How are the new Ex Smokers doing?

laurenk182004
laurenk182004 Posts: 1,882 Member
edited November 9 in Motivation and Support
Hey all :) I was just wondering how all of you recent quitters are making out? I quit a few days ago myself (102 hrs ago specifically). I'm doing ok so far... Almost blew it yesterday when I went out shopping, it was rough. I just kept telling myself that if I started smoking again I was still going to want to quit, but would be back at square one for the millionth time lol. So anywayyys... How about the rest of you? I know a few of you were planning to quit soon!

Lauren

Replies

  • laurenk182004
    laurenk182004 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Anyone? lol
  • tracymarie2012
    tracymarie2012 Posts: 164 Member
    I quit Dec 31...1 month down...a lifetime to go. Doing good, using the patch and gum occasionally...use exercise as my new crutch :-)
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    i quit on oct 17 2011 so it's been about 3 1/2 months. i have quit, literally, about 100 times in the past 30 years but this time was different. in the past i always had this thought in the back of my mind that i would be able to smoke again if i could just get through er, um..... i don't know (i would start smoking again within a week most times and once made it a few months). and i don't know why i kept thinking i would be able to smoke again. anyway, this time i never thought that and it was actually not as difficult as i had anticipated. as time passes when i think about smoking the thoughts last less and less time.

    anyway, i tried nearly every gimmick, patch, gum, lozenge, hypnosis, acupuncture, etc. and have spent a small fortune. in the end cold turkey was the only way i could quit. it was hell the first 2 weeks then began to get better as time passed.

    one funny thing...about 3 years ago i paid $350 for a hypnosis session. the woman was so creepy and kept touching me (on the hands, trying to relax me). i was so creeped out, on the way home i stopped at the first store i came to and bought a pack of cigarettes. true story!! i should have thrown the cash out the window and bought a pack of smokes.. could'a saved an hour and a half of wasted time.

    good luck to anyone who goes there, you'll be glad you did :smile:
    and.. after about 2 weeks you will begin feeling fantastic!
  • laurenk182004
    laurenk182004 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I hate my husband right now :( I am an alcoholic who is now sober since I found out I was pregnant, and he jus came home ****faced :( Every fiber of my being wants to head to my moms house and smoke her cigarettes right now. I won't though. I'll just lay here pissed off and nic fitting. He seriously hurts my feelings with this.. He knows I'm trying to do right for our baby, but he is making it awful hard. Sorry for the rant. And congrats on you guys' success so far!
  • Read Allen Carr's The Easy Way - you don't crutches. We are happy non-smokers, NOT ex-smokers :smile:
  • RedVelvetCurls
    RedVelvetCurls Posts: 304 Member
    To be honest, I'm struggling. I still have the cheeky one or two at the weekends, because my coworker smokes.
  • I quit in November 2011 and I'm doing great. It gets easier, promise!
  • Been a non smoker now for 5 weeks, and i have to admit my habit is now being replaced with sweets, which i know is not great but better then lung troubles, and my weight seems to be stable which is not great but so worth it!!!
  • I'm doing really really good!

    404 Days without a smoke
    3235 Cigarettes not smoked
    $1130.78 Money saved
    13Days, 11hours, 30minutes saved
  • Learning2LoveMe
    Learning2LoveMe Posts: 1,430 Member
    Nov. 17th, so I'm closing in on 3 months. I'm not going to lie, I did have a hiccup around Christmas but that is behind me now and I'm not looking back. I'm feeling great, and the smell of smoke is awful to me. (I work with a bunch of smokers, and I can smell them when they come back in from break... *puke*)

    You can do it!!!
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,079 Member
    :drinker: I am happy for all of you!
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    my last cigarette was december 25th. there are days i don't even think of smoking. some days i want one so bad. one of my biggest triggers is hanging out with my dad. he smokes a lot, and just being around it makes me want one. i've only hung out with him twice since then, and haven't had a smoke.
  • Capt_Chev
    Capt_Chev Posts: 93 Member
    I quit Jan 1st this year, so far so good, but I haven't been out to the bar's yet either. :P
    I figure as long as I can stay strong at work and not go for smoke breaks at work during the week, then if I do go out to a bar and grab a drag its not the worst thing in the world! :)
  • ItsJustK
    ItsJustK Posts: 159 Member
    I quit in October.
    Well, I quit when I got pregnant with my daughter, then again when I got pregnant with my son...
    And then I enjoyed smoking again until October. I quit, and I feel great about it. And I'm NOT pregnant ;) It does get easier, but for me... it had to be cold turkey. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Best of luck to everyone!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Hey all :) I was just wondering how all of you recent quitters are making out? I quit a few days ago myself (102 hrs ago specifically). I'm doing ok so far... Almost blew it yesterday when I went out shopping, it was rough. I just kept telling myself that if I started smoking again I was still going to want to quit, but would be back at square one for the millionth time lol. So anywayyys... How about the rest of you? I know a few of you were planning to quit soon!

    Lauren
    Hi Lauren - Congratulations to you, and STAY STRONG!

    I had my last cigarette on Sunday night, so I've got 3 1/2 smoke free days (87 hours) behind me!

    I'm using the Quit Now ap on my phone and it shows how much money I've saved and the health benefits that improve as the time passes...VERY helpful. I'm using the patch, and so far, its going well. Of course the usual "triggers' are something to struggle with, but its more habit than physical cravings.

    Happy to say I've already saved over $23, and returned my CO and O2 levels to normal, regained taste and smell senses, standardized my respiratory function and lowered my 'sudden death' risk in the past 72 hours...you should be at about the same stats (for health at least).
  • Learning2LoveMe
    Learning2LoveMe Posts: 1,430 Member
    I also want to say that quitting is contagious! My fiance and I quit together.... and a couple weeks ago my mom (who used to smoke like a chimney) quit too!!! I'm so proud of her. My whole family is turning into non-smokers.... now to get the fiance's side of the family to do it too!
  • Hey all :) I was just wondering how all of you recent quitters are making out? I quit a few days ago myself (102 hrs ago specifically). I'm doing ok so far... Almost blew it yesterday when I went out shopping, it was rough. I just kept telling myself that if I started smoking again I was still going to want to quit, but would be back at square one for the millionth time lol. So anywayyys... How about the rest of you? I know a few of you were planning to quit soon!

    Lauren

    I'm using the Quit Now ap on my phone

    Thats what I been using for over a year now. It really really does help stay on track
  • SurfinBird1981
    SurfinBird1981 Posts: 517 Member
    I stopped on 2nd Jan, had 1 cig last Sunday. Other than thjat it has been pretty easy, I have been out and had drinks and not been bothered by it, my partner still smokes and most of my mates smoke...Good luck everyone!
  • I quit cold turkey Sept 21 2011. The first few times out drinking was a lil tough but I have made it this long. I can go out with my co-workers everyday and conversate while they smoke and I have not a single urge. Feels so good!

    134 days down, the rest of my life to go.
  • BetterWithAge
    BetterWithAge Posts: 691 Member
    I smoked for close to twenty years and after several failed attempts I quit for good on August 17th, 2007.

    I DO NOT miss it one bit!!

    For those of you who have quit for one hour, one day, one week, one month, one year, etc... Good for you and keep up the good work.

    For those who have failed, keep trying... You can do it. :)
  • AprilOneFourFour
    AprilOneFourFour Posts: 226 Member
    I quit halfway through December and tomorrow it will be 8 weeks and I'm really loving being a non-smoker. I have to remind myself that I can't have just one - once my resolve is broken, it's broken. So the way I see it, all I have to do is not smoke that one cigarette. Kind of makes it a bit easier for me.
  • today is my first smoke free day. and i can't seem to stop snacking. any tips on how not to eat so much while quiting?
  • glamazon81
    glamazon81 Posts: 5 Member
    I quit June 1, 2011. So I have 8 months behind me. You just have to keep reminding yourself "I don't smoke". And Chantix was WONDERFUL! I hardley had any cravings at all. When I quit taking it after 3 months I had a 2 week period where I thought I might have to kill someone, but I got over it. lol.

    Good luck everyone!
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Congrats to all the new non-smokers! :flowerforyou: Hang in there, it really does get easier, and every day you'll feel better!

    I'm on day 23 and I can't believe what a big difference it has made in my running. Not to mention, I don't have to worry about getting 'caught' smoking by work colleagues or friends, and I don't reek of that nasty smoke smell anymore. :bigsmile:
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    today is my first smoke free day. and i can't seem to stop snacking. any tips on how not to eat so much while quiting?

    Try to substitute exercising for snacking - go for a walk, hit it hard in the gym, etc... Also, at least try to have healthy snacks on hand to go to - apples, carrots, etc..., and drink LOTS of ice water. But if those things don't work right now, don't worry, and give yourself permission to get through the withdrawal phase however you need to (I took an excessive amount of naps :tongue: ) - getting off the cigarettes should be your number one priority - it does far more damage than a few extra pounds. As the saying goes, you can lose the weight, but you can't regrow a lung. I found the first 4-5 days the hardest, and after that I was able to get back to my regular eating routine, but everyone is differnet. Exercise, water, and healthy snacks will really help though.
  • I have been THINKING about quitting... I want to quit, but I am scared I won't be able to. Every time I seriously contemplate it I get anxious. It's nice to know other people have quit successfully!
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    Quit date Jan 3, 2012 and still going strong! :drinker:
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    today is my first smoke free day. and i can't seem to stop snacking. any tips on how not to eat so much while quiting?
    water, water, water....and gum is working for me too (i stocked it in my desk, car, purse and laptop bag). I've been hitting it extra hard at the gym too (started doing the C25K running program this week) and feeling an improvement in my lungs is helping a LOT! If you usually take a smoke break at work, get up and walk around a little bit to shake it off...... hang in there...we can all do this!!

    (edit) OH, and brush your teeth frequently...feeling a clean fresh mouth helps a lot too!
  • mjs3800
    mjs3800 Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks for this. Very inspiring.
  • Congrats to all who have quit. Keep it up! And to those who want to quit, just do it.

    I quit March 4, 2011 cold turkey, or rather, bronchitis helped me. My husband smokes so it wasn't easy at first. I joined the gym and went as often as I could when I had cravings. I found that if I did something else with my hands helped. So I started doing scrapebooking in my "spare" time. Now almost a year later it's gotten much easier. Best of all, no more coughing!
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