I cant quit smoking!!! Help!!!!
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I smoked for well over 20 years, This June will be 2 years, I used Chantix for 3 months and chewed alot of sugar free gum. Over the course of the 1st year, I put on 30 of the 60+ pounds I had loss, which I have recently gotten off and feel GREAT!!!
When your mind is ready to do it for you, you will, be mentally ready for the cravings, possible weight gain, moodiness...etc etc......
Hows the saying go "If you dont plan then you plan to fail" So plan and you will succed
Good Luck!
Smoke Free feels Awesome!!0 -
The only thing that worked for me was the e-cig. The flavors are awesome and with different nicotine levels you can wean yourself off.
That's what worked for me too.0 -
I quit about 10 years ago. It was driving me crazy with the stink, the expense and diminished lung capacity for my sport. I HATED it! I was also addicted. So I quit by inconveniencing myself and self-hypnosis. I would only buy cigs one pack at a time and couldn't get a pack unless I was totally out and "joansing" . I got a bit crazy, aggressive and had to up my workout to control my temper by burning off adrenaline from withdrawal. My poor DH and kids! I would meditate 1 hour a night by candle light on how much I hated cigs even while going into withdrawal for one. It took 3 months. I stopped actually smoking 1 month in. It sucked! Good luck!0
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me too - used a Jac vapour e-cig for about 6 months regularly, then occasionally - now I don't use it any more - 18months sinc my last cigarette and no problem.The only thing that worked for me was the e-cig. The flavors are awesome and with different nicotine levels you can wean yourself off.
worked for me as well.0 -
Be careful if you decide to go the Chantix route.
It changed my whole personality and I was not even aware of it.
Learned this thru husband and a good friend.
It probably works well for many , but not for me.
Chantix actually did work for me. But not everyone's personality will be affected. The drug's side affects are different for everyone. For me I was the same personality wise. I just had some wicked -wicked dreams. Not scary or nightmarish just weird to the point that I knew that what I was dreaming was impossible and usually laughed at what I was seeing. I woke up countless times laughing my head off.
I use to smoke 1 pk a day in addition to chewing. Both very bad habits. But the key to it not matter what route you take is that you HAVE to WANT to quit. Until then you have a 50/50 chance of being successful. For me, I was tired of it all. The expense, the side affects and everything else that comes along with it. So I made up my mind that I was going to quit, set a date and stuck with it. I used Chantix and got through the first month and a half then was able to put it all down. That was 4.5 years ago and have not looked back since. To this day, I still do not have the urge to smoke or chew.0 -
how much do you want to quit? If you really wanted to quit, you would.
The only success stories ive heard of people quitting are the ones that really really want to quit
The last time I quit, it wasn't because I wanted to. I was being supportive of my boyfriend (at the time) and I didn't believe he would do it. We had a bet that the first one to smoke would pay the other $20. I was too stubborn to pay, so I quit. That was over three years ago. He has started again, I have not.
OP, it is a really difficult thing to do. I am a bear for the first three days, then it is a matter of finding a way to fill the space when you used to commonly smoke. My triggers were television commercials, talking on the phone, breaks at work, and long road trips. It takes time to replace those feelings of "I should have a smoke" with something else. You can do it. It won't be easy, but you can do it. :flowerforyou:0 -
Lots of great advice! One thing that really was hard for me was NOT smoking on the weekends. Pick up a new hobby or pick up an old one. I'm cross stitching again. It really helps to keep my hands and mind busy.
I walk on my breaks, work out at lunch and just try to stay as busy as possible to avoid any temptations.
If you slip up - do NOT beat yourself up. Throw your cigarettes away, get back up and try again.
There are a TON of apps out there you can download that can help you track how many days you've been smoke free.
I would suggest reading Allan Carr's Easy way to quit smoking. Every time I back slide, I reread the book. It really does help.
As someone reminded me - tobacco is so ingrained in everything we do, it takes time to change that behavior. Good luck!0 -
Vapor worked for me. Now I occosionally ingulge on one here and there (usually with an adult beverage at a softball game) it was the best thing I could do! For me I really didn't WANT to quit, I liked it, but I knew for my health and wallet's sake I needed to. There's tons of flavors and different levels to accomidate all types. Plus it's cheap...like way cheaper!0
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Wow! So many replies and awesome tips and advice! Thank you all very much for sharing. Since this was originally posted, I set a quit date of May 12, 2014 (today) Im wearing the patch and I also invested in an e-cig. Hopefully I will do this. I feel horrible though, never really thought about what a horrible addiction this is. Just gotta keep it moving!!!0
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Ecig worked for me for the past 10 months and counting.0
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My best advice for you is to use NRT that is right for you...... NRT patch if you use tobacco a lot during the day (chain), NRT gum if you don't like having a constant "stream" of nicotine delivered to you (and the dosages on that depends as well), and the NRT gum is about the same as the gum. For both you use it and park it between your tongue and your cheek after you feel the tingling sensation from it.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, eat salads and "clean eating", stay away from trigger foods, go and take a walk after meals if you smoke afterwards, Cut straws to the length of a cigarette and/or Twizzlers if missing the "hand to mouth" action/habit, chew on ice, gum, lozenges, fruit leather, sunflower seeds to help distract yourself.
Have a support system in place... this is someone who you can call when you are having a craving or your irritable, walks help, yoga helps, something that makes you calmer.
Write down your goals, have someone help you stick to those goals.... my suggestion is to make it a game, because we can get competitive in nature. Set your quit date and QUIT ON THAT DAY! Don't forget to tell yourself and keep in positive thoughts as well. I wrote notes to myself from the past to the future saying like "You can do it" "dont' give up" or something else along those lines.
Oh and change up your habits like if you smoke when your in your house or driving, change it up and take a different route, make rules.
That's my best advice for you
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You'll quit when it's important enough for you to do it.I am really struggling with quitting smoking! I try time and time again but its so hard for me! Im so weak when it comes to this. Has anyone overcome this? If so, do u have any good tips for me?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Talk to your doctor about it, ask if they can prescribe you Chantix.0
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The only thing that worked for me was the e-cig. The flavors are awesome and with different nicotine levels you can wean yourself off.
Ecigs worked for me - took about 6 months with no deprivation or withdrawal - I did a lot of research on the different brands online and opted for a mid price range one with trusted refills and with a variety of nicotene levels so I could reduce to 0 over time if I wanted to. You feel a little silly at first but it was great! I would never have doe it had I gone cold turkey. Haven't had a real cig in 18 months or used by Ecig in nearly 12. I didn't put on more weight as a result either
Good luck - it is well worth doing0 -
I quit smoking a few years ago, right on the first attempt. One day, I was ready for it so I stopped overnight. I didn't smoke a lot (maybe 1/2 pack of Captain Black-style cigars per day max) so I guess I wasn't as addicted as much as others.
For me, what worked was distraction. You feel like smoking? Go for a walk, get a coffee, drink water, call your significant other, read the news, open TV, go to sleep... It worked for me 0 -
You have to decide you're going to. Do or do not, there is no try. Don't approach it as something you can fail at - it has to be an absolute.
On the 20th it will be 7 months since I quit (the first time I tried), after 20 years of smoking.
You CAN do it.0 -
My dad died in horrendous pain from lung cancer. Those awful commercials showing an old man are exactly what he looked like, until he got worse, and chemo. My two brothers and two sisters still smoke, it didn't seem to connect for them.
If there is anyone who loves you at all, think of them when you quit.0 -
I quit after a 20 year habit. It took me to see a parent die from it before I was ready, I guess once you see the end of the road its easy to tell yourself i'd rather live than die.0
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It a lot of Dum Dum suckers and chew gum on my end. Even after I quit, I would still sneak one here and there, especially if I was around people who smoked. It wasn't until I hit 30 that I complete quit.0
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Read Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking"
Just google it and the second or third link should be a PDF to the whole book.
I smoked pretty heavily for 5 years and stopped from one day to the next, no problem.
I know the book sounds cheesy, but it really is amazing. And no I'm not trying to sell it to you, the authours dead anyways (from lung cancer) so he probably doesn't care.
Anyways, I haven't smoked (or felt like smoking) in 3months now, and what's even better is that I know I won't smoke again. I don't have to live in fear of maybe becoming tempted and hooked again.
I would say good luck, but believe me, once you read the book you'll realize you don't need luck!!0 -
Wow! So many replies and awesome tips and advice! Thank you all very much for sharing. Since this was originally posted, I set a quit date of May 12, 2014 (today) Im wearing the patch and I also invested in an e-cig. Hopefully I will do this. I feel horrible though, never really thought about what a horrible addiction this is. Just gotta keep it moving!!!
Just an FYI (in case you feel like the e-cig doesn't help)...most people find the vaporizers where you refill the liquid far superior to the e-cigs that look like cigarettes and you put new cartridges in. And go into an actual e-cig store and try out liquids if you haven't already...the stuff they sell at gas stations is usually awful.0 -
You can do it! I was a pack a day smoker, for about 8-9 years, and I was able to quit by using nicotine gum, cinnamon tooth picks, and putty... Random, I know. The gum did wonders since after a while, it would get funky in my mouth after a while, but it helped with the cravings.
Depending on your insurance, you might have a smoking cessation program that can give you access to a toll free quit line, and even free supplies of the patch.
I don't know about anyone else, but quitting has been awesome. My feet no longer turn purple or feel like ice cubes! I can smell again! Working out is much easier! And I don't have that gross, icky cough in the morning.
YOU CAN DO IT!!! I'm going to sprinkle some optimism your way! :flowerforyou:0 -
Read Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking"
Just google it and the second or third link should be a PDF to the whole book.
I smoked pretty heavily for 5 years and stopped from one day to the next, no problem.
I know the book sounds cheesy, but it really is amazing. And no I'm not trying to sell it to you, the authours dead anyways (from lung cancer) so he probably doesn't care.
Anyways, I haven't smoked (or felt like smoking) in 3months now, and what's even better is that I know I won't smoke again. I don't have to live in fear of maybe becoming tempted and hooked again.
I would say good luck, but believe me, once you read the book you'll realize you don't need luck!!
I second reading the book. He changes your mentality when it comes to quitting. Rather than giving something up and creating a "void", you're gaining control back over your life and not a slave to your addiction.0 -
I quit (for good, cold turkey) in 2004, after trying for the 5 years prior to that various things that failed, zyban (gave me hives), nicotine patches, lozenges and gum which I got addicted to so although they worked if I stopped using them I just smoked again, very low nicotine cigarettes, etc. None of it worked. I had been a smoker for 25 years.
Here is how I did it, I spent about a month doing a meditation every night, I would just lie down and get really, really relaxed. Then I would picture myself as a non-smoker, and doing all the things I would do, how my life would be and I had a "script" I said to myself, not that I had it memorized, but roughly I told myself things like "You are a happy, healthy non-smoker." The one caveat is that nothing in my "script" was negative, i.e., "You don't crave those nasty tar and nicotine sticks anymore", or "You are an ex-smoker" (never said that, told myself you are a non-smoker).
After about a month of that, maybe 5 weeks, one day I ran out of cigarettes and just stopped, never bought another pack. I do not want them, I do not need them, and I do not crave them at all. I am a happy, healthy non-smoker, for the past 10 years and for the rest of my life.0 -
In the movie "Dead Again" Kenneth Branagh plays a guy trying to quit smoking. His friend tells him, "Decide whether you're a smoker or a nonsmoker and BE that." From a review: "....it's all pretty forgettable stuff save for one haunting scene featuring Andy Garcia, who plays newspaper reporter Gray Baker. Garcia's character straddles two eras: When we first meet him, he's a dapper chain-smoker, a Bogart-like man of his time. Flash-forward 50 years, and Baker is in a rest home, crippled by cancer of the larynx. A nurse admonishes Branagh before allowing him into the room for a visit, saying, "Whatever you do, don't let him smoke." Naturally, Garcia—underneath ridiculous layers of latex, and speaking through a voice box—immediately demands a cigarette. Branagh reluctantly obliges, then looks on in horror as Garcia takes a satisfied drag—through his tracheotomy hole. Then he passes the pack back to Branagh, who recoils, saying, "I just quit." You and half the audience." Does that help???:flowerforyou:0
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I quit using the patches and my husband quit by using the gum. You have to want to and you have to find what works for you. We both quit on New Years eve together 10 years ago. It was the hardest thing I think I've ever done. I smoked from the time I was 13 until I was 33, when I quit I was up to 3 packs a day. I didn't really even consider myself quit until the first year with no cigarette, I wanted one every day, sometimes many many times a day. I sometimes would even drive to the store to buy some and actually made myself leave, just like many other people commented here you have to busy yourself with something else until the urge passes, it will pass...until the next urge. Remember all the reasons you want to quit and then call a friend, go for a walk, drink some water, get down and do some pushups. I wanted to smoke all the time, at different times for different reasons, habit, boredom, taking on the phone, when I was mad...etc. You'll have to work on doing different things at those times instead, like in the car I would want to smoke so I would drink my water or eat carrots instead, when I was mad I would go for a quick walk or run. Take one day at a time...and the time will pass...just don't smoke! and the days will turn to weeks and then to months and then to years...it will get easier. I would be lying if I said 10 years later there wasn't the rare times that smelling a cigarette doesn't spark that urge to want to smoke one, or if sometimes it doesn't sound good, but I still remember my why and I just don't smoke...and the urge will pass and the time I've been a non-smoker adds up. You can do it.0
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You can do this! It took me a number of years to quit before I was finally successful (going on 7 years now). The first thing I need to say is, never stop trying to quit. once you realize that you want to quit, it is only a matter of time before you find the right combination of tools and tricks to help you succeed.
So what did it for me? There were a couple of key factors that helped me succeed.
1. I needed a reason to quit that was compelling enough to beat out my desire to smoke. My son was born about 2 years before I quit. I found myself conflicted about the health affects of smoking, because I realized that I wanted to be around for him when he got older. I wanted to see him grow up, succeed in life, and be in his life for as long as I possibly could. I realized that my smoking was selfish, and that it could lead to pain in his life if it caused me to die early in life. So I found a reason.
2. I got support. Maine has a smoking cessation hotline, that if you call, will check-in with you to see how you are doing. I found that the simple act of talking with a stranger about the difficulties in quitting, and getting their assurance that I could beat this addiction did help.
3. I challenged myself: I made a personal challenge to get through the first week. When I got there, I challenged myself to 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 months, and eventually lost track of how long it had been. I did not make it too much of a point to mark a specific date on the calendar as the day i had quit, because I thought that it would add too much significance to it for me, I wanted rather to let the whole thing just become part of my past.
I went from a pack a day for 10 years to cold turkey, and have not had a cigarette since. You can do this!!!!0 -
practice quitting and one day you will.
smoke free for 5 years I can run a 5-K in 27:30
Good luck0 -
Lots of good advice on here. I can only add my own experience. After many failed attempts, I finally quit successfully on May 19, 1999.
1. I tried to quit lots of times before it stuck. I had a weird asthma event that left me gasping on the sidewalk, thinking I was going to collapse. Scared the **** out of me. After that it stuck. (I had had allergy-induced asthma as a kid, but this was far worse.)
2. I avoided smoking friends for awhile. I told them the only place I could see them was at the gym.
3. I quit going to bars and restaurants (you could still smoke in those places back then.)
4. I quit drinking alcohol for awhile.
5. I cut a plastic drinking straw to the length of a cigarette and when I got really desperate I would hold it like a cigarette, put it to my lips, "inhale," etc. I looked like an idiot but it helped.
6. I married an avid anti-smoker 2 years after I quit. I wasn't actively looking for an anti-smoker to marry, but it just sort of happened that way. If I had still been a smoker when we met he wouldn't have dated me, much less married me. I'll bet if I started again he'd leave me. LOL
7. I had kids. Totally changed my perspective.
8. I watched my father die of lung cancer (from smoking 40+ years).
9. My avid anti-smoker husband happens to be a doctor who told me that if you smoke, you have an *increased chance* of developing heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, etc. But if you keep smoking you have a *100% CHANCE* of developing emphysema. And that is a miserable existence. Google it. It's not worth it.
Best of luck to you!0 -
Well for me, someone opened my eyes by putting it this way:
Why would you pay a corporation to kill you?
And then I told myself:
Want to be healthy? Well you'll never be healthy while you still smoke.
Just don't smoke today... that's all you have to make it through. You can worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Repeat.
I've been quit since 2008.
You can quit, but you have to want to!0
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