# Giving up smoking.... and struggling



## SweetSangria

So, I finally did it. I quit smoking and as of today I'm 12 days smoke-free.

I was wondering if any of you have gone through this hellish process before, and if yes, how did you deal with the side effects of quitting?

So far I'm experiencing depression and grief. I know that it may sound crazy but I feel like I lost a dear friend and I miss this friend so very much. I'm also having headaches, and of course... I'm eating non-freaking-stop. I'm worried that if I continue to eat like I'm doing, I will seriously damage my health because I mostly eat junk food and I never seem to know when to stop. Before, I would smoke a cigarette at the end of each meal and that would send a signal to my brain, "eating time is over." Now that I don't smoke anymore....I keep going back to the kitchen every 20 minutes or something, it's like I can't register the fact that I did eat already and I don't need to eat anymore.

I want to live a long healthy life and I know that smoking is a lot more dangerous than overeating. Still, the thought of starting to smoke again just to control my appetite keeps crossing my mind. I know it's crazy... I just want to give up this bad habit without replacing it with another bad one.


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## Shosh

Well done! That is wonderful news. Such a great step you have taken to health and wellbeing.

Shoshie


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## Suze

*CONGRATS!!*

I've been on/off for a long time but definitely stopped smoking about 2 months ago. I had too because it was giving me serious asthma bronchitis.
It was easier than I thought it would be, but the cigarettes isn't really tempting since I know how my throat will be after just 1. (Plus I'm scared to death that if start all over again, I will get chronic asthma and/or lung cancer)
I've gained some weight and honestly I think it sucks. But its worth it in the long run. Now I can do much more activities without getting out of breath so quickly. 

It's only been 12 days. It will get better, I promise! 
Oh, and I really recommend the books by Allen Carr.


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## moore2me

Some things that might help with the psychological withdrawal from smoking:

(1) Sucking on cinnamon sticks whole rolled up (they resemble cigs) and you can draw air thro them like cigs - it's an oral fixation thing.

(2) Chew sugarless gum.

(3) Brush your teeth after you eat. The feeling of fresh brushed teeth seems to hamper the urge to smoke. 

(4) Look on those old cigs like an old boyfriend that was bad for you. You may have really, really liked (or loved him) and still crave him, but would never go back to him. He made you life so miserable & hurt you so much that you had to give him up. You are not going thru that again. 

(5) Sounds like you are already past the nicotine cravings. I used nicotine gum to wean myself off cigs - but you can't use the stuff for very long.

(6) If you must snack, have low calorie stuff for grazing - carrot sticks, celery sticks (shaped like cigarettes, again for the physchological effect),
apple strips, other low cal snacks. Food will start tasting better now that you have quit smoking, so you need to be careful when you head for the frig.


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## Fyreflyintheskye

I believe Moore's right! Food is light years tastier after you quit smoking. Sex will taste better, too.  You'll have a cache of dormant energy to do anything that you never realized existed... like a newly-released-into-the-wild tiger. You'll want to be and see everywhere at once. You probably won't sleep like you used to for a while, too. Maybe you've already experienced some of this. 

I smoked off and on from when I was a young teenager until I was 20. I quit after my Dad passed away. He was my best friend. He didn't pass from nicotine-related disease, but it was definitely not an innocent bystander in his life, either; he had developed chronic bronchitis and emphysema from it. I really liked Moore's advice. Mine is to keep something(s) difficult you've either accomplished or effectively dealt/are dealing with in the forefront of your mind... like a significant loss or an absolute crowning achievement. It should be something that emotionally affects/ed you. This keeps quitting smoking in perspective. When you compare the two, staying away from cigarettes is not exactly a piece of cake, but close --- it keeps you focused on your goal and acts as a reminder of how strong you know you are. :happy: 

All the best with it!


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## love dubh

When you quit smoking, you almost have to reorganize your life. It's not just "quit smoking," it's "quit several different rituals that you had." What did you have with your coffee in the morning, on your drive to work, at break with coworkers, on your drive home, after dinner, while playing solitaire? That's right. You had a cigarette. Now you have to change those habits, perhaps stop associating with trigger people or things. It's tough, love. Here's to the best!


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## SweetSangria

Thank you very much for your encouragement and tips!



moore2me said:


> Some things that might help with the psychological withdrawal from smoking:
> 
> (1) Sucking on cinnamon sticks whole rolled up (they resemble cigs) and you can draw air thro them like cigs - it's an oral fixation thing.
> 
> (2) Chew sugarless gum.
> 
> (3) Brush your teeth after you eat. The feeling of fresh brushed teeth seems to hamper the urge to smoke.
> 
> (4) Look on those old cigs like an old boyfriend that was bad for you. You may have really, really liked (or loved him) and still crave him, but would never go back to him. He made you life so miserable & hurt you so much that you had to give him up. You are not going thru that again.
> 
> (5) Sounds like you are already past the nicotine cravings. I used nicotine gum to wean myself off cigs - but you can't use the stuff for very long.
> 
> (6) If you must snack, have low calorie stuff for grazing - carrot sticks, celery sticks (shaped like cigarettes, again for the physchological effect),
> apple strips, other low cal snacks. Food will start tasting better now that you have quit smoking, so you need to be careful when you head for the frig.



Thank you, I'm printing this list!


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## Kimberleigh

I quit 2 years, 10 months ago.

Every day, when I was looking for something to cram in my mouth, I would swear to myself that if I made through today, and felt like I really had to have a cigarette tomorrow, I could have one. If I could write down 5 legitimate reasons that I needed that cigarette, tomorrow was the day to pick the pack back up.
That was almost one thousand days ago. 

Take it ONE day at a time.
Best of luck, you can do it.


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## SparklingBBW

Thanks Sangria for bringing up this topic here, and for everyone who posted ideas and suggestions. I've been struggling with this ever since the first of the year and still struggling. One of the areas that is very hard for me is when I first give up the smokes, I tend to sleep a lot more or sleep at really odd times, such that I end up being awake all night and sleep during the day. This is really frustrating and exacerbates my depression even more, which then makes me want to smoke even more. 

As much as I may want to be able to just go outside and walk for 10 minutes to keep myself awake, as a SSBBW living in a very snowy/cold climate right now, that isn't an option right now. 

I have also been weaning myself off of caffeine to help with the sleep issues and that seems to be helping. The past two nights I've managed to fall asleep by 11/11:30 and have been up by 7:30, so that makes me happy. That's a record for me lately! lol 

Anyway, again, I'll be checking back to this thread frequently to re-read the words of encouragement. Thanks to everyone who has or will post here. 

Gena


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## toni

Good luck! I wish you all the best.


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## activistfatgirl

Oooh, good luck. 

Reading Gena's post reminded me to say that people who are quitting smoking need to be careful with caffeine. Nicotine changes the way your body processes it. Smoking, I know that I can drink coffee all evening long and not have many problems sleeping. Not smoking (at least during the first 2-3 months quit-haven't got past that yet), I find I can not tolerate caffeine AT ALL in the evenings, and drinking more than a cup in the morning makes me jittery.

I read something about caffeine being 2x as effective when quit, but not sure if true.

Anyways, good luck to the OP. I quit for most of January, and without going into personal medical issues, I'll just say that while I'm not now, it's The long term goal and honestly, stick it out come hell or high water if you can. It will make you crazy and tense and want to smash things (ha!) but every day you don't is crazy awesome. And it's incredibly easy to fall back into old habits. And I can say as a chronic flip-flopper/reluctant smoker over the last year and a half, that I truly feel AMAZING not smoking. AIR! Good breath! Nice Smells! The negative health impacts are easier to see when you have a control to compare to. This is going to be the smartest thing I've said this year, but having extra oxygen is a pretty sweet.


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## auntiemoo

Hi - I had to quit smoking 11 years ago due to having a heart attack. I had been smoking for about 25 years. The first few weeks were hard, mostly mentally hard. I dreamt about smoking for years. But I am so happy I was able to quit, I feel so much better, I forgot what proper breathing was. My advice to you is just take it one day at a time, I promise you the cravings will eventually fade and then stop completely. Best wishes to you!


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## Butterbelly

I quit smoking back in October 2006, when I was diagnosed with cancer. It was torture for me not to smoke, because I had always relied on it as a crutch to get me through a bad day. The first couple of months were the hardest. I had to deal with chemo treatments, radiation treatments, and not being able to smoke. I was a total bitch at times.

After I moved back in May of 2007. I realized that I moved to a State that is home to tobacco. I saw myself picking up the smoking habit again. It started out where I would socially smoke. Then I'd have at least a couple a day, and then gradually I was smoking at least half a pack a day.

When Dan proposed to me, I promised him and myself that I had to stop smoking, because no one wants to live with a smoker. I'm proud to say that I've completely stopped smoking again, and I'm doing better this time around with it. I have to continually tell myself that smoking is bad for me, makes me smell, interfers with my sense of taste, and leads to deadly diseases. 

I commend anyone who is trying to stop smoking and who has stopped smoking. It's extremely hard to do, but it's well worth it.


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## autopaint-1

I smoked a pack a day for 20 years. At the age of 36 I quit by using the patch. That was 16 years ago. Back then, a pack of cigarettes was about $2 a pack. The patch ws $50 a week (My insurence didnt pay for the patch which was still a perscription drug at the time). I bought my final carton on sale for $10. I ended up smoking 1 pack and throwing out the rest of the carton. Friends told me that only way to quit was to join a self help group, like smokers enders. I realized immediately that there's much more to smoking then the nicotine habbit. It's partially chemical, partially physical and a whole lot physcological. As a man I kept my cigarettes in my shit pocket and the act of reaching for the pack to take out a cigarette was also an important part of the addiction. When that pack disappeared from my shirt pocket, a vacuum appeared, something was missing. What I did was replace the pack with hard candies. That allowed me to make the same movements that I did retrieving a cigarette but instead takiing out a hard candy (Something which took 15 or 20 minutes to finish as opposed to say a lifesaver which you can finish in a minute). That helped with the physical aspect. The chemical was handled by the patch. Ocassionally I'd have to give a little press on the patch to get that shot of missing nicotine into my system (sounds real attractive huh?). The worst part was the psychological. Just knowing that I wouldn't be smoking any longer, took lots of will power because the act of smoking had become part of my life for so many years.Yes I actually had a cigarette while on the patch, while weighing whether I really wanted to quit. It had gotten to the point where I had difficulty understanding how people could go all day without that cigarette fix. In the begining its day by day and each day lasts forever. Something is missing and the thought of smoking a cigarette takes up much of your thinking. In my case I had what could only be called a nicotine overdose, thanks to the patch. I didn't realize that you could cut off a piece for patch to lower the dosage (or so I was told later) and so after about 3 weeks on the patch I removed mine and took a nap. I awoke a few hours later, had one short period of nicotine loss (The feeling you get when you need a cigarette but can't get one) and that was it. Since that date I haven't had any longing for cigarettes. It's much easier for me because no one I know or socialize with smokes so I'm not exposed to it any longer. Today cigarette smoke, smells neither bad nor good to me. If you stay away from it , you'll be fine. The key is to not fall back in the trap. Think about what a miserable experience quitting is. Would you want to go through that again? Think about the money you're saving. For me it was $20 a week. Today it would be $50 or $60 a week. That's a lot of money. Think of all the other things you could do with that money besides feeding your habbit. Oh and you know what it feels like going without my cigarettes on a daily basis? It feels just like I felt after I had a cigarette. In other words there really wasn't any benefit to smoking, that is except one thing. Smoking does firm up your gums. Apparently its a side efffect of the nicotine. Somehow the tradeoff isn't worth the price.


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## VinnyPA

By 14 to 21 days the nicotine should be out of your system. The hand-to-mouth cravings last for a few months. I quit on 1/2/08 and it wasn't easy. Occassionally I get a wiff of 2nd hand smoke and it intoxicates me. But for me, its the memory. I don't want to smoke again. I quit in the past for a few months and fell right back to it. Its scary and disappointing to fall back into that habbit. THAT is what is keeping me from lighting up right now....the fear of falling back into that habit. THAT is the trap!!! You will unlikely stop at 1 smoke. It hurts but you can do it AND it DOES get better. I only gained about 10lbs since quitting smoking. Any doctor would tell you that any weight gain from quitting smoking is better than smoking itself. You can always lose the weight later, if you choose.

Vinny
[email protected]


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## Violet_Beauregard

OUTSTANDING!!! Congratulations!!! You have done really well, and I'm SURE you'll continue your success.... Your family and friends must be very proud of you!  Hang in there... as YOU said... it DOES get better... and will for YOU as well..... you made a great decision and should be proud of yourself for sticking with it! 





VinnyPA said:


> By 14 to 21 days the nicotine should be out of your system. The hand-to-mouth cravings last for a few months. I quit on 1/2/08 and it wasn't easy. Occassionally I get a wiff of 2nd hand smoke and it intoxicates me. But for me, its the memory. I don't want to smoke again. I quit in the past for a few months and fell right back to it. Its scary and disappointing to fall back into that habbit. THAT is what is keeping me from lighting up right now....the fear of falling back into that habit. THAT is the trap!!! You will unlikely stop at 1 smoke. It hurts but you can do it AND it DOES get better. I only gained about 10lbs since quitting smoking. Any doctor would tell you that any weight gain from quitting smoking is better than smoking itself. You can always lose the weight later, if you choose.
> 
> Vinny
> [email protected]


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## phatfatgirl

Congratulations girl!! Keep up the great work! I know it's hard, but you can do it! One day at a time!


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## Wagimawr

Congrats, attaboys/girls, "keep it up!"s, big hugs and/or hi-fives to anybody and everybody quitting smoking.

Your lungs love you THAT much more every day.


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## lily352

Hi. I'm reviving this thread because I just quit smoking, and I'm going nuts! I've "stopped" before. I've used the patch in the past. I've read tons of info about quitting, nicotine, smoking, etc. I'm out of cigs. However, I'm at the point now where I keep snapping at people, and my body is continuing to scream for nicotine. GRRRRRRRRRRRR! Just needed to share. Thank you.

~Lily~


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## Risible

Good luck, Lily! Hopefully this time will stick; I can't imagine how difficult it is to stop smoking! :bow:


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## Ruby Ripples

lily352 said:


> Hi. I'm reviving this thread because I just quit smoking, and I'm going nuts! I've "stopped" before. I've used the patch in the past. I've read tons of info about quitting, nicotine, smoking, etc. I'm out of cigs. However, I'm at the point now where I keep snapping at people, and my body is continuing to scream for nicotine. GRRRRRRRRRRRR! Just needed to share. Thank you.
> 
> ~Lily~



Best of luck to you lily!! I stopped ten and a half yrs ago and I used the nicotine inhalator for a couple of days which really helped me. I used it rather than patches because its much more like smoking, a blast of nicotine every so often, whereas the patch gives a constant dose which smoking doesnt. 

I went cold turkey after two days and havent used anything since. I must say that a couple of weeks back I had some serious cravings out of the blue. but now when I think back, its always when im in the vicinity of my smoking sister that I start craving! 

Keep up the good work!


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## Shosh

Well done lily. It is hard now but your body will thank you. You will start reaping the health benefits from quitting from here on in.


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## lily352

Thank you all. I have such a headache, but I'm hanging in there. I'm trying hard to not take my nicotine fits out on anyone. I need to watch a comfort movie or something...


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## bunzarella

GOOD LUCK!!! I quit a little over a month ago. I LOVED smoking. The hand to mouth, the oral fixation, the buzz I'd get...and it fit perfectly into my other hand while I was drinking whiskey...but now, I try not to even drink because it makes me want to have a cig. I quit cold turkey and am going strong! 

I wish you tons of luck and keep strong...try not to relapse at all because that's a lot of hard work down the drain! It's happened to MANY of my friends!!


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## lily352

Yeah. I am still holding strong, not smoking. It's hard being at work right now. When people go for smoke breaks, I am just trying to stay focused. Blah. I know it will get easier. Hopefully soon.


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## SparklingBBW

Keep up the good work Lilli, it's worth it. I'm on day 49 w/o a cig. Just wanted to offer some encouragement. I know it's very hard at the beginning but you can get through it. There's some excellent advice here, and I know it helped me quit. I used the patch for the first month and I slept a lot and avoided people if possible, but my friends were all great and understanding and helped me through it. Personally, I have a hard time focusing on one thing at a time when it comes to health goals, but this time, I decided the ONLY thing I would concentrate on was doing whatever I had to so I wouldn't smoke and that has been what is working for me. 

I think what anybody should do is figure out what works for them and do that thing. I hope you find it and it works for you! You can do it! 

Hugs, Gena


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## mergirl

i quit about 3 days ago!! gah! i feel pretty grumpy and down but i know i want to stop this time. I quit before for about 3 months with patches and then started again when i stopped using the patches..so i'm just going cold turkey this time ... tonight i'm at my friends house and we will be having a couple of glasses of wine and one of my friends thats comming over smokes too!! if i can make it through tonight and not smoke then i can make it through anything i feel! lol..
good luck to everyone quitting.. 
xx


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## Shosh

lily352 said:


> Yeah. I am still holding strong, not smoking. It's hard being at work right now. When people go for smoke breaks, I am just trying to stay focused. Blah. I know it will get easier. Hopefully soon.



Yay Lily! Think of how healthy you will be and the dollars $$$$$$$$ you will save. Also you will smell purdy, not of that yucky smoke smell.

Good on you!


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## lily352

mergirl said:


> i quit about 3 days ago!! gah! i feel pretty grumpy and down but i know i want to stop this time. I quit before for about 3 months with patches and then started again when i stopped using the patches..so i'm just going cold turkey this time ... tonight i'm at my friends house and we will be having a couple of glasses of wine and one of my friends thats comming over smokes too!! if i can make it through tonight and not smoke then i can make it through anything i feel! lol..
> good luck to everyone quitting..
> xx


Hey. It's the after the 3 day mark to the 14th mark that can be hardest because of the way your body is cleansing itself. We can do it though. It sucks, but it will be worth it. Today is fairly hard on me, but I am going to stick it out!!!!! GRRRR!


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## mergirl

lily352 said:


> Hey. It's the after the 3 day mark to the 14th mark that can be hardest because of the way your body is cleansing itself. We can do it though. It sucks, but it will be worth it. Today is fairly hard on me, but I am going to stick it out!!!!! GRRRR!


ahhh.. well only a week and a half left of me being unbarable then! lol..
yeshum..totally!! good on ye.. and good luck!!!

xmer


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## Thazdude

good job... Keep it up 

I smoked for a year or so, and started feeling like absolute shit when I smoked tobacco; throwing up and hacking up a storm. I quit cold turkey pretty much after that, it's good that you haven't poisoned yourself to that point before you decide to stop.


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## lily352

Sounds like your body had a strong reaction to the smokes! Throwing up and such? Oh my!

Well, I still haven't smoked.  I'm proud of myself! I've definitely wanted to! 

Has everyone else here stuck to it as well?


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## mergirl

lily352 said:


> Sounds like your body had a strong reaction to the smokes! Throwing up and such? Oh my!
> 
> Well, I still haven't smoked.  I'm proud of myself! I've definitely wanted to!
> 
> Has everyone else here stuck to it as well?


yessum.. that will be two weeks on monday.. its weird.. ive actually wanted to smoke more in the last week that i did in the first week of quitting!? think my brain and wee addiction receptors were like "so your actually serious about this whole quitting thing?? shit"! lol


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## VinnyPA

I've been smoke-free since I quit in January. The first 3 weeks were the worse. I paced a lot and my oral fixation was rough. I"m sure that attributed to my expanded girth. But hey, my doctor said "we'll worry about the weight later - smoking is much worse for you than being overweight". I don't think he meant it as an excuse to overeat but I did anyways LOL.

As I said, the first few weeks were rough. After that it was finding ways to avoid smoking by breaking bad habits. I smoked 2 packs per day so that means everything I associated with smoking needed modified. Going outside for a break every 2 hours got changed to getting a drink of water, for example. I got not-smoking hotel rooms instead of smoking rooms. Sit in the non-smoking section of a restaurant. Avoid bars or areas where other smoking areas. 

There are times I still miss it. But I know myself. If I have 1 cigerette I'll use that as justification to buy a pack and within a few days I'll be back to 2 packs per day. So in my case I have a healthy fear.

I quit gradually with prescribed medication (Chantix) so my nicotine intake got reduced over a few months time. I didn't have the violent convulsions or illness that I had when I tried quitting cold turkey in the past (note - when trying to quit cold turkey in the past I never got pack 24 hours).

Good luck to all trying to quit smoking. It ain't easy, but find something to live for and go for it.

V


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## mergirl

VinnyPA said:


> I've been smoke-free since I quit in January. The first 3 weeks were the worse. I paced a lot and my oral fixation was rough. I"m sure that attributed to my expanded girth. But hey, my doctor said "we'll worry about the weight later - smoking is much worse for you than being overweight". I don't think he meant it as an excuse to overeat but I did anyways LOL.
> 
> As I said, the first few weeks were rough. After that it was finding ways to avoid smoking by breaking bad habits. I smoked 2 packs per day so that means everything I associated with smoking needed modified. Going outside for a break every 2 hours got changed to getting a drink of water, for example. I got not-smoking hotel rooms instead of smoking rooms. Sit in the non-smoking section of a restaurant. Avoid bars or areas where other smoking areas.
> 
> There are times I still miss it. But I know myself. If I have 1 cigerette I'll use that as justification to buy a pack and within a few days I'll be back to 2 packs per day. So in my case I have a healthy fear.
> 
> I quit gradually with prescribed medication (Chantix) so my nicotine intake got reduced over a few months time. I didn't have the violent convulsions or illness that I had when I tried quitting cold turkey in the past (note - when trying to quit cold turkey in the past I never got pack 24 hours).
> 
> Good luck to all trying to quit smoking. It ain't easy, but find something to live for and go for it.
> 
> V


ooh..sounds horrible.. i went cold turkey and actually i have felt a wee bit ill ..kinna like a cold and slight nausea in the morning..just a general sensitivity but nothing like that. Im almost at the two week mark now so hopefully it wont get worse than that.. i feel well it feels shitty now but it would be a whole lot worse to have emphisima or something like that which is just horrific. My gran died of emphisima a few years ago and she was ill and could hardly breath for a long time before she actually died. Smoking is such a horrible drug in that respect because even when my gran was hooked up to oxygen, unable to breath or walk from her kitchen to her living room, she still smoked! Even though we had to tell her to do it far away from her oxygen.. 
Its not even a drug that actually does all that for you, infact it makes you feel kinna ill and can make you anxious.. but its harder to quit that heroin apparently! hmm madness!!
Anyway.. i know i have quit for good this time. I'm more than half way through the 3 week "worst" period and its not been too horrific..
hope everyone is doing great!


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## CAMellie

I quit "cold turkey" on 6-29-08 after smoking for 15 years...off and on (mostly on). I used my bf's PSP as my distraction. Every time I wanted a cigarette I would play a game instead. I logged in a LOT of hours on that thing, but I'm proud to say that I've stuck to it and haven't given in. :happy:


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## mergirl

toot toot!! Just Thought i would revive this post to see how everyone is doing with quitting?
I've stopped for over 4 months now! whoot! I even a actually felt a wee bit anoyed when i was standing at a bank machine and a woman blew smoke at me.. i felt like one of those preachy ex-smokers .. which is kinna nice.
hope you are all doing well in your efforts to quit the deadly weed..

xx


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## SweetSangria

mergirl said:


> toot toot!! Just Thought i would revive this post to see how everyone is doing with quitting? I've stopped for over 4 months now! whoot!


Congrats!!! :bounce:

After my last post in this thread, I did start again and felt horribly about it.

However, I then found the strength and motivation to give myself another chance and I haven't had a cigarette in (_....drum rolls please... _ ) 7 months!! 

I won't say that I'm out of the frying pan yet. It was hard, and sometimes still is, but I'm making it. :bow:


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## Ruby Ripples

mergirl said:


> toot toot!! Just Thought i would revive this post to see how everyone is doing with quitting?
> I've stopped for over 4 months now! whoot! I even a actually felt a wee bit anoyed when i was standing at a bank machine and a woman blew smoke at me.. i felt like one of those preachy ex-smokers .. which is kinna nice.
> hope you are all doing well in your efforts to quit the deadly weed..
> 
> xx





SweetSangria said:


> Congrats!!! :bounce:
> 
> After my last post in this thread, I did start again and felt horribly about it.
> 
> However, I then found the strength and motivation to give myself another chance and I haven't had a cigarette in (_....drum rolls please... _ ) 7 months!!
> 
> I won't say that I'm out of the frying pan yet. It was hard, and sometimes still is, but I'm making it. :bow:




Congratulations you two, well done! I found it hard for maybe a year, then it seemed to get easier, then i could go full days without thinking about it. Hopefully you'll be there soon! I still eleven years on, reassure myself of my good decision, every time I see smokers huddled outside bars or workplaces, like outcasts, and think of the huge amount of money Im saving! Even things like, your windows don't need cleaned so often, and curtains and paintwork etc stay fresh. 

Well done again! Keep up the good work


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## mergirl

SweetSangria said:


> Congrats!!! :bounce:
> 
> After my last post in this thread, I did start again and felt horribly about it.
> 
> However, I then found the strength and motivation to give myself another chance and I haven't had a cigarette in (_....drum rolls please... _ ) 7 months!!
> 
> I won't say that I'm out of the frying pan yet. It was hard, and sometimes still is, but I'm making it. :bow:


aww yay! thats excellent work indeed! keep it up.. i think if you can get through xmas n new year then you are all set. As soon as i have a few drinks i get really bad cravings..but hopefully that will end soon, as its messing up my drinking life!! lol .. och well..


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## mergirl

Ruby Ripples said:


> Congratulations you two, well done! I found it hard for maybe a year, then it seemed to get easier, then i could go full days without thinking about it. Hopefully you'll be there soon! I still eleven years on, reassure myself of my good decision, every time I see smokers huddled outside bars or workplaces, like outcasts, and think of the huge amount of money Im saving! Even things like, your windows don't need cleaned so often, and curtains and paintwork etc stay fresh.
> 
> Well done again! Keep up the good work


Gah.. a year!!!.. well, only 8 months left to go!! yay!.. Totally though.. there are SO many reasons for not smoking. whenever i get the urge i have a wee list to myself.. 
hmmm.. ive not posted for ages and feel like rambling ..lol.. GD just got broadband so we shall be on soon to rant a load of pish!! yay!


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## mergirl

oh..ps.. That liquorice tea was PURE BOGGIN!!!!!! seriously?? What culinary sadist invented that?? Thanks for sending it though.. it was lovely of you.. I look forward to my package of kangaroo testicles and earwax chocolates!! lmao... the other teas were lovely though..

xx nae mer stinkin tea!! lol


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## Cors

mergirl said:


> Gah.. a year!!!.. well, only 8 months left to go!! yay!.. Totally though.. there are SO many reasons for not smoking. whenever i get the urge i have a wee list to myself..
> hmmm.. ive not posted for ages and feel like rambling ..lol.. GD just got broadband so we shall be on soon to rant a load of pish!! yay!



You're missed! <3


----------



## rmorris

Congrats to those who have managed to overcome the smoking habits and am not going to ask what were the policies adopted by them that helped them to quit eventually. Being a chain smoker myself I can understand how hard this thing is and I make the rounds of various health forums in expectation to find inspiration from people who have finally achieved that. 
I would confess the effort to quit was never there from my end but its hitting me hard mentally. People dear to me are persuading me to quit but I could not thinking about these I feel bad but still cant help without my pack. Am struggling even when am smoking so one day if I can give up I would be better prepared for the anticipated struggles. 
Wish me some luck friends...


----------



## mergirl

rmorris said:


> Congrats to those who have managed to overcome the smoking habits and am not going to ask what were the policies adopted by them that helped them to quit eventually. Being a chain smoker myself I can understand how hard this thing is and I make the rounds of various health forums in expectation to find inspiration from people who have finally achieved that.
> I would confess the effort to quit was never there from my end but its hitting me hard mentally. People dear to me are persuading me to quit but I could not thinking about these I feel bad but still cant help without my pack. Am struggling even when am smoking so one day if I can give up I would be better prepared for the anticipated struggles.
> Wish me some luck friends...


Good luck. I think the thing about giving up smoking is that you really need to be ready to give up and really want to. I had some half hearted attempts to quit in the past which always ended up with my starting again because i would stop for a wee while then have "just one" when i was out with friends. Ive realised that the addictive nature of nicotine means that its impossible to have "just one". I stopped "cold turkey" as they say, this time. I decided that it would be better to go through the withdrawel period and get it over with as opposed to using patches or gum and still feeding the nicotine addiction but via a different medium. I read the Alan Carr book "easyway to quit smoking" and its pretty good, its basic psychology really, but it actually helps because when you do feel cravings his words stick in your head. Anyway, again, good luck to you.
xxmer


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## BubbleButtBabe

After 35 years I have decided it is time for me to quit and quit for good. I have tried a thousand time before and only succeeded once when Misty was a baby,but went back after 9 months.I am a pack and a half a day smoker and have been for well over 30 years.

I bit the bullet and decided to use Chantix. Expensive but if it will help me stop then it was well worth the price. I decided to use it because it still lets you smoke as your body is getting use to stopping. I am on my second day but I can already tell the difference,I do not like the taste of the cigs I am smoking. I don't crave them like I did. There are some side effects that I could do without but if it works then I can muddle through. The headache and the nausea is what I am dealing with,but I keep drinking lots of water to help the nausea and the headache I am just dealing with..

So wish me luck and let's hope this works!


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## LillyBBBW

BubbleButtBabe said:


> After 35 years I have decided it is time for me to quit and quit for good. I have tried a thousand time before and only succeeded once when Misty was a baby,but went back after 9 months.I am a pack and a half a day smoker and have been for well over 30 years.
> 
> I bit the bullet and decided to use Chantix. Expensive but if it will help me stop then it was well worth the price. I decided to use it because it still lets you smoke as your body is getting use to stopping. I am on my second day but I can already tell the difference,I do not like the taste of the cigs I am smoking. I don't crave them like I did. There are some side effects that I could do without but if it works then I can muddle through. The headache and the nausea is what I am dealing with,but I keep drinking lots of water to help the nausea and the headache I am just dealing with..
> 
> So wish me luck and let's hope this works!



Good luck BBB. I used Welbutrin to quit. I've been smoke free for 4 years now.


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## BubbleButtBabe

Thank You Lilly..I am hoping I can say I have been smoke free for X amount of time soon!


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## ChubbyBlackSista

Proud of you Chico/Chica to be giving up Smoking don't worry you're going to beat this Nicotine Monster in the head


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## SparklingBBW

Keep on keepin on. I'm 7 months smoke free now and basically have done it one moment at a time, one day at a time for 210 days in a row [and used the patch (two months) and Wellbutrin (six months)]. 

I think I've turned a corner tho', this morning during a Bollywood-esque dream sequence, Sarah-Jessica-Parker attempted to pass a cig to me and even in that party, devil-may-care, dreamy-feeling state, I had the very cognitive thought, "One is too many" and then I passed it on to the kid/star of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" who was showing us how to dance. 

Positive vibes to everyone who needs them!

Gee


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## mergirl

Genarose54 said:


> Keep on keepin on. I'm 7 months smoke free now and basically have done it one moment at a time, one day at a time for 210 days in a row [and used the patch (two months) and Wellbutrin (six months)].
> 
> I think I've turned a corner tho', this morning during a Bollywood-esque dream sequence, Sarah-Jessica-Parker attempted to pass a cig to me and even in that party, devil-may-care, dreamy-feeling state, I had the very cognitive thought, "One is too many" and then I passed it on to the kid/star of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" who was showing us how to dance.
> 
> Positive vibes to everyone who needs them!
> 
> Gee


Well done! I have now quit for about 6 months. It is certainly easier than it first was. This time i stopped without using any n.r.t or anything because the last time i stopped i used patches and as soon as i stopped using them i started smoking again so this time i though..why bother. This is the longest i have ever stopped for and i really cant ever see myself going back to smoking again. I totally agree with "one is too much"..i could never just smoke one..i have no will power, so i just had to totally stop! I still get the odd craving usually if i have had a few drinks or if my friends are smoking or while i am studying. Which are all times i asociate with smoking.
Anyway, well done everyone.. You wont smell like shit anymore!!


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## BubbleButtBabe

Well I went back to smoking the night the tornado hit. I am determined to quit tho so it is time to go back to the Dr. and start from square one again. I will do this,come hell or high water I am will do it!!


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## VinnyPA

Keep trying to quit. It will be worth it when you do for good. For me, it has been 13 months. Yes, I'm fatter, but I feel better and I don't stink like I did before.


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## Butterbelly

As of 2/23/09, I have been smoke-free for a year. It's so well worth it. I smell, taste, everything so much better. And to top it off, I'm saving thousands of dollars a year and my lungs are thanking me


----------



## Paul

Congratulations. Keep it up. This is great news!


Butterbelly said:


> As of 2/23/09, I have been smoke-free for a year. It's so well worth it. I smell, taste, everything so much better. And to top it off, I'm saving thousands of dollars a year and my lungs are thanking me


----------



## BubbleButtBabe

Butterbelly said:


> As of 2/23/09, I have been smoke-free for a year. It's so well worth it. I smell, taste, everything so much better. And to top it off, I'm saving thousands of dollars a year and my lungs are thanking me




That is excellent.. Good for you!!!As soon as I get some free time, back to the Dr for me to get more help!


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## mergirl

Alrighty. I was just thinking there that its almost been a whole year since i quit smoking. I was wondering how the rest of you were getting on or if anyone else was in the midsts of quitting at the moment?
:happy:
I must say, i am pretty proud of myself and i can't imagine smoking again, even though if i am having drinks and friends are smoking i still think "Hmm..one wouldn't hurt", Then i remember all the times i tried to quit before and i resist. 
yay though..


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## LillyBBBW

I quit smoking some years ago but for some reason lately I've been having the urge to smoke again.


----------



## mergirl

LillyBBBW said:


> I quit smoking some years ago but for some reason lately I've been having the urge to smoke again.


Hmm.. its weird that. I can go for ages without even thinking about smoking and then i feel some urge. I think maby certain situations, smells, people trigger responses in the smoking part of our brain or something. 
Strange to have gone so long though and to get urges. I used to hate when people said to me stuff like "i've stopped for 10 years and still want to smoke" i though..this is going to be torture, but its not 'like you just quit urges'. If that went on for 10 years i would just smoke and be done with it!!


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## lypeaches

Damn Lilly....that sucks. 

OK, so I'm a new quitter. As of today, I'm 2 weeks in. Althought technically I'm not a "success" yet because it's still so new, I am going to jot down my method of quitting... simply because it's different than what others have posted, so someone might find it useful. And, it feels right this time. I know I'm going to make it. I did one other serious attempt at quitting before, using the patch, and like others, 3 weeks into it, started smoking again. (by the by, I enjoyed smoking, and smoked about a pack a day for about 25 years....sometimes a pack and a half). Couple things to note. People will say that you have to WANT to quit. I kinda got hung up on that because I didn't feel like I WANTED to quit. Still don't actually. I like it, despite a thousand reasons not to. So, I changed the wording. The key is, you have to CHOOSE to quit. Smoking is choice. Period. You choose to do it, or you choose not to. So, that being said, I realized that I'm not a person who does well with drastic changes. Gradual changes are easier for me. So I started cutting back about 3 months out. Every 10 days or so, I'd cut back by another cigarette/day. By doing this, I was able to get down to 10 cigarettes/ day, with relatively little discomfort. It does take diligence to do this, but the end result was worth it, in my opinion. Then I did a few days of...I'm not going to smoke after a certain time of day. And when cravings got hard on those days, I would pop in a Commit Lozenge. In this way, I kind of "practiced" quitting, and would congratulat myself on each small success. Then, when it got to the point that I was only smoking in the morning, using a lozenge later in the day...at that point I quit completely. And then I used the lozenges in a limited manner, only when absolutely needed. When cravings got bad, I did some form of exercise...yoga, walking, swimming, and Wii-tennis totally rocked. After 3 days, I was able to quit the lozenges too. 

So, I'm 2 weeks in, and I feel good. I won't lie, it's not always easy, BUT this time is light years better than the last time when I tried to quit "cold turkey with patch". That time I was so depressed and angry all the time. This time, I feel good, and positive. 

Anyway, that's my story.


----------



## LillyBBBW

mergirl said:


> Hmm.. its weird that. I can go for ages without even thinking about smoking and then i feel some urge. I think maby certain situations, smells, people trigger responses in the smoking part of our brain or something.
> Strange to have gone so long though and to get urges. I used to hate when people said to me stuff like "i've stopped for 10 years and still want to smoke" i though..this is going to be torture, but its not 'like you just quit urges'. If that went on for 10 years i would just smoke and be done with it!!



Yes I think this may always be an issue. Mind you, it is FAR and away not the same as being an addict. When I was an addict quitting was impossible. So much so that I will never start again simply because i don't want to have to quit again. What is triggering my new urges are a number of things: stress, anxiety, insecurity. I have been feeling SUPER insecure and needy lately for various reason and my memory stores are reaching for comfort relief the only way it remembers how. So the urge to go outside and light up is there but it is fairly easy to see it for what it is and resist. It is merely a curious feeling.


----------



## mergirl

lypeaches said:


> Damn Lilly....that sucks.
> 
> OK, so I'm a new quitter. As of today, I'm 2 weeks in. Althought technically I'm not a "success" yet because it's still so new, I am going to jot down my method of quitting... simply because it's different than what others have posted, so someone might find it useful. And, it feels right this time. I know I'm going to make it. I did one other serious attempt at quitting before, using the patch, and like others, 3 weeks into it, started smoking again. (by the by, I enjoyed smoking, and smoked about a pack a day for about 25 years....sometimes a pack and a half). Couple things to note. People will say that you have to WANT to quit. I kinda got hung up on that because I didn't feel like I WANTED to quit. Still don't actually. I like it, despite a thousand reasons not to. So, I changed the wording. The key is, you have to CHOOSE to quit. Smoking is choice. Period. You choose to do it, or you choose not to. So, that being said, I realized that I'm not a person who does well with drastic changes. Gradual changes are easier for me. So I started cutting back about 3 months out. Every 10 days or so, I'd cut back by another cigarette/day. By doing this, I was able to get down to 10 cigarettes/ day, with relatively little discomfort. It does take diligence to do this, but the end result was worth it, in my opinion. Then I did a few days of...I'm not going to smoke after a certain time of day. And when cravings got hard on those days, I would pop in a Commit Lozenge. In this way, I kind of "practiced" quitting, and would congratulat myself on each small success. Then, when it got to the point that I was only smoking in the morning, using a lozenge later in the day...at that point I quit completely. And then I used the lozenges in a limited manner, only when absolutely needed. When cravings got bad, I did some form of exercise...yoga, walking, swimming, and Wii-tennis totally rocked. After 3 days, I was able to quit the lozenges too.
> 
> So, I'm 2 weeks in, and I feel good. I won't lie, it's not always easy, BUT this time is light years better than the last time when I tried to quit "cold turkey with patch". That time I was so depressed and angry all the time. This time, I feel good, and positive.
> 
> Anyway, that's my story.



Good for you! I think its also important to find a way of quitting that suits you. Your way sounds great. Maby you should write a book!! Anyway, good luck. Keep us updated!!!:happy:


----------



## lypeaches

mergirl said:


> Good for you! I think its also important to find a way of quitting that suits you. Your way sounds great. Maby you should write a book!! Anyway, good luck. Keep us updated!!!:happy:



I thought I just did . 

Seriously...it made such a difference for me, the withdrawal symptoms were vastly reduced and much more manageable. 

Thanks for the support Mergirl, I appreciate it.


----------



## mergirl

LillyBBBW said:


> Yes I think this may always be an issue. Mind you, it is FAR and away not the same as being an addict. When I was an addict quitting was impossible. So much so that I will never start again simply because i don't want to have to quit again. What is triggering my new urges are a number of things: stress, anxiety, insecurity. I have been feeling SUPER insecure and needy lately for various reason and my memory stores are reaching for comfort relief the only way it remembers how. So the urge to go outside and light up is there but it is fairly easy to see it for what it is and resist. It is merely a curious feeling.



Yeah, i understand that. Its weird that our brains make that connection between being stressed and the old crutch we used to use. I'm with you on the not smoking cause the quitting is just so difficult. Sorry to hear you are going through stress and anxiety at the moment. I hope things sort themselves out. xx


----------



## LillyBBBW

mergirl said:


> Yeah, i understand that. Its weird that our brains make that connection between being stressed and the old crutch we used to use. I'm with you on the not smoking cause the quitting is just so difficult. Sorry to hear you are going through stress and anxiety at the moment. I hope things sort themselves out. xx



Me too Mer, thank you.


----------



## vardon_grip

To all who are trying to quit...stick with it and good luck. 

It has been 3 years since my last cigarette, but I am not completely smoke free. (Gosh, I feel like I'm at an 12 step meeting. "Hi, my name is Vardon, it's been 3 years since...)
I still enjoy the occasional cigar once every other month or go to a hookah bar with friends with the same frequency as the cigar smoking. I was worried that the cigar smoking would trigger my cigarette habit. It hasn't and I am lucky that it doesn't. It would really suck if I couldn't smoke a nice Cuban while playing a round of golf or check-raising a nut flush. 
I loved to smoke cigarettes. *sings* LOVED IT! I loved the smell of tobacco. I loved to cradle a Camel in my fingers. I loved to watch the tendrils of smoke rise in the air from the tip of my cigarette. A single malt in one hand, a Camel in the other and a huge, soft leather club chair was temporary heaven for me. I didn't do it to manage stress (very often) or reduce my hunger or because my parents did. (they didn't) I thought it was cool to smoke and I wanted to be as cool as the people I admired who smoked. I saw the old photos of Arnold Palmer in his prime and wanted to be like him. He was fierce with his cut pose; driver in his hand, wearing a form fitted polo, a cardigan and flat front chinos with a Lucky Strike dangling from his lip. Dino always shared a smoke with Johnny when he appeared on the Tonight show. James(Connery) Bond, the Rat Pack and Vegas baby, Vegas.

I know...this is support for quitting???!!

The reality collided with the fantasy when my father announced he had prostate cancer. 3/5 of the men on my fathers side have passed away from cancer and then my father was diagnosed with it...I realized that I had a genetic bullet with my name on it and that I was going to need very nimble toes to dodge it. (Note to self: Call Savion Glover) Smoking upped the odds that are already stacked against me. I had to quit and hated being a quitter. Damn you cancer, damn you. Hello, cold turkey...goodbye Camel. I do like the extra money available and I have always hated the stale smell in the car, home and on the breath and clothes. That smell always made me feel cheap. (I don't know another way to describe it) Oh, and yeah, I also like keeping life threatening diseases away from me as far as possible. Being alive to enjoy life is really cool to me now (With respect to messrs Palmer, Martin and Connery) and trying to emulate idols for the sake of coolness is wrong? I mean...WRONG! Dad's in remission after having radiation treatment and we both tempt fate whenever we sit down and enjoy a cigar together, but I do enjoy our time together and see it as essential to the quality of life. When we light up, I look at my cigar and I think of the Luther Ingram song "If Lovin' You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right"
It's so hard being right, but I continue trying.
Good luck to all of us.


----------



## lypeaches

Today is 4 weeks for me. Still waiting for those new taste sensations I'm supposed to get!


----------



## mergirl

lypeaches said:


> Today is 4 weeks for me. Still waiting for those new taste sensations I'm supposed to get!



Ahhh they will be coming soon! :eat2:
Good luck with your quitting..you are over the worst bit!


----------



## lypeaches

So, the Great American Smokeout is coming around again...figured it was a good time to revive the thread.

I still haven't smoked...quit in late July. It's getting a little annoying when people are...oh, good for you, don't you feel so much better? Well. No. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I finally quit, and have no plans of returning to it, I'm just mildly disappointed that I don't * feel *better for having quit. The only difference I've noticed is that my nose is somewhat clearer, and my wallet heavier . 

Anyway, I have a bunch of nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges left over...I'd be happy to mail them to anyone who wants them!


----------



## LillyBBBW

lypeaches said:


> So, the Great American Smokeout is coming around again...figured it was a good time to revive the thread.
> 
> I still haven't smoked...quit in late July. It's getting a little annoying when people are...oh, good for you, don't you feel so much better? Well. No. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I finally quit, and have no plans of returning to it, I'm just mildly disappointed that I don't * feel *better for having quit. The only difference I've noticed is that my nose is somewhat clearer, and my wallet heavier .
> 
> Anyway, I have a bunch of nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges left over...I'd be happy to mail them to anyone who wants them!



Yeah, I love the money. Smoking is an expensive habit now. If I still smoked, G-d forbid anyone should ask to bum a cigarette. It's not like the old days when another pack was 75 cents.


----------



## Bafta1

SweetSangria said:


> So, I finally did it. I quit smoking and as of today I'm 12 days smoke-free.
> 
> I was wondering if any of you have gone through this hellish process before, and if yes, how did you deal with the side effects of quitting?
> 
> So far I'm experiencing depression and grief. I know that it may sound crazy but I feel like I lost a dear friend and I miss this friend so very much. I'm also having headaches, and of course... I'm eating non-freaking-stop. I'm worried that if I continue to eat like I'm doing, I will seriously damage my health because I mostly eat junk food and I never seem to know when to stop. Before, I would smoke a cigarette at the end of each meal and that would send a signal to my brain, "eating time is over." Now that I don't smoke anymore....I keep going back to the kitchen every 20 minutes or something, it's like I can't register the fact that I did eat already and I don't need to eat anymore.
> 
> I want to live a long healthy life and I know that smoking is a lot more dangerous than overeating. Still, the thought of starting to smoke again just to control my appetite keeps crossing my mind. I know it's crazy... I just want to give up this bad habit without replacing it with another bad one.



I really wish you the best of luck! It is like losing a friend. Smoking is like being in an unhealthy relationship: you love it and hate it. You need it, and you know it's bad for you. I smoke too much, and I've tried quitting so many times. You feel like your missing something, like a leg or an arm. And the headaches! oy vey... And the depression!!!

Try Alan Carr's book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking. I know SOOOOOOO many people who swear by his method: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Carr

I haven't read it yet... Guess I'm not ready to bail out of my unhealthy, love-hate relationship yet...

GOOD LUCK SWEET SANGRIA


----------



## lypeaches

Bafta, I know exactly what you're talking about (missing something, angry, depressed). Just wanted to say...this time, instead of the usual cold turkey type quit, I tapered off very gradually.....reducing the number of cigarettes smoked every day slowly, stepping down 1 about every 10 days or so. Then when I got down to about 7 a day, then I quit...and I found that all the symptoms you mentioned, they were vastly reduced. It's still hard, but much easier than before. I wrote more about it previously in the thread.


----------



## mergirl

Oh yay! I like to look at this thread cause i can see that i have been stopped for over a year and feel much better than i did. More money, less smell, more breath.. tis a win win... I went 'cold turkey' but i read the Alan carr book a couple of times, which i think helped a bit. Good luck to everyone trying. x


----------



## Aliena

Well, I need to quit. However, at this time I feel totally out of control and quitting seems impossible. So much stress and anxiety is provoking my habit beyond control. (<---cop out most likely)
Considering the kind of cigarettes I like to smoke are no longer available in the US because they've been banned (cloves) I only have 1-carton to go through before it's all gone. Afterwards I'll have to make a decision as to whether I want to smoke the cigar form of this cigarette or quit. I tried the cigar form already and it's really, really stout and not something I can smoke. 

I have the gum sitting on me dresser and I stare at it everyday. I want to quit, because I am wanting to undergo an elective surgery. If I'm smoking, they won't let me have the surgery and I'll be S.O.L. 
I'm screaming for help in so many ways. I've never have felt so out of control in my life as I do right now. I've been out of control before, but I suppose I've never have acknowledged it before like I am now. 

Thanks for letting me share. By the way, in response to Lily, I did quit once. I was smoke free for over 5yrs, but the fall weather triggered me one year and I've been smoking again for around 2yrs now. So yeah, I hear you on being smoke free then all of the sudden the cravings come.


----------



## Bafta1

lypeaches said:


> Bafta, I know exactly what you're talking about (missing something, angry, depressed). Just wanted to say...this time, instead of the usual cold turkey type quit, I tapered off very gradually.....reducing the number of cigarettes smoked every day slowly, stepping down 1 about every 10 days or so. Then when I got down to about 7 a day, then I quit...and I found that all the symptoms you mentioned, they were vastly reduced. It's still hard, but much easier than before. I wrote more about it previously in the thread.



Thanks for the tip!!!


----------



## lypeaches

So how's everyone doing? It's been over a year, and I still haven't smoked....despite my SO restarting smoking 6 months in. I know how some ex-smokers can be totally hard core about the smell and such, but it really doesn't bother me.

Anyway, I still find it hard to JUST SIT and enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, but other than that it's smooth sailing. But I'm a little annoyed because I have not experienced all these wonderful benefits that were promised me if I quit. I don't feel any different, I don't have more enery, I can't taste any better. The only thing I can say is that my sinuses are marginally clearer? And on the downside, I now constantly crave sugar, and I've never been much of a dessert person. Agghh. 

Ah well, my pocketbook is heavier, and intellectually I *know* I'm better off health wise. It's just not the life changing event i was promised


----------



## CherryRVA

I recently quit. I started smoking when I was 13 and I first really tried to quit earlier this year, because my significant other had quit last year. I wanted to make him happy. Well, that didn't work out too well--of course never does when you try to do it for other people--because I was back to smoking by mid April. At that point, I was smoking, but at a reduced rate (only 10 a day instead of 20) and almost always at work.

In the meantime, I turned 33 (damn, 20 whole years of smoking!) and we had decided to move from Virginia to Washington state. He flat out stated that he would pay for everything else, but he will not pay for cigarettes (he had a job waiting for him, I haven't found one yet) and in Virginia I could get them for $3 a pack, in Washington it's $7.50!

So, all these things in mind, I quit. It sucks. I wish I could be more noble about my reasons for it (my health is better, he's not around my secondhand smoke, etc.), but the real reason is....I just don't have the damn money for it. I haven't noticed any change in my health. I've noticed the 5lbs I've gained, notice that a whole friggin lot. But we need the money.

I guess what bugs me is how much things have come to a screeching halt. I spent the past 16 years in a career...8 to 5, Mon to Friday sorta job. I quit this damn job because I think he's special. I quit the damn job cause I needed a change. I spent most my time not wanting to be alone (which I get a whole lot of now cause he works nights and sleeps days and I have no friends or family here). It was public school, then career, then college (nights), and work and work and work. And the time not at work, well, I could always smoke.

I smoke if I am bored, I smoke if I want to be alone, I smoke if I want to be part of a group, I smoke if I am angry or sad. I smoke if I don't want to be alone.

So basically, it is a daily fight for me not to smoke at the moment. Cause basically I have gone from a girl who was always preoccupied with something, a girl who went out with friends, a girl who was very social, a girl who had shit going on, a girl with a $40,000 a year job & health care insurance....to a girl who is the new girl on the block. A girl with prospects, but no job yet. A girl with a guy, but none of my friends or family around. And the thing that gets me is....I wish, I wish.....I wish I could have a smoke. I wish I could have it to cope with the loneliness, to cope with the change. Something familiar in the land of the strange. From the Capital of the South to the Pacific Northwest...that's a damn change if ever there was one.

But it's only been a month and a half now, it's only been almost a month since I moved here. I fight. I fight everyday because I know that if I go back to smoking, for whatever reason---boredom, loneliness, insecurity, whatever--I might not ever stop. And I hate the way my dad sounds when he coughs. He has smoked for over 35 years. I don't want to sound like that. Now is the time that I get a rare chance....a chance to change me, a clean slate, a fresh start. I at least owe it to myself to give it every effort I can, every effort it deserves.


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## lypeaches

Wow Cherryrva, I feel for you. Moving is stressful enough, let alone quitting smoking while moving. I've lived in Washington state, now in New York state, so I feel for you on the completely different vibe.

So, having made several big moves in my life, I'll tell you that the first month pretty much always sucks big time, bit it does get better. It generally takes about a year to settle in. For me, it kinda helps to know that up front. I'm sorry it's so tough for you on pretty much all levels. It WILL get better. I would say that an important thing for you will be "distraction". You need to find something to do to keep you from dwelling too much on all that is not the way you want it to be. Exercise, volunteering for charity work, playing some video games, baking, playing the guitar, painting, sewing, whatever it takes to just keep yourself occupied and distracted. 

You can always vent here, too


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## Miss Vickie

Cherry, it sounds like you've given up a lot. Career, home, smoking, and have added the stress of a big move. I'm not surprised you want to smoke! I'm also impressed that you haven't so far, even if your motives aren't the traditional ones of better health.

Is there any way you can occupy your time with something else, until you find paying work? Maybe volunteer at a vet clinic? Walking dogs? Holding crack addicted newborns in a hospital NICU? Reading to old people? Feeding the homeless at a shelter? That way you'll have less time to focus on smoking, and you'll get to make some friends in your new community. 

In the meantime, I'm so proud of you for not smoking. I know it's very hard to stop, and stay stopped, but every day you're smoke free is a vacation for your lungs. And while you're not seeing the results yet, in terms of your health, you will see them long term. It takes awhile for the damage that smoking does to be repaired, so the longer you go smoke free the more time your body will have to heal. Plus, once you do find work, you'll have less money spent on cigarettes and more money spent on YOU!


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## olwen

Cherry, sorry you are having a tough time. Hang in there.

Have you tried tea tree Cinnamon toothpicks? Those really helped me a while ago when I tried to quit. I was good for a couple of months but then stress (which is my trigger) took over and I started smoking again. When I am ready to quit again I will get some of those toothpicks. They gave me the feeling of holding something and the tingle gives you some kind of distraction. They were about $4 from whole foods.


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## wrenchboy

I smoked for about 10 years but quit 20 something years ago. I still list quitting as one of my proudest and most difficult achievements. 
The one thing that helped me the most to quit smoking can work with just about anything you try to decide on to do or not do. Make a list. You can make that list as long as you want. Reasons to smoke. Reasons to quit.Then make your decision. Review to the list often. Highlight or circle or put a star , whatever you want, by the most important things. Keep that list handy in your purse or wallet. Do I want to smoke? Or do I want more money, no more burn holes in the upholstery, better health, whatever your reasons.
This works with anything you choose in life from which way you take to go to work to what you have for dinner.
I wish you well in your attempt at removing yourself from that powerful addiction. In the end you will be glad you did.


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## Ohio Lady

I smoked 5 years, inhaled second hand smoke all my life when I lived with dad and mom, and anytime I went to visit them.. I quit smoking on Jan. 1, 2001, my mom passed away on Jan. 22, 2001 and it was so hard not to go back but I am so glad I didn't.. been smoke free ever since and don't regret it. I can't stand to be around cigarette smoke at all now, it makes me very sick at my stomach.. plus I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease from it all which requires oxygen from time to time.. I truly wish now I had never seen a cigarette in my life..


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## Deacone

I've been smoking since I was 16. I'm now 24. I did manage to stop for a brief 7 month period but the stress of organising my own wedding did me in and I was back to the cigarettes. It doesn't help that ALL my friends smoke, and I don't drink anyway - so when I'm out with them and we're sat outside at the pub I'm surrounded by these reminders that i should light up.


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## wrenchboy

Whenever I drank alcohol and had a smoke I would get very sick. So I suppose I am lucky that going out drinking was not a temptation to light up when I was at a drunken weakness and trying to quit.


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## one2one

It's been five months since I went nicotine free, and while I can't honestly say I'm happy about it, I'm holding the line. One craving at a time.


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## LumpySmile

Old thread, I know, but I searched it out and read the whole thing looking for good advice and was really glad to find it. 

I smoked a little as a young teen, but once I could buy my own I was a smoker for 10 years. I was up to 2 packs a day when I quit. I did it cold turkey, with the idea that patches or gum would just be trading one addiction for the other. 

I quit for the money, plain and simple. I made the choice at work one day when I knew a layoff was coming soon. I knew I couldn't afford to feed a 2 pack habit without a decent job and who knew how long it would take to replace it? So I stubbed out my last smoke, gave the rest of my carton away, and never had one again. And it was rough, I'm not going to lie. I tried sunflower seeds, but they just really tore up my tongue. Cinnamon Altoids really helped... I'd put one or three on my tongue and just let it dissolve... The burn was reminiscent of the hot smoke in my mouth, and that really helped me. 

The first few months were the worst, especially since my GF at the time was still smoking. After those first few months tho, I found _guilt_ was really a motivator in such an _odd_ way. I remember having STRONG cravings and thinking I really wanted a smoke, but then I'd think, "It's been _this_ long... What a _shame_ it would be to have one now..." and I got through a lot of cravings that way. One night I dreamed I had a cigarette tho, and to this day I'm not sure if it was a dream or if I got up in the night and smoked one of the GF's. The next morning I felt SO guilty... But in the end I'm deciding it was a dream (which it most probably was) and I refuse to let my subconscious mind (which I have no control over) play guilt trips on me.

In January it will have been 12 years since I quit. I've had slight cravings here and there over the years. Like after a fine meal, or driving to work... Certain weather will bring on a slight craving. It's a lot like those feelings certain old songs on the radio provoke sometimes... More a memory than anything else.

But lately, I've had some cravings a lot stronger than I've had in years... Part of it is stress, I'm sure. Got some family drama going on. Also, my father and stepmother are visiting and staying at my house. Don't get me wrong, I love them to death, but they're in my _space_... And they smoke. Not in the house, but it's there...

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only reformed smoker who still has cravings so long after quitting. I'm definitely going to try the cinnamon sticks.


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## LumpySmile

Cinnamon Altoids still work! Went through 2 boxes of them this month, but still smoke free. Dad and Stepmom went home and apparently my cravings left with them, thank goodness.


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## one2one

I've made it just over a year, completely nicotine free!


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## LillyBBBW

one2one said:


> I've made it just over a year, completely nicotine free!


 
CONGRATULATIONS!! That is wonderful news!


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## Tad

one2one said:


> I've made it just over a year, completely nicotine free!



Woohoo -- go you!


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## Tubbyduck

Well I'm smoke free (again), for just over 2 months now. It's my second time quitting, kinda had a relapse after 1 year of not smoking. Hopefully that wont happen this time. I'm using the same things I did before, patches and the gums. I don't mind the taste of the gums, some people find them horrible though, especially if I pass them out like candies to those smokers that want to try them lol. That doesn't happen a lot to be honest. 

I really crave a smoke in the morning still, just when I got to stick my patch on, but the gums give my mouth something to do, so it's not too bad once I have one and the patch kicks in. Just stay positive I say, health is going to be better when it's all done.


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## pagan22

Congrats on quitting. I'm a trucker and I quit cold turkey over a year and a half ago. I was driving down the road when I realized it wasn't fun anymore and I didn't enjoy it. I threw out my lighters and 2 new packs and never looked back. 

I suffered two major cravings and replaced it with bubble gum. I went through some major personal crap a few days ago and had my first real craving then, but I didn't cave in. I've come too far. 

Best of luck to all who are trying to quit. One thing Iearned is that you can't quit until you've made your mind up to do so.


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