How to quit smoking??
sflano1783
Posts: 117 Member
Iv tried everything patches,gums sprays and therapy its ahabit I got into and no way out plus its bordom aswell that drives me to smoke I have to be doing something.
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Replies
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My husband quit when his vascular surgeon told him, after having a stent put in his brachial artery, "if you don't quit smoking you'll be back here in 8 months for bypass surgery." He chewed nicotine gum for a year, now just chews sugarless gum. It's been 6 years.2
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My husband quit when his vascular surgeon told him, after having a stent put in his brachial artery, "if you don't quit smoking you'll be back here in 8 months for bypass surgery." He chewed nicotine gum for a year, now just chews sugarless gum. It's been 6 years.
It doesn't scare me0 -
I quit cold turkey 30 years ago. First week was miserable but it gets easier day by day.4
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L1zardQueen wrote: »I quit cold turkey 30 years ago. First week was miserable but it gets easier day by day.
Cool fair play☺👍0 -
I quit one day to support my boyfriend at the time. He decided one day out of the blue to quit. We had a bet on who would start again first. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of winning. I actually broke first during our break up. I only had a couple, he's back smoking regularly. It's been over 9 years now.
There are a lot of different strategies to try, with some being more effective than others. Some say setting a quit date and having supports in place such as gum or patches, someone to call (several places now have tobacco support lines). Have things you can do as a replacement. I found the hardest times were when I would normally have one (long drives, TV commercials, talking on the phone). Find something else to keep your hands and mouth busy during that time.
For me, it was just purely being stubborn. I found that the first 3 days are the worst for nicotine withdrawal, and then after that it was primarily the habits. Keep trying, that's the important part.3 -
I quit two weeks ago, using patches and gum. There were a few hellish days early on (Day 3, it's always Day 3), but once you get through that it gets a whole lot easier.
For me it was a 'needs must'. Quite aside from all the other health risks, it was making my allergies about a thousand times worse. Even more so than I thought. Those first few days I got through by reminding myself that I could already breathe properly again, didn't have the annoying tickle/cough anymore, and if I wanted it to stay that way I had to suck it up.
Best thing about nicotine gum - you can get your nic hit anywhere
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Go to the cancer centre and meet people with head and neck cancer who have had their tongues cut out, lost their voice boxes or had their faces terribly disfigured. Or meet some lung cancer patients who are desperately gasping for air, who can’t breathe well enough to get out of bed. Maybe that will scare you - maybe not. Smoking is a powerful addiction and provides an antidepressant effect as well as a coping strategy for stress. I wish you well.6
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I stopped several times, over many years, because of going into the military, being pregnant. Then I actually happened to get really sick for a week or two, and couldn't even get up to smoke (probably the flu). So I figured why not.. I'm already past the initial withdrawal point. Plus I had kids who I should set a better example for.
Having others around who also don't smoke helps.
You also have to be ready, and really want to. The association smoking has with other activities we do is what needs the rewiring. Like driving, coffee time, after a meal, etc..
It would be beneficial if we could all put ourselves in a situation where we couldn't smoke for the initial withdrawl. Then after that.. it does get easier. The severity of the urges do pass as you refocus on other things besides smoking.
If it's not health risks that motivate, perhaps saving some money, or not letting something control you, smelling better?
Hope you find a reason to and something that works!3 -
I stopped cold turkey after 20 years of heavy smoking. I used the videos of a guy on Youtube to help me. If it wasn't for these videos I'd never stopped because I had countless fail attempts including patches, vaping, gums, inhalators etc. I used to smoke 2 packs a day.
His name is Joel Spitzer, look his channel up on Youtube.
I've been nicotine free for more than 3 years and I don't crave it any more.
This guy has videos for every day during your first week which is when you get detoxed from the nicotine and is hardest. I owe him my life.3 -
sflano1783 wrote: »My husband quit when his vascular surgeon told him, after having a stent put in his brachial artery, "if you don't quit smoking you'll be back here in 8 months for bypass surgery." He chewed nicotine gum for a year, now just chews sugarless gum. It's been 6 years.
It doesn't scare me
How about vanity reasons?
Or do you got anyone who looks up to you?0 -
I am a smoker and I know where you are coming from. Sadly my mum who is very elderly is ill and may not have much longer and I am under tremendous stress at the moment so not in a good headspace to quit.
I did quit for 2 years prior to mum getting ill. I used an Ecig to get over the worst and quite quickly found myself using the Ecig less and less.
There are two parts to quitting the first part of it is getting over the physical addiction to the nicotine but that soon passes.
The second part are the habits built around smoking. I found those the hardest to break. I would always have one first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee, always after I had done some chore, always after a meal, always when out socialising, more so as my best friend smokes and it has become part of our ritual when going out.
But the first step is to stop buying them you can't smoke what you don't have.
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1-800-QUIT NOW0
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Have your last cigarette on a Friday night. Gear up for a couple of weeks beforehand, smoking normally.
Prepare yourself for a really crappy Saturday. Get yourself some sleeping tablets for Saturday night.
On Saturday, instead of getting up for a cigarette every half an hour, get up and do some housework each time you have a craving.
Come Sunday, the worst is over, and the day won't be as bad.
Saturday will have been easier in comparison than what you were dreading. You've probably got through plenty of bad days. If you know one is coming, that helps a lot.
Just do it, and get the one crappy day over with.1 -
sflano1783 wrote: »My husband quit when his vascular surgeon told him, after having a stent put in his brachial artery, "if you don't quit smoking you'll be back here in 8 months for bypass surgery." He chewed nicotine gum for a year, now just chews sugarless gum. It's been 6 years.
It doesn't scare me
It should. We didn't have insurance enough to cover his procedures so just the dollar cost of not quitting should scare you. If that doesn't scare you, we're sitting here all these years later doing tests to determine what his causing his chronic cough and shortness of breath. COPD and/or heart issues. So unless you really want to die prematurely....you'll find a way.0 -
I smoked for over 40 years and was smoking 3 packs a day.
I started vaping and spent 6 months slowly smoking less and vaping more. Now I just vape and have not smoked a cigarette in about 2 years. I started with the strongest nicotine strength (24), and have slowly cut that in half. Even though nicotine in and of itself is only about as harmful as caffeine, it is still very addictive.
It's the 4,000+ carcinogens in burning tobacco that are harmful, and although one study found minute traces of a couple carcinogens in an e-liquid that they tested, it was thousands of times less than the same 2 carcinogens found in a cigarette.
Many doctors are recommending them as an alternative to cigarettes for patients who can not quit smoking any other way, and my doctor gives free samples to patients for that reason.
I think the current research is showing vaping to be 95% less harmful than smoking.
I would only recommend vaping to someone who cannot quit smoking any other way, and would not recommend it for any other reason than that.
I recommend doing some research yourself, and don't believe a lot of that crap you see on the news, but there are things you should know by doing research.
I do at least 1 activity every day. 7 days a week. Which include running, power walking, cycling, high intensity intervals, kayaking, and occasional strength training. My heart and lungs feel great, and my last stress test I was told my heart is very strong with no issues.
i'm 61 years old too.7 -
Yep! I did it 4.5 years ago, and that weekend, I did & put away 7 loads of washing amongst many other household chores. So much spring cleaning! And a new me!!5 -
I quit a two pack a day habit cold turkey about 12 years ago. I read the first 4 Harry Potter books in 7 days. The big hard cover copies that I needed two hands to hold. And I didn't talk to anyone. After a week I was good. Some people didn't believe I was done, but I knew I was over it.8
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just stop ..... easy as that14
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just stop ..... easy as that
You know I told my husband that all the time when I was a non smoker. Now I’m a smoker and I’m like this *kitten* is harder than I thought.
I have no answers. I wish I did for you. I did go two weeks forced quitting because of vanity when I had stitches and a broken bone in my face. I like my face. They said it would affect healing...I wasn’t about to look crazy. So I quit for two weeks and shouldn’t have started again. So I’m going to start again within the next two days. I have to. Plus I just started running again. It’s amazing how much it affects your lung capacity. I find it insane that I go to the gym and smoke right after. Who does that?
With all that being said. Good luck.
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Ugh I'm with you although I have quit at least 15 times sometimes for years.I read The Easy Way by Carr last time and it was the easiest time. I need to read it again lol. Been procrastinating but I really can't afford to wait any longer. I feel how badly it's affecting my health and I just want to be done for good.2
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Never tried to stop once in 28 years, was a chain smoker. Now I vape I started at a higher nicotine and quickly moved to 0% nicotine. I think it’s so much easier now as you don’t really smell smoke everywhere. On occasion I still miss it but it’s a memory triggered when I walk past someone smoking and smell it. Vaping has worked wonders for me, on the plus side my resting heart rate is now really low and my fitness and wallet have greatly improved. Just wish I’d done it years earlier always assumed I would never be able to give up.
Good luck1 -
Check out whyquit.com2
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L1zardQueen wrote: »
Mmm, I'm thinking non-smoker. No ex-smoker should be able to say this. I went through hell personally.4 -
I went slowly cold turkey, tapering off my last carton and only smoking when I felt I needed it rather than as something to do. It's hard, no lie. Only way I've been able to stay stopped is because a carton of cigarettes costs $125 in my province. Oh for the days of $2 name brand packs!
If you want to stop smoking, you will. I've not had one for 13 years, though if I smell tobacco smoke, I WILL stop and inhale.1 -
Healing is a thing that drove it home for me. I had 2 fractured heel bones for months that wouldn’t heal. I had a lot of stress trying not to think if I would ever walk again. It wasn’t the first time quitting but the rapid improvement of my condition within the weeks and months after quitting made it the last time in my mind. I enjoyed smoking a lot. It helped me cope with many things. But coping is immaterial when you can’t live your life without pain, without a wheelchair. Surprisingly the most helpful thing I did for myself was start knitting again. It kept my hands busy. Nicotine gum was a good tool too. I second the vaping endorsement. My dad couldn’t quit the lifelong cigarette habit any other way. I believe it’s saving his life currently. Good luck!0
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