Ex-smokers! I need some advice to help me quit

I smoked for about 15 years. I started working out and realized I could get further if I'd quit smoking so I started using Chantix. I haven't had any side effects from it, although I took it differently than the prescribed way. Instead of one in the AM and on at night before bed I just take one in the morning and that's it. I haven't had a cigarette since last September and never feel the urge to have one. Could be a placebo, I don't know and don't much care because it's working. I do still struggle if I'm having drinks though, that's what probably took me the longest to adjust to.

I quit smokikng a little over a year ago. Here are some of my tricks and tips:

1. Smoke your last cigarette right before you go to bed on a Sunday night. Have no cigarettes in your house after that.
2. When you wake up, you will already be 8 hours or so into not smoking. The physical addiction of the nicotine only lasts about 48 hours.
3. Go to work and do NOT leave the building for the entire day. At the end of the day, get in your car and go straight home.
4. Repeat Monday's routine all week for the most part until you start feeling confident that you can go out and not run into a store and buy a pack of cigarettes.
5. I chewed sugar free gum, coffee stirrers, and straws when I felt a craving hit hard.

You can do it!

I accepted that I needed help for starters. Quitting smoking is in a sense more difficult than quitting cocaine or heroin. It is still mildly socially acceptable, and legal. It also has seriously addictive properties.

When I quit smoking, I needed the realization that it was a physical and a mental addiction.

I stopped doing things that triggered my cravings.

I started taking zyban AND the nicotine patch.

While on the patch, I weened myself off of Nicotine and was able to stop taking zyban shortly thereafter.

I then took several months to avoid the triggers (i.e. drinking beer, partying which lowered my willpower, stopped hanging around with people who smoked (sorry friends... if you were really my friend you wouldn't offer me one or blow it into my airspace).

I have now been smokeless for 16 years (and for you Canadian smokers out there... I was smoking 2 packs of Green Death or Players plain daily).

If I can do it.... so can you!

3years and going I wanted to be healthy , so I quit with the help of an electric cigarette, Knowing I could smoke it if I needed a
cigarette really did it for me, and knowing if I wanted to use it forever, I could did it for me, after abt 4months I didn't even need to
use the electric cigarette. I also, tried to break the cigarette with coffee, cigarette when driving a step at a time also

i tried quitting so many times; it was finally the nicotine patches that really worked for me - starting with a high dose and slowly decreasing the patch dose every couple of weeks. they really made it doable for me & now i can't believe i smoked for so many, many years! good luck! you can do it!!!!

It's obvious that there is no right or wrong way to quit. You just have to find what will work best for your situation. It might take several choices. Like others have said, you have to want this more than anything.
I smoked for 15 years and just hated how it made me feel. Another thing that got me on the road to being smoke-free is that I didn't want to turn out like my dad who has COPD. I also watched my aunt die from lung cancer. Those 2 things right there were enough for me, but along with that I kept asking myself......Give me one good reason to keep smoking. Never could come up with one and listed all the negative things that came along with it. That list was long.

Needless to say, I quit cold turkey.

Besides, who wants to kiss an ashtray. Your body will feel so much better once you quit.

I smoked for 20+ years and quit in November. You have to want to stop smoking if there is any question in your mind as to why you should stop you will fail. Prepare for war, pick a date, throw on a patch and JUST STOP.... I lost almost 50 pounds and quit smoking at the same time so it can be done....

I've been cigarette free for 2 years now. It is extremely hard to quit. Use that same will power you had to lose 40 lbs into kicking the habit. Keep yourself busy and think of all the money you're saving not buying cigarettes. Every time you get a craving do some push ups or sit ups, whatever you prefer.

My husband tried everything - someone on MFP recommended Allen Carr Easy Way to Quit Smoking, I ordered the book on Amazon for about $8 - he read it - he stopped smoking on July 4th - and has not smoked since

***This*** Any also a website www.quitnet.com
Using these two things I have been smoke free for 27 months after 50 years of smoking 2 packs a day!

This is a great thread, hoping I can quit soon! Going to look into Chantix...and the gum! Thanks everyone xo

I quit by setting a date and sticking to it. I promised myself that no matter how much craving I had, going to the gas station and buying that cigarette was NOT an option. Obviously its a lot easier said than done. The first week was VERY hard, since it's everything I thought about and my mood swings were horrible. I would cry in the middle of the store, etc. Fast forward three months I am SO happy I do this. I never have to think about when my next "cigarette break" is and it no longer takes control of my thoughts and actions.

What I did: worked out to replace my behavior of smoking, ignored cues to smoke (i.e. driving), closed my eyes and thought about a number for 1-3 minutes whenever cravings were really strong, counted the hours, days, and weeks I was smoke free. Seriously, cold turkey is the way to go! You can't "decrease" it gradually-- it's all or NOTHING.

I have never smoked. Sorry but I do not understand why people smoke???? it says right on the carton "may lead to lung cancer" Lung cancer kills more than an other cancer, heart attacks, and car accidents COMBINED every year!!

I used the patch, and had lots of sugar free candies/gum around. I have tried cold turkey numerous times, but failed, and the patch really helped me get a little nicotine to keep me sane while I broke the physical habit. There is also a really good book called "The Easy Way Women Stop Smoking" I got it on Amazon and I found it helpful. When you get a strong craving you can replace it with the candy and if it's sugar free/low calorie stuff it's no harm done. Also I was chewing on straws sometimes, but that was just a weird habit that helped me personally lol

Feb 15th will be my one year quitting, and you can do it! Good Luck!

I never thought I would quit, ever... I am over a month off them now. I went for hypnosis, it was a special deal so I said I will just do it and if it doesn't work it's only a bit of money wasted.

I don't know if it worked, or if I've just tricked myself into thinking it worked, but I haven't touched a smoke since. Cravings come now and then, but pass very quickly

The first time I tried to quit, I made it 5 days and all I could think about every waking minute was smoking, All I ever did was try to distract myself. It is NOTHING like that this time, it's been......easy......

Worth checking out, 2 other people in my office had it too, successful on all 3 of us. And I am a very, very sceptikal person

x

I have never smoked. Sorry but I do not understand why people smoke???? it says right on the carton "may lead to lung cancer" Lung cancer kills more than an other cancer, heart attacks, and car accidents COMBINED every year!!

And believe me, they absolutely cause lung cancer! My father smoked for probably 23 or so years. Quit at the age of 45. Was diagnosed with Lung Cancer a year ago at 57 years old. He has under-gone Chemo and Radiation treatments in the hopes of shrinking the tumor enough for surgery. Luckily it shrunk, and he had his entire lung removed in August. He has been in the hospital recovering ever since...now over 6 months. Believe me, seeing his daily struggles, being hooked up to machines and just trying to get out of the hospital will make me never ever touch a ciggarette. You don't want to put yourself, family and friends through what we've been going through this past year! I did smoke during college, and after, but quit cold turkey and am so glad I did, especially now watching what my dad is going through! I wish everyone luck in quitting!!!