What To Expect When You Quit Dipping
So you want to quit dipping and you would like to know what to expect when you do. We’re not going to pull any punches around here, it’s tough. That’s why we’re all here. This timeline has been put together over the years with the input of THOUSANDS of quitters. It has been shown to be remarkably accurate from the time you STOP USING NICOTINE.
Days 1 through 3 – Pure hell. You will walk in the fog. Nothing will seem real. Your brain is wondering where the hell its fix is and it is going to punish you until you come up with it. 72 hours, that’s all you need to get the nicotine out of your system. This is where you start to deal with the physical withdrawal associated with quitting dip. Drink lots of water. Read, post, read and post. Don’t take your anger out on your loved ones. We always tell everyone………Make this quit about YOU. If you quit for your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, mommy or daddy, you will resent them during this period. Quit for yourself and come in here to rant. Yell at us. Bitch at us. We can take it. We’ve been there.
Days 4 through 20 – Here comes the mind games. The nicotine is out of your system now. You will still have some physical things to deal with.
- Cravings
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Inability to Concentrate
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Constipation, gas, stomach pain
- Dry mouth
- Sore tongue and/or gums
Yep, you have this to look forward to. Your brain is rewiring itself. It isn’t used to being in an oxygen rich environment. Your body is responding in kind. Everything is a mind game now. All the cravings you have are actually due to triggers. Triggers are events where you are in a situation you would normally dip in. Mowing the grass, playing poker online, playing golf, working on the car………you get the picture. Keep drinking water, use seeds, the fake stuff, whatever you need to keep the dip out of your mouth. Remember, oral fixation is part of our habit, something you will eventually need to break. For now though, use all the tools you have.
Days 20 – 50 – You’re winning. Life isn’t great, but you probably had a couple of nights where you actually got some sleep. You might notice you’re going to bed earlier than you normally do. Not staying up to get in that last dip. You may notice some sores in your mouth. You’re thinking, “great, I quit dipping and now I have cancer.” You almost certainly don’t. Your mouth is healing itself. Tiny ulcers you’ve had for a long time are healing. We recommend you visit your dentist around the 30 day mark. Don’t be a pansy, just do it. He or she will be very supportive and they can explain the sores much better than we can. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t go out drinking with the fellas or the girls. We also recommend that you don’t drink for at least the first 50 days. Drinking is a huge trigger event and it weakens your resolve.
Days 50 – 70 – Cruise control. Life is really good. You still think about it, but this is good stuff here. Some people may suffer anxiety attacks during or a little before this stage. Some doctors say we dipped to relieve anxiety anyway. Some people can push right through this, others need a little help. Talk to your doctor before you quit or immediately after you quit. They will know what to do. Some give Wellbutrin or Lexapro. Lots of people in the support community take or have taken these medicines and can help you with the affects. Don’t wait till you get to this stage of the game to talk to a doctor. You’ll cruise through this stage much easier if you know how to take care of the anxiety or at least know it’s coming.
Days 70 – 90 – Late term craves, the doldrums, the blahs, the blues. Some people end up feeling like they are right back at day 1. The fog, the haze, the craves. It can be a tough time. You need to let people in your group know this is happening. Time to circle the wagons to get through it. It usually only lasts a few days. Fight through this and make sure your order your HOF Knife or Coin. Here are a couple of articles about this time period which we refer to as “The Funk”
Days 90 – HOF – Houston, resume the countdown. Enjoy the hell out of these last 10 days. You will be celebrating with your group as you all enter the HOF. It is a great feeling and an accomplishment you should not take lightly. Do something special for yourself and your family. They put up with your sorry ass for the last 90 days and they deserve something too.
100+ Days – Stay vigilant. Use the tools you have, to continue beating back any cravings or urges. You will still experience dip dreams and longings, but you are fully qualified to beat them down. Continue to post roll with your group. Get into the newer groups and help somebody out. Pass it along. Live the dream.
This morning I start day 4, so nicotine is finally out of my system. For me it is a 30 year + habit. I used to joke that I was an “expert” at quitting. I’m motivated but truly feel out of it. I appreciate all of the blogs here…they motivate me.
Hey guys, so I’m on week 2 of quitting and I didn’t find it that difficult than I thought but I think I know why. My plan was to follow the nicoderm schedule that I think last like 2 months or whatever but I only used it for the first week and it really helped me get used to not dipping while driving or after eating etc and then the second week i still had a bit of anxiety but I’d have to say it wasn’t as difficult as I expected
Hang in there guys
Closing another day, I wanted to say ya’ll be cool and hang in there, but I have to share a little of what I experienced this weekend.
A friend of mine, whom has been following my quit closely, said he and his wife went to a wedding and it just happened that one of the family members of the bride or groom (not important really) was there and he obviously had been a dippper since half of his face and neck were gone and replaced with a scar.
Now, I know that some of us have dipped for a long time and nothing major has happened, count your blessings, but there are people that get diseased in a short amount of time.
Regardless of the genetic disposition for cancerous disease in you, the fact remains that other organs get affected and slowly degrade our quality of life in our older age.
The way I see it is like if we are playing a Russian roulette game, some of us get lucky long enough, but in the long run we lose anyway.
Someone in here quoted his dentist saying ” Oral cancer may not kill you sometimes, but it sure will diminish the quality of life you will have”
In some other thread, I read of some folks actually defending their right to Dip. Their argument revolves in the fact that their family members have done it for the longest time and nothing has happened to them. How do you convince someone with this frame of reference in their minds to stop doing harm to themselves?
In my mind i say, you don’t, just let them continue their lives.
For the rest of us that do not want to surrender to this habit I say, you are all titans, for this battle is of giants. It is easy to continue indulging our bodies with the disgusting brown juice, but it takes a bigger man to fight this uphill battle.
I hope my words resonate on someone here and continue proudly with their quit and for those that have not started, this would be a good time.
Day 131
Alan congrats on the first steps of a good quit. Register and join the quit groups in the Kill the Can community tab. With the strength of many quit is inevitable.
day7 of my quit my face feels like its draining i still cant think clearly and am almost afraid to drive im 57 years old and had chewed copenhagen snuff for 43 of those 57 years. my first grandchild she was born in july she is my motivation Harper May I love you and want to see you grow up. but mostly i quit for me my health my money my life and i will not be held hostage to a can of snuff im done with it
Nothing to say, just staying quit.
Day 130
I appreciate your feedback and I’m definitely moving in the direction of quitting. Thank you.
Wanting to stop is major. I quit 2 weeks ago and after the 3 days of hell, am doing ok. Using the fake stuff, but I know my health is the most important. Good Luck!
Sabastion
Your lip will be healing for a while but it is always best to consult your doctor or dentist if you have any concerns.
365
The motivation can definatly be found here but the reason and resolve has to come from you. There are lots of people here who could give several heart felt reasons why they quit but unless you have your own reason and motivation your quit will never stick. I can tell you that you can do it and this place will help you to accomplish it.
I’m wanting to stop and seriously considering this is my last can. I’m divorced, live alone and have dipped for right at 30 years. It’s kinda like my best friend if that makes any sense at all. Anyway, I realize it’s in my best interest to stop and searching for that little prod to pull the trigger. Any advice?
I quit for two weeks now and my bottom lip is still burning and a Lil White is it just healing or what
Welcome Casey, that is quite an episode in your life. Whenever you are ready and if you feel like sharing your OBE, it would be awesome. In the mean time, glad you are on board with the rest of us. We all pipe in and unload stuff in here, it helps with the quit.
You all stay cool.
Day 129
Day your are in the exact place you need to be. Yes you will find tons of support here. And yes the anxiety and rage is both the physical withdrawal from nicotine, and the psychological dependence on it too. The best advice I can give is register for the community forums and sign into a month group. ( they are separated by quit dates). Develop a support network and life line. You will feel like your going through hell but the freedom from that crap in your lip in more than worth it. Look me up once you get in the community ( use the tab above). We can talk, get you squared away, or what ever you need
Hi,
I have been dipping for the past 28 years, later on in life I would have a chew in all the time, right up to when I went to bed. If you really want to quit, and it is more of a habit then when you do quit it will be easier. What mad me finally quit, I broke my leg in November 2015, January 8th I was rushed to the ER because of blood clots in my lungs. I had an out of body experience I will not go into right now, but I was in ICU for 3 days and finally allowed dot come home on 4th day. I made a deal with God, if he continues to let me live and watch my kids grow up then I will quit chewing for good.
I am currently on day 6, yes i crave, but I soon think, nope, it is not worth giving up my life. I have a can sitting in my bag but it still doesn’t phase me. That is why I said if you are ready to quit you will quit with no issues. I do not have headaches or anger issues, I believe I was ready to quit I just need that reason to stop a bad habit. If you do something over and over again it becomes a habit. Every time I think about a dip I put a piece of gum in my mouth, since it is more habit it gives me what I need. I am here to talk to anyone that need the help!!! Keep on keeping on and fight that good fight!!!!
I’ve been dipping for about 18 years now, while smoking on and off in between. The week before new years, I said I would quit. But I’m a bona fide addict, so that didn’t work cold turkey. I did fairly well for two weeks with only having a dip a day, or then I turned to only a cig or two a day, because it was less nicotine. But, then I wanted more cigs. I hate smoking though, but don’t want to go back to dipping.
This past Sunday I started the patch. For the past two days, I’ve been dip and cig free. Just relying on the nicotine in the patch. So far, so good, as I’m beginning to learn how to get past the triggers. Even with the patch, I still get those triggers, and some are intense.
Hopefully after 4 weeks of the patch, I’ll be able to stop, and start the full blown road to nicotine recovery.
Dipped Copenhagen WG for a little over a year. A routine dentist visit turned into hearing “I dont like the look of this, im referring you over to the maxillofacialist Dr. xxxx”. ever seen the show beyond scared straight? Since 9:45 am on the 11th i havent touched the can, but im really starting to feel the symptoms. The doctor examined it and im all good, but it definitely straightened my shit right up haha…
Im currently a junior petroleum engineering major who already has stress issues as it is (Primarily why i started the can haha), so quitting the week before classes start already feels like utter hell. The past year was essentially me studying while dipping at the same time. Stressing over all the homework and exams? odds are i had a dip in whenever i wasnt sleeping.
Now that im done, I have nothing to suppress the anxiety. I have random fits of anger, and then a little while later i have anxiety attacks. I’ve been on vyvanse for a couple years now, so i think that may help with the dopamine/norepinepherine deficiency? Or perhaps its making the experience even worse, i dont know.
Just happened to stumble across a pretty supportive community, and was hoping to get some advice/insight on the next few weeks. maybe even some words of encouragement for whatever the hell lies ahead.
god bless
im 15 years old and have been dipping for 5 years now tommorow will be my first day without a dip.
I remember reading these posts last year and getting a little discouraged because the dudes with 100 days and more would write that they still had cravings. Now I know it was just my brain trying to justify going back to the dip. I am over a 100 days now and yes i can confirm that the cravings do hit, but they are farther apart and fewer than in the beginning. Things are cleaner, not just your mouth and teeth, but all around you, no spitoons, empty cans, soda cans, bottles, no tobacco particles around your vehicle seats, floor, clothes, pockets, you name it. It’s a good feeling, but the best part of it all, is knowing you can beat the habit. Your determination, assertiveness and doggedly tenacity gets tested every day and you come out victorious. Not to mention you reduce tremendously your chances of getting oral cancer (Bonus). You all be cool.
Day 126
I’ve been chewing for a little over a year and just now stopped because of reading other things online and spazzing out about it. But seeing I’m not alone here, this website makes me feel better. Its day 1 for me starting now. Hope I can do this! Lol
I’m 16 been dipping on and off for 2 years yes I have a dip in now this is my very last one I’m quitting because I won’t my life to be more positive! Tomarrow will be my first day with out a dip in over a year! I’ll let you guys no how my day goes
Matt
If you check out the figures and facts tab and check out the additional resources, you’ll see the symptoms others have had along with literature on the withdrawing process. You feel a little more at easy and understand a little better about what’s going on in your mouth.
Hey all I am about almost 2 weeks quitting and I am having jaw pain and back of neck pain on left side (my dip side of course). 15 years of dip, can a day.
Anxiety is the worst. Headed to the dentist on Thursday to get checked but just wanted to hear from some fellow brethren to see if you have heard of this before.
Btw, I hate WebMD. Makes me feel like a hypochondriac.
My husband quit dipping on 01/02/16 & I quit smoking on 01/01/16. We used the patches for a little while, but the patches started to make me & him sick to our stomachs, so we stopped them completely on 01/09/16. I don’t seem to be having much problems anymore with the cravings & stuff, but my husband is now started having insomnia & he refuses to take something to help him sleep. What can I do to make him sleep so I can?
It is common for tenderness and swelling, think about it this way for however long you dipped you were attacking your gums and killing them. Now they are given a chance to repair and heal. But given the fact that they are so painful you can alway swing into the dentist to look and make sure there are no infections going on and alieviate your concerns.
I just had a question about the swelling, mine is bad enough it hurts when I try to eat, as if whatever I’m eating is pushing down or cutting my gums because of how swollen they are, is that expected? And thank you! I will!
Brein
Congrats on the quit and yes it’s one hell of a ride but worth it and more. Try looking into the community pages and get in the group with your quit date, they are experiencing what you are with you and can help you through it. We are also here for support if you need it.
Hey guys, I’ve been dipping for almost 5 years now, and I just quit three maybe four days ago, and I honestly thought this dry mouth, sore throat, swollen gums was cancer like this post said until I found this, reading this has relaxed me a lot and I can already tell this is going to be one hell of a ride.
It is awesome seeing all the new guys posting and staying quit. Tough it out, you all can do it.
Day 125
The dizziness could be tied to the normalization of his blood pressure. After being on dip or any other form of tobacco, our BP will increase. Finally kicking the habit will lower it and can cause orthostatic hypotension. We’ve used for so long that it can change our baseline (normal function) that when we quit, we return to where we should be.
AnnetteB,
It sounds like you’re doing all you can for your husband. Just being there for him and understanding that this is probably one of the toughest things he’ll go through in his life, is enough. We all do the “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” thing when we cut off the steady stream of nicotine we abused for years. I did it and I am sure there are others that can contest to doing the same. Just know he isn’t trying to be a jerk, he, like many of us here, are addicts. Unfortunately, rage is part of the healing process. I will say, my loved ones would gladly take that grouch for the short term, than see me in the hospital long term. I apologized to many people after ingot a hold on my quit. I guess I wanted to let you know his behavior is normal this early in the quit and your support is great.
I would point him here….there is a post about the FOG (help me out Chewie), this explains his dizziness. And there is a Spousal Support (help again Chewie)post here as well. Have him spend some time here, we all want tonhell each day that out, spouses too!
Good Luck!!
-JP
Welcome NC, congrats on the quit, keep up the good work, don’t shoot too low and miss the mark though, 90 days is a nice target but the end goal is to never go back!!! You, like the rest of us have an addiction to nicotine and that will always loom over us and will need to be kept in check always. Luckily this site is a bunch of people that have and are going through what you are going through and we have each other’s back. Explore, register, and use the forums as a support system.
36 hours in. Amazing how your mind will do anything to rationalize having one more dip…Been chewing gum and drinking coffee like crazy.
Just found this site. I used for close as i remember 25 years. Quit nov1 2015. Been good for a very hard 2 and half months. Reaching for that 90 day mark. I quit for myself ,but my 16month old son would poke at my lip. This was my big push. I didnt want him growing up thinking this was cool.
Been a very quite weekend here I hope everyone stayed strong and kept the quit and hasn’t caved to the crave. Day 30 down and still true to me pledge, my word and my honor. Keep up the fight don’t give in, don’t choose to give up your life!!! I’ve sat at the bedside of too many people who gave up their life to tobacco and cancer!!!! It’s not pretty, romantic, or quant, it leaves nothing but pain and devistation behind it.
Hubby began the process of quitting today…he has switched to a little bit of a monster. On edge and very testy. Any advice on how I can help him with the first phase? I want to encourage him so he sees this through. He’s been dipping since he was around 10 so over 35 years. I am being very patient with his moodiness. Hope you have some advice to help. He mentioned this afternoon weird spells of been dizzy suddenly then it goes away. Thanks for a website to help! I’m going to show him when he wakes from a nap…sleeping grumpy is better than awake grumpy 🙂
Mike,
“Fuck everyone”…. Yup, its normal. Everything from your jaw, to the statement in parentheses. Hang in there…it’ll get better.
on Day 3 !!
Mike yes your jaw can be sore, for years you were insulting your gums and jaw bone from the nicotine you were absorbing through your gums, now your giving them a chance to repair, also if your using gum or other means to satisfy the oral habit that can cause the jaw to be sore since it isn’t used to this type of activity, lastly from the stress of withdrawing you are probably clenching your teeth.
Jaw probably hurts from clenching your jaw while sleeping. Just stress from quitting. This will get better.
I know a lot of new users to KTC will stumble across this thread, so I just wanted to say welcome, congrats on quitting, and give some advice about caffeine. For a lot of us, I am assuming that our nicotine addictions were/are also accompanied by a caffeine dependency. Unfortunately for me, I was already past all of the really brutal nicotine withdrawal symptoms when I found KTC, which has given me great peace of mind. I was at about day 23 off nicotine, and found myself ingesting even more caffeine than before, as I was using Grinds coffee pouches to help with the oral fixation, and drinking more coffee at work since I no longer had a dip in all day. WELL….since I was not fully aware of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms, I assumed I was using way too much caffeine, so I quit that cold turkey too…HUGE mistake. Trust me guys, quit one vice at a time! Yet, my body WAS giving me correct biofeedback. I was indeed using too much caffeine, because when we quit nicotine, half of our normal caffeine intake will give the same effect as when we were dipping. The nicotine basically blocks about half of the caffeine we ingest, so it is critically important to lower your caffeine intake BY HALF when quitting the nic. Basically, the last few weeks of my life have been brutal, as I was suffering nicotine and caffeine withdrawals at the same time. I am now starting to feel better, as I am at day 50 without nicotine, and I have reset my caffeine usage to about 250-300mg per day, which is a safe amount. I really suggest figuring out how much caffeine you use per day on average, and then try to cut it in half, and try to use a very similar amount each day, so your central nervous system will not freak the fuck out like mine did. I have done a lot of research lately, and I am really happy to be done with nicotine, and to have reduced my caffeine intake. If you guys are getting headaches with a reduced caffeine intake, then I recommend taking ONE Excedrin when you feel that headache coming on, as it contains 65mg of caffeine. It’s really helpful to actually know how much caffeine you are ingesting daily, as I never even really thought about it. For example, a Starbucks 16 oz. Pike Place has 330mg of caffeine…most energy drinks have about 200mg per 16 oz. Grinds coffee pouches have about 25mg…..a Coke has about 3mg per ounce, so a can will have roughly 35mg, and a 20 oz. bottle has about 60mg. Just remember, cut that normal amount in half, and pay attention to the daily intake! I truly hope this helps, as I have just put my body through hell. I wish I had done the research PRIOR haha. Good luck Gents!
Sorry I don’t know why your jaw would hurt. I’m on day 9 after using the shit for 21 years and have not had any jaw pain since I’ve been off of it.
Fuck everyone. Day 2, my mouth is sore my jaw is sore is this normal? For your jaw to be sore on one side.
Way to go Austin, I wish I had the sense at 18 to quit or never to have started. Day 10 is awesome but don’t let your guard down the voice in your head will start craving it’s fix. Use the site to gather strength, register and join the quit group for your dates of quit,( this really helps as you will be going through the same issues at the same time and can talk each other through it), drink lots of water, keep your mind busy, and stay strong.
Day 28 starting day 29
Norm,
WOW! 4 cans a day?? Whew! I was nailing a can, can and a half a day and I was always dipping! I bet your mouth is currently thanking you!
Be sure to let the dentist know you are 13 days free, that will be like Christmas for that office. My dentist commends me every dam time I go in every 6 months. They didn’t badger me about dipping, but they sure are happy I finally ditched the habit.
Sounds like you are doing great, keep up the fight!
-JP
Day 10 feeling amazing 18 years old and quit after 2 years of using. Proud of my self !!
Day 13 here feeling better. Can’t thank this group enough. Again just to clarify 4 cans a day for 25 years. NOW I am drug free completely and starting to love being off that poison. Starting to feel better. Those who are quitting stay strong prayer helped for me
Brad,
Cancer is just bad luck. I had a fellow quitter with me on here that quit chewing, but still found out he had cancer. It wasn’t mouth cancer, but it showed up elsewhere in him. That is just bad luck! I won’t get into his details, since I feel if he wanted the board talking anymore about it, he would talk about it.
In my opinion, using tobacco is like playing Russian Roulette with 3 bullets in the gun instead of one. Where NOT using tobacco, there is only one in the gun. But using, you are now loading the gun and increasing the chances you’ll get popped.
Kind of a morbid analogy, but we’re talking about morbid shit here. At 18 years old, best put that shit down now and walk, no RUN away. A vicious cycle tobacco is, break it now!
Wepdoc,
Good to see you plugging away still. Good of you to expand your presence at this site. There is a lot of good information here and reaching out to people will only strengthen your quit!
Joe,
While I agree, levels of nicotine are MUCH higher in smokeless tobacco than say the gum, the goal here is to be completely free from that drug. Sure, I would of LOVED to have a piece of Nicorette when I went off on that dry cleaner owner 3 days into my quit. Fool lost my ticket and I almost hopped the counter and looked for my suit myself! He finally found it, but when I returned to my vehicle, I realized how much Nicotine calmed my nerves. Not to mention all the shit I put others (family) through at the beginning of my quit. It’s rough, all of us went through or are going through, what you are experiencing. But to be free, you have to refrain from ALL nicotine, that’s the goal here.
LynnDeeLou,
I was there with you too. I chewed for 30 years! 30, friggin years! That Fog was nuts during the first 30-40 days, but I didn’t allow it to beat me. I promise you, you will get past it so long you continue on your path of quit. And you will never go through it again, so long you stay quit, I hope you are still going strong!
Hersch24,
Yes, the gum will make them jaw muscles sore for sure. Maybe try some mints, those seem to also help with that oral fixation us ex-dippers deal with after the fog and cravings. I used Sunflower Seeds for well over a year. I stopped since the sodium was so high in them, but man those were a treat! Keep slugging away!
DCO,
I have you at day 4 hopefully still?? Yep, I hung around with those people that thought dipping was “cool” too. I did it for a lot of other reasons, but I know what you’re saying. If you dig deep enough inside, you’ll find that warrior wanting you to quit…and there isn’t anyone that can defeat that warrior but yourself. Dig deep!
I think I covered most of you new people. Proud of all of you for taking the first step to be free from the nicotine. DDD, glad to see you passing the torch out here, that’s how it works my man, be good!
-JP
Day #543 Free from that SHIT
Brad that’s not a simple yes no question. There are too many factors involved in developing cancer, however the sooner you quit the better the odds are in your favor. Using a known carcinogen (tobacco) doesn’t help your odds at all. Your young and this would be the ideal time for you to quit now, trust me, ask any of us “old farts” who had been using tobacco the vast majority of our lives and we all would say the same thing I wish someone had knocked some sense into me when I was younger. good luck and just start the quit you won’t regret it in the end!!!!!!!
That’s Funny Brad, because I was 18 when I started. I wish someone would have knocked some sense into me so that I wouldn’t have started doing that crap. Quit now period.
WepDoc, you got to do it, if you read my posts, you know that I wrote down all the uncomfortable details of my Dentists visits, am I glad all that shit is behind me now. A couple of fillings, Deep cleansing and lots of anesthesia took care of all that, anyway, proud of you all still quit.
Now, Joe, I see what you are doing there. That is what I call a gradual release. You still getting nicotine, but in less quantity, I got you.
As long as that DAMNED Nicotine is in you, you have not started, get MAD at it, curse at it, Do not let it defeat you, show it you are the boss, you are the one in command, you call the shots, however you want to rationalize it just do it.
It is hard as hell for the rest of us too, but that’s why we are all here. To pull us through this together, I know we are all tough dudes here and are used to doing things on our own, but this one thing we may need help with.
If I missed bitching at anyone, my apologies, I am at work and have to make this brief, but I am sure Jayp, chewie or one of the other dudes in here will get to you.
Good Luck you all.
Day 122
Sorry ddd been on the quit group pages lately, at day 28 today and actually going to dentist today. I can already feel the pain but the piper has come due, and needs to be paid. Still quit and will not restart now, I’ve invested too much to throw it away now.