I put my other meds, the anxiety is crazy high and none stop.  Nicotine is the only thing that keeps it down enough for the meds to take care of.  I didnt get depressed 2 years ago when I went on the patch.  Back then the patch worked, but when I stopped the patch the anxiety was unbearable, and after 4 months of hell, thats when I went on new meds and CBT and started smoking again.

Does anyone else know that the nicotine actually helps their anxiety?  Because everyone says their anxiety gets less after quitting smoking.  Not so for me.  Even after 4 months it didnt get better.

I dont know what to do.

[britgirl04]

I personally don't think that smoking does anything for your anxiety. I think the thought of never being able to smoke again is enough to make your anxiety go through the roof. I have been very down since I quit. I miss it....a lot more than I thought I would but I have to keep reminding myself why I am doing it.
I think you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. Could you try the cutting down and out approach? My husband quit with no aids. He smoked one less every day until he was down to five a day. Then he made 5 last him 2 days, then 3 and so on, until he was smoking like 1 every other day and then just stopped.
I think it you do it in stages it will not feel like a big overnight change and may not cause your anxiety to go so high.

[apple]

You know I did do that once...a long time ago,when my anxiety wasnt so bad.  Its just so bad as I have gotten older.  I still havent smoked but I am going to take your idea into consideration, cause my plan so far is to stay on the patch forever.   

Oh and thanks for replying to me.  Just knowing you are here and understand is more than you know for me.

[molbelct]

When I quit smoking it was getting over the need for nicotine as well as the habit of smoking itself.  It is hard to quit!!!

I would smoke half a cigarette and then put it out and when I would want another one - as disgusting as it was - I would pull the other half of the smoked out of the pack and smoke that.  It would taste so bad and give me such a headache I usually only took like 2 - 3 puffs of it. 

I also kept lollipops in the car for when I was driving and wanted a smoke and someone actually suggested to me cutting straws the length of cigarettes and when I wanted a cigarette to use the straw.  I never tried it but thought it was creative. 

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Noahs Mom]

I had that stinkin' chest pains for MONTHS when I quit smoking.  For me, nothing worked to help me quit but allowing myself to be the biggest witch in the west, forgive myself for yelling at everything around me, and then writing severe apology letters to those that I hurt by my words  :) 
It sucks, but you gotta tough it out.  I started to think about the chest pains as a badge of honor.  I quit smoking and if I can endure the withdrawals, then I can endure the chest pains!  They did ease up after a long time.  I held on to the smokers cough for about a year.  But now my lungs feel great.  My GP told me that the pain in the lungs is from them trying to heal themselves.  You're healing. The pain is good.

You're doing great!!

Everytime you have 1 puff - you have to quit all over again.  The only thing that keeps me from smoking just one cigarette (even when I'm drinking) is remembering how horrible it was to quit.  Never want to do that again...

[RebuildingMe]

I quit about ten years ago after getting a bronchial cough. I couldn't possibly smoke for a couple of weeks anyway, so when it was all over, I just never started again. I couldn't imagine smoking now. There's just no way I could do it.

[AnxiouSteve]

http://www.guidetopsychology.com/stopsmok.htm

Smoking withdrawal symptoms include cravings; tension, anxiety, irritability, and [/b]restlessness; numbness in arms and legs; dizziness;[/b] coughing; and hunger. 

So besides the obvious cravings, this source seems to list tension and anxiety as the #2 and #3 symptoms.  The rest are symptoms of anxiety.

I'm sure it's worse for us.

I didn't quit smoking, but I reduced my nicotine intake by a factor of 5 before my HA set in.  I wonder if that was one of the factors that led to this.

I started smoking 'full time' again pretty much right away (can't smoke weed anymore).  It's a mild stimulant but I don't think its strong enough to exacerbate my anxiety.  On the other hand, it keeps me busy and makes me breath slowly and methodically.  That may be another reason it helps me.

I need to stop.

I'd hate to see you smoking again.  It kills 1/3 of its users, you know, and damages the rest to varying degrees.  It might not even make you feel better after all.  Maybe you should ask your doc if xanax wouldn't be a good remedy, assuming these were infrequent events.

Alternatively, I've heard of Quest Brand Nicotine-Free cigarettes.  Maybe I should get some of those.

[apple]

Thanks for the site...I'll look into it

See for me the anxiety gets so bad all my muscles hurt, as I also have fibromyalgia.  The chest pains continued for 6 months last time and I could not do it any longer.  I tried the fake smokes, the gum, the patch, CBT, breathing tequniques, relaxation tequniques  but still am unable to not have nicotine in me.  I managed to stay on the patch for quite some time a couple years ago but tried to get off of them and started smoking again.  See you would figure that after the "physical" withdrawls were over, that the anxiety would get better...but 6 months and no ease to my increased anxiety from quitting was rediculous!

See none of my anxiety meds help...even when I tripled them this summer.  And when I tried the patch again, thinking even if I stay on the patch forever it was still better than smoking...I got so super depressed on them this time, one night I actually got into my truck, planning to leave my family and take care business.  My husband found out and rippied that patch off me and back to smokes it was and within 48hrs I was back to myself.

Funny how nicotine handles a lot of my anxiety better than any medication they have out there.  So I decided that cigarettes would be included in my med package.

But I still hate smoking, and altho I figure that the meds I do take already, are shortening my lifespan, I know the smokes will even more.

So I think in a while I will try the patch again.  I mean I was ok the first time, not ok the second...maybe the next time will be ok again.

I'm sorry to hear you struggle with this as well.  For those of us who suffer anxiety, quitting smoking isnt as easy as just psychologically not wanting the smokes.  I dont WANT them!!  I just havent found anything that helps my anxiety to anywhere near the level nicotine does.