Cold Turkey

Quitting smoking sucks. It was so easy when I got pregnant. I just did it. But this time around is different. I have had 5 cigarettes since last Monday when I thought I had smoked my last. Pretty good I suppose. None would be better. So I've considered asking my doctor for some help. But the last time I tried that I nearly had a mental breakdown from taking Zyban. You know that little print out the pharmacist includes with your prescription? Well, this one failed to mention being thrown in to an instant paranoid depression amongst every other side effect known to man. After a few trips to the local Internet cafe, the hubby and I discovered that I was not the only one. Hundreds of people with the same debilitating side effects so conveniently left off the list. And there were others who claimed to have lost feeling and/or use of their limbs. Really. You may well be able to see my apprehension about venturing into the land of drugs again. As a general rule I don't take them, but I really do want to quit and I know I can't manage the cold turkey. That said, it'd be a whole lot easier to wean myself if I could just go purchase ONE smoke at a time. Just like you can buy one beer or one cigar. But not with cigarettes. Nope. You have to buy at least 20 at a time. Bull. Shit. Ah well. The doctor's appointment is tomorrow so we'll see what we can't figure out.

And out of curiosity I wanted to know what the heck cold turkey has to do with quitting smoking. Apparently it was first used to describe doing something without preparation, as in serving up leftovers like cold turkey. It was later applied to those quitting heroine, because as the drug leaves the system the skin begins to resemble that of a refrigerated, holiday fowl.