Any smokers out there?

Dean31

I quit almost 2 years ago cold turkey. What made it easy for me though was that I was in an environment where I was really the only one that was smoking. It was a lot easier to quit when none of my friends wanted to be around me because I STUNK.

I didn't read through all of the previous posts on here, but did read several and noticed a few saying they still loved the smell of it even after quitting. You guys are hardcore LOL. I cannot stand the smell of a cigarette now. I can smell a smoker walking down-wind of me (and even when the wind is still) from several feet away and it's the worst smell ever to me. It literally makes me noxious now and gives me a headache.

Something else I didn't see was anyone mentioning the health risks. My whole family smokes, so it was only natural that I picked it up too. I was already smoking anyway with all the 2nd hand smoke around. Besides the smoking, another family trait for me is lung and throat cancer. All of my older family members have died between the ages of 40 and 60 from either lung or throat cancer, and it was directly related to smoking. Both of my grandmothers, my maternal grandfather (don't know my dad's dad), my aunt's husband, and my aunt's son (most recent and only in his 40s) all died from cancer and were heavy smokers. My great aunt and her family on the other hand are non smokers and are living into their 80s.

Every time you find yourself craving that cigarette you need to look at your child/children and ask yourself if you really want to put them through the pain of having to bury you because of that cigarette, or worse yet imagine what it would be like to have to bury one of your own children, like my aunt just had to do, because of cigarettes. If that doesn't work I don't know what will-and be prepared, because they WILL put you, and your children, in an early grave.

I don't mean to come off so harsh, but smoking has devastated my family, so it's a sensitive subject for me.

AND not only that, smoking impairs your ability to be active and lose weight! If you can only handle one process at a time then STOP SMOKING FIRST! You will be AMAZED at how much more energy and strength you have once you get that gunk out of your system. I'm telling you from personal experience. Working out and getting in shape is 1,000,000,000,000,001 times EASIER and FASTER when you're not smoking!

Lynschell

2) I eliminated the "triggers" or replaced the actual smoking with a different activity for the ones I could not or didn't want to eliminate that gave me the urge to smoke. Like after meals, alcohol, social events. For that after meal urge, I went for a walk instead. Alcohol, I noticed I would smoke if I were in a bar but not if I was at home. So I quit going to the bars. In certain social events like gatherings of friends, I would excuse myself if the smoke bothered me or I began to get the urge. Then return after it subsided.

This is what's clobbering me. Local bands playing dive bars and riding the motorcycle... without fail, I light up.

I may be able to give up bands at dive bars, but I'll never give up the mc. So I think I can make it work.

the hardest part for me was driving especially long distances but I bought hard candy, lots and lots of hard candy...if I felt like I wanted to smoke I stuck a candy in my mouth!!! My uncle used toothpicks to quit dipping. I also know people who used suckers for the hand to mouth action.

marnijojo

I haven't 'quit'.... I just haven't had a cigarette for nearly 2 years.

And I can't even tell you when I had my last one, tho I think it was July 2010...I just kind of decided one day not to have the next one. At that point, if I had to face the fact that I might not ever have another cigarette in my life, I could not have done it....but time passed and I just kept on keeping on and now here I am almost two years smoke free.

I no longer have any desire to smoke. Cannot stand the smell of it indoors, but still kind of enjoy the faint smell of a cigarette outdoors. Good luck to you!

JamesonsMommy

I used the patch.. No side effects and no cravings

tcmay72

Just know you can do it! And then do it:0) try the electric cig, try chantix, try eating:0( what ever takes. I never had a prob with quiting "cold turkey" the best method for me. I did all the above suggestions. My prob was husban smoked so i always started back up. However almost 1 1/2yr ago my husban just up and quit??? On a thursday of all days i followed that saturday( had to smoke up the rest). So my best advice " remove the temptation" even friends for a while if needed. Soon you will understand how nasty they truely are and not want to even be around them let alone smoke it. Its so funny how offensive they are when your not the one puffin:0)

tcmay72

Remember: You will be a B*$#* , just tell people why and you will be forgiven:0)

chachita7

I am a stress smoker... I have been a smoker since I was 16... quit during both of my pregnancies and stayed strong for a few months after... have quit several times after that (talking about months at a time, longest for 1 yr 5 mos) but when I get stressed I need to smoke - mostly because it gets me away from what ever situation. I have been wanting to quit for good but it is being very hard this time around - going cold turkey has worked for me very well in the past - it takes all in me to do so since my husband is a smoker as well...

Lynschell

I knew I was done when I was able to go to the bar 2 weeks after my last cig and was not even tempted!!!!

KatiD83

It sounds dismissive, but speaking from personal experience, just STOP buying them.

I was about halfway through a pack when I decided to quit. When that pack was gone, that was it. I refused to purchase any more. Period. That was six years ago, and aside from the first week of crankiness, sticking with quitting hasn't been as hard as I feared.

^^^^This is how I quit. I just stopped and refused to buy more. It's hard to quit when others around you smoke, but if you want it bad enough it can be done. I didn't notice a weight gain after I quit, but I did see a huge difference financially!

reaolliemama

Your strongest desire will always win. The question you need to answer is what do you desire most, health or the feeling of smoke filling your lungs repeatedly?

bauer1971

I smoked for 26 years and decided on my 40th it was passed time to quit. I had a friend refer me to a book titled "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. I read the book, which, the author recommends you smoke while reading, worked immediately. No pills, no side effects, etc. I passed the one year anniversay January 17th and havent looked back. Strongly recommend this to you and anyone else wanting to quit. Best $14 ever spent.

Good luck!

Bridget0927

Bump, Im quitting now am interested in the subject :-)
Good Luck to you!

smiles4deb

I am 5 1/2 weeks out. I quit when I came down with a cold, because it was hard enough to just breathe normally. After I started feeling better, it was all about the mindset. The longer I quit, and I thought about starting again, because of stress or whatever, I would use the mindset of, ok, you're down 3 weeks, do you want those 3 weeks to have not meant anything? I did let the stress get to me last week and smoked half a cig. I felt like how someone above put it, I felt guilty and mad that I would give in. So now I'm back to the mindset again. It's so much better being able to work out without feeling like I'm going to pass out and now I don't have to go stand out in the cold to smoke. Besides that, it's so cool when my kid tells me how proud she is of me for quitting. 11 years ago, I quit alcohol, now this and I'm still losing weight!! :bigsmile:

RochelleBlack

JUST DO IT. Gaining ten pounds is far less detrimental than sucking on cancer sticks. Munch baby carrots. Chew gum. Stay away from smokers. Post the "24 hours/2 days/1 week, etc after quitting smoking" health sheet on your fridge, post a picture... of smokers lungs...WHATEVER IT TAKES to motivate you.

Get through the first 3 weeks and you are golden.

I quit almost 6 years ago. I stopped counting how many days I had been without a cig at about day 18...

Everything becomes SO much easier without them.

I have a great disdain for smokers now. They stink, they litter...smoking isn't cool anymore!

KellyBurton1

Im a smoker to, and I hate it! Why? cause my mom just found out she has lung cancer due to smoking! And besides Im sick of feeling like ****. Its not easy to quit, right now I have cut down alot and just getting mentally prepared. But I will do it. Im tired of being retricted when excerising and Im doing it for my mom!

lizannehouse

Wellbutrin helped me to quit, but I did gain a lot of weight. I started smoking again in hopes of losing the weight. Now I'm just as heavy and smoke.

jody664

I quit (again) in May 2011. I had been thinking of quitting, and one day, I was driving down the interstate and lit up. After a few puffs, I said to myself, "This doesn't even taste good! What the heck am I doing?" I tossed the cig out of the car, followed by the almost full pack and the lighter. (I know, I know.....I littered. But I knew if I didn't get rid of them RIGHT THEN, I would continue to smoke.)

I put on about 15 lb since quitting, which is why I am here trying to lose it and more.

Don't give up. Keep trying. It took my dad about 10 tries to finally quit for good. It's taken me about 4-5 times.

BigDaddyBRC

Let's put this in reality....

Your battle with smoking is 99% mental. It is the habitual process you go through...like your drive home that you take every day. Yes, there is small amount that interacts with your body...but it is gone from your system in 3 days. 3 DAYS. Can you experience "withdraw" symptoms...yes.

Learn this and apply to anything and everything you can in life.... Choose what it is you want. Act upon the choices that bring you to Succeeding.

I quit Cold Turkey over year ago...smoked since I was 9 years old. Never an urge or desire after a week. In fact, smelling the smoke on those that I work with disgusts me, now. Does it sound good from time to time...sure does...then I get a whiff of it...No thank you. Change your habits of keeping your hands occupied. it will help dramatically.

wells0707

So..I didn't read through all of the comments, but I know there are alot of states that have a quit line. If you google it they should be able to send you either patches or gum free of charge. AND provide you with a coach to help you through it.

I quit with my brother in law (in different states) and they helped us both. I just used Colorado quitline and they actually gave me the number to give to him in Maryland.

Goodluck!

Capone1971

I quit smoking 3 years ago. I didn't particularly want to quit - but I was about to buy a house and needed the money - I know it should have been for health reasons or the kids - but it wasn't. I liked smoking and could always find an excuse. to justify having one. I wasn't sure I would be able to afford the house, if I continued to smoke and Occupational Health at work were running a campaign to get their staff to quit smoking, so the timing happened to be right and I gave it a go. 15 of us signed up.

We used patches, which can be quite irritating on the skin, but you get used to them. We were lucky that some NHS staff came into give the group sessions where we discussed why people smoke and ways to avoid these. It was interesting that generally we have a cigarette to get us going in the morning, at the beginning of a task, a way to have thinking time if a task is difficult, celebrating the end of something (eg finished a task, end of dinner), with alcohol. I bought myself a games console and when I would normally have a smoke - I would play on that instead for 5 minutes (obviously not while I was at work though - I think I probably had more coffee and chocolate - hence the need to diet now).

One of the first things I noticed was how I deluded myself by thinking that breath mint would hide the fact I'd had a cigarette and none of my colleagues would know. I could smell immediately if someone had had one because it hangs in the breath, particularly if you inhale deeply, and sticks to the clothes.

We had our breath measured weekly, so the nurse would know whether or not we had had a cigarette - for me - this was the most effective measure. Within a few weeks my levels of carbon monoxide had significantly reduced. Around a year later, I did the breath test out of interest and was told that I had less pollution than a non-smoker - probably because I don't have to sit in heavy traffic during my commute and I don't live in the City.

Out of the 15 of us that did the course, I am the only one still not smoking. I occasionally see the others at the smoke shelters as I wander past . I love the smell of a lit ciggy but know that if I were to try one - I'd probably start smoking again, so I try to avoid the smoke shelters. This smell thing is not universal - my sister quit through will power and cannot stand the smell of a cigarette at all.

Now it is legislation that we have to smoke outside of public buildings in the UK, and with the weather usually being wet or cold - there is plenty of incentive to quit.

If you're in the UK, I suggest you go to your GP, as there are many different varieties of medication/alternatives available and these can be prescribed. This will work out cheaper than buying them individually. They may also have funding so that it is free - it depends on the Health Authority/Health Practice. They sometimes hold a support group as well - and chatting through with others who are also having difficulty quitting can be helpful.