I gotta quit smoking!!!

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I started smoking about a year or so ago. I never seem to have a problem with it. I'd smoke if I had a few drinks but never ever did I buy cigarettes. Well since I have gotten sober 3 years ago and got treatment for bulimia not only did I gain weight but I started smoking. I smoke about 10 a day. I just dropped 2 horrible habbits for 2 more horrible habit's. Any tip's to help me cut out the cigarettes?? Please feel free to friend request me...

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  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    Throw them away before you develop a blood clot like I did! I quit cold turkey after 45!years of smoking a pack a day. For me smoking and beer went hand in hand so I quit both!
  • Firefly0606
    Firefly0606 Posts: 366 Member
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    I helped my hubby quit by rationing for him. He was smoking about 14-15 a day. In the first week I gave him his cigarette allowance of 13 each day. Then in the second week 11 each day etc etc. He was cigarette free in 2 months. See if your other half would do that for you?

    You have to want it though. I'd made suggestions to try to help him to quit many many times over the years but he didn't quit, or didn't try because he wasn't ready. When he wanted to quit bad enough, he let me ration his cigarettes.
  • Rickster1967
    Rickster1967 Posts: 485 Member
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    I got medication from the doctor called Champix, worked like a charm

    You can't take it if you're already on an anti depressant
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I smoked for over 20 years and after a bike ride that made my chest hurt bad I decided something had to give.

    I had lost a lot of weight already and wanted to get fit too...well smoking and cardio health don't go hand in hand...

    I vaped. I started at 16mg of nicotine on Dec 10th 2014 and as the months passed I lowered my nicotine levels 1 or 2 mg each time I got new liquid until 2016 in August when I went to 0mg...I was at 1mg at that point...

    So I totally quit cigarettes on Dec 10th...went nicotine free just under 2 years later and now I don't even vape...

    I have one in my purse all the time tho as I do still get cravings to "smoke"...not actually smoke cause the though of it makes me want to puke but just that social thing...but I don't typically give into that craving...I think I have once since April.

    Anyway point is this...vaping was a god send for me...made quitting really easy...but you have to want to quit...that's the key.

    and if you want to quit you will find your way.
  • mlh6468
    mlh6468 Posts: 47 Member
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    I was a heavy smoker for much of my life. I used Chantix to quit when I was 47 and almost 7 years later I haven't touched a cigarette. Better yet, I rarely even think of it. Best decision I've ever made.
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
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    I know it's controversial but vaping was my solution. Whether it's ultimately good or bad, causes cancer or not, all I know is that I can play competitive soccer against 20 something's and breathing isn't my problem. Don't be worried about still consuming nicotine, it's just a stimulant like caffeine. Sure, taking 300mg at once could kill you but taking too much of any chemical (including caffeine) could kill you. It's the arsenic, formaldihyde(sp?), tar, and a dozen other poisons in cigarettes that I really killing you and compromising your life.

    Don't get me wrong I'd like to give up vaping now and probably will at some point. It's annoying to have to carry the damn thing around all the time, batteries, juice, etc. But if it's that or smoking vaping is a LOT better way to go.

    Good luck!
  • futuresize8
    futuresize8 Posts: 476 Member
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    Yes! You definitely need to quit smoking! Deciding that was what I really wanted was the first step for me - I never thought I really wanted to quit all the dozen other times I tried. I tried the gum and patches, cold turkey, etc. Nothing took for me until I read Alan Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking. I got it as an ebook, read about half of it while on a trip with my husband for our wedding anniversary and stopped halfway through (you're actually supposed to keep smoking while you read it...) I never finished the book and I haven't had a cigarette in nearly five years. It's not a heavy guilt trip or fear tactic - in fact, Carr says that if all it took was knowing you could get sick or that smoking is costly, no one would do it. It's more of a hypnosis tactic that seeps into your mind - smoking is a choice and not an addiction (unless you are waking in the night needing to smoke) and you do not have to do it.

    Also, a very smart colleague of mine helped her man quit by applying black pepper oil behind his ears and wrists; when he got the urge to smoke, he smelled the black pepper. For some reason, this worked for him. I don't know that there is any scientific evidence that supports this, but I do think that someone credible told him it would work and it seemed natural and reasonable and he wanted to quit, so he did. He was big on vaping before this.

    I hope this helps and if you want some support, I'll be happy to cheer you along. You can do it!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,538 Member
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    It's gotta a be a PRIORITY for you to do it. So much so that you'll be able to just quit.

    I quit after 20 years of smoking and it's because I promised my DW that once we were pregnant, I would quit. I mentally put that in my head. Once we were, I quit cold turkey. That was over 13 years ago now.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I smoked for 22 years. 2 packs of Kools a day. I tried everything to quit, including prescriptions like Chantix. Nothing worked well at all. I finally switched to e-cigarettes and within about a week and a half realized I didn't need cigarettes any more. The catch is that they are also mildly addictive, more so for the habit than the nicotine. I used them for about three years before I started dropping my nicotine levels down to 0 over a period of time, then I finally quit them because I didn't need them any longer.

    What they won't tell you about e-cigarettes (because the FDA doesn't allow them to advertise this) is that e-cigarettes only have 1 addictive chemical in them, and that's nicotine. Cigarettes on the other hand have hundreds, all of them do something different, and most of them are added to make cigarettes more addictive. They tell you that nicotine is what makes cigarettes addictive, but it was the easiest thing for me to quit. It was the other stuff that gives you that immediate 'high' or head buzz (like formaldehyde, tar, etc.) that makes you want to have another one within a short period of time. Anyway, not advocating replacing one nicotine habit with another if you can be successful with other options (like going cold turkey), but for me e-cigarettes saved my life and allowed me to quit a 22+ year habit.
  • Neisha3011
    Neisha3011 Posts: 7 Member
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    Congratulations on 3 years sober! I'll have 2 years on October 13th! I quit smoking with an e cig a little over a year ago and it was really helpful but definately took some getting used to. I won't say it's better or worse than smoking because I'm not a doctor but it's definately saved me alot of money. Now, my goal is to quit vaping by my 2 year clean date. Good luck!
  • alexshir
    alexshir Posts: 19 Member
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    I have been smoke free since 2/15/17. I joined a site called Quitnet, used the patch for the 1st 35 days and follow the NOPE rule. NOT ONE PUFF EVER. My husband still smokes so I had to completely take smoking off the table to remain quit. Lots of ice water, frozen grapes and just staying busy helped early on. Best decision I have ever made. Also check out quitsmokingonline.com and Allan Carr's Easy Way to quit smoking. Even though it is considered an addiction, your mindset is 99% of a successful quit. Good luck.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I'm going to be starting stoptober with the help of a vape I know that it would be better to just give up everything but after many attempts and fails during my 20 year+ 8 a day smoking habit I want to give vaping a shot I'm going to start on 0.6mg. Good luck x
  • bijarkhan
    bijarkhan Posts: 157 Member
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    Since you are smoking a half pack a day, try halfing your cigarettes. That would keep the amount of time smoking the same, however you would only be smoking 5 a day. When you are really sick of smoking and the drive for nicotine and you replace it with a reason why you don't want to continue, try cold turkey, reminding yourself everyday that you quit for this main reason and it will work. Finally after three weeks, you won't have to remind yourself anymore. Then there will be certain times that you feel the need you want one. Then remind yourself how far you have come to slight off the edge to remind yourself that would only last three minutes if you did smoke. Good luck. It seems as though you have a lot of support behind you already! I started a support group on MFP called: Unity-Get Passed The Struggle that starts October 1st, if you would like to join.
  • ohiofit
    ohiofit Posts: 1 Member
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    I just quit. I smoked for years. Then quit. Then started 5 years later. Quit again. Then started smoking again 6 months ago. I am ashamed that one little stick has so much control over me and I was only smoking 4-6 a day. So I Smoked my last cigarette on Sunday. I keep telling myself "get through 3 days". I dont know why 3 days. But I think the first 3 days are the hardest. Today though is day 5 and I wanted to stop and but a pack just now. I read craving last 10-15 minutes. So I just keep fighting the urge!

    I started my workout journey one year ago tomorrow. I am down 23 pounds. Now to lose this bad habit!
  • Calichusetts
    Calichusetts Posts: 100 Member
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    Cold turkey plus gum. You are only a year in. Look at some of the posters who did it for decades. Get it out.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    ohiofit wrote: »
    I just quit. I smoked for years. Then quit. Then started 5 years later. Quit again. Then started smoking again 6 months ago. I am ashamed that one little stick has so much control over me and I was only smoking 4-6 a day. So I Smoked my last cigarette on Sunday. I keep telling myself "get through 3 days". I dont know why 3 days. But I think the first 3 days are the hardest. Today though is day 5 and I wanted to stop and but a pack just now. I read craving last 10-15 minutes. So I just keep fighting the urge!

    I started my workout journey one year ago tomorrow. I am down 23 pounds. Now to lose this bad habit!

    @ohiofit try vaping..seriously it's awesome.
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
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    practice quitting and one day you will get it.....I joined a gym then quit 3 weeks later. I can now run like the wind.
  • ekim2016
    ekim2016 Posts: 1,199 Member
    edited September 2017
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    just STOP !! It took me several tries but successfully quit NY eve 1999. I got bag after bag of oranges. I would slowly peel and eat the segments every time I had the urge for a cancer stick. You can do this and should. The science is in now and there is no excuse to pay $$$$$ to these evil tobacco barons!! My spine surgeon just told me the other day that he just cringes every time he sees a smoker. That smoking is the worse thing you can do to your spinal disks.. causing them to dry out and become brittle. Not to mention all the other health issues smokers are setting in motion....Good luck!!
  • vaman
    vaman Posts: 253 Member
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    If you're serious, make a doctors appointment and get a prescription for Chantix. It works!