Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms Checklist

Transcription

1 Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms Checklist When you quit smoking, you may experience withdrawal symptoms as your body adjusts to not having nicotine. Use this checklist to learn more about your symptoms and how to beat them. Check off the withdrawal symptoms that you have on the checklist below. Then read more about each symptom on the following page. This can help you understand how your body is changing. And it can encourage you to stay quit. Knowing your withdrawal symptoms can help you plan for and overcome them. Check off the symptoms that you experienced today. No major withdrawal symptoms Headaches Constipation Coughing Sore or dry throat Sore scalp Nervousness Occasional dizziness Hunger and/or weight gain Tremors and perspiration Sleep pattern disturbance Mouth sores or blisters Feeling spaced out Other (list other symptoms you may have): American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 1

2 Learn About Your Symptoms No major withdrawal symptoms: It s great that you don t have any withdrawal symptoms today! Your efforts to manage your cravings are working. Remember that exercising, eating well, and going to support groups can help reduce these symptoms. As you continue to stay quit, you may still have some of these symptoms. It may be several weeks before you are completely free from these symptoms. Headaches: People who are quitting often have headaches. About 1 in 4 quitters have mild headache withdrawal symptoms. You may have a headache in the first 2 weeks when you quit. To help you deal with this, try to cut back on caffeine and do some relaxation techniques. Constipation: Quitting tobacco may affect your bowel movements during the first few weeks of quitting. This may last 3 or 4 days. Try to eat more fruits, veggies, bran, and whole grain cereal. Be sure to exercise and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Coughing: You may have some coughing after you quit smoking. This is your body s way of clearing out your bronchial tubes and getting rid of excess mucous. The tiny hairs in your lungs (cilia) are rebuilding this will help you clear the excess mucous from your lungs. A cough may last for several weeks after quitting. It can help to drink cold water and fruit juice. You could also try sugar-free gum and hard candy. Sore or dry throat: Your body begins to heal as soon as you quit smoking. Your throat may be irritated for the first few weeks while your body adjusts to having less mucous there. The good thing is that you don t need that mucous anymore. It was there to protect you from the toxins in cigarette smoke. It can help to drink cold water and fruit juice. You could also try sugar-free gum and hard candy. Sore scalp: When you quit using tobacco, your blood pressure and circulation improve. This can cause a feeling of soreness in your scalp when you brush your hair or touch your head. American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 2

3 This may last for several weeks. Just remember that this only lasts a short time. You ll feel better soon. Nervousness: For the first few days after you quit smoking, you may feel jumpy or shaky. Your nervous system is changing. It is getting used to no longer having all of those chemicals that come from smoking. And it takes time for your system to heal. Don t worry soon you may find yourself smelling, tasting, hearing, and even seeing better! Occasional dizziness: In the first few days after quitting, you may be a little dizzy. Your lungs are taking in more oxygen than they are used to. These spells will probably only last for 1 2 seconds. They may occur once or twice a day for a few days after quitting. Be careful in the first few days when you stand up or move quickly. Hunger: Dealing with hunger is a big concern for people who are quitting. People gain weight for one simple reason: They eat more. Why is this common while quitting? Nicotine decreases your appetite. It also perks you up when your energy is low. When you quit smoking, you may feel hungry more often and eat more as a result. Nicotine dulls your taste buds. So when you quit smoking, food tastes better and you may want to eat more. Without cigarettes, you may turn to food instead. You may need something else to do with your hands and mouth instead of smoking. Try eating carrots or celery to satisfy this feeling. For the first few weeks, you may be extra hungry. Try low-calorie snacks and drinks to cut down hunger pangs. Healthy meals will lower your chance of weight gain. Exercise every day to stay at a healthy weight. Keep in mind that healthy snacks are better for you than sweet treats and desserts. Some healthy snack ideas include whole wheat crackers, fruits, and veggies. Tremor and perspiration: In the first few weeks after quitting, your hands may shake a little. You may also sweat more. Most often this is not a serious problem. It will go away as your body adjusts to a lack of nicotine. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor about treatment options. American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 3

4 Sleep pattern disturbances: Quitting or cutting back on tobacco may affect your usual sleep pattern. You may be getting more sleep than you were before. This can happen when you no longer have coughing or breathing problems during the night. You may also find that you have more energy. These factors may make you feel like you need less sleep. Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule and be sure to exercise every day. Mouth sores or blisters: You may have small mouth sores for the first few weeks after you quit. Only a small number of quitters report this problem. This happens because your mouth tissues are healing and adjusting to the lack of nicotine. Use over-the-counter mouth-sore treatment for pain relief. If you have a sore for longer than a few weeks, talk to your doctor. Feeling spaced out : This feeling is hard to define. Some people feel that they are just not themselves for the first few weeks after quitting. You may feel like you are floating around and can t focus. Try to avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after quitting. And be sure to keep these spaced out feelings in mind when you plan your schedule during this time. More Information Quitting tobacco can be one of the hardest things you do. The withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable or challenging. Why do the withdrawal symptoms happen? The symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are your body's way of begging for more nicotine. Believe it or not, the nerve cells in your brain change when you smoke. Once you smoke for a while, your brain comes to depend on nicotine. The nicotine affects your ability to focus, control your anger and hunger, and relax. When you stop smoking, your brain has to relearn to do things without nicotine. This may take time. Until your brain readjusts, you may have trouble focusing. It can be hard to control your anger. You may be hungrier and more stressed than when you smoked. But with time, these symptoms fade. Your brain will adjust to not having nicotine. And you will be better off and much healthier. American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 4

5 This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Credits Author: Gail Olson Last Clinical Review: Leilani Fraley, RN Last Review and Approval: Leilani Fraley, RN, 09/26/2016 References American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Guide to quitting smoking. Retrieved from moking.asp Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Smoking and tobacco use: Quit tips. Retrieved from Fiore, M. C., Jaen, C. R., Baker, T. B., Bailey, W. C., Benowitz, N. L., Curry, S. J.,... Wewers, M. E. (2008). Treating tobacco use and dependence: Update Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic. (2013). Nicotine dependence. Retrieved from Medline Plus. (2013). Nicotine and tobacco. Retrieved from National Cancer Institute. (2010). How to handle withdrawal symptoms and triggers when you decide to quit smoking. Retrieved from American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 5

6 National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Tobacco addiction? Retrieved from United States Department of Health & Human Services, Be Tobacco Free. (n.d.). Tobacco facts and figures. Retrieved from United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). The health consequences of smoking 50 years of progress. Retrieved from American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. 6