jnine, you are doing GREAT! It's great that you recognize that your crave is "just a thought" now, and heck, you can push a thought away, after all it's YOUR mind and you're in charge! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 17 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 519 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $51 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 46 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

Hi am I right that the nicotine is out of you system by 4 days? Just wondering. It will be 4 days tomorow. I just wondered if the crave I have is the nicotine or just habit. I think it is habit. The crave is not real bad just the thought that I would like a cigarette. I can push it out of my mind but it is still there. Will be glad to hear an answer. Jnine [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 3 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 79 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $8.25 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 18

How about that, Jnine? No more nicotine in your system -- doesn't that just feel GREAT? And you did that because you CHOSE to stop putting nicotine into your system. I have no doubt that you will continue to make this most positive choice. You're doing so well -- watch your stats meter and take great pride as the numbers increase each day. Keep the faith [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 102 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,103 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $816 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 2 [B]Seconds:[/B] 35

Hi Jnine, Firstly congratulations on getting through those first three days, you are truly on the way ! Yes it is correct that the nicotine should be out of your system by now. Isn't that great ?? So the physical cravings should be gone. The mental cravings remain and these are actually the toughest to beat. But take heart, with the right mindset you can overcome these cravings. It sounds as though you have this figured out though. you can push the thought out of your head. Try not to give these mental craves too much room at centre stage though. Distract yourself to help the crave pass. Easier said than done but it is possible. Hang in there. it truly does get better and easier. Cheers KiwiKeith [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/29/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 111 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,782 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1287.6 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 16 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6

Hi, jnine. Your body will flush the nicotine out of your system in 72 hours, the doctors say. However, that does not mean you will be done with quitting. When you smoked, a lot of things happened in your brain. The nicotine hijacked the reward/pleasure pathways. The resulting overstimulation resulted in some of them being shut off as the brain tried to return to "normal". Now that the stimulation from the nicotine is gone, you are understimulated and the brain starts yelling for nicotine, for its fix. Also, there were memory associations made to smoking activity. The most common was the "get in the car, light up" one. And the after-dinner "closer" smoke that signaled the end of the meal. A few people here have switched to a piece of strong cheese to replace the end-of-the-meal cigarette. It will take a while to break those associations, jnine. General rule of thumb is you must experience all the seasons without smoking. Now this doesn't mean you will be craving the whole time. Not at all. You may have a few occasional ones, but they would be quite rare. Congratulations on 3 smoke-free days, jnine. Keep up the great quit. :) Shevie [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/23/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 605 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 12,100 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2299 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 112 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 0

Jnine, It can take time for your body to heal. So even though the nicotine is out of your body, it still must start to heal itself. Habit is a hard issue to break and this can help move along your journey. Change up routines and have coping mechanisms ready. Preparation is the key to a successful quit :) Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.