Symptoms of Quitting Dip and Chew

Symptoms When Quitting NicotineQuitting dipping is not an easy thing… if you’re like most of us, when you quit you’ll go through some withdrawal symptoms… These are completely normal. That being said… if you are concerned about a particular symptom, by all means go to a doctor and get checked!!! This will help both your peace of mind and may catch something before it gets serious.

Dip Dreams – you’ve been dipping for years sometimes decades. Your brain is used to thinking a certain way with a certain amount of nic in it… once that’s taken away many people have “dip dreams”. These dreams range from mild to incredibly intense. Many times people will wake up after a dip dream and feel terrible because they really think that they caved. Many have reported that they can taste and smell the dip. Never fear… it’s only a dream.

Sores In Your Mouth (lip, tongue, cheek, etc.) – you’re done dipping… why does your mouth hurt so damn bad? You’ve got more sores in your mouth now than when you were dipping. What’s going on?!? There are a couple of explanations for this one. First, if you’re like most of us, you’ve found something to replace your dip to get you past the oral fixation (See Smokeless Alternatives). If you’re chewing seeds then there’s a TON of salt in your mouth that wasn’t there before. Also once you get dip out of yourĀ systemĀ the PH balance in your mouth is changing. Bottom line is this – get to a dentist and get checked out. But unless something stays around for more than two weeks you should be good to go.

Can’t Sleep – you’ve quit dipping and now you can’t sleep at all. Never fear, this is completely normal experience. It’ll take a while, but your sleep patterns will return to normal.

The Fog – you’re dizzy… you can’t think straight… your head hurts… you find yourself staring at your computer screen for hours on end not reading anything. Welcome to the dip fog. Your brain can’t handle the fact that you’re no longer feeding it dip. It might last just a couple of days and it might last a couple of weeks. Do not fret… once the fog lifts you’re well on your way to being dip free. Check out thisĀ article that Chewie has written about The Fog of Quitting Dip

Headaches – you might have one that brings you to your knees, or you might just have that dull thud feeling all day long — this too shall pass.

Sore Throat – If you’re a dipper and you quit you’re scared of anything that’s “off”. Why when you quit dipping do you suddenly get a sore throat? We’re not sure why but it happens more often than you’d think. Drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated. This will help flush the nicotine and will help with your sore throat.

Anxiety – for years you’ve been dealing with life while medicating yourself withĀ nicotineĀ — it’s gone now and your body isn’t used to dealing with life without it. This condition will pass though you may want to talk to a doctor about some medication to take the edge off.

Problems “Going” – whether you know it or not,Ā nicotineĀ is a laxative. It’s helped keep you “regular” through all of your years of dipping. It takes some people a while to get their body adjusted to going without their natural dip laxative. Drink plenty of water and eventually this one will be “behind you”.

Hot Flashes – This one has been reported as a real doozy. Face, arms, legs, etc. can be very “warm” with some intense sweats. While this is a “symptom” it’s also been quite the trigger for some folks. Drink some water, get to the site and talk.

Depression – Many people have dipped for years or decades. Removing such an integral (though deadly) part of your life can lead to some pretty serious behavioral issues including depression. Talk to the folks on the boards as this is pretty common. As with any health issue please don’t hesitate to see a doctor as well. For more details about depression as a quitter click here.

There are a variety of other symptoms that have been attributed to quitting dip. If you don’t see yours listed, contact us and let us know about it!

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Trex
Trex
1 month ago

Just passed the two year mark on November 15th 2024. Still holding strong, if you are reading this thinking about quitting itā€™s hard but itā€™s the best decision you will ever make.

Last edited 1 month ago by Trex
Nate
Nate
3 months ago

Iā€™ll just mention that Iā€™m a day over two weeks in, and the dizziness has been brutal. One of the most annoying things for me was reading every website telling me that these symptoms should peak on day three and then get better and likely be gone in a couple weeks. That has not been the case for me. I feel like I hit the peak two weeks in. Itā€™s not greatly comforting reading about people who have this dizziness for half a year, but hoping this will resolve once the brain rewires itself.

I told myself the day before I started quitting for the second time, you feel normal today, if you feel dizzy tomorrow, itā€™s lack of nicotine. Funny how you can talk yourself out of something you talking yourself into once the anxiety wrecks your capacity for reason.

Iā€™m mostly posting this because it wouldā€™ve been comforting to know that other people have lasting symptoms, and most of these sites are giving a very rosy picture of quitting that is not necessarily accurate.

Double D
Double D
1 month ago
Reply to  Nate

Hi Nate, i have gone through the quit twice. the first time was 7 years ago. My symptoms lasted about 6 months and lightheadedness and dizziness along with a low blood sugar feeling were the worst symptoms but it evetually all went away. After a few years of quit i then started vaping and using zyns for about 2 years and quit cold turkey in march of 2023. My symptoms have been horrific, anxiety, dizziness, brain fog, ,memory issues lightheadedness the list goes on. I am almost 2 years in and my symptoms do not stop unless i take anxiety meds. I have had egk and MRI of brain and all good. I dont know why i am living though this now but it wont go away. DO NOT let my story bring you down though. I am 1 and a million with these ongoing symptoms and most likely dealing with deep rooted anxiety issues. If you saw me you would see a 6’2 38 year old athlete whos thin and in good shape you would never guess i am going through what i am. It sucks and if there is anyone out there who had symptoms last this long please reach out. Stay strong.

Jesse hope
Jesse hope
6 months ago

I’ve been chewing tobacco for 55 years and I stopped cold turkey 8 and 1/2 days ago cuz I need my foot and my ankle fixed which I need surgery doctor won’t fix my foot and ankle till I’m free of nicotine for a month I am so sick I feel like I’m going to die I can’t even think I can’t hold on to anything I just drop it sweating and cold puking coughing dizzy this is hard

Jesse hope
Jesse hope
6 months ago

Dam this is hard I’m so sick 8.5 days in cold turkey been chewin Copenhagen snuff fur 55 years cup a coffee in the mornin then a dip stays in tell 9:30 this is top 3 hardest thing I’ve ever done an I’ve done some hard an crazy things hell I chewed tabacky while I went through stage 4 throat cancer I know whack I didn’t realize how addicting this shit is so sick but I will not give in I didn’t think about goin to the doctor I need surgery on my foot an ankle doc won’t touch it tell iv been off tabacky fur 1 month oh lordy

jesse
jesse
6 months ago

i quit dipping 8-9 months ago i feel great . still doing rogue but that better then tabacco

David D
David D
9 months ago

HI i wanted to update some people on my journey and give some reality but not to discourage anyone. I quit march first of 2023 which is 383 days ago. I was vaping but using mostly ZYN and i had them in all day. Once i decided to quit i immediately had horrible symptoms says after quitting. I have had lightheaded, dizziness, crippling brain fog, chest pains, panic attacks, light sensitivity and the lest goes on and on. The brain fog and dizziness has been the worst and has not let up a single bit since the day i quit. I have had an EKG, i have done blood work and everything was dine besides my cholesterol being on the high side but my doctor was not concerned about it. I write this to inform people that through all of this i have no slipped up once and i am still quit but i have been living in hell. I don’t know how to get rid of these symptoms, i am trying to avoid going to get more expensive tests done considering i am a young 37 year old and fit. My doctor has suggested that i may have developed health anxiety due to the bad symptoms i was having from the quit and i am manifesting these symptoms on myself now, which i believe can be entirely possible because i was probably unknowingly medicating my anxiety with nicotine all these years anyway.

I will say my case is rare, as most peoples symptoms disappear after just a few months of cold turkey.

I also would like to add that from my research ZYN and vaping gives off the most severe nicotine withdraw symptoms and maybe this will just take longer for me to get rid of.

It is very scary and its exhausting and it may be time for me to try some anxiety meds to help instead of fearing i’m going to die everyday.

i will get through this and if there is anyone else who has experienced what i am going through as long as i have please let me know because i need to hear from you. I will never go back to nicotine.

Cody
Cody
8 months ago
Reply to  David D

Hey fyi im probally 3 or 4 years quit and the same for me. And i have had every test done.

David D
David D
8 months ago
Reply to  Cody

Cody if you could when you have time please give me a thorough understanding of what kind of symptoms you have on a daily basis and what kind of tests have you done? All that information would greatly help

forksicles
forksicles
8 months ago
Reply to  David D

David,
I’m 244 quit and am in a very similar situation. It started with a panic attack where I found myself at the ER. This scared me to hell and back and I’ve been thinking I have every illness under the sun. Main symptoms are chest pain, anxiety, shortness of breath. For the last 8 months, I’ve felt like I’m about to die all day, especially at night before bed. It actual comforts me when the feeling comes in a typical “anxiety inducing” situation because I can easily convince my brain that it is just anxiety and not some type of life threatening event. I’ve done extensive testing. EKG’s were normal… Lung test at the pulmonologist, normal… Stress test at the cardiologist, normal… bloods, normal. I’ve convinced myself I have mold toxicity, heavy metal poisoning, Lyme Disease, cancer, and many more things that would be longer than the ingredients label in a breakfast cereal if I were to list them here.

I will never take an SSRI or Xanax or whatever other poisonous drug the doctors recommend.

Join the Discord server, would very much like to connect. My username is forksicles. I’m a conductor there in the November 2023 No Cave November group. Quit date 8/04/23

Last edited 8 months ago by forksicles
Cody
Cody
8 months ago
Reply to  David D

Email me at 12vrunner@gmail.com

Chris
Chris
4 months ago
Reply to  David D

Hey wondering what your caffeine intake is like? I quit coffee while quitting dipping. I have some anxiety symptoms but I wonder if quitting coffee could reduce your symptoms

Double D
Double D
1 month ago
Reply to  Chris

hey chris i quit coffee at the same time as quitting dip

Chris
Chris
9 months ago

Hey yā€™all working on quitting, chewed for 18 years. I got to the point I was at a can a day, then I decided to stop. I went 14 days without a pinch with no pain, had a REALLY bad day and got a can made it last for a week. Now Iā€™m averaging a can maybe 2 a week, anyone notice some of these pains when you cut back like I have? Ps yes Iā€™m still working on quitting like I said I spam it out and I donā€™t chew as long.

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