Quit dipping, how'd you do it? (1 Viewer)

[SonnyBlack]

I dipped Kodiak at least once a day every day from the time I was 14 to 32. Then just prior to my son being born ad (5 years ago), I quit cold turkey, because I didn't want him doing it, and didn't want to be a hypocrite. I work fairly long hours (8am - 11pm usually), and this was my vice that I used to relax when I would get home. I replaced that vice by eating chips and other junk food. I read for about an hour when I get home and need to do something to stay awake. So, now 5 years later, I'm 30 pounds overweight and in the worse shape of my life.

I know that I should have better self control and discipline. Any tips on what I can do to not go back to dipping and not each junk food at night?

I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

 

[Dr. Watson]

Kodiak...yea, that's pretty much me (cept I'm older, which means I've been doing it longer). I KNOW YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT...which, I don't. If you, do its all mind over matter, per se. I've quit for weeks and months at a time, but not by my choice...Guess that's why I still do it.

Guess the only advice I can give is to turn the vice into something productive...I DO find that when I'm busy, I don't have any cravings or anything to dip...I've gone days with only one dip (I always have one when I get in the shower, and that would be the one I can't quit, at least now) and not thought anything about it...Then I have days when I'm bored and that's all I do.

The only time I won't put one in is when I'm going to workout, So at least that's something productive.

 

[Mr. Retukes]

I know several guys who are 30 pounds overweight AND dip tobacco.

 

[Finless]

I'm a Kodiak guy myself. A tin lasts me two weeks. I usually pop a dip at the poker table and sometimes at home. Never more than two a day. Last time I quit smoking for a couple years I only dipped once a day. That did the trick for some reason. Now that I don't want to dip I use gum. It works wonders.

 

[DevilsTrifecta]

I'm a Kodiak guy myself. A tin lasts me two weeks. I usually pop a dip at the poker table and sometimes at home. Never more than two a day. Last time I quit smoking for a couple years I only dipped once a day. That did the trick for some reason. Now that I don't want to dip I use gum. It works wonders.

WTF man......celtics again????GET ON THE NUGS WAGON

 

[rowmacks]

Dipped like a crazy ******* in the Marine Corps, usually a can of copenhagen snuff for every 2 days. Throw in deployments, long patrols, firewatch on a mountain at zero dark thirty and it was hard to find me without a dip in. When I got married and got out I had to give the stuff up, it was pretty tough but I did it. The key for me was fake dip and gum. When I was in Okinawa they sold this fake dip that worked really well,I just cannot remember the name but it actually satisfies that need for that dip in your lip. Here is a link to a couple of options that you might like: http://www.killthecan.org/yourquit/alternatives.asp. I have tried the mint snuff and it worked alright, it's really good when you get a 'fresh' can. You can also use it to mess with your buddies, just throw some of that fake shiet in an old can then pull it out at the bar and start eating it.

-- Looking at the killthecan.org alterntives again, I think the stuff that I really liked in Okinawa was the Smokey Mountain Snuff.

 

[Tom Servo]

Please forward all successful attempts to Woz. TIA.

 

[Beaumont]

I was a 3 cans of Kodiak per week dipper from 18 to 39. I just decided to quit because I wanted to see my kids get married and have grandchildren.

I used dum dums and just carried them around and sucked on them in lieu of dipping.

The hardest part for me is every time I see an empty bottle I want to save it. Every time I prepare for a long road trip for work I want to stop by the store. The dum dums do help, and probably will be less calories than fast food or junk food.

 

[John Bender]

I did a can a day from the age of 16 to about 4 months ago at the age of 27.

I work from home and drive all day so there were few moments I didn't have a chew in.

Just quit cold turkey, i dunno, it's hard but I was more scared of getting

cancer.

 

[TxBuckeye]

I work fairly long hours (8am - 11pm usually), and this was my vice that I used to relax when I would get home. I replaced that vice by eating chips and other junk food. I read for about an hour when I get home and need to do something to stay awake. So, now 5 years later, I'm 30 pounds overweight and in the worse shape of my life.I know that I should have better self control and discipline. Any tips on what I can do to not go back to dipping and not each junk food at night?

Treadmill? Seriously. Get home, jump on a treadmill and get some exercise. Relieves stress, drops the extra tonnage. Win/win.

 

[Otis]

Buncha hicks.

 

[Oh Yes!]

i sold my truck

 

[beer 30]

I smoked about a pack a day and chewed when I wasn't smoking, gave it all up in 2001. My wife has terrible allergies to smoke and my kid hit me up with the "daddy I don't want you to die" line but none of it really had an effect. It's absolutely true that you have to want to quit. As much as you want that smoke or that dip you have to want to quit. If you don't, you're just wasting time and pissing everyone off because you will be one grumpy *******.

I gave up smokes first because, obviously, I was still getting my fix with dip. That was crazy tough to give up, took me about 6 months. What really sealed the deal for me was this stupid commercial that kept playing on the radio. It was for a smokers clinic in some downtown hotel to get people to quit but the thing that really got me was they kept saying it takes your body about 3 days to get the nicotine fully through your system so after that it's all in your mind. This kind of challenged me, like "if you can control your mind, you can kick this thing over a freaking weekend". So I picked a weekend and just did it.

I chew gum like a fiend and hit the gym (because you will eat like a mofo) but I haven't had a smoke or a chew since and have had no desire for one. It truly was a mind over matter thing for me but everyone is different. That's just what worked for me.

Good luck, I've told everyone that asks it was one of the hardest thing I've done in my life.

 

[=Smackdown=]

Don't want to wind up looking like this?

 

[Sheriff66]

Use the patch, I used to chew Cope, took a few days and it seemed like I never chewed before, but you have to want to quit.

 

[Thorn]

Sunflower seeds.

 

[Broncoholic]

Vicodin helps get you through the 1st couple of days.

 

[george]

Edited: to delete

 

[pantagrapher]

If you've made it five years, the physical addiction is gone. Now you need to change the way you think about it. It seems like you're giving yourself a false choice between two bad habits: unhealthy eating or dipping. Start by giving yourself more options. If you're feeling out of shape, join a gym or start some kind of scheduled physical regimen.

 

[Zow]

Please forward all successful attempts to Woz. TIA.

 

[Stingdiddy]

I dipped Kodiak at least once a day every day from the time I was 14 to 32. Then just prior to my son being born ad (5 years ago), I quit cold turkey, because I didn't want him doing it, and didn't want to be a hypocrite. I work fairly long hours (8am - 11pm usually), and this was my vice that I used to relax when I would get home. I replaced that vice by eating chips and other junk food. I read for about an hour when I get home and need to do something to stay awake. So, now 5 years later, I'm 30 pounds overweight and in the worse shape of my life.I know that I should have better self control and discipline. Any tips on what I can do to not go back to dipping and not each junk food at night?I'd greatly appreciate any advice.Thanks.

Don't they make the non tobacco pouches that you can put in? They are mint or something like that. That will take care of the "oral fixation" part of the equation. Maybe try that?

 

[Dr. Watson]

If you've made it five years, the physical addiction is gone. Now you need to change the way you think about it. It seems like you're giving yourself a false choice between two bad habits: unhealthy eating or dipping. Start by giving yourself more options. If you're feeling out of shape, join a gym or start some kind of scheduled physical regimen.

This is good advice...my problem has never been a physical addiction, its been the mental aspect. I just have certain times I've put a dip in for the last 16 years and I just keep doing it every day. I don't even really think about it. But again, I don't really want to quit at this point.

 

[Zow]

If you've made it five years, the physical addiction is gone. Now you need to change the way you think about it. It seems like you're giving yourself a false choice between two bad habits: unhealthy eating or dipping. Start by giving yourself more options. If you're feeling out of shape, join a gym or start some kind of scheduled physical regimen.

I would think instead of eating or dipping going to the gym would be the best way to relax.

 

[Dr. Watson]

I dipped Kodiak at least once a day every day from the time I was 14 to 32. Then just prior to my son being born ad (5 years ago), I quit cold turkey, because I didn't want him doing it, and didn't want to be a hypocrite. I work fairly long hours (8am - 11pm usually), and this was my vice that I used to relax when I would get home. I replaced that vice by eating chips and other junk food. I read for about an hour when I get home and need to do something to stay awake. So, now 5 years later, I'm 30 pounds overweight and in the worse shape of my life.I know that I should have better self control and discipline. Any tips on what I can do to not go back to dipping and not each junk food at night?I'd greatly appreciate any advice.Thanks.

Don't they make the non tobacco pouches that you can put in? They are mint or something like that. That will take care of the "oral fixation" part of the equation. Maybe try that?

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but if I can't get Kodiak I won't get anything. I dipped a bit of everything way back when, but I've been pretty solid on Kodiak for the last 10 years. Tried the "fake" dips, pouches, etc...doesn't matter. I don't like the flavor of any of them like I do Kodiak.

 

[SonnyBlack]

Thanks for your replies guys. Yeah, I quit 5 years ago, so I don't have any cravings for the dip anymore, but I did replace a bad habit with another one. I joined a gym, but I usually go from 9:30PM - 10:30PM, then get home and pig out. I usually have about an hour of reading to do at that time, and if I don't eat anything while reading, I fall asleep. It's more the physical activity of doing something while reading. I'm going to try celery sticks and carrots.

Thanks again for the advice. Keep it coming if anybody has any better ideas.

 

[TommyGilmore]

Please forward all successful attempts to Woz. TIA.

If Woz quits dipping then his girlfriend will break up with him for sure.

 

[5Rings]

Kodiak...yea, that's pretty much me (cept I'm older, which means I've been doing it longer). I KNOW YOU HAVE TO WANT TO QUIT...which, I don't. If you, do its all mind over matter, per se. I've quit for weeks and months at a time, but not by my choice...Guess that's why I still do it.

Guess the only advice I can give is to turn the vice into something productive...I DO find that when I'm busy, I don't have any cravings or anything to dip...I've gone days with only one dip (I always have one when I get in the shower, and that would be the one I can't quit, at least now) and not thought anything about it...Then I have days when I'm bored and that's all I do.

The only time I won't put one in is when I'm going to workout, So at least that's something productive.

Disagree.Can of Copenhagen/day for almost 20 years. Did not want to quit. Went in to Dr's office with a big phatty in my lip and refused to hand over my tin.

Got hypnotized. Haven't wanted a dip in over 3 yrs now.

Strongly recommended.

 

[HERBERT THE HIPPO]

Thanks for your replies guys. Yeah, I quit 5 years ago, so I don't have any cravings for the dip anymore, but I did replace a bad habit with another one. I joined a gym, but I usually go from 9:30PM - 10:30PM, then get home and pig out. I usually have about an hour of reading to do at that time, and if I don't eat anything while reading, I fall asleep. It's more the physical activity of doing something while reading. I'm going to try celery sticks and carrots. Thanks again for the advice. Keep it coming if anybody has any better ideas.

I'd rather be a complete and total lard ### than have that complete and totally disgusting habit.......

 

[moleculo]

I wasn't as big of a dipper as most in this thread - a tin would last me a week or longer. What worked for me was replacing the routine with something else...instead of popping in a chew, I made some coffee or tea and drank that. I don't know why, but it was more about the routine than an actual replacement.

 

[General Malaise]

How did I quit dipping? I swallowed some once, barfed for about 3 hours and haven't had one since.

PS, I was 14.

 

[General Malaise]

I smoked about a pack a day and chewed when I wasn't smoking, gave it all up in 2001. My wife has terrible allergies to smoke and my kid hit me up with the "daddy I don't want you to die" line but none of it really had an effect. It's absolutely true that you have to want to quit. As much as you want that smoke or that dip you have to want to quit. If you don't, you're just wasting time and pissing everyone off because you will be one grumpy *******.I gave up smokes first because, obviously, I was still getting my fix with dip. That was crazy tough to give up, took me about 6 months. What really sealed the deal for me was this stupid commercial that kept playing on the radio. It was for a smokers clinic in some downtown hotel to get people to quit but the thing that really got me was they kept saying it takes your body about 3 days to get the nicotine fully through your system so after that it's all in your mind. This kind of challenged me, like "if you can control your mind, you can kick this thing over a freaking weekend". So I picked a weekend and just did it.I chew gum like a fiend and hit the gym (because you will eat like a mofo) but I haven't had a smoke or a chew since and have had no desire for one. It truly was a mind over matter thing for me but everyone is different. That's just what worked for me.Good luck, I've told everyone that asks it was one of the hardest thing I've done in my life.

That's really impressive, GB. I smoked when I drank and sometimes when I didn't, but in 1999, I gave it up as a habit. I told myself I wouldn't beat myself up if I had a smoke now and again, but as a habit - as a buyer of packs - I was done. That worked for me. To this day, if I've had too many beers, I'll bum a smoke from a pretty girl, but as far as a habit, I just dropped it. The fact that you did it cold turkey without ever having another is pretty remarkable.

 

[Warsteinner]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

 

[pollardsvision]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

I can't help much.

I'm only 2 months clean at the moment (after a year on the wagon then a year off), but I do know the "fog" gets better.

The fog takes 3-4 weeks to go away. After that, it's just a matter of not doing anything stupid (I haven't figured that part out yet).

 

[strykerpks]

 

[Cunk]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

 

[Homer J Simpson]

I'm thinking of adding Cope back into my regimen.

 

[John Bender]

I'm at my wits end trying to permanently quit. I've tried and tried and tried. It never sticks. (I'm only 31 and going on 15 years of dipping)

 

[Warsteinner]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

I did/do smoke them and am ok with them. They can get the job done pretty well when I'm drinking. The biggest problem is dip. I'm hoping for some e-dip to get invented soon.

 

[shuke]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Cold turkey is the only way. The fog definitely goes away. I drank a lot of orange juice and coffee in the beginning, seemed to help.

 

[pollardsvision]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

I did/do smoke them and am ok with them. They can get the job done pretty well when I'm drinking. The biggest problem is dip. I'm hoping for some e-dip to get invented soon.

They do have the fake dip (Smokey Mountain, and I'm sure there's other brands by now). No nicotine in it though.

 

[seahawk 17]

I quit chewing 02/14. Anytime I had a bad craving I would workout. It helped me pass the craving and work out all of the aggression I was feeling.

First two weeks were brutal and people almost died, but I feel good now. I have only had two real cravings where I thought about saying screw it. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year 72 and I broke out the BBQ. Nothing like a good chew and cold beer while you BBQ. Last week I got an email from Snus Central advertising all of their current specials.

 

[Ted Mullins]

You could try ordering the Swedish pouches online or seeing if somewhere nearby has them, I have read that stuff is supposed to be substantially safer.

I did it pretty often 5-6 years back and was able to gradually cut back and stop altogether without too much trouble, presumably because it was gradual - I actually had more trouble resisting the social/mental associations (doing it while driving, around other people dipping, doing it while playing Xbox) than any sort of physical withdrawal feelings. I personally found it fairly easy to not go back once I was able to stop altogether, I just don't perceive it as worth the risk anymore.

 

[Gawain]

Was just about to suggest Snus.I think the American version isn't as effective as what Europeans use, but it's supposed to have almost 0 negative side effects.

 

[seahawk 17]

Swedish Snus is suppose to be much healthier and even advertises that there are zero reported cases of cancer. But I would not use it to quit, Swedish Snus has 2-3 times the amount of nicotine in it.

ETA:

• Use of Swedish snus is not a risk factor for oral cancer.
• No association has been established between use of Swedish snus and neck and oesophagus cancer.
• There is no association between snus use and gastric cancer.
• There is no significant increased risk for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) associated with the use of snus.
• Smokeless tobacco (snus and chewing tobacco) may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, in this study the use of smokeless tobacco was not associated with statistically significant increases in risk of cancers of the oral cavity/pharynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, kidney or bladder.
• The mortality from cancer is not increased among Swedish snus users.

http://www.swedishmatch.com/en/Snus-and-health/Research-on-snus/Cancer/

 

[shuke]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

I did/do smoke them and am ok with them. They can get the job done pretty well when I'm drinking. The biggest problem is dip. I'm hoping for some e-dip to get invented soon.

They do have the fake dip (Smokey Mountain, and I'm sure there's other brands by now). No nicotine in it though.

Horrible stuff. And just makes you crave a real dip even more.

 

[John Bender]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

I did/do smoke them and am ok with them. They can get the job done pretty well when I'm drinking. The biggest problem is dip. I'm hoping for some e-dip to get invented soon.

They do have the fake dip (Smokey Mountain, and I'm sure there's other brands by now). No nicotine in it though.

Horrible stuff. And just makes you crave a real dip even more.

Yep. Tried it as well. Vile tasting and makes me dry heave.

 

[Ted Mullins]

Swedish Snus is suppose to be much healthier and even advertises that there are zero reported cases of cancer. But I would not use it to quit, Swedish Snus has 2-3 times the amount of nicotine in it.

ETA:

• Use of Swedish snus is not a risk factor for oral cancer.
• No association has been established between use of Swedish snus and neck and oesophagus cancer.
• There is no association between snus use and gastric cancer.
• There is no significant increased risk for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) associated with the use of snus.
• Smokeless tobacco (snus and chewing tobacco) may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, in this study the use of smokeless tobacco was not associated with statistically significant increases in risk of cancers of the oral cavity/pharynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, kidney or bladder.
• The mortality from cancer is not increased among Swedish snus users.

http://www.swedishmatch.com/en/Snus-and-health/Research-on-snus/Cancer/

Good stuff...had no idea it had that much more nicotine, good info.

 

[Warsteinner]

Swedish Snus is suppose to be much healthier and even advertises that there are zero reported cases of cancer. But I would not use it to quit, Swedish Snus has 2-3 times the amount of nicotine in it.

ETA:

• Use of Swedish snus is not a risk factor for oral cancer.
• No association has been established between use of Swedish snus and neck and oesophagus cancer.
• There is no association between snus use and gastric cancer.
• There is no significant increased risk for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) associated with the use of snus.
• Smokeless tobacco (snus and chewing tobacco) may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, in this study the use of smokeless tobacco was not associated with statistically significant increases in risk of cancers of the oral cavity/pharynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, kidney or bladder.
• The mortality from cancer is not increased among Swedish snus users.

http://www.swedishmatch.com/en/Snus-and-health/Research-on-snus/Cancer/

I'd still like to have nicotine. I don't want tobacco anymore.

 

[pollardsvision]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Have you checked out the ecigs thread? Got me off of cigs for over 3 years now.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=575866&page=2&hl=ecigs#entry12862946

I did/do smoke them and am ok with them. They can get the job done pretty well when I'm drinking. The biggest problem is dip. I'm hoping for some e-dip to get invented soon.

They do have the fake dip (Smokey Mountain, and I'm sure there's other brands by now). No nicotine in it though.

Horrible stuff. And just makes you crave a real dip even more.

Yep. Tried it as well. Vile tasting and makes me dry heave.

Yeah, I didn't like it either and it didn't help me quit. Thought it might be good for some though.

 

[bro1ncos]

I'm at least a can/day and a couple packs of camels/week when I'm drinking. Tried chantix but that made me sick to my stomach. Quit dipping for 10 days about a year ago, but I couldn't shake the "fog" and headaches. Any pointers?

Cold turkey is the only way. The fog definitely goes away.

Quit Dec. 21, 1999 after 15+ years of a can+ daily. Then went on a 14 hour drive from PA to Missouri. Figured if I could make it through that then I could quit. Haven't had a dip since then.