Trying Desperately to Quit Smoking & Needing Some Support

jedikrissy

Hello MFP Peeps,

I have now been on MFP for almost 3 months, I love the site I am 22lbs down with about 30 to go. My main goal in joining this site was to lose weight and be healthy, the amount of friends and support I have found here as been absolutely amazing. My goal now that I have developed these great eating habits and exercise routines is I am Trying Desperately to Quit Smoking. I know this site is not a smokers help line, but looking for any tips or support that anyone could give would be great. I am terrified of gaining my weight back. I welcome any comments feed back or even tips from people that have quit or are even currently trying to quit.

Thanks Everyone

BackTatJIM

I quit smoking before I started mfp and the same rules applied for both bad habits. I smoked for about 5 years up to a pack and a half a day and from all the research and personal experiences Cold Turkey is the way to go. with stopping all together you will get through the withdraw process faster. If you research the mental and physical syndromes of quieting you will feal a lot better when you go through them. The hardest part of quitting for me was getting out of the routine , especially while at work. One you quit and get through the withdraw symptoms you will never want to go back. Good luck

Whitney0919

My husband quit using an e-cigarette. If you're really ready to quit, it is definitely easier to quit cold turkey, but if you're quiting because you know you should and not because you want to, the e-cigarette is great! If you're close to a Walmart, they're really cheap....

KCoolBeanz

I sort of bounced back and forth for a few years between smoking and not (I was a professional quitter), but when I finally decided that I was sick of it (and for me, that was the key), I used the nicorette lozenges. I picked that brand, because they were the only ones that carried a flavor I liked. I did find that I became a little bit addicted to those, so you need to be careful. I started using them more than I had been originally smoking. I started weaning myself off them with sugar free candy, and then eventually, I just kind of forgot about having candy around and I was clean!

If I'm around people that are smoking, or in situations where I used to socially smoke (ie. patio with beer), I make sure to keep mints in my purse, and I find the strong flavor of the mint tends to overpower the smell of the smoke, and I usually forget about it.

I'll admit that on the odd occasion I've had one, but it usually serves as a reminder why I quit in the first place. :-)

Good luck! Feel free to add me if you like, for support.

Missy8856

My husband and I quit smoking 3 years ago. He quit cold turkey and I used the nicorette lozenges. You really have to find what works for you. You CAN quit smoking, please don't give up!!!

SunLove8

HI! Congrats on reaching out for support in quitting smoking I smoked for around 18 years (started when I was 15) and gave it up Feburary of 2011. For me, it took using chantix 4 different times to finally do it. It does work but it did give me horriable nightmares. I did gain a little bit during that time but I told myself it was better to gain a bit than to continue smoking. After about a month I felt that my metabolism stabilized and I could lose weight the way I was before. I would talk to your doctor and see what would work best for you in order to quit smoking. YOU CAN DO IT!

blynn2708

I quit 4 yrs ago with laser therapy. :bigsmile: Congrats to you for taking this step! I took vitamin C...about 10 a day and lots of water! I would take one when I had that craving, remember, it's a habit. Change ALL routines...I changed my route to work, even my radio station! lol If you smoke while driving do you light up at certain landmarks?? It really does work! I wish you all the best!! :flowerforyou:

dawnagetsfit

After about 5 or so times of quitting and either failing or going back within a few months, I did some research and decided to give Wellbutrin a try. That was 3 years ago. Within 2 days @ the max smoking cessation dose, my desire to smoke was decreased by about 90% and smoking cigarettes was physically tormenting (they tasted different - DISGUSTING and made me nauseous). Within a week I had no desire at all, only the habits remained. I stayed on for a month at that dose just to "be sure" since the habits did linger.

I absolutely recommend giving it a try! Good luck!

kayl3igh88

I cut myself down to less than 5 a day (from 20-30 a day) in a week & then went on Champix (tablets that block the "good feelings" from the nicotine reaction, so all you get is the bad taste) from the Dr as I didn't have the willpower to stop completely by myself. I've read that CT is the best way to do it but Champix really worked for me. I started on here 2 weeks later, 4 days after I had my last cigarette.

SunLove8

I cut myself down to less than 5 a day (from 20-30 a day) in a week & then went on Champix (tablets that block the "good feelings" from the nicotine reaction, so all you get is the bad taste) from the Dr as I didn't have the willpower to stop completely by myself. I've read that CT is the best way to do it but Champix really worked for me. I started on here 2 weeks later, 4 days after I had my last cigarette.

Do you mean Chantix? Just wondering if there was a different one out there. I was able to quit smoking with using Chantix but had bad nightmares. Congrats on quitting!

LaPati

Read Allen Carr's EasyWay to Quit Smoking.

myhusbandletsme

I quit 10 months ago - one of many times I have tried - this quit is my last here is a great web site for you - whyquit.com. I quit because of my husband complaining I smokied all the cigs - he left his somewhere and thought I smoked them- I tossed him the cigs and said that he could have them all. It was the hardest thing I have ever done - took months to feel right again - and then came the weight gain....you can do it !!!

jgic2009

I quit smoking 9 months ago.

I started by indentifying my triggers -- times and events I found myself smoking. For me, the biggest triggers were driving and after a meal. Once I identified my triggers, I started delaying lighting up. So, when I used to light up as soon as I pulled out of the driveway--I would make myself wait 5 minutes. After the 5 minute wait was ok, I upped it to 10 minutes, and so on, trying to break the association in my mind.

Then I downloaded an app for my phone -- Livestrong My Quit Coach (or something like that) -- and set a quit date. The app creates a program for you to wean off, or you have the option of going cold turkey. There's a support community with the app, and you can "check-in" to track your cravings and when you smoke. I used the app to cut my smoking in half, and then I quit cold turkey.

You can quit, too -- but you have to want to, and you have to work at it.

Good luck!

thekacers

I quit smoking before I joined MFP. It was my New Years' Resolution to get healthy, and I took it in baby steps. I quit cold turkey on January 2nd. I didn't use the patches or gum because they're so expensive, and I had quit in the past, so I thought it would be no biggie. This time around, I was MISERABLE for about a month. I was depressed & moody, I couldn't sleep and I always seemed... sweaty! UGH. But after the month or so went by, I felt much better! In March I quit drinking soda, and I joined MFP in April!
Anyways, I don't know if I would recommend going cold turkey, but I do think it helped me get through the process faster. Using the gum and the patches is still giving you nicotine so it will take longer to really get over it.
Keep some sugar free candies on you if you find yourself hungry (although if you eat too much sugar free stuff, it acts as a laxative! Be warned.)
Have someone in your life who can support you, who you can turn to if you feel like your going to slip up.
You may feel like you are going to lose all control, but if do, you're really just making the decision to lose control... which means you're still actually in control and you're just giving up. I had to tell myself this almost everyday - that whether I succeed or not is all up to me.
I wish you the best of luck!

redcat17

I quit 6 months ago using an E-Cig. I haven't smoked one since I got mine. But don't get one of those cheap ones you can buy anywhere. Get something like the E-Go C. You can find them on http://www.ovaleusa.com/.

kayl3igh88

I cut myself down to less than 5 a day (from 20-30 a day) in a week & then went on Champix (tablets that block the "good feelings" from the nicotine reaction, so all you get is the bad taste) from the Dr as I didn't have the willpower to stop completely by myself. I've read that CT is the best way to do it but Champix really worked for me. I started on here 2 weeks later, 4 days after I had my last cigarette.

Do you mean Chantix? Just wondering if there was a different one out there. I was able to quit smoking with using Chantix but had bad nightmares. Congrats on quitting!

Kind of, I believe Champix is the UK version of Chantix. They made me dream, which was weird because I haven't really dreamed since I was a kid, but that's all - I think changing my diet disturbed my sleep more than the tablets! I do have dreams now where in them I'm smoking, then I remember I've quit (I'd been smoking since I was 12, quit in March - I'm 23) and wake up laughing at myself because dream-me feels so guilty for smoking :laugh: And thank you, congratulations to you too! :happy:

senyosmom

different strokes for different folks! I smoked for 12 years and quit about 4 years ago. I picked a date about 3 months before I quit and told myself everyday that the date I picked was it for me. I quit cold turkey on that date. I did not smoke another cigarette for a year - on my one year quit smoking anniversary I decided to smoke one cigarette (stupid, I know). Lucky for me, it made me light headed and feel sick and I never touched another one again.

I'd be lying if I said I didnt still LOVE the smell.

Good luck to you!

jedikrissy

Thanks everyone! I just finished reading everyone's posts, and they are helpful just to read other peoples stories is a great motivator. I have tried cold turkey and the pills and the gum ect.. before. That was about three or so years ago. I don't think I really wanted to quit before, But this time I really really do! For my health and so I can exercise without feeling like my chest will cave in. I have been a heavy smoker for about 15 years, yesterday was my quit day and I had 3 smokes. Today I have had none and I really want to have one. I got these Nicorette inhaler things, they kinda help. They help for the hand to mouth thing, my girlfriend used them to quit. I think I will just stay on here and keep reading stories and checkout that one website that was recommended and NOT go to the store to buy smokes. Soooo hard! Keep those stories coming, I like reading them.

Thanks again everyone!

Chellie74

You can do it! My husband and I smoked for many years. We started smoking e-cigs in February and we're still going strong. In fact, there are days were I don't even think about it. It feels great! Have some faith! Good luck and stay strong!

jedikrissy

Read Allen Carr's EasyWay to Quit Smoking.

I just found a Free download of the book, I am reading it right now. Thanks very much, at the very least it will keep me occupied for the rest of the day.

gatecityradio

Cancer /thread.