Needing help with another issue - smoking

ItsTerriC

Ok, so I'm working hard on my nutrition and fitness. I refuse to "go on a diet", because I believe that if I go on one, I'll go off just as easily. I am making healthier choices and paying attention to what goes in to my body. I am working out so that I can get the shape I want and to give me the energy I need to keep up with my grand babies.
But... there is one fitness issue I haven't dealt with yet. I am a smoker. I need to quit. I've quit before, for 6 years. I let "life" with teenagers and a mom with health issues give me an excuse to start again. It's been six or seven years now. The teenagers are grown. Mom passed 5 years ago. My life is in a really good place - well, as good as it gets I guess. I still have one grown child who gives me stress, but so what? I'm sure there are millions of people who have a lot more to deal with than I do and they do it without cigarettes.
I want to be a non-smoker. I've tried cold turkey, patches, gum, pills and hypnosis. I don't know what it's going to take to purge this monster, but I'm not giving up.
If any of my dear MFP pals can give me any advice or support I would really appreciate it. I also accept all prayers!

Thanks for listening.

Cloud_Dancer

Well, I'm not so sure what advice I can give since you've tried so many things already, but I can give support. Feel free to add me. I have been smoke free for 15 months! It wasn't the easiest thing, and for me the hardest part was after awhile of not smoking, being around smokers and smelling it.. Oh man, it made me wanna start right back up! I've heard a lot of people say that the hardest part to break is the habit of smoking, not the addiction. I would have to agree. It is so habit forming and so easily becomes a part of our every day life that when you take it out of the picture there is this missing thing.. you don't know what to do with yourself! Good luck with your quest, and I'm here if ya need a friend!

hroderick

The American Lung Association has a group/buddy program that helped me go cold turkey 22 yrs ago.
My buddy didn't try hard enough and died of cancer 12 years ago.
The program worked well for for me for smoking but I substituted beer and snacks so started gaining weight.
Basically we can quit smoking and/or lose weight when we honestly commit to do so.
There are tools like MPF that help us commit and stay committed
I've never had permanent results from crutches

qtpiesmom

If you truly want to quit..its as easy as that THE WANT has to be there!!
Believe in yourself, Know your stronger than that little evil stick and you are giving it up
Pick a quit day Get rid of all things that go with smoking the night before.
Have a positive attitude about it
Have many reasons why you are quitting keep them in mind ALWAYS
Drink COLD water
DONT SAY IM TRYING TO QUIT...Say I have quit!
Breathe Deeply
When your feeling the craving over take you do something else to calm your thoughts about it
Chew Gum or Hard Candies when you want a smoke
Change your habits like if you smoke after meals find something else to do

YOU CAN DO IT!!!! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!
GOOD LUCK and you can add me if you want I will be here to help you if you want

muth3rluvx2

The trigger is you have to want it. I mean, seriously...

I've smoked for 20+ years (give or take) and I am still batteling the quitting and what it took was just some little switch going off in my head that said explicitely: it's time!!! There's NO WAY I would have been able to without that switch going off.

I do still struggle and collapse under the weight of the addiction but I'm nto someone who smokes 1 and goes out and buys a pack (I actually thought I would be!!); I'm one that can smoke 1 and be good for a week or two....

What I'm doing: I am on wellbutrin (for other things as well as this). It's not a magic bullet, by any stretch. It just makes the process LESS painful. It doesn't take it away or make it numb. I wish. I still want one every single friggin' day, every minute.

I'm posting to my friends here and FB each day I go without. I've resorted to just pure numbers. I have one friend who on my 14th day, will quit with me. So, he's counting on me! I have another friend that told me he'd take me to lunch for 15 days of being smoke-free. I'm getting alot of encouragement from people who mean something to me. My friends - who have GOT to be sick of hearing about my ups and downs by now are STILL commenting and liking my status updates when it's another day added. I'm finding that to be really really helpful... it makes me not want to let all those people who are rooting for me down.

Today is day 5. If they see a 1, I don't even have to say "I screwed up" or "I caved". They'll just know. And I'm holding MYSELF accountable to my honesty. Who's it going to hurt by lying to my friends? It'll hurt my friends more if I lie than if I cave; and I'll be the primary victim of all that. And frankly, I don't want to go through ANY of that so at this point.... I've got more at stake than I did before.

I hope this helps. Like I said.. I'm still struggling... every day.... harder to quit than heroin.

xrs78

Hello- I am new to this whole better life thing. Today is one month smoke free (minus one drag I took Saturday- which grossed me out) . I love that I don't stink anymore. It took me getting admitted to the hospital for 4 days to change my life. from smoking to eating habits to exercise or lack of. I have stocked up on sugar free gum, all kinds of different flavors so my taste-buds don't get bored. For my breaks at work I walk around the block and get some sun and fresh air. I have tried to quit so many times and it has lasted for maybe a week- it is true the WANT really needs to be there. Don't expect it to be easy but the way you will feel is well worth it. Take it one day at a time. And let your support know your good as well as your bad because that's what support is for.
The first step is the mind and you are on the right track. I wish you the best of luck in this journey.

ItsTerriC

Thanks for the motivation everyone. I decided that I was done last night. I didn't wait till the pack was empty, or wait until morning or wait for whatever. I made the decision. I listened to my hypnosis recording until I fell asleep. I'm having some withdrawals, but I'll make it. This part only lasts a couple of days, and I've been through worse.

Thanks again!

qtpiesmom

WOOOO HOOO Drink ICE COLD water it flushes out the crap in your blood but it also does something with the mouth that helps you get through the withdrawls faster.
KEEP YOUR REASONS FOR QUITTING, post them in your house if you need.
Tell that EVIL Little stick it will not win you are stronger and better without it.
CONGRADS ON BEING A NON SMOKER

erica79

Awesome job taking the first step and quitting. I quit a little over a year ago and have not looked back. Like everyone has already said you have to REALLY want it. If you don't it's only a matter of time before you start again. I found straws helped a lot and holding my lighter in my hand. I never had a smoke, but the lighter just calmed my nerves for some reason. Lots and lots of water and support from the people around you. Also a web site that helped was quitnet.com. The people there were a huge support for me and watching how much a saved and how much of my life I gained back really made a difference.

ItsTerriC

Thanks, Erica. I'll check out Quitnet.com today. I hope I don't get as addicted to it as i am to MFP!

rice161

You're so awesome Terri! It sounds like you've made the decision and with the support of those around you, you'll stick to it. I've never been a smoker but I've been around plenty who do and have tried to quit. It's not easy but nothing worth having is! Keep praying and keep reaching out!

Jenyfur1

Terri, I too want to be a non smoker. I have quite before for 15 years... UGH! What was I thinking. I am here if you want someone to go through this with you. I like the post from the person who is posting each day that she is smoke free.... I am going to do it too... My Quit day will be friday..... I am in!!
This is yet another sign that I am going to quit!! Thanks for the post!:bigsmile:

qtpiesmom

GOOD JOB JENY We will be here to support you too!!

Terri its day two for you How are you doing? anything you need help with
Scream yell cry vent all you need right here and we will talk you off the ledge if needed.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

debzwill

I joined a quit smoking group. I don't know if you have such a thing over there. It only ran for 8 weeks but was great. I had previously tried the patches etc but they never worked for me. The group informed me I could get tablets from the doctor, which I did. They too were only short term and the doctor would only prescribe a couple of weeks at a time, then I had to go see him to get some more but he would ask health questions too. I think the course of tablets were 3 months total. They were great and completely took away the cravings. Then all I had to deal with were the habits, like what to do with my hands and what to do in times of stress. Unfortunatley I chose to eat! but hey I'm dealing with that now.
I think also it was the right time for me. I had just turned 50 and thought I have possibly got more years behind me now than in front of me and I want to enjoy my grandkids and the rest of my life. Sounds depressing but it was'nt really. I think being 50 just made me reassess everything.
You have done it before so you know you can do it again. I'm here to support you all the way.

ItsTerriC

Well, I wish I could say I've been 100% smoke free, but I can't. I broke down a few minutes ago and bummed one from a co-worker. I kept telling myself that the issue that was driving my craving wouldn't be solved or changed in any way by me giving in, but it didn't work. So, after my good cry I had the cigarette. I hate that I can control everything except that one demon. I can give up sweets, get off the couch, never let anyone see me sad. But this one stupid little stick controls me. I will kick it. I refuse to buy any and I am to prideful to borrow again. The one time in my life that being full of stubborn pride might actually help me - lol.

So, here's to starting over.

poolcue

Teri, I am joining you on quiting smoking. I have been smoke free for 2 days and a couple of hours. Don't let that one cig bum you out, get right back on the wagon and march on. Not sure if this help, but I am using dum dum pops as my trigger, everytime I want a cig I will suck on a dum dum pop. Let's be strong Teri, we can do this together.
I know the temptation is great, I temp myself still with almost a full pack in my pocket, but instead of letting it control me, I will control it, I am going to frame it up in a shadow box and hang it on my wall when I am 7 days smoke free.
Let's quite this filthy habbit of ours.

PC

qtpiesmom

You not starting over you had a slip thats all, one smoke its an evil little stick, its a hard thing to go through. ITS OK BEING STUBBORN IS A GOOD THING. YOU are a non smoker keep telling yourself that. GET GUM AND COLD WATER keep them with you all the time. DONT Go outside at work and if you do dont go to the place where people smoke.
YOu have two beautiful kids in your picture, want to set an example for them. You want to be able to taste food better, it tastes great once your quit for a while. YOU want to smell better. YOU CAN DO IT!! BREATHE BREATHE DEEPLY
YOUR STRONGER THAN THAT EVIL STICK KEEP telling yourself that.
Keep going you can make it

qtpiesmom

GOOD JOB PC Stay strong you guys can do it together!!

Jenyfur1

Thanks everyone!
I quit today. I had two this morning and then put on a patch. I had a stressful confrontation at work and still did not buy any and will not go out and buy any,
Tomorrow I will be able to post 1 1/2 days SMOKE FREE!
Terri, You can do this and so can you PC!

debzwill

Don't punish yourself. Just remember you have'nt failed, you have picked yourself up again & you are going to keep trying until you succeed. You WILL do it. They say that to break a habit takes 10 days, so not long to go now!

You know it's going to be tough for a while, and that there will be tears, but you just have to keep going, even if you fall off the bandwagon now and then. The main thing is that you don't concentrate on the falling off and that you look forward.
Take it slowly hour by hour and don't look too far ahead.

Well done for today. Let us know how you get on tomorrow. x

debzwill

Well done to Jenyfur and PC too!

chris0912

I'm in the process of quitting. For me, cold turkey just doesn't work and my ob/gyn won't let me take any of the drugs. So, I'm portioning out my cigarettes. I used to be a pack a day girl, so the first thing I did was start removing 5 cigarettes from my pack in the morning and forcing myself to wait at least 1 hour inbetween lighting up. Once I was comfortable with that, I increased my time-off to 1-1/2 hours, which got me down to half a pack a day. Now, every Sunday I remove one more cigarette from my allotment and give myself a week to adjust. I'm currently at 8 cigarettes a day and 2-1/2 hours between. And I'm using the notes section of my food diary to keep track of how many I actually smoke. I'm finding that although I look forward to them, they're starting to taste bad and give me that brand-new smoker's light head. If you've tried everything else, maybe this would be something you can try. FYI... to not waste the money, I keep empty packs for portioning out the cigarettes or I put extras into hubby's pack. He's waiting for me to be done and then he'll quit cold.

poolcue

Awesome job everybody. In two hours I will be smoke free for 72 hours, the toughest hours of quiting smoking. Wouldn't it be amazing from a pack and a half a day to nothing. Can't wait to use them money I save on better hobbies.

Teri, how are you doing, we are going to fight through this.

Jenyfur, congrat on quiting smoking, let's kick some devil stick's butt.

PC

poolcue

Awesome job to Chris as well. Sounds like you are doing great.

iaho1976

I'm about to join you guys, I've decided that Sunday is the day for me. I've quit before and after five years I went back to them. I've done it before so I know I can do it again, now all I need to do is prove it....

Good luck everyone

Ian

CJK1959

Good for all of you quitting!!! I myself quit January 31, 2011. Just take it one day at a time, I find that not thinking about it helps me and I say to myself numerous times a day...."I'm a non smoker" and it feels so good. It takes 21 days to build a habit or break a habit...so keep working towards that number...I did it and you can too. Feel free to friend me if you need support or just a cheerleader! :happy:

qtpiesmom

How are all you non smokers doing today?

qtpiesmom

How are all you non smokers doing today?

poolcue

Smoke free for over 72 hours. Only had one piece of hard candy so far. Just got back from lunch wanted a smoke but came on here instead.

Great news today. My freind for 20 plus years which was my smoking buddies till he moved away 4 years ago is coming to visit laster today. He was one of my original inspiration on quiting smoking, as he quit after we last saw each other at homecoming last year. When he gets here I am going to introduce him to this site as he wants to start working out.

PC

Jenyfur1

Yay! All of us new NON Smokers!!!
I am smoke free for more than 24 hours!! I will be a day and a half at the end of today! I picked up a Chantix booklet from my PCP and if there is anything in there really cool, I will share... Later folks!

qtpiesmom

GREAT JOB PC AND JENY
YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! KEEP UP THE BATTLE!! YOU WILL BE SO HAPPY YOU MADE THIS CHOICE!!