New Snuser with a couple of questions

[janech]

Hi, I'm from the UK and tried my first snus 10 days ago. I've been using about 5 portions a day, Skruf Stark and Xtra Stark.

I love snus, and I've managed to go from a 30-year 40-a-day RYO smoking habit to 10 RYO a day.

But about 2 or 3 days in to snusing I got a dull achy headache that's been constantly with me ever since, and something like a dull heartburn kind of pain that's also constant. I also have (mild) shakes/chills that's pretty constant, that started at about the same time (2 or 3 days into snusing).

I'm guessing it's either the nicotine (I have some regular 9mg nic Phantom on order to test this), or maybe the salt (I'm very unused to added salt, I've never salted my food and don't even have any salt in the house and don't eat any processed food at all), or a sensitivity to the flavourings. I wouldn't think any of my symptoms were from quitting smoking since I've only cut down so far, and also because since I got up this morning I've smoked as normal and none of the symptoms have subsided.

For today, and maybe for a while, I've switched back to smoking and staying off the snus. I'll probs wait until my order for the lower nic snus comes through before trying again.

Just wondering if anyone else has had these kinds of symptoms when starting snusing, and if there are brands/flavours that I might have more success with, or whether the symptoms are fairly common at first and go away after a couple of weeks and I should persevere?

Many thanks for any replies, am very grateful for any insights and advice.

[wojcik49]

I had it when i quit smoking

[wojcik49]

Give it a month and youll feel better

[Frosted]

If you were 40 a day and you're taking 9mg snus you're in nicotine withdrawal.
I would advise using the strong snus i.e. 16mg and above to crack it.

[Ansel]

I think it's down to the transition between smoking to snus. I get a dull headache if i smoke too closely to snussing. Welcome by the way!

[Ansel]

I used to get the same dull headache when coming off cigarettes on to nicotine patches many years ago. And also when i tried an electronic cigarette. I think once you stick with your choice the headache should subside in time.

[Ansel]

(by the way i have been using Skruf Stark portions for 2 years now solidly... i think it's one of the best)

[tattooer601]

(by the way i have been using Skruf Stark portions for 2 years now solidly... i think it's one of the best)

I'm beginning to think
Ansel is a skruff rep.
Sent here to tempt us to buy skruf

[tattooer601]

Give it a month and youll feel better

Im with you Wojcik, also back pains, on each side of spine where you lungs are.....
If you find your self in question about a effect of stopping smoking look aroud..

[The Stig]

If you were 40 a day and you're taking 9mg snus you're in nicotine withdrawal.
I would advise using the strong snus i.e. 16mg and above to crack it.

Frosted is right. This is probably the cause of your headaches. Coming off 40 RYO sticks a day and using only 5 portions of a 9 mg snus is pretty much Vitamin N withdrawal. Go with one of the Thunder brands like Thunder Original or Cool Mint. They're at 16 mg per portion and that should take care of the headaches.

The heartburn feeling is from the snus and should go away after a few weeks of use. It's a combination of the salt and Nicotine that gives you that feeling. When I started back in 2007, it lasted about 3 weeks and just went away. In all honesty, the amount of table salt in snus is not as much as you would think. Hope this helps and welcome to the forum!

[janech]

Many thanks to you all for your replies, seems like it's just a combination of ciggie withdrawal and getting used to the snus.

The strong and extra strong portions I've been using give me a very Zen-like feeling, but maybe a bit *too* Zen-like – I'd never get anything done if I used them all the time! I'll switch to lower nic portions and persevere 'til I get used to the change from smoking to snus.

Cheers again, it's helpful and reassuring to read others' experiences and opinions.

[tattooer601]

If all you happen to have on hand is strong snus,
The maybe try spacing time in-between portions.
Our try strong in morning and night regular in between morn. And night..

[squeezyjohn]

I think those symptoms are all the opposite of what is being said here. I got the headaches, heartburn and twitches/shakes when I started and I recognise all of these as nicotine overdose - still get it a bit if I chain Starks. That warm fuzzy feeling can creep up on you and make you feel rotten if you're not careful.

You're starting off on the strong stuff by the looks of things - which is good for quitting cigs in that you will quash the cravings and if you do have a fag your brain won't get a reward so you'll not feel like another.

You'll learn to feel it and regulate it a bit more as you go along. Remember you can always take them out!

My best quitting cigs advice is to alternate Xtra Stark brands with a nic free one. I know it sounds daft, but it gives you that hit you got from cigs and trains you up without chaining the Starks.

Good luck!

[tattooer601]

I think those symptoms are all the opposite of what is being said here. I got the headaches, heartburn and twitches/shakes when I started and I recognise all of these as nicotine overdose - still get it a bit if I chain Starks. That warm fuzzy feeling can creep up on you and make you feel rotten if you're not careful.

You're starting off on the strong stuff by the looks of things - which is good for quitting cigs in that you will quash the cravings and if you do have a fag your brain won't get a reward so you'll not feel like another.

You'll learn to feel it and regulate it a bit more as you go along. Remember you can always take them out!

My best quitting cigs advice is to alternate Xtra Stark brands with a nic free one. I know it sounds daft, but it gives you that hit you got from cigs and trains you up without chaining the Starks.

Good luck!

Squeezy,
Are you suggesting he use a sterk
Then toss it if the portion starts to get tough?

[squeezyjohn]

Yes. Part of the problem with coming off cigarettes and on to snus is that although snus has way more nicotine available in a portion than a cigarette does - the cigarette delivers all it's nicotine in one fast dose (a couple of minutes) but it takes 30-40 mins for you to absorb 40% of the nicotine in a portion so you don't get the immediate buzz in the same way.

If you use starks then they give more nicotine than a regular but also more nicotine per minute. Giving you that instant hit that you get with a cigarette. If you alternate with a nicotine free portion then you get used to taking snus more regularly but don't get the overdose symptoms.

I also advocate quitters to try and get their nic tolerance above that where cigarettes have any effect on you at all (unless you have a heart condition or high blood pressure issues when it could be dangerous). There are enough brands out there that you can ramp the nic back down later on by slowly decreasing the strengths you use. You could conceivably get back down to mini-portions that way if you wish.

Whatever the means ... using snus is so much less dangerous than smoking that I'd suggest people give it the best chance of working possible. When I went through this process the only 2 stark portions snus available were Nick & Johnny 11mg and Skruf Stark ~14mg and that was plenty strong enough to get my 20 roll-up a day habit kicked over the course of a couple of weeks.

Cheers

Squeezy