Withdrawal
Don’t let them get you off track
Withdrawal symptoms are actually signs that your body is healing from nicotine addiction. While they may feel unpleasant or distracting, they are generally not severe and usually last 2 to 4 weeks. Here’s information that will help you understand specific withdrawal symptoms, followed by tips to help you get through them.
Irritability
- Duration: 2-4 weeks
- Cause: Irritability is caused by the body’s craving for nicotine. Heavy smokers/vapers are more likely to report this symptom.
- Tip: Distract yourself by engaging in a hobby or exercise. Reward yourself for the progress you have made – go out for supper, watch a movie, or buy yourself a special treat. Take some deep breaths. Try a nicotine replacement therapy like nicotine gum or patch.
Fatigue
- Duration: 2-4 weeks
- Cause: Nicotine is a stimulant, so it is not surprising that quitting smoking or vaping causes fatigue. Heavy smokers/vapers are more likely to feel tired after quitting. Over time your body will adjust and you will have even more energy.
- Tip: Try nicotine gum, nicotine patch, take naps or a brisk walk. Avoid caffeine.
Insomnia
- Duration: 1-2 weeks
- Cause: Nicotine affects brain wave functioning and may influence sleep patterns. It is not uncommon in the first few days after quitting to wake up frequently during the night. Dreaming about smoking or vaping is also common. Coughing after quitting may also contribute to wakefulness.
- Tip: This symptom rarely lasts longer than a week after quitting. Try relaxation techniques, take an evening walk or a warm bath. Avoid caffeine after 6 pm.
Feeling down
- Duration: 2-3 weeks
- Cause: It is not uncommon to feel a little depressed after quitting. Some say that quitting smoking or vaping is like losing a close friend. Understand that the feelings are normal. Bouts of crying are not uncommon.
- Tip: Exercise is the best way to improve your mood. To get started, try a brisk 15-20 minute walk. Talk to a friend, write in a journal, volunteer at a place you can help others, go to a movie. See your doctor if symptoms worsen.
Tightness in the chest
- Duration: 2-3 days
- Cause: It is not uncommon to experience tightness in your chest after quitting. Chest tightness is probably due to the tension created by the body’s need for nicotine or due to soreness from coughing.
- Tip: Try relaxation techniques, especially deep breathing. Nicotine gum or patch may help.
Stomach pains, constipation, gas
- Duration: 2-3 days
- Cause: Intestinal movement may decrease for a brief period when a person decreases nicotine use.
- Tip: Eat lots of fibre like raw fruits, vegetables, bran and cereal. Also drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day and try to exercise. Avoid caffeine.
Increased appetite
- Duration: 1-4 weeks (usually most intense in the first week after quitting)
- Cause: After quitting, you may confuse nicotine cravings with hunger pangs. You may also have a better sense of taste as the nerve endings in your mouth and nose re-grow, with the result that you feel like you want to eat more.
- Tip: Take control of your appetite—be careful not to replace cigarettes or vapes with food. Heavy users experience feelings of hunger more often after quitting than light users. Eat balanced meals. Have low calorie snacks or beverages on hand. Drink plenty of water. Try a nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, or lozenges.
Coughing, dry throat
- Duration: Cough 2-4 weeks, dry throat 2-3 days
- Cause: Coughing is the body’s way of getting rid of the extra mucous that has blocked airways. Dry throat is caused by the fact that the body is no longer producing a lot of mucous to protect the airways from the toxins.
- Tip: Try drinking cold water, fruit juice, tea; chew gum, or have cough drops/hard candy on hand.
Dizziness
- Duration: 2-12 days
- Cause: Light-headedness, dizziness or faintness are common. After quitting, oxygen levels increase to normal which may cause dizziness. For cigarette smokers, the carbon monoxide from the cigarette smoke prevented a healthy supply of oxygen from reaching your brain.
- Tip: Take extra caution when performing activities. Change positions slowly. If a dizziness spell occurs, sit or lie down until in passes.
Difficulty concentrating
- Duration: A few weeks
- Cause: Nicotine does affect brain wave functioning. Some studies indicate that concentration and problem-solving ability is enhanced in smokers and vapers for a short period (20-30 minutes) following administration of nicotine. Changing a habit as ingrained as nicotine use takes effort and contributes to problems in concentration.
- Tip: Plan your workload to account for your temporary lack of concentration. Avoid additional stress during the first few weeks.
