I quit chewing Copenhagen

[McGowdog]

I quite chewing Cope over a year ago now.

That was tough! You think cigarettes are tough to kick? I could put in a big ole' wad of chew just before bed and fall asleep, and at about 3:00am, have to wake up and spit it out. This is where I was in the end. Then in the morning, I'd wait till I had a cup or two of coffee in me, maybe a doughnut or some kind of snack... before I put in that first dip.

If I chewed in the morning on an empty stomach, I'd get such a sickening dizzy buzz, I likened it to a shot of heroin or something. It was a buzz I didn't like. But, doggone it, I deserved that chew. It was the only out I had left.

And it was getting somewhat expensive. Four cans of chew a week cost me from about 15 dollars to as much as 22 dollars. I didn't chew Skoal or the cheap stuff because only Cope wouldn't tear my lip up so much. So that's $60-$84/month. But I still did it.

Finally one day, I had sort of the "urge to quit". You ever get that? The urge to quit? I did and just up and cold turkey'd it. I went down to the store and bought some hard candy and some apples, and diligently and religiously grabbed a piece of candy to pass it and ate those apples and got my calender out and made a mark for every day I didn't chew and after 21 days, I stopped doing that and eventually tapered off the candy. Oh, and drank lots of water.

It was mostly mentally tough. It was just... a tedious hassle to say, "ahhh I just can't do it." Then after a few minutes... the thoughts or urges passed. But often they came... for about 3 weeks. Then from time to time, but in decreased numbers.

I think nicotine is mostly a head game, not much physical suffering. But the mental IS the hard one. Quit coffee sometime. That's excrutiating physical pain for me. Drinking coffee must be like taking aspirin and when you quit, all those little hidden pains in my lower back and legs come to the surface. Maybe it's the liver detoxing. IDK.

But I hope I never take another drag off a cigarette or a dip. What a nasty disgusting habit, the both of them.

Oh, but I'm not judging you all! That's just for me!

[suki44883]

Congratulations!

[Astro]

Well done McGowdog!

I started chewing Skoal around the age of 14, took my first drink around the same time. Switched to Copenhagen quickly and had a love affair with booze and dip for 27 years. I tried many, many times to quit both those addictions cold-turkey, but never was able to admit that I was powerless over them.

In Dec. 2004 I gave up the dip with the help of friends on an amateur astronomy forum, and by reading the horror stories at whyquit.com

Feb. 2005 I took my last drink by the grace of God and the help of AA and the 12 Steps.

Being free from alcohol and nicotine is the greatest gift I've ever received, I hope we can pass along the message and inspire others to fight and quit.

[cinj]

You Da man, McGowdog!!! I'm proud of you!! Actually, I am proud of all of you guys that posted here. :o)

[KOOKS]

Hi McGowdog, I loved reading your post, your positivity shines through and you are a great example to others.

I take it this chewing malarky is only an American thing. Never heard of it in real life, saw it in American films.....old Westerns I think! Well, it sounds awful. I'm glad you were able to kick the habit.

Well done and keep up the good work.

[McGowdog]

Thanks all! It's a nasty habit really. But I could sort of get away chewing in situations where people couldn't smoke. But I tried to not ever chew on a plane, exept for once. But I chewed in airports all the time.

Now I understand I have to just never go back to the chew, not even once. I haven't had any serious urges in such a long time. Maybe it's not all my doing. I know the alcohol obsession being lifted is beyond my doing.

[Grateful Heart]

Hi McGowdog, I chewed Copenhagen for 40+ years. Tried quitting a few times, then used Chantix last year and I've been quit now since June 16, 2008. You are so right about it being a nasty habit. I admire you for being able to quit cold turkey; I was too addicted to quit that way. Grateful Heart :-)

[SeekSobriety]

Congrats! If we never no matter what take another puff or chew again we WILL be free.

[TonyB]

Aaaahhh Copenhagen.... I loved that stuff!! But I will say this, I don't miss the power it had over me. It absolutely controlled my life. I got tired of acting like a junkie and having to have my fix at 0600. I was one sick puppy man!! I would get up in the morning, brush my teeth, pour a cup of coffee and throw in a little snuce. Then and only then would I be ready to say “good morning” to anyone. SLAVE!!! It was sad!
But by the Grace of God I have been set free!!! It has no power over me anymore, thank you Jesus!!


BTW: Congrats on the year and for letting me share.

[scaredykat]

Thanks for sharing McGowdog and congrats on over a year. I'm on Day 9 of not smoking. Some days are harder then others. I'm using the program to help me not smoke just like I did when I quit drinking over a year ago.

[dirtyd]

I quit snuff a 2 months ago from a can a day habit for 15 years, the problem is now i smoke. I can smoke a pack a day of cigarettes and get one third the nicotine i was getting, but this is the worst i have ever felt. This is the first time i ever smoked everyday. Is there something to use that is natural to quit nicotine use?

[Astro]

Hey dirtyd, glad to hear you gave up the snuff and I wish you the best with the nicotine.

I'm not sure about "natural" methods, but I've heard that some people are having success with this Electronic Cigarette Electric Smoking Alternative | Crown7 and similar products.

[McGowdog]

Sorry for your struggles dirtyd.

A can a day! Wow! That would be like a $150.00/month habit.

I used to be able to get this ginseng chew from the health food stores, but this was years ago and I can't find it anymore.

I haven't need it since I quit cold turkey over a year ago. This last go around, I had a bucket of hard candy that got me through the day for the first month, then I sort of tapered off the candy.

Hope you find help on that.

Go well.

[facing2day]

Awesome that you had the strength to just quit! I am trying to come up with that strength to quit smoking. I just figured out I am an alcoholic so I think I'll work on one thing at a time. Maybe this is just all a process.

Thanks to each of you for sharing! It helps those that are still struggling, IMHO!

[McGowdog]

Yeah, the tobacco is most likely going to take some years off our life, but booze can kill us quick and even worse, not kill us quick but enable us to live a long time being a tornado in other people's lives.

There's an example in the book in I think the chapter The Family Afterwards. Yeah, on page 135. The guy's wife nagged him about his smoking after he'd been sober for a bit and he drank. He got sober again and he still drank coffee and smoked cigarettes.

As bad as tobacco is, it's nothing like booze and other drugs.

The book talks about this one too on about page 17 or 18. Geek that I am, I'm gonna go look for it

"An illness of this sort- and we have come to believe it an illness- involves those about us in a way no other human sickness can. If a person has cancer all are sorry for him and no one is angry or hurt. But not so with the alcoholic illness, for with it there goes annihilation of all the things worth while in life. It brings misunderstanding, fierce resentment, financial insecurity, disgusted friends and employers, warped lives of blameless children, sad wives and parents- anyone can increase the list."

And they do!