milroy

Hi
Has anyone much success quitting smoking during recovery from opiates. I've run thru my life so much in this WD and I just realized, I've been smoking 20 years (>half my life)! I quit before for two years and was a disaster for a few days that I remember.
I've been off oxys 7 days. It's about my 4th time:/. I'd like to quit smoking, but afraid to jeopardize my work and cave in. That sounds stupid as I write it, but u know what I mean
Any advice appreciated...thx

FMTT

"Only try to slay one dragon at a time"
That's a term I've heard more than once in recovery. Sure, smoking is bad and all that but a nicotine monkey can be just as formidable as an opiate monkey. Some have done the "quit everything at once" routine but I think it adds a lot of extra stress to an already difficult task. I quit tobacco about 6 years ago but if I had to do it last year when I kicked opiates, I'm not sure I would have been successful with either. Give your mind and body time to stabilize from not being carpet bombed by narcotics anymore. Then quit the smokes. That's my 3 cents.

Carlotta

Thanks for the feedback FMTT. I am in the same boat as Milroy. I am in early sobriety (alcohol) with almost 5 months and I really want to quit smoking. The thing is that I am going through stressful times right now and I don t want to trigger my alcoholism by taking on more than I can chew. I have been smoking for the past 34 years, Ive lost close friends to lung cancer including my sponsor and I d like to break free of my last addiction. When do you think it is ok to quit smoking?

DAB

I quit smoking before I quit drinking. Quit now, if it becomes too tuff, you can always smoke again instead of drink.

joygirl

I quit smoking about 6 weeks after quitting opiates. I smoked more during w/d, I mean a lot! When I finally became able to think straight I tapered off the cigs over about 2 weeks. Then I just quit. Funny thing, I didn't smoke much at all till I was on the opiates. They made me want to smoke. Good luck!

milroy

Thanks guys/girls. They definitely aren't as tasty as before. I can't even smoke a whole cig. I think I'll wait a week. See what my counselor has to say:/
I am ready to quit, but I smoke a lot and I know it's gonna be rough. I'm so bored as it is I'm going wacko. I think I might wait a while, but it makes sense to consider it now.
Mahalo

joygirl

Milroy, I remember the boredom! I think that's why I smoked so much at first. It gets better, just hang in there. Other feelings will come to replace the boredom, and you'll have fun dealing with those, but it is so worth it.

Alraihani

I want to want to stop

ARarity

ot jpw did you achive a taper?

ARarity

i have had a huge problem stopping smoking
botth after and during opiate use
i've been off everytghing for a few months but still cant seem to stop smoking

my best advice would give your body time to recover then give iit a go
as a fulll recovery time from opiates is 4 weeks

but if you really want to do it i say why not give it a go
there are a huge range of thearpyss and nrt around to help you finalise the quitting deal

but for me i never have sealed the quitting deal so all my advise is just blather

joygirl

Well, having my kids pester me to quit helped! But really, I cut back 1 a day till I was at morning and night (2) daily. Then, took out the bedtime smoke (my favorite). Then just mornings for a couple of days till I ran out of cigs. But like I said, I wasn't much of a smoker before, just at bedtime. My husband used nicotine gum. I was more addicted to the habit of having a cig when I was bored or anxious, and the gum didn't do it for me.