Ditching the Dip

[TOGIE]

Zyn and On undoubtedly massively increased my nicotine dependence compared to dip.

Like, badly. You go from like 4-7 dips a day to having nicotine pouches in 24/7 swapped out on the hour.

I just went cold turkey from On/Zyn for the second time 7 days ago.

For me the worst part of quitting is always sleep.

And I swear that lab made nicotine is doing weird things to our brains. On/Zyn give me the strangest headaches. That’s partially why motivation to quit has been easy

in honor of the alcohol thread.

on august 1st 2022 i quit Zyn and On for the second time.

within a week of my baby being born in september i was on my way to get my bedridden c-section recovering wife a starbucks in the morning and couldn't help myself but pull off at the gas station on the way. right back at it with handful of zyn tins. man the stress and sleep loss of those first few weeks, zyn was a glorious little distraction.

also chewed my way through a whole can of the legit stuff while hunting my winter cow tag in wyoming. that too was glorious.

now, little over 5 months later i'm like 5 days into cold turkey again.

goddamn this shit is hard to stay away from.

@BackofBeyond

how are you holding up? initially said you were done with zyn on jan 1 2022.

 

[Redmt]

Damn I feel sorry for you guys. I quit the 3 pack a day Camel habit 20-25 years ago. I firmly believe that the products your getting now a days has intentionally added chemical addictive ingredients. Hang tough.

 

[Beignet]

I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Some of us are trying to help my buddy get a ZYN branded Traeger with their goofy rewards system. I’m ashamed to admit that this latest stash was started around Christmas.

 

[TOGIE]

I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Some of us are trying to help my buddy get a ZYN branded Traeger with their goofy rewards system. I’m ashamed to admit that this latest stash was started around Christmas.

reminding me of how we used to stack our empty cans of chew on the mantle at the house i lived in in denver right after graduating college. i'm desperately trying to find a picture. it was epic, disgusting, and shameful.

we also had a huge stack at our college house in fort collins. equally epic, equally disgusting, equally shameful.

 

[Nick87]

in honor of the alcohol thread.

on august 1st 2022 i quit Zyn and On for the second time.

within a week of my baby being born in september i was on my way to get my bedridden c-section recovering wife a starbucks in the morning and couldn't help myself but pull off at the gas station on the way. right back at it with handful of zyn tins. man the stress and sleep loss of those first few weeks, zyn was a glorious little distraction.

also chewed my way through a whole can of the legit stuff while hunting my winter cow tag in wyoming. that too was glorious.

now, little over 5 months later i'm like 5 days into cold turkey again.

goddamn this shit is hard to stay away from.

@BackofBeyond

how are you holding up? initially said you were done with zyn on jan 1 2022.

It's funny how it varies from person to person. I can pretty much dip as much as I want and give it up whenever I want. Still have a craving from time to time but nothing that last more than a couple minutes. But alchohol total different story.

 

[TOGIE]

It's funny how it varies from person to person. I can pretty much dip as much as I want and give it up whenever I want. Still have a craving from time to time but nothing that last more than a couple minutes. But alchohol total different story.

i've been pondering that reading the alcohol thread. i do consider myself to have a decently addictive personality, but avoiding alcohol is not hard at all overall for me.

nicotine has proven very hard. i've succesfully gone cold turkey twice now and it becomes not too hard relatively quickly. what becomes impossible for me is being around people doing it and/or while doing things that traditionally call for nicotine like fishing, golfing, hunting, landscaping my backyard etc.

 

[BackofBeyond]

in honor of the alcohol thread.

on august 1st 2022 i quit Zyn and On for the second time.

within a week of my baby being born in september i was on my way to get my bedridden c-section recovering wife a starbucks in the morning and couldn't help myself but pull off at the gas station on the way. right back at it with handful of zyn tins. man the stress and sleep loss of those first few weeks, zyn was a glorious little distraction.

also chewed my way through a whole can of the legit stuff while hunting my winter cow tag in wyoming. that too was glorious.

now, little over 5 months later i'm like 5 days into cold turkey again.

goddamn this shit is hard to stay away from.

@BackofBeyond

how are you holding up? initially said you were done with zyn on jan 1 2022.

I've managed to stay completely off it since 12/27/22. Even remembered to change my life insurance policy last month, which saved us a good $120/month on my policy. Nice little kicker there.

No shame in taking that backstep, new baby's are a kick in the nuts, especially your first. Just stay strong, the longer you get away from it, the easier it is.

 

[BackofBeyond]

i've been pondering that reading the alcohol thread. i do consider myself to have a decently addictive personality, but avoiding alcohol is not hard at all overall for me.

nicotine has proven very hard. i've succesfully gone cold turkey twice now and it becomes not too hard relatively quickly. what becomes impossible for me is being around people doing it and/or while doing things that traditionally call for nicotine like fishing, golfing, hunting, landscaping my backyard etc.

I dumped the Zyn pretty quickly, but did the Nicorette Lozenges for a good 3 months, that really helped. Especially with the times when I'd normally grab the Copenhagen.

 

[elkduds]

I dipped Cope for a few years in my youth, couple pinches/day. Haven't touched it for 40 years and I still often dream of taking a dip, then trying to spit it out. Nicotine is a harder addiction to beat than heroin according to some research. Can't believe it is still in my dreams.

 

[TOGIE]

dream of taking a dip, then trying to spit it out.

that's interesting. i've on many occasions had the same dream where i have a very large mouthful of tobacco that i can't get out of my lip. i continually dig in with my fingers and pull some out but it doesn't change anything. it's a dream i've had dozens of times and except for those occasional hunting trips i haven't chewed real tobacco in like 4 years.

 

[Nick87]

what becomes impossible for me is being around people doing it and/or while doing things that traditionally call for nicotine l

Same for the alchohol, only time I really crave tobacco is on a nice day like 60 to 80 out on an open cab machine at work. I've never really chewed when I'm indoors. There's nothing finer than that fresh air blowing and a lip full and i mean full of Copenhagen lol.

 

[tillicant]

I've dipped or smoked or both for over 30 years. I've tried quitting multiple times - the patches always fell off from sweat, Chantix put me in a really dark place mentally, and cold turkey just got me no where fast. I'd resigned myself to being a life long dipper - consequences be damned. The pain of dipping wasn't more than the pain of quitting, so the mental math just didn't work out for me and my motivation.

Now I've got a 2.5 y/o mini-me running around reflecting many of the good parts of me, but also many of my bad habits. I've found because of him I talk softer to the dog, I help out much more around the house, I bring flowers home for mommy much more than just on our anniversary. So last week when he pantomimed pulling a can out of his back pocket, opening it, putting something in his mouth, and putting the can back I knew it was time to make another big change.

A buddy of mine recently got himself free using these Zyn packets. It's a nicotine replacement, but tobacco free. It worked for Rich, and he spoke highly of them, so I'm giving them a go. Been three days since my last dip, and so far so good. My buddy did the Zyn over 5 months - 3 months with the more potent 6 mg, then another 2 months on the less potent 3 mg. That's my plan too. Come January 1, I'll be off the Zyn as well.

How about y'all? Any other ex-dipper/ex-smokers out there? How'd you quit? What worked, what didn't?

Ex smoker. Met my current wife, she was/is a runner, felt so guilty smoking around her. Tried the gum, patches...
Finally tried plastic straws (toothpicks first), like stir sticks, and thats what worked. Still find them here and there laying around.

 

[Cammy]

I have heard that quitting an addiction has to be for you rather than someone else. I have also heard that telling others about your attempt creates an accountability complex. I quit alcohol cold turkey almost 30 years ago and decided to quit smoking at the same time. I was sharing my journey with a lady one day and she made the comment "How can you be expected to quit both at the same time!?". Went and bought a pack of smokes 10 minutes later.

My wife and I have decided it is time to pull the plug on smoking and have started the Chantix route. I can say that is is working for both of us though better for her than me. I am beginning day 3 of not smoking and man could I use a smoke. I have noticed that I don't crave the nicotine but just want to have a smoke.

 

[kansasdad]

Congratulations on both quits @Cammy

Be on the watch for hand to mouth habits trying to persist. Weight gain is not uncommon for those who drop tobacco from their lives.

 

[Cammy]

Congratulations on both quits @Cammy

Be on the watch for hand to mouth habits trying to persist. Weight gain is not uncommon for those who drop tobacco from their lives.

Stocked up on carrots, celery and apples. Bought tons of gum and hard candy as well. As a dentist I am sure the candy and gum are frowned on however, I am sure my dentist will appreciate not having to scale the nasty black off the back of my front teeth.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Congratulations on both quits @Cammy

Be on the watch for hand to mouth habits trying to persist. Weight gain is not uncommon for those who drop tobacco from their lives.

Smoked for 19 years, quit in April of last year, although not nicotine— just the smokes. I’ve gained 25 lbs! My wife says she likes it but man I feel like a fatarse

 

[kansasdad]

Stocked up on carrots, celery and apples. Bought tons of gum and hard candy as well. As a dentist I am sure the candy and gum are frowned on however, I am sure my dentist will appreciate not having to scale the nasty black off the back of my front teeth.

Sugarless is key. Increased contact time with high refined carbs = greater risk of tooth decay. If you can find xylitol sweetened candies you will bet the benefit of increased saliva flow, and inhibition of acid production from the biofilm in your mouth. They used to get xylitol from birch bark, now it is harvested from corn stalks.

 

[undercover]

26 months smoke free for being a smoker of 35 years or so. Gained 50lb now have lost 30 of it. I still crave and I dream about cigs. I miss them. But the cost savings has been huge plus I can smell better lungs are better endurance is up. You got this if you want it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I quit chewing tobacco 6 years ago, at 62 years old. My reward was 150.00 bucks a month into the gun fund. I’ve been making good use of that. This year I’m going for a custom stocked side by side shotgun. Physiologically it is incredibly tough to quit nicotine. Keep at it, the suffering will become more bearable and the rewards from healthier living will be well worth it.

 

[Borny1]

I wish with the law of supply and demand and all of you quitting that the price would at least go down. This cold beer and Skoal straight habit is getting expensive.