Hi!
Well, I am not really in the same situation you are because I havenīt smoked for such a long time.
I was an on/off smokers when I was between 19 and 22 years old. I am a recovered alcoholic and I got sober 16th October 2003 (with 23 years). I started smoking again around 20th October 2003. I smoked quite a lot (10 to 40 cigarettes a day). I am on the road of recovery from ED since this April.
42 days ago, I stopped smoking.
And it was terrible!!!!
I stopped drinking, takig pills and bingeing- but smoking was one of the hardest things.
I tried very hard to stay with my eating plan and kept my food journal. My eating behaviour was a bit messed up in the first weeks, but it gets better. And I have a quite ambitous sports program, that helped me a lot.
I havenīt gained weight until now (and I hope it stays that way!). Ok, I havenīt lost weight either. But I guess that is because of my insulin resistance because I stopped losing weight long before i stopped smoking. (Even if WEIGHT LOSS wasnīt a thing I wanted to quit....).
But I guess my metabolism is slower now....
I donīt have physically carvings anymore and my mood swings are gone. But the first weeks were awful! I still have carvings in several situations like sitting with a cup of coffee, unpleasant social situations, when I am angry....Itīs a weird and scary feeling because it was my last "crutch".
And itīs harder for me in the morning- it gets easier after lunch. The hardest time is after breakfast.
I heard from several people who smoked longer than I did and stopped that the worst things are the first four weeks. Then it gets easier with each day. And that was exactly what I experienced.
I hope your husband feels better now!
Kate