Not killing cigarette cravings..

[satoshi]

Hi,

I tried General Original Portion snus earlier, and I enjoyed it but I still felt like having a cigarette after the 25-30 mins or so I kept it in there. Maybe it is psychological, but how much are you supposed to feel the nicotine from these? I felt it a little but not much.

Not sure if I kept it in long enough or if that would have made a difference?

Was my first experience with real snus...had only tried Camel prior to this.

[lawofficegirl]

Hang in there I'm sure someone will answer soon. I'm new to snus also and don't have very much insight.I am beginning day 5 without a smoke and its getting easier and easier.good luck.

[Mordred]

Re: Not killing cigarette cravings..

Hi,

I tried General Original Portion snus earlier, and I enjoyed it but I still felt like having a cigarette after the 25-30 mins or so I kept it in there. Maybe it is psychological, but how much are you supposed to feel the nicotine from these? I felt it a little but not much.

Not sure if I kept it in long enough or if that would have made a difference?

Was my first experience with real snus...had only tried Camel prior to this.

When I started Snus, I had previously used e-cigarettes and thus reduced my nicotine intake, so the regular portions gave me quite a kick. However, to be comparable to the nicotine delivery of a cigarette, you should try the stronger portions in the 11-13 mg range, or even the extra-strong 15-17 mg ones. Those will deliver quite a kick and kill your cravings better.

[lxskllr]

I wouldn't expect to stop smoking immediately. Just keep going with the snus, and you should start smoking less and less over time. It might take as long as a year to quit, but so what. You've smoked this long. What's another year?

[Ainkor]

I've had it effect me two different ways. I first quit smoking cold turkey with snus in September of 2008. My main problem that time wasn't the nicotine, but instead the behavior associated with smoking. I had smoked for over 20 years at that point and smoking was just a part of what I did. Even 6 months later I would reach for my phantom pack of smokes on my desk or in my car.

Due to work stress, I started smoking last December again. I really enjoy the relaxation I get from smoking but it's too damn expensive and horrible for you so almost immediately I was trying to get off them again. After two months it felt useless to even try. I kept snusing in between smoking to keep my smoking down and it worked ok but on Friday February 12th, I just didn't want a cigarette anymore. I've been smoke free for over two weeks again and interestingly I don't have any of the past behaviors (reaching for smokes, rolling down my car window for no reason) and its been pretty nice.

Give it time. At some point your body just acclimates to snus and it usually wins out!

Good luck and happy snusing!

[sagedil]

Welcome to Snuson satoshi

This has been something I have talked much about, and have personally walked through so many folks who quit cigarettes.

So first, my short answer. If you are trying to break anything that approaches a typical cigarettes habit, you just need some sterks to help you over that initial hump. My first 4 months of using snus, after the inituial two weeks, ALL I used was sterks.

So get some sterks, Thunder or Odens in particular, will help greatly with the nicotine cravings.

But beyond that, lxskllr is exactly correct. Change how you see "quitting" from a single moment to an ultimate "goal". For now, smoke if you want, use snus if you want, don't really care yourself which one it is, just keep using both. I promise, funny thuing will slowly happen. The nicotine delivery from snus is better, and your body will slowly realize that. You will smoke less and less, use snus more and more.

Took me over 4 months to fully transition over. Just one day, I finally stopped buying cigarettes. It has happened with 98%+ of the folks who have ever come here to do the same process.

So again welcome, relax, use what you want. As I promised above, the snus will win.

[RobsanX]

Maybe you were just hungry. That used to happen to me. Look at this thread.

http://www.snuson.com/viewtopic.php?t=2360

[wa3zrm]

Give it time...

It took me about two weeks before the cravings let up.

Good luck and hang in there.

[snusjus]

So first, my short answer. If you are trying to break anything that approaches a typical cigarettes habit, you just need some sterks to help you over that initial hump. My first 4 months of using snus, after the inituial two weeks, ALL I used was sterks.

I second that advice. When I started using snus, the strongest products on the market were Skruf Stark and Nick & Johnny. Lucky for you, there are products available that are even stronger. Personally, I would recommend General Ekstra Sterk Portions, weighing in at 15mg of nicotine per portion and a pH level of 8.8.

[BuLLitz]

YEAH! What Sage said.


My first experience with snus was the same as yours. The regular portions were not enough.
I then went with the Extra Strong snus and my want for cigarrettes went away. Not entirely right away... but they did go away.

Don't worry about getting stuck on the Extra Strong snus. A study suggested that you can reduce a snus users dose by up to half and they won't notice too much of a difference (unlike a smoker would).
I am using that philosophy to quit nicotine entirely because I believe it is true and you should believe it too.

If you are using snus to quit NICOTINE, try this and see if it works for you...
Step 1)
Start off with the STRONGEST snus that it takes you to not care about smoking and do those for months. What this will do for you is help break you of your triggers that you have accumulated over the years. Always keep a minimum of 2 hours between snus. You can leave them in the whole 2 hours if you like. After several months have passed AND if you are done with cigs, go to step 2. You really want to be off any other nicotine crutches by this point. ONLY SNUS. Using other NRT's (nicotine replacement therapies) will not help you get over your triggers. You should have a firm belief by now that whatever cravings you get will pass soon enough without you having to do something to satisfy the urge spike.

Step 2)
Continue with those same snus but try and make them last longer. When you have no problem with going 3 or more hours between snus, it is time to purchase a lesser nicotined snus. Make it gradual. You can find snus with almost any level of nicotine. Take your time and do baby steps.

Step 3)
Using your new lesser nicotined snus, immediately go back to doing the snus every 2 hours to make up for the reduced nicotine. Repeat Step 2.


DISCLAIMER: I have no idea what I am talking about. :-)

Really though... I started with the stronger stuff (8-9 extra-sterks a day) and am now down to using the 5mg (nic) Pomegranite Mocca's and am only doing about 4 of those a day AND I FEEL JUST FINE!!!!!
I have an order in right now for the 3mg Oomph's (even though I have 8 rolls of the Mocca left) because I am ready for that level.

So, does my process work? I don't know... I haven't quit yet. I am sure it will be easier to ultimately quit from 3mg snus than it would from the stronger ones or cigarettes and I am FAR, FAR, FAR better off than I was a year ago when I was smoking.

Maybe I am just lucky that I am able to cut down so easily.
But maybe any of us can do it... if we wanted to.

[ladysnus]

So first, my short answer. If you are trying to break anything that approaches a typical cigarettes habit, you just need some sterks to help you over that initial hump. My first 4 months of using snus, after the inituial two weeks, ALL I used was sterks.

I second that advice. When I started using snus, the strongest products on the market were Skruf Stark and Nick & Johnny. Lucky for you, there are products available that are even stronger. Personally, I would recommend General Ekstra Sterk Portions, weighing in at 15mg of nicotine per portion and a pH level of 8.8.

+1
I never even wanted to quit smoking and here I am smokefree for 1 year already.
It works. Just don't pressure yourself and take your time.
Get the powerful stuff and snus on

[GoVegan]

I don't think that the cravings will ever go away. I have quit for a year before and still craved smokes. I have heard of other people not smoking for decades and still getting cravings. They do get better over time and more manageable but there is something really nice about having a smoke. The cool thing about using snus is even when you slip and have a smoke you will still go back to snus. You may even get to the point where you crave a snus over a smoke.

[texasmade]

take sage's advice to heart he knows what he's talking about. keep smoking just use stronger snus, if thunder or oden's is to strong try skruf stark or general extra sterk

[Veganpunk]

take sage's advice to heart he knows what he's talking about. keep smoking just use stronger snus, if thunder or oden's is to strong try skruf stark or general extra sterk

Yep. Listen to Sage, I never would have believed it, but the snus WILL win out. I started snus in June, smoked my last cig. in October, it took 5 months for me, but the snus won out. Don't sweat the occasional smoke, and eventually you'll just say, "you know what, I don't enjoy these, they cost too much, and are just an annoyance". Stick with Sage and sterks, and you'll be fine!

[Paul]

Hi and welcome!

I used snus and cigarettes for two weeks, but in the end snus won...

and BTW, if you feel the need to smoke a cigarette, just do it, and dont feel remorse
tha's ok
lol