Need Support!

[Nappers]

Okay, not a whole lot of people know this about me, but I have this highly addicting habit that I have done since Jr. High.....Chewing tobacco.

My wife is a Nutritionist at her work (county) and she has been riding me for years to quit. I try do okay then fall off the wagon. I only chew at work (work in a county jail) where all my buddies chew, spit, offer each other chews and I don't even think about it at home.

Now, since being diagnosed with Diabetes, I lost 40lbs and now the scales don't say "one at a time please" anymore, eating healthy, going to the gym and knocking my blood sugar down so fast that I impressed my doctor and that I should be his poster child for diabetes.

Now, I went to the dentist and my tooth cleaning guy cleaned my teeth, did a thorough check of my mouth for any lesions, sores etc to which I had none. This opened my mind as I remember the reel to reel films we all watched in high school (as we snuck chew in our mouthes) flickering by of all the bad things chew can do to one's mouth.

Now.....my wife gave me some mint snuff and a book to read on quitting chewing. The book says I'm only mildly addicted (point system) and that quitting cold turkey SHOULDN'T be a problem. I agree, I don't chew at home, have an occasional cigar in the yard with a glass of bubbly with the wifey outside and ONLY chew at work, but at work is my problem, I freak out if I don't have any, panic if I run out, panic if I don't get up in time to stop at the store to buy more, the wife knows I buy it as my local gas station receipt is for 2 fer 2 diet pepsi bottles and a can of snuff, same price every two weeks! 1 can for two weeks, shouldn't be hard to quit eh? NOT!

So.....my journey starts. Money wise, according to the book, I'll save 5 bucks a week, $260 a year and $780 every 3 years, with that in mind, ADS/Meguiars/Kevin Brown may get a boost in income

Wish me luck ladies and gents.

I may be a grumpy, moody son of a gun for the next few weeks, and dang, lucky I'm going to nights as it's harder on nights. 12 hours in a building where 1/2 of my crew chews is going to be a long night indeed. OH, I forgot to mention half the cops I know chew and often put a big dip in when they bring us a customer.

FWIW, I tried gum, mint snuff and I just craved it more and of course my ever loving co-Deputies just love it when one quits "want a chew?" "psyche!!" then they laugh. Been there done that. There is no love in our facility!

Pray for my family as last time I tried and succeeded for a while, I was grumpy as heck.

Kodiak is my chew of preference, "the only bear you can pinch!"

For those of you who chew and tried to quit, I'm with ya, for those of you who don't and think it's disgusting, it is, I still thank my best friend from school for getting me addicted to this nasty habit (we are still friends ), of course he didn't twist my arm to do it, I did it on my own accord!

Ahh, the withdraws are starting. If I stay addicted to mint snuff, it's a whole lot better than the real deal.

Aaron

[3Fitty]

Re: Need Support!

I was a smoker from the age of thirteen until the day I had my first child, cold turkey since his birth and past three years now... I'm with you bro... good luck.

Although I gotta tell ya... my first year of law school, my roomate was a "chewer" (is that even a word)... and he used to sit in front of the tube spitting in his little spit cup... sorry bro, but that is the grossest thing I've ever seen! LOL

[Nick Chapman]

Re: Need Support!

Aaron, just start smoking

I have a tobacco habit also, mine is smoking. Hard habit to quit! I've tried several time, with no luck I'm a very clean smoker, but still a smoker

[onawrxhigh]

Re: Need Support!

Nappers,

What brand and flavor was your go to Tabacco product. I have chewed skoal,cope, and long horn. I too only chew at work. 12 hour shift as a nuclear security supervisor. 4-6 hours a day in an alarm station will make you very bored. I started dipping when I worked nights and used it for a pick me up during the night to starve off the night shift bordom. Now I am on day and sometimes the job gets boring and repetative so I dip some skoal. I have switched to pouches (i know still no better) so I don't have to dig stuff out of my teeth. I have been thinking of guiting also. I am with you man.


Andrew

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Need Support!

Aaron,

I feel your pain. I have been a cigarette smoker for almost thirty years. A couple of months ago, I was watching the Rays play baseball on tv. They had a commercial for Florida Quits. There stop smoking campaign. I called the number, they referred me to the American Cancer society. They assign you a counselor, I also qualified for the nicotine patches.

I was skeptical at first. With the help of the counselors support the reading material they send you. Its a great program. The reason I mention this is the following. The patches come in three doses. You wear the 21 mg. patch for 4 weeks. Then step down to the 14 mg. for 2 weeks. Then step down again to the 7mg patch.

Maybe you could start at the 14 or even the 7. Wear the patch at work. You will not have the cravings. They also teach you other tricks. Chew on a toothpick,etc.

I have not smoked for 3 weeks, so far so good.

Best of luck. Keep us posted on your success.

[Funkster]

Re: Need Support!

From one Aaron to another:

I quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey after about a year of having as many as 10 a day. It is all in your will power. You just have to keep yourself busy and when the urge comes remind yourself how much you don't need it. When your friends offer you a dip just tell them you are quitting they should support you as well. I have a very good friend whos father got tongue cancer from chew. Not good to say the least. You can do it and I am sure everyone here is ready to help you!

[Nappers]

Re: Need Support!

.....Although I gotta tell ya... my first year of law school, my roomate was a "chewer" (is that even a word)... and he used to sit in front of the tube spitting in his little spit cup... sorry bro, but that is the grossest thing I've ever seen! LOL

I am a clean Chewer but a chewer non the less!

Aaron, just start smoking

I have a tobacco habit also, mine is smoking. Hard habit to quit! I've tried several time, with no luck I'm a very clean smoker, but still a smoker

When I wasn't chewing (which was rare), I smoked, Camel Wides baby! It's a hard habit, the book my wife gave me to read to quit says to chew the 4mg nicotine gum

Nappers,

What brand and flavor was your go to Tabacco product. I have chewed skoal,cope, and long horn. I too only chew at work. 12 hour shift as a nuclear security supervisor. 4-6 hours a day in an alarm station will make you very bored. I started dipping when I worked nights and used it for a pick me up during the night to starve off the night shift bordom. Now I am on day and sometimes the job gets boring and repetative so I dip some skoal. I have switched to pouches (i know still no better) so I don't have to dig stuff out of my teeth. I have been thinking of guiting also. I am with you man.



Andrew

I chew Kodiak and/or Grizzly, the only bears you can pinch. I am going to try the Mint Snuff pouches as I need SOMETHING to replace it. I already feel the crave to eat which was a downfall of trying to quit!

Aaron,

I feel your pain. I have been a cigarette smoker for almost thirty years. A couple of months ago, I was watching the Rays play baseball on tv. They had a commercial for Florida Quits. There stop smoking campaign. I called the number, they referred me to the American Cancer society. They assign you a counselor, I also qualified for the nicotine patches.

I was skeptical at first. With the help of the counselors support the reading material they send you. Its a great program. The reason I mention this is the following. The patches come in three doses. You wear the 21 mg. patch for 4 weeks. Then step down to the 14 mg. for 2 weeks. Then step down again to the 7mg patch.

Maybe you could start at the 14 or even the 7. Wear the patch at work. You will not have the cravings. They also teach you other tricks. Chew on a toothpick,etc.

I have not smoked for 3 weeks, so far so good.

Best of luck. Keep us posted on your success.

I may try that for sure, I like the nicotine (obviously) and need something in my lip so the mint could work there.

From one Aaron to another:

I quit smoking cigarettes cold turkey after about a year of having as many as 10 a day. It is all in your will power. You just have to keep yourself busy and when the urge comes remind yourself how much you don't need it. When your friends offer you a dip just tell them you are quitting they should support you as well. I have a very good friend whos father got tongue cancer from chew. Not good to say the least. You can do it and I am sure everyone here is ready to help you!

I am ready, that is the first battle, before I wanted to, but still liked it. going to be 40 in a few months and before I said, ah, nothing to worry about.....that day may come where I get mouth cancer if I don't quit and it scares me. I like sunflower seeds and will give those a shot and the mint snuff.

Thanks for the help gents, been good to hear from ya.

Aaron

[guitarman502]

Re: Need Support!

I dropped chewing after a year of about a can every two days. Trust me, it's rough. The fiance' is the one that "made" me, more like gave me the incentive to. I was bad before I quit, had to have it while driving, at the firehouse, just about anywhere really. It'll be tough, but just struggle through it. Have a lot of gum and candy handy, it'll help. My thing when I quit was having water, I drank a TON of water.

[PorscheGuy997]

Re: Need Support!

Hey Aaron,

Well, I can't say that I've used tobacco, but I've had some friends make it through. It's not fun, but you just have to remember your goal.

Best of luck,
Chris

[Kooz]

Re: Need Support!

As a former smoker I had to chime in. It's a lazy Sunday and I don't have much to do. I quit smoking several years ago and it was the hardest thing I ever did, but also the best thing I ever did. I started at age 15 and did both cigs and chew back then. I didn't stick with the chew because I guess it was just plain too gross for me. You have to admit, it is really disgusting.

I quit because I wanted to, not because anyone was pressuring me or there was a health problem. You have to want it bad. I realized it was stupid, pointless, and a waste of money. My dad quit after smoking 2 packs a day for about 20 years so I knew it could be done. My mom on the other hand has been smoking non-stop for over 40 years. It causes so many problems for her and she has tried everything to quit.

I had the unfortunate experience of watching emphysema/COPD kill my uncle. He smoked all his life and the disease took about 3 years to kill him but what an awful way to spend his last three years. He was on oxygen 24 hours a day and had to sleep sitting in a chair every night. My wife lost an aunt to lung cancer. She was diagnosed and was dead within a month. My best friend is a smoker and chewer and was just diagnosed with cancer. He's 36. He made it through chemo and radiation and is doing great but he's certainly not 100% out of the woods. I'm not trying to scare anyone, just talking about my experiences.

Anyway, I quit by coming up with my own method. I think you have to find what works for you. I chewed gum, smoked cigars on occasion (no inhaling), chewed mints, sucked on hard candy, and exercised. I would say the exercise helped the most especially since I started rapidly gaining weight after I quit because I was eating like a horse. The first month was the toughest but once you can get past a month or two I think you've made it. The feeling of freedom is incredible. I no longer had to make sure I had enough cigarettes on hand. Didn't have to go to the gas station all the time to buy them or make sure I had 2 or 3 packs if I was going out for the night, etc. You don't truly realize the hold that tobacco has on you until you are finally done with it.

Another thing that you never hear anybody mention about quitting - If you drink alcohol, you have to quit that too (in my opinion). If you drink and use tobacco it is almost impossible to have a drink and not use tobacco.

Okay everyone I'm off my soap box now. Hope I wasn't rambling too much and thanks for listening. Best of luck to you Aaron and believe me I'm pulling for you.

[Nappers]

Re: Need Support!

.....Okay everyone I'm off my soap box now. Hope I wasn't rambling too much and thanks for listening. Best of luck to you Aaron and believe me I'm pulling for you.

Thanks, any and all support will be a huge benefit.

I have a membership at the "Y" and I actually go (hence my loss of 40lbs) and I don't want to gain weight. I already feel the hunger bug creeping up on me. My biggest problem is at work where all my fellow Deputies chew and I am trying to quit.

Thanks for the support!

[RaskyR1]

Re: Need Support!

Good luck Aaron!

Just keep telling yourself that it is better to have more detailing supplies than a chew!

[Nappers]

Re: Need Support!

Good luck Aaron!

Just keep telling yourself that it is better to have more detailing supplies than a chew!

True statement

I am on the first stages of cutting down and using the mint snuff. Tried the cold turkey once and bout killed me.

Thanks for the support, my wife thanks you all too! She says she doesn't want my lips to fall off

Aaron

[RaskyR1]

Re: Need Support!

True statement

I am on the first stages of cutting down and using the mint snuff. Tried the cold turkey once and bout killed me.

Thanks for the support, my wife thanks you all too! She says she doesn't want my lips to fall off

Aaron

hahaha!

I'm trying to give up soda myself. I know it's nothing compared to tabacco but it's still hard. Sitting at a desk 40hrs a week and drinking 2, 20oz bottles a day has taken a toll on me. My 6-pack abs are no more and it's driving me nuts!