Smoking...

lidado
lidado Posts: 41
edited September 26 in Motivation and Support
Lent is over on Sunday and I gave up coffee for Lent. It was a success. Sunday evening, I am starting another "Lent" for myself. I am gonna give up smoking. OMG! Am I crazy?? What did you do when you decided to stop smoking?? Cold turkey?? Pills or patches?? Or did you do it gradually?? Any and all input is greatly appreciated...

Lindsay
«1

Replies

  • Anna19911
    Anna19911 Posts: 141
    I wish I had the will power to quit! You go girl! :)
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    Good for you. You can do it.

    I had a 30 a day habit for 27 years. Gave up cold turkey 14 months ago.

    I wish I had done it sooner.
  • 123nikki123
    123nikki123 Posts: 527
    I quit cold turkey! It's been a year and a half and I've never looked back:) It's hard but you CAN do this! Good luck!
  • sekhmet13
    sekhmet13 Posts: 49 Member
    Chantix works for me, I've gone 8 weeks and it's not too bad. I still get an occasional craving, but it's more of breaking the habit than breaking the addiction at this point. Yes, it's expensive, but I'd be spending more on smokes anyway, so it's actually cheaper for me. Good luck, you can do it!
  • reese66
    reese66 Posts: 2,920 Member
    I used Chantix and it work for me. Patches for me didn't work but the crazy dreams were awesome, lol... Cold turkey everyone would have died!!!
  • Groovytiffany
    Groovytiffany Posts: 3 Member
    I have been 2 months quit. I did it cold turkey, but don't be afraid to try patces or the gum. Also keep watching the foods, cause I find that if I gain weight it just makes me want to smoke more. So I was one of those that had to eat healthy, exercise and quit at the same time.
  • mbvenske
    mbvenske Posts: 239 Member
    I've tried i all. I have been successful for 12 days now. It was cold turkey and I made myself eat ALOT of carrots and celery so that I would stay away from the rest of the junk. Best of luck to you and way to go on a very healthy choice!!! Send me a note if you need to vent, I totally understand!!
  • IamRoJ
    IamRoJ Posts: 530 Member
    Nicorette was a God-send. The patches flipped me out, and Chantix scared me (again, rumors of psychotic dreams)...the gum worked and doesn't taste quite as bad as it used to. Good luck!!!
  • Rogns008
    Rogns008 Posts: 51 Member
    I tried to quit smoking last September. I made it about two week on the patches, and after the first day I felt fine. My problem was that I believed that I could have a cigarette now and again and be fine... Nope, went to a pack a day very fast.
    So, I'd say use the patches, and once you feel okay, never smoke again! Not even one, lol. Also, the patches give you really cool, vivid dreams so they can be fun.

    Good luck to you, if you cast off coffee for Lent, I'm sure you could stop smoking too. I wish I had your willpower!
  • dublvision2
    dublvision2 Posts: 39
    Cold turkey- I never thought I could quit cold turkey but I am now 2 1/2 months quit and no desire to turn back (I smoked for 23 years :{ ). There is a great website that really helped me put things into perspective. Make sure to go check it out:

    http://whyquit.com/

    Good luck!!! You can do it!!! :D
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    You have to be ready to quit! Being a quiter myself....LOL...

    I used the Patch....It worked....

    My advice....there will be days where you mess up and have a smoke....don't beat yourself up about it.....just wake up the next day and start again.....just b/c you slip up it does not make you a smoker again! :-)

    Its hard.......get some gum and Sugar Snap Peas (if you have a craving.....chew some gum or eat something that is good for you.....

    Best of luck.....I wish I could say it was easy but I would be lying!!!! However, YOU CAN DO IT.....you will feel amazing!!!!
  • calmmomw3minimeez
    calmmomw3minimeez Posts: 499 Member
    I congratulate everyone who is able to quit. I know that it won't happen for me until I actually WANT to quit. Be strong guys!:smokin:
  • MsRobin_TheSequel
    MsRobin_TheSequel Posts: 127 Member
    Cold turkey. Prime yourself a bit 1st. Like....Saturday I will have my last cigarette...This Tuesday will be my last Tuesday smoking. That kind of stuff. Was a smoker for 12 years, pack a day, weekends more, had always told people I'd quit when I got pregnant because I was tired of them asking! So, that did it. I quit the day the Doctor confirmed my pregnancy. Of course it had to be a Friday!! That baby is now 10....Now I don't think you should go and get yourself preggo or anything! But the whole mental conditioning thing did the trick for me. Good luck!
  • cheshirechic
    cheshirechic Posts: 489 Member
    My fiance did it cold turkey about 6 years ago, and it was horrible. He never was a full smoker again, but a couple months after he quit, he tried the gum to satisfy the cravings. Then sometimes he would have one or two cigarettes. After all of that, he would buy little tins of tobacco, but eventually got professional help to quit. Now he has been tobacco free for about 14 months.

    On the other hand, I had a colleague who quit cold turkey about four months ago and she hasn't smoked since.

    It depends greatly on the person and even more on the support. Best of luck, and you're an amazing person for doing this. :heart:
  • 123nikki123
    123nikki123 Posts: 527
    I gained 10-15 pounds in that time (1 1/2 years) but I gained so much by quitting! I can now run, jog and many other things without coughing or having difficulty breathing. It is amazing how much your body heals, it is amazing what our bodies can do! I wouldn't worry about the weight gain. Just keep logging your food and exercising and you'll do great :smile:
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    That is a fantastic commitment to your health and I wish you all the success in the world!!!!

    I have quit smoking several times, using different methods. I tried the Chantix pills once, which made it pretty easy to quit. You continue to smoke when you begin taking the pills, and after a few days I had zero desire to smoke. I still sometimes felt the social need to go outside, but even being around smokers was very unpleasant. I only took the pills for 2 weeks and it got me over the big hurdle at the beginning - although I will say the pills made me feel somewhat zombie-like. After that, I was able to stay stopped for close to a year.

    Then I started smoking again (dumb dumb dumb)! Quitting again was tough, and this time my job required a lot of driving, so I didn't want to risk the grogginess I had felt on Chantix. So, this time I used patches. The first few days I put the patch on in the morning, and by the afternoon I would be dying to smoke so I would end up taking it off and having a cigarette. (I don't think this is recommended...) But, I kept trying and every morning I would put on a patch and not smoke for as long as I could manage. After a few days I was making it all day and not smoking at all. I didn't wear the patches at night because I was getting crazy dreams.

    Anyway, good luck, I hope you are very successful and have very few cravings. I really kicked up the amount of exercise I was doing as I quit, and I think the endorphins may have helped.
  • DanOhh
    DanOhh Posts: 1,806 Member
    I had to step down slowly. First no smoking in the house; then not in the car; next during the day. The last and hardest for me to stop was smoking while drinking and that step was the longest. I don't miss them anymore now but it was tough. Good luck to you!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    set a date about a month out..gradual..did it with welburtrin. havent smoked since after that date..not one.
    i did it while dieting and starting exercise. i used alot of sunflower seeds...the kind you have to chew the husks away yourself.
  • Cella30
    Cella30 Posts: 539 Member
    I was a 10 year loyal pack to pack & a 1/2 a day smoker. May 8, 2011 will be my one year anniversary, cold turkey.

    Download this quit counter: http://www.xarka.com/freeware/quitcounter.html

    And check out this website: http://whyquit.com/

    It is a hard road ahead of you, but just take it one day at a time, one craving at a time. I promise you, it will get easier. I feel incredible now, especially since I'm free from the control smoking had over me.

    Good luck, I think you're amazing for wanting to do this! :flowerforyou:
  • emariec78
    emariec78 Posts: 530 Member
    The patch. Don't wear it at night. The one they recommended I use based on how much I smoked made me feel sick so I started a step down from their recommendation and it was fine. Many failures before fine of course.
  • sarahazelnut99
    sarahazelnut99 Posts: 307 Member
    ugh i really like those stupid smoke machines at the mall honestly but when i quit, i did it cold turkey.
    I still sort of smoke, i just only buy a pack on my birthday and during emergency like a break up lool.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    props to you! my best friend quit cold turkey when we were in college & took up knitting to keep her hands busy so she didn't gain weight from the oral fixation :o)
  • Tristis
    Tristis Posts: 288 Member
    I quit smoking in December of 2005. I went cold turkey...but it helped that I eulogized my last cigarette. That's right, I said good-bye to my friend and closed the chapter on an 11 year friendship. It also helped that I did breathing exercises whenever I craved a cigarette. Sometimes, I even used held a pen like I would a cigarette bringing it to my mouth as I inhaled during my breathing exercise. Hey...all I can say is it worked for me! :)
  • Sumo813
    Sumo813 Posts: 566 Member
    Atta girl!!! My boss quit cold turkey when she found out she was pregnant with her 3rd baby... hasnt even thought of a cig since. You can do it!!!
  • jenh1101
    jenh1101 Posts: 45
    You can do it!!!
    I was never a heavy smoker (unless it was on those rare nites out at a bar) but when I decided to quit I cut 1 cigarette out every couple weeks. I was smoking around 6 a day, now I'm down to 3. I can definitely tell the difference when I'm working out.
  • Autumn1206
    Autumn1206 Posts: 126
    (again, rumors of psychotic dreams)

    Not just a rumour...I had terribly psychotic dreams - everyone always died in my dreams while I was taking chantix, and it did not matter what their name was, not to mention the flu like symptoms and crazy mood changes. Besides, I heard the FDA is about to ban it anyway for the side affects. I quit smoking twice cold turkey and, being a PTSD sufferer, I went back twice. I was using it as a crutch to deal with my anxiety and using my anxiety as an excuse to continue smoking. This last time, I did hypnosis. I had a couple of days of weaning from the nicotine, but overall I have not had the same issues that I had when I quit cold turkey. I know that a lot of people will say that hypnosis is "hooey" but, it worked for me and my husband both. The hypnosis didn't make the cravings go away, it just made them manageable so that I could say "no" and not have to battle myself, and now it's been almost a month and I think about smoking less and less. I have actually lost weight since I stopped smoking, and the only crankiness I have had in the last month...well let's just say I would have been cranky anyway, as most ladies can attest. Either way you go, best of luck to you. Part of living healthy is making tough choices like "quitting smoking", so you are to be commended for your effort :bigsmile:
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Quitting smoking was the best thing I have ever done for myself. If you want it bad enough, it might actually be easier than you think. I wanted it BAD. And don't give yourself permission to slip up. If you go into this saying to yourself "if I slip up, thats ok". you may not try hard enough. Quitting is quitting - slipping up over and over again is still smoking and keeping yourself re-addicted to the nicotine. I don't mean to sound harsh, but quitting smoking is hardcore, and it requires hardcore discipline, so have faith in yourself that you can turn your back on cigarrettes and not look back. Go in with a winning mentality.

    I mean - its ok if you have a slip or two and get back at it and eventually quit for good. I just know too many people who say they quit smoking, then I seem them out smoking outside a bar, and they say "Yes, I quit smoking - now, I only smoke when I drink" and they drink several times a week. :/

    I just quit cold turkey and I really felt like I made it at about the 3 month mark (3 months without slips, for me)

    Its been 6 years, and I'll NEVER touch them again.
  • skinnyb450
    skinnyb450 Posts: 288
    I used Champix for 3 months - have given up for 1 year on the 12th May 2011 - Put on heaps of weight which is why I am here but only have 1kg to go and I am back to the weight I was before I quit - Its taken twelve months to get the weight off and then I have another 15 kg to go from pre-menopause

    Good luck - if you want to give up you will succeed - You just have to be ready - You CAN do it - Gosh I smoked for 32 years - If I can give up ANYone can (lol)

    Everyone is different - try all methods - one of them will work for you :) - Congrats on making the decision - that is the first step :smile: :smile: :smile:
  • dkrioux
    dkrioux Posts: 144
    I quit cold turkey when I recieved my college diploma... I had told myself that would be the day... and it was... a year and a half later I picked it up again for about 2 or 3 months... but then quit cold turkey again... been almost a year.
    YOU CAN DO IT!!!! You will feel so much better!!!!
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    I have tried and failed many times, I wish you the best.

    Losing weight has been so much easier for me. I dont lean on food for comfort, but I do cigarettes.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories