Quitting cigarettes symptoms
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008Withdrawal symptoms & remedies
| Signs & symptoms | Causes | How long it lasts | What you can do |
| Irritability (bad mood) | Body’s craving for nicotine | 2-4 weeks | Walks, hot baths, relaxation techniques e.g. soft music, stretching |
| Feeling tired, lack of energy | Nicotine is a stimulant – it keeps your brain active. It can take a couple of weeks for your body to learn to live without the boost from nicotine. | 2-4 weeks | Take a nap if you’re tired Don’t push yourself |
| Trouble sleeping | Nicotine affects brain waves and sleep patterns | 1 week | Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee or sodas) |
| Cough Dry throat Nasal drip (mucus slides down back of the throat) |
Your body is getting rid of the mucus that has been trapped in your air ways | A few days | Drink lots of water or juice |
| Feeling dizzy | Your body is getting more oxygen | 1 or 2 days | When you’ve been sitting in a chair or lying down, get up slowly |
| Trouble concentrating | Your body needs time to get used to being without the constant stimulation (boost) from nicotine | A few weeks | Reduce your workload and take lots of breaks |
| Tightness in chest | May be caused by sore muscles form coughing or tense muscles from nicotine cravings | A few weeks | Deep breathing |
| Gas Stomach pain Constipation |
Bowel (intestinal) movement drops briefly | Drink lots of water and eat high-fibre foods e.g. fruits and vegetables | |
| Hunger | You can confuse craving for cigarettes with hunger Your mouth is getting used to having nothing to do |
2-4 weeks | Drink water and eat low calorie snacks: raw veggies, pretzels, popcorn, fruit |
| Craving for a cigarette | Withdrawal from the highly addictive drug, nicotine | Cravings occur most often in the first few days; some people have cravings occasionally for months or years | Wait out urges – they tend to last only a few minutes. Try another activity – have a drink of water, take a walk, call a friend or use a nicotine replacement product (e.g. gum) |